tipseychef

Why thank you. I take showers regularly, I hydrate, eat plenty of fruits and veggies and drink lots of whiskey. My dapper fashion comes from the fact that I'm very small, and most belts don't come in my size so I wear suspenders so my pants don't fall off...

Cooking for Gordon is thrilling and terrifying at the same time. He's at such an expert level that you know he can and will catch every flaw. He coaches and encourages but you never know if he's going to blast you so its like walking a tight rope.

Graham is so awesome. He's like a big brother and his take on food is so open. He really helped me to step outside of my comfort zones. Christina is amazing and I don't think she intended to single me out. I do know that she is very honest and like Gordon, doesn't pull punches. She has fought really hard to get where she is and I think when people learn her story they understand why she is so tough. It honestly reminds me of my upbringing a little. I feel she was hard on me because she wanted me to do better, that she was rooting for me deep down. She definitely had great words of encouragement for me throughout the show.

First of all, thanks for the support. I was hoping to make it much further but grateful that I had such an amazing opportunity. Regarding your questions: 1) We do receive some coaching and lessons on techniques, for example dough. We are taught a very basic dough and we have to apply that in a random challenge. We don't know when or what it may be. Other times, (like the beef wellington) we simply taste the dish and have to recreate it. All techniques, ratios, styles, and temps are up to the contestant. We don't receive help in that way. The judges are truly trying to find the best home cook in America.

The auditioning process is very long and the team at Masterchef are very careful at ensuring we all have a certain amount of skill sets. A lot of us contestants spent a lot of time reading books as well.

As for my lack of respect, I think that editing has a fair amount to do with how I am portrayed. I am a very anxious and nervous person and I tend to have perfectionist ideals, which then leads to my emotional flare ups.

I only know that I don't.