This post was updated Aug. 8 at 10:01 p.m.
An 11 p.m. leap-of-faith decision took Sharila Stewart, a UCLA alumnus, to the first season of “Top Chef Amateurs.”
Premiering July 1, “Top Chef Amateurs” is a spinoff of the American reality show “Top Chef” and features home cooks instead of professional chefs as contestants. Read more...
Photo: (From left: Sharila Stewart’s Angolan inspired peanut sponge cake, Stewart in her home kitchen, and Stewart’s lamb roast with haricot vert and potatoes.) UCLA alumni Sharila Stewart is a contestant on the first season of “Top Chef Amateurs” this year. Stewart said the diversity of dishes in UCLA dining halls helped develop her love for learning about other cultures and bringing people together through food. (Courtesy of Sharila Stewart)