Lowcountry woman featured in cooking competition hosted by Carla Hall

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – A Lowcountry woman is featured in a “game-changing” competition hosted by chef and television personality Carla Hall.

Rhudine Washington, from Charleston, is competing against 11 chefs in the “Favorite Chef” contest for a spot in the semi-finals.

The challenge unites top chefs, passionate home cooks, and creative food artists in a showdown of skill and flavor.

Washington said in an online bio for the competition that she was a stay-at-home mom who enjoyed cooking for her family. “It brings me so much joy,” she said.

Her parents were an inspiration behind her love for cooking. “We owned a restaurant when I was a child,” she said. “I learned to cook from them.” Washington added that her mother was also the cook for a local HeadStart program.

Washington’s specialty? Okra Soup, which she called a specialty in the Gullah Geechee corridor. “I recently taught my youngest daughter to make this dish so we can continue our traditions,” said Washington.

The winner of the “Favorite Chef” competition will win a two-page spread in Taste of Home magazine, a cash prize, and the opportunity to cook with Carla Hall in New York City.

You can vote for Washington by visiting her competition page on the Favorite Chef website. Voting for the semi-finals will end on Thursday, May 22.

Organizers say the campaign benefits the James Beard Foundation.