Some young chefs are ready to take over the Island’s culinary scene.
Six up-and-coming cooks put themselves to the test Sunday as they competed in the first Junior Chef Challenge held at the 23rd P.E.I. International Shellfish Festival.
The $1,000 top prize went to nine-year-old Emery Wood of Charlottetown for his seafood linguine with mussels, clams, scallops, lobster and shrimp.
“Really, really good,” said Emery when asked how he felt about winning.
Emery said he has been making seafood linguine for about two years.
Leading up to the challenge, he practised making the dish at home with his mom, Angela Kelly.
He made sure he’d be able to make his dish within the time allotted for the challenge.
“I tried to get a little faster because it probably took me 50 minutes last time, but this time it only took me not to the end of the competition, so less than 45 minutes,” he said.
Emery’s other specialties include tacos and various pastas.
He really impressed his sous-chef, Mark Singson, who was the runner-up of season six of the Food Network’s Top Chef Canada.
“I think he’s amazing,” said Singson. “For that age, his confidence level is quite up there. I think with cooking, confidence plays a big part because you have to take chances. You shouldn’t be afraid to make mistakes. I think he’s got it.”
Singson gave Emery some tips like how important it is to keep tasting the dish as it’s being prepared.
“He was helping me a lot so I didn’t do a lot of mistakes like cook the stuff too long,” said Emery.
Singson said while he did ask the young chef what he should add to the dish to make it taste better, he didn’t tell him what he thought should be added.
“At the end of the day he knew what he was doing,” he said.
It’s the first year for the junior chef challenge
The contestants submitted videos of themselves making the dish they will serve and from there six were selected to compete in the challenge.
Festival founder and chairman Liam Dolan said the junior chef challenge is something organizers may expand on.
“I think if it builds we may have 50 kids next year that want to do it,” he said. “We could push it harder, maybe get some schools involved.”
Emery said he already has plans for the prize money.
“Spend some of it and invest the rest.”
