Congratulations To Grace LaFountain Of New Hartford For Chopped Junior

Congratulations to Grace LaFountain of New Hartford. She made Utica proud on Chopped Junior.

Grace has the 'will and skill' to run just about any kitchen at the age of 11. She's been cooking since the age of 4 loves seafood, and it seems like she has a very sophisticated pallet and personality. The pressure of this competition would make the average adult crumble but not our Grace.

The judges who carry impressive resumes include Marcela Valladolid - Food Network Host, Geoffrey Zakarian - Chef and Restaurateur, Billy Gardell - Actor and Comedian.

The junior chefs are given some ingredients and have to use them all in a certain amount of time.

The first menu Grace came up with was:

• Thai Swordfish
• Watermelon and Feta Salad
• Pinot Grigio Figs

Looks delicious and the judges loved it. She makes it to the next round of Chopped Junior.

The second menu consisted of:

• Seared Lamb Chop
• Homemade Pasta With Cheesy Pizza Sauce
• Sauteed Long Beans

She blew everyone away taking on the task of making homemade pasta, and the presentation looked excellent. Unfortunately, she didn't make it past this round but made us all very proud to have such a wonderful chef as a part of our community. What a great experience for her.

Grace LaFountain has so much to look forward to in life. I can't wait to see her as a very successful Chef, Restaurateur, TV Cooking Show Host and whatever else she want's to be.

We can start supporting her and showing her how proud we are of her by making a donation in her name to Chefs For Humanity. It's an incredible organization that Grace is passionate about.

It was unfortunate that the Food Network mistakenly said several times that Grace LaFountain of New Hartford NY is from Connecticut. Hey, Grace any time you want to show me how to cook just give me a call.