Winner will appear in Taste of Home magazine, cook with Carla Hall, and take home $25,000
I’m finishing culinary school while teaching kids to cook, build confidence, and believe in themselves through food.
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If I had to pick one signature dish, I’d say either migas or my pasta sauce. One comes together in minutes, the other takes days, but both tell the same story: simple ingredients, patience, and cooking from the heart.
Who is your culinary inspiration?My culinary inspiration is Julia Child. She made French cooking feel approachable and exciting for everyday Americans, and that inspires the way I teach kids to cook. I want children to feel confident and empowered in the kitchen by giving them healthy control over what they create and eat. I also hope cooking gives them confidence beyond the kitchen; the confidence to stand up to peer pressure, keep going when life gets hard, and believe in themselves instead of giving up.
What would you do with the $25,000?I would use the prize money to pay down student loans and invest in new equipment and experiences for the cooking school where I teach. Giving kids access to more techniques, ingredients, and creativity in the kitchen builds confidence far beyond cooking skills, and that kind of impact lasts a lifetime.
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