Master Chef Junior winner Bryson McGlynn named ‘Chef for the Day’ in Alabama, cooks for Gov. Kay Ivey

Published On: 07.15.24 |

By: Michael Tomberlin

Master Chef Junior winner Bryson McGlynn named ‘Chef for the Day’ in Alabama, cooks for Gov. Kay Ivey

Master Chef Junior winner Bryson McGlynn cooked for Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey and some friends and was proclaimed “Chef for the Day” in Alabama. (Hal Yeager / Governor’s Office)

Alabama’s own Master Chef Junior winner Bryson McGlynn was named “Chef for the Day” in Alabama on July 12, a day when he cooked for Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey and some friends.

With help from his parents, McGlynn, a 12-year-old chef from Opelika, produced a lunch menu at the governor’s mansion that consisted of:

“Charred salad wedge with crispy Conecuh bacon bits, chopped giardiniera and a homemade blue cheese dressing with crumbled garlic croutons” as a starter.
“Sliced Australian wagyu ribeye with a chimichurri cauliflower purée, honey-roasted rainbow carrots and caramelized onions” for the main course.
“Peanut butter pie with a peanut butter chocolate mousse and a smoked cherry reduction sauce” for dessert.

“It was an honor to meet Governor Kay Ivey, but getting to cook for her and her two friends was the icing on the cake,” McGlynn told Alabama News Center. “I worked very hard to prepare a three-course meal that I thought she and her friends would enjoy and allow me to show off some of my skills and tell a story of my journey. My first course told the story of my Southern roots tied in with my family’s Wisconsin ties. My second course told the story of my competitive cooking side. The final course told the story of both Master Chef Junior and places I have visited and things I have learned since the show has ended.”

Master Chef Junior winner Bryson McGlynn cooked for Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey and some friends and was proclaimed “Chef for the Day” in Alabama. (Hal Yeager / Governor’s Office)

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey raved about Bryson McGlynn and presented him with a challenge coin. (Hal Yeager / Governor’s Office)

Master Chef Junior winner Bryson McGlynn cooked for Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey and some friends and was proclaimed “Chef for the Day” in Alabama. (Hal Yeager / Governor’s Office)

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey raved about Bryson McGlynn and presented him with a challenge coin. (Hal Yeager / Governor’s Office)

Master Chef Junior winner Bryson McGlynn cooked for Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey and some friends and was proclaimed “Chef for the Day” in Alabama. (Hal Yeager / Governor’s Office)

Bryson McGlynn gave Ivey a bottle of his pineapple chipotle sauce. (Hal Yeager / Governor’s Office)

Master Chef Junior winner Bryson McGlynn cooked for Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey and some friends and was proclaimed “Chef for the Day” in Alabama. (Hal Yeager / Governor’s Office)

Bryson McGlynn gave Ivey a bottle of his pineapple chipotle sauce. (Hal Yeager / Governor’s Office)

Master Chef Junior winner Bryson McGlynn cooked for Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey and some friends and was proclaimed “Chef for the Day” in Alabama. (Hal Yeager / Governor’s Office)

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey raved about Bryson McGlynn and presented him with a challenge coin. (Hal Yeager / Governor’s Office)

Master Chef Junior winner Bryson McGlynn cooked for Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey and some friends and was proclaimed “Chef for the Day” in Alabama. (Hal Yeager / Governor’s Office)

Bryson McGlynn gave Gov. Ivey a bottle of his pineapple chipotle sauce. (Hal Yeager / Governor’s Office)

Master Chef Junior winner Bryson McGlynn cooked for Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey and some friends and was proclaimed “Chef for the Day” in Alabama. (Hal Yeager / Governor’s Office)

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey raved about Bryson McGlynn and presented him with a challenge coin. (Hal Yeager / Governor’s Office)

Master Chef Junior winner Bryson McGlynn cooked for Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey and some friends and was proclaimed “Chef for the Day” in Alabama. (Hal Yeager / Governor’s Office)