One Year Since MasterChef: The Story Behind the Neighborhood Supper Plate

A year ago this week, Adam and I got on a plane to Los Angeles thinking we were just heading to a cooking competition. We had no idea what was coming next. Within 48 hours of landing, we were told to grab our passports because we were flying halfway around the world to Melbourne, Australia.

That is how our MasterChef journey began: jet lagged, wide eyed, and completely unprepared for how much it would change our lives.

The Dish That Got Us There

Our audition dish, The Neighborhood Supper Plate, was our take on Thanksgiving dinner, but not the buttoned up, dry turkey kind. This was the kind of Thanksgiving we grew up with in the South: smoky meats, soulful sides and flavors that felt like home.

It was never about being fancy. It was about connection. About the family of neighbors who always showed up with something to share. About family, community, and that perfect mix of chaos and comfort that only happens when the food is made with love.

That plate told our story, and it earned us a spot in the kitchen.

The Rivalry, the Limp Okra, and the Fire That Followed

If you have seen the show, you know what happened next. The okra did not hold up. We lost that first round to Ricky and Ashley Napoli, sibling rivals who cooked with as much heart as we did. It stung, but that loss became our turning point.

We battled back one plate at a time, proving that we belonged there not because everything went right, but because we never quit.

And watching Ricky take that same energy and build his own food brand since, following his passion the same way I did with Ahead Chef, reminds us how powerful that shared experience was. The competition was real, but the respect runs deeper.

Half a World Away, We Found Family

Melbourne was not just a filming location. It was home for a season of our lives. We lived, cooked, traveled and grew alongside some of the most talented people I've have ever met. What started as a contest turned into something that felt like adult summer camp with food — early mornings, late nights, constant pressure, lots of Jameson and endless laughter.

We came back different, not just better cooks but better people.

Full Circle

Now, one year later, we are revisiting The Neighborhood Supper Plate, not to fix the past but to celebrate how far we have come. It is an homage to that first plate, the lessons learned, and the family we found halfway around the world.

MasterChef was the spark. Here is to one year since it all began. To the okra that did not make the cut but made us stronger. And to everyone, near or far, who has pulled up a chair to be part of this story.