Masterchef: Cutter Brewer

This week the 33-year-old oil salesman from Beaumont, Texas returns. Cutter Brewer shares about his time on MasterChef season 5 from favorite moments, to lessons, and even some behind the scenes audition information.

Welcome back Cutter, so talk to us a little bit about your time on the show and how you've grown since the last couple episodes that we've seen.

The show has been an amazing experience and I've seen myself move to whole new levels I never thought I could reach. I feel like I'm just a home cook that cooks barbeque and creole type foods who has learned how to make pastas and desserts and things like that.

So you really found yourself growing a lot from every challenge on the show with what the judges have said and also what you see the other contestants doing? I can imagine you're really coming out of that comfort zone.

I really am. It's hard and on TV it seem like I have that strong personality that doesn't look like I pay attention. I do really pay attention and listen to what everyone says and what the other contestants are cooking and what they bring to the show. I try to take all of it in and do my best on the next challenge to come up.

So have you had a favorite challenge?

The seafood challenge, even though they didn't show my dish. The Neptune's Net challenge had to have been my favorite because that's right in my warehouse. I live on the Gulf of Mexico, and I've dealt with most everything that was in that bag and I really enjoyed cooking for that challenge

That's awesome that each of the challenges are a little tailored to at least one contestant's strength and to see if that contestant can rise up and be the top competitor.

Right.

Now what would you say are some of the biggest lessons that you've learned being on the show?

A lesson I've learned is that sometimes you really need to humble yourself. I strongly believe in standing by your opinions in how you feel. I don't always agree with what the judges have to say, but I had to learn to humble myself so that I could take guidance from them.

So if you found yourself being a little overly confident there would be moments where you probably won't be the top contender.

Yeah there are, but I also don't believe in...well let me give an example. With the red velvet cake, I'm from the south and we like our things sweet. Still to this day, I stand by my opinions. I think it tasted fine and I wish they didn't edit out the actual tasting of Joe because he said he agreed with me and that it tasted great. It was just one of those things where I respect the judges, but I'm still going to stick by my opinions and if I think something tastes good then I think it tastes good.

And that's interesting in the perspective we see on TV versus what actually happened. In this case there was a judge who like your dish, but what we say is that they really weren't a fan.

Oh you know they gotta make me look like I'm this tough guy from Texas. You know they have to do that. <laughs> They can't show my softer side.

<laughs> So they have to show you as the tough guy?

That's right.

With the red velvet cake, what was a lesson you learned to appeal to the other tastes of the judges?

I learned that everyone has their opinions on flavor and taste. You may like it spicy and I may not. It's a fine line when you are trying to learn from the judges, taking in what they have to say, and then sticking back to what you think. If I cook something and I don't believe in it then it won't come out as good. I feel like there needs to be a passion.

That's awesome that it's something that you're passionate about and that there's care going into each ingredient you choose to use. Then you know because you believe in it, there will be fans of that cooking.

Sure, and that's what I do love about the support that I have from my fans, family, and friends and from the people in the south. I had a lot of criticism on social media and things like that after episodes like the red velvet episode, but I have also had a lot of support from people who understand where I was going with it. Just because no one else uses it the way I did, doesn't mean that it's wrong and the supporters have been able to relate to me. That helped me a lot because I found myself getting down on myself a lot wondering if I was really this bad of a cook. Then I think that I've made it this far and beat out 18,000 people to get here. It feels good to have that support. Not every time will you do something that pleases the judges, but you do your best every challenge to try to please them.

That's awesome, and I would think that knowing you beat out about 18,000 people would show you right there that you are a good cook no matter how far you make it in the competition.

True. Very true.

Now I'm curious if during filming for the show, you were allowed to be in communication with your family and friends or were you completely cut off from the outside world while you were filming?

You're completely cut off. So it puts a lot of pressure on you to do your best, to study, and to make it presentable. You have to sacrifice so much and that's why this is one of the toughest competitions in the United States and the world. Think of all the sacrifices to get to this one goal and dream of going from a regular, everyday home cook like you and everyone else to learning and becoming chef material where one day you could open up your own restaurant.

So I can imagine that knowing that you didn't have contact to that support system back home there was a lot going on emotionally because you couldn't rely on the support from your friends and family to help build you up and comfort you.

Oh yeah, you'll see that on the show sometimes. Contestants blow up at each other and it's not that we don't like each other, but you just get in those stressful situations and put in an environment like a hot kitchen. Things start to go off and personalities start to clash, and you don't mean to get upset at someone. I love every one of them to death, and wish I could get us all back together again.

Was there anyone on the show that you were particularly close to and hope to stay in contact with now that filming is complete?

Well, Christian and Big Willie were my boys. New Orleans, Houston, and Beaumont. Christian and I stay in touch, and so do Big Willie and I. Actually Willie and I are only about 35 minutes apart. We've been together since day one and actually all auditioned in the same room together on the very first step of the process. We've been together ever since and have stayed in contact. I've gotten really close to those guys and then Kyra, Christine, Ahran, Courtney, and especially Daniel and Victoria (being from Texas). I'm really close with those guys and we all try to keep up with each other.

I think that's really cool that three of you were there together from day one in the same audition and rather than meeting on the show and discovering that, you met before the journey really began.

It was great. Me and Big Willie literally were at every stage of the competition together from day one and I love that guy to death. We text each other and keep in touch pretty regularly.

That's very cool to know that it's not just something that we are seeing on camera, but that family really exists outside of the show too.

Yeah, it's been a great experience.

Now what have you been up to off camera?

I'm in the oil business still, and until the results of the show are out you have to go back to your life and let the show play out. I feel like there are some opportunities starting to open up as we get closer and as I make it further in the competition. Hey, I still have faith that I'll win this thing. You'll have to watch to find out and see what happens next in the life of Cutter.

Well, let's hope you do, but not being able to tell anyone and just go back to your normal life must be must be interesting and difficult to not want to tell someone until the results come out each week.

Yeah, especially in a big mouth Texan like myself, it's been very hard.

Well, here's hoping that on the final episode it will be good news for you and that your family will be right there celebrating with you.

Well, I appreciate it and thanks a lot.

As the season is winding down, the competition is getting heated. Tune in to FOX every Monday night at 8pm to see who is the next contestant to go home and very soon a new MasterChef will be crowned.