Georgia Tech Graduate Brings Culinary Flair to ‘MasterChef’

Daniel Meng, BA 2025, was 8 years old when he started cooking. His fried rice recipe was simple — rice and eggs — but it was enough to fill him up while his parents were at work, and it lit a fire in him that would eventually lead him to the MasterChef kitchen to compete among the best home cooks in the country.  

What began as a necessity for the Johns Creek, Georgia, native became a passion that he wanted to share with others. As he honed his skills in the kitchen, Daniel hosted dinner parties for friends and started a culinary club at his high school. When he arrived at Georgia Tech, he wanted to continue sharing his expertise, so he created CHEFS at Tech, a student organization that hosts cooking workshops, grocery trips, and restaurant outings.  

“Cooking is one of the most important skills you can have, and that’s not something they teach you in school, so I wanted to fill that gap. Then, I started creating content on social media because I wanted to share my love for food and teach the world how to cook,” he said. 

Embracing the “global gauntlet” theme of the 16th season of Fox’s culinary reality show, Daniel showcased his Asian fusion cooking style, impressing the judges — Gordon Ramsay, Joe Bastianich, and Tiffany Derry — with his take on Mapo tofu, a Sichuan-spiced dish that he fused with ravioli. 

“That was better than some of the pasta I’ve had in Italy,” Ramsay said after tasting Meng’s dish. 

Like preparing for a final exam at Tech, Daniel prepared extensively for his audition, helping him stay composed under the bright lights. 

“Tech taught me to work under heavy pressure because you’re surrounded by so many hardworking students,” he said. “When you're in that kitchen, not only is the audience watching you, but the whole world's going to be watching you, so there's a lot of weight on your shoulders. But I knew I was ready because I was so focused, and this moment meant everything to me.” 

Able to execute his vision for the dish and take on Ramsay’s challenge of doing pushups in the kitchen, Daniel earned an apron to secure his spot in the competition. The feedback from the three culinary experts gave Daniel the added confidence of knowing he can compete with the best, but it’s the memories of cooking alongside his mother and sharing his food with friends and family that continue to push him.  

"From when I was a kid up until now, watching my parents enjoy my food means everything to me. In the MasterChef kitchen, the stage got bigger, but that feeling never changed. Cooking has always been how I show people I care. That doesn’t go away, whether I’m cooking for my parents or Gordon Ramsay,” he said.  

When he’s not competing, Daniel shares dishes on his social channels as a food content creator. From his Hainanese chicken and rice recipe to showing how he cooked for 70 of his fraternity brothers at Tech, Daniel wants his channel (@mengseats) to be a source of entertainment, education, and inspiration for those looking to elevate their skills in the kitchen.  

While his dishes vary in complexity, his favorites are those that remind him of his childhood, and he continues to iterate on his fried rice — both in technique and ingredients. A message he shares, particularly with college students, is that adding simple proteins and fresh vegetables to dishes like rice or ramen noodles can significantly boost nutritional value, enhance satiety, and broaden their palate.  

Follow Daniel’s MasterChef journey on Fox every Wednesday at 8 p.m. EDT and stream the next day on Hulu.