''Junior MasterChef Australia'' (known colloquially as MasterChef Kids) is an Australian competitive

cooking Cooking, cookery, or culinary arts is the art, science and craft of using heat to Outline of food preparation, prepare food for consumption. Cooking techniques and ingredients vary widely, from grilling food over an open fire to using electric ...

game show A game show is a genre of broadcast viewing entertainment (radio, television, internet, stage or other) where contestants compete for a reward. These programs can either be participatory or Let's Play, demonstrative and are typically directed b ...

. It is a spin-off of '' MasterChef Australia'', itself an adaptation of the British show ''

MasterChef ''MasterChef'' is a competitive cooking show television format created by Franc Roddam, which originated with the UK version in July 1990. The format was revived and updated for the BBC in February 2005 by executive producers Roddam and John ...

'', and featured contestants aged 8 to 12. The first season of the show began production in July 2010 and included 50 contestants. Over 5,000 children from around the nation auditioned for the series. In contrast to prior series, ''Junior MasterChef Australia'' was produced by

Shine Australia Endemol Shine Australia is an Australian production company and is a division of Banijay led by Rory Callaghan. Following an acquisition of shares, production company Endemol Australia merged with Shine Australia on July 26, 2015. They produce ...

. The promo was seen during the final episode of the second season of MasterChef Australia. The series premiered on Sunday, 12 September 2010. On 27 April 2020, it was announced that a third season of ''Junior MasterChef Australia'' had been commissioned, nine years after the second series aired. Casting was open to children aged between 9 and 14 years old.

Changes

In the Junior series, contestants are not eliminated every week, though four are eliminated at a time once the finalists are decided. Every eliminated contestant receives a range of prizes. From series 3, casting was extended to children aged between 9–14 years old, as opposed to 8–12 years old.

Hosts and judges

Winners

Series synopses

Season 1 (2010)

Production of a junior version of the show was initially suggested in October 2009. The first series of the show, featuring 8- to 12-year-old contestants, was filmed after the second series of ''MasterChef Australia'' and began airing 12 September 2010 on Ten. In contrast to prior series of the main show, ''Junior MasterChef Australia'' was produced by Shine Australia.

Isabella Bliss Isabella Bliss (born 1 April 1998) is an Australian woman from Queensland, notable for winning ''Junior MasterChef Australia'' (series 1) in 2010. ''Junior MasterChef Australia'' Bliss entered the first season of Junior MasterChef Australia ...

won the contest to become Australia's first Junior Masterchef.

Season 2 (2011)

Junior MasterChef was officially renewed on 15 November 2010. Filming started on 28 July 2011, with the season premiering in October 2011. Matt Moran replaced

Matt Preston Matt Preston (born 21 July 1961) is an English-Australian food critic, writer and television presenter. He is best known for his role as a judge on Network Ten's ''MasterChef Australia'' between 2009 and 2019, and for his weekly national food ...

as a judge and Callum Hann was a guest in the series. 11-year-old Greta Yaxley from Western Australia won the Junior MasterChef title for 2011.

Season 3 (2020)

A revamped third series of Junior Masterchef Australia was announced on 27 April 2020 and is set to air in late-2020, nine years after the second series last aired. Applications for casting were opened on 25 April 2020 for children across Australia aged from 9-14. Andy Allen,

Melissa Leong Melissa Leong (born 1982) is an Australian television host, freelance food writer, radio broadcaster, critic, cookbook editor and marketer. Life and career Leong was born in 1982 in Sydney. Her parents emigrated to Australia from Singapore. ...

and

Jock Zonfrillo Barry "Jock" Zonfrillo (4 August 1976 – 30 April 2023) was a Scottish chef, television presenter and restaurateur. He was the founder of the Orana Foundation and a judge on '' MasterChef Australia''. Early life Zonfrillo was born in Glasgo ...

will be returning from the main series to undertake the role of judges in the new season. As of late-July 2020, the program began filming at the

Melbourne Showgrounds Melbourne Showgrounds is located in the inner north-western suburb of Ascot Vale, Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia, next door to Flemington Racecourse. The largest and most flexible indoor/outdoor venue space in Melbourne the Showgrounds ...

in Flemington. The series premiered on 11 October 2020. 11-year old Georgia Eris from Victoria won the title with 12-year old Filo from Victoria and 11-year old Carter from New South Wales as the runners up.

Reception

Ratings

International syndications

The network in bold also broadcasts their own version of Junior MasterChef.

References

{{MasterChef 2010 Australian television series debuts 2011 Australian television series endings 2020 Australian television series debuts MasterChef Australia Television shows set in Sydney English-language television shows Australian television spin-offs Australian television series based on British television series Television series about children Television series about teenagers