Luke Barta

Connect What is your signature dish?

It’s basic, but it’s where I began grandmas modified chicken and rice bake. Overall a simple comfort dish. I amp it up a bit by making a cream of mushroom from scratch, slowly roasting the chicken skin to melt the fat in the pan , toasting the rice, assorted mushrooms throughout. Takes awhile to complete as it’s started on the stove top and then finished in the oven so all the elements can marinate and get to know each other. Garnish with parsley and black pepper.

Who is your culinary inspiration?

Starts at home, my nana taught me cooking basics. My biggest concerns in the kitchen is low waste, “make do with what you have.” Just because you don’t have access to the best ingredients doesn’t mean you can’t have a satisfying and tasty meal. All about sustainable home cooking leftover ingredients from dinner can lead to a fun lunch tomorrow. I play a game with myself, treating it like fridge wars figuring out the best final dish with what’s available.

What would you do with the $25,000?

It’s a life changing amount of money, a goal of mine is to become a traveling food journalist. I love sharing culture and learning new and exciting things about food. It’s a universal language and connects us all. It’s science, art, culture, history, health, can’t forget tasty. I find that beautiful . And if I don’t get picked, anyone hiring :) email me, open to opportunity!