Masterchef Junior (US) - General Discussion

[Mr. Sparkle]

Does this mean one of the other judges is leaving? 

[GHScorpiosRule]

5 minutes ago, Superclam said:

Does this mean one of the other judges is leaving? 

The article in Variety only states that he's returning as permanent judge. Either they're going back to a three judge panel, or Tosi is getting da boot.

[illdoc]

Even though it just says MCjr, maybe they are easing him back in for the regular MC! One can only hope.

[jewel21]

I'm so excited to hear this. Joe is great with the kids.

[GHScorpiosRule]

Just now, jewel21 said:

I'm so excited to hear this. Joe is great with the kids.

He is! I remember him skipping along with that little blonde imp in the first season? I forget her name--after she won a challenge and was choosing the best ingredients or something.  And he can laugh at himself. When he tried to do the yoga position and fell flat on his butt.

[Rahul]

When does this show return? Doesn't it typically air around this time of year, December-January in the winter hiatus of other series?

[GHScorpiosRule]

18 minutes ago, Rahul said:

When does this show return? Doesn't it typically air around this time of year, December-January in the winter hiatus of other series?

We have another month to go, if it sticks to the same schedule as last season; and that premiered on February 9. 

[illdoc]

Probably once Hell's Kitchen is over (they will be down to 5 at end of Friday's episode).

[GHScorpiosRule]

Set your dvrs, PEOPLE! The show returns on Friday, March 2!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[illdoc]

Chicago Tribune had an article today about 6 local contestants in this season's MCJ (just that they are on Friday's premiere). One contestant has an interesting back story that occurred after the show finished taping. Spoiler tag just in case:

Spoiler

Ben Watkins, 11, from Gary Indiana. "Viewers will get to see Ben compete months before tagedy struck. In September, after filming of the season had concluded, Ben's father shot and killed Ben's mother before committing suicide at their home.. Ben turned 11 four days later. His family's restaurant, Big Ben's Bodacious Barbecue and Deli, closed after his parents' deaths. Ben used to sell baked goods there, but he has plans to sell baked goods again when he gets access to a commercial kitchen."

Of course, there's a bit more to the article before and after the above (just the usual sort of stuff). Of course, the Tribune refers to the 6 contestants as "3 from the city, 3 from the suburbs" (apparently Chicago has suburbs in other states), so all 6 contestants might be listed with hometown "Chicago" (assuming they make it to an interview stage where they are identified by town).

[CoyoteBlue]

On 3/1/2018 at 10:52 AM, illdoc said:

Of course, the Tribune refers to the 6 contestants as "3 from the city, 3 from the suburbs" (apparently Chicago has suburbs in other states), so all 6 contestants might be listed with hometown "Chicago" (assuming they make it to an interview stage where they are identified by town).

Yes, NW Indiana is part of the "Greater Chicagoland area". They did list the suburbanites with their town names. 

[illdoc]

I still remember a weatherman referring to the "eastern suburbs" and my screaming at the set "that's Indiana!!!". I didn't notice whether they listed his town as Gary IN or as Chicago. I did notice the Claredon Hills & Oak Park towns listed.

[2727]

One of the contestants has a truly sad story that I hope the show doesn't exploit (or talk about at all, frankly).

Spoiler

https://patch.com/indiana/gary/after-losing-parents-11-year-old-appear-masterchef-junior

[biakbiak]

15 minutes ago, 2727 said:

One of the contestants has a truly sad story that I hope the show doesn't exploit (or talk about at all, frankly).

  Hide contents

https://patch.com/indiana/gary/after-losing-parents-11-year-old-appear-masterchef-junior

The show was filmed last spring before it happened. 

[GHScorpiosRule]

10 hours ago, 2727 said:

One of the contestants has a truly sad story that I hope the show doesn't exploit (or talk about at all, frankly).

  Reveal hidden contents

https://patch.com/indiana/gary/after-losing-parents-11-year-old-appear-masterchef-junior

@illdoc posted about it above before the show premiered and as @biakbiak stated, it happened after the show was done filming for the season.

[Lamb18]

I posted a link to an article about Ariana Feygin the other day and I don't know what happened to it. So here's another link. The article was in a local paper. She lives in a city around six miles from me.

https://www.hometownsource.com/sun_sailor/community/excelsior_southlake/minnetonka-middle-school-west-student-competing-to-become-the-next/article_f3db6218-1c9b-11e8-9926-6f5d60a346a2.html

[springtime]

On 3/7/2018 at 7:43 PM, Lamb18 said:

I posted a link to an article about Ariana Feygin the other day and I don't know what happened to it. So here's another link. The article was in a local paper. She lives in a city around six miles from me.

Contestant Ariana

From the artcle

Quote

While Feygin is mostly self taught, she’s also trained at 6Smith restaurant in Wayzata, worked with Chef Gavin Kaysen at Spoon and Stable Restaurant in Minneapolis and spent two weeks training with chefs at the Coconut Bay Beach Resort and Spa on the Caribbean island of St. Lucia.

For some reason the term "home cook" doesn't really fit!

[Ikki]

Truly tragic, what happened in Ben's family. It's going to be tough watching his scenes this season.

[Lamb18]

Another article about Ariana:

Ariana Feygin

[Ikki]

6 hours ago, illdoc said:

Just before the MCJ began this season, there was an article in the Chicago Tribune with a brief paragraph on all 6 contestants from the area. I know there's one kid (maybe Mikey) who said that he was at a cooking camp when approached to be on the show and he didn't want to do it but his family talked him into it. Which is, I suppose, both "interested in cooking" (cooking camp) and "not interested" (didn't want to be on the show).

Continuing this here-- I found the article in question and it wasn't Mikey who said that-- he actually talks about begging his parents to let him try out. The kid who was recruited from a cooking camp was named Luca and didn't make the top 24 (there was also another kid who mentioned being recruited and didn't make the top 24). Luca says in the article that it ended up being pretty fun for him, but it still seems crappy for me for parents to be pushing their kid to do a reality TV show when the kid really doesn't want to.

[Koalagirl]

Remember Addison, the girl (usually wore a baseball hat) who won Season 4?  She’s a contestant on Dancing with the Stars Junior starting in October.  They just introduced all of the contestants and I would never have recognized her - she’s a teenager now and looks so grown up.

[illdoc]

On 9/25/2018 at 8:00 PM, Koalagirl said:

Remember Addison, the girl (usually wore a baseball hat) who won Season 4?  She’s a contestant on Dancing with the Stars Junior starting in October.  They just introduced all of the contestants and I would never have recognized her - she’s a teenager now and looks so grown up.

Night 1 of DWTS: J--- ELIMINATED
Addison Osta Smith (MasterChef Junior winner) and pro Lev Cameron
Tripp Palin (grandson of Sarah Palin) and pro Hailey Bills

[DEL901]

Tonight there's a Celebrity Master Chef Junior edition (parents are the celebs, not the kids)

[Mr. Sparkle]

eh, I forgot to tape it. Hopefully it'll be on again or on demand. 

[DEL901]

I gave up after half an hour.   6 celebs.  Two with their own kids.   Four celebs paired with Master Chef Junior kids.   Head to head matches

[jcbrown]

I liked the first two rounds but the football players' round lost me.

And someone needs to teach Aaron a phrase besides, "I gotch-you."

Edited November 23, 2018 by jcbrown

[preeya]

On 11/22/2018 at 6:20 PM, Superclam said:

eh, I forgot to tape it. Hopefully it'll be on again or on demand. 

Don't bother it sucked.

[cameron]

Beni is back and looking more undecided than ever whether she wants to be a girl or boy.

[Ciarrai]

14 hours ago, cameron said:

Beni is back and looking more undecided than ever whether she wants to be a girl or boy.

Yep. I love Beni and I hope they are happy with whomever they are.

[jcbrown]

5 minutes ago, Ciarrai said:

Yep. I love Beni and I hope they are happy with whomever they are.

I was surprised at how happy I was to see Beni again. Best of luck to them.

[Koalagirl]

Crap my dvr cut off before they announced the winner of the final round!

[illdoc]

From TV Line:  * The culinary competition series Masterchef Junior will return for Season 7 on Tuesday, Feb. 26 at 8 pm on Fox.

[Mr. Sparkle]

I saw the first promo last night during Gordon's 24 hour show. 

[illdoc]

New start date: * Season 7 of Fox’s MasterChef Junior will now premiere Tuesday, March 12

[jewel21]

4 hours ago, Tarik Udongo said:

And the judges will be Gordon, Aaron, and Christina.

What? Where did Joe go? 

[threebluestars]

I think Joe was just on the adult version.

[biakbiak]

They seem even tinier than past seasons. 

[OoogleEyes]

These judges are distracting as hell for these probably nervous kids.

Banana splits are pretty lame to be making in "the greatest cooking competition in the world" Since they already showed this in the previews,  I knew who lost this one. 

A lot of these kids appear to live in mansions!

Edited March 13, 2019 by OoogleEyes

[springtime]

2 minutes ago, OoogleEyes said:

A lot of these kids appear to live in mansions!

Yes- the focus on those homes was not necessary.

[springtime]

On 3/5/2019 at 11:48 PM, biakbiak said:

They seem even tinier than past seasons. 

Aaron needs to be careful with his "little buddy" phrase. One 11 year old girl seems to have a physical disability resulting in a small stature. 

[threebluestars]

I'm pretty sure Ivy has achondroplasia.

Her breakfast looked the best to me, but I'll eat anything with French toast and bacon lol.

I still like that they send everyone home in twos. Are there more kids this year or does it just seem like it?

[mlp]

I don't know if there really were more kids but there were swarms of them, too many to keep track of.  It seemed to me that there was a higher percentage than usual who think they're the cat's meow.  I took an immediate dislike to Sadie which only increased as I saw more of her smug little smile.  I liked Rashad because he seemed like a normal kid and had an open smile.  The rest of the names are a blur.

It made no sense to me to start them off with banana splits (which aren't even cooking) and then give them live lobsters for the second challenge.  I suppose they wanted a gimmick that would lead to pouring stuff on the judges.  I hate that.  

Tosi's acting hasn't improved since she was on last.  Neither has her wardrobe.  

[mertensia]

I forgot this was on until the second hour.

Why is there Tosi on my screen? Why?

[Emkat]

The screaming and screeching through the banana split challenge was VERY annoying and obnoxious. 

That whole thing was just dumb. 

I hate the way they dump food all over themselves.

I have a lot of complaints lol. I might not watch anymore of this.

[biakbiak]

1 minute ago, Emkat said:

The screaming and screeching through the banana split challenge was VERY annoying and obnoxious. 

Yeah I had to Ffwd and the dumping of ingredients on them went on way too long.

[2727]

I'm so pleased to see a bunch of eager, excited little faces again! I love how happy, nervous, pompous, and in awe they always are. Not to mention being encouraging and kind to each other.

Even if I hardly know them, I'm still sad when anyone leaves. They did their best at something that's variable and challenging even for adults and professionals. Everyone who cooks has also messed up!

[Rammchick]

I don't mind Tosi, but what's with the dramatic whispering?  I don't remember her doing that before.

ETA:  Sounds like she had a cold or laryngitis.

Edited March 13, 2019 by Rammchick

[sharifa70]

I’m going to hell for this, but I really dislike kids who tell me how smart/talented/refined they are. “I have a very refined palate” needs to be a sentence that is never uttered by anyone, ever. 

[Mr. Sparkle]

1 hour ago, sharifa70 said:

I’m going to hell for this, but I really dislike kids who tell me how smart/talented/refined they are. “I have a very refined palate” needs to be a sentence that is never uttered by anyone, ever. 

No hell for you, I also think it was really annoying. I'm guessing the producers encouraged the kids to say what made them unique, but that one girl was a bit insufferable. 

[jcbrown]

2 hours ago, Superclam said:

No hell for you, I also think it was really annoying. I'm guessing the producers encouraged the kids to say what made them unique, but that one girl was a bit insufferable. 

Sadie, right? She's the one who bugged me the most.