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

Quarter-Finalist

James McCann

I’ve been cooking with my grandma and mother since I was five. Experimented with union square market. Married a pro and just love to cook

Currently 8

in the Quarter-Finals

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

Voting for Semi-Finalists ends Thursday the 23rd of July at 7PM PDT

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What is your signature dish?

If I had to pick one I’d say muscles however in a variety of ways. People love that I experiment for example I recreated the French Laundries first menu. I saw a menu then put together my interpretation. It was classic and people loved it. I love to wonder through a market and put the pieces together in my head. I did a seven course based on le bernadin and it was great. Sometime I use a detailed recipe to learn a new technique.

Who is your culinary inspiration?

My grandma who thought me to make stuffed calamari when I was 5. I watched he galloping gourmet when I was young. But also my mother. My wife who is a culinary grad and has upped my game. Sent me to Peter crumps cooking school. But living next to union square farmers market made me experiment. Also when living in nyc I first went to Prix Fix and chef Joey Fortunato made some great dishes. Then experienced all levels of cooking from smoking with meathead to La bernadin boule so many

What would you do with the $25,000?

Improve my cooking abilities Cook great meals Invite folks to my home or cook at a kitchen when people may not afford good food.

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