“MasterChef Junior” contestant, 12-year-old Malia Brauer, sat down with KHTS for an interview ahead of the airing of the grand finale of the series.

A resident of Newhall, Malia began cooking at the tender age of four, helping her mother in the kitchen by measuring ingredients or stirring. As she grew older and grew as “a little chef” she began to be more involved in the cooking process.

“When I was four, my mom, she kept on giving me these little plastic knives, and she expects me to cut with them?” Malia said. “No, you can’t cut anything with them. Then she got more comfortable with me actually using real knives when I was five or six.”

Malia’s interest in the culinary arts continued to grow over time, and when “MasterChef Junior” began airing, she was immediately enraptured.

“I’ve always wanted to be a MasterChef Junior, since it all started actually, and I’d just been asking my mom and she was like ‘no Malia, I don’t know if you’re ready,’” Malia said. “Then finally when I was in like, 6th grade, she’s like ‘why am I crushing her dreams you know just go for it’. So we went to the audition, we got to know the audition process, and here you have it, you know, I made it.”

Malia spoke fondly of her experiences on the show stating that she had learned a lot and grown as a chef.

“I have grown tremendously, I have grown so much, just because I got to see how other people cooked and how their style was,” Malia said. “I just got in the practice when I was on the show. It wasn’t only (about) serving it to you, but it was practicing for myself.”

When asked about her thoughts on host Gordon Ramsey, Malia said that she really liked him, and that while he was a little strict, she appreciated his criticism as it helped her to improve as a chef.

“I’ve learned a lot of new things,” Malia said.“I’ve learned how to plate really beautifully, I’ve learned a lot, and I’m very happy.”

Malia took part in the show while still keeping up with her responsibilities as a student, working hard to adjust her homework and study habits to balance with her time on the show. She would often do homework in class if allowed, or if needed would stay up just a little longer to finish assignments.

“I had a great experience, it was super fun,” Malia said. “I got to meet a lot of really talented chefs and got to make some new friends that now are going to be lifelong friends.”

Malia especially bonded with Che, one of her fellow contestants. In summer 2018, Malia visited him in New York for about a week, and then over winter break, Che and his brother traveled to California to visit Malia.

“They got to go to the beach and Venice Boardwalk and it was really fun,” Malia said.

When asked about her plans for the future, Malia indicated that she has given some thought towards owning her own restaurant or becoming a chef, though her experiences on the show — including working in the kitchen of a two-Michelin star restaurant — has given her pause.

“It was very hot, very tight,” Malia said. “I have had some thoughts but I am not sure.”

As for what advice she would give to people who want to cook at home, Malia said “Just go for it, be creative,”  but also suggested “sticking to what you know” as dishes that are more familiar will be easier to learn.

The finale of “MasterChef Junior,” a two-hour special is set to air Tuesday, June 4 on FOX.

As one of the final three contestants, Malia is set to compete for the title of “MasterChef Junior”, a trophy and $100,000 grand prize.

Malia plans to take part in Camp MasterChef this coming summer, in both the new location in Claremont, CA, as well as Texas.

Camp MasterChef is meant to give children and teens the chance to experience “MasterChef Junior” first-hand. The Camp MasterChef mission is to engage aspiring home cooks with an exciting and enriching culinary experience, according to organizers.

“It is an experience for them to get to know us, get to know how we felt and get to practice cooking,” Malia said.

Campers are encouraged to “develop strong cooking capabilities, healthy lifestyle habits and personal growth skills, while having the time of their lives,” according to organizers.

Through team challenges and competitions, they form strong connections and create unforgettable memories together.

For more information and to register for Camp MasterChef visit the website.

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