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- Ben Watkins, a sixth season contestant of “MasterChef Junior,” died on November 16 of a rare cancer, his family said. He was 14.
- Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay, judge of the cooking contest, paid tribute to Watkins on social media.
- “Ben, you were an incredibly talented home cook and an even stronger youngster,” Ramsay tweeted and wrote on Instagram along with a photo of Watkins.
- Watkins was living with his grandmother at the time of his death, as his parents died in 2017 in a homicide-suicide.
- Visit the Insider home page for more stories.
“MasterChef Junior” contestant Ben Watkins of Gary, Indiana, died on November 16 of a rare cancer, according to a statement from his family. He was 14.
Watkins late parents Leila Edwards and Mike Watkins opened Big Ben’s Bodacious BBQ and Delicatessen in Gary. According to the Chicago Tribune, the restaurant was named in Ben’s honor, and he spent time there working the cashier, taking customer orders, and selling his homemade baked goods, according to the Chicago Tribune.
In a 2017 interview with Watkins, The Tribune reported that he dreamed of opening his own restaurant one day, as his father did.
When he was 11, the aspiring young chef rose to prominence by appearing in the sixth season of the FOX cooking contest, judged by chef Gordon Ramsay, chef Christina Tosi and restaurateur Joe Bastianich. Watkins finished in the top 18 of that season, according to the New York Times.
After Ramsay learned of Watkins’ death, he posted a photo of the 14-year-old on his Instagram and Twitter feeds along with a sincere homage
“Today we lost a cooking master @MasterChefJrFOX,” wrote Ramsay. “Ben, you were an incredibly talented home cook and an even stronger young man. Your young life has had so many tough turns but you have always persevered. Sending all the love to Ben Watkins’ family with this terrible Gx loss.”
—Gordon Ramsay (@GordonRamsay) November 17, 2020
A tribute from the official “MasterChef Junior” Twitter account called Watkins “an extraordinary model for chefs of all ages”.
—MasterChef Junior (@MasterChefJrFOX) November 18, 2020
A GoFundMe page for the Watkins family explains that the aspiring chef was diagnosed with angiomatoid fibrous histiocytoma, a rare soft tissue cancer typically found in children, according to the National Library of Medicine, shortly after his 13th birthday.
“Our Ben went home to be with his mom this afternoon after a year and a half battle with cancer,” his grandmother, Donna Edwards, and uncle Anthony Edwards wrote in a statement. “After losing both of his parents in September 2017, we marveled at Ben’s strength, courage and love for life.”
Watkins’ parents died in a homicide-suicide in 2017, the Chicago Tribune reported.
“He never, ever complained,” wrote Watkins’ grandmother and uncle in the continuing statement announcing his death. “Ben was and always will be the strongest person we know. When Ben’s rare disease was shared with the world, he was so heartened by the outpouring of love he received from every corner of the globe, especially here in his hometown of Gary, Indiana.. “
Watkins’ “MasterChef Junior” family shared a video message on YouTube for their castmate wishing him well during the treatment. The video was released on August 18, weeks after the first public news of her diagnosis.
“If you can beat me in MasterChef’s kitchen, you can beat this,” Ramsay said in the hopeful video, which you can watch below.
“We cannot thank this community enough for supporting our family in prayer and for all that you have done,” wrote Donna and Anthony Edwards.
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