After seven weeks of sweat, tears, searing, braising, chopping and plating, West Deptford resident and Holy Trinity Regional School student Andrew Zappley and fellow contestant Nathan have outlasted 17 other competitors to reach the finals of the Fox Network’s MasterChef Jr. competition.
The finale of the show, which pits the country’s best young cooks against each other, will air this Tuesday, Feb. 24, at 8 p.m., and Andrew has the chance to win $100,000 and the title of MasterChef Junior.
In last week’s episode, the final four were initially tasked with using blowtorches to make a perfect crème brulee, judged by Gordon Ramsay, Joe Bastianich and Graham Elliott.
Pulling a Clint Eastwood, Andrew was the only contestant to hold a blowtorch in each hand, although he only bruleed four crèmes. Contestant Jimmy had eight perfect desserts and thus won the first competition.
As winner, Jimmy could pick which contestant made what dessert for the elimination challenge, and he gave Andrew raspberry mousse.
After Ramsay, during the challenge, called Andrew’s mousse too sweet, the 11-year old corrected his dish into a “delicious” dessert, according to the judge.
Jimmy and Jenna were sent home, and Andrew and Nathan will battle it out next week.