EVG Masterchef 2026

Added: 2026-06-01

[00:00:04]12 teams, two kitchens, one competition. You have [music] trained for this. You have thought about this. And now, it is here.

[00:00:13]Look around you. This is your kitchen.

[00:00:16]Own it.

[00:00:17]>> [music] >> 24 of you walked through these doors today, knowing that by the end of this afternoon, [music] only three teams are going to be standing on that podium.

[00:00:30]>> Welcome to EVG MasterChef. Here is how today works.

[00:00:34]Once [music] the secret ingredient is revealed, you have 15 minutes to discuss your pancake recipe, >> [music] >> 15 minutes to collect your ingredients from the pantry.

[00:00:43]Then, 1 hour, 60 minutes, [music] to prepare, cook, >> [music] >> and plate your pancakes. The judges will taste and score evenly on four things: presentation, >> [music] >> taste, use of the secret ingredients, and creativity. Are you ready?

[00:01:05]>> Five, four, three, two, one.

[00:01:10]>> Your secret ingredient is the sweet potato.

[00:01:17]>> 15 minutes.

[00:01:18]>> [music] >> That is all they got to figure out what to do with a sweet potato inside a pancake.

[00:01:23]>> So, we're going to use this, but it's going to be a secret until you guys see the final result. Okay, stay tuned.

[00:01:29]>> Uh I feel like >> I think I'm going to cut it really small.

[00:01:32]>> Frying the potato and put a little bit of honey and [music] put it inside the batter and >> You can go savory, pair it with cheese, herbs, or crispy [music] edge. You can go sweet, caramel, cinnamon, a dusting of sugar. Or, you go somewhere nobody expects.

[00:01:51]Watch this room. You can already see who has strategy and who is hoping something brilliant just arrived?

[00:01:57]>> [music] >> Pantry is open. Watch those little assistants.

[00:02:09]What you grab right now says everything about your strategy. [music] >> [music] [music] [music] >> Be fast. Be decisive. Every ingredient choice is a commitment. [music] You're telling the judges what kind of cook you are right now by what is in your hands. Choose well.

[00:02:51]>> This is Junior MasterChef. 12 [music] teams, two kitchens, one secret ingredient, and only one champion.

[00:02:58][music] Let's get cooking.

[00:03:05]>> [music] [music] [music] [music] [music and singing] [music] [music] [music] >> What are you doing right now?

[00:04:14]Hi there, what are you doing right now?

[00:04:16]>> Um currently right now we are mixing the petals to make the pancakes.

[00:04:20]>> Oh, mixing the petals. So, >> [music] >> what are you guys planning to do?

[00:04:23]>> Um we're planning to mix like using the potato mash [music] sheet and like mix it with the petals to get like the proper color and make the pancake like purple instead of like ordinary [music] orange. Yeah.

[00:04:37]>> Okay, that's really cool. So, any obstacles so far?

[00:04:40]>> Um [music] obstacle right now is like waiting for the potato to boil cuz we don't know how long it will take.

[00:04:46]>> Oh, [music] okay. Okay, thank you. Good luck.

[00:04:51]Hi there, what are you doing right now?

[00:04:52]>> Oh, we are currently cutting the sweet potato.

[00:04:56]Making the batter.

[00:04:57]>> Oh, okay. So, any obstacles you faced so far?

[00:05:00]>> Uh yes, I think we mixed up like one >> [music] >> one step. I think we skipped a step. So, like I don't know if our batter will still work or not.

[00:05:07]>> Oh, okay. So, do you [music] think that your pancakes will have the same result at the end?

[00:05:11]>> I hope.

[00:05:12]Any obstacles you faced [music] so far?

[00:05:14]I don't think not yet, but I think >> [music] >> later hopefully not.

[00:05:20]>> Okay. So, what are you guys planning to make right now?

[00:05:22]>> Um we're going to make sweet >> [music] >> potato.

[00:05:24]>> Um very inside of pancake batter.

[00:05:28]>> Hopefully [music] it tastes good.

[00:05:29]>> Okay. So, good luck to you. Thank you.

[00:05:31]You're welcome.

[00:05:34]>> [music] >> Hi there, can I ask what you're doing right now?

[00:05:38]>> No, it's okay.

[00:05:41]>> Girls, we're good.

[00:05:44]>> [music] >> Also, what are you guys doing right now?

[00:05:48]>> Uh we are currently making the batter.

[00:05:51]>> Oh.

[00:05:53]>> Yeah, let's let's [music] go. Let's >> Yeah, sure.

[00:05:57]>> Yeah, and mixing it.

[00:05:58]>> That's so good. I love you. Love you, bro. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I wish you all the best, okay? All the best. [music] All the best.

[00:06:05]What kind of pancakes are you making?

[00:06:07]>> I'm doing very thin pancakes.

[00:06:13]>> Um so, what we're preparing on is just for the pancakes.

[00:06:16]>> Cuz we're making pancakes. Duh.

[00:06:18]>> Um what are you doing right now? Yeah, that's basically all. We haven't gotten to like frying [music] or anything.

[00:06:23]>> Yeah, we just started. So, >> I think that's it.

[00:06:27]>> Yeah, um [music] what are you guys planning to like do for your >> Oh, for the special twist.

[00:06:32]>> [music] >> For the special twist, we're going to make one single pancake. Then we're going to incorporate the sweet potato inside the pancake. So, >> So, like how are you like planning to make the sweet potato pancake?

[00:06:43]>> We're going to mix the sweet potato with the pancake [laughter] and fry it.

[00:06:48]Then after that, we're going to have fruit salad for the side ingredient.

[00:06:55]>> That's really smart.

[00:06:57]>> Yeah, sounds really good.

[00:06:59]>> Wow, it looks good. Like the presentation and everything.

[00:07:02]>> [music] >> Okay, yeah, I >> 25 minutes. Look at your station right now >> [music] >> and ask, "Is my dish going to be done in 25 minutes?" If the answer is no, change something right now.

[00:07:14]>> [music] >> The judges are not scoring an unfinished dish.

[00:07:21]>> [music] >> This is going to genuinely surprise people today. I'm watching very closely.

[00:07:32]>> [music] >> The cook who holds their nerve in the last half hour wins competitions. The cook who panics loses. it. So, which one are you? Show me.

[00:07:50]>> [music] [music] [music] >> So, how's it turning out?

[00:08:15]>> All right.

[00:08:19]I don't know about first and I don't know about cooking first, but maybe maybe maybe maybe there is >> Oh, you're cooking >> Maybe maybe >> Getting it cooked.

[00:08:48]What are you doing right now?

[00:08:49]>> I'm making a sweet potato omelette.

[00:08:51]>> Sweet potato omelette. Oh, okay, that's cool. Uh so, is everything coming together so far?

[00:08:56]>> Yes. Do you think you'll be able to finish in time?

[00:08:59]>> Yes.

[00:08:59]>> So, would you mind me would you mind telling me what you're doing?

[00:09:02]>> Uh I'm frying the pancake right now.

[00:09:06]>> Okay, and?

[00:09:07]>> And um I added the potato banana inside.

[00:09:13]So that you taste good. Yeah.

[00:09:16]>> Hi there, what are you doing right now?

[00:09:19]>> [laughter] >> As you can see, I am mashing my mashed potatoes.

[00:09:22]>> Ah. So, is everything coming together so far?

[00:09:27]>> I'm making like a soufflé pancake, like >> Oh.

[00:09:30]>> original pancakes. That is like so boring.

[00:09:32]>> Uh-huh. And then like what are you doing right now?

[00:09:36]>> Making a soufflé pancake.

[00:09:37]>> I'm boiling sweet potato.

[00:09:39]>> Yeah, they taste Ah, that sounds delicious.

[00:09:43]>> I know.

[00:09:44]>> So, is everything coming together so far?

[00:09:46]>> No.

[00:09:47]>> Oh, okay.

[00:09:48]Uh, so do you think you'll be able to finish in time?

[00:09:51]>> Hopefully. Hopefully, yes.

[00:09:59]>> Do you have any experience in cooking or baking?

[00:10:02]>> I love cooking.

[00:10:03]At home usually.

[00:10:05]>> Yeah. Oh, okay. So, uh, I think the students will really benefit from your advice. So, what advice would you give all the students that are cooking right now?

[00:10:15]>> I would say the important thing for cooking is to trust your instinct.

[00:10:18]Right, if something smells like it's burning, it probably is.

[00:10:22]React quickly to see what you can do to salvage the situation. And also always taste. Just taste the food. Then you can adjust it to your liking.

[00:10:31]>> Ah, okay.

[00:10:32]>> Thank you so much.

[00:10:34]>> 10 minutes. I need plates. I need garnish. I need a dish to look as incredible as it smells because the judges eat with their eyes first. Do not waste a single second.

[00:11:07]>> Hi there, what are you doing right now?

[00:11:08]>> [music] >> I'm mixing the egg whites.

[00:11:10]>> Ah, okay. So, what do you think about your progress so far? Do you think you'll be able to finish in time?

[00:11:16]>> Yeah, probably.

[00:11:17]>> Yeah, we will.

[00:11:18]>> What kind of pancakes are you going to make?

[00:11:19]>> Um, we made some just your average normal pancakes. Just putting some banana, strawberries, and blueberries for the decor.

[00:11:28]>> So, why is there the one room?

[00:11:29]>> The one. Because we knew something was wrong with it. So, I >> I gave him the idea to put it in a mix.

[00:11:38]>> Mhm.

[00:11:39]>> That is a very interesting, genius, and unique idea. So, what do you think about your time management so far?

[00:11:47]>> I'm still getting a lot.

[00:11:48]>> I think that I'm running out of time, so I I'm going to hurry.

[00:11:52]>> Oh, okay. So, you'll be able to finish in time?

[00:11:55]>> Yes.

[00:11:55]>> Okay. I've seen that your pancakes are one of the more nicely looking ones, so >> [laughter] >> Do you Do you think this is one of the most successful pancakes you've made?

[00:12:06]>> Yes.

[00:12:07]>> Uh what ingredients are in your pancake?

[00:12:09]>> Uh flour, milk, butter, sugar, salt, cinnamon, sweet potato, and baking powder.

[00:12:18]>> Oh, I think that cinnamon is one of the more interesting ingredients to put in there. So, uh what makes you choose to put cinnamon in your ingredients?

[00:12:26]>> Because I like cinnamon, and food that has a lot of cinnamon.

[00:12:28]>> Ah, okay. Because I you might be running behind on time.

[00:12:32]Oh, running behind time. So, do you think you'll be able to finish in time?

[00:12:35]>> Uh maybe.

[00:12:37]>> [music] >> Everything was ready.

[00:12:46]>> [music] [music] [music] >> Go, go, go, go.

[00:13:09]>> [music] >> I need to >> You get the other one. Other one is >> [music] [music] >> So, this is the time.

[00:13:49]>> [music] >> Wonderful.

[00:13:59]Wonderful.

[00:14:12]>> 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, >> [music] >> 2, 1.

[00:14:22]Hands up. Step away from your station.

[00:14:25]That is time.

[00:14:29]>> [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] >> The cooking is done.

[00:15:17]>> [music] >> Presentation, taste, use of the secret ingredient, creativity. Every team is about to find out exactly where they stand.

[00:15:28]>> [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] >> Hi team seven.

[00:16:02]>> Uh hello, hello.

[00:16:03]>> Can you tell us more about your dish?

[00:16:05]>> Okay, so basically our dish was meant to be a galaxy colored, but um color didn't really come out well. But basically why we tried to make it because we thought that galaxy had like many things in it and it represented a lot of things. So we had the idea that like galaxy represented evergreen because we thought that um evergreen has many different like talents and many different kind of people inside. [music] And if you notice we actually made four pancakes which we tried to like represent the different four levels in our school.

[00:16:46]>> The secret ingredient is sweet potato.

[00:16:48]Then we mashed the sweet potato with banana and strawberry and blueberries.

[00:16:52]Then we mix it all together. Then we put it in the batter. So we fried it all together. Then this is like it's just mashed strawberries and then this is syrup, honey syrup and just strawberry syrup.

[00:17:04]>> Did you make the strawberry syrup?

[00:17:06]>> Oh this one we mashed our own strawberries and this one is the one provided.

[00:17:09]>> Oh okay.

[00:17:10]>> Yeah.

[00:17:10]>> So >> Our inspiration was a charcuterie board and we wanted to make that like a pancake style, you know? So, that's why they have fruits and then like the It's on the board.

[00:17:22]Yes. Yeah.

[00:17:23]>> Mr. Sharishar charcuterie board.

[00:17:25]>> Oh.

[00:17:26]>> Yeah.

[00:17:29]Okay, tell us how you use the sweet potato.

[00:17:31]>> So, we boiled the sweet potato and then we mashed it and then we mixed it into our pancake batter.

[00:17:36]>> Okay.

[00:17:38]Is that how you got the nice orange color?

[00:17:40]>> Yeah.

[00:17:42]That color actually came out really really nicely.

[00:17:45]>> I love your plating.

[00:17:47]>> I know, right?

[00:17:48]Simplicity, you know?

[00:17:50]>> Black plate, very dramatic.

[00:17:52]You have a smear.

[00:17:53]>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

[00:17:54]>> Okay, tell us more. Don't ya ya ya.

[00:17:56]>> [laughter] >> So, um >> Introduce yourself first.

[00:17:59]>> Uh I'm Jia Xuan from Two Enterprise.

[00:18:01]>> I'm Shuchi, also from Two Enterprise.

[00:18:04]>> Okay.

[00:18:05]>> Yeah.

[00:18:05]So, basically our pancake we decided to make two batter, one with the potato and one original one. Then we pour it together [music] to create like marble effect.

[00:18:15]>> Marble effect, I see. Okay. Okay.

[00:18:18]>> Yeah.

[00:18:19]>> Very nice. [clears throat] >> Okay.

[00:18:20]>> Very unique.

[00:18:21]>> Okay.

[00:18:21]>> This is Korean pancake.

[00:18:24]>> Oh, okay.

[00:18:25]>> Yeah.

[00:18:27]>> How did you use the sweet potato?

[00:18:30]>> Uh so, like we mashed the sweet potato and then after that like we added it into the um pancake and we just fried it together.

[00:18:40]>> Did something happen during plating or >> Uh this one you have to ask them.

[00:18:45]>> Because I did washing.

[00:18:46]>> Okay.

[00:18:47]>> There was not enough time for plating.

[00:18:49]>> Of time, I see. Okay.

[00:18:51]So, what did you learn in this process?

[00:18:53]>> Uh Don't take your time.

[00:18:56]>> Okay, Ken.

[00:18:58]Please introduce yourself.

[00:18:59]>> I am So Yan.

[00:19:01]>> I'm Andrew from Class 5A. I'm from Class 5A.

[00:19:03]>> Tell us more about your dish.

[00:19:05]>> So, this is also plain pancakes that has >> Sweet potato Mr. Sharishar.

[00:19:11]>> [music] >> sweet potato jam inside.

[00:19:15]>> Also potato jam inside in between the layers.

[00:19:18]Oh.

[00:19:18]>> It's inside.

[00:19:21]>> Okay.

[00:19:27]Oh.

[00:19:29]Okay. Okay.

[00:19:31]>> Watch the judges face. There is a moment, a slight pause, a lean forward that tells you a dish has landed. You will see it today more than once.

[00:19:52]Every pancake has been tasted. Every team has heard what the judges had to say. The scores are written down somewhere in this building right now.

[00:20:00]>> I really enjoyed [music] seeing how the students were passionately describing their dish and their preparation. And I particularly made a point to ask them if they had any failures along the way or if it turned out different from how they [music] expected it.

[00:20:12]>> I was asking the same thing.

[00:20:14]>> [laughter] >> Yeah. And when I asked this, most of them have.

[00:20:18]So it it goes to show that actually a lot of times whatever we do, we are bound [music] to meet failures. But it's more important how we then improve from the failures and [music] then just make the best out of the situation.

[00:20:30]>> The their pancake was burning or something like that. I said, "Okay, then how?" She said, "I looked around at what my other teams were doing. Then I realized that oh, they were doing these other things and then >> Okay, no. I was like what?

[00:20:43]>> Yeah. Yeah, I thought Wait, this is >> Yes.

[00:20:46]>> them describing what this position would have would have what?

[00:20:50]>> Yes. Yes. Yes.

[00:20:51]>> That's the essence of inventive thinking. Yeah, you make a phone that is not so good. You look at another competitor's phone and you try to and then improve by little.

[00:20:58]>> They're very passionate, they're quite invested, right? They really want to win.

[00:21:01]>> Yeah, they really want to win. They really like talk about like you said the passion to me I think stood out. No matter what was on the plate, they were trying to convince us.

[00:21:10]This is their best Yeah, yeah. [clears throat] But interesting.

[00:21:22]>> [music] [music] [music] [music] [music]