Junior Chefs Shine at California State Fair Cooking Contest

A Culinary Showdown for Young Chefs

With just 30 minutes left in the competition, Isabelle Nasah focused on her task—chopping chicken thighs into chunks. Her attention was drawn to the sous chef preparing guacamole, a key component of their dish. She worked quickly and efficiently, slicing the poultry without looking at her hands.

Despite her professional demeanor, Nasah, who is only 13 years old, still had round cheeks and braces that glinted in the kitchen lights. Three teams competed in the California State Fair's Junior Chef Cooking Challenge on Tuesday, each featuring a junior chef as young as 12 and an adult companion acting as a sous chef. The theme for the event was "Guac ‘N' Rolls California Burrito Bowls," and the teams had just 55 minutes to prepare, cook, and serve their version of the dish.

TV anchor Tina Macuha, catering business owner Joe Thompson, and restaurateur Chris Lombardi were the judges. They evaluated the dishes based on taste, presentation, creativity, and the leadership skills displayed by the young chefs.

The quality of the dishes made it challenging for the judges to pick a winner, according to Lombardi. “We had to break it down like it was a Food Network or Discovery Channel competition.”

Team California Girls: A Determined Pair

Cora Nixon and her aunt, Bee Kanihan, entered the kitchen wearing matching frog shirts and determined expressions. They introduced themselves as Team California Girls from Marysville. Nixon, who is 14, had the least experience among the three junior chefs. She also had to be careful with her wrists due to Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, a form of muscular dystrophy.

Throughout the competition, Nixon’s spirit brought smiles to the crowd. When asked if she was nervous, she paused before responding with a nonchalant “No.” Later, she admitted, “It was scary.”

This was Nixon’s first time competing, but Kanihan had participated several years ago as a sous chef for Nixon’s brother. The two worked together quietly and efficiently. Their dish featured a well-seasoned combination of cool, creamy avocado ranch and crispy, spicy carne asada.

“She did a lot better than I thought,” Kanihan said. “She's awesome.”

Despite burning her hand while stirring a pot of black beans during the competition, Nixon remained composed. She and her aunt left the event with an ice bag and third-place ribbons.

Team Avocado: A Chill Duo with a Hot Dish

From Lincoln, Roberto Alvarado Jr., 12, and his father, Roberto Alvarado Sr., stood out as a notably chill duo compared to the sizzling pots of shrimp and boiling rice. Alvarado Jr. started cooking three years ago after watching his parents make enchiladas and their famous tacos. He refined his buttery shrimp burrito bowl recipe with his uncle Anthony, relying on memory during the competition rather than referencing written recipes.

The Alvarados’ success came from their communication and division of tasks. While Alvarado Jr. tended to the stove and engaged with the audience, his father handled the vegetables. They practiced beforehand to understand what the competition would be like.

“We practiced first to see what it's like,” Alvarado Jr. said. “I'm going to tell him to do this and, if I can't do it, I'll tell my father to help and look.”

Their creativity, including oven-crisped cheese squares on top of the shrimp, caught the judges’ attention and earned them second place.

“This was pretty fun with just me and him,” Alvarado Sr. said. “I'm just so proud of him.”

Team Belle Belle Redco: A Family Affair

Having competed in the Junior Chef competition three times, Isabelle Nasah and her mother, Andrea, decided to take part again. Wearing red and black “Team Isabelle” shirts, the mother-daughter pair from Grass Valley created a colorful chicken-tomato mixture in a crispy, potato-based shell. Their rowdy cousins and friends cheered them on from the audience as they moved between the stove and sink.

Isabelle specializes in pastry baking but grew up in a family of cooks. Her uncle, Jamal Reddrick, known as ChefJ.Redd, is a local personal chef who focuses on plant-based meals.

“It's just something we enjoy doing,” Andrea Nasah said. “We grew up knowing a big part of the home is actually the kitchen. So the bigger the kitchen, the better off we are.”

After watching a cooking competition on television three years ago, Isabelle encouraged her mother to sign her up for the state fair’s competition. This week’s event marked her second win. Looking ahead, she hopes to continue developing her culinary skills and compete again next year.

“I plan on creating more and more,” Nasah said. “The culinary field is kind of competitive, but hopefully I am able to go on Food Network and compete on the real show one day.”