This report was written by Hatchet reporter Tanay Tewani.

A local chef will advance in the Sears Chef Challenge, a win that will not only affect him on a personal level, but will help feed thousands of meals for the local homeless population.

John Murphy, 23, the assistant director of Kitchen Operations for Miriam’s Kitchen – an organization that provides free meals and other services to Foggy Bottom’s homeless, – discovered Monday he will move on to the semi finals of the competition. The advancement in the competition came with a $5,000 check, which will go to Miriam’s Kitchen.

Murphy said that a meal at the local soup kitchen costs $1, meaning the check he received will feed 5,000 meals.

“I’m extremely excited and can’t wait to get to Chicago to compete against…the other chefs,” Murphy said. The semi finals of the competition will take place Oct. 21 in Chicago, Ill.

Murphy had to garner enough votes to move onto the next round of the competition, and online voting for the public’s favorite chefs in the challenge ended Saturday, reducing the number of participants in the competition from 24 to four.

Murphy got involved in the Sears challenge after a head corporate chef from the department store contacted him in August and asked him to compete.
During the first round, Murphy was required to do four live cooking demonstrations at local Sears stores.

Phase two of the challenge will be an Iron Chef-style competition where Murphy will cook against the three other chefs who qualified, for a chance to compete in the finals.

Murphy already delayed his honeymoon to be part of the event, and it looks like the trip will be put off a little longer.

His continuation in the competition gives him the chance to provide more money for Miriam’s Kitchen, located in the Western Presbyterian Church on Virginia Avenue, just off GW’s campus. The organization serves fresh meals to around 400 hungry and homeless patrons each day.

Murphy said he is excited that this publicity will be a “great opportunity for Miriam’s philosophies to be heard by a lot more people.”

While the next phase of the challenge will be scored by a panel of expert and celebrity judges, Murphy was thankful to those who helped him reach the Chicago round.

“I want to personally thank all your readers and those who went online and voted for me,” he said.