Local 'MasterChef' winner Kelsey Murphy has dishes on new Grubhub virtual restaurant
The Fishers winner of last season’s “MasterChef” is going nationwide with her cuisine.
Kelsey Murphy created two of the menu items on MasterChef Table, a virtual delivery-only restaurant brand available on Grubhub.
The offering is meant to give customers a taste of cooking from some favorite recent contestants, although none of the items were among those prepared for the show.
Going live Wednesday in more than 20 markets, including New York, Chicago, Boston and Washington, D.C., is the menu of dishes crafted by Murphy, season 10 winner Dorian Hunter, season 9 champ Gerron Hurt and season 10 contestant Michael Silverstein.
But Indianapolis-area residents won't get to try the food right away. The virtual restaurant will be adding markets this summer and fall, as they contract with brick and mortar restaurants to cook the food. It doesn't have a restaurant signed on to prepare the food locally.
Juneteenth food fest: More than 20 Black-owned restaurants set for Harrison site event
Food to be included on Grubhub menu
There are 11 comfort food dishes, including appetizers, sides and entrees, ranging in price from $5 to $22.
“We're trying to get all different price points,” Murphy said, "so everybody can enjoy the food we're offering at MasterChef Table."
Murphy’s dishes include the Spicy Maple Bacon Fried Chicken Sandwich and Skewered Shrimp Elotes.
Also on the menu are Hunter’s queso-smothered fajitas; buffalo chicken poppers and fries; Hurt’s Nashville hot shrimp tacos; and Silverstein’s three-patty smash burger.
The chefs began developing the recipes over a year ago, said Murphy, who was a physical therapist before going on “MasterChef” in season 11.
“We wanted them to be approachable, but with our ‘MasterChef’ twist on them,” she said.
MOTW Coffee and Pastries: See inside the recently opened Fishers location
Murphy’s chicken sandwich is topped with jalapenos, cabbage slaw and a spicy mayo. Her shrimp are set atop Mexican corn.
She said was guided by her personal tastes.
“They are things that I personally love to eat. I love to focus on modern American cuisine that I love to cook,” she said. “Elotes is my favorite dish. If I see it on the menu, I want to eat it.”
Fishers Test Kitchen and MasterChef Table menu
She approaches her menu at her Fishers restaurant, Inspo by Chef Kelsey Murphy, in the same manner.
Indylicious: Sign up for local dining news
The counter-service restaurant opened at the Fishers Test Kitchen in March with a menu of lobster rolls; Asian sticky chicken wings; shrimp and sausage jambalaya and an ancient grain bowl with sweet potato, caramelized onion, avocado and tahini miso dressing.
Food festivals: Strawberries, chicken, beer and tacos: Summer events you need to know about
The MasterChef Table menu is the latest project to spring from the television cooking competition series the country saw her win in September.
In March, she paired with Hurt on cooking demonstrations at The Inspired Home Show in Chicago on behalf of the Netherlands-based Arovo, which sells “MasterChef”- branded cookware, tableware and kitchen appliances. She also is writing a cookbook.
The MasterChef Table dishes are available via the Grubhub app and on grubhub.com.
Contact IndyStar reporter Cheryl V. Jackson at cheryl.jackson@indystar.com or 317-444-6264. Follow her on Twitter: @cherylvjackson.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Local MasterChef winner Kelsey Murphy to have food on Grubhub app
