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MasterChef Season 12 is almost here and we are ready to try out all the new recipes from the show. Michael Silverstein is one of the twenty contestants returning to the show to win staggering prize money of $250,000.
Michael first appeared on MasterChef in Season 10 and was ranked 15th on the show. He was never at the bottom of any challenge until week 6, when he was eliminated.
About MasterChef contestant Michael Silverstein
34-year-old Michael Silverstein is originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He did his undergraduation from Carnegie Mellon University. He was a real estate flipper before going into the cooking world and appearing on MasterChef.
In an interview with Medium, Michael revealed that he decided to take up cooking as a profession when he first started working at a local Italian restaurant at 13. He said,
"I remember watching the bustling kitchen run through a dinner service in absolute awe. If there is a single moment in my life that set me on a course toward a career as a chef, it was that moment."
In an interview with Beyondish, he revealed that he had fond memories of cooking with his mother as a child and would often tell his sisters that he would open a restaurant one day.
In the interview with Medium, Michael also revealed that he weighed over 300 pounds when he was 30 and decided to lose some weight naturally. He decided to make some healthy changes to his diet by going on a ketogenic diet. He said,
"I started the Ketogenic diet, and naturally, as a chef, started developing Keto food that I just wanted to eat. I was losing weight, feeling good, and creating some yummy Keto food, so I was encouraged to share those recipes online to help others find the same success."
He started posting photos and videos of his food on Instagram, which quickly acquired a significant fan following. He lost over 80 pounds in one year because of the diet. He was then spotted by MasterChef showmakers and it was then that he appeared on the show.
Michael shifted to Texas after shooting the show. He published his own cookbook, New Keto Cooking, in 2020 in which he talked about different keto recipes that help in losing weight quickly. Michael also believes in low-carb dieting. He released his second book, New Comfort Cooking: Homestyle Keto Recipes that Won't Bust Your Belt or Wallet, in January 2022.
He currently has his own podcast, The talk with Chef Michael, where he talks about weight loss strategies, keto dieting, and different food recipes. He posts his own recipes on his website and has been featured in many magazines like Good Day Austin, NPR and Delish.
More about MasterChef Season 12
The biggest American cooking reality TV show is back and this time it is officially titled MasterChef: Back to Win and will feature contestants from previous seasons returning to compete for the prize money of $250,000. Two of the contestants returning to the show after competing in the show's junior edition are Dara Yu and Shayne Wells.
Gordon Ramsay, Aarón Sánchez, and Joe Bastianich are returning on the show as judges. Shaun O’Neale, Christine Ha and Wolfgang Puck will be appearing on MasterChef Season 12 as guest judges.
The show will premiere on Fox on May 25 at 8 pm ET. Fans can also watch the episodes on the channel's website after the TV premiere.
