Hi! Welcome to my blog! I am proud to be the supervising culinary producer of MasterChef, in charge of all fun food elements of the show. A big job, to be sure! Basically, on this site, I’m the mouthpiece and oh-so-happy to banter.

Fox.com has welcomed me into the fold, and I hope you log on often for updates and the skinny. I’m eager to hear from you with food questions and show behind-the-scenes gossip.

By way of backstory, MasterChef first launched in the United Kingdom and has since grown into a worldwide phenomenon that offers everyday people the chance to live their dreams and express their passion for food and cooking. For some, the show is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to launch a career in the food industry. For others, it is a chance to showcase a treasured family recipe, learn new skills, or simply spend time doing what they love. Our goal in MasterChef is to provide you with similar inspiration and opportunity.

I’m here to teach you and treat you to all of the frickin-licious-ness! As with all new television shows, you never quite know what to expect when you begin the journey. When we started our search for the nation’s first MasterChef, we set up casting calls around the country. As the culinary producer, I was asked to taste and pre-judge the offerings at the open calls in the best food cities in the country: New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston, New Orleans, Dallas, Atlanta, Denver, Seattle, and Portland. We were blown away to see a line that wrapped around the block, filled with people from all walks of life, cultures, and ages. The unique experience proved some of the nation’s most delicious food comes from its most humble kitchens! The slight case of food poisoning from raw oysters in Seattle notwithstanding.

Suffice it to say, I ate a LOT of food from amateur home cooks who wanted a chance to be mentored by culinary greats. And having the responsibility to discern whether or not the home-cooked offerings were up to snuff for Gordon Ramsay, Graham Elliot, and Joe Bastianich was a huge undertaking. If you think I’m tough, wait until THEY get a hold of you and tell it like it is.

Twelve cities and thousands of miles (and online applications) later, we retreated to our offices, faced with the impossible task of whittling down the list of thousands of hopefuls to just 100 people whom we would invite to Los Angeles to prepare their signature dish for our judges (more on them later). As we were making our choices, our production crew was feverishly constructing the MasterChef studio in downtown Los Angeles.

The first challenge is simple: Create one signature dish in one hour. If it impresses the judges—Gordon Ramsay, Graham Elliot Bowles, and Joe Bastianich— contestants win an apron and move on to the next round of casting. However, this task proved neither simple nor straightforward, and only 30 contestants will ultimately be able to move on! Our judges tasted every conceivable type of food, some amazing, and others not so much. In the next two weeks, you will pick up the food America is putting down!

Please write me and share your thoughts with other viewers! STAY TUNED!
TUESDAY NIGHTS AT 9:00 P.M. ON FOX!