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Local girl wins Chopped Junior cooking contest on Food Network

Posted at 12:11 AM, Jan 06, 2016
and last updated 2016-01-06 17:10:38-05

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. -- Two local girls showed off their cooking skills Tuesday night on Chopped Junior program on the Food Network. One of them even took home the top prize.

Emily Waters, 11, attends Henrico's Hungary Creek Middle school and 10-year-old Claire Hollingsworth is from Moseley in Chesterfield County.

The junior cooks were competing in the cooking show, where they had to whip up a dish using a bag of mystery ingredients.

Emily said she learned how to cook from watching her mom in the kitchen and because she watches a lot of the Food Network. Claire said she’s been cooking with her dad since she was three years old.

The show actually taped in August, but the kids held a watch party for their episode Tuesday night.

The girls said they were nervous when they started taping the show, but meeting each other helped.

“I was kinda scared, but I met Emily and I felt OK. I was just nervous all the kids there were going to be mean,” Claire said. “We are really happy that we met each other and we cheered each other on.”

"It was really nerve wrecking but overall it was just a really amazing experience and to be able to do that no matter what the outcome was just really great," Emily said.

Claire Hollingsworth took home the $10,000 top prize with her winning shrimp chip crusted clam salad with spicy Japanese mayo dish.

At the watch party, the little culinary stars also donated $1,000 to FeedMore to support programs dedicated to feeding children, families, and seniors in Central Virginia.

Claire Hollingsworth, 10 (left) Emily Waters, 11, (right)

Claire Hollingsworth, 10 (left) FeedMore CEO Doug Pick (center) Emily Waters, 11, (right)

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