In the new season of MasterChef Dynamic Duos, Tiffany Derry joins as the third judge. The celebrated chef and restaurateur is no stranger to food television competitions. Having been both a contestant and a judge, Chef Tiffany has a unique perspective that will help to guide these dynamic duos to impressive culinary achievements.
Ahead of the new season of MasterChef Dynamic Duos, Chef Tiffany graciously took some time to chat with me about the season, her perspective on joining Gordon Ramsay and Joe Bastianich, and why mentoring the next generation of chefs is important to her. Anyone who has had the pleasure of spending time with Chef Tiffany appreciates her poignant responses, thoughtful approach to cooking, and her willingness to bring her authentic self to every endeavor.
Since Chef Tiffany has competed in Top Chef and other Food Network programs and has been a judge on various shows including The Great American Recipe, she fully understands the pressure from both sides of the table. When asked about her approach on MasterChef Dynamic Duos, Chef Tiffany said, “I leaned into what I do on a normal day, which is a little bit of everything. I deal with home cooks and professional chefs. I judge. I compete. I do it all.”
“I think that scenario gives me insight into not only the thought process but also where the cooks could use a little bit of help. Every time that I talk about a dish, I hope that they take away something, that it is in the next challenge or in life. I always think about leaving them with something.”
While Chef Tiffany tries to offer positive feedback, she does not shy away from tough love. She said, “there has to be tough love because you are only as good as your last dish. It is not a reflection of how good of a cook you are. But, you are in a competition and you are being judged on that plate. The cooks have to hit all the criteria of the challenge and cook technically sound.”
On MasterChef Dynamic Duos, the competition showcases home cooks and their skills. Over the years, home cooks have become even more well-versed in culinary techniques and proving their culinary knowledge.
Chef Tiffany believes that “home cooks are very savvy. They study and read. Sometimes they are more rounded than some professional chefs just because they are professional eaters. I’m always surprised by them. There are moments when I forget that they are home cooks.”
At the same time, Chef Tiffany appreciates that these cooks can benefit from a helping hand. Even though they could give her professional cooks a run for their money, they are still learning and adapting.
While these cooks are delivering great dishes, anyone can have a bad day. As Chef Tiffany shared, the judges can only look at the dish in front of them. Everyone can appreciate the cumulative journey, but is it the dish in the challenge that matters.
Chef Tiffany said, “we remind ourselves, it is about the right here, right now.” The audience can wonder what happened and how could they have a bad day, but it happens. It would be unfair to judge on previous dishes because the worst dish would not be the one going home.
Given that there are three judges, it is vital to have different perspectives. Not only does it impact each MasterChef challenge, it is about representation on the screen.
As Chef Tiffany explained, “I think that the more they see us out here, that representation matters.” She is that person on the screen, in the restaurant, and in her own women-centric food festival that she hosts in Dallas.
She said that many people have reached out to her and said how much it has meant to see her on MasterChef. While she is a strong supporter of women achieving and doing, it was uplifting to see so many people rally around her for this new chapter.
At the same time, she felt right at home joining Gordon Ramsay and Joe Bastianich at the judging table. Chef Tiffany said that she felt right at home and it felt as if they had been working together for years.
What can fans expect from this season of MasterChef Dynamic Duos? Chef Tiffany believes that people will be impressed with the teams. While there might be some unexpected twists and turns along the way, there will be much to learn and appreciate from the upcoming season.
Ready to watch all the culinary action? MasterChef Dynamic Duos airs starting on Wednesday, May 21 at 8 p.m. ET/PT. Episodes can streamed the next day on Hulu.