by Gina Scarpa

 

On the MasterChef finale, the final four chefs faced off against one another in a semi-final battle, where David defeated Sheetal and Whitney ousted Lee. For the final challenge, the judges were very straightforward about what they wanted: the three best dishes that David and Whitney could possibly make. When it all came down to the dessert, Whitney's soufflé put her over the top and she became the first U.S. winner of MasterChef. Today, we spoke to her in an exclusive interview about her cooking background, her age, and her bright future.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Was cooking something you've been interested in since you were young?
A. Whitney: Yes, I have two sisters and my mother got all of us in the kitchen. We each had our part in preparing dinner and I really loved it more than both of my sisters. Then, I took over when I got in high school and cooked every night for my family. I was always coming up with new recipes and it was just something that I loved to do.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: What made you decide to try out for MasterChef?
A. Whitney: Really, what made me want to do was the thought that I was a good cook. Going to New Orleans and seeing the line was definitely intimidating.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Who was tougher, Gordon or Joe?
A. Whitney: I think Joe was because I could never read the expression on his face. I didn't know whether he liked it or hated it. It would drive me crazy!

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Which contestants stood out to you this season?
A. Whitney: In the beginning, I thought Mike was a strong competitor. I was sad to see him go because he had such heart for cooking. When I had to battle Sharone, he was a strong competitor and I was nervous.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: How were you feeling going into that head to head semi-final round against Lee?
A. Whitney: Knowing I was going up against Lee, I thought it was going to be so hard. I kept my confidence up and I had my family there which was great support. I didn't want to be distracted while I prepared the meal of a lifetime.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: What are your thoughts on David?
A. Whitney: He was a strong competitor. He got the highest award when his dish scored an 11.5 with the critics. That was a huge deal. He definitely knew what he was doing in the kitchen. I didn't want to let how David was doing distract me, though, because he's all over the place!

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: When you were standing there next to David, waiting to hear who had won, what was going through your mind?
A. Whitney: I was just hoping that everything I just poured my heart into was rewarded. It was such an emotional experience. I wanted the judges to love each dish and taste all the love that I put into the dishes. When I dropped that chicken, it was such an intense moment and I wanted to prove to Gordon that I didn't just fail right then. I picked myself up and moved on.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Some people criticized you because of your age and felt you didn't have the life lessons or maturity to cook as well as others who are older. Now that you've won, what do you say to that?
A. Whitney: I definitely hope that anyone my age or younger will be inspired to go after their dreams. I never want to be looked down upon. Age is just a number and you have to watch out for the young ones. We'll kick butt!

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: What's next for you?
A. Whitney: I'll be working on my cookbook, which is a huge deal. I've always dreamed of that and this opportunity is amazing. I'd love to use the money to travel around the world and try different cuisines from all over.

 

Think you can handle Gordon, Joe, and Graham? Audition for season 2 of MasterChef - details at masterchefcasting.com.

 

(Image courtesy of Fox)

 

Follow Gina at twitter.com/ginascarpa

 

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