By Nicole June
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – Nashville school teacher Gerron Hurt was crowned the winner of Gordon Ramsay’s MasterChef Wednesday night on Fox.
Hurt brought some of his delectable recipes to the Bacon and Bourbon Festival in Clarksville last month and created a Bacon and Tomato Jam that was a hit during the event.
“When I was at the Bacon and Bourbon festival I got to meet Ryan and got a chance to talk to Gretchen (Q108’s Ryan and Gretchen in the Morning) as well and they are two people that I absolutely love,” he said.
He told ClarksvilleNow.com in an interview Thursday that he plans to return for next year’s festival.
Hurt also shared his feelings about his impressive win and his plans for the future.
“In the moment that I found out, when Gordon Ramsay called my name, I could not believe it,” he said. “It all paid off. One thing I always say, every single moment I spent inside the MasterChef kitchen, I always said a prayer to God.”
Hurt said he would also make a special plea to his mother, who passed away, to give him strength to help him through the challenges. He believes his mother was watching over him during the finale.
The next phase of Hurt’s journey is joining MasterChef 9 finalists Cesar and Ashley at Camp MasterChef culinary camps next summer to teach kids hands-on cooking skills and techniques. Hurt said he looks forward to merging his two passions – cooking and educating youth.
“This is a lifelong skill that they’ll need to be successful and I am so, so excited to do so, but also just very blessed for the opportunity to really teach kids and get them to realize their culinary abilities as well,” he said.
Despite his victory, Hurt said he is still in shock over the win and never expected to get so far in the competition.
“Being able to really take in these new experiences, meeting new people and consulting and talking about recipes, and just learning from people, was what I was really there for,” Hurt said. “Winning was just an added bonus for me.”
Hurt’s rise to stardom is far from over. He is currently building a website to showcase his recipes and business ventures and is working to create a culinary program for students at his high school.
There is also good news for those who want a taste of Hurt’s creations: A mobile food truck is in the works and Hurt hopes to bring it to Louisville, Nashville…and even Clarksville.
“I just have dreams of feeding the world, so a food truck will allow me to move around and be mobile but still produce quality food,” he said.
Follow Gerron Hurt on Twitter and Instagram for updates.
Watch his MasterChef victory clip below:
MasterChef is currently casting for Season 10. Home cooks who think they have what it takes to become the next MasterChef can pre-register by visiting MasterChefCasting.com.