Dara Yu, a beaming young Chinese American chef, stands with her hands in her pockets, wearing a light blue apron over a red-orange T shirt.

Dara Yu

Dara Yu

Hey, it’s Dara! I’m a chef, culinary educator, food media personality, and the youngest champion of Masterchef.

About

Ever since I won Masterchef in 2022, I’ve been spending time growing, healing and returning to my roots. From LA to New Zealand, I’ve been restoring meaningful relationships with family, friends, and most importantly, myself—rediscovering the dreams that younger Dara always held for her future.

Now, I’m ready to harness my lifelong love for food, community, and education to rewrite and redefine my culinary career, on my own terms. I can’t wait to share my journey with you, and hope you’ll tag along!

what I’ve been up to

Work With Me

Pairing my professional experience at industry-leading restaurants and training from the Culinary Institute of America, I empower groups and individuals to elevate their culinary literacy and rediscover joy, beauty and play through food.

  • I offer Cooking Demos at events (including corporate events, conferences, trade shows), Cooking Classes (Online, In-Person), and create bespoke food and cooking experiences to inspire any audience.

  • Does your brand have an event that needs culinary services? From catering to food styling and beyond, I can offer my extensive industry expertise to curate a memorable experience for guests and bring your creative vision to life! Brand Partnerships, Live Events, Culinary consulting, Catering and Culinary pop-ups are all in my wheelhouse.

  • With over a decade of TV experience (debuting on Masterchef Junior at age 12), I’m well-equipped to star as your next TV Host, Guest Judge, or Culinary Mentor for any media platform.

    I also create engaging content for my 58k foIlowers across Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube, and would love to work together to create something sensational!

What’s New With Yu?

Upcoming Events

Palm Springs Food & Wine Festival

Experience a celebration of culinary creativity with unlimited tastings, live demos, Q&A with some of the leading chefs and restauranteurs in the nation, and your very own souvenir wine glass to take home.

Recent Events

Joseon x Chef Dara Yu

Dara's culinary journey celebrated her Chinese roots intertwined with her upbringing in Los Angeles. A five course tasting menu featured fusion delights like ginger fish dumplings with Thai red curry, charred cabbage, XO Sauce and Tomato.

more at @chefdarayu

Press Features

Brand Partners

Get In Touch

Got an inquiry about my services, ideas for a new venture, or just want to say hi? Feel free to fill out my contact form so we can get connected. I’d love to hear from you!

Management: Arc Collective -  hello@arccltv.com