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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, November 10, 2016 | 42 John Bkila Sub-Editor jbkila@oakvillebeaver.com Oakville pre-teen ready to make her Chopped Canada Junior debut Leia Martin will face-off against other junior cooks her age in reality TV cooking competition airing Sunday at 8 p.m. by John Bkila Oakville Beaver Staff Artscene birthday party. The Oakville pre-teen said she found out about the competition after her aunt saw the call for contestant applications on Facebook and immediately alerted her niece to it. Supported by family Supported by both her mom and aunt, Leia decided to apply. "It was super cool to go through interviews and the whole process "Connected to your Community" At age 12, Oakville's Leia Martin is on a mission to prove, despite her young age, she's an excellent cook. The youngster will be competing on a Chopped Canada special Sunday (Nov. 13) that will pit her up against three other junior cooks. It'll help Leia that cooking is in her blood -- she grew up with a grandmother who owned a Chinese restaurant. Cooking runs in the family In fact, Leia's entire family grew up in the restaurant business and all have speciality dishes they bring to their family dinners. "I was completely shocked when I learned I had been selected to compete on Chopped Canada Junior," Leia told the Oakville Beaver. "I know there are always a huge number of kids that apply and I was just another one of those kids." Competition is fierce Leia was chosen from more than 1,000 applicants across Canada. "I actually couldn't believe it. I was immediately nervous but ecstatic at the same time," she said of being chosen. The Food Network Canada series, hosted by Brad Smith, sees participants compete before a rotating panel of three judges, racing against a clock to turn mystery ingredients into a threecourse meal. Course-by-course, the judges decide who gets "chopped" from the competition until a single winner remains. Competitors face off for the chance to win a coveted title and cash prize of $5,000. Leia said she would use the prize money to take her family on a Hawaiian trip if she won. I am super excited to have had the chance to enter a cooking competition let alone Chopped Canada Junior. My family has always enjoyed watching this show... It's surreal because I have never been on TV or done anything like this before. Leia Martin Oakville teen Excited for the opportunity "I am super excited to have had the chance to enter a cooking competition let alone Chopped Canada Junior," she noted. "My family has always enjoyed watching this show.... It's surreal because I have never been on TV or done anything like this before." Leia admitted before being selected for Chopped Canada Junior, the closest thing she had ever gotten to a cooking competition was a friend's Chopped-themed of being on TV and I would love to do it again someday," she added. "I am a little anxious about being watched on TV by everyone in Canada because it is such a big step for me, but I have my friends and family supporting me and I can't wait until it airs." Episode airs Sunday The six-episode Chopped Canada Junior special premiered on Oct. 16. Leia's episode, the fifth in the series, will air at 8 p.m. Leia Martin will be appearing in Sunday's (Nov. 13) Chopped Canada Junior competition, which pits young cooks against one another. The episode, the fifth in the series, will air at 8 p.m. | photo courtesy Chopped Canada Big Movies, Small Prices! 171 Speers Road (at Kerr) Oakville General: $8.50 children (3-13): $6.50 seniors (65+): $6.50 tuesdays: $5.00 905-338-6397 www.film.ca facebook.com/filmca @Filmcacinemas trolls (G) November 4th Doctor straNGe (PG) November 4th FaNtastic beasts aND Where to FiND them (stc) November 18th allieD (stc) November 23rD moaNa (stc) November 25th