The eighth season of the American competitive reality television series MasterChef Junior premiered on Fox on March 17, 2022, and concluded on June 23, 2022. Gordon Ramsay and Aarón Sanchez returned as judges from the previous season, while Daphne Oz joined as a new judge. The season was won by Liya Chu, a 10-year-old from Scarsdale, New York, with Grayson Price from Austin, Texas being the runner-up.
Production The season was filmed in 2019, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, and was officially announced on July 17, 2019. Additionally, it was revealed that Gordon Ramsay and Aarón Sanchez would return as judges, along with new judge Daphne Oz replacing Christina Tosi.
The season was originally slated to premiere in September 2020 during the 2020–21 United States television season, but was later pushed to the 2021–22 television season, being replaced by I Can See Your Voice. On January 26, 2022, it was announced that the eighth season would premiere on March 17, 2022.
Top 16 Sources for first names and hometowns:
Contestant Age Hometown Status Liya Chu 10 Scarsdale, New YorkWinner June 23 Grayson Price 11 Austin, Texas Runner-up June 23 Ivy Childs 8 Darien, Connecticut Eliminated June 14 Molly Leighninger 10 Springfield, Missouri Eva Kozar 11 Sag Harbor, New York A'Dan Lisaula 10 Atlanta, Georgia Eliminated May 26 Cruz Ramirez 8 Porter Ranch, California Eliminated May 19 Abir Bhatia 10 San Ramon, California Eliminated May 12 Ciara Rogers 11 Bakersfield, California Eliminated May 5 Starla Chapman 10 Bay Minette, Alabama Eliminated April 28 Andrew Lee 10 Superior Township, Michigan Eliminated April 21 Freddy Taylor 12 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Eliminated April 14 Maclain Rockett 12 South Salem, New York Eliminated April 7 Jillian Maher 11 Yonkers, New York Eliminated March 31 Tegan Bahm 9 Billings, Montana Eliminated March 24 Blake Schmidt 11 Darien, Illinois Eliminated March 17
Elimination table PlaceContestantEpisode 12 34 56 78 910 111213 14 16 1LiyaWINLOWWINWIN IN INWINHIGHINWINININWIN INWINWINWINIMMWIN IN INWINNER 2GraysonWININIMMWINHIGH INININININWINIMMINHIGHLOWWININLOW IN IN IN 3IvyLOWLOWWINWINWINIMMWINININLOWWINIMMWINININININWIN IN INELIM 4Molly ININIMMIN INLOWWINININININLOWWIN INLOWWININWIN INELIM 5Eva INWINIMMLOWWINIMMWINININWINININWINHIGH INLOWINELIM 6A'DanWINLOWLOWWIN IN INLOW INLOWWININLOWLOWWINIMMELIM 7Cruz ININIMMWIN IN INLOWHIGHINLOWIN INININELIM 8AbirLOWWINIMMIN IN ININININWINWINIMMELIM 9Ciara INWINIMMWIN IN INWINWINIMMWININELIM 10Starla ININIMMLOWWINIMMWININLOWELIM 11Andrew ININIMMLOW INLOWININELIM 12Freddy INLOWLOWIN INLOWELIM 13Maclain INWINIMMWINHIGHELIM 14Jillian INWINIMMELIM 15Tegan INLOWELIM 16BlakeELIM
(WINNER) This cook won the competition. (RUNNER-UP) This cook finished in second place. (WIN) The cook won an individual challenge (Mystery Box Challenge, Elimination Test, Pressure Test, or Skills Challenge). (WIN) The cook was on the winning team in the Team Challenge and directly advanced to the next round. (HIGH) The cook was one of the top entries in the individual challenge but didn't win. (IN) The cook was not selected as a top or bottom entry in an individual challenge. (IN) The cook was not selected as a top or bottom entry in a Team Challenge. (IMM) The cook did not have to compete in that round of the competition and was safe from elimination. (LOW) The cook was one of the bottom entries in an individual challenge or Pressure Test, and advanced. (LOW) The cook was one of the bottom entries in a Team Challenge, and they advanced. (ELIM) The cook was eliminated.
Episodes
References