Masterchef Junior Recap – Gordon Makes Kids Cry: Season 2 Episode 4 “A Cut Above the Rest”

Masterchef Junior Recap - Gordon Makes Kids Cry: Season 2 Episode 4 "A Cut Above the Rest"

Tonight on FOX Gordon Ramsay’s Masterchef Junior continues with a new Tuesday December 9, season 2 episode 4 called “A Cut Above the Rest,” and we have your weekly recap below. Tonight, the Top 4 junior chefs—Abby, Adaiah, Logan and Samuel—cut fillets from Alaskan king salmon, which are used in the next challenge to create a restaurant-quality dish with a limited number of ingredients.

On the last episode, the kids paired up in a three-legged challenge to create a delicious box of 12 cupcakes. Later, Gordon’s mom visited the MASTERCHEF kitchen as a special guest judge, and the remaining junior home cooks had to prepare their own versions of one of Gordon’s favorite dishes growing up. Did you watch the last episode? If you missed it, we have a full and detailed recap right here for you.

On tonight’s episode as per the Fox synopsis, “the Top Four junior home cooks are tasked with breaking down an exquisite Alaskan King salmon and cutting as many perfect filets as possible. The winner of the challenge will get an advantage in the next round, when the contestants will have a limited number of ingredients to prepare a restaurant-quality salmon dish using the filets from the previous challenge. The two contestants with the most impressive dishes will earn a coveted spot.”

Don’t forget to join us for our live recap tonight at 8:00pm when MasterChef Junior Season 2 episode 4 episode airs on Fox. While you wait for the recap, let us know how your enjoying this season of MasterChef.

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Tonight on #MCJunior, the final four compete for a place in the finale and two will be cut. They will face the fish slicing challenge that has proved very hard for adults in the past. The judges come in first then the four kids – Abby, Adaiah, Logan and Samuel. Adaiah says she hopes a girl wins this year. Gordon welcomes them all to the semi-finals and says two will go home tonight.

Joe tells them this is the toughest cooking competition in the world for home cooks. Gordon says all chefs have to master fish as a protein. He tells them their fish are waiting in the MC pantry. Graham tells them to go to the pantry and bring back their fish now. Off they run. The kids are wowed at how large the fish are. Abby says it’s almost as big as her.

Samuel is excited to see they’re working with salmon. Abby struggles to carry hers. Gordon quickly demonstrates how to properly open the salmon and filet it. Samuel says Gordon is making it look easy but he knows it won’t be that simple for them. He got 16 fillets out of it and Gordon says he wants the kids to get as may as possible. It’s time for #SalmonSchool.

Joe says they have 30 minutes to break down their salmon. The winner will have the best cuts and will get a huge advantage that will send them into the finale. They start the time. The judges chat about how challenging this is while the kids get busy carving up their salmon. Samuel says it’s harder than he expected. Abby is struggling to get her knife through the fish. She’s breathing heavy.

Adaiah says in her family they cook salmon whole so she’s never fileted one before. The judges discuss that Samuel is doing well as is Adaiah. Poor Abby is just hacking hers up and Logan is wasting a bunch of fish. Samuel thinks Logan is struggling the most. He tries to figure out if he can cut another way. Gordon counts down the last 10 seconds and it’s hands in the air.

The judges tell then well done. The judges are ready to cut the salmon fillets. Gordon starts with Logan. Gordon points out ones he can’t use and then weeds out the ones that are too thin or narrow. Graham goes to Abby and counts hers up and then says she did a great job. Joe goes to Samuel who has 15 fillets. Joe checks the carcass and says he did well getting all the flesh off of it.

Joe points out some errors he made with bones and edging but says it was a good job. Gordon goes to Adaiah and then points out a near-perfect portion. He then points out some that are too small or off shaped. She ends up with 13 stunning portions and Gordon says lots of professional chefs would envy those results. Samuel still thinks he’s won it.

The judges call them around to the front to get their results. Graham says they did a great job but the person getting the advantage is Adaiah. Abby says she feels good about Adaiah winning it. Gordon tells them that in the next challenge, they will each make a dish featuring their best salmon fillet. Graham tells them they each have a fridge in the pantry packed with fresh ingredients.

Graham says one fridge has 100, one 50, one with 25 and the last just five ingredients. She gets to decide who gets which fridge. She is handed stickers with each of their faces on them and heads to the back to look at the fridges and stick the faces on them. She comes back out and Joe asks her who got the 100 ingredients. She says she gave it to Abby.

Graham asks her who got the 50 ingredients and she says she took that for herself. The 25 ingredient fridge goes to Samuel because she says there were less fancy things in that one. That leaves Logan with the 5 ingredient fridge. They ask if he thinks she’s targeting him. He says he’s confident. Joe reminds them that two kids will go home tonight while two go to the finals.

It’s time for the #SalmonSemifinal. They have 45 minutes and they rush to the kitchen. Logan gets red potatoes, dill, butter, lemon and broccoli rabe. Abby browses through her huge collection of ingredients. Samuel is making something pretty complex and Adaiah is doing teriyaki salmon. Abby tells Gordon she’s doing orange mango salmon and carrot puree.

Abby runs back to the pantry and Gordon calls her since he thinks she’s wasting time. She finally comes back and Gordon tells her she got broccoli rabe not kale. They have 25 minutes left. Samuel has his heat up too high and burned his salmon. Joe asks why he’s burning it and Samuel freaks out.

The kids are running around wildly trying to finish up. Samuel says he’s going to be down to the wire and Joe tells him to hurry up. Logan tells Graham he’s making an olive oil poached salmon and potato rosette. He’s worried about his broccoli rabe having time to cook. Adaiah is making marinated salmon. Gordon wishes her good luck.

They are down to 13 minutes and Gordon tells them to stay composed. Graham tells the others that Logan is poaching his nicely. Graham says he doesn’t like the idea of teriyaki salmon that Adaiah is making. They count down and it’s hands off. The kids are all plated and ready to go. They start with Logan first.

Logan says it’s olive oil poached salmon, potato rosette and broccoli rabe. Gordon says the salmon comfit is a bold move. He tastes and says is phenomenal. He says it’s a Michelin level dish. He says the puree could be a little thicker, but other than that, it’s perfect. Joe tastes next and then asks about the broccoli rabe and gives Logan a nibble. He tells him that’s insane but the salmon was a stroke of genius.

Graham tastes and says the flavor is awesome and he really pulled it off. Abby is next. She brings up mango and orange glazed salmon and carrot puree. Gordon tells her the salmon looks dry. He tastes and says it is dry but the puree is delicious. He says she’s done a lot better in the past. She admits the 100 items confused her a bit. He tells her this is not a winning dish.

Gordon reassures her and says she amazes him constantly. Joe tastes and praises her in general and says the carrot puree is very good but does say the salmon is a little overcooked. He says he’s proud of her. Samuel brings up his dish – it’s pan seared salmon and tomato comfit. Graham cuts into it and says wow. He says he did a great job highlighting the flavors of the salmon but says it’s a little overcooked.

Gordon tastes and says he cooked tomatoes with honey and Gordon says he thinks the salmon is good but the portion is too small. He thanks him. Adaiah is up next. She tells Joe she made Asian style salmon with garlic broccoli and stir fry. Joe says the salmon is perfectly cooked but says her garlic tastes a little burnt.

Gordon tastes and says the salmon is perfect but says he can smell the garlic overwhelmingly. She heads back. The judges go to talk to decide who will be going into the finale. They step out for a moment. The kids talk and Logan tells the others they all did great. They taste each others dishes and chat while waiting on the judges.

Graham calls all four kids down to the front. He says only two will go on to the finale. He tells them the first home cooking going to the finale is Logan. Graham says he did a great job with few ingredients. Gordon tells the other three that they’ve all been outstanding and he’s proud of them. Gordon says Samuel is also in the finals. That means the two girls are out of the competition.

Abby cries and Adaiah hugs her to comfort her and then Samuel hugs them both then heads upstairs. Samuel and Logan shake hands on the balcony. Adaiah is crying too. Gordon tells them both they have bright futures and Graham says this is just the beginning for them and that he’s excited to see what they do next. Joe takes Abby’s glasses off because she’s crying so hard.

He finally makes her laugh and hugs her close. Gordon calls the girls up for hugs and Gordon hugs Abby, picks her and swings her around. Joe picks Abby up and holds her and says to look up at the two monkeys on the balcony. Gordon asks Adaiah who will win and she says she didn’t want a boy to win but says Samuel. Abby picks Logan as her winner choice. The girls leave holding hands.

THE END!