Thirteen-year-old culinary sensation Jasmine Stewart, who in May copped the coveted title MasterChef: Junior Edition, arrives in Jamaica today as a special guest of the Jamaica Observer’s Applaud It!

The Ron Clark Academy student, whose physician father Steven hails from Kingston, won the MasterChef Junior Fox TV series, the MasterChef Junior trophy as as well as the US$100,000 grand prize.

The series, which was hosted by British culinary star Chef Gordon Ramsay and renowned pastry chef Christina Tosi, tests the abilities of young chefs in a series of food challenges varying in difficulty.

Stewart made her way from Top 40 to Top 20 to Top 12 before being eliminated.

However, fate smiled on her, providing an opportunity to be one of six junior chef contestants returning to cook their way back into the competition. “It did not feel good to be sent home, so I worked hard to not have that happen again in the competition,” she told the Observer.

Stewart returned with a vengeance and won the advantage challenge of cutting up a whole chicken. The rest is now pure foodie history.

Stewart, who has just returned from an extensive tour of Europe, is excited about her first trip to Jamaica and is eager to immerse herself in the culture as well as the food. Escoveitch fish is at the top of her list.