Winner will appear in Taste of Home magazine, cook with Carla Hall, and take home $25,000
From a boarding school in Colon, Panama to owning the restaurant I once worked in, food has been my passion, and my way of giving.
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I was raised by the Vincentian Sisters at the San Vicente de Paul School in Colon, Panama, and Sor Amelia, one of the nuns there saw potential in me before I saw it in myself. She taught me that food is more than a meal—it’s an act of love, hope, and resilience. Cooking became my way to honor her and to inspire others who, like me, dream beyond their circumstances.
What's your all time favorite dish to make?Every dish I create carries a story, but if I had to choose one, it would be Arroz con Pollo. It reminds me of home, of the nuns who shaped me, and of how food can turn struggle into strength.
What would you do with the $25,000?I am proof that a helping hand can change a life. Just as the nuns invested in me, I want to pay it forward. Donating the $25,000 to nonprofit organizations that uplift and educate young people, giving them the same chance I was given.
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