Summary

  • MasterChef season 11 contestants continue to thrive post-show with new ventures and opportunities in the culinary world.
  • Not all contestants had a smooth ride on MasterChef, with some eliminated for small mistakes or underperforming in challenges.
  • Season 11 showcased diverse talents, with contestants pursuing careers in cooking, writing cookbooks, or even returning to previous professions.

MasterChef has remained one of the best reality TV shows since its inception, and it's time to revisit the season 11 contestants. While there are some fake aspects of MasterChef, the show remains perennially popular. Some seasons of MasterChef rank better than others, and while season 11 wasn't the best, there's still curiosity regarding what happened to the contestants after the show.

Season 11's contestants are busy living their post-MasterChef lives. The season was unique in that, in each episode, a culinary legend joined the show to help judge. Since leaving the show, some have continued to grow their social following; others are making a splash with their own cookbooks, while others have left the chef world altogether.

Tay Westberry

MasterChef Season 11

After being joined by legend Jonathan Waxman, who chose 5 ingredients for a mystery box challenge, Tay forgot to include uni butter and, though his dish was not the worst tasting, he was ultimately eliminated for not including every ingredient chosen by Jonathan. Now, Tay continues to DJ and also has a food vlogger and reviewer. He continues to cook and has posted some of the work he's done on his Instagram page.

Lexy Rogers

MasterChef Season 11

Lexy came in 9th place and was the youngest female contestant in her season at 23. After being tasked with preparing a dish inspired by a legend in their own life, Lexy created a fried chicken wing dish that failed to impress the legends, and she was eliminated.

After season 11, Lexy was asked back for MasterChef Season 12: Back to Win, but unfortunately failed to acquire an apron a second time. Now, she is currently writing a cookbook, Breaking Bread on a Budget, continues to post recipes on her Instagram, and shares her life as a mother of two daughters.

Joseph Manglicmot

MasterChef Season 11

Dominique Crenn joined this episode of MasterChef and the contestants were sorted into four teams, but could only communicate with each other through a wall to prepare an identical dish. After underperforming with his partner, Joseph was eliminated, though it was arguably not deserved. After the show, Joseph went back to his job as a Senior Engineer at Chaniere Energy. He continues to post beautifully crafted dishes to his Instagram page and just recently announced his new line of Southeast Asian-inspired sauces will be launching soon.

Anne Hicks

MasterChef Season 11

Anne came in 7th place after being assigned to create a kaiseki, a traditional multi-course Japanese dinner. Anne, Michael, and Suu came in the bottom three, but ultimately Anne's dish was deemed the worst and she was sent home. After the show, Anne and MasterChef bestie, Autumn, hinted at a reality show starring the two of them on their Instagram page called Quirks and Forks. She often posts cooking and recipe videos on her personal page and continues to offer hair and skin services.

Abe Konick

MasterChef Season 11

Jonathan Yao, Tanya Holland, Val Cantu, and Sherry Yard joined this episode as guest judges and divided the remaining 6 contestants into 2 teams, boys vs. girls. The two teams are required to produce two dishes with 45 minutes per dish. The red team took the win and of the three boys in the bottom, Abe was eliminated.

After MasterChef, Abe became an Undergraduate Peer Mentor and Food Lab Teaching Assistant at New York University as well as a Chef Instructor at Share Meals. In an interview, he told Le Cordon Bleu, "[I] am committed to helping students with food insecurity in building their comfort level and skills in preparing simple, healthful meals.

Michael Newman

MasterChef Season 11

During a mystery box challenge, the contestants have 75 minutes to create two dishes. They can spend however long they want on the first dish but if they don't win the first round they only have whatever is left on the timer to complete the second dish. Despite Michael being a fan favorite and impressing the judges in the previous rounds, he couldn't pull through and was eliminated.

After the show, Michael continues to cook and went back to his lifestyle coach and relationship expert business. In an interview with Latestly, he said he was open to doing another cooking competition show or any reality show that was offered to him as he learned a lot about himself from his time on MasterChef.

Alejandro Valdivia

MasterChef Season 11 Semifinalist

In a two-part episode where the contestants cook alongside celebrity judges, the contestants only have 10 seconds after the celebrity Chef finishes to plate their own dish. Suu, Autumn, and Kelsey all win each round of this challenge, leaving Alejandro to be eliminated. It's twists like this that make MasterChef so enjoyable for fans to watch. Since MasterChef, Alejandro was asked to come back for the latest season of MasterChef: Back to Win in which he took 18th place. He continues his former profession of being an animal trainer but has since added Private Chef to his resume.

Suu Khin

MasterChef Season 11 Runner-Up

Suu Khin is the co-runner-up of MasterChef season 11 with fellow contestant, Autumn Moretti. She brought her Burmese cuisine to the table which impressed the judges. Suu, Autumn, and Kelsey all competed in the finale for the title and prize, but ultimately Kelsey won. After MasterChef, Suu is a recipe developer, food blogger, stylist, and photographer and has her own website that offers traditional Burmese recipes and ingredients. Suu consistently impressed the judges with her Burmese cuisine and Chef Cimarusti told Khin, "I feel like you are the person who could put Burmese cuisine on the map."

Autumn Moretti

MasterChef Season 11 Runner-Up

Autumn was a very talented chef who never had a dish put in the bottom 3 and had two dishes win the best all-around dish. She got along with everyone in the cast but was closest to Anne. She was the type of Chef that made MasterChef such a fun cooking competition to watch. After the finale, Autumn went back to bartending and told Local Wicked that she planned on traveling back to Japan for recipe ideas. She and fellow contestant and friend Anne have hinted at a reality show spin-off, and have a collaborative Instagram together called Quirks and Forks.

Kelsey Murphy

MasterChef Season 11 Winner

Kelsey Murphy was MasterChef season 11's well-deserved winner after impressing the judges countless times and having the most plates win in the top 3. Season 11 had the first all-female finale since season 5, but was the first to have 3 women compete in the finale. Since winning the show, Kelsey started her own private event catering business. Kelsey regularly appears on Fox and the CBS local morning show with her own cooking segments. The winning chef also opened a food counter at the Fishers Test Kitchen in Fishers, IN.

MasterChef is available for streaming on Hulu.

Source: Tay Westberry/Instagram, Lexy Rogers/Instagram, Quirks and Forks/Instagram, Local Wicked, Alejandro Valdivia/Instagram, Michael Newman/Instagram, Latestly, Abe Konick/Instagram, Le Cordon Bleu, Anne Hicks/Instagram, Joseph Manglicmot/Instagram