"This season on MasterChef Junior..." "Wow." "The most talented pint-sized home cooks in America faced the ultimate culinary battle." "You are the best of the best." "The biggest cooking competition in the world..." "Let's go!" "...took things to a whole new level." "Move it." "That is embarrassing." "Get rid of it." "The home cook were small..." " How old are you?" " 8." " 11." " I'm 10 years old." "with spectacular results week after week." " I'm blown away." " Wow." " Beautiful." " This is delicious." "Tonight only two remain in the grand finale. it's time for the main event." "As the final two go head to head in a television first..." "I'm not going home without that trophy." "I'm here to take the title." "000 and the title of America's first MasterChef Junior." "The winner is..." "Tonight television's biggest culinary battle will be taken on by America's smallest home cooks." "It's the culinary showdown that the whole of America is talking about." "Welcome to the junior MasterChef finale. 12-year-old Dara." "Dara is one of the most talented home cooks to ever enter the MasterChef kitchen." "but I'm using it." "Dara has impressed us with her ambitious cuisine." "The dish is delicious." "it's got great finesse." "You hit it out of the park with this one." "That is a restaurant's signature dish." "Thank you." "This young cook has plated intense flavors..." " with youthful spirit." " Sorry." "please?" " Yes." " Beautiful." "god." "one tuna." "chef"?" "chef." " This was delicious." "You're good." "Didn't you say you baked" " your mom's wedding cake?" " Yeah. and that is my passion in life." "It's like I was born to do this." "You have every reason to be happy." "it's that good." "I'm not here to fight for the title." "I'm here to take the title." "You did great." "can Dara continue to dazzle us and take home the junior MasterChef title?" "I can." "The only obstacle that stands in Dara's way is... 13-year-old Alexander." "You may want to stand back." "I may want to stand back?" "You're right." "I may want to stand back." "Alexander showed promise from the start." "That is amazing." "It's beautiful." "It could be the cover of your cookbook." "they look beautiful." "You've now perfected the most dangerous dessert" " anywhere in the world." " Thank you. his rivals put a target on his back." "Who would you like to see leaving next?" " Alexander." " Oh." " Alexanr." " Alexander." " Duh." " Duh." "Known affectionately as "Big Al"..." "Whip like a man!" " Whip it!" " Whipped." " Big Al." " Well done." " Alexander!" " Oh!" "Big Al." "This talented young home cook demonstrated a natural culinary gift..." "There's a bracket of chefs that are natural at cooking." "You are one of them." "Never shying away sophisticated flavors." "It's delicious." "Wow"." "I want that title so badly." "There's just nothing that I want more." "This is what I was meant to do. on making it to America's first-ever" "MasterChef Junior finale." "You both know what's on the line... 000 and the chance to be" "America's first-ever junior MasterChef champion. please welcome your parents." "Dara!" "And all of your past competitors." "Luca. it's time for the main event." "you have just 90 minutes to create a perfectly-composed three-course dinner. and one dessert. you'll now both shop for the last time in the MasterChef pantry where I've got a surprise for you." "Are you both ready?" "chef!" "Your time in the pantry starts..." "Now!" "Off you go." "and I see my auntie Fran on a huge tv." "Dara." "Congratulations." "Thank you. so I was so excited." " I just wanted to wish you luck." " Thank you so much." "Keep up the good work." "Alexander." "I'm really excited to see my uncle Marty and my cousin Anna supporting me from a skype call from New York." "That's pretty amazing." "We're rooting for you." "I just know from everything you've cooked for us so far" " you're gonna do fantastic." " Thank you." "guys?" " Hi." "It's time to end this skype call and to get started on tonight's big event." " Love you guys." " See ya." "It's gonna be really tough." "90 minutes is not a long time to create three amazing dishes." "I'm going to do a shrimp and baby heirloom tomato crostini." "For my entree I'm going to make a potato gnocchi with a pan-seared veal chop." "And for dessert a deconstructed cannoli Napoleon with a mixed berry sauce." "Where's the rice? I'm doing a duo of ahi tuna." "For my entree I'm doing sauteed spot prawns and for my dessert I'm doing a poached pear in a lemon-ginger miso sauce." "please. are you both ready?" "chef." "Your final 90 minutes in the MasterChef kitchen starts..." "Now." "Let's go. and it's amazing just to think that these two kids" "13 years old." "13 years old." "I couldn't have even make a fried egg." "Keep it going." "Come on." "but I do think that Dara might win because if Alexander over-complicates it and Dara might leap and grab that advantage and she might win. but it doesn't sound very appealing." "I think Alexander's gonna win." "Alexander!" "it's Alexander versus Dara." "This is gonna be epic." "guys." "guys." "12-year-old Dara and 13-year-old Alexander are fighting it out over a three-course menu that they devised." "Dara!" "and for dessert poached pears in a lemon-ginger miso sauce." "I have to make a three-course meal in 90 minutes to win this competition." "my gosh." "they think we can do this?" "It's crazy." "Alexander!" "Alexander's menu features" "and a Napoleon cannoli with a mixed berry sauce for dessert." "I might have bit off more than I can chew 30 different components to it." "But I can't change it now." "I've already got those ingredients." "I've just got to stick to it. but not knowing to what extent." "To get to this point has blown me away." "Alexander. it's about being junior MasterChef and having that trophy." "He's in his element." "this has been the ride of his life." "come on." " Mm." " Yeah." "this is it." " Amazing." " We are in for a big treat." "Just think what Dara and Alexander have achieved so far in this competition." "This is the culmination of one of the most incredible culinary journeys that I've ever seen children 8 to 13 years old who have this kind of talent and then take" " this kind of an evolution on their MasterChef journey..." " Yeah." "Dara." "I love the fact that Dara is playing to her strengths." "I think that Dara's menu is way too ambitious." "I think doing a double appetizer she will lose because of time management." "keep it moving." "Stay focused." "Right now I think that Alexander's menu is infinitely more executable." "I disagree." "Alexander is trying to attempt to do too many different things in 90 minutes." "Right." "Keep it going." "Come on." "buddy!" "how are you feeling?" "chef." "The menu sounds like you're playing to your strengths. my heritage and it is a lot of what I know. and I know that this is where my strength is." "it sounds incredible. fragrant curry." "How are you making that curry? curry powder." "Is that fresh ginger in there?" "Yes." "that's delicious." "And the dumplings?" "The dumplings are..." "this is the mixture." "It's scallops and shrimp." "I love rounding off dinner with an amazing dessert. especially the miso." "Where'd you get the idea from?" "So I feel like those flavors would go really good together." "And you guys have said a lot and I feel like this just elevates it." "good luck." " Thank you." " Good job." " Yay!" "Good job." "Stay focused." "Stay focused." "Come on!" " Yeah." " Whoo!" "chef." "How's your appetizer coming?" "My appetizer is coming along really great." "I'm almost done with it." "I've got my shrimp marinating." "What are they marinating in?" "olive oil." " Yeah." "I'm just gonna quickly grill them because they'll cook much faster." "How we doin' entree-wise?" "You have a bone-in veal chop." "How long do you think it's gonna take to cook? and I still have to sear the veal." "right?" "I'm going to pan-fry them." "What are you using the pasta cutter for?" "For my cannoli dough." "Smart." "Talk us through your dessert." "I think of cannoli." "I'm doing it with three layers." "Alexander." "Thank you." "Dara!" "I need powdered sugar." "Um..." "Dara." "Here." "Here." "Dara." "Dara!" " Dara." " Thank you so much." " Thank you." " Sorry." "Thank you!" "Dara." "Thank you so much." " Look at me." " Look at me." " Look at me." " Don't panic." "Okay." "Okay?" "You can do this." "Okay?" "Keep it together." "I know how these kids are feeling." "They feel nervous." "They feel excited." "They feel scared." "Where'd I put the gremolata? 'cause I could barely handle myself." "I love the idea of Dara's menu." "It sounds incredible." " It's a lot to do in 90 minutes." " It's a lot to do." "I'm worried about that curry sauce being heavy." "I don't know if Dara has the experience to know how to keep it light." "Dara." "Alexander is running slightly behind." " Mm-hmm." " The veal is not seared. he just has enough time to finish it if he puts it in immediately." "guys." "You've got to start visualizing those dishes in your mind." "20 minutes to go. and I'm just getting my veal chop searing." "I've got to get these things in the oven." "They've got to finish off cooking. because that would obviously send me home right away." "sweetie." "That's good." "Alexander! and one stunning dessert." "Good." "Good." "you got to get it on the plate." "it doesn't count." "Dara." "I need my water." "I feel like I'm gonna faint." "light-headed." "please." "Dara." "I need my water." "I feel like I'm gonna faint." "light-headed." "please." "relax." "Dara." " Look at me. deep breath" " and relax." " It's okay." "Drink it all." "you're okay!" " Take a deep breath!" "Dara." "Well done." "An amazing job." "amazing job." "Stay calm." "Well done." "Great job." "amazing." "Dara!" "You're amazing!" "Just under 20 minutes to go." "I'm good." "Good." "guys." "Keep it going." "and I felt and I'm feeling so much better." "Dara!" "Alexander." "Get 'em finished." "Let's go." "just over 15 minutes to go!" "So in the desserts you have poached pears with an Asian twist versus a deconstructed Napoleon." "I love the idea of the miso broth that's poaching the pear in there." "Alexander's going for a little bit more classic dessert" "Napoleon-style." "I think that's a smarter move." "You know what it's like when you deconstruct." " It could be a decon-saster." " Right." "Good job!" "Alexander!" "Get focused." "chef. please make sure you cook it properly." "how we doin'?" "is that gonna get cooked off at the last second?" "Yeah." "I'm gonna saute it." "'cause it'll turn to rubber real quick." "just five minutes left." "You should be well into plating your dishes now." "I'm still making stuff." "Alexander!" "Just stay focused." "Stay focused." "Alexander! and I don't know if I'm gonna make it to the finish line." "Get it all on there!" "Alexander!" " Come on." "Dara." "Dara!" "Whoo!" "Dara!" "Dara!" "Dara!" "Dara!" "Dara!" "Alexander!" "I know." "I have it here." "Alexander!" "Edible art." "That's what we want." "Everybody! one." "Stop!" "well done." "Congratulations to the both of you." "ladies and gentlemen." " Yeah!" " Whoo." " Incredible." " Whoo." "very carefully bring your dishes down to the front." "Thank you." "I look down at my dishes." "I am pretty proud of them." "I'm pretty impressed that I have almost all of the components on my plate right now." "I think that it looks really good. and I'm just feeling really confident." "It's time to head to the MasterChef restaurant and then finally your desserts." "We will then decide which one of you two standing before us now will become" "America's first-ever MasterChef Junior." "Good luck." "Whoo!" "please bring us your appetizer." "Today I have prepared for you guys ahi two ways." "and on the left is seared tuna." "it looks stunning." " I'm really proud." " Thank you." "Well done." "this is effectively two appetizers in one." "Yes." "I wanted to showcase the poke but I wanted to show more skill by doing the seared tuna." "The rice cake's very rich and crunchy." "The white rice on the inside is still moist." "Very good." "The tuna's beautiful." "here's the seared tuna?" " Yes." "Rare in the middle." "Nice char on the outside." "Did you season or marinate this tuna in anything? sesame oil and sriracha." "The same as the poke." "It's an amazing dish." "The rice cake is delicious." "Tuna itself is fabulous." "This is a $25 appetizer in Manhattan." " Amazing." " Thank you. and the flavors are amazing." "The fact that at your age you're able to pull something this technical off speaks volumes." " Great job." " Thank you." "I was eating canned tuna mixed with mayonnaise." "I thought it was the best thing that my mum would ever feed me." "But to see you cook three courses is mind-blowing." "I wouldn't change anything." "Amazing start." " Great job." " Thank you." "please bring us your appetizer." "It's a basil lemon shrimp and baby heirloom tomato crostini with a roasted red pepper puree." "I love the flavor of the roasted pepper." "It really kind of amps up the whole dish." "I love this dish 'cause you can taste every individual component as you eat it." "Good job." "Thank you." "Just from here I can see that the shrimp are cooked like magic." "It's delicious." "It's beautiful." "It looks like you stumbled upon it in the woods." "Very natural." "The only thing I would change is a pinch more salt. but great job." "Thank you." "vibrant." "and it looks so appetizing." "Hmm." "Delicious." "I think your dish is so much simpler than Dara's." "You're depending more on the ingredients than the actual cooking skills because you didn't really do much to those tomatoes." "but not as technical as Dara's appetizer. to lose at this point would just really suck. but not as technical as Dara's appetizer. bring in those amazing entrees." "Let's go." "Thank you." "Dara!" "Alexander! but there were mixed feelings so I don't know." "It's all in the judges' hands right now." " What a start." " Amazing." "I think." "yeah" " Yeah." "I really was impressed with Alexander's appetizer." "I thought it was a study in purity in flavors." "A lot of courage. and it certainly was nowhere near as technical." "I think his dish is about the confidence and that's what we..." " No." " Preach today in our restaurants." "I think if you look at her dish and the fact that she seared then added Hawaiian tuna poke and crispy rice" " that she made..." " Cooked fresh rice." " Right there." " Come on." "Ultimately we are dealing with a 12 and 13-year-old." "Young." "We keep forgetting that." "We got to rein that in." "I'm very excited that's for sure." "For sure." "Dara!" "Way to go!" "I have an amazing respect for these kids." "I was scared a few months ago to go in front of these three judges." "I'm so glad they didn't compete in MasterChef adult." "Because I don't know if I was gonna win if I have to go against one of those two." "Wow." "that was an amazing start." "Let's hope you've got just as delicious entrees." "please." "I know my shrimp is just a bit overcooked..." "Wow. and I'm just feeling really confident." "Please describe your dish." "On the top you have a fried spot prawn head with sauteed spot prawns and wontons in a Thai coconut curry sauce." "the dumplings?" "Why dumplings? so I thought wontons would be perfect." "It's delicious." "fragrant curry sauce." "Dumplings are delicious." "Inside you've got scallop." "What else?" "Scallop and shrimp." "delicious." "Could have done with a minute less cooking..." " Okay." " But you got the sear on there." "Phenomenal." "Well done." "Thank you." "I love the fact that you steamed those." "That's the kind of mentality that a chef has." "Not a 12-year-old." "What's wrong with you?" "but the curry itself seems a little thick. and that coconut milk gets thick but delicious." " Thank you." " Isn't it?" "I disagree." "very extracted." "The dumplings are fabulous." "Very light." "Very handmade." "Ve delicious." "I'd pay $45 for this dish." "Dara." " Thank you." "please present your entree." "Thank you." "I have no chance at the title of junior MasterChef." "please." "It's a potato gnocchi with a sage and shallot butter sauce and a pan seared veal chop with wild rocket greens on top." "I'm gonna slice inside this veal chop now." "Tell me what I'm expecting. so I'm hoping it's just that." "Wow." "that is one of the best visually-cooked veal chops and there are chefs right now shuddering with the way that's cooked." " Phenomenal." " Thank you." "Why the sage?" "I think that it just gives a nice herb flavor." "The gnocchi's delicious." "They're like little pillows of magic." "fluffy in the center." "A bit like you and I... but magical in the center." "It looks amazing." "It tastes sensational." "What you lacked in your appetizer you got back 100% on your entree." "young man." " Thank you." "I wish I could nail this temp every time too." " This is incredibly cook." " Thank you." "I love any food that comes with a handle." "You know?" "rawr." "that's..." "love that." "or did you really know what you were doing?" "I think that I really did know what I was doing because it's a dish that I cook at home. so I had an idea how long I should finish it off in the oven." "It speaks for itself." "It's amazing." "Great job. the gnocchi or the veal chop?" "I think that it would have to be the veal chop but I still that the gnocchi is a really important element of the dish as well." "You know what the hero of this dish is?" "You." "The 13-year-old who cooked it." "Alexander." " Thank you." " Congratulations." "Phenomenal." "That was an amazing performance by both of you." "It is so close." "go in and pick up your final plates." "Wow." "That was one of the best dishes we've ever tasted in a finale." "but was that a fluke?" "Joe? it was not luck." "Perfectly caramelized all the way around." "and then cutting into it" " and seeing it glisten..." " And let's not forget the gnocchi." "The gnocchi were fabulous." "The gnocchi and the sage sauce..." "That could have been a dish in itself." "But that delicious spot prawn curry the technical ability of passing those little pods of..." "I could have eaten a bowl of those dumplings." "I think those shrimp were a little bit overcooked. what'd you think of those?" " Amazing." "Delicious." " Steamed." " I thought those were super." " Very handmade." " Very good." " A super cool technique that she threw there." "I keep on having to remind myself that these two are 12 and 13-year-old chefs." "It's really amazing. and I think my dessert's amazing." "and I think they'll really like it. and it could I come down to dessert." "I don't know." "Whoever has a better dessert could be the winner." "Do you know any MasterChef Juniors?" "Wow!" "We are in for a treat." "so far we've had two amazing courses from both of you." "I'm psyched to try these desserts." "please bring us your dessert." "Wow." "Today I've made a poached pear in a lemon-ginger miso sauce with a ginger tuile and a meyer lemon cream." "Wow." "Miso?" "Not something that you would generally see in dessert." "what did you poach 'em in? and lemon peel." "That's fragrant." "It's so light and beautiful." "Like..." "It's hard to put into words." "It's like nothing i never had before." "I think it's very creative." "It's really balanced." " And I like it." "Good job." " Thank you." "again stunning." "Why poaching pears and not roasting them? I guess you could say." "Delicious." "Spicy." "The pears are poach beautifuly." "They just melt in your mouth. then it actually works." "But having that kind of confidence to put miso I want to give you a hug." "Delicious." "Well done." "It's actually quite amazing in its simplicity." "but it's still acidic at the same time." "What's the acidity in there?" "I poached them in lemon juice and lemon peel." "I think it's the perfect harmonious ending note to a incredible symphony of dishes." "Dara." "Thank you." "he's very great so I don't know." "please bring us your dessert." "I think that Dara's dessert is less ambitious." "I think that I took my dessert to the next level." "what is it?" "it's kind of like a deconstructed cannoli." "I like to call it a cannoli Napoleon and macerated berries as the side." "cannolapoleon." "Listen to that texture." "beautifully crispy." "I love the berries." "I love the dough." "It's rolled out and how crisp it is." "It's got that flavor that we've all come to know and love from a cannoli." "I'd say the only thing is that it's a touch on the sweet side." "Okay." "Just remind us again." "What year were you born in?" "2000." "Dara?" " 2001." " 2001." "thank you for making me feel like an old fart." "Here's the thing." "deconstructing?" "come on." "You shouldn't be deconstructing anything at the age of 13." "Do you know what I was doing at the age of 13?" "No." "Please don't tell us." "What?" "In jail in Glasgow?" "Why the fruit in between? a little blast of citrus and a little bit of lightness." "it's bloody phenomenal." "The mascarpone needs fruit." "The tartness of the fruit lifts that mascarpone's density." " Great job." " Thank you." "Napoleon." "Cannoli." "the great French emperor." "Do you know who Cannoli was?" "No." "Johny Cannoli's the guy from Bay Ridge." "Italian guy." "He's a little short guy about this big." "So you got little Johny Cannoli and you put 'em both one plate." "Amazing." "I think the emperor Napoleon of France and Johny Cannoli would both love your deconstructed cannoli." "Alexander." " Amazing." " Thank you. you guys should both be extremely proud with what you've accomplished." "both of you. we'll be crowning America's first-ever MasterChef Junior." "go back into the kitchen." "guys." "Thank you." "Wow." "How do you separate those two desserts?" "Because they're two amazing desserts. miso." "Dara's dessert was a perfect end to a stunning dinner." "My fate is in the judges' hands." "I just hope they can see past the few minor mistakes and see that I'm amazing." "What did you think of Alexander taking that dough and rolling it like pasta through the machine?" " Absolutely phenomenal." " More interpretive." "very deconstructing cannoli." "Pastry cream." "Very clever." "There was so much skill in that." "I am thinking that it can go either way at this point." "It's gonna be a really close call." "I think both menus were very intellectual and intuitive for a 12 and 13-year-old." "extraordinary." "With Alexander's menu starting with the shrimp and tomato salad... very Southern Mediterranean." "Really quite delicious." "Alexander paid homage to the classics with the gnocchi and the veal chop." "Stunning ingredients." "and then deconstructs a cannoli." " Mm-hmm." " Napoleon-style." "I don't care how old they are." "We've sat in this room for four years and tasted dishes." "We've never had a dish as good as Alexander's gnocchi" " and veal chop." " I agree." "Joe?" "It's not just about one course. and I feel that Dara did." "I thought her menu was extremely cohesive." "Dara's menu summed up her confidence and her composure and the technical ability from start to finish." "but the dessert as well." "miso." "extraordinary." "We really think we're making the right decision? it's what we have to do." "Shall we? and this could change my whole life." "I just want to win so badly." "Winning the title of junior MasterChef would mean the world to me." "I think that I did enough to win." "This might be the most important day of my life." "you guys came here as young home cooks. you guys have both proven to us and the world that you are so much more than young amateur home cooks." "you should both be known as junior MasterChefs." "That's why we would like both of you to come up here and switch places with us." "Well done." "You guys have done something that is powerful." "You have changed how every 8-to-13-year-old aspiring cook you give us great optimism and it makes me very proud to be part of your incredible journey." "Thank you for that. your performance in tonight's finale the smallest details gave one individual the slightest edge. but there can only be one winner." "000." "Just one of you is about to hold this stunning trophy in your hands." "Just one of you can make history by becoming" "America's very first MasterChef Junior." "The winner... of MasterChef Junior..." "Congratulations..." "Alexander." "my gosh!" "Absolutely incredible." "you." "You were great." "my man. and to actually win..." "words can't describe it." "Yeah!" "It's just beyond that." "tonight this young man has made history." "Whoo!" "America's Alexander!" "my god." "Absolutely amazing." "it was so close." "You have been phenomenal." "please give it up" "Dara." "Incredible." "It was all worth it." "cook way more." " Amazing job." " Thank you." "I'm a winner." "I have this jacket." "junior MasterChef." "Yay." "I love you." " You're amazing." " Wow." "I'm so proud of you." "I congratulate Dara because she did an amazing job." "I think that this is like an inspiration for kids to cook because we're cooking just as good as adult MasterChefs." "It means the world to me." "it just signifies that this is what I really love to do." "I am America's first junior MasterChef!"