Tonight on FOX Gordon Ramsay’s Masterchef Junior continues with an all new Thursday, May 18, season 5 episode 14 and episode 15 called “The Semi Finals – Finale,” and we have your weekly Masterchef Junior recap below. On tonight’s Masterchef Junior episode as per the FOX synopsis, “In the first part of a combined Season 5 finale, the Top 4 cooks try to re-create a chocolate molten lava cake before creating a dish using one of the world’s most popular meats. Then, Wolfgang Puck and Martha Stewart are guest judges for the final challenge of making a three-course meal from scratch, after which the winner gets a check for $100,000.”
So make sure to bookmark this spot and come back between 8 PM – 9 PM ET for our Masterchef Junior recap. While you wait for our recap make sure to check out all our Masterchef Junior videos, pics, news & recaps, right here!
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MasterChef Junior Season 5 Semi-Finale Recap Part 1
MasterChef Junior begins tonight with Chef Gordon Ramsay and Chef Christina Tosi greeting the four remaining junior chefs, Shayne, Adam, Jasmine and Justise to the semifinals. Their first challenge tonight is a dessert; they are showered on with chocolate chips but before they are to begin the challenge Christina and Gordon bring out a table filled with treats for their hard work.
They are given a dish with a decadent dark chocolate lava cake and Gordon tells them to dig in. Christina informs them what they just ate they need to create to perfection and the winner of the challenge could win a spot in the MasterChef Jr. finale; they are given 35 minutes to create their lava cake.
Chef Gordon visits Jasmine first talking about how she went home on a baking error and asks if now is her time to win this. She feels its her time and she can win this by showing them how she can bake and cook. Chef Christina sees Adam believing he is the technician of the competition and this challenge is his to win if he can nail it.
Chef Gordon comes to see Shayne who says he is making two different batches in case something goes wrong, he will have a back up plan. Justise shares with Chef Christina she didn’t have enough time, and placed all 4 items in the same oven. Christina says she is concerned for her and Justise admits she really isn’t a baker. With 30 seconds to go, most of the cooks finally remove their lava cakes, they shout for Shayne to get his cake to the front with 1 second to spare.
Shayne is up first and Ramsay congratulates him with getting it up front with 30 seconds to go. He is told he is a smart boy for having a back-up plan. He is told it is stunning, delicious and a great job. Christina comes to see Jasmine’s who said her 12-minute lava cake was there while the others stayed behind. She says its is gooey and perfect molten lava.
Adam’s has fallen apart and admits he didn’t turn up the heat like he should have. Chef Gordon cuts into it and says it is under cooked even though the plating was spectacular, but the lava cake was supposed to be the hero and it failed to deliver.
Christian can see that Justise’s didn’t turn out as the ceramic container is still on her cake. She admits it was too hot, she burnt herself and everything just got to her. She tears up, as does Christina. She cooked it for 12 minutes but Christina says its about flavor and when she tastes it there is nothing bad to say about it. Christina says its a shock because Justise has always been strong in this competition and she needs to stay with it and fight.
The person who gets the huge advantage is Jasmine and now they need to prepare for the elimination challenge to see which two cooks go home and which two make it to the finale. Jasmine is firmly in control with what happens next. There are 4 boxes with 4 different meats in it: 1. beef 2. pork 3. lamb and 4. goat. Jasmine has to cook in the next challenge but she needs to pick which protein everyone gets. Jasmine chooses lamb for herself. Adam receives beef; Justise gets goat and Shayne receives pork.
Chef Gordon Ramsay gives them each 60 minutes to create one stunning dish to get them a spot in the MasterChef Junior finale. The judges disagree on Jasmine’s decision for each protein. With 40 minutes to go, Christina reminds them they are looking for the most high-end dish they have ever cooked in this competition while Chef Gordon reminds them their dishes will earn them 2 spots in the finale.
Since Jasmine was the one who chose who cooked what they call Jasmine first. She brings up Mediterranean Lamb with herb couscous, olive puree and pickled bell peppers. Christina says it is beautiful with a nice even sear. She says the only thing she would have done differently was slice the peppers more thin. Gordon says the lamb is breath-taking and the best cooked lamb ever in this competition.
Adam brings up his dish of Grilled Rip Cap with mushroom sauce and endive two ways: fennel-endive puree and pan-seared asparagus. Chef Gordon immediately shows him the mistake he made by taking it off the grill and then baked it; and he should have basted, not baked to render the fat down. He tells Adam this is one of his weakest performances. Christina tastes the dish, saying he has a lot of elegant things on the plate but the steak needed to be the star and he seemed to get a little lost.
Justice is called next with her Vadavoun Goat Curry with cilantro scented rice and crispy shallots. Gordon loves the color of the meat and he tells her the meat she cooked in only an hour is incredible, fragrant, sweet and spicy. After saying she was crazy earlier he tells her the dish is phenomenal and her best dish so far. Christina tells her she nailed it and elevated it to an entirely new level and the flavors don’t lie.
Shayne brings up his grilled pork chop dish with a maple soy glaze, chipotle honey mashed potatoes and apple slaw. Gordon tells him that if the pork chop he left at his station is better than this one, he is going to kick him in the butt. He cuts into the pork chop, telling Shayne to turn around.
He then tells Shayne to look at the pork as Gordon tells him it is beautiful and fit to go into any top restaurant in New York. He was let down by the sides but the pork and Shayne are the hero. Christina struggles with the slaw saying it looks messy.
Gordon calls the 4 cooks to the front so they can decide who is going into the finale; the cooks encourage each other and hug as they wait for the results. As the anxiously listen for their names; Gordon says the first finalist is Justise and the second name for the finale is Jasmine.
The Second Hour!
The MasterChef Junior Season 5 FINALE begins with 11-year-old Jasmine, from Milton, Georgia who at one point they had let her go from the competition; only for her to come back stronger and better with her second chance. She blew everyone away, coming back with a vengeance.
The second junior cook in the finale is 11-year-old, Justise from Sugarhill, Georgia who may be tiny but her impeccable flavors and kitchen skills are mighty; from day one she has been the one to watch. She has, by far, the strongest competitive spirit of all this year’s home cooks. She cooks from her soul and has repeatedly impressed the judges.
All their loved ones and former competitors are there to cheer them on as Chef Gordon Ramsay says there is one more big thing that takes this finale to a whole new level. Gordon and Christina will not be the only judges, as legendary Wolfgang Puck and Martha Stewart will be joining them tonight.
Both Jasmine and Justise are given 10 minutes to go into the pantry to gather everything they will need to make a MasterChef worthy 3-course meal. Jasmine is making a Jamaican inspired appetizer, entree and dessert while Justise will be doing upscaled Southern comfort.
Once they return to their stations, Gordon tells them they both have 90-minutes to make the best 3 course dinner they have ever created in their entire lives; once they shout they are ready, he tells them to GO!
Gordon and Martha visit Jasmine who says she is using so much seafood to bring out her Jamaican roots and she will be able to elevate it enough to surprise them. They wish her luck and move on.
Wolfgang and Christina ask Justise who she would want to take her menu back to Georgia? She says she wants to prove that she can make Georgia food healthy and more beautiful. Wolfgang voices his concern about how most people overcook it and hopes she can cook it the way he likes them; he is impressed with her confidence. Christina asks her about cooking blind with the pressure cooker and not making the pork dry, Justise is confident the cooker will keep the meat moist.
Justise removes the pork belly from the pressure cooker and everyone is anxious as she cuts it open. She cuts it open and it is undercooked. She takes a moment to breathe, says she isn’t giving up as her little sister says she believes in her; she places it in the pan to finish it off.
Christina and Wolfgang come to see Jasmine about her dessert, which is essentially an upside down pineapple cake, they taste her sauce and love it. With 10 minutes to go, Gordon and Martha come to see Justise who says she is feeling pretty good. Martha tries her strawberries marinating in balsamic and pomegranate juice; Martha likes the flavor saying sometimes balsamic is too strong. Gordon wishes her good luck and they have 4 minutes left.
Jasmine is able to remove her cakes after Gordon thought they would be too sticky as Wolfgang is amazed by their concentration and all four judges are shocked they are both only 11-years-old. Everyone cheers them on in the last 60 seconds as they race to the finish. When time is up, they hug each other and say they both did well. Gordon calls for them to bring their dishes down to the front.
Jasmine and Justise carefully bring their dishes into the MasterChef restaurant. Justise brings forth her appetizer which is Grilled Spot Prawns with basil pesto, chili watermelon and avocado balls. Wolfgang says the pesto is overpowering the shrimp, but he loves the spice and acidity. Gordon says the flavor of the melon and the prawn works well and juicy; he only wishes there were more prawns and didn’t have to share.
Martha thinks it is really great, loves the pesto and happy its not completely a paste. She says she did a very good job. Christina thinks this is the most beautiful dish she has cooked in this kitchen, the basil was smart and loves the pairing with the watermelon; showing she is really pushing the boundaries of her culinary perspective.
Jasmine presents her appetizer of white fish and scallop fritters with red pepper peanut sauce, and a papaya salad. Gordon is worried she may have screwed up by adding flour and bread crumbs. He takes a bite and thinks the crispiness outside is great, loves the spice ans sauce but says there is too much smoked fish inside you can’t taste the scallop; its not dry but pasty.
Wolfgang disagrees completely with Gordon, he is very impressed with the fritter but suggests she could have made it a little smaller. He says its only because Gordon is from England and that is why he is complaining and Gordon corrects him saying he is from Scotland. Martha says its crispy like a fritter should be with lots of flavor, saying it is phenomenal.
Christina says the sauce balances out the flavor of the fritter and wishes there was more sauce. She says both are off to a great start and to return to the kitchen to bring in their entrees.
Jasmine presents her entree of Jerk Lobster Tail with a coconut curry, sweet potatoes and peas and finger lime caviar. Gordon asks what she was thinking to add jerk seasoning to the most expensive lobster anywhere in the world? She said she added it lightly, enough that they can taste it but still taste the lobster. Gordon says its could be her undoing or she could make history.
Wolfgang cuts into it saying it is cooked well and liked the hint of spices afterwards, saying she didn’t kill the taste of the lobster and says Gordon will agree with him after he tastes it. Gordon tries it and tells her for the first time in nearly 15 years, he is going to eat his words and tells her it is delicious. He says he loves the heat from the glaze and it was a job well done.
Christina says it’s elegant and delicious but the only thing she questions is the cut raw tomatoes and she should have done something a little more with colorful vegetables on the plate to show more technique. Martha loved that the lobster isn’t rubbery but disagrees with Gordon suggesting adding pineapple as she already made pineapple cake. Gordon says he is nervous because he was always taught not to point knives at people; Martha puts it down apologizing as she says the dish was very tasty and she loved the texture.
Justise brings forward her dish of Cider-braised Pork Belly with wilted greens, ,pickle peaches, grits and onion rings. Christina says if the pork isn’t cut perfectly she could be in trouble. She cuts it open and says she wishes she kept it in the pressure cooker longer; everything else on the dish can hold its own but she is worried about the pork belly.
Wolfgang agrees the meat could have cooked longer, the vegetables are nice and the sauce is great but the pork belly is the problem. Martha tries the pork saying it is very juicy and the peaches taste great, saying the dish was very nice. Gordon shows her the pork is juicy and not dry so it was only minutes away from utter perfection. He loves the cider combination with the pork and everything else was spotless. He tells her well-done and great job. He asks the young ladies to bring in the desserts.
Jasmine brings her desserts forward, revealing it is a sticky rum cake with a coconut whipped cream with guava puree and a pineapple chip. She admits she put her own twist on it and Martha immediately wants the recipe and Gordon says she took the words right out of his mouth. He says the only thing he would change is a touch more caramel and this is something he wants to take to his restaurant.
Martha says the texture is light, great and moist; she laughs when she notices Wolfgang and Christina ate the whole plate. Wolfgang says the acidity of the pineapple makes a good yin and yang with the cake and her execution is flawless. Christina says it is so delicious she could open a bakery and make this cake the only thing she would sell.
Justise made a buttermilk panne cotta with balsamic marinated strawberries and a strawberry meringue. She is very convinced the texture is there and he smiles as the texture is there and worthy of any menu as it is beautiful. Wolfgang says it is perfectly creamy and she could go to any Italian restaurant and not find a better dish than this one. He loved that she marinated the strawberries in vinegar to give it some tang.
Martha loves that she can still taste the buttermilk. Christina says it is stunning and it screams Justise; she tells her she is incredibly proud of her. Gordon smiles as Christina tells her it was out of this world. He tells them the next time they see the judges, they will know who is the next MasterChef Junior winner.
Chef Gordon Ramsay, Chef Christina Tosi, Chef Wolfgang Puck and Chef Martha Stewart return to the cheering crowd to announce the winner. Gordon tells them they both made Georgia very proud and asks them to switch places with them on the stage. Gordon says only one of them will win a check for $100,000 and only one will get the MasterChef trophy. Gordon congratulates Jasmine as the winner of season 5 of MasterChef Junior.
The End!
