INTRODUCTION

Kids are cooking like never before. There’s a fascination with food these days that has caught on with all generations, and young home cooks are more curious than ever to get into the thick of it. MasterChef Junior has emerged as a beloved source of inspiration, entertainment, and encouragement to be bold in the kitchen. A special kids-only zone, this competition TV show gives talented young cooks a place to shine—and test their mettle against their peers. And while the challenges are tough, the friendships that develop are stronger, as the contestants root for one another and share their love of food.

The MasterChef Junior kitchen is a unique place where contestants learn to trust themselves, help one another, and have a lot of fun. From Mystery Box Challenges to egg frying tutorials and great instruction from the judges, the kitchen is an incubator where ideas and skills can flourish. And what the contestants do in this space is truly amazing. The dishes they create are so masterfully crafted that the judges often say they could be on fine-dining menus. Would you ever imagine that your Seared Scallops with Jalapeño-Poblano Salsa entrée (this page) was cooked by a twelve-year-old? Pretty impressive! But as elevated as the cooking is, the kitchen is nonetheless a place for pranks and goofy moments. Like when, in Season 2, Sean expertly cooked nineteen pancakes in six minutes, and then still poured gallons of syrup on Joe Bastianich’s head, even though he didn’t have to because he won! Or the time in Season 4 when the junior home cooks retrieved their aprons from a giant piñata that looked like Gordon. Wherever there’s food, there’s fun, and the contestants find new, delicious ways to express themselves daily.

The MasterChef Junior Cookbook aims to get more young home cooks into the kitchen by providing excellent recipes and how-to information for honing your cooking skills. It’s both a practical tool that really anyone can use to try new techniques and types of dishes in their own home, as well as a celebration of the show. The 100 recipes are inspired by dishes that contestants created in the first five seasons, and there are photos throughout that highlight some of the cool things that happened as the competitors cooked their hearts out to win the title of MasterChef Junior. Scattered throughout are sidebars with tips that both parents and children can use to master some of the handiest skills and techniques, including four ways to prepare fish perfectly (this page), how to master cooking steak without a grill (this page), and the secrets to a flawless soufflé (this page).

Inside, you’ll find recipes conveniently organized by type of dish and divided into six chapters: Snacks & Starters, Fish & Shellfish, Meat & Poultry, Pasta, Sides & Salads, and Desserts. We’ve broken apart some of the more complicated dishes, sorting the different pieces into their appropriate chapters, so that everything is more approachable. For instance, in Season 4, the Red Team faced the challenge of catering a three-Michelin-star-quality lunch for luminaries of the food world. Their final dish was just one plate, but the contents read like a multicourse menu! With roasted venison tenderloin, braised cabbage, creamy parsnip purée, sautéed chanterelle mushrooms, and homemade gnocchi, there was no shortage of creativity in this meal. For simplicity in this book, though, you’ll find the recipe for Venison Tenderloin with Braised Cabbage and Parsnip Purée on this page, and the recipe for homemade gnocchi on this page. You can easily cook each recipe separately, or you can make it all to replicate what was on the show. We encourage you to mix and match all of the various mains and sides to create something all-together new!

If there is one overarching lesson we’ve learned from the extraordinary children who have been part of MasterChef Junior, it is this: Be creative and imaginative in the kitchen! Don’t be afraid to combine ingredients you’ve never seen together. Draw inspiration from your own culinary background and traditions all over the world. Boldly mix different flavors and techniques, try putting your own twist on a classic dish, something elevated that nods to the simple. You never know what delicious foods may come from innovation. We hope this cookbook inspires you to wear your aprons proudly and keep cooking!