A 14-year-old Texas teenager who is in foster care has shared his dream of having a family of his own one day.
Enoch told KVUE how he got past a difficult childhood by finding a passion for cooking and how he dreams of having a family of his own in the future.
‘In my past, I grew up not having that much food,’ he said to KVUE on the outlet’s weekly segment that highlights a Texas child in the foster care system.
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Enoch, who is a high school freshman, said he improved his cooking skills at a young age and has used it as an avenue to get him through life’s never-ending struggles.
‘Coming back up, I remember my past,’ he said. ‘So, you know, I just love food. I have a good passion for it, clearly, as you see.’
The teenage cook revealed that he has never truly had a family, yet he is not giving up on his dream of being adopted someday.
‘I’ve never really had a family. I don’t know my regular parents, I don’t know my biological, I don’t even know half my family,’ he said.
Enoch explained that the only family members he has ever been aware of were his sisters, however, he hasn’t seen them in years because they all sat in the foster care system throughout their childhoods.
‘I have two little sisters, [but] the last time I saw them, I was 7. And it was on their birthday, and I never saw them again,’ he said.
Without loved ones to look out for him, Enoch found purpose in cooking for others.
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As he guided the camera crew of the media outlet through the kitchen, Enoch fried shrimp and prepared an elote salad alongside Texas chef Dylan McShan.
“You know what they say—if you aren’t sneezing, you aren’t seasoning,” the 14-year-old joked.
McShan expressed his hope that Enoch would continue pursuing his passion for cooking, stating that he appears to be great at what he does even as a teenager.
“If he sticks with it, I really think he can go far,” he said. “Cooking is all about instincts, and Enoch has them.”
Anyone interested in adopting Enoch or learning more about him can reportedly visit the Heart Gallery of Central Texas.
His profile describes him as a “big Green Bay Packers fan” who dreams of trying karate, weightlifting, and hiking.
“Enoch is very active and loves sports,” his profile reads. “All that energy is fueled by his favorite foods, seafood and Mexican cuisine.”
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Teenage cook Enoch has surely got the right to dream of having a family. He will be hoping his story touches the hearts of others not just to help him realize his dream but to also inspire many young people without families to be relentless in pursuing something purposeful.
