Although he lost the appetizer round to Andrew, Nathan impressed the judges with his herb-crusted rack of lamb and Earl Grey tea tart before being announced as the winner.
- Feb 25, 2015
AceShowbiz - The new winner of "MasterChef Junior" was revealed during the season 3 finale airing on Thursday night, February 24. The remaining two contestants did their best to win the heart of the judges with their dishes, but in the end, only one of them took home the MasterChef Junior trophy and $100,000.
As usual, the final round featured the two young chefs preparing a three-course meal in 90 minutes. For the appetizer, Nathan Odom served roasted fennel and Gruyere cheese au gratin with French ham and shaved fennel and grapefruit salad. He received mixed reviews from the judge who praised him for trying to do something difficult, but told him that the gratin should've been cooked a little more.
Things were better for Andrew Zappley, who impressed the judges with his roasted beets with homemade herb ricotta cheese, apricot jelly and toasted pumpernickel bread.
However, the entree round was easily won by Nathan. The judges loved his herb-crusted rack of lamb with white asparagus puree and a side of fava beans and fresh morels. Joe Bastianich even called it "unbelievable" and "the future of cooking."
Andrew, meanwhile, presented his braised beef cheek ravioli with pan gravy and shaved parmesan. The judges said the flavor was great but the beef was undercooked.
For the final round, the dessert, Nathan went with Earl Grey and Meyer lemon tart with thyme and blood orange coulis while Andrew surprised the judges with his cinnamon rice pudding with verjus reduction and figs. Andrew's desert was simple but delicious.
The competition was tough, but the judges eventually agreed that one of the two contestants was better. Gordon Ramsay then announced Nathan as the winner of season 3. "This is insane. I really can't think of any other words for it. It's like the coolest moment of my life," the 12-year-old boy said of his win.
