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The eighth season of the cooking show, which was filmed before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, will premiere at 8 p.m. on Thursday, March 17, on FOX.
The show gives children the opportunity to showcase their culinary skills during a series of challenges.
This season will include 14-year-old Jillian Maher, of Yonkers, 13-year-old Liya Chu, of Scarsdale, and 15-year-old Maclain Rockett, of South Salem, among the cast.
Liya said she has been cooking since the age of 7 and was inspired to start because her parents own restaurants. She hopes to one day open a hibachi and sushi restaurant.
“My experience on the show was great," Liya said. "When I first stepped in the kitchen, it was crazy how big it was. Meeting all the other contestants was just such an amazing experience, and I really miss it a lot.”
Jillian, who has also been cooking since the age of 7, loves to cook are Asian fusion cuisine because it gives her the chance to reflect her Thai and Irish heritage.
She said she is also passionate about raising awareness about healthy food accessibility, noting that not all children have the same access to healthy foods due to economic disparities.
She said her experience on the show was amazing, and one of her favorite parts was being able to make new friends.
“It was so surreal being in the MasterChef Junior kitchen," Jillian said. "And just being there and standing in front of the judges and thinking, ‘wow, this is real. I’m actually here. I made it happen.’”
Maclain has been cooking since age 3 and has a particular love of baking brownies, along with cooking a signature carbonara dish.
“I’m really excited for it to air," Maclain said. "I think it’s going to be really interesting to watch myself back then and now and see how I’ve changed, and that’s going to be a really interesting viewing experience.”
Maclain and Liya added that meeting Chef Gordon Ramsay was a big highlight of their experiences on the show.
The chefs also shared their advice for other young people interested in learning how to cook.
Liya advised people to take it slow at first and to keep practicing, and Jillian encouraged people to remember that cooking is all about the process.
"Just keep doing it," Maclain said. "If you like it, keep doing it. Just pay more attention to your food, what it tastes like, what you like about it, and what you don’t like about it, and cook as much as you can."
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