Daphne Oz (‘MasterChef Junior’) dishes on Season 9 and teaching kids to be ‘fearless in the kitchen’ [Exclusive Video Interview]

Emmy-winning talk show host Daphne Oz is back on the judging panel for Season 9 of “MasterChef Junior.” She joins chefs Gordon Ramsay, Aarón Sánchez and, for the first time ever, Gordon’s daughter Tilly Ramsay. Watch her exclusive interview above, where Daphne dishes on her favorite moments from the show, her own family history with cooking, and what junk food her father, Dr. Mehmet Oz, is willing to indulge in.

“It is one of the best shows to watch if you love food and you love competition,” Daphne declares. “I love watching ‘MasterChef Junior’ with my kids because I think that they get very inspired, frankly, by other kids, their age, who are fearless in the kitchen, who are cooking with crazy ingredients. It makes the idea of them getting in the kitchen and making their own snack or helping me make dinner that much more enticing.”

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Daphne also highlights the benefit of including kids from all backgrounds and geographical regions of the country. “People don’t realize how much the casting process for ‘MasterChef Junior’ has been elevated by being able to do interviews like we’re doing here on Zoom. It means that kids from all over the country are able to apply. Everybody has this chance to show us what they’ve got going on. Some of the kids on this show have never left home before! To think about the idea that the first time that they’re getting on a plane, leaving home, is to be on national television is so incredible. You’re getting a much wider swath of America on display.”

The host and reality TV judge also gives us the inside scoop on what it was like growing up the daughter of a surgeon, Dr. Oz. “My dad, both my grandfathers and my uncle are all surgeons,” she reveals. “So we have this really powerful presence of Western medicine throughout my family. Then my mom and my grandma are really into nutrition and complimentary medicine, so we had this overlay of what you could be doing on a daily basis to take good care of yourself. A lot of that does come down to what you’re eating and what you’re putting in your body.” But will Dr. Oz eat any junk food? “He will totally go down on beautiful ribs,” she admits. “Things that are a moment that are really worth indulging in, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen my dad reach into a bag of chips and eat chips just because they’re there.”

“MasterChef Junior” airs Monday nights on FOX (8/7c) and can be viewed the next day on Hulu.

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