The judges and contestants of "MasterChef Junior"

Well, I think that that went fairly well. The sixth season of Fox's hit cooking competition "MasterChef" wrapped up in September with single mom Claudia Sandoval taking home the MasterChef trophy, but perhaps the biggest news coming out of that season was just how much of a hit Christina Tosi was.

The James Beard Award-winning pastry chef and owner of New York's Momofuku Milk Bar replaced Joe Bastianich on the judge's podium, and while the restaurateur was missed, Tosi certainly brought a more nurturing nature to the competition.

Well, good news -- Tosi's coming back, along with Gordon Ramsay and Graham Elliot, for the latest (and potentially greatest) season of "MasterChef's" pint-sized spinoff, "MasterChef Junior."

If you're one of the few folks out there who watches "MasterChef" but hasn't checked out "Junior," then you're missing out. The first season of the competition, which aired back in 2013, was such a hit that Fox immediately ordered up two additional seasons, and they only continued the momentum. The fourth season premieres Friday, Nov. 6, on Fox.

So, what makes it such a joy to watch? A few things come to mind.

The format of "MasterChef" itself is already a hit. Home cooks with skills to rival some of the world's better chefs, competing with each other for recognition, a big wad of cash and even their own cookbook is the classic rags-to-riches story.

Now, take that and replace the adults with kids. These pint-sized cooks have culinary skills way ahead of most home cooks three times their size, and to make things even more enjoyable, they bring out the best in the judges.

Ramsay, who's known for his extreme temper and foul mouth, almost seems to transform into another person when he's mentoring and judging kids. Elliot seems to come alive, and having Tosi in the kitchen should add a certain motherly quality to the competition -- not to mention her knowledge of all things dessert.

"MasterChef Junior" may just be a spinoff of the grown-up "MasterChef," but it's definitely found a voice of its own in the crowded cooking competition landscape. Season 4 premieres Friday, Nov. 6, on Fox.