Gordon: Your 60 minutes starts now.
It was our toughest...
- Oh, my God! - What?
I'm so sorry, young lady.
- ...Most challenging... - I don't have an attitude.
Yes, you do.
...Most incredible season yet.
Aarón: Let's go, guys.
To find America's next MasterChef Junior...
This is heavy.
...We searched across this great country
for talented home cooks from the ages of eight to 13.
I want to make people happy like this food makes me happy.
Welcome to my kitchen.
I'm going to win the next "MasterChef Junior."
Then we brought the kids with the most promise to Los Angeles.
- Aah! - Welcome.
From the very beginning, the gloves were off.
- Nice. - Aah!
And the battle commenced.
Oh!
Tis I, Sir Yells-A-Lot.
( all laugh )
We definitely had some fun.
Liya: I'm scared, I'm scared, I'm scared.
Aah!
- But... - A'dan, what are you doing?
...The competition was always fierce.
- I need help. - ( groans )
- Medic. - Gordon: Abir.
Medic!
- And the challenges... - Oh!
Were true monsters.
- ( all scream ) - Oh, my God!
It was a fight to the finish.
- Oh! - Oh!
- What's happened to this? - It's mush.
There's a lot of poor cooking on this dish.
It just doesn't taste that good.
I'm so sorry.
Now only two young home cooks remain.
The pressure is so high right now.
- But only one... - Oh, gosh.
...will be crowned America's next MasterChef Junior.
You have nailed to absolute utter perfection
one of the most difficult proteins on the planet.
It all comes down to this.
- Yes! - Oh, man!
Oh, my gosh, look at this.
Wow. Thank you very much.
Welcome, everyone, to our incredible
"MasterChef Junior" season eight grand finale.
Are you guys ready to meet our incredible finalists?
First up, we have an 11-year-old from Austin, Texas.
Please, all of you, a warm welcome for Grayson.
( cheers and applause )
Go, Gray.
Grayson: It feels really, really awesome to be in this finale.
I never thought I would get this far.
My dream is to own a Michelin-starred restaurant,
and this is proving to myself and everybody
- that I can do that. - Whoo!
I've always had a passion for cooking,
and since a very young age,
I've been experimenting in the kitchen
and learning about food with my family.
But I've never taken any professional cooking classes,
so in the "MasterChef" kitchen,
I really wanted to challenge myself,
making a lot of stuff that I've never made before.
This is the verbena snapper with crispy fried okra.
It looks restaurant-quality. What a start.
Thank you so much.
Throughout this whole competition,
I've learned a lot as a chef
and shown that I bring a lot of creativity to the table,
and I'm not afraid to take really big risks.
Aarón: Lamb. Bold choice, young man.
Gordon: That's what excites me about you.
You're adventurous. You play nothing safe, right?
No, chef.
Sometimes those risks didn't pay off.
I'm just hoping that it tastes better than it looks,
because tonight it's elimination,
and I think you just put one foot out the door, young man.
But I know this is what I'm meant to do for the rest of my life.
So tonight I'm going to pour
my heart and soul into these dishes
to make sure that I have that trophy
and the title of MasterChef Junior.
( applause )
( chanting ) Grayson, Grayson.
And the only thing standing between Grayson
and a victory
is this tough little lady.
She is a 10-year-old from Scarsdale, New York.
Please welcome Liya.
( cheers and applause )
Liya: I am so pumped right now.
I can't believe I made it to the finale.
Everyone is cheering, my family is here.
( chanting ) Liya, Liya, Liya.
This would mean a lot to win in front of my family
because cooking really just runs in my blood,
so I just want to keep that tradition going.
I grew up in my parents' restaurants.
They taught me how to cook dumplings
since I was, like, a tiny, little girl.
Pinch, pinch, pinch.
Even though I had a little experience cooking...
Oh, my God.
...I still had a lot of things to learn.
Oh, eew, eew.
- Oh, my God. - Aah!
- Oh, my God, I'm scared.
I learned so much. Ugh!
I've been so many elimination challenges.
I ran out of time. My caramel crystallized.
But by the end, all this hard work actually paid off...
Jeez, Louise, mama's peas.
'Cause, like, the more and more you practice something...
Wait, oop.
The more and more you're going to get, like, better at it.
Voila.
Liya, this is a really delicious dish.
The harmony, spectacular.
Gordon: There are chefs watching this tonight
that would love to know how you glazed that
and cooked it beautifully. Congratulations.
Now I'm more confident in the kitchen,
and I have a chance to win this.
I want that MasterChef Junior title,
and I'm gonna get it.
I'm coming for you.
Whoo!
Both of you, congratulations on making it
into the incredible "MasterChef Junior" grand finale.
Well done.
( cheers and applause )
Guys, to get to this moment,
you had to beat out some incredibly talented
young home cooks, and some of them
are here to cheer you on.
Everybody, come on out.
( cheers and applause )
Hello.
( overlapping chatter )
Guys, welcome back. Good to see you all.
Head upstairs to the balcony.
I would like to take this special opportunity
to say a big welcome back to Malia and Ivy from Season 7.
- Hi. - Welcome back.
Guys, since this is the toughest season we've ever had,
we're giving away our biggest prizes.
You know you'll get the title, the trophy, and $100,000.
( cheers and applause )
Split the money with me.
No, no, no, you got to get your own money.
But this season, you and your family
also get a complete, state-of-the-art,
brand new Viking kitchen.
Yes!
That's pretty good.
Plus a beautiful array
of countertop appliances from Breville.
You will also get an incredible collection
of kitchen tools from OXO.
Wow, that's a lot.
Because if you're going to be called a MasterChef,
then your kitchen should look like it belongs to one.
You need those. You need those.
But there is one more thing, in fact it's a big thing.
Told you, Season 8, gloves are off,
and we are feeling very generous tonight.
That's right, an all-expenses-paid trip
for you and your family
to the luxurious Caesar's Palace
on the famous Las Vegas Strip,
where you'll even get to dine in one of my restaurants.
- Yeah. - Oh, yeah!
- And guess what? I may even join you. - Wow.
Now, there's only two things
standing between you and all of that awesomeness.
One entree and one incredible dessert.
And trust me, tonight they need to be perfectly paired
to create a cohesive menu.
Anything less, and you'll be going home with second place.
It would be such a shame
to have come so far and not win it all.
So, guys, do you think you have what it takes?
- Yes, Chef. - Yes, Chef.
Liya, tell us what you're making for your entree.
I'm going to be making a spiced duck breast
with scallion pancakes and a miso eggplant.
- Oh. - Oh, that sounds amazing.
Sounds delicious. Grayson, what will you be making tonight?
For my entrée, I'm going to be making
togarashi-dusted venison loin
with smoked, whipped potatoes
and a blackberry-juniper gastrique.
( laughs )
Just to remind everyone,
Liya's 10, Grayson is 11,
- and those sound incredible. - All right, guys.
You'll have just one hour to make your entrees.
We want one for each judge, so three plates in total.
To win it all, these have to be the best
and most exceptional dishes you have ever made.
Gordon: Now, you two, listen carefully.
Everything you've worked for, it all comes down to this.
Let's have 60 minutes on the clock, please.
- Good luck. - Good luck.
Are you two ready?
- Yes, Chef. - Yes, Chef.
Then your 60 minutes starts...now.
Let's go.
I know.
Grayson: The theme of my menu is a love letter to Austin.
It's the place where I learned to love food.
You got it, Gray. You got it, Gray. Believe, buddy, believe.
And I'm going up against Liya,
- and she is a really, really great chef. - Go, Liya.
So I'm putting everything that I have into this dish,
everything I've learned from this whole journey.
- Watch your fingers. - I can't watch this part.
Liya: This is so crazy
'cause it's literally a 50-50 chance,
either me or Grayson.
Everything that I'm putting into my dish
is going to be really traditional Chinese ingredients,
and my menu is literally
just my family and my Asian heritage.
This is the biggest moment of my life,
and I'm going to nail it.
What an atmosphere. Isn't it?
This arena is absolutely packed,
and think what's at stake.
This is the $100,000 challenge right here.
Their families are here, everyone's watching, paying attention to them.
You got this, guys.
It all comes down to this.
The gloves are really off.
10 minutes gone. We're down to 50 minutes.
- Good job, Liya. - Good job, Liya, you can make it.
( chanting ) Grayson, Grayson, Grayson.
Wow, this is it, guys.
Our grand "MasterChef Junior" finale.
Two amazing, talented young cooks.
But how about the proteins: a venison versus a duck?
And how great do all the other components sound?
Oh, my Lord.
Just thinking about these entrees,
how developed their thought processes are,
how balanced the dishes sound,
they've come so far in this competition.
- Looking good. - Thank you.
Liya's dish sounds really good because she's using duck,
and that's kind of one of my favorites,
and she's using a lot of her culture in it,
so I think that's pretty cool.
It is definitely important to push yourself in the finale,
and that is totally what Grayson's done with his dish
because it's like a tough protein,
so it's going to be very hard
to make sure it's tender, but cooked all the way.
Flambe.
A little flambe from Liya.
Whoo-hoo!
15 minutes gone, 45 minutes remaining.
He's got his potatoes on. He's got his gastrique going.
He's in good shape, I think.
Right, young man.
Now you're going to whip those potatoes, right?
Yes, I'm going to whip them
and then smoke them with applewood.
Smoking potatoes. Wow. You are adventurous, young man.
There's no New York strip or filet.
You're going for the toughest protein
on the planet to nail. Why?
Because I really wanted to pay homage to Austin,
and venison is something that you would see a lot,
so I just have to elevate it.
So I'm doing the togarashi on the venison.
You're under immense pressure.
Do you not get nervous in these situations?
There's always a little bit of nerves,
but they kind of help.
Right, young man. Keep it going. Well done.
- Hello, Miss Liya. - Hi.
Hi. You seem so chill tonight.
I just really think, like, if you're calm in doing stuff,
you do better.
Right now, I just want to be calm.
Aarón: So Liya, what are you concerned about,
if anything, about this dish?
I really hope that my duck is cooked perfectly
'cause that's literally the star of my dish,
and if it goes bad, then it may lead me to second place,
and I don't want second place.
And it feels like you're making us a dish
that is comfort food for you.
Yes. Scallion pancakes,
my mom has served in her restaurant.
Doing that is really going to bring back a lot of memories.
When are you thinking you're going to start work on this duck breast?
- Right about now. - Yeah.
- Good luck, Liya. Crank it out, girly.
Let's get those proteins on.
You got it, Liya! Yeah, Liya!
Halfway, guys. 30 minutes gone, 30 minutes remaining.
- Ivy: 30 minutes. - Gordon: Halfway.
- Come on, Liya, come on, Grayson. - Let's go, Grayson.
- You're going to need to get that protein on. - I am.
- You got this, buddy. You got it, Gray. - You got it, Gray.
Only Grayson would pick the most difficult protein on the planet,
in terms of venison, no fat.
He has to be super careful with the basting.
But some of the adults have won the championship on venison.
- That's right. - Yep.
Aarón: So it has that star power.
Also, Grayson said from the beginning,
he said, "I came here to learn
and to push myself away from my comfort zone."
I think the final is the place for him to take a risk.
Gordon: And then these potatoes, he's going to smoke them,
finished with, like, a gastrique and blackberries.
Aarón: He's also adding juniper,
and there's something about juniper and venison
- that makes so much sense. - Sure.
If you ever want to know what to pair with a protein,
watch what the animal eats.
And then you have Liya over here,
she's making this beautiful duck breast
that's going to be heavily spiced and seasoned.
Gordon: That's right. I'd be focusing on the duck, though.
Before you start cooking a bean,
get your duck on.
The longer you take to cook that duck, the better.
Yeah. I think she's really concerned about overcooking it.
Yeah, but it's in the resting, though.
Get them on and take them off rare
so they'll go through to medium-rare
by the time they're rested.
Let's go. Get a nice sear.
All the dishes have to be absolute perfection.
Otherwise there's no chance of you winning.
Liya and Grayson, they're both very capable
of pretty much anything,
so it'll be interesting to see who comes out ahead today.
Moment of truth. 121.
I think that's going to be good. It will carry over.
It's great, okay.
We're down to 15 minutes to go.
Grayson and Liya, 15, come on.
Come on, you guys.
It smells so good.
Yeah, Liya! You got this, Liya!
Thank you.
She is so comfortable tonight.
It is crazy that at the highest level of this competition,
with so much at stake and so much on the line,
this is when she feels most at ease.
Gordon: Yeah, both entrees sound super-strong.
If they nail it on the duck and the venison,
it's all going to come down to the dessert.
- Looks amazing, Grayson. - Daphne: Grayson's ricing those potatoes,
giving us a nice, fluffy texture there. Nothing gummy.
Austin: Let's go, Liya. You're doing great.
Oh, that's amazing.
- Her dough looks great. - It does look great.
Aarón: It's fluffy and airy.
She was smart to make it first, also,
give it plenty of time to rest.
This is wild. I like this.
- You have some layering to the dough. - Yeah.
Good pancake! Good pancake!
Let's go, Grayson. Whoo!
Gordon: So Grayson's smoking those potatoes,
which will give it an amazing, charcoaly, smoky flavor.
Grayson: I was working at a great pace,
and I think I was going to be able to finish,
but the smoking gun isn't lighting,
and so I'm having a lot of trouble.
Take a deep breath, Gray.
This is literally the worst thing
that could happen to me right now.
Gordon: Grayson can't seem to get his smoking gun lit.
- It's okay, Grayson. Keep trying. - Oh, be careful, Grayson.
- Breathe, Gray. You got it. - Shake it off, Gray.
I'm only a few dishes away from the title of MasterChef Junior,
but now I'm starting to fall behind.
Gordon: He's struggling.
This dish is really difficult to get right.
Fingers crossed he's going to bounce back quickly.
10 minutes to go. Let's go.
Brad: You're good, Gray. The rest of your plate is good.
Grayson, just breathe, just breathe.
I can't get the wood to light
on the smoking gun for my potatoes.
They taste good,
but they don't taste like smoke.
Gordon: Look at Grayson. He's struggling.
Fingers crossed he's going to bounce back quickly.
Open the smoker, open the smoker.
Grayson: This dish is the star of my finale,
and I need to start off on the right foot.
Okay, got it.
( applause )
We got smoke in Grayson's kitchen.
Grayson's parents are so cute. They're like hanging on to his every move.
I know, they're white-knuckling it.
How is it?
( exhales )
Good job, Liya.
Good job. You've got this, Liya.
You've got this.
All right, guys, we're down to five minutes.
The home stretch.
Finish strong, guys.
Five minutes.
Aarón: Let's think about your garnishes.
How you're plating. Let's go.
Ivy: Whoo! Yeah, Grayson, that looks good!
- Like a pro, Liya. - You got this. Plate, plate, plate!
Let's go, Grayson. Let's go, Liya.
The pressure is so high right now.
- Let's go, Grayson. - Do it for Austin!
Come on, Liya.
One minute to go. Come on.
( chanting ) Liya, Liya, Liya, Liya.
Make it beautiful.
You got 50 seconds. Use every one, Gray.
You're doing awesome. You're doing awesome.
Let's go, Grayson!
It looks really good. You go, Liya.
Ten, nine, eight, seven...
Get it on the plate, get it on the plate.
Five, four, three, two, one.
( cheers and applause )
- Good job. - Good job.
Wow, that was intense. Both of you, well done.
Tonight, there's so much on the line, let me tell you.
Let's see how you did.
Right. The first entree we'd like to taste
is from Grayson, thank you.
Grayson: I'm feeling pretty good
because my venison is cooked how I want it.
Let's go, Grayson. You got this. Whoo!
And I think the flavors
are something that's going to stand out to the judges.
Young man, describe the dish, please.
So today, I've prepared for you
togarashi-dusted venison loin
with smoked, whipped potato, blackberry-juniper gastrique,
and blistered shishito peppers.
And why this dish?
Because these ingredients are what you would see
if you were take a drive
through the hill country near Austin.
Young man, it looks like it's just come out
of a top-flight restaurant in Austin, Texas.
- It looks stunning. - Grayson: Thank you.
Really good.
Wow, that is a perfect medium-rare.
Grayson, the venison is delicious.
What brings it to perfection
is the way you've seasoned it with the togarashi spice.
You've taken something that is dense and gamey
into something light and fragrant,
but also with that right amount of heat.
What would I change?
The potatoes could be a bit creamier.
- Creamy. - But it's a really good dish,
and I think your best protein ever in this competition. Well done.
Thank you, Chef.
( cheers and applause )
I have to tell you, you nailed that smoke flavor in the potatoes.
- Thank you. - You worked really hard for that.
I know the art of the food is really important to you.
In this plate, I think part of what makes it such a success
is that the art is in service of the food.
These sauces are essential to making the taste perfect,
and they happen to make the plate beautiful, as well.
Grayson, you did a great job.
- Good job, Grayson. - You got this.
Yeah, there is some kind of unusual elements to this.
It's kind of weird, but, you know,
isn't the tagline of Austin keep it weird?
- Keep Austin weird. - Yeah, Austin weird, right?
So what you did here is really show who you are
and how much you've matured through this process.
- Thank you. - Good job.
Good job, Grayson.
Whoo!
I mean, that is the hardest thing to do.
Nailed this protein, and I love
that little bit of togarashi popping out, too.
- Yeah. - Come on.
Clapping.
- Your plates look really good. - Thank you.
Okay, Liya.
( cheers and applause )
Go, Liya! Whoo!
Liya: My plate looks amazing. My scallion pancakes look great,
my miso eggplant looks great and it tasted great,
but I'm just hoping that my duck is cooked.
Oh, please, God, please, good God.
I really want that to be cooked beautifully.
Liya, please tell us what you made.
Oh, so today you have a spiced duck breast
with scallion pancakes and miso eggplant.
- And why this dish? - I want to do this dish
because I really want to showcase,
like, my Asian culture
and, like, the scallion pancakes everyone loves,
and I really wanted to show you guys that.
Aarón: All right, so Liya, you know,
duck breast can be unforgiving,
- as you know. - Yeah.
What are you hoping the cook on this duck breast to be?
I'm hoping that it is a medium-rare.
All right, we shall see.
( exhales )
Liya, what are you hoping
the cook on this duck breast to be?
- Medium-rare. - Aarón: All right.
Wow.
- Nice. - ( applause )
( exhales )
- That's beautiful, Liya. - Yeah.
Young lady, that is how you cook duck.
What I love about this is it does immediately tell me comfort food.
There's a richness and fattiness.
I love a scallion pancake. But it's so elevated.
- Thank you. - Thank you, Liya.
( cheers and applause )
- Good job, Liya. - Good job, Liya.
Liya, I love when I eat food,
it is deceivingly simple,
but complex at the same time.
The eggplant, albeit unassuming,
it's done with such complexity because of the miso,
- and I just love that. - Yes, Chef.
I think you made very smart choices
and invested your time in the right places.
Thank you.
You have nailed to absolute utter perfection
one of the most difficult proteins on the planet,
- a duck breast. - Thank you.
That is textbook.
And those pancakes,
I mean, honestly, I feel like I've got the best seat
in your mum and dad's restaurant right now.
- Great job. Well done. - Thank you.
( applause )
In the entree round, I did great,
but with the dessert round, anything can happen.
You both cooked perfect dishes,
and you give us very little to criticize.
It is neck and neck. Well done, both of you.
( cheers and applause )
So now it's time to wow us with desserts.
You will have one hour
to make us the best dessert of your lives.
So, Liya, please tell us what you're going to make.
So for today, I'm making a coconut pandan panna cotta
with a passion fruit coulis and a sesame tuille.
And Grayson, what will you be making tonight?
I will be making a Texas ruby red grapefruit curd
with a fennel pollen financier and pea flower sorbet.
Wonderful.
- Sounds good. - Sounds great.
- Are you guys ready? - Yes, chef.
Good. Now let's have 60 minutes on the clock, please.
Our final round.
Think of everything you've done,
every challenge you've overcome.
It comes down to this.
Your 60 minutes start now. Let's go.
Go, Liya.
( chanting ) Grayson, Grayson,
Grayson, Grayson.
This is the most important dessert
I've ever made in my entire life
because it's for the title of MasterChef Junior.
You got this, Grayson.
I need to make sure that I'm keeping my pace great,
and I can't have any setbacks.
Yeah, Grayson.
You can do it, Liya.
- Good job, Liya. - Go, Liya.
This is a very sophisticated dessert
because the gelatin needs time to rest.
Also, my coulis needs time, my tapioca needs time,
so a lot of stuff takes time in this,
but I think if I pull it off, it's going to be amazing.
I love you, Liya.
Gordon: I can't believe it, we're one dish away
from crowning America's next MasterChef Junior.
Right now, on the back of that, tasting the entrees,
- I mean, it's so close. - Yeah.
- It's anybody's game. Absolutely. - So close.
This is a really nuanced dessert from both of them.
Liya making a pandan passion fruit panna cotta.
A panna cotta may seem easy,
but this thing is all about the balance
and the texture when it sets.
Too heavy on the gelatin,
then you've got this rubbery hull of a texture.
Too soft and it doesn't set.
Yeah, and that pandan
is a very interesting herb from Asia
that has the potential of overpowering a dessert.
That's exactly right.
So Grayson's doing a financier.
- Yes. - Generally, a financier
is a sort of petit four that you have with coffee.
Grayson has a couple jeopardy points here.
I mean, he has to bake a financier.
He also has to make a grapefruit curd
and then a sorbet, all of which have to happen
right in these first 10 minutes to set up correctly.
Grayson put a little too much of that.
Damn, look.
All that fennel just in there.
Brad: You got it. Solve that problem,
Solve that problem. You got it.
He's at the perfect point to start again if he needs to.
Yeah, exactly. Don't worry, a mistake,
especially when it's down to chemistry.
It's fine.
- Let's go, Liya. - You got this, Liya.
And so, Liya, I'm just a bit worried
watching her make that panna cotta.
She didn't bloom the gelatin,
so, you know, if that thing
doesn't get evenly distributed in that cream,
- it becomes lumpy and doesn't set. - Yeah, absolutely.
And so it's almost going to come out like a cold scrambled egg.
45 minutes remaining, guys.
Looking good, Liya.
Ivy: Oh, Liya, those look beautiful.
- Be careful. - Brad: Zest, baby, zest.
You got it, Grayson. Keep going, bud.
You got this, Liya. Love you.
- So you can breathe now, huh? - Yeah.
Panna cotta's been set. How are you feeling?
I'm feeling really good right now.
I think I have everything set,
and right now I'm just getting my tapioca ready.
What are you doing with the tapioca?
I'm just going to put, like, a layer.
- On top of the panna cotta? - Yes, Chef.
Yeah? Sounds amazing. You feeling good?
Yes, Chef.
Have you got one hand on that trophy?
Yes, chef.
Are you desperate for that new kitchen for mum?
Does mum's kitchen need replacing, by the way?
- Fridge. - Fridge.
It just doesn't smell good.
It doesn't smell good?
Right, young lady, good luck.
- Keep it going, girl. Well done. - Thank you, Chef.
So put this into the oven.
- Halfway, guys. 30 minutes gone. - 30 minutes.
30 minutes remaining. Keep it going, guys.
- Aarón: Grayson. - Hello.
How are you feeling about where you're at?
Grayson: I'm feeling pretty good.
I just have to get this sorbet and curd
into the flash chiller.
- Okay. - We saw at the very beginning
when you were making up your financier
that you had a little mishap
- with the fennel falling right in. - Yes.
But you tasted it, you thought it was fine?
I tasted it. I actually thought
it was the perfect amount of fennel pollen.
And now talk to us about this sorbet that you're making.
So I infused the sorbet mix with pea flower,
and it turns it purple
because the pea flower has anthocyanins in it,
and the anthocyanins react to the citrus
and change colors.
So you have grapefruit in there
- and the pea flower, as well? - Yes.
All right, so you're going to sorbet into the blast chiller?
- Yep. - All right.
Go one at a time. We don't want to see any spills.
Good luck, Grayson.
- Yeah! - Whoo!
Gordon: 20 minutes remaining, guys. Come on, let's go.
- Final 20 minutes. - This is it.
You got this, Liya.
Looks good, Grayson.
I'll tell you what. It's starting to smell good in here.
Looks like Grayson's about to start using his liquid nitrogen
for that sorbet.
So that liquid nitrogen is going to help
freeze that in an instant.
And it looks pretty cool.
So now is there any hazard of overdoing it on liquid nitrogen?
Absolutely. It can actually scorch things.
You see that frost all around the edges.
Gordon: We're down to 15 minutes to go.
15, come on.
So close, you guys, so close.
Go, Liya.
Daphne: No, I'm a little bit concerned about that.
Is it all right, Liya?
Oh, gosh.
No, I'm a little bit concerned about that.
- Is it all right, Liya? - Yeah, it's okay.
- Look, they're set beautifully. - Beautiful. They did set.
And she's making four, as well.
Three minutes! Three minutes! Whoo!
Start plating.
You're both doing amazing.
It's so pretty, Liya.
So close, you guys, so close.
Let's go, Grayson.
You got this, Grayson.
One minute to go. Come on.
( cheers and applause )
Keep it going, guys.
Look at what Liya's up to.
Check this out with the dry ice.
Gordon: Let's go!
Wow, Grayson's plate is coming together so nicely.
Oh, my God.
Ten, nine, eight,
seven, six, five, four,
- three, two, one. - Stop, well done.
( cheers and applause )
Great job.
Whoo!
Good job.
Grayson: I went out of the box
and used every single technique I could.
The only thing standing between me and the MasterChef trophy is the judges now.
My head is going crazy 'cause I can't believe I got everything on the plate.
It looks great. I think is going to win me the MasterChef Junior title
because I have so many different flavors in this dish.
We are literally moments away
from crowning America's next MasterChef Junior,
and on that performance there,
this is going to be a battle right to the very end.
Well done.
( cheers and applause )
Go, Grayson. Whoo!
Right, the first dessert we'd like to taste.
Please, Grayson, let's go.
Grayson: Walking up to the judges,
I'm really happy with my plates.
They look really beautiful.
Thank you.
Beautiful.
And I got the spoons of sorbet
so that I can plate it tableside.
- Nice. - Lovely.
How beautiful is that?
Oh, my God.
Gordon: Wow. Grayson, please describe your dessert.
Today I've prepared for you a Texas ruby red grapefruit curd
with a fennel pollen financier and pea flower sorbet.
And the connection to home is what?
So the Texas ruby red grapefruit is the state fruit of Texas,
and I fell in love with using pea flower
to make things change color,
and I wanted to incorporate that scientific element
as a little personal touch for this dish.
Visually for me, it's got that Grayson finesse.
Financiers smell fragrant, fennel pollen is incredible,
and underneath the sorbet is what?
Underneath the sorbet is some crunch cereal, just for fun.
It looks beautiful.
Grayson, it is absolutely delicious
because it's refreshing for a dessert.
That's very rare, okay.
Normally dessert is the kind of thing
that you think, oh, two mouthfuls in, and I'm stumped.
You know, I've got a huge chunk of pith on my grapefruit,
but trust me, if that's the only thing I've got to complain about,
a little bit of pith tonight,
you should see what I complain about in restaurants.
That is a good job. Well done.
Thank you, Chef.
Daphne: The runaway hit on this plate for me
was the financier. It was moist.
I think it was heavy with the pollen,
but the sorbet was extremely refreshing.
This plate is so cool and so stylish,
- and you did an incredible job. - Thank you.
Aarón: Yeah, for me, Grayson,
I think it's very heavy-handed with the fennel pollen.
That's a very strong ingredient
that needs to be kind of tempered a little bit.
But other than that, really good job.
- Thank you, Grayson. - Thank you.
Thank you.
Brad: Good job, Grayson, way to go. Good job.
Whoo!
Miss Liya, can we taste your dessert please?
I'm feeling really good about my dish right now.
Thank you. Wow.
I just hope that my panna cotta is fully set.
I need the judges to love my dish
because I want to win so bad.
( applause )
Liya, please describe your dessert.
So for today I have for you a coconut pandan panna cotta
with a passion fruit coulis,
a mango heart, and a sesame tuille.
Amazing. And what's the connection to home?
The coconut panna cotta
is kind of from my Italian great-uncle,
and he's right there.
And also passion fruit is big from Taiwan,
and it's really my favorite type of fruit,
so I really wanted to use that in my dessert today.
Liya, when you set this down in front of each of us,
you could see we all just burst into smile.
It wows you, it excites you.
This looks like a restaurant dish to me.
It looks absolutely beautiful.
- Thank you. - Good job, Liya.
Gordon: Shall we?
- Ooh. - Ooh.
Oh, my God.
Oh, Liya, honestly.
This dessert is just delicious.
I mean, it looks simple,
but it tastes way better than simple
because it's rich,
and then you get that kick of the passion fruit
- that literally wakes up that palate. - Thank you.
I'm not a massive fan of that
because it's sort of very strong and sort of crunchy.
But, listen, the hero is the panna cotta.
Well done.
( cheers and applause )
This is the most simple
but intriguing and interesting dessert
that just continues to surprise you layer by layer.
You have this beautiful, smooth passion fruit puree on top,
and those little pops of the tapioca balls inside I loved, as well.
But then you dig all the way to the bottom,
and there are little pieces of mango waiting for you.
There's a constant treasure hunt.
It's delicious. Well done.
( cheers and applause )
Liya, impressive. I love things that look simple
that are really complex and elegant
and really deliver on flavor.
Whoo. Delicious and refreshing.
( cheers and applause )
Whoo!
Good job.
Now for the tough parts.
Our work really begins now
because we need some serious time to deliberate.
So please excuse us.
- Wow. - Oh, man.
- I mean... - Wow, guys.
...What a way to end a cook-off
with two fantastic desserts like that. How cool.
And ot just that, but two different expression, guys.
Yeah, let's talk about Grayson's.
Aarón: Grayson executed a very difficult protein,
probably one of the most difficult proteins for professionals.
It was medium-rare throughout.
I loved the seasoning of that togarashi spice.
Grayson nails it when it comes to decorative elements,
and of course in these cases,
the sauces really worked well.
Yeah. The mashed potatoes for me were delicious.
Could have been a little bit thinner
and a little bit more whipped,
but he nailed the hero.
- It was cooked beautifully. - Yeah.
Good job, Liya and Grayson. You did great.
So Grayson's financier, with that pink grapefruit curd,
fennel pollen and then that sorbet,
have you ever seen a dessert like that?
I do think that the plate
was more palate-cleansing than indulgent for sure.
I did not get a lot of sweet on that plate.
Yeah, it was almost like we were under doctor's orders.
Yeah, I agree. The fennel was overwhelming.
But I'll tell you one thing that I really do appreciate
is that Grayson's dish is a roadmap
to the countryside of Austin and Texas,
where he's spent his childhood.
Oh, my God. I'm so nervous.
Gordon: So the composition of Liya's menu tonight,
the duck followed by the panna cotta
for me a mind-blowing combination
that incredibly caramelized, crispy duck.
- Wow. - Served in that miso-glazed eggplant,
I mean, it didn't look as attractive as Grayson's, granted,
but the flavor was extraordinary.
That duck was cooked perfectly, the crispness of it, all of it was beautiful.
I just think you can't escape the fact that Liya executed a very difficult protein.
Gordon: Liya's desserts, pandan panna cotta topped with tapioca,
finished with a beautiful passion fruit coulis
and a sesame seed tuille,
I mean, it hits the table, my jaw's on the floor.
Oh, yeah, I was grinning ear to ear.
Every layer was a surprise. It was so delicious.
The consistency was beautiful, but the tuille didn't work for me.
- No. - Yeah.
It looked better than it actually tasted.
Aarón: Let's just marvel at the fact
that she was able to connect
her great-uncle of Italian origin
to Taiwanese roots
and somehow makes a dessert that made sense.
So four amazing dishes,
two beautifully concepted menus,
and the big question is now, who is going to become
America's next MasterChef Junior?
Can we come to an agreement on this, guys?
- Yeah? - I think we can.
Let's go.
Oh, my God. Okay.
- Good luck. - Good luck.
Wow. What an amazing evening.
Grayson, Liya, you need to be proud
of what you've just accomplished.
You've cooked way beyond your years,
and tonight's standard has matched
our adult version of this competition.
Exceptional.
So Grayson, remind us, what is the food dream?
So I want to travel the world and gather inspiration
from different countries and cultures
so that I can then start a restaurant
and have a very artistic and creative tasting menu.
And Liya, what's your food dream?
My food dream is to have two restaurants
just like my parents.
One is called Salt and Spice,
and the other one is called Fantasy Cuisine Junior.
Liya, Grayson, this has been one of the most difficult decisions
we've ever had to make.
On tonight's performance, you two have been neck and neck.
Only one of you tonight
can take home all the prizes:
the stunning kitchen from Viking,
the trip to Vegas.
And a check for $100,000.
And of course this amazing trophy.
This right here, without a doubt,
is the most coveted culinary trophy
anywhere in the entire world.
Grayson, Liya, there are two of you,
but unfortunately only one
will be named America's next MasterChef Junior.
And that young home cook...
Congratulations goes to...
Liya.
( cheers and applause )
Great job.
( screaming )
- Well done. - Thank you.
You did so good.
Liya: It's so crazy to be the next MasterChef Junior,
starting from my mom's kitchen, getting here now.
I can't wait to open my own restaurant.
This is the best day of my life.
Really, really, really good job today.
- You did amazing. - You did awesome.
We are both winners, okay?
I'm the next MasterChef Junior!
No, no, no, Aah!
Yeah!
Whoo!