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Chopped Junior 2017 winner Fuller Goldsmith recently passed away after a long battle with cancer. He was just 17 at the time of his passing. The news of his tragic demise was confirmed by the Top Chef Junior production house Magical Elves:
“We are 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. To his family, we give all our love as they mourn the loss of someone truly special.”
The youngster was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia at the tender age of three and battled the disease four times throughout his life. He went into remission in August 2020 but unfortunately the cancer returned earlier this year.
The teen chef’s untimely demise has left the TV and culinary industry in shock. Several industry professionals, well-wishers and fans took to social media to pay tribute to Fuller Goldsmith following his death.
Everything about Fuller Goldsmith as Twitter mourns the loss of young chef
Fuller Goldsmith was a 17-year-old celebrity chef from Alabama. He is best remembered as the winner of Chopped Junior 2017. He competed in the show at the age of 13 and won the competition after making a beer-battered catfish with okra.
During an old interview with This is Alabama, his mother Melissa said the teen had been passionate about cooking since he was just three years old. However, his parents realized his potential after he decided to take part in the Food Network show:
“We didn't realize how talented he was until he went and won Chopped Junior. I guess when he cooks all day at home we take it for granted. When he applied for it, I really didn't think anything about it. He went online, he said it was me, and he signed up for Chopped Junior.”
The reality TV star donated his $10,000 winning prize to the Division of Hematology and Pediatric Oncology at Birmingham Children’s Hospital. During the pandemic, he spent a lot of time cooking in the renowned Southern Ale House restaurant in Tuscaloosa.
The talented teen had been fighting leukemia since he was three. He underwent several years of chemotherapy, bone marrow transplant and spinal surgery battling cancer four times in his life before being declared cancer-free in August 2020.
Unfortunately, the disease returned in February and the chef took to Instagram to announce that he has been diagnosed with a cancerous tumor once again. He was supposed to start proton radiation and more chemotherapy to deal with cancer for a fifth time.
However, Fuller Goldsmith failed to survive the battle with life and passed away at the young age of 17. Following the news of his demise, several fans and admirers took to Twitter to mourn the loss of the young talent:
Fuller Goldsmith also took part in Top Chef Junior last year but had to pull out of the competition due to his health condition. His untimely demise comes just days before his 18th birthday.
He will be deeply missed by his family, friends, colleagues and industry associates. However, his commendable talent, golden heart, and inspiring journey will always be cherished and remembered.
