Since it first premiered in 2010, MasterChef excited fans with a new take on a cooking competition. The contestants mainly consisted of amateur chefs or home chefs, which opened the door for exceptional cooking from the untrained chef. The competing chefs showcase their talent by cooking in a skills test, pressure test, and team challenge. Unfortunately, someone is eliminated each week, raising the stakes for the remaining chefs.
Season 11 of the cooking show is just beginning, and fans are looking back at past seasons to remind themselves of the great chefs that once starred on the show. Even though many chefs who won the competition were well-deserving and talented, there were still many competing chefs that were fantastic that weren't able to move on. Many contestants entered the competition, won the hearts of fans, but were eliminated before being able to showcase more of their talent. What happened to those former chefs, and where are they now?
Sarah Faherty
Fans may remember Sarah Faherty as the runner-up in season 10 of MasterChef. Faherty had a military background, which helped her stay focused and maintain stress throughout her time in the competition. Faherty was also the first female military veteran to compete on the show. She was able to push herself throughout the competition, but she ultimately lost to Dorian Hunter.
Since her time on the show, Faherty has still been perfecting her cooking ability. She still works as a real estate agent in San Diego, but she makes time for herself to cook on a daily basis. Faherty dreams of launching her own food and wine podcast in the future and even hopes to one day open a restaurant of her own.
Bowen Li
Bowen Li made a name for himself on MasterChef with his lighthearted personality. Fans will remember Li for his exceptional cooking ability showcased in the first few episodes of season nine. Li had a lot of natural cooking talent, which impressed the viewers and the judges. Unfortunately, Li had trouble adapting to the various cooking styles week after week and was eventually eliminated.
Since he appeared on the show, Li went back to his previous career as a commercial pilot, but he still had a passion for cooking and wanted to pursue a restaurant job. Li also taught private cooking lessons until he was able to open his own restaurant. In 2019, Bowen Li opened Bowen's Bistro with his husband David Li.
Eboni Henry
Fans made an instant connection to Eboni Henry on season eight of MasterChef. She was a confident competitor who also had a sassy side, but she ultimately made strong connections with her competitors during the season. Henry also started the competition really strong and showed tremendous growth throughout her time on the season.
After Henry tied for runner-up with Jason Wang, she went on to pursue her passions. She still continued her work as an addiction counselor, but she also made time to practice her cooking abilities. She began working as a private chef and offered private dining experiences. She also started a Youtube cooking show with Jacoby Ponder.
Tommy Walton
Tommy Walton is by far one of the most memorable competitors on MasterChef. His outgoing personality and funny quips made him an instant standout during season six. Walton even got along with the majority of the other competitors. Walton was easily one of the stronger chefs during the season, but he had a difficult time during team challenges and would often get frazzled easily. Unfortunately, Walton was eliminated during a pairs challenge.
After his time on MasterChef, Walton continued cooking and showcasing his fun personality. Walton still cooks often for a local TV station's cooking segments. He also has become a brand ambassador for Daelmans and stays active on social media. He is also a teacher and a designer.
Elizabeth Cauvel
During season five of MasterChef, Elizabeth Cauvel was a competitor that stayed well under the radar until midway through the competition. She proved herself to be a formidable opponent and was not afraid to speak her mind often, causing some animosity towards her from the other competitors. Her ability to take charge and take on a leadership role helped her to excel highly in team challenges. However, Cauvel was unable to secure her victory and was crowned runner-up to winner Courtney Lapresi.
After the show, Cauvel continued to pursue her cooking passion. She became the creative director at MRY and even demonstrated her cooking abilities on MasterChef cruise in 2016 and 2017. She still loves cooking and frequently posts her culinary creation on social media.
Eddie Jackson
Eddie Jackson instantly caught the viewer's eye when he competed in season four of MasterChef. He was respectful, confident, and he got along well with all the other competitors. Jackson started the season out as an underdog, but he quickly moved up and was able to showcase his abilities greater each week. Jackson may not have won the overall competition, but he succeeded soon after his time on MasterChef.
After Jackson's season aired, he competed on season 11 of Food Network Star. Jackson's cooking ability and personality helped him stand out among his competitors, securing him the victory. After winning Food Network Star, Jackson continued to star on multiple cooking challenge shows, but as a judge instead of a competitor.
Joshua Marks
Joshua Marks competed on season three of MaterChef and established himself as a strong cook early on. He started the show being fairly nice to the other competitors, but he began to take the show more seriously and to put his guard up around the chefs more as the show progressed. Despite this, he was able to make great friendships and showcase his cooking ability until he was eliminated in the finals.
After Marks competed on the show, he kept a fairly low profile and did not pursue any activities or careers. Sadly, Joshua passed away in 2013, though he'll always remain a beloved pillar of the MasterChef community.
Felix Fang
Fans remember Felix Fang as being hot-headed and cocky at the start of season three. However, her demeanor quickly changed after almost losing her opportunity to compete on MasterChef. Fang easily competed in group challenges and showed that she could work excellently with her fellow competitors. However, she struggled with individual challenges and would easily get flustered. Her inability to adjust to stress would eventually get her eliminated.
After her season aired, Fang continued honing her cooking abilities by working as a private chef catering various events. She also hosted an online web series on Vice. Fang is now working as an actress and has starred in various shorts.
Suzy Singh
Suzy Singh held herself to a high standard when she competed in season two of MasterChef; she spoke her mind often and tried to make herself stand out among the other competitors by saying she was the most experienced chef. Even though Singh was cocky, she also recognized her mistakes and made significant growth over the course of the season.
After Singh was eliminated, she continued to cook and perfect her craft. She began working as a private chef and eventually started her own food consultancy business. In 2013, Singh became the research and development corporate chef at NOW Foods and continues to grow her culinary abilities.
David Miller
David Miller instantly made a name for himself by being eccentric from his first appearance on the show. Miller was also very emotional, and it would sometimes stop him from competing to the best of his ability. Despite that, Miller showcased his knowledge of cooking and showed his competitors that he was a strong opponent. He regularly took leadership roles in team challenges and showed that he was an excellent team player.
After Miller was named the runner-up of season one, he continued to pursue his passion. He often posts his culinary creations on social media, though he returned to his previous career in software. He is also married and has a son.