The Match of Champions has made historical past. It’s value celebrating that, as Season 6 started on March 2, a girl has gained each season beforehand, and the runners-up have additionally been ladies.
Brooke Williamson was the primary Match of Champions winner in 2020, and he or she was the runner-up in Seasons 2 and three.
She was exactly the kind of chef Man Fieri wished for this competitors initially as a result of, outdoors of Prime Chef, she wasn’t well-known. This competitors took her locations.
For many who don’t know, the present matches up every kind of culinary cooks, who prepare dinner with elements and gear from the “randomizer.”
They current their meals in blind judging, the place solely a culinary skilled can current their dish. This ensures there is no such thing as a bias, which can have aided the feminine cooks in successful.
We not too long ago chatted with Williamson about all issues TOC, together with cooking with the randomizer, why so many ladies win, and the transition to judging.
Hello Brooke. I’m an enormous fan. You had been the primary winner of the Match of Champions and weren’t very well-known but. Have been you shocked by your victory, and the way has it modified your profession?
I wasn’t exactly well-known on Meals Community but, however I had competed in a number of competitions, together with just a few seasons on Prime Chef. This opened issues as much as new audiences as a result of many viewers weren’t conscious of me but, however I saved successful battles.
It modified my profession by opening a number of new avenues on the Meals Community. I’ve needed to show to myself and others that I used to be worthy of that win, and I believe I succeeded.
How do you stability cooking for the randomizer versus an unknown, blind judging?
I by no means prepare dinner for the judges and all the time give attention to the elements and what I could make with them. It’s how I’ve all the time cooked. I usually attempt to have a recreation plan of what to prepare dinner. Typically, it’s essential to adapt these plans when the randomizer elements are introduced.
Let’s focus on the randomizer. How do you intend your thought course of with such bizarre elements, and do you are feeling such as you’re competing towards the randomizer or your competitor?
Once more, I all the time give attention to the elements versus my opponents. It retains me in a greater headspace and centered on my dish. I’ve been cooking for a very long time, so I’ve used a wide range of elements and gear, however that doesn’t imply they play nicely collectively.
What had been a number of the weirdest randomizer elements?
Oh, that’s a tough one as a result of they’re all bizarre. However I believe the toughest was within the Season 3 finale towards Tiffani Faisan. We had to make use of Natto, a fermented Japanese soybean. I’ve cooked with Natto earlier than, however Morimoto was judging, and he loves Natto, so I turned nervous.
You’ve competed in a number of different exhibits, particularly since Match of Champions Season 1. Do you suppose your earlier expertise on the present and cooking on Bobby’s Triple Menace helped within the subsequent seasons?
Any expertise I’ve gained has helped me in different competitions. I’ve discovered the way to prepare dinner below stress with many elements.
Judging different competitions has taught me that you’re your individual competitors and might solely management the way you prepare dinner the elements.
It’s spectacular {that a} feminine has gained each season. Do you suppose the blind judging has impacted the outcomes?
I can’t communicate to why that’s the case. There’s no proof that this occurred due to blind judging. I believe ladies are nice multitaskers, as proven on this competitors. Having the ability to multitask is an important trait within the Match of Champions.
As a grand generalization, ladies are put into positions to multitask, probably greater than males. However, once more, that’s simply an opinion.
The panel has all the time been a mixture of women and men within the judges.
It’s all the time been particularly reasonable. I don’t suppose there’s favoritism. It’s actually blind judging. So, the judges by no means know who they’re judging or what gender they’re. I don’t know if it’s one thing greater than that, however I can’t communicate to that.
I believe it’s a beautiful show of girls at a excessive degree of cooking that you just don’t see fairly often, so everybody takes observe after they do.
Was there a purpose you determined to not come again to compete this 12 months however to guage, or did all of the winners resolve collectively?
We had been all given the choice to compete or decide. I really feel like I’ve executed that grueling course of a number of occasions. I’ve confirmed that I’m succesful, and I don’t really feel like I must exhibit the identical factor time and again.
I additionally compete frequently and luxuriate in it. So, I nonetheless have that outlet, and I do take pleasure in it, however I felt like I had executed all that I wanted to do in that individual enviornment.
In Match of Champions Season 6, you’ve joined the judges’ panel. What have you ever discovered from earlier seasons to make use of on the judging desk?
I’ve a little bit of grace when judging different folks. I understand how tough it’s.
I’m additionally so blown away each single time for the reason that contestants could be so inventive and create well-thought-out dishes shortly utilizing elements and instruments which can be simply thrown at them. I perceive. I empathize with the state of affairs a bit of bit greater than some.
When is your first episode as a decide?
I solely judged the finale this season. Some private issues got here up, and I used to be going to guage the primary couple of episodes, however I couldn’t. So, I solely did the finale.
Final season, Kevin Lee beat you within the first spherical, displaying once more that the underdogs can energy by with out the previous winners. What are your predictions?
Properly, having judged the finale, I do know the outcomes.
I do know, and I do know you may’t say that. I’m simply curious.
It’s all the time anybody’s recreation. You must have a certain quantity of expertise and grit to get by this competitors. It’s a grueling competitors. However that randomizer and blind judging takes any degree of prediction out of any spherical. And we’ve seen some loopy issues occur.
Is there something you’d prefer to say to the opponents?
A lot, however keep in mind to have enjoyable as a result of it’s a nerve-racking competitors.
You’re on the Barbecue Brawl. Are you operating a workforce or judging once more?
I’m a decide, similar to previously. I get to eat plenty of barbecue.
I heard you may have a cookbook out now.
Sure, it’s known as Sunkissed Cooking. It’s a vegetable-forward cookbook that got here out in November.
What’s your favourite dish from the guide that you really want folks to strive?
I would like folks to strive all of them. It’s a really seasonal cookbook, so I’ve just a few favorites, relying on the season. I like the okra dish, which I really feel is a hidden gem of an ingredient that folks don’t spotlight sufficient.
There are some lovely spring and summer time dishes and a complete tomato chapter. There are some gratifying corn dishes. Inside these chapters are dishes you can make with these elements at any time of 12 months. So, it’s a enjoyable guide to navigate.
Match of Champions airs 8/7c on Sundays on the Meals Community and Max the next day.
This interview has been edited for size and readability.
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