This Home Cook Turned ‘MasterChef’ Honors The Richness Of Haitian Cuisine

Attorney by day, chef at night. That’s the actual life of Kamay Lafalaise. The two professions, according to the culinary talent, have plenty in common. “At my core, I value service. My love language is helping others—it’s why I have been a public servant, and it’s also why I love cooking for others,” says the DC-based consumer protection attorney for the Federal Trade Commission.

Though Lafalaise is hesitant to call herself a chef because she hasn’t gone to culinary school, it’s safe to say her skills are top-notch. She recently appeared on MasterChef: Generations, which focused on home chefs from four generations, with Lafalaise on the millennial team. But she wasn’t just repping for her generation; as the child of Haitian immigrants, she also represented her culture and the richness of Haitian cuisine.

Like a true attorney, Lafalaise prepared for her time on MasterChef, similar to how she mastered law school. “Before going on the show, I made and quizzed myself on hundreds of flashcards filled with recipes, practiced cooking techniques, and watched previous seasons of MasterChef to be ready for the types of challenges and curveballs the show throws at contestants.”

That studying clearly paid off, as she came out the gate with a win during the show’s first challenge. The task was to make a childhood dish, so Lafalaise whipped up a version of a favorite meal her mom made for her: marinated crispy chicken thighs with pinto beans and pickled red onion relish. The dish left the show’s judges, including Gordon Ramsey, wanting more. Lafalaise’s time on the show resulted in seven challenge wins and a place in the finale.

“I was compelled to get my family story out there,” she says about her decision to audition for the 14th season of the cooking competition. That story includes the legacy of her grandmothers, the connection they shared through cooking, and even the vastness of the country’s culture and cuisine. 

“It’s the soul food of the Caribbean” is one of the ways Lafalaise describes the roots of Haitian cooking. “Haiti has a unique and rich history, yet certain ingredients were geographically limited. Creativity was necessary and led to incredible flavors, techniques, and preparations,” she says.

In spite of the anti-Haitian hatred fueled by President-elect Donald Trump, Lafalaise feels it created an unexpected opportunity for people to come together and even sparked interest in Haitian food. From dishes like griot (marinated and fried pork shoulder) to the Haitian patty, which is similar to the Jamaican patty but with a fluffier, puff-pastry exterior. Or the go-to condiment, pikliz. The pickled mixture of cabbage, carrots, onions, and peppers is something Lafalaise says anyone can whip up and is great over meat or even just rice and beans.

Lafalaise isn’t sure if another cooking reality competition is in her future, but she’s currently developing recipes and sharing them online that she hopes showcase her style of cooking and who she is as a person. “Think flavorful, vibrant, comforting, and fusion.”

She’s also offering guidance to novices or aspiring home chefs this holiday season. Her best advice? Preparation is key. This includes chopping veggies or marinating meat the night before and even setting the table in advance. Those tasks may seem minor, but doing them, first things first, frees up major time. Also, when in doubt, order out. This can mean outsourcing the entire meal if your budget allows or just picking up prepared items like rotisserie chicken or ready-to-bake sides. You can always add your own touches with fresh garnishes.

Though Lafalaise started her journey by not wanting to ascribe the chef title to herself, she now says, “After going on MasterChef [and] making it to the finale, I think I can call myself a home-trained chef at this point.”