MASTERCHEF: JUNIOR EDITION: Contestant Riley, 8, from Carrollton, TX. CR. Greg Gayne / FOX. © FOX Broadcasting Co.

We are big fans of MASTERCHEF and MASTERCHEF JUNIOR here at MToT.  Every Tuesday night, MC Jr has turned into the first show I watch so I can talk about it on Twitter with fellow fans, and dissect how these impressive little kids can cook circles around us!

Recently, I had the chance to talk to one of the season’s biggest surprises – 8-year-old Riley, the youngest chef this season who is giving the older chefs a run for their money.  Read on to find out what he cooks at home, why he loved the sushi challenge, and why you all should be watching!  

I’m so excited to talk to you, sir! I love watching you on the show.  I’m so impressed!
Thanks!

I wondered – big question!  What was it that made you want to learn how to cook and be a chef?
I saw my great grandmom watching TV shows and cooking, watching people cooking and she was cooking, and so she inspired me to cook and to go on this show.

Do you have a favorite food that you like to cook?
Um, I like to cook schnitzel.  It’s a kind of pork.

Do you cook at home for everybody all of the time?
Yeah, I cook a lot!

Do they request certain things that you like to learn, or do you just cook what you know?
I like to cook new things, and sometimes I cook what I know.

MASTERCHEF: Contestant Riley in the all-new “Junior Edition: Family Style” episode of MASTERCHEF airing Tuesday, Feb. 3 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. CR: Greg Gayne / FOX. © 2014 FOX Broadcasting.

Talk about MASTERCHEF – did you watch other seasons of MASTERCHEF before trying out?
We just found a random show, as a family, at the time, and we found MASTERCHEF JUNIOR, and we just thought I could go since I love cooking, and I got on the show from that.

What has been your favorite episode or thing you’ve had to cook?
The favorite thing I had to cook on MASTERCHEF JUNIOR is making the sushi, because I never ate sushi before.

That was such a crazy episode.  You and Andrew were such a great team, lots of communication.  Were you friends?
To make a friend, you have to be nice, and if you’re nice to them, they’ll be nice to you.  So we made friends.

When you haven’t had sushi before, how hard is it to have to cook something like that?
It wasn’t really that hard.  Because I knew like how to make it a little, and I know that you have to wrap it up and stuff.  I was really confident.

I think you surprise me and you make me want to learn how to cook.  Someone your age to be able to do what you do.  That’s so awesome.
Yeah!

Working with Gordon and Graham, and Joe.  They seem so supportive.  What was it like working with them?
It was really exciting, because I always wanted to meet the judges in person.  And I was so excited to cook for them and let them taste my food.

MASTERCHEF JUNIOR: L-R: Gordon Ramsay and contestant Riley in the “Raw Talent” episode of MASTERCHEF JUNIOR airing Tuesday, Jan. 27 (8:00-9:00PM ET/PT) on FOX. CR: Greg Gayne / FOX. © 2014 FOX Broadcasting Co.

We see Gordon in other shows and he seems so mean, but he’s so great with you guys!
He’s mostly nice to kids but not grown ups.

If you could only cook one food forever, would it be schnitzel?
It would be schnitzel.

Are there different variations of that you can make?  I’ve never had it but I want to learn!
There’s only one way I make it.

Do you like to make desserts – I know sometimes they have dessert challenges that can be really difficult!
Not really!  It’s not really my thing to cook desserts.  I mostly cook dinners instead of desserts.

Do you see yourself being a chef in the future, do you want to own a restaurant?  What do you think the future holds?
I think in the future, I’ll own a restaurant and cook food for people, and if I see some poor people, I’ll maybe make food for them.

Have you had a lot of people talk to you about being on the show – what do the fans say?
I have a lot – every Wednesday after the show, they talk about how awesome it was.

I know I personally talk about how great you are on Twitter every Tuesday night!  Have you kept in touch with everybody from the show?
The kids, my friends, they’re really nice and friendly.  They’re not being mean, they’re always nice, and helping each other!

Why do you think MASTERCHEF JUNIOR is a show that people should be watching?
I think people should watch the show so that the kids could be inspired and see how well the little kids can cook, and be famous and go on TV!

MASTERCHEF JUNIOR airs Tuesday nights at 8/7c on FOX.