- Announcer: Previously... - Switch!
- Go, go, go, go! - on "MasterChef Junior"...
- Let's go! - Let's get it in.
a high speed tag team challenge...
- Speed up! - Come on, come on, Jaala.
...brought out the best in Ivy and Reid.
Beautiful. It's cooked perfectly.
- But Jaala and Matthew... - I'm not impressed with your performance.
- You could have done a lot better. - Yes, Chef.
saw their MasterChef journey...
- I love you, guys! - Bye, guys!
...come to an end.
- Tonight... - Four covers, table one. One lamb, three filet.
- All: Yes, Chef! - the top six....
- Come on, guys. - Move, move!
...tackle the most daunting challenge
in "MasterChef Junior" history...
- Why is there no oil in there? - I'm just nervous.
...as they take over one of the country's
most sophisticated restaurants.
- Service, please. - A two Michelin star restaurant?
Who cooked these? Why do we do this to ourselves?
Ivy: This is really intense.
Oh, my gosh, oh, my gosh, oh, my gosh.
- Are you okay, Reid? - Are you okay, buddy?
- ( kids cheering ) - Come on down, line up.
Oh, my God. I'm one of the best six junior home cooks in America.
All the ten-year-olds back in my hometown Powder Springs, Georgia
are in school right now.
Me? I think I'm kind of living the life.
Whoo-hoo! Of the top six, I'm definitely a standout.
The only problem is everyone else are standouts, too.
It's just gonna keep on getting harder and harder
to stay in this competition.
Welcome back, everyone.
You are the top six young home cooks
in this entire country.
But only one of you will win the money,
the trophy, and of course the glory
of being called America's next MasterChef Junior.
- Oh, my gosh. - Christina: You're about to face the biggest test
of your young lives,
- and it won't happen here. - What?
Your next challenge is the "MasterChef Junior" restaurant takeover.
My dad works for an online reservation company.
So I've seen a lot of restaurant kitchens,
so I kind of know that is an intense environment.
Because it's such a huge endeavor,
we will be picking the teams for you.
Sadie, Aaron, and Malia, you'll be on the red team.
That means, Che, Ivy, and Reid, you're on the blue team.
Now, our captains.
The captain of the red team is Sadie.
That's right.
- Have you ever been a captain before? - Yes, Chef.
- In karate. - Good.
Blue team, tonight's captain is...
Reid.
- Have you ever captained a team? - No, Chef.
- Never? - I just play football.
I've never been a team captain.
I'm really nervous because Sadie's more experienced
than all the other kids.
And I'm only eight. I'm the youngest here.
Now's your chance to step up and show us
what you've got as a boss.
Yes, Chef.
Right, Sadie and Reid, come up here and grab your aprons.
Let's go.
I think our team is going to nail it.
Aprons on.
Sadie is super talented, she has finesse,
and Aaron works in his own bubble,
so he gets everything done.
Now one team will survive and move directly
into the semifinals.
The other team will be facing elimination.
There will be no pressure test.
All of you should know
that this is no ordinary restaurant takeover.
One might say that it's fancier
than something that we've ever done before.
So with that, we have a limo waiting for all of you outside.
- ( gasps ) - That's right.
We'll meet you guys at the restaurant. Okay?
- Yes, Chef. - All right, let's get to it.
- Thank you. - ( chuckles )
This is amazing!
Bye, guys.
All: Limo!
- Oh, my God. - Limo!
- Limo. - Whoo-hoo!
That is amazing.
Usually I take like tractors to school or something,
but now, I'm taking a limo!
I feel like a cooking princess.
All: Top six!
- Whoo! - Cheers.
I've been in a limo before, but not one this fancy.
The seats are leather,
and it has color changing lights, fake champagne,
and I'm really excited to see where we're going.
( horn honking )
- Oh, Christina! - Christina!
- All: Christina! - Oh, my gosh!
- Hello, folks! - Christina!
Reid: It's Mélisse.
Hey.
Long time no see.
- Mélisse! - All six of you, follow me.
- Hi! - Line up, home cooks.
This restaurant is so awesome!
I walk inside and it's all fancy.
The table cloths, and silverware, and flowers.
I'm nervous about what we're gonna cook
because it must be something
as fancy as everything around.
Welcome to Mélisse!
( kids cheering )
Mélisse is a southern Californian institution
for nearly 20 years.
This is where you talented six young home cooks
will be in charge of running a real Michelin starred restaurant.
In fact, Mélisse boasts two Michelin stars.
Ivy: I was just expecting just to go to like a regular restaurant,
but a two Michelin star?
Oh, my gosh.
I'm getting even more nervous.
Christina: It's not gonna be easy.
If you want out, now's the time to tell us.
Does anyone wanna go home?
- Reid: No, Chef. - Good.
Now, before we get to it,
I think you all need one more thing.
- Chef coats. - Whoa!
- Chef coats. - Che and Ivy: Yes!
Come on up, grab your chef coats,
and let's go to the kitchen to meet the chef.
Red team, blue team, let's go.
Quick. Come on, let's get a bounce in your step.
Aaron: I can definitely tell
that the judges believe in us.
Now that I have the outfit,
I think I have the courage and the wisdom, too.
I mean, this jacket makes me feel so much different.
Like two Michelin starry, you know?
On your toes. Let's go.
- Chef, good to see you. Absolute pleasure. - Good to see you, Chef.
Welcome to the most amazing kitchen in Santa Monica.
Let me introduce you to a personal friend of ours,
one of the best chefs anywhere in the world,
executive chef Josiah Citrin.
Welcome. How are you?
- Hi. - Chef is about to do an amazing demonstration.
Four amazing dishes... two incredible appetizers,
two incredible entrées.
All right, well, I'm so happy to have you all here today.
These dishes are very complex.
So I really need you to pay close attention
and, please, ask questions if they come.
- Yes, Chef. - All right.
So we're gonna start with the appetizers.
Our first is Santa Barbara spot prawns
with a medley of spring vegetables
nasturtium flowers and a prawn stock from all the heads.
I'm gonna start with the vegetables.
Put a little chicken stock in the pan.
Do you let the vegetables get color or not?
No color. We just wanna have the beauty
of these beautiful spring vegetables.
And then at the same time cook my prawns.
How long are you gonna cook the prawns for?
About 45 seconds.
We also have a prawn stock from all the heads.
And then we finish it with lemon juice, a little cream and butter.
So we need to get it nice and frothy.
This makes it lighter, really unctuous, delicious.
So now we'll take our froth.
So we're just gonna take the foam off the top
then we'll take our prawns.
And then we have some of these beautiful nasturtium flowers.
We actually grow these on the roof.
- Gordon: Nice. - And there's our prawn dish.
Gordon: Simple but elegant, guys, right?
- All: Yes, Chef. - Every step is crucial.
Now I'm gonna show you the halibut dish.
It's been crusted in a zucchini flower,
green tomato, green garlic, chanterelle mushrooms,
and a brown butter Chardonnay sauce.
So we stick the zucchini flower on.
Okay, so we're gonna put this in the pan.
So you put the flower side down?
Yes, flower side down.
Probably about 45 seconds on this side.
Put the vegetables in, quickly sauté them
then we have some chanterelle mushrooms here.
We wanna sauté them a little bit.
Malia: I think it's going to be really hard
trying to replicate these dishes.
There's just a lot of detail that go in it.
- Just go on top of here. - Gordon: Nice.
A couple chanterelles on top.
And we have some beautiful borage flowers.
I expect every one to look like this, right?
Gordon: Chef, that looks amazing.
I feel pretty nervous.
On to the entrées now, Chef.
Yes, first main course we're gonna do is gonna be filet of beef.
Yay!
Seared filet of beef butter basted
with porcini mushrooms, glazed carrots, charred leak puree,
finish with with red wine Bordelaise sauce.
We're expecting a medium rare.
So we're gonna keep turning it a lot.
Like every 25, 30 seconds turn your beef.
You wanna control the temperature going in.
Also there's no fat on there, so we don't want to scorch it.
So you don't put the filet in the oven?
No, we're just gonna do it on the stove while we're basting,
cooking, turning.
I'm an expert at cooking steaks
and watching Chef Josiah do it,
I could show him a thing or two about that.
I'm in my element right now.
So here's the tricky part of this plating, okay?
Charred leak puree,
then we're gonna make a smear like this.
- Okay? - Gordon: Wow.
We have our porcini mushrooms.
Carrot over here then we have our beef.
We'll prop it on the plate.
- Wow. - Gordon: That looks beautiful.
Yes, Chef.
And now for our second entrée.
Truffle crusted lamb with French green lentils,
artichokes, truffle puree, and a lamb jus.
Then we're gonna do a truffle crust.
We have a nice beautiful mustard mix here.
And actually we put a little bit of egg whites in here.
So it helps it kind of puff up a little bit.
- Nice. - Okay, so we're gonna get this brioche truffle crust.
- Pop this in the oven. - For how long?
Probably about three minutes.
We also have artichokes.
We're gonna grill 'em.
All: No color, no flavor.
Exactly. No color, no flavor.
All right, so we'll start to plate our dish.
We do a nice little line
and we'll take our truffle puree.
- All right? - Expensive that one, Chef?
Oh, those are about $800 a pound.
So I'm sure it's two pounds to make all the puree for today..
$1,600 there in that bottle.
Reid: What?
I think the hardest part of the menu is the lamb.
I prefer my lamb rosé.
Not too rare, not too well-done.
Sadie: Cooking a lamb to a perfect medium rare
can be a difficult task.
All right, beautiful.
The pressure is on!
These dishes need to be perfect.
Guys, this dining room is fully booked with real diners.
And they have no idea how old the chefs are
preparing this dinner this evening.
Age can no longer be an excuse.
All: Yes, Chef.
Christina: You'll also be serving Chef Josiah's dishes
to him in a private dining room.
- Yes, Chef. - Wow.
Gordon: Now, before we begin,
there's one more tiny detail.
And, tonight, I will be expediting.
Whoa!
Chef Josiah, I promise you on behalf of all the MasterChef Junior team,
we will keep that standard up. Won't we, teams?
All: Yes, Chef.
Oh, my gosh!
The stakes are bigger
than they've ever been before.
If we lose this challenge, we'll be facing elimination
and two people will get sent home.
If I ever needed to do the best that I had to on a challenge,
now is the time.
Good luck.
Red team, blue team, listen up.
A two Michelin star service, this is a very tall order,
but you are the top six.
If we didn't think you're capable of doing this, you wouldn't be here.
- All: Yes, Chef. - Guys, 40 minutes to prep
before any food goes out to the actual diners this evening.
Get on your sections, set up for the appetizers.
- Let's go, guys. Good luck. - Aarón: Come on, guys. You guys can do it.
Malia, do you feel comfortable with the prawn?
I do feel comfortable with prawn.
I've cooked shrimp before, so Malia's prawn. Okay?
Aaron, how are you with halibut?
I think I'll do good in making sure it's not raw
- and cooked all the way through. - Okay.
As a captain, I'm putting people
with foods that they're familiar with,
so that they feel comfortable with what they're doing.
I'll just be the floater person, checking in with everyone.
This is a big deal.
The customers don't know we're kids
and we don't want to ruin Mélisse's reputation.
- We got this, guys. - Whoo! We got this, yeah, baby.
You're doing the, um... What's it... What's it...
- What are you doing? Halibut. - Halibut.
You're doing...
- The... prawns. Yeah, okay. - Prawns, right?
I'm actually really nervous. We just have to push through this.
- Yeah. - If you have to yell out a little battle cry,
- who cares? Just do it. Right. - Okay.
All: One, two, three, blue team!
Reid has never been captain before.
He is only eight years old.
I think that Ivy and I are gonna have to help him out
as much as we can, but I'm nervous going into this.
Reid: Come on, guys.
We know what Chef Josiah's expectations are.
How would you set up the team of three for success tonight?
So, the captain needs to decide to be the last line of defense.
One on prawn, one on halibut, and the captain dresses the plate.
- Yep. - So, get the proteins going.
I'm gonna put this right here, so when we plate it's good.
So Sadie on the red team, very consistent cook in this competition,
but more importantly, a very smart cook.
So I'm hoping that Malia and Aaron listen to her.
She has a very elevated, elegant palate
and think that's gonna come to fruition
when it comes to the plating for sure.
Malia, how's the filet coming?
It's going really good. Come on, guys, we got this.
You have Reid over here, very enthusiastic, energetic,
tends to be a little bit overwhelmed sometime.
If he get flustered, he gets backed up.
Guys, remind yourselves that he's only eight.
You're right. And what he doesn't have in experience
he makes up with courage and hard work.
Come on, come on, come on. You got this, Che.
Knowing that Mélisse has two Michelin stars
I'm expecting a lot from the chefs.
Great food, I want it to come out hot,
I want it to taste great, be cooked perfectly.
I hope they can all deliver.
That atmosphere is rising out there. Can you hear the customers?
- All: Yes, Chef. - Good.
Get organized, guys, yes.
I've eaten at Mélisse a few times.
Chef Josiah comes from Wolfgang Puck.
I really like the idea of this menu.
Looks delicious.
So there's plenty of room for these guys
- to make a name for themselves. - Thank you so much.
- Chef, order in. - Order?
- How is everybody out there? - They're hungry
and I don't think they're gonna wait. So let's get it going.
Right, an order. Red team, four covers, for table one.
- One halibut, three prawn. - All: Yes, Chef.
Thank you, let's go. Blue tea, an order.
Four covers, table eight. Two halibut, two prawn.
- All: Yes, Chef. - Red team, second table.
One halibut, three prawn, followed by two prawn, two halibut.
- Yes, Chef. - Red team, you're the blue team.
Come on, guys, wake up.
Blue team, after two halibut, two prawn,
we come back to three prawn, one halibut. Yes?
- Two prawn, two halibut, right? - Um...
Are you listening, young lady?
Or do you wanna go out serve some plates?
- No, Chef. - After two halibut, two prawn,
one halibut, three prawn.
- Yes, Chef. - One halibut, three prawn, okay.
Gordon is talking fast
and it's kind of stressful.
- Blue team, two covers table 12, - Yes, Chef.
two covers table eleven, and two covers table nine.
Now you say three orders at one time!
It's too much, Gordon!
- We got how many halibut all day? - I don't know.
I thought we were pretty ready for the service physically,
mentally, we are not. We're kind of freaking out.
Hey, blue team, three of you come here.
You gotta listen to the call.
You're not communicating, you're just panicking.
Come on, you know what's going now, yes?
Two prawn, two halibut. All on your own, yes?
- Two prawn, two halibut, yes, Chef. - Good boy, take charge.
- How long on shrimp? - Um, 20 more seconds.
How's halibut doing, Aaron?
- Aaron, how we doing on halibut? - Yeah?
You need to be responsive.
Uh, halibut look like they're about done.
Aaron, you gotta move, buddy, okay?
You can't be complacent.
We only have three members on our team.
So, we need everyone to work together,
but Aaron is just, you know, falling asleep.
- No! - Sorry. You gotta be careful, buddy.
- Just start again. - Red team.
- Yes, Chef. - One order, two covers.
- One prawn, one halibut. - All: Yes, Chef.
- Aaron, you're not even answering the girls. - Yes, Chef?
You're not even answering me.
- What does that mean? - That means I'm not listening.
That's right. Can you wake up a little bit
and just show me that you've got a little bit of oomph in you, yes?
- Yes, Chef. - Let's go, then answer me. Let's go.
- Yes, Chef. - Thank you.
- You got it, Aaron? - Yes.
Sadie and Gordon are getting a little bit frustrated at me.
I'm moving a little bit slow, but really I'm making sure
that everything is done perfectly.
I need the halibut.
Halibut right here.
We do not wanna serve Chef Josiah
or any of the customers raw food.
Service, please. One of each. Table five, table four.
- Table five, table four. - Thank you. Speed up, Aaron.
- Let's go. - Yes, Chef.
How long... How long in the, um...
- What are they called? - Prawns.
- Spot prawns, yeah. How long? - Should be done now.
- Captain, garnish, please. - Garnish is coming up, Chef.
Oh.
- I don't know why you're throwing spoons like that. - I just got burned.
- Are you okay? - Yes, Chef.
Hey, I need you to breathe.
- You're all panicking for nothing. - Yes, Chef.
I'm getting really flustered, 'cause I'm just a southern boy
that likes to grill out with my dad each night.
I've never cooked something this fancy before.
- What's going? - You're sending one...
Look at me, look at me. Two prawn, two halibut.
- Two prawn, two halibut. - And all you've given me is a spoon of vegetables.
If you don't listen to me, you're gonna go down.
- Listen to me. Shrimp on. - Yes, Chef.
There's a lot of pressure tonight.
Plating has to be perfect, the cooking has to be perfect,
and we have to be perfect, too.
Gently, gently, gently, gently, gently.
There you go. Don't make hard work of it.
Good boy. Service, please.
Go, table ten, thank you.
Blue team, three halibut, three prawn,
and then we go to the Chef's table, okay?
Three halibut, three prawn, guys.
Got it.
- Red team, one table is for Chef Josiah. - Yes, Chef.
- Where's the prawns here? Come on, let's go. - The prawns are right there.
- Who cooked these? - Malia did.
- Red team, come here. - Yes, Chef.
- What's wrong with that? - All: It's raw.
Why do we do this to ourselves? You're just rushing now.
- Did Chef Josiah throw food at you? - All: No, Chef.
- You think he wants to see a raw prawn? - All: No, Chef.
I'm not happy with myself
because I'm supposed to be quality control.
I didn't even look.
If we serve Chef Josiah raw prawns,
we're gonna face immediate elimination.
Come on, red team, I know you can do better than this.
- All: Yes, Chef. - Back in the pan. Let's go.
Prawns are probably, like, the easiest protein of seafood,
and I messed it up.
But I'm trying to calm down and get into control.
Make sure those are perfect.
I think that instead of just moving it every two seconds,
I just to need to flip it once and then just let that sit
- so it can cook both sides. - Time up. Out.
Good girl. Thank you.
- Where's the halibut? - Halibut's right here.
Get it on the plate, get it dressed.
I don't want any undercooked prawn, yes?
- Go, please, Christina. - Chef Josiah.
- Going to Chef Josiah. - Thank you, Christina.
Blue team, where's the halibut? Where's the chanterelle?
- It's coming, Chef. - Thank you, Che.
- Nicely cooked that halibut. - Thank you, Chef.
Good job. Service, please, table 15.
Blue team now is running like a machine.
I mean, we're going, going, going, going, going.
Two more halibut and two more prawns.
- One two-top is for Chef Josiah. - Yes, Chef.
Reid is acting as a great captain.
If he stays confident
and doesn't crack as much under pressure,
we'll definitely win the challenge.
- Shrimp on, let's go. - I can do that, Chef.
Good, boy. Christina, Chef Josiah, please.
- Go. - Chef Josiah.
Guys, good job, guys.
- Chef. - Wow.
Here we have your prawn appetizers from the blue team
- and the red team. - Beautiful.
Both look really nice.
So it's really gonna come down to taste,
'cause they look great.
Taste the veggies.
So for the red team, very nice amount of sauce.
Nice texture in the vegetables.
The shrimp is a little overcooked
and it's kind of curling more.
As it gets more cooked, they'll curl all the way.
- Red team, three prawn, one halibut. - Yes, Chef.
Followed by two prawn, two halibut, yes?
- All: Yes, Chef. - Let's go.
The blue team's prawn is cooked to my liking.
A little softer, very nice.
The one thing on the blue team I'd say is I would like
- to have a little more sauce. - Yes.
Gently, gently, gently, gently, gently.
Now for the red team and the blue team's halibut.
Blue team, they seem like they were able to get the zucchini flower.
It's a very delicate part.
The red team's zucchini looks like it might've pulled
- on the spatula when they flipped it. - Yes.
Mmm, nice. The red team's halibut is seasoned perfectly.
- Very nicely cooked. Opaque in the middle. - Yeah.
Beautiful color.
So the blue team's halibut is cooked also perfectly.
The chanterelle was nicely seasoned,
the halibut's nicely seasoned.
So I'm definitely impressed with both of them.
- I'm really excited to see the entrées. - All right, me, too.
So having the blue team's shrimp,
I love the sauce and the flavors.
I love the peas that go along with it.
I'm not usually a large or a huge shrimp fan,
but I think this tastes delicious.
Well done. Three, three, and three.
- Well done. - Yes, Chef.
The red team's halibut is cooked extremely well
and the Chardonnay butter sauce really compliments it.
Come on, red team. Table two, table six, yes?
- I need the two halibut. - Two halibut are coming, Chef.
I'm having the blue team's halibut today.
The contrast of color is beautiful.
Fish is seasoned very well.
I would absolutely pay money for a dish like this
at a two Michelin star restaurant.
Last two tables, blue team. Keep it going.
Table 13 and table 12.
Come on, guys, you got this.
How are you enjoying the red team's appetizers so far?
The spot prawns were very well prepared.
Beautifully plated.
As far as like the vegetable medley,
it could've been done a little bit more,
but overall I really enjoyed this dish.
Halibut, please, table six.
Thank you. Now can we focus together as a team?
- Yes, Chef. Of course, Chef. - Clear down.
Guys, we have to clear down.
I'm pleased to enjoy this halibut
by the red team here. Cooked great,
sauce fantastic, and the mushrooms were a beautiful touch.
With how well this is cooked,
I expect the same from the entrée.
This is fantastic.
Red team, blue team, that wasn't a bad start,
but I know we can be better.
- All: Yes, Chef. - Stick together as a team,
get organized, and get ready for the main course.
- All: Yes, Chef! - Now get going.
Red team, away now, three filet, one lamb.
- All: Yes, Chef. - One lamb, three filet, guys, let's go.
- Gordon: Let's go. - Season everything.
Blue team, fire, two filet, two lamb,
- followed by three filet, one lamb. - Yes, Chef.
There should be five filets in a pan. Where are they?
- Wait. Why is there no oil in there? - Right here, Chef.
- I forgot, Chef. - Gordon: Come on, Reid.
That's gonna stick... Reid, is that...
- Huh? - I shouldn't have done that, Chef.
Come on, man!
I thought that I was an expert at cooking steak,
but there's some few things I need to get better at.
- I'm gonna learn from my mistakes. - Of course you can.
- You got this, yes? - Yes, Chef.
I'm really nervous. I can't figure out the basting.
Reid, like this.
If I don't learn how to properly baste, I'm gone.
Dang it.
Hot, hot, hot pan.
Hot pan, hot pan, coming through.
Red team, three filet, one lamb. Is the lamb in?
- Aaron, is the lamb in yet? - Uh, no, Chef.
- Gordon: So, hey... Hey... - Sadie: Okay, get it in...
Hey, red team, come here!
I've got the artichokes ready, I've got the carrots ready,
but there's no lamb in.
- Who's cooking the beef? - I am, Chef.
- Who's cooking the lamb? So why is it not in? - Me, Chef.
I was trying to get as many on the pan as possible, Chef.
No. You're cooking artichokes.
- What's the most important thing that goes on first? - Protein.
While the protein's in the oven, what do you get ready next?
- Garnish. - Can we get the lamb in, please?
- All: Yes, Chef! Now. - Aaron, get the lamb in as quick as possible.
- Gordon: Dear, oh, dear. - Working in a kitchen is no joke at all.
- Just focus on the protein. - The lamb is in the oven.
Okay, start prepping some more.
We need to get down to business
because if we don't win this challenge,
no one on our team is gonna be safe.
- How much time on filet? - Um, two minutes, Sadie.
- Two minutes? Awesome, thank you. - Good.
Reid, use the spoon, right?
Pull the skillet towards you, buddy.
- Tilt it. - Reid, are you okay?
- Yeah. - Just rest it.
- Reid, start basting. - It's already basted.
- It's already basted? Already? - Are you okay, Reid?
Reid? What happened?
Ooh.
What's the matter, Reid?
- You okay, buddy? - It burned!
( sniffling )
Ooh.
What's the matter, Reid?
- You okay, buddy? - It burned!
- I couldn't baste it properly. - Gordon: Okay.
Nothing burned. It's fine.
It's only butter we burned, isn't it? It's not the steak, is it?
- No, Chef. - Reid seems to be getting less
and less confident as the cook goes.
You can do this.
He needs to realize that he's a skilled home cook,
that's why he's in the top six. We need Reid right now.
We can't get into the semifinals without Reid.
I've seen you more confident than this before.
- What's happened? - I mean, I'm just nervous.
I'm nervous as well,
but I thought having you tonight as the captain
- was gonna be the best thing about the blue team. Okay? - Yes, Chef.
What you can't do now is start breaking down.
- Yes, Chef. - Okay?
Gordon teaches me how to baste
and I start getting on basting,
but I'm getting really flustered.
Okay, let's go. Captain Reid, let's go.
Two lamb, two filet. Four plates out, let's go.
It's just, like, really difficult to keep up
with all the tickets that he's yelling out.
Away next, three filet, one lamb, yes?
Could you help me, please, Che?
- What do you need help with? - Can you baste this?
- Baste it? - Please, just baste.
I passed the filets off to Che
'cause he's one of the best in this kitchen.
He starts doing it, and I'm gonna go out and do the plating.
Reid, you're dressing, they're cooking, right?
- Yes, Chef. - Come on, all you. All you, let's go.
Che: Let's go, guys. Keep going, come on.
Lamb, please. One lamb, three beef, yes?
- Let's go. - Guys, this is way too small.
Gordon: Stop.
Young man, come here. What is that?
That's a very bad piece of lamb.
You're slicing it. The bone's thicker than the actual meat,
Looks like a dog chew. And the beef?
I'm just shocked. I've seen you plate better food
in the MasterChef kitchen than you have here.
- Who cooked the beef? - Malia cooked the beef, Chef.
The beef is raw. Put a pair of horns on that,
we'll stick it back in the field.
- Dear, oh, dear. - I'm a little bit frustrated
because we're all not really cooking
to what our abilities are.
So we need to get down to business and fix our mistakes.
- Do you guys wanna win this? - Both: Yes, Chef.
Then we need to pull it together
and we need to double check
that we're making these proteins correctly.
So maybe make, you know, like, an extra...
just so you can cut it open.
If it's raw, put it back in the oven.
- Okay. - You good, Chef?
- That works. - Moving forward,
I'm really pushing myself
to check the food before I plate it.
This is a two Michelin star restaurant
and everything has to be absolute perfection.
Come on, guys, let's hustle.
Che, away now,
- three lamb, three filet. Yes? - Yes, Chef.
- Ivy, don't slice the lamb until we're ready. - Yes, Chef.
You're just motoring away now. They're gonna get cold.
What's all this lamb burning here?
- Is anyone talking to me, blue team? - Che: Yes, Chef?
- Why's this all burning here? - I don't know.
We just forgot that the cast iron keeps the heat in the pan.
No one's concentrating. It's all rushing around.
We're doing one table at a time.
I really need to focus on timing.
So next time, I'm gonna ask the team captain
if I can cut the lamb and get it on the plate.
Reid, are you ready for me
- to slice the lamb? - Yes.
- Thank you, Ivy. - Thank you, Ivy.
Because I'm never making that mistake again.
- Where's the lamb? - It's coming out!
Three lamb, please. Let's go.
- Right here. - Well done.
- Gordon: Service, please. - I love the cook on the lamb.
- I think you did a great job. - Table nine.
- Go, thank you. - Reid: Come on, guys, you got this.
Two filet, two lamb, red team.
- Chef, we're ready. - Good, thank you.
Service table seven, red team.
After that, what's going next?
After that we have one lamb, three filets.
That's right, exactly that, same table.
- Exactly that, good girl. - Keep going, red team.
You got it, you got it. Keep pushing.
Sadie: Malia, how's the filet coming?
It needs to cook just a little more...
- Awesome. - ...because I feel it with the tongs
- and it's still a little squishy. - Okay.
I feel like Sadie is stepping up
and being a great team captain.
We're communicating, we're working together.
It's just way better than the appetizer round.
Aaron, how's the lamb? Oh, you're coating it? Okay, awesome.
- Get that in the oven as soon as possible, okay? - Yeah.
Great job.
How are the red team's entrées?
Man: The beef is really a fantastic meal.
We've enjoyed this a lot.
- It's presented really well. - Wow.
Yeah, I thought it was cooked perfectly.
It wasn't overdone, and just after the first bite,
it all just kind of came together.
See, that's a good one. You see how it has a little bit of resistance?
- Good job, young lady. I'm proud of you. - Thank you, Chef.
I had the blue team's lamb. I loved it.
It was buttery, it was juicy.
Like, I really wanted more, I loved it so much.
- Lamb, please, Ivy. - It's coming!
It's cooked beautifully.
I had the red team's filet entrée,
and it's medium rare and it's cooked delightfully.
How are the entrées from the blue team?
The lamb itself cooked beautifully.
The flavor on it's fantastic.
It was cooked a perfect medium rare,
and so it tasted really good.
What about your filet?
I think it's a very nice medium,
which I know for a lot of people might be too well-done.
For me, I love that, and the meat is like butter,
- well-seasoned, delicious. - That's great to hear.
Okay, let's go. Captain Reid, let's go.
- Where's the beef? - The beef is right here, Chef.
Oh, dear, oh, dear.
Just stop. Look at the state of that plate.
- I'll wipe it off, Chef. - No, I'm not serving that.
It looks like someone's been shot on your plate.
You know that's not okay.
Oh, my gosh, oh, my gosh, oh, my gosh.
The lamb is cooked perfectly
and the steak is cooked perfectly.
If Reid cannot handle the plating,
two people are gonna go home tonight on the blue team.
You're just ruining your dish.
Come on, please, blue team.
Look at the state of that plate.
I'm not serving that.
You gotta show finesse now.
Two star Michelin gives it light, beauty,
and you gotta cook with the eyes.
- Way too much sauce. - Yes, Chef.
- Get me a new clean plate. - Yes, Chef.
Plating in a two Michelin star restaurant, this is no joke.
You have to do everything exactly right,
and I've been getting overwhelmed to where I've been rushing.
- Can we dress with some finesse now? - Yes, Chef.
I'm gonna do everything I can to give plating all my focus
'cause I really wanna win this,
so I need to get this done.
Service, please.
Table 11.
Red team, blue team.
- Yes, Chef. - Yes, Chef.
What does that say up there?
All: "In pursuit of excellence."
- Louder. - "In pursuit of excellence!"
You're now cooking for Chef Josiah's table.
- I want your very best. - All: Yes, Chef.
Come on, let's go. Last two tables.
- Let's go, guys. We can do this. - Come on, Sadie.
- You need to move young lady. - Move, move!
Fast, fast! Let's finish strong.
- Let's go. Where's the lamb, please? - It's coming.
Everything on that plate I want what?
- Perfect. - The blue team's filet was, honestly, the highlight.
I can see what all the hype is about for Mélisse.
The presentation was really pretty, it tasted great.
The dish just exceeded my expectations.
- V-VIP. Taste everything, yes? - V-VIP. Yes, Chef.
I feel really nervous making the plates for Chef Josiah.
Although in the end we came together as a team,
the beginning was rough for us.
We all struggled with communication
and staying confident and not cracking under pressure.
- Where's the porcini? - Porcini right here.
This is the make or break moment for the blue team.
This is going to Chef Josiah, please!
Good boy. One beef, one lamb.
Last table. Well done.
The red team's filet is actually cooked very well.
I really liked all the garnishes.
The mushroom has a really strong flavor,
and it went well with the steak.
- Sadie, sauce the beef. - Okay, guys, we're almost done.
- We can do this. - Good girl.
These plates are for Chef Josiah.
Chef Josiah, let's go. Well done.
- Thank you, Chef. - Clear down.
The last entrée plate goes out
and I feel very very accomplished.
I know we did a really good job.
I just have no idea how the blue team did.
- Chef. - Hello.
- Time for the entrées. - Oh, wow.
For the blue team's dish, presentation... very nice.
Pink all the way through.
That's a beautiful medium rare.
Seasoned nicely.
I'd like to see a little more caramelization
- on the porcini mushroom. - Yes.
- Give me a fist bump. - Great job, guys.
The red team's... cooked very nicely again.
I mean, pink all the way through. That's nice.
Seasoned nicely. I mean, I've got guys in my kitchen
who can't cook it like this every day,
- so I'm very, very excited to see this. - Wow.
That's wonderful feedback.
Great job, guys.
- Here we go. - Chef.
- On to the lamb. - On to the lamb.
They both have a nice dollop of the truffle puree.
The blue team was able to have just three chops
and the red has left the chops in.
- Yes. - Taste this.
The lamb tastes good,
and rack of lamb is not easy to cook.
Mmm.
The lentils are perfect.
I mean, just enough butter to complement them,
and very nice flavor on the artichokes, charring it on the grill.
- Wonderful. - On the blue team,
the lamb looking nice.
Pink all the way through.
Mmm. Nice truffle crust. Lentils are very nice also.
I'm really impressed with the MasterChef Junior contestants.
The diners were able to enjoy the food the way we cook it,
and I'll probably have you guys stay a couple weeks and take a few weeks off.
Give us a call when you need to go on vacation, Chef.
Awesome.
Ladies and gentlemen,
we hope you all enjoyed your dinner.
All: Yes!
The dishes put together by our incredible, talented,
amateur home cooks in the professional kitchen
boasting two Michelin stars tonight was a tall order.
Now, would you like to meet them?
- All: Yes! - Please welcome the red team
and the blue team, ladies and gentlemen.
( cheering )
Woman: Oh, my gosh!
Ladies and gentlemen, our red team and the blue team.
( cheering )
Well done.
Getting that reaction from the diners is uplifting.
They actually thought that we were adults,
so we've really surprised them tonight.
I'm like a chef superhero now.
( clicks tongue )
Tonight these young home cooks ages eight to twelve...
- Whoo! - Wow.
...made your dinner this evening.
- Oh! - Wow!
I know all of you were profusely impressed, right?
- All: Yeah! - Do any of you have any questions?
Yeah, well, now that you've run a restaurant like this,
how would you feel about running your own?
- So, Malia? - I feel great about opening up my own restaurant.
It's just I'm a little nervous cooking in the kitchen,
because it's really hot and very stressful.
Let me get this right. You wanna open a restaurant
with no stress and no cooking.
- Well... - ( laughing )
- Right here. - What's your question?
Can you describe in one word
what it's like cooking for Gordon Ramsay
in a real kitchen?
- Ivy? - Terrifying.
- Yeah! - ( laughter and applause )
I agree.
- One more question. - Yeah.
So, Gordon Ramsay has fixed hundreds of restaurants
and he's taught American kids how to be chefs.
- What should his next job be? - Reid? Next job?
President of the United States.
- Yeah! - ( all laugh )
- Really? - You got the hair.
Thank you, Reid.
Right, this is a competition,
and based on your feedback,
one team will be safe from elimination.
That team is...
...going to be decided back in the MasterChef kitchen.
- No! - ( groaning )
Man: Gordon!
Christina, Aarón, and myself need to read every comment card,
study them immensely. It's a big decision.
Please, give it up one more time
for the red team and the blue team.
- Bravo! Bravo! - ( cheering )
We gotta find out tomorrow?
I am very nervous.
It's either the semifinals
or it's back at home in Powder Springs, Georgia.
I really think that we did well,
but did we do good enough is the question.
- Bye! - ( cheering )
Line up, please. Hurry up.
I feel really nervous going into the kitchen,
because I don't know if I'm gonna go straight
to the semifinals or face elimination.
I mean, the hundred thousand dollars
and the trophy is so close, it's in reach.
I can't wait to get the judges' decision.
Welcome back, everyone.
You all just cooked for a packed house at Mélisse,
one of the finest restaurants in Los Angeles.
It was so difficult to decide
which team won and which team lost.
And I have to be honest, it came down to the very smallest of details.
That's right.
The diners had a lot of things to say about both teams.
"Red team, filet of beef cooked perfectly.
Sauce delicious.
Santa Barbara spot prawns spectacular."
"Blue team, halibut prepared wonderfully.
One of the best halibut dishes I've ever tasted.
Flaky, buttery, well-seasoned."
Blue team again. "The Sonoma rack of lamb perfectly cooked.
Lentils were to die for."
This is from customers
sat in a two Michelin star establishment.
Extraordinary stuff.
Unfortunately, in this challenge
there can only be one winning team,
and there is no pressure test tonight.
The losing team will be up for immediate elimination,
whereby we'll have to send at least two cooks home.
Aarón, Christina, and I have been discussing this at length,
talked it over with Chef Josiah,
studied every comment card from those customers,
and we do have a decision.
The winning team
in the MasterChef Junior restaurant takeover is...
Let me tell you something.
- This is tough. - Yeah.
Nothing came back. Is it down to the beef
or the Santa Barbara prawns?
I was in the dining room the whole time.
The plating? That detail?
They were starting slow, but they finished strong.
Yeah.
The team that is safe tonight is...
...both teams!
- What? - That's right!
Congratulations! There is no losing team.
- You both did so well. - Oh, my God.
It was so evenly matched,
and we couldn't decide either way.
- Congratulations. - This is amazing!
I'm so happy that both teams get to stay
and we all did so well.
That's the first time in history
we've never ever seen a dish returned to the kitchen.
That tells us a lot.
Six of you still remain.
Get some rest.
You have some huge challenges ahead of you.
We want you at your best.
- Good night. - Good night, Chef.
- Good night. - Good night, Chefs.
Oh, my gosh. I feel relieved.
It's just, I wonder what's up next.
Announcer: Next time...
- This is the semifinal. - a final mystery box...
- Lift. - full of inspiration...
- What? - ...may hold the key
to the biggest advantage of the season.
Ivy: This is my chance to go straight to the finale.
- Holy schnitzel! - And then,
in a juicy elimination test...
Three are going home.
only the cooks with raw talent will secure their spot...
These odds are not in my favor.
...in the "MasterChef Junior" finale.
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