Orlando firefighter Manny Washington Jr.
said competing on “MasterChef ” was a thrill.
Orlando will be represented on “MasterChef,” which begins its seventh season this week.
Emanuel “Manny” Washington Jr., 29, is among the top 40 home chefs on the Fox contest, which debuts at 8 p.m. Wednesday. Washington, an engineer/ paramedic, has worked for the City of Orlando Fire Department for nine years, and he’s based at Station 1 — “the Big House.”
He competed on Food Network’s “Cutthroat Kitchen” last year, won the “Stop, Drop and Flambe” episode and collected $12,500.
The 40 hopefuls on “MasterChef ” were selected from thousands who auditioned. The contestants went to Los Angeles to compete for a $250,000 grand prize. “MasterChef” is hosted by Gordon Ramsay, who judges along with Christina Tosi. Washington talked about his experiences.
Question: Who taught you to cook?
Answer: It was a combination of people. Growing
up, I learned how to make desserts from my grandmother. Then it progressed to my father who was also a firefighter (now retired) 26 years and firehouse chef. I learned a lot from him.
Q: Do you cook all the time at the firehouse?
A: We cook every day we are on shift, which is every three days. Now I am not required to cook every shift. We have a rotation, so no one burns out from cooking for 22 firefighters, but I cook most of the time.
Q: What are your specialties?
A: I love to do barbecue, but I tend to be all over the place because I love cooking a variety of things at the firehouse.
Q: What did you prepare for your “MasterChef ” audition?
A: A firehouse favorite: Churrasco steak with a chimichurri sauce, white rice, black beans and caramelized plantains.
Q: How would you describe the show experience?
A: This was a once-in-alifetime experience for me. Not only do you get to meet your food idol, but you meet some extraordinary contestants
along the way. It was a very challenging test that exposes all of your strengths as well as your weaknesses. It really shows whether you are able to adapt under pressure or fall.
Q: Why is Gordon Ramsay your idol?
A: Gordon Ramsay is my idol because you don’t have to watch him long to see that food is his passion. That type of passion is infectious, and that is what I want to do: spread my passion for food with people. I grew up watching “Hell’s Kitchen” and a lot of his shows from the U.K. online. What I love about him is that he also knows how to have fun while cooking.
Q: What was your take on him after meeting him?
A: Gordon Ramsay is a man of passion in everything he does. Whether it’s cooking or working out, he goes 110 percent. Now that I have been around him to learn from him, I’ve been able to understand why he gets intense when a person doesn’t cook something correctly or if they mess up an order. Gordon cares a lot about his product.