Ep 8. Snack Attack

In the eighth episode of Chopped Junior season 4, titled "Snack Attack," four talented young chefs face off in the kitchen for a chance to win the $10,000 prize. The contestants are all between the ages of nine and twelve and come from diverse backgrounds across the United States.

As usual, the young chefs are tasked with creating appetizers, entrees, and desserts using a basket of mystery ingredients. In this episode, the basket includes a variety of snacks such as fruit leather, potato chips, popcorn, and chocolate-covered pretzels.

The judges for this episode are celebrity chef and restaurateur Marcus Samuelsson, food author and journalist Gail Simmons, and children's cookbook author and television personality Betsy Johnson. The judges are looking for creative and delicious dishes that make the most of the snack ingredients provided.

The first round begins with a challenge to create appetizers using the snack basket ingredients. The young chefs quickly get to work, using their ingenuity to transform the snacks into unique and tasty dishes. One contestant uses fruit leather to wrap around a piece of seared tuna, while another uses popcorn to make a savory crust for chicken tenders. The judges praise the young chefs for their creativity and flavor profiles.

In the entree round, the contestants face another challenge using the snack basket ingredients along with a protein and some pantry staples. One chef uses potato chips as breading for a pork chop, while another uses chocolate-covered pretzels as a sweet and salty crust for a fish fillet. The judges note that the young chefs are showing real culinary skill and confidence in their cooking.

Finally, the dessert round challenges the young chefs to create sweet treats using snack ingredients and a basket of sweets such as marshmallows and gummy bears. One chef creates a deconstructed s'mores dish using chocolate-covered pretzels and graham crackers, while another makes a fruit leather and fruit compote tart with a popcorn crust. The judges are impressed with the young chefs' ability to use the snack ingredients in a variety of ways to create innovative and delicious desserts.

At the end of the episode, the judges deliberate and choose the winner of the $10,000 prize. The young chefs receive praise for their creativity, cooking skills, and ability to compose dishes that highlight the snack ingredients in unique and tasty ways.

Overall, "Snack Attack" is a fun and inspiring episode of Chopped Junior that showcases the talent and creativity of young chefs. The snack ingredients provide a unique challenge, and the contestants rise to the occasion, creating dishes that would be impressive for any chef, young or old. The judges are impressed with the quality of the dishes throughout the episode and the young chefs' ability to work under pressure and transform snack foods into gourmet creations.