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Former “Top Chef Junior” competitor, Fuller Goldsmith, has died at the age of 17. His death was announced by the producers of the cooking show Magical Elves on Oct. 5, 2021. He would have turned 18 years old on October 9.
On their Instagram post, Magical Elves said they were ” devastated after hearing about the loss of our Top Chef Junior alum, Fuller Goldsmith. He was an incredible chef and the strongest kid we’ve ever met. From the minute he was introduced to us, we knew he would make an impact on everyone around him and be a positive force in cooking world.”
They then sent his family all their “love as they mourn the loss of someone truly special.”
A memorial service was held for Goldsmith at the First United Methodist Church of Tuscaloosa. He fiercely battled leukemia five times throughout his lifetime. For years, he courageously and selflessly pioneered through his childhood cancer treatments until peacefully passing in his Alabama family home.
Goldsmith once joked with his loved ones that he attended the “School of Life” where he learned everything he needed to know in the kitchen. He competed on and won Food Network’s “Chopped Junior.” His loved ones feel that Goldsmith inspired more during his 17 years of life than anyone ever. He lived each day to its fullest.
His love for cooking began when he was 4 years old. According to a 2017 article in Tuscaloosa magazine, Goldsmith admitted it was his father’s barbeque sauce and chicken wings that made his love of cooking so strong. His father made this dish for every Crimson Tide football game tailgate party.
He spent years in and out of treatment at Children’s of Alabama hospital in Birmingham. Goldsmith appreciated everything the hospital did to help him — and others — through treatments. After he won “Chopped Jr” he donated his winnings to the hospital.
Many people took to social media to pay their respects to the young chef. Guy Fieri tweeted, “What Fuller accomplished in his life and the example he set for people battling cancer was remarkable.”
Governor Kay Ivey also wrote a tribute to him on Twitter:
So saddened to learn of the passing of Fuller Goldsmith, of Tuscaloosa. Fuller won Food Network’s “Chopped Junior” in 2017. A senior in high school, he battled cancer since he was 4-years-old. He was an inspiration to all who knew him. Prayers for his family and friends.
According to Joe Gaither’s tweet, “The student body released 32 balloons in honor of Fuller Goldsmith, his life and legacy,” on the Crimson Tide field.
The young chef is survived by his parents, grandparents, and his friends. May he rest in peace.
Written by Sheena Robertson
Sources:
Tuscaloosa Memorial Chapel Funeral Home and Crematory: EDWARD’S OBITUARY
NPR: ‘Top Chef Junior’ competitor Fuller Goldsmith has died at age 17; by Elizabeth Blair
Top and Featured Image Courtesy of Grant Matthews’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License