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.]

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