Gordon Ramsay has taken to social media to pay tribute to former "MasterChef Junior" contestant Ben Watkins.
Ben, 14, passed away from cancer earlier this week.
"Ben you were an incredibly talented home cook and even stronger young man," Gordon wrote on Instagram on Nov. 17. "Your young life had so many tough turns but you always persevered."
In 2018, the then 11-year-old appeared on the sixth season of Gordon Ramsay's "MasterChef Junior." He ended up placing in the top 18.
"I adored our time cooking and laughing together on set," Gordon said. "Heartbroken today losing my little mate, sending all my love to Ben Watkins' family with this terrible loss."
Ben had been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer called angiomatoid fibrous histiocytoma, a soft tissue tumor. His death came 18 months into his cancer treatment.
Ben's uncle and grandmother announced his death on a GoFundMe page, which was initially created in 2017 after both of the Ben's parents passed.
"After losing both of his parents in September 2017, we have marveled at Ben's strength, courage and love for life. He never, ever complained. Ben was and will always be the strongest person we know," the statement said. "When Ben's rare illness was shared with the world, he was so heartened by the outpouring of love he received from every corner of the globe — especially here in his hometown of Gary, Indiana… Ben suffered more than his share in his fourteen years on this Earth, but we take solace in that his suffering is finally over and in that, in the end, Ben knew he was loved by so many."