Whitney Miller facts for kids

Whitney Leigh Miller Humphrey, born on June 1, 1988, is an American chef. She became famous for winning the very first season of the TV show MasterChef in the United States back in 2010. The judges, including famous chef Gordon Ramsay, chose her as the first American MasterChef winner.

About Whitney Miller

Whitney grew up in a home where food, faith, and family were very important. 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 and making big Sunday dinners. This inspired Whitney to want to be a great cook from a young age.

Her Cooking Style

On Fox's MasterChef, Whitney was known for her amazing desserts. People even called her the "Pastry Princess"! Her cooking style uses fresh ingredients. She likes to put her own modern spin on classic Southern dishes. In 2014, Whitney married Ryan Humphrey. They had a son named Miller in 2016.

Whitney's MasterChef Journey

Whitney joined the MasterChef competition in 2010. She was a college student from a small town in Mississippi called Poplarville. She first appeared in the second episode of the show. Even though she was only 22 years old, Whitney was very ambitious. She believed her age didn't mean she had less experience than others.

Winning the Competition

During the 14 episodes, Whitney won three challenges. These included "mystery box" and "elimination" rounds. Five of her dishes were chosen as top three dishes. One of these dishes helped her reach the finale.

In the final competition, Whitney made three special dishes. For the first course, she made sweet shrimp on crispy cornbread. It came with a black eyed pea purée. Her main dish was country fried chicken. For dessert, she created 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 because her dishes were made better overall. She won $250,000, her own cookbook deal, and the special MasterChef trophy.

After MasterChef

Whitney's MasterChef cookbook is called Modern Hospitality: Simple Recipes with Southern Charm. It was released in July 2011. In 2011, Whitney also returned to MasterChef as a guest. This was during season 2, episode 9. The new contestants had to try and make one of her special dishes. This dish was crispy catfish with homemade slaw and sweet potato fries.

Whitney's Career Highlights

Whitney Miller has traveled around the world to promote Southern cooking. She has been featured in places like The St. Regis Tianjin in China. In January 2013, she was the opening night chef at Chefdance 2013. This event is part of the Sundance Film Festival. She cooked for famous people like Kenny Loggins.

Whitney also creates recipes and videos for different companies. These include SousVide Supreme and magazines like Clean Eating and Southern Living. She has also worked with groups like the Mississippi Girl Scouts of the USA. She has taught cooking classes at Viking Cooking Schools. In 2013, she hosted an online chat for Panera Bread. She shared cooking and entertaining tips.

Whitney has been a guest host for ABC's Birmingham Talk of Alabama's TV cooking show. 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 has also made recipes for California Olive Ranch. She shared samples of her olive oil biscuits at Food Blog South 2014.

Her recipes have been in the MasterChef and Ultimate MasterChef cookbooks. She writes articles for magazines like Flavors, Taste of Home, and Eat. Drink. Mississippi.. Her recipes and articles have appeared in many popular magazines. These include People, Women's Health, Clean Eating, and Cooking Light. They have also been online at Self and California Olive Ranch.

On October 21, 2015, it was announced that Whitney would join The Coop restaurant in Orlando, Florida. This restaurant is owned by John Rivers of 4 Rivers Smokehouse.