Disclaimer: In exchange for this review of the MasterChef Junior, Live! performance in Pittsburgh, I received tickets to attend the show. All opinions are 100% my own and I would like to thank Pittsburgh Cultural Trust for this media opportunity.
MasterChef Junior, Live! brought the sights, sounds, and SMELLS of the television show of the same name – the only thing we didn’t get was an in-person appearance by the celebrity chef judges and host Gordan Ramsey. The chefs (Malia, Jasmine, Evan, and Matthew) wowed us with their wit and knowledge but left us hungry after smelling all the scents of their fabulous dishes!
Our two oldest kiddos were quite surprised and excited to check out the show as part of Arianna’s 11th birthday weekend. They loved every minute and were on the edge of their seats waiting to see what would be cooked up next.
For me, I enjoyed it but also (because I tend to have a “producer mind” when watching any television show) felt it was a bit “scripted” and less live. It was clear that they were cooking, but the “surprises” and reactions did feel a little rehearsed (like going to a show at a theme park, maybe?). But the kids? They didn’t seem to notice and were wowed and amazed. And trust me, I got plenty of laughs and cooking tips myself!
One other thing I’ll mention is that the venue changed from the Benedum Center to the Byham Theater. We sat in the Mezzanine and I am glad we did – I couldn’t imagine trying to see the dishes being cooked from seats back in the Benedum so I was happy; however, I know that this unavoided change in venues did leave some ticket holders unahppy. Hopefully everyone saw the perks in the end!
As part of our partnership with Cultural Trust, we were also provided with a family four-pack of tickets to giveaway on our Instagram. Our winner, Erin, shared her thoughts of the event:
Master Chef Jr Live was a great experience for my family of four. First, the Byham is beautiful and is such a wonderful atmosphere to see any show. The staff was friendly and helpful when it came time to find our seats. This was our family’s first experience together at the theater. They sold a variety of beverages and snacks, which were needed to satisfy all the cravings the cast created!
The show was made up of a series of challenges that left the audience’s mouths watering. After introductions of the chefs came an appetizer challenge that was short on time, but not lacking in entertainment. All of the kids were impressed with their fellow chefs’ dishes. During the main course “mystery box” challenge, each chef was given a protein and a mystery can to prepare an amazing meal. An audience member was assigned as a sous chef to every kid and they provided lots of entertainment as well. The best looking dish to us was a bison burger and the cameras up close on it made our mouths water! After the main courses were tasted by the kids, a dessert course challenge began. Kids from the audience were paired with a Master Chef Jr to take on a cupcake decorating challenge. My kids liked this best because when they finished decorating, there was a silly outcome. You’ll have to go see the show for yourself to find out!
The Master Chef Junior Live cast was incredible. The kids were well spoken and loved getting the audience involved in the experience. My children enjoyed getting to hear, see, and smell the show. They loved getting to count down as the challenges ended and cheered along for the chefs as they competed. If you get a chance to see these highly talented kids in the Master Chef Junior Live show, I would definitely recommend it!
Thanks again, Cultural Trust, for bringing this performance to Pittsburgh and inviting us. If you missed this showing, unfortunately that was the only one of this series; however, there is always something great to check out with our theater options in Pittsburgh. Find out more here: TrustArts.org | @CulturalTrust on Facebook · Instagram · Twitter
