‘MasterChef’ Winner Jake Kelley on His Winning Journey, Finale Dessert and What’s Next

After surviving weeks of mystery boxes, pressure tests and plenty of criticism from the judges, Jake Kelley walked away as the winner of MasterChef: Global Gauntlet. But if you ask Kelley, he certainly didn’t enter the competition expecting to be the last home cook standing.

The TV Cave caught up with Kelley to talk about his journey through the competition, the work viewers didn’t necessarily see happening behind the scenes, that memorable finale dessert and what he hopes to do now that MasterChef is behind him.

Jake Kelley Didn't Always See Himself Winning

Watching the season back, Kelley’s rise may have seemed almost sudden. He had strong moments throughout the competition, but he wasn't necessarily presented as the obvious frontrunner from the beginning. Kelley admitted that he felt much the same way when he first entered the MasterChef kitchen.

“Definitely not at first,” Kelley said when asked whether he believed he could actually win. “I remember my first day walking in, seeing what everyone else was cooking. I was like, ‘Oh my God, I really just want to hang on and try and get an apron here.’”

It wasn't until the competition reached roughly the Top 10 that something changed. Kelley began hitting his stride and could finally see a possible path to the finale, but that improvement wasn't simply happening whenever the cameras started rolling.

Behind the scenes, Kelley was studying for hours, learning from the judges and watching how seriously his fellow competitors approached the competition. One encounter with fellow finalist Peter Egede in the hotel lobby especially made an impression.

Kelley recalled seeing Peter sitting with several cookbooks, taking notes and creating detailed plating diagrams. Seeing how much preparation another competitor was putting in made Kelley realize he needed to raise his own game if he wanted to stay in the competition.

That work eventually paid off. Kelley said he became better at managing his time, keeping his station clean and adapting to the unique pressure of cooking in the MasterChef kitchen. He also took advice to prioritize sleep during the competition, generally getting seven to eight hours a night so he could remain focused.

Kelley also credited Gordon Ramsay and Tiffany Derry with teaching him lessons he continues to use now that he is working professionally in a restaurant kitchen.

About That Finale Dessert...

Of course, we couldn't talk to Kelley without discussing one of the most memorable dishes from the finale.

Kelley took a major swing with his dessert, working with sweet corn, blueberries and chanterelle mushrooms. Turning chanterelles into ice cream isn't exactly the first thing that comes to mind when most of us think dessert, but Kelley had been thinking about pairing the mushroom with sweet corn throughout the season.

“I really feel like if I want to surprise people and I want to make something work that sort of is unexpected, I could do it with a dessert,” Kelley explained.

Kelley had become familiar with chanterelles while foraging around nature preserves near Mount Pleasant, Michigan. He was intrigued by their nutty flavor and almost sweet, apricot-like aroma, which made him believe they could work outside of the savory dishes where mushrooms are typically expected.

Sweet corn provided natural sweetness, while blueberries brought acidity and freshness to the plate. Kelley also pointed to the culinary idea that ingredients growing during similar seasons frequently complement one another. Once he tried the three ingredients together, he knew there was something there.

“When I tried all three together for the first time, I thought to myself, ‘OK, this is something I can work with. Let's build a dish around this.’”

It was the kind of risk that could have gone very differently in a MasterChef finale. Instead, the unconventional dessert became one of Kelley's defining dishes when it mattered most.

What's Next for the MasterChef Winner?

Winning MasterChef doesn't mean Kelley plans to immediately slap his name on a restaurant and call himself finished. Instead, he appears interested in continuing to learn the industry from the inside.

Kelley moved to Metro Detroit after filming with the goal of putting himself closer to Michigan's food scene, finding mentorship and building relationships within the culinary community. He has since started working at a Mexican restaurant in Midtown, where he said he's continuing to sharpen his skills in a professional kitchen.

He's also interested in partnering with local businesses for pop-up events, giving people an opportunity to taste his food in a more relaxed environment. For fans who spent the season wondering what some of those dishes actually tasted like — yes, we're raising our hands, that sounds like a pretty good next step.

And should Kelley eventually bring his cooking to New Jersey or New York, we already put in our request. He suggested pan-seared sea scallops with corn puree, lemon verbena and fried leeks when asked what he'd cook for The TV Cave, followed by risotto. After watching an entire season of MasterChef without being able to taste anything, we'll happily accept the invitation.

MasterChef: Global Gauntlet is available to stream on Hulu.