Chef Corner Jr. Vancouver Final

The first ever Chef Corner Jr. Vancouver competition has brought a wave of excitement throughout the city. For the past two months, the 6 finalists, Clarissa, Jennifer, Kaitlin, Kevin, Mitchell, and Yuri have gone through a series of training under the mentorship of culinary experts in hopes to impress the judges. The four judges of the competition included Hong Kong Chef Corner Jr. mentor and judge, Christian Yang, gourmet foodie, Deborah Moore, local celebrity chef Alex Mok, and Head of Vancouver Community College Culinary Arts Department, Collin Gill.

Deborah Moore also acted as the MC for the competition as she first introduced the rules and regulations of the final competition. The junior chefs were required to create their own recipes for their final dish, with the main protein assigned to them from a selection of fish, chicken, or Sakura Farm Premium Pork . Besides, there other types of ingredients must also be included in their dish namely, locally produced and organic products and a superfood (high nutrient, low calorie foods), reflecting Vancouver’s green lifestyle. The finalists each had 60 minutes to complete their dish with two finalists challenging the same protein cooking at the same time. The judges then judged each dish under the criteria of taste, presentation, skill and execution, cleanliness and tidiness. First up, confronted with the main ingredient of Sakura Farm Premium Pork , were Clarissa and Mitchell. As a Chinese-Vietnamese, Mitchell decided on a fragrant Vietnamese style lemongrass pork chop on broken rice. He named the dish S.P.I.L Chop, meaning Sense, Passion, Inspiration, Love. Mitchell used the “sous vide” cooking technique to treat his pork, first sealing the pork in a vacuum pack plastic bag, then cooking it in a warm water bath in order to preserve all of the pork’s rich flavors. Although Chef Alex admired Mitchell’s employment of an innovative cooking method, unfortunately, it typically takes a longer time to cook to its full affect.

Clarissa was the only finalist in the competition to adopt a Chinese approach for her dish. She created a beautiful sticky baby back pork ribs with mango salad presented on a bamboo platter, the simple yet beautiful presentation capturing Deborah‘s interest. Clarissa used fresh cucumbers as part of the garnish for her dish in order for the refreshing cucumbers to balance out with the richness of the pork. The judges commended Clarissa for her attention to details on each and every part of her dish.

Kevin and Jennifer were next up challenging fresh salmon as their main protein. Youngest in the competition, Kevin made seared and baked wild sockeye salmon with spaghetti and salad. Kevin even showed off his creativity by making an innovative ‘salad ball’. Collin expressed his admiration for Kevin’s excellent execution on the dish despite his young age.

For Jennifer, cooking a salmon dish was a great challenge because she is not fond of seafood and fish. However, Jennifer still put on a professional attitude and, leaving her personal likes and dislikes aside, wholeheartedly tried her best to cook a dish that brought out the best qualities of the salmon. In the end, Jennifer’s baked salmon with roasted potatoes was perfectly cooked, earning praise from the judges.

Last up were Yuri and Kaitlin with their chicken dishes. Although the two had vastly different cooking styles, both performed well, wrapping up the intense competition. Witty Yuri created a dish in which she wrapped chicken thigh with chicken breast, naming it ‘All Around the World’. This tricky dish had a very high level of difficulty. Yuri first cooked and shredded some chicken meat, then wrapped the meat in a thin chicken chop, making it spherical and finally fried the whole ball-shape finished product. Using 5 stovetops at the same time, not only did Yuri have to execute the main components of her dish, but her garnish as well. Racing against time, Yuri managed to complete her dish with just 10 seconds left on the clock. Christian complimented Yuri on her creativity and appreciated her willingness to step out of her comfort zone and put together such a difficult dish.

While Yuri was racing to complete her dish, on the other side, Kaitlin took to executing her Farm Yard Chicken Fricassee with a calm and steady attitude. This traditional French dish is known for being a dish used for examination in cooking schools as it requires a lot of skills to finely execute. Not only did Kaitlin cook the fricassee perfectly, but she also added a story component to her dish, making a farmyard chicken coop ‘fence’ out of crispy potatoes. Even culinary professor Collin commended Kaitlin for her skills and attention to details, pointing out Kaitlin’s talent despite her young age, likening her level of skills with adults that have been cooking for many more years than she.

Before announcing the winner, the judges presented each finalist with a graduation certificate to congratulate the 6 young chefs for their hard work in the past two months. After some discussions, MC announced the two finalists with the highest scores, Jennifer and Kaitlin, while Christian invited the two finalist’s mothers on stage to reveal the final result. Eventually, Kaitlin was selected as the first Chef Corner Jr. Vancouver Champion. The judges were amazed by Kaitlin’s level of culinary skills. Her Farm Yard Chicken Fricassee was a dish that transformed simple ingredients into a living work of art. Kaitlin will soon be flying to Hong Kong to represent Vancouver to participate in the upcoming season of Chef Corner Jr. and share her passion for cooking with the world.

Chef Corner Jr. Vancouver Press Conference

Chef Corner Jr. Vancouver organized by Fairchild TV, in partnership with nowTV, Talentvision, Fairchild Radio, and PLEM Magazine, has brought the recent hype of Hong Kong Chef Corner Jr. right here in Vancouver, providing local young chefs with an unforgettable summer culinary adventure. After a series of challenging auditions and interviews, 6 talented children were selected to enter into the final competition. These 6 young chefs made their first official public appearance as finalists of Chef Corner Jr. Vancouver on July 24.

At the press conference, MC Mary Lo introduced the finalists in their chef uniforms custom-made in Hong Kong, including the graceful and kind Clarissa, shy and elegant Jennifer, youngest of the finalists and pianist Kevin, skilful Kaitlin, Chinese-Vietnamese mix Mitchell, and lively and bright Yuri. Although each contestant has his/her own distinct personality, they all share a heated passion for the culinary arts. Despite their young age, all are full of novel ideas. Fairchild TV invited gourmet foodie Deborah Moore, local celebrity chef Alex, and nutritionist Jojo to share with the finalists their insights at the competition. The finalists expressed that after having the privilege to train in the professional kitchen, graciously sponsored by Vancouver Community College, not only have their cooking skills improved, but they have also learnt valuable lessons in time management and control of their dish. Even more exciting was that the young chefs were able to experience the professional world of television, personally participating in a number of filming and photo shoots. The finalists also thanked the family members for their support throughout the competition, especially those who have been continuously tasting the dishes that the finalists have been practicing at home for the past month, providing them with comments and support in order to produce the best fine dining dish on the day of the competition.

The special premiere of Chef Corner Jr. Vancouver has brought a wave of excitement throughout the city. To boost it up even further, Fairchild TV has invited Hong Kong Chef Corner Jr. master chef Christian Yang to Vancouver to be a judge for the Final. Christian appeared at the Chef Corner Jr. Vancouver press conference to interact with local fans. Dubbed as a ‘magician’ of the culinary world, he won in 2011 the 5th place in the Asian Food Channel’s first Celebrity Chef Culinary Competition and debuted on television when hosting the third season of Chef Corner on now TV, and the second season Food and Culture on RTHK. Christian also appeared alongside with his mentor, Martin Yan, as a judge on Chef Corner Jr. With great anticipation, the 6 finalists were excited to finally meet the inspiring chef in person at the press conference. Christian commented that the young chefs looked even smaller than he imagined, but all carried the aura of ‘big’ chefs. Christian even quizzed the finalists on their culinary knowledge. With his funny questions and the finalists’ quick-witted answers, the press conference was concluded with a note of laughter and excitement.

Apart from Christian, Fairchild TV has also invited Deborah Moore, Chef Alex, and Department Head of Vancouver Community College’s Culinary Arts program, Colin Gill to be the judges of the final competition. This professional team of 4 will select the very first Chef Corner Jr. Vancouver champion, who will be participating in Chef Corner Jr. program filmed in Hong Kong. To find out just how talented these young chefs are, tune in to Fairchild TV on August 10th for the broadcast of the final competition. Want to get a premiere, up close look at these young chefs and celebrity chef Christian’s amazing skills? Visit Aberdeen Center on Friday 25th at 2:00 for the Chef Corner Jr. Vancouver pre-show!

Hong Kong Chef Corner Jr. and mentors share tips with Chef Corner Jr. Vancouver.

Hong Kong Chef Corner Jr. and mentors show support for and share tips with Chef Corner Jr. Vancouver.

Chef Corner Jr. Mentor
Gourmet foodie Michelle Lu: Chef Corner Jr. is not simply a cooking competition. More importantly, it is a challenge to test children’s time management and ability to adapt. How can you create the best dish under limited resources and time? How can you save a dish when something goes wrong? On the outside, cooking seems to be only about learning the necessary culinary skills. In fact, it is an art that teaches many life skills. My tip to Chef Corner Jr. Vancouver is very simple: Be yourself and cook with your heart.

Season 1 contestant and Season 3 Chef Corner Jr. Champion
Clarissa Lu, 15: Although being accepted into the competition in Season 1, I was eventually eliminated. However, I didn't give up. I persisted and eventually became the champion of season 3. The most important thing is to believe in yourself. In spite of the continual challenges throughout the competition, you must still be brave. For me, the most demanding part of the competition was to create a good dish within the time limit.

Season 2 Chef Corner Jr. Contestant
Cyrus Lau, 13: The most rewarding thing for me was meeting a group of friends who share my passion for cooking. We learned new skills together and demonstrated our teamwork to complete missions during the show. In particular, when working with other competitors that I was not close to, I was able to learn to cooperate and respect everyone’s opinions.

Ekata Ma, 14, auditioned for Season 1, entered into Season 2: Being a chef has always been my dream. Even though I failed the first time, I kept trying until I succeeded. During the competition you shouldn't put too much pressure on yourself. Remember that there are many people supporting and cheering for you. Trying your best is already enough!

Trevor Lau, 14: Aside from learning to cook, we also got to experience many tasting trips with mentor Michelle Lu. During a competition it is inevitable to feel nervous and sometimes you will forget some things. When things go wrong, just stay calm and relax. then keep on going!

Season 3 Chef Corner Jr. Contestant
Marco Mok, 14, Final three: At first I was only accompanying my little sister to the audition. But I unexpectedly made it into the competition and even got to fly to Switzerland to participate at the final. During the final competition, I made the mistake of focusing too much on the presentation of my dish and neglected the ingredients. At the end, the portions were too small for the judges to really taste the dish, thus I was not successful in winning. So Chef Corner Jr. Vancouver, remember to show all of your skills and do your best in the competition!

Vancouver Chef Corner Jr. mentor and consultant introduction
Finalists of Chef Corner Jr. Vancouver will be coached by local culinary master, Chef Alex. Celebrity chef Alex Mok is proficient in French cuisine among many others. His refined and delicious dishes are a lot of local foodies’ favorites. He will educate the finalists on culinary philosophies including tips on ingredients selection, resources and time management in addition to helping them to improve cooking skills and providing tips for producing a gourmet dish.

Apart from learning how to cook, the contestants will also be attending registered nutritionist Jojo’s health seminar to learn about the nutrients and how to create a variety of healthy snacks. Professional Chefs Mrs. Taam and Chef Alex will act as culinary consultants to assure quality throughout the duration of the competition.

Your chef uniform is waiting for you! Talented young chefs please apply online today. You may also download or visit Fairchild TV for a copy of the application form. The deadline is May 27th.

Chef Corner Jr. Vancouver

Culinary arts and reality television based on culinary competitions have developed into a global trend, which has expanded to the younger generation in recent years. ‘Chef Corner Jr,’ produced by Hong Kong now TV became an instant sensation when it was first launched 3 seasons ago, transforming young cooking prodigies Ryan and Ankie to household names overnight.

Fairchild Television, in partnership with now TV, Talentvision, Fairchild Radio, and Popular Lifestyle and Entertainment Magazine, will be hosting the very first ‘Chef Corner Jr. Vancouver’ competition this summer. The journey begins with the finalists receiving special one-on-one training with one of Vancouver’s own celebrity chefs when an array of skills will be taught including cooking tips, ingredients selection, time management, and many other techniques necessary to produce the best gourmet dishes and continues with a series of television recordings and promotions throughout the training period leading up to the final competition. The champion, along with a guardian, will travel for free to Hong Kong and participate at the original Chef Corner Jr. reality program on now TV. ‘Chef Corner Jr. Vancouver’ is honored to invite renowned culinary masters Mrs. Taam and Chef Alex to be the consultant for the event. With their professional inputs and advices, the competition will certainly be the highlight among all summer activities in 2014.

Don’t want to miss the once-in-a-lifetime experience? Here is your chance! Children between the ages of 8-14 are eligible to enter into this amazing competition. As long as you have a passion for cooking, everyone is welcome to join regardless of your gender, ethnic background or your proficient language. Whether your culinary creations are cakes, desserts, Western cuisines, Italian, French, or Asian, all you have to do is fill out the online application form or download/ pick up a form from Fairchild TV, then send it in along with photos or a video of yourself preparing your favorite dish (Parental agreement is required). Deadline is May 27. Chef Corner Jr. Vancouver offers a chance for young aspiring chefs to spend a meaningful and fun summer while experiencing and learning more about the wonders of the culinary world. It is also the first stepping stone for young chefs towards their dreams. Seize this rare opportunity and sign up now!