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

Adam Schmidt

Bold flavors, honest food, and relentless creativity. I cook to connect people and challenge what dining can be.

Currently 11

in their Group

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

The first cut is on Thursday the 11th of June at 7PM PDT

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What is your signature dish?

My cooking lives between omakase precision and unapologetic Americana. One of my signature experiences is a multi-course progression built around small bites with massive flavor: dry-aged beef, live fire, house ferments, smoked elements, Japanese technique, and nostalgic American steakhouse influences. Every course is designed to feel personal, loud, emotional, and memorable.

Who is your culinary inspiration?

I am inspired by chefs who built their own identity instead of following trends. Marco Pierre White showed me the power of intensity and raw passion. Jiro Ono inspired my respect for discipline, repetition, and craftsmanship. I also love the energy and humanity of Korean chefs who make food feel exciting, approachable, and deeply personal, especially chefs like Paik Jong-won. My goal is to blend precision, emotion, and bold flavor into experiences people never forget.

What would you do with the $25,000?

I would invest it directly into building Chef Adam Adventures and Blind Pig Concepts through immersive pop-up dinners, storytelling content, and a future Japanese-inspired bakery and commissary kitchen. The goal is to create experiences that blend luxury dining, documentary storytelling, and community while proving independent chefs can build something meaningful outside the traditional restaurant model.

James Beard Foundation

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