Apparently 2014 is a good year for bar mitzvah boys.
Earlier this year, 12-year-old Josh Orlian wowed and/or horrified audiences with his verrry dirty comedy routine on “America’s Got Talent.” Then viral bar mitzvah boy Sam Horowitz resurfaced with his very own fashion web series. And now, in time for the High Holidays, we meet Eitan Bernath, of Teaneck, NJ, the new star of the Food Network’s show “Chopped.” On September 30, the show is airing its first-ever teen episode, featuring contestants in fifth and sixth grade.
The young chef–a student at Yavneh Academy is Paramus–sports his kippah throughout the show and even had to consult his rabbi before cooking non-kosher dishes.
The Jewish Standard reports:
“He watched a ton of videos on how to cook foods not in our house,” his mother said. “He spoke with Rabbi Knapp” — Yavneh’s principal — “about what was and was not halachically allowed. He told Eitan he could cook the meat, but he couldn’t cook meat and dairy together.”
Fortunately, Eitan was not placed in that position.
“The meat wasn’t kosher, but they didn’t put cream in the basket,” Ms. Bernath said. “And he wore his kippah.”
This kid is no joke. He makes his own cheese (Indian paneer) and he cures his own meat (kosher bacon). When at 6 years old he had a lemonade stand, Eitan insisted on baking the cookies himself and juicing lemons from scratch.
His favorite Food Network star? Chef Guy Fieri. Eitan even dressed up as Fieri for Purim and wore the costume to his hero’s book signing. Bernath’s mom told the Jewish Standard, “When [Fieri] saw him, he stopped the signing. Eitan had written him a long letter and he let him read it. He kept hugging him. The book publisher was there and he took photos.”
We’ll definitely be tuning in for this one. Here is Eitan counting down the days till the show airs! (via Instagram)
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