Chef Jasmine Cherry looks to take home Golden Fork at La. Food Prize

SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – Six local chefs will compete for the “Golden Fork” at this year’s edition of Food Prize, a culinary celebration honoring the region’s top chefs.

The six contestants are all semi-finalists from the Food Prize Golden Fork Dinner Series, a two-session food competition held in the Spring and Summer. The top three chefs from each session advance to “Come & Get It,” where they will team with celebrity chefs in competition.

Three finalists are chosen for the final Battle for the Golden Fork, where they will be tasked with creating a dish from scratch in just a 45-minute window. These competitions allow chefs to showcase their talents through tastings and live demonstrations.

Jasmine Cherry, a former chef at Abby Singer’s Bistro, was nominated by award-winning chef Niema DiGrazia as a Golden Fork candidate.

“I love seeing the natural reaction someone has when they eat something good that I’ve made,” Cherry said. “Food is in everything we do. To make it good and to put me in it and my story in it, I love that. I love being a part of other people’s great experiences.”

Jasmine is originally from Houston, but hopes to bring a touch of Texas flavor to Louisiana through her cooking. Her catering company, Boujee Bites, aims to do just that.

“I love to take down-home food, or food that necessarily isn’t elevated or escalated, and I like to elevate it,” Cherry said. “Make it fancy, make it pretty. I love pretty food. If it’s visually pretty, to me, I know it’s gonna be bomb. I eat with my eyes first.”

Ahead of Come & Get It, Jasmine said she hopes to learn something new from nationally recognized chefs.

“I’m really big on different cuisines and different backgrounds,” Cherry said. “I love taking that and then twisting it, adding a little bit of me, then maybe we can come together and make something spectacular. That’s really what I’m looking forward to: the experience and the knowledge that I’ll gain.”

The exposure from Food Prize has created several opportunities for chefs in restaurants, catering, and the food industry. Jasmine hopes that being a Golden Fork candidate will help get her name out there so she can be an example for her daughter.

“I want to show her she can do anything,” Cherry said. “She doesn’t have to be a chef like mommy, but anything you want to do, you’re gonna do it.”