Devastating Loss Inspires Sweet 'Chopped Junior' Contestant

11-year-old Caitlyn White of Arnold, Maryland, got jiggy with it on Chopped Junior, impressing the judges with her Irish dancing and her Italian wedding soup. Saying she was going to "jig my way all the way to the winner's circle," turned out to be true, with the judges being quite impressed by the well-balanced and smoky flavors of her soup appetizer and her entree and dessert. The competition was fun for Caitlyn, but also a much needed distraction from the recent loss of her father who died of melanoma cancer. Her father loved Caitlyn's cooking and she felt like he was definitely there with her. For Caitlyn, cooking is something she likes to do with her mom and around the holidays for her entire family, including her sister who doesn't like vegetables. Caitlyn claimed the secret to getting her sister to eat healthy was to hide vegetables in her food so she doesn't notice them. In the end, Caitlyn's cooking won the judges' favor but in the meantime she stole our hearts by wanting to win the competition for her mom because, "she so brave and strong and amazing."