MasterChef Junior S8: Ep. 1 – The Kids are Alright

The highly anticipated eighth season of MasterChef Junior is officially here. Gordon Ramsay and Aarón Sánchez are both back to find the best kid chef in the country and award them the $100,000 prize as well as the MasterChef Junior trophy and a dream kitchen.

Joining the two MasterChef mainstays this season is new judge Daphne Oz. Now, I don’t know about anyone else but I never heard the term “MasterChef” used to describe Daphne Oz but I guess when your father is good friends with Oprah Winfrey, you get to host whatever show you want.

One of the best parts of MasterChef Junior is the kinder, gentler version of Ramsay viewers get to see. However, this season the judges make it very clear to the 16 finalists that the gloves are off. They plan to be tougher and more critical of the dishes the kids cook. Prepare yourself for lots of tears this season.

Speaking of the finalists, unlike the main version of MasterChef, the junior version manages to go through the entire audition process and finding the final 16 in just under two minutes instead taking three agonizingly long hours. Hopefully the next season of MasterChef will remember this when the time comes.

Who went home on Episode 1 of MasterChef Junior Season 8?

For the first challenge, the kids are told to punch through a numbered square in a massive wall. Whatever is in the square they have to create a dish around and make it the star. Some of the kids get fairly straight forward ingredients while others end up with things like live lobster and eel.

However, the biggest shock is when they find out that one junior chef will be going home tonight. The gloves have indeed come off and the stakes for the kids just went through the roof.

As the junior chefs prepare their dishes everyone gets a quick introduction to some of the kids. A handful come from a family where one of their parents is a chef and have spent time helping out in their family’s restaurant. Other have learned from their parents or grandparents. And one kid from Philly (Yo!) learned from the chefs that hired his father to sharpen their knives.

If you have watched MasterChef before then you now the drill. After walking around the kitchen the judges call up their three favorite dishes to explore further and then the three they feel missed the mark and could use some work.

The judges first call up 10-year old Liya and her Soy & Honey Glazed Eel with Rice Vermicelli which all three feel is excellent. Next is 11-year old Grayson and his Lemon Verbena Snapper with Fried Okra. Considering Grayson has never eaten okra before the judges are very impressed. Finally they call up 10-year old A’Dan, who prepared Lobster with Creamy Grits and Pancetta and remark how he nailed the lobster, a famously hard ingredient to master.

Now with the fun part done it’s time to kill some little kid’s dream and send someone home.

First up is 10-year old Abir who made a Molten Chocolate Lava Cake with Bruleed Kiwi. Gordon feels he didn’t make kiwi the star of the dish and the fruit isn’t prepared properly. Next called up is Ivy, who made Apricot Cobbler with Cinnamon Oat Crumble. The Bavarian Cream she prepared is almost inedible and the cobbler is undercooked. Finally is Blake who made a Lemon Pepper Crawfish and Rice Pilaf. His lack of familiarity with crawfish is evident as it is massively overcooked and rubbery.

It turned out to be his downfall as Blake is sent home. To his credit he kept his head high and took the criticism in stride. And honestly, he’s already a better cook then most of the people who auditioned for MasterChef last season.

What did you think of the premiere of MasterChef Junior Guilty Eats Nation? Do you have a favorite to win yet? Leave a comment below and let us know or join the conversation on our Twitter and Facebook pages.