The tenth edition of MasterChef Junior will not air on TVE during the prime-time Three Kings night. The public broadcaster has decided to end this season earlier, with the semi-final and grand final scheduled for next Tuesday, January 2, and Wednesday, January 3, as outlined in a press release.
The shift follows past installments that struggled to gather broad viewership data on TVE. The season kicked off on December 11 with an audience share of 8.7% and an average audience of about 681,000 viewers, marking the smallest premiere in the history of the program in Spain.
Currently, the season shows an average audience share of 8.45%. La 1 remains below its December monthly average, which stands at 9.8%. The format’s performance varies, with some episodes drawing stronger numbers during the holiday period.
Vicco joins the semi-final on MasterChef Junior 10
In the opening challenge of the semi-finals, contestants enter a ball pit to locate ingredient names and craft a free-form meal within 60 minutes. They receive support from family members, including grandparents and uncles, while renowned chef Martin Berasategui, who holds twelve Michelin stars, will mentor some of the contestants. The standout performer in this round earns a trip to Rovaniemi in Finnish Lapland, offering experiences such as crossing the Arctic Circle, learning about regional gastronomy, visiting Santa’s village, and glimpsing the Northern Lights.
The open-air exam leads contestants to a team-based test. The winner advances to the grand final by cooking for a group of forty hungry pirates who will disembark at Peñíscola Castle. To avoid the pirate captain’s wrath, participants must follow the pirate code: avoid waste, minimize chaos, and assist one another.
As the competition continues, the finalists return from the team challenge to vie for one of four final spots. Vicco will bring a nocturnal twist to MasterChef Junior. The junior chefs then prepare high-quality meals suitable for a large mailbox delivery challenge. Laura Londoño is mentioned as the winner of MasterChef Celebrity 8 and steps into the kitchen as a guest mentor for the show.
Finals with celebrity appearances
In the initial challenge following the grand final, finalists face a Hogwarts-inspired library to identify countries and pinpoint their locations on a map. The contestant with the most correct answers gains five extra minutes of cooking time. The first jacket of the night goes to a contestant who then competes in a chef quiz. They will visit kitchens with Nandu Jubany, who guides a dish for applicants to replicate as closely as possible. Santiago Segura, a participant from MasterChef Celebrity 3, is also involved in this segment.
Chef Alejandro Serrano, who has one Michelin star, will host the last outdoor test at an eatery in Miranda de Ebro, Burgos. To win a second pass for the final duel, contestants must prepare haute cuisine dishes created by the featured chef. Ten MasterChef Celebrity contestants, including Laura Londoño, Álvaro Escassi, Jesulín de Ubrique, Genoveva Casanova, Tania Llasera, Palito Dominguín, Lorena Castell, Miki Nadal, Raquel Meroño, and Saúl Craviotto, will sample the dishes.
In the grand final duel, competitors craft a free menu consisting of a starter, a main course, and a dessert that explains its evolution and origins. The tasting and evaluation are conducted with guidance from chefs Pepe Rodríguez, Jordi Cruz, and Samantha Vallejo-Nágera, with Dabiz Muñoz contributing as a judge for the final round.