TORONTO (December 19, 2016) – CTV’s THE MARILYN DENIS SHOW and The Little Potato Company held the ultimate potato cook-off on today’s show, and declared 11-year-old Arnav Malholtra as this year’s Little Chef Champion.

During the cook-off, MASTERCHEF CANADA’s Michael Bonacini took on the role of coach as Brampton’s Arnav and 11-year-old Owen Kennedy of Beaumont, Alta prepared their original recipes using potatoes. Arnav and Owen displayed great skill, passion, and creativity throughout the show.

Arnav won the grand prize of a culinary trip for four to Rome, Italy. Courtesy of The Little Potato Company, the trip includes airfare, accommodation, and an ultimate culinary experience. As the runner-up, Owen took home a $2,500 travel voucher.

This was the second year of the Little Chef contest. THE MARILYN DENIS SHOW and The Little Potato Company would like to thank all the Little Chefs who entered, as well as their parents for their support and commitment to helping their kids learn about cooking and good food. A special thanks goes out to all those who tuned in to the contest and voted for their favourite Little Chef at Marilyn.ca.

This year’s Little Chef contest launched on Sept. 12 with a casting call that garnered video submissions from children across Canada. From there, the submissions were reviewed and narrowed down to 10 semifinalists. Their videos were made available on Marilyn.ca where fans could vote for their favourite Little Chefs. Voters were entered into a contest with a chance to win one of three weekly prize packs from The Little Potato Company. The semifinalists received more than 8,000 votes which helped to determine the two finalists.

The Little Potato Company’s “Little Chef Program” helps parents and kids spend fun and meaningful time together. The program provides tools and tips, Little Chef Approved recipes, age-appropriate tasks for kids of various ages, and information about the important skills they’ll learn as their kitchen skills evolve. The Little Chef Approved recipes are popular not only with kids, but with adults, too. Recipes include Smashed Potato Pizza, Bacon Wrapped Creamer Potatoes, Little Chef Potato Skins, and more.

The contest was promoted and featured at major retailers across Canada with “Little Chef Program” promotional material and programs.