Famed chef Gordon Ramsay is back for Round Two of his culinary smash hit and last summer’s highest-rated new series, MASTERCHEF. After conducting a nationwide search, 100 of the best amateur cooks in America, including a police officer, an oil rig engineer, an interior designer, a forklift operator, a professional poker player, a classical pianist and a tattoo shop owner, were flown to Los Angeles in the hopes of becoming the next MASTERCHEF and walking away with the life-changing grand prize. The field has quickly narrowed and we spotlight the Asian American contestants.

Esther Kang

Esther Kang
Signature dish: Korean Braised Spicy Black Cod with Daikon and Stone Pot Rice

Who was your first cooking inspiration?
My mother. When I saw her prepare dinner parties and entertain, I just wanted to be a part of it. She really embraced and integrated me into the kitchen, even at a very young age when all I could do was crush things in a mortar and pestle.

What is the first dish you ever mastered?
Korean pancakes. They are a very easy snack that can be made with many different combinations of vegetables and proteins.

What is your favorite thing to cook?
Thanksgiving dinner. Each year, I throw a huge pre-Thanksgiving Dinner the Wednesday night before Thanksgiving. It’s the perfect night to throw a big dinner party since old friends are always home for the holiday. It takes about one week of preparation but makes a whole year’s worth of memories!

Suzy Singh

Suzy Singh
Signature dish : Tandoori Cod en Papillote with Chai- and Saffron-infused Couscous

Who was your first cooking inspiration?
My dad is known for making amazing Punjabi food and is definitely a savory home chef. My mom studied Home Science in college and is definitely more of the pastry home chef. My parents taught me from a very young age to appreciate both the savory and sweet side of cooking. Since I could remember, I always saw my mom carrying around a bag of flour and a spice tray in the kitchen that was passed down from her mom, which came from generations before. When I was 18 and heading off to college, my mom gave me my first spice tray that I still carry with me today. My dad has this passion for cooking and has taught me from the young age of 4 to have integrity in the kitchen by respecting the ingredient, keeping the kitchen clean, and cooking from the heart. Since I am a first generation South Asian, my parents wanted to keep the Punjabi cuisine alive and active in our kitchen at home. I know how to cook traditional Punjabi food on the simple fact that my parents always made it in the house. My parents are not only my inspiration for cooking, but also keeping the passion alive in the kitchen!

What is the first dish you ever mastered?
Applesauce. It’s a tradition in my family. My aunts chopped and peeled the apples, my uncles tended the pot and I would stand on my stepstool and taste the mixture to make sure we had it just right.

What is your favorite thing to cook?
I am obsessed with cooking Punjabi food! I also love mixing eastern and western cultures and cuisines! So my ultimate dish that I can make every day for the next two years is definitely Butter Chicken Tacos! I make the butter chicken in a very traditional manner by using a ton of butter, homemade tandoori masala, and lots of love. I reduce the butter chicken so that the sauce is very concentrated. Then I make the tortillas using dry masa harina and flour. I press the tortillas using a tortilla press and use a traditional Indian tava to cook the tortillas. I then stuff the tortillas with my butter chicken concentrate. I add in thinly sliced onions dressed with salt and lemon juice and topped with cilantro! Super simple, made from scratch, and completely innovative Punjabi cuisine. It’s seriously delicious!

Alvin Schultz

Alvin Schultz
Signature Dish: Modern Loco Moco

Who was your first cooking inspiration?
My mom! I’ve been helping her in the kitchen as long as I can remember. She’s the reason I started cooking and has always encouraged me to experiment in the kitchen. And by encourage me, I mean that she would make me cook dinner almost every night since the age of 12.

What is the first dish you ever mastered?
My mom’s Vietnamese egg rolls. There’s so much technique involved in making the perfect egg roll, and I’m happy to say that friends and family can’t tell which are mine and which are my mom’s!

What is your favorite thing to cook?
The most rewarding things to cook are those that are challenging, using perfect technique to create something better than the sum of its parts. My latest obsession has been Chef Rick Bayless’ black mole recipe. The first taste was mind blowing! It’s so rewarding taking such humble ingredients and creating something truly magical. It’s like real life alchemy. I blogged about the recipe and Chef Bayless himself tweeted me about it!

These hopefuls will be judges by the renowned MASTERCHEF panel: Michelin-starred chef Gordon Ramsay; restaurateur and wine maker Joe Bastianich; and the youngest four-star chef in America, Graham Elliot. The judges are looking for presentation, flavor, originality and creativity, but most importantly – to have a chance – every contender must possess an immense passion for food. The amateur cooks will be put through the paces, and only the most deserving among them will win the coveted white apron and move on to the next round of the competition. One thing is certain in MASTERCHEF: Winning will be no piece of cake.