Forget mini pizzas and frozen cupcakes—children today are firing up stoves and whipping up Michelin-star worthy creations.
These junior chefs aren’t afraid to pit their cooking skills against professional chefs in the kitchen. Who will win?
Forget mini pizzas and frozen cupcakes—children today are firing up stoves and whipping up Michelin-star worthy creations.
Think of luxury resorts, and the first things to come to mind are white sandy beaches, poolside cocktails, lavish massages… and cooking classes for children? When holiday resorts in the US started offering cooking camps for kids about a decade ago, the rest of the world soon followed suit.
The phenomenon of foodie kids taking over television screens can be traced back to this vacation trend. From the first season of Junior MasterChef Australia in 2010 to the upcoming Man vs Child: Chef Showdown season two, it’s no longer surprising to see kids whipping up complex dishes that many adults have trouble even pronouncing, much less cook them.
And as the popularity of these reality cooking shows has escalated, perceptions have started to shift, as more parents jump on the food wagon to sign their kids up for cookery classes, no doubt in hopes of grooming the next mini cooking sensation. The number of kids cooking classes, which have sprung up all around Singapore, has been on an upward climb.
Culinary mastery has evolved into a culturally lauded skill for children, alongside sports excellence and academic performance. In fact, the trend has gained such a foothold that it’s not uncommon to see parents digging deep into their pockets to organise kids cooking parties for Junior’s birthday.
Schools such as Expat Kitchen offer birthday packages for kids as young as three years old (at a cost of $1,500 for up to 10 kids), while ToTT organises private Bake & Go parties for kids from five years and up (from $32++ per kid for a minimum group of six kids), with invites and goodie bags included. Most private party packages come complete with chef instructors, ingredients, cooking tools and clean-up services, and with so many choice venues to choose from, parents—and aspiring little chefs—are spoilt for choice.
BEHIND THE SCENES
While skyrocketing show ratings may send producers popping out the champagne, things get grittier when the camera stops rolling. Contestants get basic training behind the scenes, but no one has prior knowledge of what to expect during the challenges. Sarah Lane, who joined MasterChef Junior’s first season as its youngest contestant (she was eight at the time), reveals details about a cut scene. “I had planned to make whipped cream with my molten lava cake,” she recalls.
“I tried and I tried and I tried over and over. I put the mixer on whip, which is the highest setting, and then I walked away for like two seconds to stir my sauce. When I came back it was like butter, because that’s what happens when you over-whip cream… It turns into butter!” she adds, “I got really sad and started crying.”
Most adults would agree that cooking under stressful conditions in a reality cooking competition is tough enough as it is—now add the juggling of school and tests, on top of daily filming. “It’s not like, ‘Hey, I’m on this show and there’s a break from reality’,” MasterChef Junior’s culinary producer, Sandie Birdsong, who has also worked on various seasons of MasterChef and other cooking shows like Top Chef, points out.
“The kids actually have to go to school and have breaks at designated times. It’s amazing to see what they accomplish.” During the casting process, Birdsong looks for kids who have a good foundation in food preparation, but what sets the shortlisted contestants apart are their potential to handle pressure.
“What’s very hard in culinary-based casting is that a lot of these kids do have basic cooking skills, and they bring it to the table. So now you’re trying to figure out which ones can handle the stress of competition, because that, I think, more than anything, is the biggest challenge they face.”
TARTING YOUNG
The runway successes of pint-sized chefs on reality cooking shows may make them seem like overnight sensations, but the perception couldn’t be further from reality. Take Estie Kung, a culinary prodigy who gained fame as Man vs Child: Chef Showdown’s youngest contestant. Estie earned her stripes in the kitchen the old-fashioned way, having helped out in the kitchen since she turned three.
Today, the nine-year-old has developed a sophisticated palate—she cites steak tartare and caviar as her personal favourites, and loves to cook Tournedos Rossini (a French steak dish) and filet mignon for her family. From doing Man vs Child: Chef Showdown publicity tours across four countries; to teaching James Corden, host of The Late Late Show, the finer points of making a devilled egg with lobster; the young chef is giggly, as kids her age tend to be, yet self-assured in her mastery of culinary skills.
Estie’s mother has even acknowledged that her daughter cooks the dish much better than she can. Sam Sy, a contender on season four of MasterChef Junior, is another example. Sam was just two years old when he first watched his grandpa cooking with a wok in a restaurant kitchen. By the time he turned five, Sam was adept at putting together “simple stuff like pizza, burgers and eggs.”
Sam, who’s now 12 years old, won the judges over with his well-executed Sensational Moonpies during a dessert challenge—in just 10 minutes, he managed to produce 29 perfectly frosted cupcakes! Kya Lau, another contestant from the same season of MasterChef Junior, also started assisting her mum in the kitchen from the age of three.
Formerly from Hong Kong, the jovial 10-year-old cheekily reveals that she was inspired to learn cooking, after secretly watching cooking shows on her iPad while she was supposed to be sleeping. Most, if not all, of these reality cooking show stars started honing their craft at a tender age, often with guidance from parents or caregivers, such as grandparents.
The security that comes from adult supervision, combined with gentle mentorship, help build a young chef ’s confidence. Whether kids turn out to be culinary marvels cooking up a storm in the kitchen, or are content with mastering simple eggs and toast, early head-starts are beneficial.
Says Lily Lim, co-founder of Food Renegade and chef at Yummy Poffertjes, “Cooking can get messy, but it’s a fun activity over which kids can bond with their parents. Through the process, kids learn creativity, problem-solving skills, responsibility, awareness and a strong sense of accomplishment.
Cooking is a life skill, just like swimming and cycling. There’s actually a lot of art and science involved in the process of cooking.” She adds, “Cooking brings people together.” And while culinary schools for kids have sprung up all over the world, little Estie, who dreams of becoming a professional chef when she grows up, says she still prefers learning to refine her skills at home.
“I like just being at home with mummy, learning new dishes and picking up new techniques,” she shares. The effervescent young chef, who’s now a YouTube star with plans to release her own children’s cookbook, tells BAZAAR Junior about the lessons she has learned from her experience on the reality cooking show.
How did you learn to cook your first dish?
My mum taught me to cook my first dish when I was three years old. I told her I was interested, so we went to the library and got some cookbooks for children She helped me with the recipe as I wasn’t able to read yet.
Do you cook for your family?
Yes, I cook them omelettes for breakfast. I make them like how my favourite chef, Chef Ludo Lefebvre, makes them at Trois Mec. It takes a while, but it’s worth it. My dad makes soft-scrambled eggs (it’s the only thing he cooks), so he makes breakfast sometimes too.
What’s your most requested dish?
I think it’d have to be my homemade chicken noodle soup. My family loves my steaks, but steaks get expensive. My mum says my small hands are better for unrolling the noodles.
What was the most nerve-racking part of being on the show?
Cooking with the clock ticking is very scary! I’m sure people think that stuff can be edited but no. The time limit is for real and if you don’t finish, you just don’t finish. Cooking for Chef Ludo was also really nerve-racking, because I wanted to impress him.
What did you enjoy about being on the show?
I loved being with the other kids and meeting all the chefs. It was like having another family, and I miss them a lot. I didn’t love sitting in the jury box on days I wasn’t cooking. Time passes so quickly when you’re cooking, but goes so slowly when you’re just sitting there.
What’s the best piece of advice a judge has given you?
Chef Mike Isabella was disappointed with me in the second season as I was upset when I thought my bacon was undercooked. He told me that the most important thing is for a chef to be confident in the meals she creates, regardless of what happens. I was sad that day, but it’s something I’ve thought about a lot since then, and not just when it comes to cooking. I just try to do the best that I can, and be proud of what I create.
Catch Man vs Child: Chef Showdown season two from Mondays to Fridays starting 27 March, 2017, at 8pm on Lifetime (StarHub TV channel 514).
GOURMET GROOMING
So you think you have a budding chef at home? Here are some tips from Lily Lim, co-founder of Food Renegade and chef at Yummy Poffertjes (www.facebook.com/yummypoffertjes) on how to guide them along:
PAY ATTENTION TO FOOD
“Expose your kids to various types of foods and heighten their awareness of the ingredients that go into creating the different types of tastes. This helps them to build a good foundation.”
OBSERVE AND PRACTISE
“Encourage your kid to observe how others cook. Most successful chefs started out being inspired at home. When I was six, I started assisting my mum and grandma in the kitchen, by peeling garlic and shallots, or pounding the spices with a mortar and pestle. Hand-medown knowledge is priceless.”
SHOP LIKE A CHEF
“Involve your kids in grocery shopping. Walk them through how to choose fresh ingredients of good quality, such as opting to buy a whole fish over processed fish fillets.”
START WITH EASY FAVOURITES
“Start by teaching them to cook a simple dish that they like to eat, for instance, eggs. Let them practise the dish until they perfect it on their own.”
ENCOURAGE EXPERIMENTATION
“Work with leftover ingredients— you never know what dishes can be created with a little creativity. For example, extra egg yolks can go into making hollandaise sauce, and extra egg whites can be turned into meringues. The possibilities are endless!”
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY CANDY LIM. PHOTOGRAPHY: LIFETIME ASIA AND ENDEMOL SHINE AUSTRALIA ; GETTY IMAGES.
