GILROY—W.C. Fields once warned entertainers to “never work with children or animals” because they will steal the show. But Gene Sakahara and Sam Bozzo, better known as the SakaBozzo Twins, tossed the old adage to the wind and shared their annual Gilroy Garlic Festival demonstration with 10-year-old Alexis Higgins—and she blew the audience away.
Higgins, a Gilroy resident who appeared on the third season of Fox’s “Master Chef Jr.”, gave the audience fits as she demoed her “not-so-secret” family recipe for garlic mushrooms alongside the SakaBozzo Twins. The youngster admitted to feeling a little anxious before cooking in front of the packed stands at the Cook-off Stage Friday, but looked right at home.
“It was really fun. I’m glad I had the experience,” said Higgins, who brightened up the stage in a tie-dye t-shirt and sparkly pink headband. “It was kind of nervewracking, but at the same time I was just focusing on my food and nothing else.”
Higgins also helped Bozzo prepare his dish of kale and Italian sausage and Sakahara with his penne alla boscaiola. She is no stranger to helping out in the kitchen, having learned to cook alongside her grandmother, Carol Higgins, at age 3.
Alexis has learned a thing or two in her seven years of cooking. And she shared some of her culinary expertise on stage with Sakahara as he was preparing his dish.
“You should add some white wine,” she said, peering into his pan, “to give it that flavor.”
Alexis has gained notoriety around the Garlic Capital, but said she never expected to be featured at the festival. After meeting Bozzo at a Gilroy Chamber of Commerce breakfast and later judging a cooking competition between him and Carlos Pineda of Rebekah’s Children Services at a Gilroy Rotary breakfast, he said he wanted to incorporate her into the twin’s annual demo.
“It was great. She has a lot of energy, she’s bright and just a very good attitude,” Bozzo said. “We just enjoyed doing it.”
The twins said they gave Alexis a general outline of how the demonstration would go, but she didn’t need it. Once they got on stage Alexis was in her element—and a lot of her demo was off the cuff.
“She was a natural. I’m a little worried that she’s a little too good. (I think) we’re done,” Sakahara said, nudging Bozzo.”This is our future.”
The Gilroy Garlic Festival continues Saturday and Sunday. Gates open at 10 a.m. and close at 7 p.m.
