Logan Gullef : Chef Muda Yang Menginspirasi

Memegang tropi Masterchef Junior (Foto : Logan's Instagram)

Senyumnya manis. Gayanya trendi dengan dasi kupu-kupu yang menjadi ciri khasnya. Umurnya baru 12 tahun, tapi ketika ia mengolah makanan di dapur tingkahnya seperti chef profesional. Saya yang mengidolakannya dari layar televisi dibuat berdecak kagum. Dan juga jutaan mata yang menyaksikan kecakapannya menggunakan peralatan dapur dan meramu makanan. Keahliannya memasak membawanya pada tropi paling bergengsi dan gelar paling dimimpikan para chef rumahan junior di Amerika di laga Masterchef Junior season 2, desember 2014 silam. Yah, saya sedang membahasa Logan Gullef. Anak muda yang sangat cerdas dan sangat menginsipirasi. 

November 2014 silam, saya selalu membuat reminder setiap hari rabu sore di stasiun tv fox. Saya menandai acara Masterchef junior season 2. Saya tidak ingin melewatkan satu episode pun. Mengingat acara ini hanya berselang beberapa jam dari jam tayangnya di Amerika, saya pun cukup deg-degan menanti siapa yang akan mendapatkan tropi dan gelar masterchef junior.

Logan Gullef salah satu peserta dari acara ini. Dia cukup pendiam dan jarang disorot kamera. Beberapa peserta yang lain cukup gampang terlihat karena keunikannya. Misalnya Oona yang sangat cantik, Abby dengan kaca mata dan legging warna warninya. Atau Samuel yang berbadan besar dan penuh percaya diri. 

Cute to the max ( Foto : theseriesfactor.com)

Di episode-episode awal saya menyukai Oona, gadis kecil dengan mimik yang lucu. Kemudian seperti permata yang berkilau, Logan muncul  perlahan menyita perhatian juri dan juga perhatian saya tentunya. Pada episode membuat cupcake, dia dan temannya berhasil membuat cupcake yang sangat cantik. Dekorasi karamel berwarna kuning keemasan berhasil membuatnya mendapatkan keuntungan untuk tidak perlu memasak pada test eliminasi. 

Ia terus melejit dan berhasil memukau  Gordon Ramsay, Graham Elliot, dan Joe. Meski ada sebuah episode dimana ia tidal berhasil membuat masakan terbaik. Namun, pada episode semifinal, ia berhasil menunjukkan kemampuannya. Meski tertatih-tatih saat membuat fillet ikan salmon, tapi ia berhasil memukai juri dengan masakan salmon hanya dengan lima bumbu. It was wowing moment! 

Di final dia harus head to head dengan Samuel. Samuel memiliki kepercayaan diri yang tinggi dan memiliki kemampuan membuat rasa makanan beberapa level lebih tinggi dari biasanya. Tapi, dengan penuh ketenangan dan kecakapannya, Logan mampu menghadapinya. Ia menyajikan ikan Branzino yang diselimuti dengan garam dan dimasak dengan pistol asap. What!!! Menyelimuti ikan dengan garam, gue kagak tau, apalagi dimasak pake pistol. "Go Big or go home", katanya ketika juri menyebutnya sebagai anak muda yang bisa jadi paling bodoh atau paling cerdas karena teknik memasak itu. 

Tapi ia berhasil membuktikan bahwa ia cerdas. Masakan itulah yang mengantarnya pada gelar masterchef junior di season 2.

Final Masterchef Junior season 2 ( Foto : Logan's Instagram)

Saya iseng ngetweet selamat untuknya di twitter. Sebuah akun menandainya sebagai favorit. Akun tersebut adalah akunnya. Wow! It was suprising me. And more suprising was he followed my account. Ternyata Logan sangat ramah di twitter. Waktu itu akunnya hanya difollow 500 orang. Saya mengfollownya yang kemudian dibalas olehnya. Jika kamu menyapa, percayalah dia akan berusaha membalas mentionmu. Apapun yang kamu tanyakan sebisa mungkin ia jawab. Hingga saat ini akunnya sudah di follow 9000an orang dan guess hampir semua yang menfollow akunnya difollow kembali. 

Seorang follower memujinya aksi menfolbek itu sebagai gaya marketing seorang public figure  tapi dengan sopan ia menjawab "saya melakukan hal baik karena saya juga ingin diperlakukan dengan baik". Dan terbukti dia sering menyapa para penggemarnya lewat mention bahkan membalas Direct Messages di twitternya yang pasti membuat penggemarnya senang nda ketulungan. Termasuk saya. More like friends not public figure and fans. 

Saya sempat mengajukan daftar pertanyaan padanya beberapa waktu lalu padanya. Meski agak lama baru dia balas toh dia tetap menyempatkan diri membalasnya.  Inilah beberapa pertanyaan yang sempat saya ajukan padanya.

Dwi, thank you so much !!!

 Here are the answers to the interview questions.

1.What’s your complete name? 

    Hi my name is Logan Guleff

2. When and where your birthday?

    I was born in late July of 2002

3. What kind of pet do you have?

 I have 3 cats. Cleo is all black, Thor is orange, and Zeus is buff. I also have some fish

(About School)

1. What grade are you? 

    I am in the 7th grade

2. Where is your school?

  I am homeschooled, so it is in my home.

3. What is your activity in the school (beside studying I mean)? 

I am a Boy Scout and I do a lot of community service projects.

Logan anggota pramuka loh (foto : Logan's Instagram)

4. What lessons do you like most? Why?  

I love Math and Science. Math is just fun and Science is the best. I love learning new things. I really like school, it is so interesting.

5. What lesson that you doesn’t like? Why?

I don't like to write much, and Latin, because both take more time and are kind of boring. I do write posts for my Blog, but it takes lots of time.

6. What do you do with your best friends at school? 

That is tough, because I am the only kid in my school, just me and my Mom. So, I do lots of adventures, field trips, and cooking which is fun. I meet friend for activities after school.

(About Family and Cooking)

1. How many siblings do you have?

    I am an only child.

2. Your mom and your dad always support you. What their quotation that you always remember? 

My Dad always tells me I can eat all the chips and Ice cream, and I won't have to stop till I am 30. It is funny - but seriously, they tell me to do my best and be a good person.

 3. Why do you like to cook?

     Everybody eats, and food is essential to everyone. When you cook good food, you make people happy. I love the new flavors and fun things you can create. It is so exciting. I love it.

4.You start to cook since when? Tell me what you cook.

I started cooking at the age of 2 with coffee, and then moved to cornbread, devil eggs, and pasta. I love being with my Mom in the kitchen.

Membuat Pasta di usia dua tahun (Foto : Logan's Instagram)

5. How many times you cook in your home?

    I cook a lot each week but not usually dinner, because my Dad likes plain food and it isn't fun to cook for him.

6. What is your favorite food or meal?

I love sushi, Japanese food is so simple and complex, it is my favorite.

(About Hobby)

1.What is your hobby besides cooking?

I enjoy indoor rock climbing, skating, archery, laser tag, soccer, dancing and just having fun.
2. I read your blog and I found that you really like to be a volunteer. Can you tell me why you like it?

When I help my community, I feel I learn the most about myself.  I see the world through other people’s eyes and it teaches me. It also feels great to work and help others. If you try it you will see what I mean. Helping makes me feel more confident and it matters, so I matter too.

3. Do you have any special experience when you be a volunteer?

I do, I have only shared it on my blog - but every time I do something in my community from reading to kids or feeding the hungry, I get a special story.

4.  What you do in your break time?

I usually have fun and play with my friends, sometimes we go camping or go to the beach! 

Panjat dinding salah satu hobby Logan (Foto : Logan's Instagram)

(About Masterchef Junior)

1.     Can you tell me a funny moment when you being a contestant at masterchef junior?

I thought it was funny to have a tea party in the balcony. It also was funny to be tied to another kid to cook. I was covered in icing! 

2. Who’s your favorite judge? Why?

I Love Gordon Ramsay! He is so great! He has the highest standards and he really taught me how to set my own standard. Graham wrote to me a year before the show and he is so nice! For me, Joe is the hardest, he can't hide, if he does not like the food.

 3.What’s the most challenging task that you get in competing in Masterchef junior?

The show is not easy! I hated having limited ingredients the most. But the most challenging part was competing against myself - being my best and putting myself on the plate.

4.What’s the biggest difference in your life after winning the masterchef junior contest?

Getting recognized is really kind of crazy! Also meeting people from around the world and learning about their food and culture is really unexpected! I love it! 

 (About Bowties)

1.The bowties is your trademark. Is that your idea? 

Yes. I wore one to my Aunt’s wedding and then my friend in theater said every well dressed man needs them. So I wore them to the MasterChef Junior audition and then on the show! 

2. Since when? 

I wore the first one when I was 7 or 8, I think it was my first wedding! I recited a poem. 

(Miscellaneous)

1.Do you reply your own twitter, IG, and youtube? Or you someone help you?

My Mom and Dad open every message because all people are not nice! But it is all my words. Sometimes people ask me things that I need help with but I try to answer everyone.

2.You write your own stories on your blog?

I started the blog 4 years ago, sometimes my Mom types for me and my Dad adds videos, but I write the stories and take most of the photos. It is part of school, too. I wanted to quit, but I joined Urbanspoon last year and that made it more fun. I can see the countries that look at my blog , which is very cool.

3. Who is your favorite person? Why?

My Mom, she spends lots of time with me and well, she is my Mom. My Dad too!

I also love my friends Ammon and Jackson! 

 4.What’s your suggestion for kids like you to reach their dream?

I think that they need to stay focused on their dreams and if they work hard enough they can achieve them. Even if they fail the first or second time they must keep trying.

Bertemu Obama  (foto :Wikipedia)

Ternyata Logan anak Homeschool. Wow!!!! Pengen deh belajar banyak sama mamanya, Gimana proses pembelajaran di rumah. Tahun 2012 dia diundang ke gedung putih dan makan siang bersama Presiden Obama karena berhasil memenangkan kompetisi memasak anak-anak. He is so brilliant and cute. Way to go Logan!!!! 

Perpaduan yang cukup bikin para ibu meminangnya jadi menantu. Saya mau sih, cuma kayaknya saya bakal minder kalo dia makan masakan saya. Hahahaha. 

Dia sangat ingin ke Indonesia seperti pemenang masterchef junior 1 yang diundang oleh penyelenggara masterchef junior Indonesia season lalu. Tapi kata pihak produksi masterchef junior fox, jangan terlalu berharap. Karena itu tergantung pada pihak sponsor. Yaaa :( padahal kalo Logan ke Indonesia saya mau ikutan ngantri buat foto bareng. Lol.

Kalo hamil anak kedua nanti, foto Logan bakal saya print dan tempel di kamar. Xixixix. Good luck Logan. Stay positive! 

Kamu bisa kunjungi blog Logan di http://orderupwithlogan.blogspot.com/ melihat reviewnya tentang masakan, restoran, dan pengalaman-pengalamannya seputar dunia kuliner.  Follow twitternya di @logan.jr.chef dan instagramnya di @Logan.Jr.Chef. 

Bogor, 1 April 2015