Who went home on 'MasterChef Junior' Season 8? Sixteen chefs started out in the latest season of the competition, but the eliminations commenced on the premiere.
The cast of 'MasterChef Junior' Season 8.
Spoiler Alert: This article contains spoilers for the winner and elimination order on Season 8 of MasterChef Junior.
Since it debuted in 2013, MasterChef Junior has highlighted dozens of talented young kids with plenty of skills in the kitchen, who are all between the ages of eight and thirteen.
Each season, a group of these pint-sized cheftestants takes on a series of difficult cooking challenges in the hopes of winning the title of MasterChef Junior, a trophy, and a $100,000 prize.
The eighth season of the Fox competition debuted on March 17, and Gordon Ramsay, Aarón Sánchez, and new addition Daphne Oz (who replaced Milk Bar CEO Christina Tosi) tested out the contestants' creations each week.
During the Season 8 premiere, Gordon stated that they had selected an incredible set of finalists, and that it would be the most challenging season to date.
Gordon Ramsay, Daphne Oz, and Aarón Sánchez on the set of 'MasterChef Junior' Season 8.
Though 16 finalists entered the kitchen, it didn't take long for the judges to start making some tough decisions. Each week, one talented cheftestant went home, until only two finalists remained.
During the June 23 finale, Grayson Price and Liya Chiu faced off one last time for the title. Though they were fairly evenly matched during the whole competition, (SPOILER) Liya managed to secure victory on Season 8.
Read on to find out more about who went home throughout the season.
1. Blake Schmidt
Blake Schmidt, a contestant on Season 8 of 'MasterChef Junior.'
The first chef to get eliminated on Season 8 was 11-year-old Blake Schmidt, who hails from Darien, Ill. After the 16 finalists showed up to the MasterChef kitchen, Gordon asked them to work with unique ingredients from a mystery wall to create a spectacular signature dish. Blake randomly chose a crawfish from the mystery wall, which he, unfortunately, had never prepared or eaten before. He seasoned the protein with lemon pepper, and he served it along with rice pilaf and spinach.
Gordon was complimentary of the way that Blake cooked the spinach, and the judges felt that it was a smart choice to use lemon flavors on seafood. However, all three judges agreed that the crawfish itself was overcooked.
The pre-teen was in the Bottom 3 with Abir Bhatia, who made a kiwi molten chocolate cake, and Ivy Childs, who created an apricot cobbler.
After Gordon announced that Blake was going home, he kept his head held high. He later said that he was "bummed" to be the first one to go home, but that he was grateful that he made it to the Top 16.
2. Tegan Bahm
Tegan Bahm, who was one of the chefs featured on Season 8 of 'MasterChef Junior.'
The second challenge of the season was a pizza race, and the 15 remaining chefs worked together in teams of five to create as many perfect pies as possible in 20 minutes.
The black team lost by one pizza, so they had to participate in a mystery box challenge. The five chefs had to try a salmon dish while they were blindfolded, and then they had recreate it without ever getting the chance to see it.
Tegan overcooked the salmon, and her couscous wasn't seasoned enough. The nine-year-old was the second chef to get sent home on Season 8.
3. Jillian Maher
Jillian Maher, who competed on Season 8 of 'MasterChef Junior,'
For the third week of the competition, the young chefs were divided into two teams to cook at a Renaissance Fair. The blue team lost out to the red team, which meant that Jillian and six of her co-stars were up for elimination.
As the chef who was responsible for the rice, which wasn't cooked well and which ran out before all of the lords and ladies were served, Jillian was sent home.
4. Maclain Rockett
Maclain Rockett from 'MasterChef Junior' Season 8.
The 13 remaining chefs were asked to make 50 doughnut holes at the beginning of the fourth episode, and the top three received immunity.
Those who did not get immunity had to work on a stinky ingredient Mystery Box Challenge. Maclain made grilled octopus with spicy Israeli couscous, chimichurri, baked sunchokes, and braised carrots.
Gordon critiqued Maclain for not having the right proportions in his dish, and Aarón wondered why the cooking was off on most of the components. Though he was disappointed to be sent home, Maclain referred to his time on the show as "one of a lifetime."
5. Freddy Taylor
Freddy Taylor, one of the cheftestants featured on Season 8 of 'MasterChef Junior.'
On the April 14 episode, the contestants were asked to cook for Daphne Oz and 21 other expectant mothers. The kids were split into a girl team and a boy team, and the girls ended up winning with a landslide victory.
Unfortunately, Freddy spent much of the challenge in a bit of a bickering match with Grayson. Their team floundered when it came to cooking up chicken, which ultimately came down to Freddy. The Philadelphia native was sent home at the end of the episode.
6. Andrew Lee
Andrew Lee, one of the stars on 'MasterChef Junior' Season 8.
A walnut challenge kicked off the sixth episode, but the 10-year-old baker failed to secure immunity. For the elimination challenge, Season 7 winner Che Spiotta returned to ask the contestants to make a flambé. Unfortunately for Andrew, he didn't put his bananas foster on his final plate (which the judges said was the best element of the dish), and his rum pecan cake was undercooked.
Andrew did not make the Top 10, but he promised Gordon that he would continue baking.
7. Starla Chapman
Starla Chapman from 'MasterChef Junior' Season 8.
On the April 28 episode, the 10 finalists were divided into two teams for a monster truck and motocross mayhem event. Gordon had the team captains switch teams ahead of the event, which threatened to derail the elimination.
Her team made a barbecue glazed veal chop with black-eyed pea relish and brussels sprouts. Starla added too much mustard to her black-eyed pea relish, and her team ended up losing because the sides were not good.
Starla got eliminated at the end of the episode, but she still has her dream of opening up a food truck.
8. Ciara Rogers
'MasterChef Junior' star Ciara Rogers.
After a team jalapeño poppers challenge, Ciara had to face off against five other chefs in the Mystery Box elimination challenge. The contestants had to work with crab meat, and Ciara's crab cake meal fell short due to a lack of flavor.
9. Abir Bhatia
Abir Bhatia, one of the chefs on 'MasterChef Junior.'
The cheftestants were divided into teams to cook for a kid-friendly bake sale on the May 12 episode. Abir made the cookies for the blue team, but they were overcooked.
His team lost, and the cookies were too overdone to save him from elimination.
10. Cruz Benjamin
'MasterChef Junior' Season 8 contestant Cruz Benjamin.
After A'Dan won immunity during the egg challenge, Cruz competed alongside five other chefs for a shot in the Top 6. Unfortunately, when the remaining contestants were asked to make a beef dish, Cruz cut his finger and he needed medical attention.
His steak was overcooked but well-seasoned, but his potato side dish was missing cheese. He was sent home at the end of the May 19 episode.
11. A'Dan Lisaula
A'Dan Lisaula, a contestant on 'MasterChef Junior' Season 8.
A'Dan left the competition after his team lost the Restaurant Takeover challenge. The judges were critical of A'Dan after he didn't work well with his fellow team members.
12. Eva Kozar
Eva Kozar, a competitor on 'MasterChef Junior.'
During the Restaurant Takeover challenge on the May 26 episode, Eva served as the captain of the Red Team. After serving a dish with raw pastry dough, the 13-year-old was eliminated.
13. Molly Leighninger
Molly Leighninger, one of the contestants featured on Season 8 of 'MasterChef Junior.'
Following a WWE-themed challenge, the four contestants had to copy a ravioli dish created by Chef Gordon Ramsay. Molly offered the judges raw pasta dough, which led to her elimination.
She narrowly missed out on a spot in the semi-finals.
14. Ivy Childs
Ivy Childs, who came in third place on 'MasterChef Junior.'
Though Ivy is just eight years old, her skills in the kitchen impressed the judges throughout the competition. When the semi-finalists were asked to make a dish inspired by their families, Ivy cooked up a halibut with celery root puree. She served the fish with asparagus beurre blanc and caviar.
Unfortunately, Daphne's fish was raw. Gordon and Aarón's pieces were cooked perfectly, but the smallest details separated the chefs from the top and the bottom. The judges ultimately decided to send the second grader home ahead of the finale.
15. Grayson Price
Grayson Price, who came in second on 'MasterChef Junior' Season 8.
The Austin native narrowly missed out on the Season 8 prize, and he made venison with smoked whipped potato, shishito peppers, and blackberry gastrique for his entree.
For the dessert portion of the final challenge, Grayson made an inventive grapefruit curd with a fennel pollen financier and a pea flower-flavored sorbet.
The chef was critiqued for his potatoes, and for his overwhelming pollen flavor. Since Liya cooked two nearly-flawless dishes, she won the season.
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