Winner will appear in Taste of Home magazine, cook with Carla Hall, and take home $25,000

Semi-Finalist

Mayra Figueroa

Wanting to be recognized in my passion for cooking has always been a dream. This culinary journey has been an adventure so far!

Currently 6

in the Semi-Finals

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You decide who will appear in Taste of Home magazine, and win $25,000!

Voting for the Final 12 ends Thursday the 29th of May at 7PM PDT

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Who or what inspires you to cook?

Since I was a little girl I would always be in the kitchen with my grandparents watching them cook. Whenever my parents would cook I’d also have my nose in the middle of it all. Smelling all the different aromatic spices in the house was just something I lived for. Now being able to do this myself in a kitchen of my own always brings me back to those moments with my grandparents. They were my biggest influences and inspiration in this whole thing.

What's your all time favorite dish to make?

A desired favorite by my husband is a Thai Coconut Curry over a bed of white rice.

What would you do with the $25,000?

Winning the 25,000 would be a plus to all of this! Getting to show my love for cooking and getting the all time experience with the chefs would be nothing short of incredible! For me presentation is the key. How you present your food on your plates whether it’d be to guests, family or friends , your food should tell your story. With this $25,000 I’d like to complete and publish a recipe book along with opening a food truck to take my recipes worldwide!

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