[Warning: The below contains spoilers for MasterChef: Generations 14 Finale.]
It was a battle for the ages during the Season 14 MasterChef: Generations finale. This time around home cooks classified as Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, and Baby Boomers compete not only for themselves but to represent the time period they were born into.
At stake was also $250,000, trophy, kitchen, and kitchenware. and the title of America’s MasterChef. Judges Gordon Ramsay, Aarón Sánchez, and Joe Bastianich narrowed down the field to a Top 3 after the pressure cooker in the form of Ramsay’s Rooftop Restaurant Takeover. From there, the remaining group had to endure the Mystery Box Challenge with a dish inspired by a restaurant review. The ultimate test was keeping up with Gordon’s pan-seared salmon to decide the trio would go to the finale.
When the kitchen haze settled, it came down to Gen Z’s Becca Gibb and Millenials Kamay Lafalaise and Michael Leonard. They were tasked with creating a three-course meal including appetizer, entree, and dessert to highlight their generational backgrounds and culinary skills. In the end, Leonard’s representation of his evolution using a menu with truffle tortellini, an herb-crusted rack of venison, and peach cobbler earned this season’s MasterChef title. We caught up with the 27-year-old “Culinary Maestro” to talk about his experience and what’s next.
How was it not only representing yourself but your generation this year? Talk about pressure.
Michael Leonard: It’s incredible to have the opportunity to represent someone besides yourself. It’s really cool because anyone who is a millennial will relate to me, especially if they cook. They can see that millennials can really throw down in the kitchen. Maybe I can inspire some people within my generation to cook more.
What does it mean to win? What do you think made your three-course meal stand out?
It means everything. My mom was a huge inspiration for me throughout this. I just really wanted to win it for her, on top of winning it for myself of course. I think what really made my menu stand out was the concept behind it, how it flowed together along with the dishes being just really good dishes. I think it all made sense together. The concept was first and the menu was second. I think that made it so good because the food was derived from the concept.
FOX
You had a pretty steady run this season until the last challenge before the finale. Having to follow Gordon, you burned your salmon. The gnocchi saved you. How was it managing to get through that stumbling block?
Funny enough that was the challenge I should have done the best on because my speed is my strong suit inside the kitchen. I’m quick. I can cut and knew I would be able to keep up, but it’s all about listening and paying attention. I made a crucial error by flambéingn the wrong pan. Just that split second of not paying attention and putting the alcohol inside the pan with the salmon and crisped the skin right up. I didn’t have the time to sit there and get flustered about it. I had to get going with the rest of the elements and let the salmon be what it was. At the end of the day, I had to get the rest of the elements on the dish.
Was that a wake-up call for you?
Absolutely. I was shaking in my boots right there. I was terrified. I thought I was going home. That was definitely the most scared I ever was during the competition. You can probably see it in my face.
Talk about the bond you formed with your generation of teammates. How was it having Kamay in the finale?
You definitely develop a strong bond with your team because at the beginning we are all working together. Being part of the same generation, you feel camaraderie and want to work together. It kind of keeps going even when you split up. Even though we are all against each other, you still feel this conneciton with them.
Working against Kamay in the finale was bittersweet. I was proud she was there, but knowing how strong a cook she was, I was terrified to go against her. I cooked so closely with her and knew how good she was. I knew Becca was a strong cook as well. She was targeted during the competition and had an immunity pin. So I was afraid to cook against her, but cooking with your generation and knowing about that is definitely interesting.
What were some of your highlights this season?
Winning two of the immunity pins was big for me. I was on two winning team challenges. “Restaurant Takeover,” being on the winning team and taking over as captain. That was really cool. I had some moments.
FOX
The “Restaurant Takeover” was intense. You got a real taste of how Gordon was when you were representing him. What was that like to experience?
I kind of expected it going in that he would make that switch from “nice” Gordon to “this is a restaurant” Gordon. At the end of the day, this is what he does. I tried to behave accordingly and absorb all the information he gave us and pay attention as much as I possibly could.
What was your takeaway from your time on the show? Was there a piece of advice you’ll take with you?
You spend a lot of time talking to the other contestants. I also talked to Kamay a bit and she told me to not be afraid and to be confident. That’s one thing I heard a lot. I think it’s advice given a lot, especially with Ramsay who says confidence, confidence,, confidence is key. I think that is the biggest takeaway. Being confident in your abilities and not being afraid to push yourself to the level you know you can perform to.
You’re doing these cooking demos on social media. Do you want to have your own cooking show? What is the path you set for yourself?
A cooking show would be ideal. It’s where I want to end up. I want to keep going with social media as well. Having a big following would be cool. I just want people to enjoy my content and to learn bit about cooking. I also want to stick my foot into private catering and private dinners and way down the line open a restaurant when I gain that experience. I want to travel more and do things like that.
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What do you plan to do with the money you won?
I’ve had to continue focusing on my irrigation business because I can’t let it die down midseason. It’s a seasonal business. It’s summer. Now we’re getting to the time where it’s dying down a bit and I have more time to think about what I want to do when I get the money, kitchen, and everything. I have a lot of plans.
The big thing I want to do is travel. I think it’s so important to travel and learn and taste different cuisines. If I want to be any type of chef, I have to learn what is out there. I have to learn different techniques, eat at different restaurants, learn from different chefs. That’s all a big thing for me. I want to allocate funds for that. Right now if anyone needs irrigation work, it’s Leonard Drainage & Irrigation out of Myrtle Beach. The business isn’t going away. My dad will probably take over and keep running it. I’m definitely going to be segueing more into the cooking field.
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