The Winner Is . . .

by Charise Mericle Harper

  Caroline had one big problem. Cilantro! Wasn’t it a staple of Mexican cuisine? Well, not for her. She’d just have to be creative.

  I started with the things that take the most time: lentils and sweet potatoes. My lentils are simmering on the stove with cumin and garlic, and my sweet potatoes are roasting in the oven.

  Rae cut a portobello cap into long thin strips, tossed it with olive oil, put it on a tray, and then into the oven. Next up? Grilling corn on the gas burner.

  Caroline was busy too. She had two pots on the stove: beans and potatoes. She sliced up two ripe plantains, tossed them with coconut, sugar, cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, and salt, and then added them to the sizzling oil in the hot pan.

  Chef Gary came by as she was flipping them over. “Plantains! Now, that’s one of my favorites. Smells good. What’re they cooking in?”

  “Coconut oil, until they’re caramelized.”

  “Good choice, high smoking point. Keep it up.”

  Chef Gary watched Oliver. What was he doing? He’d opened the oven twice, moved something inside, tried to add a baking tray, changed his mind, and closed the oven door. Now he was just standing over it with the tray in his hand.

  “What’s cooking?”

  “Not these!” Oliver dropped the tray of tomatillos, garlic, and jalapeños onto the table. “My oven’s full—there’s no room!”

  “What are you making?”

  “Roasted vegetable salsa.”

  “And that’s the only choice for roasting?”

  Oliver nodded, but then the nod slowly turned into a slow shake. He could use the stovetop.

  “Thank you, Chef!”

  “For what?” Chef Gary shrugged and turned. “I just asked a question.”

  Oliver speared two tomatillos on a large fork, turned on the burner, and roasted them over the flame until the skins were brown and blistered. This would take longer than the oven, but the flavor would be worth it.

  “TWENTY-FIVE MINUTES!”

  “Too soon!” Rae knew she was going to be rushed, but it wasn’t supposed to happen this early. She still had to make corn salsa, chipotle créma, and the corn tortillas! Thankfully her mise en place was set—that would help. She pulled out the food processor, added sour cream, half and half, chipotle peppers, lime, and salt, and then mixed. She rushed the chipotle créma to the fridge. She made a quick stop in the pantry for one additional item—nasturtium blossoms! They were pretty and had a nice peppery taste. She ran back to her workstation carefully holding the yellow and orange flowers.

  Caroline was worried about the mashed potatoes. Could she turn them into potato cakes? Was there time to make her jalapeño compote? She added scallions, lime juice, salt, eggs, and crème fraîche to the potatoes and mixed. Now for the fun part! She scooped out a small spoonful of the mixture, formed it into a patty, and dropped it into a pan of foaming butter. Four minutes on each side and they’d be gold and crispy.

  “FIFTEEN MINUTES!”

  Creamy chipotle sauce was the last thing on Oliver’s list. He whisked mayonnaise, lime juice, puréed charred chipotle peppers, and salt and pepper, then tasted. It was missing something, but what? Creaminess! He ran to the pantry and returned with Greek yogurt.

  At the ten-minute mark, everyone was pressing and heating tortillas. At five minutes, they were plating; and when Chef Gary called time, six tired hands rose into the air.

  Chapter 28

  hef Valentina joined Chef Gary at the front of the tent. The cameras were done with their close-ups of the plates. It was time to judge. Rae felt a shiver slip down her back, Caroline chewed her lip, and Oliver lightly tapped his toes in his shoes. He did it when he was nervous, and from the outside, no one could see.

  “Well, that was some fast work. I wasn’t sure you were going to make it, but here we are.” Chef Gary looked down at the table. “Six amazing tacos. Well done!” He waved his hand. “Please come to the front and stand behind your tray.”

  Chef Valentina studied the plates with her hands clasped in front of her heart. “What tantalizing tacos! I can’t wait to hear about them. Please tell us what you’ve made.”

  I made an ancho chile, portobello, and lentil taco with a tangy garlic-lime slaw and queso fresco. My second taco is a honey-lime sweet potato taco with corn relish, chipotle créma, and nasturtium blossom garnish.

  I made a mini green chive potato cake taco with a crème fraîche topping. My second taco is a sweet smashed plantain and bean taco with a spicy jalapeño compote.

  I made a black bean and avocado taco with a radish salsa fresca and feta crumbles. My second taco is a roasted cauliflower taco with a roasted vegetable salsa and creamy chipotle sauce.

  Chef Valentina turned to Chef Gary. “I can’t believe it. This is amazing. Can we try them now? They all sound incredible!”

  “Absolutely! I thought you’d never ask.” Chef Gary cut the tacos in half and handed her a fork. “Let’s move down the line. We’ll start with Rae and her portobello lentil taco.”

  Chef Valentina took a bite. “The texture is wonderful. I don’t think anyone is going to miss the meat with this taco. The mushrooms have a great meaty feel, the lentils add spice, and the avocado tempers the flavor. This slaw is a great tangy finish. I love it!”

  Chef Gary winked at Rae. “Well, I don’t think there’s anything left to say, do you? Sounds like a job well done!”

  Rae couldn’t stop smiling, especially after the judges tried her sweet potato taco.

  “Honey lime is such a great combination. It’s a delightful blend of sweet and tangy. This truly is a treat.”

  “Nice char on the corn, and the chipotle créma is delicious. I love the pop of color from the nasturtiums, plus they add an unexpected peppery accent.”

  Caroline was next—Rae’s glowing reviews made her nervous.

  Chef Gary picked up the potato taco. “Potato cake—that’s an interesting choice.” He took a bite. “Wow, it really works. It has a nice crunchy crust and the flavor is great. I like the addition of scallions.”

  Chef Valentina licked her lips. “That crème fraîche is a perfect touch.”

  “That’s another win!” Chef Gary winked at Caroline.

  The plantain taco was only a half win. Chef Gary liked it, but Chef Valentina thought the jalapeño compote was overpowering. “It covers up the flavor of those marvelous plantains! And they’re so special and integral to the dish.”

  “Oliver!” Chef Gary looked down at the table. “That cauliflower taco looks amazing.”

  “Radish salsa fresca! That’s what I want to try.” Chef Valentina took a bite. “Wow. Nice crunchy tang. It really elevates it from ordinary to special.”

  Chef Gary liked it too, but he liked the cauliflower taco even more. “How did you flavor the cauliflower?”

  “With cumin, chili powder, and garlic, Chef.”

  Chef Valentina nodded. “Your chipotle sauce is a good complement to the roasted salsa. One has a fiery earthiness and the other is smooth and creamy, and the crust of the cauliflower gives this taco a nice crunch.”

  “Well done, Oliver!” Chef Gary turned to Chef Valentina. “Shall we discuss our findings?”

  Caroline, Oliver, and Rae watched the judges walk to the back of the tent. In just minutes, there’d be a winner, and everyone was thinking the same thing: It could be me.

  Chapter 29

  I knew I was going to win the taco challenge! I do my best work when I have a plan. Taking an extra few minutes to think things through at the beginning really helped. The ancho chile, portobello, and lentil taco was a lot of work, but it was worth it. I feel really good about tomorrow. Plus, now I’m even with Oliver—three whisk pins each. It’s the best way to go into the final winner-take-all challenge.

  he ride in the van back to the lodge was quiet, each contestant thinking their own thoughts. Rae was trying to remember each and every compliment the judges had given her, Caroline was trying to get over being disappointed, and Oliver was angry. Flowers
! That’s why he’d lost. He wouldn’t make that mistake again. If the judges wanted fancy, he’d give them fancy. The next pin would be his. He deserved the food truck and a debut on a real cooking show. Rae and Caroline were worthy competitors. Sure, they’d beaten him in week two, but it wouldn’t happen again. Now more than ever, he needed the Golden Envelope. That advantage would ensure his win in the final round.

  ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ⋅

  The junior chefs had the afternoon free, and after dinner there was time for video chats with their families. The families were staying in nearby hotels, ready to come to the final challenge tomorrow. Oliver spoke to his parents.

  “Thumbs up,” said his dad.

  “I made schnitzel chicken this week,” said his mom, “but you make it better.”

  Oliver nodded. She missed him.

  Caroline’s parents were excited about the challenge. They asked questions and listened. The biggest compliment was from her mom. “Trust yourself, Caroline. You don’t need any advice from me. I’m so proud of you.”

  My dad surprised me on the video chat—my grandma is coming to watch the challenge! I can’t believe it. She’s here! Now everything is even more exciting.

  Chef Nancy gathered the group around the table. “This is our last night together, so I thought we could watch a movie. There’s nothing like a good comedy to get everybody relaxed, but . . .” She looked around the room. “We need some snacks.”

  “Chocolate!”

  “Gummy bears!”

  “Popcorn!”

  “Popcorn! Great idea! Let’s go to the school studio and make some.”

  ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ⋅

  Chef Nancy held the studio door. Oliver stepped in, with Caroline and Rae behind. He stopped. Caroline peered around him. The camera moved in for a close-up. “AAHHH!” Caroline stepped back into Chef Nancy.

  Chef Nancy patted her shoulder. “I’m sorry, but it had to be a surprise. It’s a surprise challenge.”

  “So we’re not making popcorn?” Oliver looked around the room.

  Chef Nancy waved her finger. “The cameras were a surprise, but I didn’t lie. We are making popcorn. Let’s move to the big table.”

  Caroline stepped up and followed Chef Nancy. This was her last chance to even the score. If she won this, they’d all go into tomorrow’s challenge with the same number of pins. Then there’d have to be some kind of tiebreaker in order to win the Golden Envelope.

  Chef Nancy picked a piece of popcorn out of a bowl and held it in her palm. “Why does popcorn pop?”

  No hands went up.

  “It’s water! Each kernel contains a small amount of water, and when the kernel is heated, the water turns to steam and expands. This bursts the shell open, leaving us with this delicious, cooked odd-shaped morsel. A single kernel of popcorn can be launched three feet into the air, so let’s keep the lids on the poppers until we’re done.

  “You have twelve minutes for this challenge. You are to create a bowl of innovative seasoned popcorn. Are you ready?”

  “YES, CHEF.”

  “Let’s get poppin’!”

  Rae ran straight to the pantry. There wasn’t time for notes, but she had an idea—sweet and spicy curried popcorn. She grabbed curry powder, cayenne pepper, turmeric, honey, butter, and salt. “Delicious!”

  Oliver had an idea too. Similar, but different—sweet and spicy wasabi. He filled his basket with brown sugar, salt, wasabi powder, cayenne pepper, and butter.

  Caroline was the opposite. Her mind was blank—she didn’t have a single idea. She stared at the spice wall, hoping for inspiration. And then it happened. She ran back to her workstation with a basketful of spices and a plan: popcorn flavored with herbes de Provence. She mixed rosemary, thyme, oregano, basil, marjoram, fennel seed, savory spice, onion powder, and garlic powder together in a bowl, then set it aside. Now for the popping!

  It’s really easy to make popcorn, especially with a popper. You put oil in the pot, add kernels, attach the lid, then turn the handle until the popping starts, and keep turning until it stops. After that, I just mixed my seasonings with the melted butter and added them to the popcorn.

  “TIME!”

  Caroline raised her hands and looked up. Chef Porter was standing next to Chef Nancy.

  “Bowls to the front!” Chef Nancy waved the junior chefs forward, and Chef Porter turned her back to the table. “Since our bowls all look the same, this will be a blind taste test. Chef Porter won’t know who made what.” Chef Nancy switched up the bowls and moved the junior chefs to the side.

  Chef Porter turned around. “I bet you didn’t know that I was a popcorn person. I’ve loved it ever since I was a little girl.” She tried two pieces of popcorn from each bowl, and then raised her hand. “I like the herbes de Provence—and though it’s satisfying, I wouldn’t call it innovative. The wasabi popcorn is a little too spicy. I can’t imagine eating more than a few pieces. This sweet curry popcorn, though!” Chef Porter reached forward and grabbed a handful. “It’s just the right amount of sweet and heat. Delicious. Who made it?”

  Rae raised her hand.

  “Congratulations, Rae—you are the winner. This popcorn is innovative, interesting, and addictive! I could eat the whole bowl.”

  “Thank you, Chef!” Rae said an even bigger thank-you when Chef Porter pinned the enamel whisk pin to her apron. Unless the judges had more surprise challenges, she’d won it! The Golden Envelope was hers!

  Thursday—Final Winner-Take-All Challenge

  Chapter 30

  hef Nancy was happy mixed with a dash of sad. In just a few hours, the three weeks of competition would be over. Saying goodbye to the junior chefs would be hard, but she was proud of each and every one of them. Who would be the winner? She watched them at the breakfast table. It was impossible to guess.

  “Big day!” She walked over, clapping her hands. “This is it!”

  “After breakfast you’ll have a short visit with your families, and then we’ll get started. Any questions?”

  Steve the producer burst through the door. “The parents are here!”

  A second later the room was filled with people.

  I was so happy to see my grandma . . . and my dad. I even cried a little bit. Caroline introduced me to her parents. My grandma gave her a big hug. She knows we’re best friends now.

  Thirty minutes later Caroline, Rae, and Oliver were following Chef Nancy to the filming studio. She was talking nonstop. “Take your time and plan out your recipes. If you get stuck, take a moment, breathe, and then think of your problem in a new way. Don’t be too ambitious. Be aware of your time.” She looked back over her shoulder. “Goodness, you all know this already. I guess I’m excited too!”

  Chef Nancy pointed to the door. “Before we line up, how about a group high-five? Because whatever happens, we did this together, and this journey has been amazing!”

  “And wonderful.”

  “And special.”

  “And fun.”

  That was a surprise. Rae looked at Oliver. He shrugged. “It’s true. I had fun.”

  “ROLLING.”

  “Next Best Junior Chef is proud to announce the final elimination round of this competition.” The announcer’s voice echoed through the studio. “At the end of today’s challenge, we will have our Next Best Junior Chef! They are the best of the best—the cream of the crop. But who will be the one to rise to the top? Please welcome our three talented contestants: Caroline, Rae, and Oliver!”

  Oliver followed Caroline and Rae down the ramp. It was so exciting! The audience was thunderous, clapping and cheering. He puffed out his chest. For a second he didn’t notice, but then . . . WHAT! Everything was different. The workstations were gone! The big table was gone! And Chef Gary was standing alone in the center of the room. The only familiar thing was the pantry in the distance.

  “Welcome, junior chefs.” He pointed to a spot on the floor. “Don’t be shy. Come forward, line up here.”

  Caroline, Rae, and Oliver
stood motionless, but their eyes darted around the room, looking for clues.

  “As you can see, we’ve made some changes, and I’m sure you’re wondering, What kind of challenge doesn’t need a workstation?” He raised a finger. “No need to answer, because I’m going to show you . . . right now! Look to your left, because HERE THEY COME!”

  Rae screamed.

  Oliver’s mouth dropped open.

  Caroline yelled and flapped her arms.

  Three food trucks drove into the studio: the Crafty Café, Bistro Revilo, and Diner Française.

  “That’s my truck!” Rae shook Caroline’s arm. “LOOK! IT’S REAL! It’s really real!”

  “Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh!” Caroline bounced up and down.

  Oliver slowly closed his mouth.

  My truck was exactly how I dreamed it would look, only better. It was turquoise with a big round red and yellow Crafty Café logo on the side. My favorite thing was the two big Cs on the very top of the truck—they even spun around!

  My truck was amazing! It was silver and shiny like an old-fashioned diner, and it was the only one with a neon sign. It was perfect! The window part that opened for serving had mini flashing lights all around it. I just wanted to hug it!

  My truck was the most sophisticated. It was brown and the logo was tastefully simple—just black and cream. It was a reflection of the kind of food I’m going to make—serious and classy. No gimmicks.