MARYLAND (TIP): After making waves on the popular card game “Magic: The Gathering” Indian American whiz kid Milan Bhayana is donning the apron on a cooking reality show with his journalist mother by his side.

The 15-year-old sophomore at High Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School, Maryland, two years ago became one of the youngest players ever to make it to the professional circuit of “Magic,” created by mathematician Richard Garfield. And now he is trying his hand in the kitchen with a dozen other young chefs from across the country, he is competing on the Peacock series “Top Chef Family Style.”

The show pairs each youth contestant with an adult family member. His mother Chandrani Ghosh joined him. The first episode of the series airs on Thursday, September 9.

“It was a privilege and an experience I’ll remember forever to compete on ‘Top Chef Family Style’ with my mom,” said Milan in an interview.

 “It was really a once in a lifetime experience,” he said recalling meeting celebrity hosts Meghan Trainor and Marcus Samuelson. “These people who I’ve watched on TV, heard their songs, seen them cook and now I was getting to cook for them, it was a really special experience.”

The tenth grader, who is currently ranked number two on “Magic Online” has maintained his passion for the card game and right now is fighting for that number one slot.

“I’m working hard to try and qualify as the youngest player ever to make it to the Magic Online’s Champions Showcase,” Milan says, as he wants “to be the best at whatever I love.”

“When I started to cook, I wanted to make the best donuts, the best biscuits, the best pizza and in Magic I wanted to play against the best,” he says. Adding with a big smile, “I wanted to meet the best, I wanted to beat the best!

“I am also motivated by a desire to share my passion with people which is why I teach Magic to young kids in the neighborhood and that’s why I enjoy doing TikTok so much.”

Milan is a social influencer with over 700,000 followers on TikTok. It’s a big number and even more impressive when you realize he’s built this viewership in less than 9 months.

Magic continues to be a passion of Milan. “When I do have free time outside of Magic and cooking and school, I like to do Taekwondo,” he says. “I have a black belt. Pre-Covid I used to be an assistant teacher at my Taekwondo studio. And I’m 15 years old so obviously I love to hang out with my friends.”

Milan’s mother Ghosh said, “I think he got into cooking because he loves good food and knows what he wants to eat. And he is willing to put in the hours of work needed to produce exactly what he wants to eat.”