SWAMPSCOTT — Komal Montgomery took her culinary capabilities to the Food Network’s “Outchef’d” earlier this year, as she competed against chef and television personality Eddie Jackson for the chance to win more than $5,000.
Community members had the opportunity to see Montgomery represent Swampscott on Friday, Aug. 31, when the episode first aired on television.
Montgomery always had a passion for cooking, and put it to use through her food blog, which is called Sweet and Masala. However, she always classified her cooking affinity as a hobby, as she works in the field of sustainability.
Montgomery’s journey to get on television began in 2018, when she was a finalist to appear on the popular show “MasterChef.” Despite not landing that role, the network continued to reach out to her about other opportunities.
When she was first approached about potentially competing on “Outchef’d,” she was under the impression that it was simply an audition when she arrived at the set in New York. However, she was shocked to learn that she had already been chosen as a contestant.
“I’d never actually watched the show prior, so I didn’t know the setup. So it was truly a surprise,” Montgomery said.
After it was revealed that Montgomery would be competing against Jackson, both were given 45 minutes to create a meal with the main ingredient of quail meat. Montgomery decided to cook a traditional dish from her Indian heritage: chicken masala curry, with the chicken substituted with quail. Her husband and best friend watched anxiously from backstage as Montgomery tried to prepare all aspects of the dish in the limited time period.
Four New York City residents were randomly selected to judge both dishes, and were not told who was responsible for each one. Montgomery only needed one of four votes in her favor to win the $5,000. However, unfortunately for her, Jackson’s grilled quail dish with sweet and spicy elements received all four votes.
Montgomery admitted she was surprised her dish was not favored by at least one of the judges, but she was grateful for the opportunity to be featured on the Food Network.
“Pretty much everything you saw was 100% real,” Montgomery said. “Overall, the experience was really good. I had a really good time.”
Montgomery said she was aware of the support and interest from fellow Swampscott residents when her episode aired, as the news spread throughout multiple Facebook groups.
