Three finalists will compete when Amazing Cooking Kids ends on July 16
PEP.ph
Chef Jackie Ang-Po, owner of Fleur de Lys Patisserieand host of shows like True Confections and Delicioso, shares some
thoughts about the three young finalists of Amazing Cooking Kids.
Of Ronin Leviste, the Xavier boy, she says that's he's "napakabait, noair siya..." although she has to remind him at times to converse inFilipino. Of the 11-year old Angela Clarke, she observes, that she's"napakapoise, hindi natatakot, parang she doesn't get stressed sacompetition." Chef Jackie notes the stark contrast of Duday Reyes, whois "parating go, 'I want to compete lagi' mode."
Along with her two fellow chefs who sit as judges on this weekly show,Chef Jackie has nothing but admiration not just for thetop 3, but for all the 12 kids who have been on the show since April2011. All three finalists have won at least one challenge, as the show'sformat has the kids competing for a challenge win every week.
Rosebud Benitez of the famous 10-minute Quickfire show, says that atfirst, "nagulat ako na sila, pero towards the end nakita mo na talagana it was their skill, improving throughout the show...even thoughlahat ng bets ko nung una, nawala na, it's nice to be proven wrong, naetong tatlo ang nagwagi."
GB Barlao, Vice-President of Magsaysay Institute of Hospitality andCulinary Arts (MIHCA), the same school that Amazing Cooking Kids hostCarmina Villaroel attends, shares that, "yung last challenge, mahirapgawin yun..." referring to the kids having to recreate a dish hehimself created. He doesn't expect "na nagawa nila lahat ng 100%,hindi ko akalain nung una na marunong talaga sila magtimpla on theirown at na masarap talaga sila magluto."
Chef Jackie is extremely proud of the kids, even though she herselfwas a bit surprised to know who ended up as the final 3, shebelieves that the top 3 were ultimately "napili based on their skill,love for food and dahil sila ang pinakamasarap magluto."
During the July 2 presscon for the Amazing Cooking Kids held at the17th floor of GMA Network, members of the press asked the chef judges to name their favorite dishes done by each of the 3 finalists. Chef Rosebud answered on behalf of her colleagues that their favorites were: the pan fried pork done by Duday, the tilapia by Ronin and the chicken buffalo wings cooked by Angela.
So if the chef judges were to cook for a celebrity, who would it beand what would they cook? Jackie Ang-Po, after thinking about it for awhile shared, "Michael V and Ogie, si Yaya at Angelina, kasi favoriteko sila. They make me laugh. What I'll do is, while I'm cooking forthem, dapat andyan sila to make me laugh. Whatever niluluto ko athome, that's what I'll prepare for them."
Rosebud would be thrilled to cook for the Pambansang Kamao MannyPacquiao. She will offer "tinola pero with a twist, kung anongtwist yun, kailangan ko pa isipin, siempre, pagluluto ko rin si Jinkeeand Mommy Dionisia!"
GB excitedly enthuses he'd love nothing more than to cook for GMAPrimetime Queen Marian Rivera his version of tuna paella.
The top 3 kids also revealed the celebrities whom they would like tocook for. Twelve-year old Ronin is vocal about having a crushon host Carmina Villarroel's ten-year old daughter Cassandra. He says, "para kay Cassy, pasta siguro." Eleven-year old Angela, who won the Picnic Challenge andChicken Challenge, wants to whip up a batch of her winning buffalowings for actress Heart Evangelista.
Duday, also 11, and winner of the Rice Toppings Challenge wants to wow Heart Evangelista as well with her pasta creation
Angela Clarke, who with her height and poise can easily become abeauty queen, says that her favorite judge is Jackie Ang-Po, just likeDuday. Jackie looks to the two and smiles naughtily, as if she'ssharing a secret with them. Because of the show, kids at school say toher, "oh, andyan na si Ms. Amazing."
INSPIRING ROLE MODELS. So what inspired these kids to cook or what got them started? Ronin shares that it was his grandparents own one of the biggest Chinese restaurants in the country called Century Seafood Restaurant. Because of their influence and his interest in watching cooking shows like Iron Chef and Top Chef,Ronin steadily developed his passion for food. He shares,"I started cooking lessons mid-last year and getting into the show and then top 3 is overwhelming. All of them are good, even the eliminated people, so it's really overwhelming."
This charmer-in-the-making also sees himself becoming an artista withGMA Network after the show ends. He says that he admires Cassy,"daughter of Tita Carmina because she is pretty!" Right now, Roninleads the other 2 finalists with most number of challenge wins: BlindTasting, Seafood, and Cake Decorating.
For Ronin, the most stressful part is the "time component. Before we start cooking, I'd sometimes think that I might not get it, but I eat pressure for breakfast, so I stay in my zone, it's just me and my dish." He did get scared the one time that he was going to get eliminated during a seafood challenge because of the careful timings involved in each seafood component. But he remembers, "my confidence brought me back and I stayed in the game." He says that the best thing aboutAmazing Cooking Kids is "the experience, the journey to the final 3 has been wonderful. Being here has taught me to be competitive. Just to see a person smile when we cook is good for me."
Duday relates that her love for cooking started when she was stillyoung and as she grew up, she spent time watching cooking shows. "Tuwing may birthday, sasabihin ko, Mommy, pwede ba ako ang maghiwa eh si mommy nun overprotective, ayaw pa niya. Pinayagan lang niya ako noon nag-audition na ako dito para sa show. Yung talent ko talaga, doon na lumabas." Duday's biggest scare during the show was the Picnic Challenge, "kasi na-bottom two ako noon. Kinabahan talaga ako, yung time na yun, gusto ko pa talaga magstay, na tumagal ako. Sobrang kaba ko, di na talaga ako makahinga, tapos nung tinawag yung name ko,muntik na talaga ako umiyak."
For Duday, seeing herself on TV is a "dream come true, kasi sa totoopo, natututo talaga ako magluto, 4 years old, itlog po. Tuwingnagluluto ako, iba talaga ang nararamdaman ko, compared sa iba konghobbies, natutuwa talaga ako and I always smile, tuwing naglulutoako." This pint-sized wonder sees herself becoming a chef and artista,"ang idol ko si Marian Rivera kasi ang galing niya umarte. Paglaki ko,gusto ko maging kontrabida, kasi doon pwede mo rin ilabas yung galitmo di ba," she says candidly.Duday, who resides in Novaliches but who has roots in Batangas, narrates a cute anecdote about her classmate. She narrates that because of her exposure in the show, the class president would walk in front of her, announcing to everyone that he is now her manager.
Angela says that after seeing herself on TV for the most of thesummer, it sometimes feels like, "artista na ako, pero ang saya.Minsan natatawa ako na, ganyan pala mukha ko sa TV." When she wasyounger, she recalls, "gusto ko maging stewardess, tapos nung nanonood kami ng cooking shows, napapaisip ako na gusto ko rin magluto. Gusto ko maging chef ngayon, pero sumulpot eto ngayon na gusto ko na maging artista. So medyo naguguluhan ako ngayon."
Ms. Poise says that she does get stressed, especially when "maybinigay na dish na mahirap, iniisip ko kung paano ko lulutuin. Perokung nasa show, di ko pinapakita na nagpapanic na ako." The show hastaught this young lady "sportsmanship. Kunwari, pag di ako nanalo saisang challenge, natuto ako magsabi sa kasama ko ng 'hey, good job!'Kasi kunwari, dati, pag natatalo ako, naiinis ako. Ngayon, ang nasaisip ko, 'yey, ang galing mo!' She considers Ronin as her toughestcompetitor at this point, "kasi siya yung maraming napanalunan nachallenges, magaling siya dumiskarte, ng plating..."
Watch the top 3 battle it out on GMA-7's Amazing Cooking Kids
every Saturday at 11:15 am before Eat Bulaga! until July 16, 2011.
