Avery Kyle falls to her knees onscreen—and in real life at the Mellow Mushroom viewing party for the MasterChef Junior semi-final.
The judges have just declared Avery has a spot in the season finale, and the jam-packed room resonates with whoops, claps and hollers.
In the most recent episode, the top four young chefs are tasked with preparing what judge Christina Tosi calls the toughest dessert in the world to make: a souffle. With just one wrong move or one minute too long in the oven, the perfect souffle can crumble.
|
|
|
Avery’s mystery ingredient is strawberries, and she crafts a near-perfect souffle according to the three judges. After a tough decision, the winner of the souffle competition is Addison, Avery’s rival on the upcoming finale.
For the elimination challenge, the contestants each have to cook up a pork dish with different cuts. Addison gets to choose which cut each contestant gets. Avery turns her pork belly into a visually stunning dish of braised pork belly with a sweet potato mash, sautéed brussel sprouts and beet chips. She shouts “Go pig or go home!” as the judges survey her dish.
Judge Tosi is left nearly speechless by Avery’s pork belly, calling it the 9-year-old’s best dish of the season. Judge Graham Elliot examines a piece of the pork belly and asks if it was luck that perfectly rendered the fat on each side.
“It’s not just luck,” Avery assures him. “I’m a competitor.”
And that she is.
Avery Kyle tells us about the semi-finals and how it feels to be one of MasterChef Junior‘s youngest finalists.
How did you feel about the challenges on the semi-final?
I’d never made a souffle before, so I kind of had to look around and make sure I was doing it right, but we were all doing that. I was unsure about the pork belly at first, but then Addison told me it was basically like bacon so I felt a little better about it.
How does it feel to be in the top two?
It feels really good. I feel confident, and I’m so grateful that I’ve made it this far.
What are your thoughts on being up against Addison, another amazing young chef?
If there was one person I had to choose to lose to, it would be Addison. She is an all-around amazing chef and if she wins, she deserves it.
If you win, what will you do with the $100,000 prize?
I’ll put some in my college fund, and I’m taking my family on vacation.
|
|
|
Final thoughts on the upcoming finale?
May the best woman win.
The MasterChef Junior finale airs Friday, Jan. 29, at 7 p.m. Avery and her family will be at Mellow Mushroom, 4250 Burbank Drive, for a public viewing party.
To view more images from the recent MasterChef Junior viewing party at Mellow Mushroom, click on the gallery thumbnails:
