In this third preliminary battle, the youngest group of champions yet gets a delicate seafood and a tasty pork product in the appetizer round. Chocolates in disguise cause the junior chefs to do a double take when they open the entree basket. Then, coffee with dessert makes sense, but where will the competitors use chili flakes in their final, sweet dishes?
The heat is on in this spicy competition, judged by YouTube personality Tyler Oakley and chefs Ching-He Huang and Geoffrey Zakarian. In the appetizer round, the kids must put on their goggles when they tackle hot peppers. The entree round reveals a milder chili, but the junior chefs are left wishing they had practiced cooking goat! Then, in the dessert round, the two finalists must cook with a spicy jam that leaves a tingling sensation.
Chefs and brothers Bryan and Michael Voltaggio join Marcus Samuelsson on the judging panel for a family feud! Two sets of siblings compete individually for $10,000, and must pair pancetta and pasta in the first round. Some adorable food animals must make their way into entrees, then a dessert tower excites the finalists in the last round.
The junior chefs come out strong in the appetizer round, when they are tasked with pairing a baby vegetable with pickled fruit. In round two, the junior chefs must figure out how to work mushroom-flavored snacks into their entree courses. Then, the two finalists find creative ways to make desserts with a never-melting ice cream snack and marshmallows. Chef and restaurateur Shannon Allen joins Chris Santos and Marcus Samuelsson on the judging panel.
From the farm to the Chopping Block! A new batch of junior chefs get to work with farm-fresh ingredients, starting with pork and blue cheese in the appetizer round. Milk must be combined with purple produce in an exciting entree course, then an ingredient in the dessert basket comes with directions. Farmer Jenna Brownell joins chefs Marc Murphy and Giorgio Rapicavoli on the judging panel.
The junior chefs must integrate the mystery basket ingredients into taco-inspired dishes, starting with pork and tropical flavors in the appetizer basket. A prickly plant must find its way onto the plates for the entree, then a cake in the third basket contains a sweet surprise! Chef Scott Conant, Food Network Star finalist Martita Jara and actress Kym Whitley serve as judges.
The excitement continues as four eager young chefs cook for the chance to become a judge in the finale event! Maneet Chauhan, Alex Guarnaschelli and Chris Santos sit on the judging panel for this competition, where the kids have to work with a different barbecue sauce in each round. In the appetizer basket, the kids must transform cookies and a slimy vegetable into delicious starters. A pork product must be paired with fresh greens in the entree course, then the finalists struggle to place cheese in their desserts.