‘MasterChef Junior’ season 2, episode 5 review: A pop-up restaurant problem
We’ve enjoyed “MasterChef Junior” over the course of this season, but going into Tuesday night’s episode, we admitted in advance that this is the one installment we were not really looking forward to. We don’t really like the dinner service sort of challenges, mostly because it takes away some of what gives this show an identity: The imagination and fun.
Instead, tonight’s episode mostly felt like the inevitable, as we were watching and waiting for the judges to eventually eliminate Sean and Oona, who each struggled mightily during this team challenge creating a pop-up restaurant. They were too of the younger contestants this season, and we really just saw that despite their brilliance, they need a little more time to really be prepared for this sort of intense cooking.
Samuel was declared safe at the end of the episode after starting out as a Team Leader, but this was not an easy journey for him by any means. Just about everything that happened over the course of this hour was something that he had to really work for.
Unfortunately, what more is there to really say? The other team delivered well, and we are left with a number of favorite capable young cooks. We just wish that there was something more to this episode than this pop-up challenge, since it didn’t really provide too much entertainment and is heavily edited, much more so even than most of the other cooking challenges we see.
Well, there’s always next week, and they don’t do these sort of tasks often. Grade: C+.
What did you think about this episode of “MasterChef Junior,” and did the right contestants go home? Share with a comment.
Emmie
December 3, 2014 @ 9:19 pm
You spelled two “too”
–>”They were too of the younger contestants this season, and we really just saw that despite their brilliance, they need a little more time to really be prepared for this sort of intense cooking.” This is also a god awful sentence. Please edit this posting.
This is my take on the week:
Oona and Sean were standouts in terms of innovation and skill. Either would have made a great Masterchef Junior winner. Sadly, their dreams were cut short this week. It was depressing hearing Oona, my personal favorite, tell us she doesn’t want to open a restaurant anymore based on her stressful and negative experience with this overproduced pop-up restaurant challenge. The Blue Team with Samuel as the leader ended service strong, which is usually the winning factor for these resturant challenges. Not this week. Of the three, Samuel got to stay for his impressive leadership skills and ability to turn the tide on a sloppy appetizer round. Was Samuel so strategic as to put his biggest competition on his team, only to take them out? Maybe, and I’m basing this on the fact he could masterfully play an evil genius chef in a Disney movie.
This show won’t be as fun to watch anymore because the most charismatic and watchable cooks are out. This challenge was inconsistent without a dessert round. That is the traditional tie breaker, leaving the Red Team with a cheap win. Logan is a sweetheart but not as self assured as the winner should be. It is clear that he loves cooking, the way he got all zen with his fish was adorable! Adaiah served a rare filet and still advances? Explain that to me. The Judges tasted one OK filet (poorly seasoned), and completely ignore the Red Team’s raw meat service. Abby brings comedic relief and has great dishes, but I can’t see her winning. Is it wrong to say she’s too young? Oona was one year older, but light years more mature, and with a much sharper palate. Abby’s current food dream is a horse vet clinic/ restaurant. Cute and funny, but like her such an impractical choice. In the end, I think It will come down to Logan and Samuel. Logan has the heart and soul of a chef, but can anyone compete with Samuel’s talent? Maybe Adaiah can recover from her meat snauf and bake her way into our hearts.
WT
December 8, 2014 @ 8:37 am
You spelled SNAFU “snauf.” Also, Emmy “Emmie.”