MasterChef learns to harvest at UBC Farm

Organic kimchi in a bottle – tangy, vibrant red – was like a capstone project for Dara Yu.

Yu, who was crowned MasterChef USA’s youngest-ever champion in 2022 at the age of 20, enrolled in the 6-month UBC Farm Practicum to learn about an essential part of the food system that had been missing for her – walking in the footsteps of those who grow and harvest the food on our table. 

“I had been working as a chef for 10 years,” Yu said. “I’ve always been very interested in farming, and understanding where the food and produce that I’ve been using on an everyday basis was coming from, specifically with organic practices.”  

“I wanted to take a step outside of the kitchen and have a different experience with food that was new for me.”

At the start of the program in May, Yu sowed the seeds for the kimchi idea, so to speak. As part of the brassica planning team, she advocated for growing napa cabbage to make kimchi that could be sold at the UBC Saturday Farmers’ Market held throughout the summer. UBC Farm also typically grows garlic, green onions and carrots – other essential ingredients for kimchi. In August, Yu held a kimchi-making workshop with classmates and, like magic, organic kimchi was ready for sale.

Seed to Harvest to Market

Yu’s favourite thing about the UBC Farm Practicum was the seed to harvest to market experience.

“I really loved doing the markets after having that 3-to-3.5 months of labour – going into the market and having that connection with the customers.”

Along with her classmates in the practicum program, Yu took turns cooking at the weekly Friday lunches, which was a fun way to connect with everyone on the farm for a meal. She also valued the field trips to see farms in other parts of the province, including in Abbotsford and Pemberton.

“Being able to see the different techniques and methods that other farmers were using was a crucial part of the program. At least for me, it helped me think about farming from many different angles.”

“It has given me more of an appreciation for farmers and uplifting the farmers. Most of the farms we went to were not necessarily making a profit but they ran off subsidies and grants…the amount of work that goes into growing one singular pumpkin or squash, this has definitely given me a new appreciation.”

“The amount of work that goes into growing one singular pumpkin or squash, this has definitely given me a new appreciation.”

– Dara Yu

At the age of 12, Yu was runner-up on MasterChef Junior – and she returned to the program eight years later, in the 2022 comeback season, to win MasterChef USA.

Yu grew up in Los Angeles and throughout her teens she continued on a food journey by working in restaurants, attending cooking camps, and travelling with her family, which exposed her to global cuisines. After high school, Yu completed the Culinary Institute of America, earning an Associate in Baking and Pastry Arts degree.

During MasterChef, Yu thought she would one day become a chef at a Michelin-starred restaurant, but she instead found herself drawn to learn about the food system in a more holistic manner. She was interested in the UBC Farm Practicum, for the educational aspect as well as for the chance to be closer to her late father’s family in Vancouver. Her uncle, Henry Yu, is a history professor at UBC.

“My dad was raised in B.C. and went to UBC. I have a lot of family connections at UBC. I was attracted to the program because of the farm and where it’s located as well. Growing up in Los Angeles, I was very interested in urban farming and urban agriculture.”

What is the next step for Yu?

“The biggest question I get is, ‘Are you going to open a restaurant?’. I think I will open some type of business that revolves around food and community and education. Right now, I don’t know what that will look like in a tangible form.”

Yu says she will likely continue to work within food media because it’s an excellent outlet to share messages, and strengthen the food community.

For Yu, food and family go hand-in-hand – Yu’s mom taught her to cook, and food has been a connection point in her family – but her passion for cooking came naturally.

“My passion for cooking kind of came from my passion for eating,” she laughs. “I’ve always been an adventurous eater, I wasn’t a picky eater.”

Some of her favourite local places to eat include Raisu Japanese Restaurant on West Fourth, and Gingeri in Richmond for dim sum. While she hasn’t eaten at Nero Tondo just yet, she speaks highly of their concept, which focusses on buying from local farmers and using seasonal ingredients.

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