MasterChef Winner Dara Yu Reveals Pro Tips for Kitchen Success

In season 12, there were a lot of firsts. Not only did the game bring back contestants from previous years, but the judges also chose Dara Yu, who was 20, as their youngest winner to date.

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Yu won $250,000, a state-of-the-art kitchen from Viking, and the MasterChef title. She also made history as the only contestant to participate on MasterChef Junior and then win MasterChef: Back to Win.

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"This time around, I think there was just more at stake," she says. "I've put in eight years of hard work into this craft, and I had a lot to live up to."

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1. Draw inspiration from the dishes you know best

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2. Shop locally

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3. You don't need much beyond the trusty cast-iron skillet

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4. Keep a tidy kitchen

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