Kyle on winning Junior MasterChef: It felt like a dream

Pinoy Junior MasterChef (JMC) winner Kyle Imao said his triumph “felt like a dream.”

He plans to become a chef and have his own restaurant someday.

Kyle beat equally young finalists Philip Amarillo, Jobim Jalbuena and Mika Tanaka in ABS-CBN’s kiddie cooking competition “Junior MasterChef Pinoy Edition.”

“It was like really a big surprise for me. I felt like it was a dream, when the balloons and confetti were showering on me and all the top 20 kiddie cooks were congratulating me,” Kyle told Yahoo! Philippines OMG! in an e-mail interview.

For Kyle, the finale was anyone’s ball game. He thought the four of them are all good cooks.

“Mika is very persevering, Jobim has fine taste, Philip is super fast and as I said, we all felt that we were all winners already before the final round,” Kyle said.

When the battle was just between him and Philip, Kyle said he thought his opponent would win since Philip “learns fast and is very resourceful.”

Kyle’s winning dishes “Oyster Ravioli” and “Asian fusion shrimp and scallops” were inspired by his cooking and dining experiences with his family, and dishes he learned from JMC.

“It was also a summary of my JMC experience because I took elements from my winning dishes in the previous challenges like the "cilantro lime sauce" of my “pansit luglug,” avocados from my Mexican platter, grilled prawns from the team challenges, edible flowers and plating style from my “balut” dish, plus new techniques that I have learned like foam, searing and flambéing, cooking with wine, and jellies,” he added.

Kyle feels grateful to host Judy Ann Santos and judges Chef Ferns, Chef Lau, and Chef Jayps for giving the kiddie cooks tips on various techniques in the kitchen.

“They have their own specialties so they all help us in different ways. Ate Juday does not only give good cooking advice, but also takes very good care of us in the set. She is very, very nice and loving to all of us kiddie cooks.”

Catching up with school

Now that the show has ended, Kyle is catching up on his studies. He managed to do well in school, even if he missed some of his classes.

“I learned how to manage my time and focus more. My grades have improved a lot because of my experience in JMC, maybe that is why the school is also supporting me.”

Since Kyle is still too young to put up his own restaurant, his family plans to open a “pancit luglog” business or a small restaurant.

“Maybe in summer, we will try to put up the small restaurant, or a “halo halo” stand, at least! I will not stop cooking because I am sure that this is what I really want,” he said.

Giving showbiz a try

Entering showbiz may not be Kyle’s top priority now, but he is open to joining showbiz if there’s an opportunity.

“If I can get into showbiz even if I am not showbiz material like Jobim and Caitlin, I would be very grateful. I admire Ate Juday for being an actress and a great cook at the same time, I would like to be just like her,” Kyle said.

Kyle added that he misses all the kiddie cooks, Judy Ann, and the chef judges, as well as the show’s production people.

“It was really, really hard but it was also really fun. I would be happy to repeat the whole experience again,” he said.

Long term plans

Ten years from now, Kyle sees himself a full-time chef running his own restaurant. He also wants to teach others how to cook.

“By that time also, me and my father may have our own restaurant already, but my dad says I still have to gain experience outside so I can learn a lot more. Someday, I want to teach other people how to cook as well so I can return the favor to my dad, the chef judges, and everyone else who have taught me,” Kyle said.

Meanwhile, the master kiddie chef will cut the ribbon at Tradecon’s fifth annual Food and Beverage Expo and HORECA (Hotel, Restaurant and Caterers Expo) on Thursday, March 1, 10 a.m. at the PICC. The fair, which will run until Sunday, March 4, features over 300 exhibitors, including local and international suppliers, distributors, and manufacturers. International exhibitors from Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Korea and the US will also showcase their products.