Yesterday, I submitted my application to be on Gordon Ramsay’s Next Level Chef. Not because I’m looking for validation or trying to prove something to myself—but because I know I belong in that kitchen. After running a successful restaurant for seven years without any formal training, creating content that reaches thousands of home cooks, and consistently delivering under pressure, it’s time to see what I can do on the biggest stage in competitive cooking.

Why Next Level Chef Is Perfect for My Skill Set

The three-level kitchen concept isn’t just a gimmick—it’s exactly the kind of challenge I’ve been preparing for my entire career without even knowing it. I’ve made midnight snacks on nothing but an electric griddle in a Wisconsin hotel lobby. I’ve cooked for fellow Scout leaders over campfires in the middle of nowhere with whatever ingredients we could pack in. I’ve pivoted entire restaurant menus when suppliers fell through.

What excites me most about Next Level Chef isn’t the possibility of failure—it’s the certainty that I’ll thrive in that controlled chaos. The basement kitchen with limited equipment? That’s every camping trip I’ve ever been on as a Scout leader. The top-level kitchen with every tool imaginable? I know exactly how to make the most of those resources. The middle kitchen where you have to be strategic? That’s where my self-taught adaptability becomes a serious advantage.

The Self-Taught Advantage

When I filled out my application and wrote about opening Dave’s Cafe & Gifts without ever working in a professional kitchen, I realized something: what sounds crazy to most people is actually my greatest strength. I didn’t learn someone else’s rules—I developed my own approach to cooking based purely on what works.

For almost seven years, we were the highest-rated restaurant within 20 miles. That doesn’t happen by accident. It happens because you understand flavors at a fundamental level, because you can adapt when things go wrong, and because you never stop pushing to create something better.

I can taste flavor combinations in my mind before I even start cooking. It’s not magic—it’s pattern recognition developed through thousands of experiments and the confidence to trust my instincts. In a competition setting, that kind of intuitive cooking is invaluable.

Signature Dishes That Tell My Story

My Golden Beet Tacos aren’t just a recipe—they’re a perfect example of how I approach cooking. Taking something unexpected (shredded golden beets) and transforming it with traditional Mexican flavors, finished with tequila and lime. It’s creative, it’s accessible for home cooks, and it showcases technique without being pretentious.

My Pineapple & Canadian Bacon Pizza with sesame ginger tahini sauce? That’s the kind of unexpected flavor combination that stops people in their tracks. It works because I understand how sweet, salty, umami, and acid interact—not because I read it in a textbook, but because I’ve built those flavor relationships through experience.

And my steak and homemade pasta? Perfect execution of classics. I know when to innovate and when to respect tradition. That balance is crucial in competition cooking.

From Restaurant Owner to Content Creator to Competitor

These days, I’m developing exclusive flavors for Fink’s Milling and Distilling (currently under review for nationwide distribution), working with partners like Misfits Market, and creating content that teaches people to cook better at home. But there’s something I wrote in my application that captures exactly why I’m ready for this next step:

“I want a chance to cook in a space where I’m not juggling every piece of the production by myself and just focus on the food and the moment.”

I’ve proven I can handle all the business aspects of food. Now I want to show what happens when I can pour 100% of my focus into pure cooking competition. That’s when you’ll see what I’m really capable of.

Pressure Is Where I Shine

Competition cooking isn’t about having the fanciest technique or the most expensive ingredients—it’s about delivering when it matters most. I’ve been doing that my entire career.

When half your ingredients disappear right before dinner service, you don’t panic—you pivot. You slice that protein differently, create a cascade presentation, add texture with seeds and herbs, and make it look like the elevated version was always the plan.

When you’re cooking over campfires as a Scout leader with limited tools and whatever you can haul into the woods, you learn to be resourceful in ways that culinary school can’t teach. When you’re running a restaurant as the only trained cook, you develop systems and instincts that serve you well under any kind of pressure.

What Next Level Really Means

Gordon Ramsay talks about taking your cooking to the next level, and I know exactly what that means for me. It’s not about proving I can cook—I’ve already done that. It’s about seeing how far I can push my abilities when surrounded by other exceptional chefs and given challenges that would break most people.

I rated myself a 5 out of 5 on cooking skills in my application, and I meant it. Not because I think I know everything, but because I have the confidence and adaptability to handle whatever gets thrown at me.

Ready for the Challenge

Will Gordon Ramsay yell at me? Probably. Will the pressure be intense? Absolutely. Am I intimidated by cooking against other talented chefs? Not even a little bit.

I’ve spent years developing my palate, perfecting my techniques, and learning to thrive under pressure. I’ve built a successful restaurant, created content that reaches thousands of people, and consistently delivered results when it mattered most.

The question isn’t whether I’m ready for Next Level Chef—it’s whether Next Level Chef is ready for what I bring to that kitchen.

Beyond the Competition

Whether or not I get selected, applying to Next Level Chef represents exactly the kind of calculated risk that has defined my entire career. From opening a restaurant without experience to pivoting to content creation during the pandemic, I’ve always been willing to bet on myself when the opportunity is right.

My ultimate goal is to have my own show where I can focus entirely on the food and storytelling. But first, I want to show what happens when a self-taught chef with nothing to lose and everything to prove steps into that three-level kitchen.

I’m not applying to Next Level Chef hoping to get lucky. I’m applying because I know I have what it takes to win.

And honestly? That three-level kitchen has no idea what’s about to hit it.