JACKSON HOLE, WYO – While most 12-year-olds are phalanges phenoms when it comes to Minecraft or texting their friends, Buck Milligan practices finger dexterity dicing onions. The young chef is poised beyond his years and simmering with skills.
After winning an episode of Chopped Junior last November, the Food Network invited Milligan back with 15 others for a first-ever Chopped Junior grand championship. The show was taped months ago but aired last night. Milligan won the grand finale and walked away with $25,000 in prize money.
Every other contestant in the five-part tournament was older than Milligan, but Buck wasn’t worried a bit. One by one they were chopped until only two 13-year-olds and a 15-year-old stood against him.
“My competitors shouldn’t underestimate me,” Milligan said on the show.
Still, judge Marcus Samuelsson said, “I’m very nervous for Buck, because he’s the youngest.”
In one round, Milligan announced, “I’m going to make a deconstructed berry tart.
Deconstructed berry tart? Who is this kid?
Milligan said he was confident the “simplicity of [his] dessert” would benefit him. For the berry filling, he combined freeze-dried blueberries with fresh ones, along with some strawberries. He finished the dish with cherimoya whipped cream.
“This is so sophisticated,” said judge Maneet Chauhan, who added she couldn’t believe Milligan was only 11 when the show was taped.
Milligan survived a bit of criticism for dry meatballs when preparing his appetizer of camel and pine nut meatballs served with earthworm jerky and tomato candy marinara sauce. But judge Marc Murphy called the worm jerky in the marinara sauce “genius.”
Milligan is from Jackson Hole, Wyoming, so he knows his way around butchering and boning out game. When a full goat leg showed up in the basket of ingredients for the entree round, Milligan felt right at home. He expertly broke down the goat leg, sautéed it with sweet cherry ketchup, and served it with mashed potatoes. Samuelsson and Chauhan felt the potatoes were a little undercooked but raved about the meat.
During one segment of Chopped Junior extra’s called “Make Me a Judge,” Milligan had a classic exchange with celebrity judge Chris Santos. Santos himself began working in restaurants at the age of 13, earning his first executive chef position at 23.
“Why do you want to be a judge?” Milligan was asked.
“I would love to try some of the world’s best chef’s food. And I’m a bit of a leader, and a little bit of a control freak,” Milligan said with a smirk.
“You’ll make a great chef,” Santos fired back.
