Masterful Macaron: Junior Edition
Photography by Laura Fontaine
We jumped into the kitchen with 12 year old chef, Cydney, who you may recognize from Fox's Master Chef Junior. Her smile - contagious. Her talent in the kitchen - delicious. Her love for her twin sister, Dylan - as sweet as her macarons. From cooking gluten free for her sister who is gluten intolerant to starring in Master Chef Junior, we caught up with Cydney before this week's episode airing Thursday at 8pm EST.
pP: Tell us a bit more about your cooking... What inspires you in the kitchen?
C: I love to cook, but, I especially love to bake! I’m inspired by all kinds of things. Sometimes it is just simple and I cook something because it sounds good but I really like to make things that are a challenge. My specialty is making soufflé because I love to see how high I can get them to rise and to try different versions – sweet or savory. I watch a lot of videos and shows about cooking and that gives me lots of ideas.
pP: We LOVE to snack! What are your top 3 favorite weekday (or weekend) snacks?
C: Often when I come home from school I make something. At least once or twice a week I make macarons, like these we're making today. I also like to make crepes because I can put different fillings in them. I snack on fruits and vegetables, a lot. I love fresh pita bread with tzatziki, too!
pP: Do you wear an apron? We find there are so many fun ones! If so, where are your favorite's from?
C: I always wear an apron because everything I make seems to be messy. I wear some of my moms vintage aprons. I have one with cats on it and that was a gift from my aunt and one from abc carpet & home that was a gift from my friend colleen. Of course, my favorite apron is my masterchef junior apron!
pP: We heard you cook gluten-free. What does that mean exactly?
C: I don’t always cook gluten free but I try to do it as much as possible. It takes a while to get used to because you can’t always just substitute regular flour for gluten free flour. The cook times and consistencies change a lot. Gluten is hidden in so many products and ingredients so it can be a real challenge for some dishes.
pP: What inspired you to cook gluten-free?
C: My twin sister Dylan is gluten free so I always try to make her special treats that she can eat!
pP: The kitchen's in Master Chef Jr. look awesome! What's your favorite thing about cooking on set?
C: My favorite thing about cooking in the Master Chef Jr. kitchen is that you have everything you could ever need! It’s a great place to be able to experiment and of course the people there make it even more fun.
pP: Was Master Chef Jr. your first time on TV? What do you love about it?
C: It was my first time on tv. I didn’t love the fact that I was on tv as much as the fact that I got to cook for all of these amazing people. They taught me so much and I learned a lot about cooking and a lot about myself. It was pretty stressful at times but I learned a lot and made amazing friends that I hope I have forever.
Catch Cydney and all her friends on Master Chef Junior this Thursday at 8pm EST on Fox!