Twelve-Year-Old Heads to Virginia to Compete in K12 Culinary Competition
Abijah Levy Minor, a 12-year-old student from Beverly Glen, has cooked his way to the national spotlight. The sixth grader at California Virtual Academies has secured a place among the top five finalists in the 2025 K12 National Cook-Off, set to take place in Arlington, Virginia.
Minor said, “I enjoy making people happy with my meals, and I also like to have fun in the process of cooking,” as quoted by ABC 7 News.
Abijah’s journey began with a dish he calls “Raw Alaska,” which impressed judges enough to earn him a spot in the final round of the competition. Selected from a pool of more than 400 student applicants across the country, Abijah will now compete in two timed challenges for a chance to win the $1,000 grand prize.
The first round of the final competition will test contestants’ creativity under pressure; each young chef will randomly draw an ingredient card and have one hour to craft an original entrée. In the second round, they’ll have 30 minutes to make a dessert of their choice. Abijah has already chosen to prepare a trifle for the dessert portion.
Abijah, who developed a passion for cooking in early childhood, will travel to Arlington next week with his father to compete. But for the young chef and his family, the experience itself is the biggest reward.
His parents agree, “Regardless of what happens, he’s already a winner.”
