Hey, Can You Cook?! 4

Greetings from Brooklyn, New York! My name is Tamar Poyser and I was born in Savanna La Mar, Jamaica. We like to say "Sav" for short. As a child, I was raised by my great aunt and uncle whom I called Auntie Hyo and Papa Lanzi. Papa Lanzi was always out fishing before sunrise and Auntie Hyo was an advocate of planting her own fruits, vegetables, and spices. Needless to say, almost everything I ate came from the land I lived on. Through them I gained a special appreciation for food -- in fact, one of my first words was "lobscotch," which was baby talk for lobster!

I moved to Brooklyn to live with my mother and brother when I was around 10 years old. My mom is one of the best cooks I know and she definitely nursed my love affair with food. I began cooking in junior high partly because I wanted to help my mom, but mostly because it came so naturally to me. Every Friday my two best friends and I would pool our allowances so we could buy the ingredients to make my "Pepper Shrimp."

As a young woman, I always struggled with what I wanted to do with my life. Cooking was my first love but I never considered it as a career. I graduated from Temple University with a degree in Broadcast Journalism. From there I held numerous positions at television stations.

In September 2008, my dear Auntie Hyo passed away. Soon after her passing, I quit my job at a major television station to pursue a career in cooking. A couple of months later I sent in my audition tape for "Hey, Can You Cook?! 4," and here I am! I received the call to be on the show a few days before I was supposed to be leaving for Jamaica with my fiancé. He wanted to officially ask my father for my hand in marriage but we canceled our trip so I could take part in this incredible opportunity. My father still approved our engagement and I got to meet Rachael Ray, so I'm ready to compete!