Nine young culinary contestants cook up seasonal delights themed to Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Lunar New Year and more, competing for the ultimate holiday gift: a $25,000 grand prize, a Viking Kitchen package and one-of-a-kind MasterChef snow globe trophy. Their first challenge is to cook up a dish that celebrates their own holiday traditions, using proteins that have been hidden in snowmen outside the MasterChef Junior kitchen.

Judges Gordon Ramsay, Aarón Sánchez, Daphne Oz and Tilly Ramsay deliberate on who has the best savory pie.

The top four contestants are visited by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Future and Presents, who deliver mystery boxes containing ingredients inspired by Aarón’s favorite holiday dishes from Mexico, and MasterChef Judge Joe Bastianich visits as “Joe-benezer Scrooge” to add a sweet twist into the challenge.

With the help of former MasterChef winner Dara Yu, the top three must create an elevated, restaurant-quality dish that best showcases their culinary abilities to win the coveted holiday grand prize!