Winner will appear in Taste of Home magazine, cook with Carla Hall, and take home $25,000
I cook because I love to eat. Everything else came later.
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If I’m fortunate enough to one day have children, I’d make them fresh pasta ribbons—dense and chewy, made with deeply hued egg yolks — draped in a double cream reduction and studded with spring peas, cherry tomatoes, and sweet Gulf of Maine shrimp. It’s the kind of dish that feels generous and comforting without trying too hard. I made it for myself recently and was reminded that simple food can still feel extraordinary. Straight up summer.
Who is your culinary inspiration?I draw inspiration from my dad's "cooking." He had two dishes: unseasoned lamb chops cooked on an indoor grill that barely got hot, and a whole chicken boiled until the bones went soft, finished with a packet of instant ramen. At a glance, there's nothing remarkable about either dish—but man, that shish hit. I aspire to capture that same feeling in my food: a sense of home and belonging, whether shared with loved ones or strangers. Great food does that. And that's cooking.
What would you do with the $25,000?I would invest the $25,000 directly into opening a food business—without a doubt. I want to build community, mentor younger cooks, treat people with respect, create equity for my staff, and create a bigger table in my neighborhood for people to gather around. Good food brings people together. I'd use that investment to make more of that happen.
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