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

Nilsa Medina

Puerto Rican flavor, real passion, bold personality, and food that brings people together. I don’t just cook, I create experiences.

Currently 13

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 signature dish is Puerto Rican-style garlic butter shrimp with arroz and homemade sweet plantains. It’s the kind of meal that brings people to the kitchen before it’s even finished cooking. I love food that feels comforting, flavorful, and full of personality, the kind that makes people slow down, laugh, and ask for seconds before they’re even done with the first plate.

Who is your culinary inspiration?

My culinary inspiration is Chef Nyesha Arrington because of the passion, confidence, and soul she brings into cooking. I love how her food feels elevated but still full of heart and personality. She reminds me that great cooking is not just about recipes — it’s about energy, culture, creativity, and making people feel something through food. That’s the kind of cook I aspire to be whenever I step into the kitchen.

What would you do with the $25,000?

Winning $25,000 would honestly change my life. I would use it to create stability for myself, invest in my future, and finally have room to breathe while continuing to chase bigger goals. More than anything, it would give me the opportunity to turn survival mode into growth mode, and that would mean everything to me.

James Beard Foundation

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