Whitney Miller facts for kids

Whitney Leigh Miller Humphrey (born June 1, 1988) is an American chef. She became famous for winning the very first season of the US version of MasterChef in 2010. The judges, Gordon Ramsay, Graham Elliot, and Joe Bastianich, chose her as the first American MasterChef winner.

Who is Whitney Miller?

Her Early Life and Cooking Style

Whitney grew up in a family that loved food, faith, and being together. She spent a lot of time in the kitchen. She cooked with her mom and two sisters, and also with her great-grandmother. Her great-grandmother taught her about Southern hospitality. This meant cooking big Sunday dinners for family and friends. Whitney wanted to be a great cook from a young age.

On the TV show MasterChef, Whitney was very good at making desserts. Because of this, people called her the "Pastry Princess." She likes to use fresh ingredients in her cooking. She also enjoys putting her own modern spin on classic Southern dishes. Whitney married Ryan Humphrey in 2014. In 2016, they had a son named Miller.

Winning MasterChef Season 1

Whitney joined the MasterChef competition as a college student. She was a home cook from a small town in Poplarville, Mississippi. She first appeared in the second episode of the show. Whitney was 22 years old at the time. She said that being young did not mean she had less experience than others.

During the 14 episodes, Whitney showed off her skills. She won three challenges that involved a mystery box or elimination. Five of her dishes were chosen as the best three. One of these dishes helped her reach the final round.

The Grand Finale Dishes

In the finale, Whitney cooked three special dishes. For her first dish, called an appetizer, she made sweet shrimp. It was served on crispy cornbread with a black eyed pea purée. Her main dish, or entrée, was country fried chicken. For dessert, she made a white chocolate bread pudding.

The judges said it was a "difficult, but unanimous decision." They chose Whitney as the first US winner of MasterChef. They felt her final three dishes were better overall. She won a big prize of a quarter of a million dollars. She also received her own personalized cookbook and the special MasterChef trophy.

After MasterChef

Whitney wrote her MasterChef cookbook, called Modern Hospitality: Simple Recipes with Southern Charm. It came out in July 2011. In 2011, Whitney returned to MasterChef as a guest. This was during season 2, episode 9. The new contestants had to cook one of her famous dishes. It was crispy catfish with homemade slaw and sweet potato fries.

Her Professional Cooking Career

After winning MasterChef, Whitney traveled to promote Southern cooking. She cooked at special events, like The St. Regis Tianjin in China. In 2013, she was the opening night chef at Chefdance. This event is part of the Sundance Film Festival. She cooked for famous people like Kenny Loggins.

Whitney also creates recipes and makes cooking videos for different companies. She has worked with magazines like Clean Eating and Southern Living. She has also taught cooking classes at various schools. In 2013, she hosted an online chat for Panera Bread. She shared cooking and entertaining tips with people.

Whitney often appeared on ABC's Birmingham Talk of Alabama TV show. She was a guest host for their cooking segment. She also uses her great taste to judge food competitions. For example, she was a judge at the 2013 World Food Championships in Las Vegas. She also made recipes for California Olive Ranch. She even gave out samples of her olive oil biscuits at an event.

Her recipes have been in MasterChef and Ultimate MasterChef cookbooks. She writes articles for food magazines like Flavors and Taste of Home. Her recipes and articles have also been in magazines like People and Women's Health. In 2015, it was announced that Whitney would join The Coop restaurant in Orlando, Florida.