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

Roman Raya, Jr.

I’m self-made with a strong drive to share my experience and culture with the world. Winning would provide more opportunity for me to do so!

Currently 8

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?

One of my favorite things to make is Chilaquiles. Fresh fried tortillas with my own adobo sauce, topped with all the things - garlic crema, cilantro, cotija, pickled onion and a perfectly fried egg. It’s rich, smoky, slightly spicy comfort food.

Who is your culinary inspiration?

Being originally inspired by my grandmother, Ramona, I have taken her base of cultural influence and additional inspiration from many published chefs, as well as, chefs, cooks, and other kitchen staff that I’ve met along the way. Drawing from this I’ve created my own style of modernity that provides new ideas, still paying homage to my grandmother.

What would you do with the $25,000?

With the $25k, I would revamp my kitchen with some new equipment and maybe travel to Mexico to learn new skills and flavors, so that I can continue to grow and improve my craft. I would love to utilize this money to launch forward in a way that allows for greater potential for learning and sharing beautiful Mexican cuisine through my work.

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