Fuller Goldsmith, the 17-year-old aspiring chef who won Chopped Junior in 2017 and also competed in Top Chef Junior in 2018, has died from cancer. Fuller was a native of Alabama and faced leukemia five times since he was 4 years old. After winning Chopped Junior when he was just 14-years-old, Fuller donated his $10,000 prize to the Division of Hematology and Pediatric Oncology at Birmingham Children’s Hospital. Magical Elves Production Company announced the sad news on Instagram on Wednesday.
“We are devastated after hearing about the loss of our Top Chef Junior alum, Fuller Goldsmith,” they wrote. “He was an incredible chef and the strongest kid we’ve ever met. From the minute he was introduced to us, we knew he would make an impact on everyone around him and be a positive force in cooking world. To his family, we give all our love as they mourn the loss of someone truly special.” Top Chef Junior host Vanessa Lachey commented on the post, sharing her condolences. “We all Loved Fuller so much! And will never forget his contagious smile, laugh and butter tricks,” she wrote. “Sending so much Love to his family. We will never forget you Fuller!”
Videos by PopCulture.com
The ambitious teenager was working as an assistant to the chef at Tuscaloosa, Alabama’s Southern Ale House, and the restaurant shared their sorrow online following his passing. “Our collective hearts are broken. The SAH family lost our much loved and respected Fuller Goldsmith today,” the Facebook post read. “Fuller fought the good fight all his life. From age four until the last few days of 17 years, Fuller fought a courageous fight against cancer. Fuller lived to create delicious dishes and became the little brother to big brother Brett Garner our Executive Chef. He spent a lot of time in the SAH kitchen helping prep, serve, and create recipes.”
“We will miss his presence, his smile, his laugh, his banter back and forth with Brett, and his grit as fought the aches and pains of a terrible disease,” they continued. “He will be missed but forever remembered. His spirit will remain in SAH for the remainder of time. To his family our love and compassion with a huge thank you for sharing Fuller with all of us. He made all of us better people.”
Fuller was a superfan of chef Guy Fieri, who ended up surprising the teen at Stagecoach Music Festival in 2018. “What you’ve already accomplished in your life is amazing,” Fieri said when Goldsmith revealed that he had to withdraw from the final rounds of Top Chef Junior due to his cancer returning. “You don’t give up… You gotta believe, you gotta trust, you gotta go, you gotta fight hard, and it’s not easy.”
Fuller shared the sad news that his cancer was back for a fifth time on his Instagram account back in February. “Unfortunately the news regarding the tumor was not what I was hoping,” he wrote. “The same Leukemia is back. The plan is to start proton radiation at UAB as soon as I can….hopefully within the next two weeks. I will have 12 days of radiation and then more chemo to make sure it’s gone once and for all. Round 5- I’m ready to fight!”
