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Tiffany Derry

Tiffany Derry is a Beaumont, Texas-born celebrity chef, restaurateur, and television personality who first gained national recognition on Top Chef Season 7. She is currently a judge on Fox’s MasterChef alongside Gordon Ramsay and Joe Bastianich, and a co-host on Food Network’s Worst Cooks in America. Off-screen, she operates three acclaimed restaurants in the Dallas–Fort Worth area.

Overview

Tiffany Derry's Profile

Tiffany Derry was born on December 26, 1982, in Beaumont, Texas, and developed her love of food growing up on her family farm. She landed her first job at an IHOP restaurant when she was fifteen and quickly earned a management role. After high school, she went to the Art Institute of Houston and graduated with her culinary arts degree in 2003. 

Derry’s television career started when she competed on Top Chef season 7 in 2010, quickly becoming a fan favorite. She returned for Top Chef: All-Stars in 2011, reaching the final four.  These appearances launched an expansive TV career that has since included Bar Rescue, Hungry Investors, The Great American Recipe on PBS, Bobby’s Triple Threat, and Worst Cooks in America on Food Network. 

Beyond television, Derry co-founded T2D Concepts with business partner Tom Foley in 2016, which operates her Dallas–Fort Worth restaurant group, including Roots Chicken Shak (2017), Roots Southern Table (2021), and Radici Wood Fired Grill (2024). In 2025, she joined MasterChef Season 15 as a judge, becoming the first Black woman to hold a judging seat on the long-running Fox competition. 

Quick Facts

  • Full Name: Tiffany Derry
  • Gender: Female
  • Date of Birth: 1982-12-26
  • Nationality: American
  • Ethnicity: African American, Black
  • Sexual Orientation: Straight
  • Marital Status: Undisclosed
  • Career Start: 2003
  • Current Network:
  • Years Active
  • Estimated Salary: $100,000 – $300,000

1
TV Shows

0
Current Hosts

20
Years Active

50
Awards Won

TV Shows​

A list of television shows hosted by this host, including current programs and previous presenting roles.

Food Network's Worst Cooks in America
Worst Cooks in America

Networks

A list of Networks that this host has worked for.

Personal Life

Family, relationships and background

    • Jaren Mitchell, a biological child with , born in 2000

    Education

    Educational background and qualifications

    • Associate of Applied Science in Culinary Arts from The Art Institute of Houston.

    Net Worth & Income

    Income sources, net worth, and properties.

    • Primary income from her TV hosting and judging roles on Fox and Food Network.
    • Revenue from three restaurant operations in the Dallas–Fort Worth area.
    • Founder of T2D Concepts, a purpose-driven hospitality and restaurant group.
    • Income from her HEB-distributed Creole seasoning product line.

    Awards

    Awards & recognition

    • Top Chef Season 7 Fan Favorite — Bravo (2010)
    • James Beard Award Finalist — Best Chef: Texas (2022)
    • James Beard Award Finalist — Best New Restaurant, Roots Southern Table (2022)
    • Hall of Fame — Association of Private Sector Colleges and Universities (2013)