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

Quarter-Finalist

Misha Wong

I turned my passion into giving happiness to people through food, creating moments that bring people together.

Currently 9

in the Quarter-Finals

Vote

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

Want to learn more about our competition?

Learn More
Connect
What is your signature dish?

Oh gosh… definitely my mini pork sandwiches, fricasé de pollo, and carne de res! One night my wife’s niece told me, “Misha, you need to sell these sandwiches!” Honestly, I’m not trying to build a sandwich empire 😂 I just love showing people that even the simplest food, when made with love and passion, can taste like heaven and create memories around the table.

Who is your culinary inspiration?

My entire family inspires me — my abuela, mami, esposa, mi papi, brothers, and friends! Honestly, I grew up surrounded by people who could turn almost nothing into a feast. Give me a pot, rice, garlic, salt, black pepper, and some meat, and I’ll cook you a meal fit for kings 😂 In my family, food isn’t just food… it’s love, loud conversations, and someone yelling “taste this!” every five minutes.

What would you do with the $25,000?

Oh Carla, first thing: I’d help animal shelters ❤️ I’d also finally pay off some debts and breathe a little easier. When I came from Cuba, my dream was opening a Cuban restaurant with my mami, but life had other plans. I stayed connected to food by becoming a food photographer. Now my dream is creating my own food photo studio—a space where chefs can come, cook, and create while I capture beautiful photos and videos of their dishes.

James Beard Foundation

Vote for Misha Wong to be the next Favorite Chef while supporting a great cause! Cast your free daily vote below, or make an even bigger impact when you vote by donation, supporting the James Beard Foundation and their mission to lead chefs and the broader culinary industry toward a new standard of excellence.


1 Vote
10 Votes
25 Votes
50 Votes
100 Votes
250 Votes
Other Amount

Enter donation - $1 per vote

Make onions cry

Sharpen your knives and show the world why you’re the Favorite Chef.

Learn More