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Budding Manhattan Chef, 9, Headed To White House After Winning Contest

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- He may only be in fourth grade, but this culinary kid is going places!

In fact, he's headed to the White House.

Sam Wohabe, of the Upper East Side, is one of 54 children who will be heading to Washington D.C. to have dinner with first lady Michelle Obama after his winning entry to a contest that encourages healthy eating.

1010 WINS' Eileen Lehpamer With More On The Story

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Unlike many kids his age, Sam said he prefers after-school grocery shopping and cooking gourmet-type meals to video games.

He even makes his own recipes.

"I'll get like one ingredient and then I'll try finding things that would go good with it," he told 1010 WINS' Eileen Lehpamer.

Sam's winning dish, which was selected the best New York entry in the Healthy Lunchtime Challenge, is called the "Fish-Fueled Pepper Rocket." It's an orange bell pepper stuffed and baked with halibut and Manchego cheese.

So what will he say to Mrs. Obama when he gets to the nation's capital?

"Maybe like 'Ma'am this is such an honor to be here in the White House,'" he said.

His extremely proud mom, Sheila Tendy, will also be attending the dinner.

"This is just a wonderful compliment," she said.

It was his mother that Sam credited with sparking his interest in cooking and his passion to become a chef.

"When I was a kid, I used to bake a lot with my mom," the 9-year-old said.

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