Junior Masterchef

Story and picture: news.com.au

7.30pm Wednesday November 23 on Ten

Tonight the final two mini chefs arrive at the MasterChef kitchen for the final time. Both eager to take the title of Junior MasterChef 2011, the finalists roll up their sleeves ready to cook the dish of their lives!

First up it’s time for some fun, as all the Top 20 contestants return to put our judges through their paces. The tables are turned as Matt and George are challenged to cook up a tasty treat under the watchful eye of the kids – and yes, they really crack the whip!

Then it’s time to get serious. Our two finalists take a deep breath, focus and gather their thoughts- first up is a dessert challenge. A magical fruit tree provides the ingredients and the two best young cooks in the country must create a fruit dessert worthy of our dessert maestro guest judge. Donna Hay! With one hour on the clock, the pressure is on.

For the second challenge, the extraordinarily talented Tetsuya (can we put his last name in) arrives at the MasterChef kitchen to much excitement, and delivers the news that our finalists must compete in their final ever pressure test set by Tetsuya himself. After seeing and tasting his very complicated dish, the kids set about creating a perfect replica of the dish.

After a close battle, the judges then add together the scores of each finalist for both challenges and the winner is crowned.

Junior Masterchef, Ten, 7.30pm.
Another night, another reality grand final – this time, Ten’s turn with the series two final of Junior Masterchef.

Spicks and Specks, ABC1, 8.30pm
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The Hamster Wheel, ABC1, 9.30pm
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The One: Australia’s Most Gifted Psychic, Seven, 7.30pm
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I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here, GO!, 7.30pm
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HD Tonight.
American Pickers, 7mate, 9.30pm
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Big Bang Episode Repeat Factor
Tonight, between Nine and GO!, there are 4 episodes of The Big Bang Theory – on Nine at 7.00, 7.30 and 8.00, and then on GO! at 9pm.

After  spectacular semi-final challenge set under the sails of the Sydney Opera House, it was tonight revealed Jack, 12 [QLD], would be the second contestant to compete in the Junior MasterChef Finale tomorrow night against Greta, 11, [WA].

It was mate versus mate, as Jack, Harry, 11 [WA] and Zac, 12 [NSW] battled it out one last time in a bid to make the finale, tackling a challenge that saw them design and create their own five star signature menu.

For the main meal Harry chose rabbit, a notoriously difficult protein which he haonly ever used once before, while Jack attempted a smoking technique for his lamb that he had not previously tried, and Zac created a seafood dish that he presented as a full beach scene.

When it came to dessert, Zac initially struggled, having to make two batches of meringues after his first were too runny, while Jack created a very elaborate deconstructed Black Forest cake and Harry made white chocolate and raspberry friands.

It was a difficult decision for judges, Gary, Matt, Anna and George but they determined it was Jack’s dishes that impressed them the most, landing him the opportunity to go head-to-head with Greta for the title of Junior MasterChef 2011.

Zac remained positive about his experience, saying “I’m not disapointed at all, I have achieved somuch more than I ever thought was possible. Not only has my cooking improved but I have loved learning about the production side of making a television series.”

While Harry said of the judges, “The judges were so helpful, kind and nice. George is funny and loved to play soccer with the kids at lunchtime. They were always there if we needed help and Anna was so lovely to me, especially when we were in the US and she knew that my mum wasn’t there.”

Don’t miss tomorrow night’s two hour finale, 7.30pm on TEN.

7.30pm Tuesday November 22 on Ten

Tonight it’s the Junior Masterchef Semi-finals and the pressure is on. With just one spot left in this year’s Grand Finale up for grabs, three of Australia’s top young cooks will do battle under the stunning Opera House sails on Sydney’s famous harbour. It’s their last chance to impress the judges by delivering their own five star signature dishes.

The three contestants only have two hours to design and prepare a sensational main course and dessert. The pantry is stacked with every imaginable ingredient – but our young cooks must create their dishes without a recipe.

Expect a Heston Blumenthal inspired dish, a rabbit feast and smoked lamb. The mini-chefs strive for greatness by attempting some dishes they’ve never done before but this might just spell out disaster.

Later, the kids showcase their dessert skills. A few errors ensue and the young cooks are really under the pump just to get something plated up, leaving the remaining spot in the Junior MasterChef Finale up for grabs by any of them. The tension and stakes skyrocket under one of the most memorable locations in Australia as they kids tackle their last challenge to get in to the final.

Last night’s episode of Junior MasterChef saw Greta, 11, [WA], announced as the first contestant through to the Finale and Indigo,12,[QLD] and Alysha, 12, [WA] farewelled from the competition after a tough challenge.

It was the “The Conveyor Belt Mystery Challenge” that brought little Indigo and Alysha unstuck. All the kids had 50 minutes to pick up to five of the 30 ingredients on the conveyor belt and cook a dish.

It was a mad scramble for ingredients that saw Zac struggle initially, as he didn’t want any of the early ingredients and only just got all five of his ingredients twenty minutes into the challenge.

After a close tasting, the judges decided Greta had made the best dish with her crispy skin salmon.

As a reward, she was able to choose the core ingredient for the next challenge – “The Thai Invention Challenge” – and she chose duck. Jack’s disappointment was obvious – having never cooked with it before.

Greta was also rewarded with a five minute head start in the challenge, a huge advantage at this point in the competition. Again, the cheflings created amazing dishes worthy of any restaurant, but it was Greta who once again amazed the judges the most, winning her a coveted place in the Junior MasterChef 2011 finale.

Zac, Harry and Jack also impressed and are still in the running for a spot in the finale, but unfortunately it was time for Indigo and Alysha to leave the MasterChef Kitchen and go back to school.

The ever-positive Alysha said, “I learnt so much on Junior MasterChef, from cooking skills, to working with others, it was all a great experience. But the most important thing I learnt was that you shouldn’t be afraid to have a go, just do your best and enjoy it!”

Indigo found it difficult to name just one highlight from her Junior MasterChef experience, “I have made so many new friends that love to cook like me. But spending time in amazing places like Disneyland, some of Australia’s best professional kitchens and of course the MasterChef Kitchen was also fantastic.”

Don’t miss tonight’s show where Zac, Jack and Harry battle it out for the last remaining place in the Junior MasterChef finale.   

7.30pm Monday November 21 on Ten

There’s a lot at stake for our Top 6 mini chefs in the MasterChef Kitchen today. At the end of this episode.one of them will secure a coveted place in the Junior MasterChef finale and two of them will be going home.

Today it’s a the conveyor belt mystery challenge’ where the kids must pick up to five ingredients off a conveyor belt and cook a dish. The kids madly scramble for ingredients, with one kid struggling to get any ingredients at all! The winner with the best dishgets to choose the core ingredient for the next challenge – ‘the Thai invention challenge’.

Once the winner is announced they swiftly select their core ingredient and the Top 6 get cracking. The core ingredient is difficult to cook, and one of the kids has never cooked it before. Will this spell the end for this talented young cook?

As Junior MasterChef nears its exciting climax, we say goodbye to two more talented young cooks – Chandler, 11, [SA] and Lily, 10, [NSW].

It began with a “Perfect‟ challenge in the MasterChef kitchen, where the contestants were asked to cook the “Perfect‟ Pavlova in 80 minutes – their last opportunity to earn valuable points that would save them from having to battle it out in a Pressure Test elimination.

It didn‟t start well for Indigo who forgot to add vanilla and cornflour to her pavlova, while Zac struggled to whip his egg whites. In a close result, it was Harry who won over the judges with his take on the classic pavlova loaded with passionfruit and berries. Greta landed second place with her pavlova topped with stewed rhubarb, middle eastern biscuits and a cherry and rhubarb syrup, while Indigo put her bad start behind her to come third with her pavlova with lemon curd.

With their additional points added up, Greta, Zac, Jack and Indigo were safe and delighted to be through to the Top 6. However, the remaining four contestants had to fight it out in one of the toughest Pressure Tests to hit the MasterChef kitchen.

Chandler, Alysha, Lily and Harry were given two hours and ten minutes to replicate Guillaume Brahimi’s ’Turban of Scampi with Spaghetti and Lemon Caviar Sauce’. Alysha found it difficult to wrap her scampi but the determined little cook went on to win a place in the Top 6. Harry, who brimmed with confidence from the get-go, also impressed the judges with his version of the dish, cementing his position in the show.

Sadly, Chandler and Lily didn’t do quite enough to stay in the competition, but left the kitchen with a swag of goodies including a MasterChef trophy, kitchen prize pack and an abundance of wonderful friendships and memories.

Lily said of her experience, “My time on Junior MasterChef was amazing. I did not know what to expect when I applied but my time was outstanding.”

Little Chandler joked about what he will miss the most, “Jack, because he is my best mate, and George, because he is short just like me (and he doesn‟t like chillies….he he!)”

7.30pm Sunday November 20 on Ten

Everyone loves a pavlova, right? Tonight the judges have the enviable task of tasting eight pavlovas when the kids compete in a ‘Perfect Pavlova’ cook off. This is last chance the Top 8 kids have to earn valuable points that will hopefully save them from a pressure test, so it’s game on! But one kid forgets to add vanilla and corm flour. Can they save their dish in time?

Later, the bottom four are challenged to replicate Guillaume Brahimi’s (Bennelong) Turban of Scampi with Spaghetti and Lemon Caviar Sauce’. Despite a selection of delicious dishes the judges farewell two more contestants who head away with a MasterChef trophy, prize pack and the wonderful friendships they’ve made along the way.

7.30pm Tuesday November 15 on Ten

Tonight the top 8 young cooks practise the sweet art of food deception, guided by world famous chocolatier Max Brenner. First up the kids are challenged to make something that looks savoury but tastes sweet.

After tasting Max’s deceptively sweet nacho and hamburger, the kids attempt their own sweet but savoury masterpieces – think chocolate meatballs and sweet spring rolls.

Later the kids participate in a MasterChef first – a slumber party! The kids sleep over in the MasterChef kitchen and wake up to a fantastic surprise… it’s Christmas! George, dressed as Santa, announces the kids must cook a winning Christmas dish that they usually share with their family every year. This festive cook-off is going to be a Christmas to remember!