A Montgomery County resident and longtime food enthusiast recently stepped onto the national stage as a contestant on Food Network’s newest culinary competition series, 100 Cooks.
Tarun Sinha, a Silver Spring resident who lives in the Long Branch neighborhood, was selected from thousands of applicants to compete on the new seven-week cooking competition hosted by Terry Crews. The series features 100 home cooks from across the country competing for a grand prize of up to $250,000 and the title of America’s best home cook.
Sinha, who has lived in Montgomery County for the past four years, is well known locally for highlighting restaurants, small businesses, and neighborhood events through his social media channels. A passionate home cook for decades, he credits both his parents and years of watching Food Network for helping develop his culinary skills.
His journey to the show began unexpectedly after seeing a casting call on Food Network’s Instagram account. “I had no idea what the show concept was,” Sinha told The MoCoShow. “I submitted an application at 2pm and by 5:30pm that same day I was on the phone with a casting agent.”
What followed was a whirlwind of interviews, questionnaires, background checks, and weeks of communication with the casting team before receiving the news on January 16 that he had been selected. “I was ecstatic,” Sinha said. “I received the final confirmation email while I was rocking my one-year-old son to sleep. It was a wonderful moment to share with him, not that he’ll ever remember, but I will.”
The experience gave Sinha the opportunity to cook for some of the biggest names in food television, including Iron Chef Alexandra Guarnaschelli and culinary creator Nick DiGiovanni. “When she walked onto the set, there was definitely an audible gasp from all the contestants,” Sinha said of Guarnaschelli. “I’ve been watching her on a weekly basis since 2009, and now I finally had a chance to show her my culinary point of view.”
While the judging could be intense, Sinha described Guarnaschelli as both supportive and inspiring. His favorite memory came after filming, when she offered a personal compliment that he says he will never forget.“She held my hand, looked me dead in the eyes and said, ‘You’re a great cook.’”
Although Sinha previously appeared on Guy’s Grocery Games, he said the scale of 100 Cooks was unlike anything he had experienced before. “When I cooked here it was in front of a countless number of cameras, a crew of about 100 people, and an actual audience,” he said. “It felt like a stadium.”
One aspect that surprised him most was the emotional bond formed among contestants. “The friends I made will definitely be lifelong friendships,” he said. “When we get eliminated, those tears are real. It’s devastating to see your friends have to go home.”
As a Montgomery County resident, Sinha hopes viewers recognize how fortunate the area is when it comes to food and culture. “The beauty of Montgomery County is that we have access to restaurants and cuisines from every corner of the globe,” he said. “From kebabs in Gaithersburg, to pho in Wheaton, to pupuserias throughout Long Branch, we have opportunities to experience foods that people in other parts of the country would love to have access to.”
Hosted by Terry Crews and judged by Nick DiGiovanni and Alexandra Guarnaschelli, 100 Cooks premiered June 7 on Food Network and streams on HBO Max. The competition begins with 100 home cooks from across the country, with only one ultimately claiming the title of America’s best home cook and the $250,000 grand prize.
