Winner will appear in Taste of Home magazine, cook with Carla Hall, and take home $25,000
Southern-bred and food-obsessed since 2002. I’ve always known the kitchen is where I’m meant to be.
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I love building balanced meals that follow protein+dairy+starch+veggie that feel comforting but elevated. One of my signature dishes is a fried or baked fish fillet (salmon, cod, or whiting) served over rice with peas and carrots, topped with a rich onion cream sauce and fresh cucumber-onion slaw. I finish it with basil oil for brightness and depth. It’s soulful, flavorful, and rooted in the kind of food that brings people together.
Who is your culinary inspiration?My parents inspire me most, but honestly every person I meet teaches me something about food. I find inspiration in conversations, memories, likes, dislikes, and even criticism. Someone’s opinion can completely change how I approach a dish or introduce me to a new technique. Cooking constantly evolves, and that’s what I love about cooking, is that you never stop learning.
What would you do with the $25,000?I would use the $25,000 to help start a business in honor of my father and my family’s legacy. As the youngest sibling, I feel a responsibility to turn our passion and traditions into something generational. I’m a melting pot of everyone who came before me, and I’ve shaped my career around expanding my palate, creativity, and love for food. This opportunity would help me build something meaningful for both my family and our future.
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