8-Year-Old's Cooking Show Dream Comes True with Parents' Support

Lleyton Beinhaker's passion for food and TV led to her own cooking series at a young age.

Apr. 14, 2026 at 7:33pm

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An abstract composition of bold, angular black shapes against a bright red background, conceptually representing a child's passion for cooking and television.A young chef's dream cooking show inspires a vibrant, minimalist visual metaphor.Westfield Today

When Lleyton Beinhaker was just 8 years old, her parents saw her love for cooking shows like Ina Garten and Rachael Ray and decided to help her create her own cooking show. Her dad hired a videographer and her mom made cue cards to support Lleyton's dream, leading to the creation of her show "Cooking with Ley Ley Shea". Now 22, Lleyton is pursuing dental school while staying passionate about cooking, wellness, and acting.

Why it matters

This story highlights the power of parental support in helping a child turn their passion into a reality. Lleyton's cooking show at such a young age is an inspiring example of how nurturing a child's interests can lead to unique opportunities and experiences.

The details

Lleyton Beinhaker, now 22, began hosting her own cooking show at age 8 after expressing interest in food and cooking shows like Ina Garten's. Her parents, seeing her enthusiasm, hired a videographer to film the show and Lleyton's mom created cue cards to help with filming. The first episode featured Lleyton cooking chicken and green beans with her great-grandmother's red sauce, while the second episode had her making a more ambitious lobster mac and cheese. Lleyton says the filming process took a full day per episode and she felt like "the most famous second grader" when the local paper wrote an article about her show.

  • Lleyton Beinhaker began hosting her cooking show at age 8.
  • Lleyton is now 22 years old and pursuing dental school.

The players

Lleyton Beinhaker

A 22-year-old who hosted her own cooking show, "Cooking with Ley Ley Shea", starting at age 8 after being inspired by Ina Garten and Rachael Ray. She is now pursuing dental school while staying passionate about cooking, wellness, and acting.

Lleyton's Parents

Lleyton's parents supported her dream of having her own cooking show by hiring a videographer to film it and Lleyton's mom creating cue cards to help with the filming process.

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What they’re saying

“Growing up as an Italian Jew, I was constantly surrounded by all kinds of incredible food. My mom is an amazing cook — she made dinner every single night for me and my two siblings, and as a kid I was endlessly curious about food, how different flavors worked together and why.”

— Lleyton Beinhaker

“I used to watch Ina Garten with my mom all the time, and one day I just turned to her and said, 'I think I could do that...can we make me my own cooking show?' I'm incredibly fortunate to have parents who genuinely take the big (and sometimes slightly crazy) ambitions seriously.”

— Lleyton Beinhaker

What’s next

Lleyton is currently applying to dental schools for the next cycle, but she is also interested in getting back into acting. She continues to help her mom cook and host family holidays, and hopes to one day take over hosting the holidays herself.

The takeaway

This story demonstrates the power of parental support in nurturing a child's passions and turning their dreams into reality. Lleyton's cooking show at just 8 years old is a testament to the impact that can come from encouraging a child's interests, even if they seem unconventional.