Winner will appear in Taste of Home magazine, cook with Carla Hall, and take home $25,000
18+ years of hustle—ranging from Disney to fine dining—now with my own shop. The sacrifice is real. It's time my family feels the reward!
You decide who will appear in Taste of Home magazine, and win $25,000!
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I remember it like it was yesterday—12 yr old me begging my mom for a set of pans from a TV infomercial. When she asked why, I said, “I love to cook & want to be a chef when I grow up.” That’s when she told me my biological father whom I’ve never met was a chef when they were married 30 years earlier. From that moment, a spark was lit. I knew cooking wasn’t just an interest—it was in my blood. That spark still glows just as bright.
What's your all time favorite dish to make?One of the toughest questions I get asked throughout my career. If I had to choose, it’d be pan-seared scallops finished with thyme and butter over a perfectly executed risotto. I love risotto for its versatility—and the challenge. One wrong move and it’s ruined. But take your time and put love and passion into that sweet Arborio rice, and you’ll have a dish that makes people’s eyes light up with joy. That’s the magic I live for right there.
What would you do with the $25,000?I’d give my wife and sons what they deserve—time with me. After 18+ years grinding in kitchens, 80+ hours a week, and now 4 years in running my own business, this would be my chance to give them my full attention. Food and travel have always been the love language my wife and I share. We’d travel from continent to continent, exploring the world through food and culture, reconnecting as a family, and soaking in everything I’ve missed along the way while chasing this dream.
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