A self taught Chef and social media influencer with over 1.5 million followers. We caught up with Kolby Kash following his recent appearances on US MasterChef and Topchef. He recalls his most memorable moment on MasterChef standing in the kitchen for the first time, realizing he was cooking alongside some of the most talented home chefs in the country. “It hit me that all the meals I’d made growing up with my grandparents in Houston — the soul food, the Creole flavors, the late nights experimenting in college — had led me there. It was surreal but also validating. The moment I plated a dish that earned real praise from the judges… that’s when I knew I belonged there.”
Having learned to cook in the kitchen with his grandparents. Kolby recounts how his grandma made incredible Creole dishes like crawfish étouffée, shrimp Creole, and jambalaya, and his grandpa handled breakfast — homemade jelly, breakfast sandwiches, all made from scratch. Those early experiences taught Kolby how to cook. Houston’s diverse food scene also helped shaped his passion for food — being surrounded by so many cultures gave Kolby the freedom to mix flavors and create his own style.
The MasterChef audition process
It’s definitely not easy!, Kolby recalls. The process is intense — you start by submitting an application and a signature dish, but what they’re really looking for is personality, passion, and presence. You go through multiple rounds of interviews, cooking challenges, and screenings before you even step foot on set. You have to show not just that you can cook, but that you can handle the pressure, stay creative, and bring something original to the competition.
“I didn’t go to culinary school — my training came from real-life experience. Competing on MasterChef and Top Chef taught me structure, precision, and how to execute under pressure, while still letting creativity shine. Before that, I learned through trial and error, reading, and watching how flavors come together. Those experiences built my confidence and discipline, but they also kept my cooking authentic and true to my roots.”
One of the biggest challenges for Kolby is balance. He highlights how being able to balance creativity with consistency, work with personal life, and passion with pressure is demanding. Cooking can be physically demanding and mentally draining, but it’s also incredibly rewarding. For me, the biggest challenge is making sure that every dish I share — whether in person or online — feels genuine, delicious, and inspired. Because food is personal, and it deserves that respect.
Platform of Preference
Instagram is my favorite, he explains. For the chef, it’s visual, creative, and allows him to connect directly with his audience. Food is about experience and emotion, and Instagram lets me bring that to life through videos and storytelling. But I also love TikTok for how real and unfiltered it is — it’s a place where I can just be myself and have fun in the kitchen, which is what people really connect with.
In Kolby’s downtime, he loves running, going to the gym, and spending time with family and friends — anything that lets the chef recharge creatively. My advice for students or anyone chasing a passion is simple: don’t wait until you’re “ready.” Start where you are, with what you have. Learn, fail, adjust, and keep going. You’ll be surprised how far consistency and authenticity can take you.
He humbly opens up about still getting nervous before cooking on camera or in front of a crowd. But those nerves remind me that I care. I channel that energy into focus — breathe, trust my preparation, and remind myself that I’m just cooking food that brings people joy. Once I start cooking, everything else fades away.
The best chefs I’ve met are the ones who are always learning — they don’t think they’ve “made it,” no matter how far they’ve come. On MasterChef, I respected anyone who stayed true to their voice, even under pressure. Outside the show, I look up to chefs like Marcus Samuelsson and Emeril Lagasse — both represent culture and storytelling through food in powerful ways.
