The Top 24 Face their First Mystery Box Challenge on
An All-New Episode of MASTERCHEF JUNIOR
Airing Friday, March 9, on FOX
Twenty-four young chef-testants – 12 girls and 12 boys – have earned their aprons on MASTERCHEF JUNIOR and will move forward in the competition. Judges Gordon Ramsay, Christina Tosi and Joe Bastianich chose the Top 24 from among 40 talented junior home cooks, and one of these kids will be named America’s next MASTERCHEF JUNIOR, taking home the MASTERCHEF JUNIOR trophy and a $100,000 grand prize.
In this week’s all-new episode, “Culinary ABC’s,” airing Friday, March 9 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX, the Top 24 face their first mystery box challenge of the season, during which they must cook dishes using ingredients that start with each letter of the alphabet. The winner receives a huge advantage in the elimination challenge. Later in the MASTERCHEF JUNIOR kitchen, the contestants must prove their technical skills as they are tasked with crafting a French classic – fruit tart.
Watch/share a clip of the kids explaining what they would do with $100,000:
https://youtu.be/43z22oNKX_8
Meet the MASTERCHEF JUNIOR Top 24 and find out their signature dishes:
| Anthony
Age: 10 Hometown: Old Bridge, NJ Signature Dish: Veal Meatballs with Homemade Spaghetti and Italian Tomato Sauce |
| Ariana
Age: 12 Hometown: Excelsior, MN Signature Dish: Kalbi Short Ribs |
| Avery
Age: 8 Hometown: Kingwood, TX Signature Dish: Asiago Meatballs with Spinach Pasta |
| Ben
Age: 10 Hometown: Gary, IN Signature Dish: Fried Chicken with Mashed Potatoes |
| Beni
Age: 9 Hometown: Chicago, IL Signature Dish: Garlic-Lime Chicken with Mixed Barley with Cilantro-Lime Dressing |
| Cade
Age: 11 Hometown: Hattiesburg, MS Signature Dish: Blackened Catfish with Praline Sauce |
| Camson
Age: 13 Hometown: Fleming Island, FL Signature Dish: Medium-Rare Sirloin Steak with Asparagus and Mashed Potatoes |
| Emily
Age: 9 Hometown: Sylmar, CA Signature Dish: Tamales with Homemade Red Sauce |
| Evan
Age: 11 Hometown: San Diego, CA Signature Dish: Baked Lemon-Cumin Chicken Breast with Balsamic Glaze |
| Gracie
Age: 9 Hometown: Cardiff by the Sea, CA Signature Dish: Dijon Scallops with Lemon-Zested Spinach |
| Grayson
Age: 11 Hometown: St. Francisville, LA Signature Dish: Jambalaya |
| Henry
Age: 9 Hometown: Katy, TX Signature Dish: Grilled-Shrimp-and-Cream-Cheese-Stuffed Jalapenos Wrapped in Bacon |
| Juelz
Age: 8 Hometown: St.Louis, MO Signature Dish: Cheese-Stuffed Turkey Burgers with Onions, Lettuce and Avocado |
| Lindsay
Age: 10 Hometown: Elk Rapids, MI Signature Dish: Homemade Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Sautéed Leeks, Shiitake Mushrooms and Garlic Butter |
| Mackenzie
Age: 9 Hometown: Newhall, CA Signature Dish: Cheddar Cheese Garlic Burger with Homemade French Fries |
| Maria
Age: 8 Hometown: Northridge, CA Signature Dish: Pork Chops with Tostones (Fried Plantains), Rice and Beans |
| Mikey
Age: 10 Hometown: Clarendon Hills, IL Signature Dish: Garlic Shrimp Linguine with Butter and Olive Oil Sauce |
| Olivia
Age: 10 Hometown: New York, NY Signature Dish: Pork Chop with Chutney |
| Pierce
Age: 10 Hometown: Oak Park, IL Signature Dish: Homemade Rosemary Biscuits and Sausage Gravy |
| Quani
Age: 11 Hometown: Lawrenceville, GA Signature Dish: Homemade Fettuccine with Meat Sauce |
| Remy
Age: 12 Hometown: New York, NY Signature Dish: Shrimp Scampi in Curry Sauce |
| Sammy
Age: 12 Hometown: Huntington Woods, MI Signature Dish: Mascarpone-Stuffed Chicken |
| Sophia
Age: 12 Hometown: Honolulu, HI Signature Dish: Macadamia-Crusted Fish with Grilled Pineapple |
| Zia
Age: 9 Hometown: Pasadena, CA Signature Dish: Spaghetti Bolognese |
MASTERCHEF JUNIOR is produced by Endemol Shine North America and One Potato Two Potato, and is based on a format created by Franc Roddam and Endemol Shine. Robin Ashbrook, Elisabeth Murdoch, Eden Gaha, Georgie Hurford-Jones, Gordon Ramsay, Adeline Ramage Rooney, Patricia Llewellyn and Ben Adler serve as executive producers. “Like” MASTERCHEF JUNIOR on Facebook at facebook.com/MasterChefJuniorFOX. Follow the series on Twitter @MasterChefJrFOX and join the discussion at #MasterChefJunior. Follow the judges on Twitter: Gordon Ramsay - @gordonramsay; Christina Tosi - @christinatosi; Joe Bastianich - @JBastianich. See photos and videos on Instagram by following @masterchefjunior.
ABOUT ENDEMOL SHINE NORTH AMERICA
Endemol Shine North America delivers world-class content and compelling storytelling to multiple platforms in the U.S. and across the globe. Endemol Shine North America is part of Endemol Shine Group, the global content creator, producer and distributor with a diverse portfolio of companies that are behind some of the most prominent hit television formats and series in the world.
Its Endemol Shine Latino division oversees all Spanish and Portuguese-language operations across Latin America, including newly launched studio Endemol Shine Boomdog,which produces original content for both the U.S. Hispanic and Mexican markets. Subsidiary production companies include Authentic Entertainment, Truly Original and 51 Minds Entertainment.
Endemol Shine Group’s companies in North America are behind such hit series as “Big Brother” (CBS), “Ink Master” (Spike), “Kingdom” (AT&T Audience Network), MASTERCHEF (FOX), MASTERCHEF JUNIOR (FOX), “Swamp People” (History), “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” (Bravo), “T.I. & Tiny: The Family Hustle” (VH1), “Steve Austin’s Broken Skull Challenge” (CMT), “Page Six TV” (Syndicated), “Billion Dollar Buyer” (CNBC), “Fear Factor” (MTV), “Best.Cover.Ever.” (YouTube), “I’m Dying Up Here” (Showtime) and upcoming “Trading Spaces” (TLC).
ABOUT STUDIO RAMSAY
The next-generation multi-media production company STUDIO RAMSAY has a joint venture with All3Media to develop and produce both unscripted and scripted television shows, creating new formats and innovative programming that includes a scripted arm focused on food-related themes, and development of new talent on a global front. The catalogue of programs that Ramsay has worked on historically with All3Media via One Potato Two Potato, together with new original content he’s currently developing, make for a unique and dynamic production and distribution partnership. Studio Ramsay’s first production, THE F WORD WITH GORDON RAMSAY, premiered live this past summer in the U.S. on FOX. Its first daytime cooking series, CULINARY GENIUS, premiered in the spring on ITV in the U.K. and was syndicated on FOX stations in the U.S. this summer, while his new documentary series, “Gordon on Cocaine,” for ITV, premiered this fall. Seasons Three and Four of “Matilda And The Ramsay Bunch,” starring Tilly Ramsay, for U.K. children's channel CBBC, are also produced by STUDIO RAMSAY.
Renowned for highly successful and award-winning original programming, Emmy-nominated, multi-Michelin star chef Gordon Ramsay produces TV shows on both sides of the Atlantic seen by audiences worldwide, including his FOX shows, THE F WORD WITH GORDON RAMSAY, GORDON RAMSAY’S 24 HOURS TO HELL & BACK, MASTERCHEF, MASTERCHEF JUNIOR, HELL’S KITCHEN and MASTERCHEF CELEBRITY SHOWDOWN, as well as Bravo’s “Best New Restaurant” and Food Network’s competition series “Food Court Wars.” In the U.K., he’s produced “Gordon Ramsay Behind Bars” and “Gordon Ramsay’s Great Escape” for Channel 4; food biography and nostalgia series “My Kitchen” for UKTV’s Good Food Channel; two instructional cookery series, “Ultimate Home Cooking” and “Ultimate Cookery Course” for Channel 4; and “Matilda And The Ramsay Bunch,” all under his One Potato Two Potato banner.
[EDITOR’S NOTE: For information on MASTERCHEF JUNIOR, please visit www.foxflash.com.]
-FOX-