MasterChef Junior fans were thrown into mourning in November 2020 when Ben Watkins was confirmed dead by his family. The youngster was so full of life and quickly became one of the fan favorites during his stint on the Fox cooking show. Watkins contested with other young passionate chefs on MasterChef Junior Season 6 in 2018 and ranked in the top 18. While he didn’t win the final prize, the aspiring chef showcased his exceptional culinary skills to millions of viewers.
Before his brief stint in the spotlight, young Ben Watkins had a tragic experience in his life. Regardless of the challenges he had to face at such a tender age, Watkins remained strong until his last day. The young chef was loved by audiences and the general MasterChef community, including Gordon Ramsay who paid tribute to him on Twitter. From his unfortunate early life experiences to the tremendous journey to fame and the sad ending, read all you need to know about Ben Watkins.
Ben Watkins Lost His Parents At 10
Ben Watkins was born in Gary, Indiana, in the United States, to Michael Watkins and Leila Edwards who raised him in his place of birth. Growing up, Watkins picked up amazing baking skills from his mother and learned from his father’s business. He lived in a happy home, or so it seemed, until September 2017 when his world came crumbling down. At just 10 years of age, Ben Watkins became an orphan after losing his parents in a murder-suicide incident in 2017.
According to the Chicago Tribune, Watkins’s father, Michael, fatally shot his wife Leila before turning the gun on himself. Consequently, Watkins was left under the care of his maternal uncle Anthony Edwards, and grandmother Donna Edwards who raised him until his demise. While the tragic incident shook Watkins to the bone, he remained strong and continued to pursue his passion in the culinary world.
He Aspired To Become a Professional Chef
From an early age, Ben had made it clear that all he wanted to do was cook and aspired to pursue a career as a chef like his father. He also had big dreams of opening a restaurant of his own. Watkins’s father owned a restaurant named Big Ben’s Bodacious Barbecue & Deli in Gary. Michael named the restaurant after his son, Ben. This influenced Watkins’ decision to become a restauranteur in the future.
As a young child, Ben Watkins began gathering experience by working at his father’s restaurant. He would run the cash register, take orders, and sell his homemade pastries, including brownies, banana bread, cookies, and cinnamon rolls. After his parents’ death, Watkins didn’t give up on his culinary aspirations. Subsequently, he took the bold step of competing on reality television with other young chefs.
Remembering Ben Watkins’ MasterChef Journey
One year after his parents died in a tragic turn of events, Ben Watkins took his culinary skills to the screen. He was 11 years old when he appeared on Fox Channel’s MasterChef Junior in 2018. For the premiere, Watkins appeared as one of the 40 contestants aged between nine and 13 to compete for a slot on the show. The winner would also walk away with the $100,000 prize in the finale.
MasterChef fans warmed up to Ben Watkins after hearing his tragic story. Most importantly, Watkins became a fan favorite by displaying groundbreaking skills in the kitchen. He got the final white apron of the night after leaving judges awestruck with his peach cobbler with whipped cream and caramel sauce. Watkins finished the show in the top 18.
How Did Masterchef’s Ben Watkins Die?
Shortly after his 13th birthday, Ben Watkins was diagnosed with Angiomatoid Fibrous, a rare kind of cancer that mostly occurs in children and young adults. The funds raised for Watkins after his parents’ death went into paying his medical bills while he received chemotherapy for the soft tissue tumors that affected his lung, spine, and shoulder. Sadly, the treatment didn’t change his fate.
After a year of fighting cancer, the former MasterChef Junior star died on Monday, November 16, 2020, three years after his parents passed on. He was 14 at the time of his death. Tributes poured in from his family, fans, and the general public. A statement on the MasterChef Junior official Instagram page described him as “a tremendous role model for chefs of all ages.” Watkins is the second deceased MasterChef contestant, following Josh Mark from MasterChef Season 3.
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