Fox has had a trying 2014, apart from breakout superhero series Gotham, the just-concluded World Series and, way back in February, Super Bowl XLVIII. But in the TV business, hope springs eternal, and on Tuesday the network will kick off a second season of 2013-14's most successful new unscripted series on the broadcast airwaves,
Oct 31, 2014 MasterChef Junior, the breakout reality show from last year's broadcast season, returns Nov. 4 for Season 2. Celebrity chef judge Graham Elliot.
MasterChef Junior. I am on record as being a fan of the show, which is a marvel of broad-strokes popcorn entertainment combined with genuine emotion, all in a peppy, family-friendly package. I'm glad to report that the first look at Season 2 shows it is on course for another satisfying outing. Ahead of the Nov. 4 premiere of the new season, reigning champ Alexander Weiss shared some thoughts on a conference call with the press, about his stirring Season 1 victory, which netted the Brooklyn teen-ager $100,000. He appears as a guest on the first episode of Season 2, offering pointers to the new crop of hopefuls.
Alexander, who appears on Tuesday's premiere episode, said winning the show has been nothing short of life-changing. "I’ve just been able to meet all these new chefs and, especially, in the New York area a lot of chefs have approached me," he said. Dominique Ansel, who created the Cronut, is among those who has reached out to the 13-year-old whiz, who took the crown with impeccably crafted gnocchi and cannoli. "I’ve also been able to travel around and my cooking skills, I feel, have gotten so much better since the show and it’s kind of changed the way that my family and I think of food and eat food and I guess since the show it’s brought it to a new standard." As to his tips for contestants, he cited "things like watching the time and how to manage it."
Chef Graham Elliot, one of the three judges along with Gordon Ramsay and Joe Bastianich, said the new season benefits from Alexander's exploits. "We start out strong because Alexander comes back and kind of gives each kid the lowdown of what to expect and sets the bar super high," Elliot said. "And the other fun thing is off the bat we have a challenge where the contestants have to do a pancake battle and the winner gets to save their judge that they pick to not get hit with a humongous 50 gallons of maple syrup. So, that’s always a good time if you get kids and judges and sticky stuff all together in the same room."
Elliot said the show's success wasn't a given last year, but the steady supply of young chefs -- emphasis on young -- gives it a unique hook in a sea of reality competitions and food programming. "The biggest thing this season is how funny the contestants are without them even knowing it," he said. "You know, when you ask them what kind of restaurant they would open, they give you an answer like an underwater restaurant where the kitchen is floating and the food gets to them by pneumatic tubes, same as in the bank. Just that kind of stuff is always hilarious. Another girl said that with her $100,000 prize she would buy a pony. You can’t make that stuff up."
Competition, of course, is the heart of the show. Elliot said the reality of pitting kids against kids has unavoidable consequences (several contestants, as their families watched from a balcony above, shed tears and the Season 2 premiere continues that string.) "It’s always super sad," Elliot said. but I think Joe sums it up this season really well when he says... 'Right now, for the next hour, you’re going to feel super sad, but then after that you’re going to realize that you had an awesome experience and you’re going to be friends for a long, long time.'”
Alexander, while he was never sent home, readily acknowledges the pressure. But the long-term rewards are considerable, he adds. Show alumni "still keep in touchl," he said. "Whenever one of us goes to either Los Angeles or wherever somebody else is -- Jack is in New York and when Dara comes to visit from L.A.--we all meet up and sometimes we still do some press things together, some events. ... We all have each other’s numbers, so it’s cool. We’ve had a friendship throughout the show and it’s still going on."
Full episodes of Season 1 are streaming at Hulu and Fox.com. Here is a trailer for Season 2:
'>Fox has had a trying 2014, apart from breakout superhero series Gotham, the just-concluded World Series and, way back in February, Super Bowl XLVIII. But in the TV business, hope springs eternal, and on Tuesday the network will kick off a second season of 2013-14's most successful new unscripted series on the broadcast airwaves, MasterChef Junior. I am on record as being a fan of the show, which is a marvel of broad-strokes popcorn entertainment combined with genuine emotion, all in a peppy, family-friendly package. I'm glad to report that the first look at Season 2 shows it is on course for another satisfying outing. Ahead of the Nov. 4 premiere of the new season, reigning champ Alexander Weiss shared some thoughts on a conference call with the press, about his stirring Season 1 victory, which netted the Brooklyn teen-ager $100,000. He appears as a guest on the first episode of Season 2, offering pointers to the new crop of hopefuls.
Alexander, who appears on Tuesday's premiere episode, said winning the show has been nothing short of life-changing. 'I’ve just been able to meet all these new chefs and, especially, in the New York area a lot of chefs have approached me,' he said. Dominique Ansel, who created the Cronut, is among those who has reached out to the 13-year-old whiz, who took the crown with impeccably crafted gnocchi and cannoli. 'I’ve also been able to travel around and my cooking skills, I feel, have gotten so much better since the show and it’s kind of changed the way that my family and I think of food and eat food and I guess since the show it’s brought it to a new standard.' As to his tips for contestants, he cited 'things like watching the time and how to manage it.'
Chef Graham Elliot, one of the three judges along with Gordon Ramsay and Joe Bastianich, said the new season benefits from Alexander's exploits. 'We start out strong because Alexander comes back and kind of gives each kid the lowdown of what to expect and sets the bar super high,' Elliot said. 'And the other fun thing is off the bat we have a challenge where the contestants have to do a pancake battle and the winner gets to save their judge that they pick to not get hit with a humongous 50 gallons of maple syrup. So, that’s always a good time if you get kids and judges and sticky stuff all together in the same room.'
The lineup of hopefuls in Fox's MasterChef Junior. The new season begins Nov. 4
Elliot said the show's success wasn't a given last year, but the steady supply of young chefs -- emphasis on young -- gives it a unique hook in a sea of reality competitions and food programming. 'The biggest thing this season is how funny the contestants are without them even knowing it,' he said. 'You know, when you ask them what kind of restaurant they would open, they give you an answer like an underwater restaurant where the kitchen is floating and the food gets to them by pneumatic tubes, same as in the bank. Just that kind of stuff is always hilarious. Another girl said that with her $100,000 prize she would buy a pony. You can’t make that stuff up.'
Competition, of course, is the heart of the show. Elliot said the reality of pitting kids against kids has unavoidable consequences (several contestants, as their families watched from a balcony above, shed tears and the Season 2 premiere continues that string.) 'It’s always super sad,' Elliot said. but I think Joe sums it up this season really well when he says... 'Right now, for the next hour, you’re going to feel super sad, but then after that you’re going to realize that you had an awesome experience and you’re going to be friends for a long, long time.'”
Alexander, while he was never sent home, readily acknowledges the pressure. But the long-term rewards are considerable, he adds. Show alumni 'still keep in touchl,' he said. 'Whenever one of us goes to either Los Angeles or wherever somebody else is -- Jack is in New York and when Dara comes to visit from L.A.--we all meet up and sometimes we still do some press things together, some events. ... We all have each other’s numbers, so it’s cool. We’ve had a friendship throughout the show and it’s still going on.'
Full episodes of Season 1 are streaming at Hulu and Fox.com. Here is a trailer for Season 2: