Darian Bryan came to Next Level Chef to represent. For Buffalo. For Jamaica. For every immigrant who didn’t think their dream was possible. On the Season 5 finale, Gordon Ramsay, Nyesha Arrington, and his coach Richard Blais made his dream a reality.
In the finale, Darian outlasted Team Ramsay’s Cole Lawson and Team Arrington’s Connor Caine in a grueling 90-minute challenge that required all three chefs to cook a full three-course menu across every level of the kitchen. The win earned him $250,000 and a year-long mentorship with all three coaches.
Gold Derby caught up with the new champion to talk about the tears, the food, a new steakhouse opening next month, and what it means to have Gordon Ramsay call your Jamaican cuisine “exceptional.”
Read our full Q&A below or watch the video above.
Gold Derby: Walk me through what was going through your head when Gordon said those words: “The Next Level Chef is… Darian.”
Darian Bryan: It’s crazy because my mom and my wife were there. I’m like, wow, they witnessed this. It was always a dream of mine to see my mom and my wife on that stage with me being crowned Next Level Chef champion. I’m like, wow, I did this. All those cooks, the blood, the sweat, the tears — I made it. I did this for myself, for Buffalo, for Jamaica. It’s a wonderful feeling.
A little kid from Jamaica, growing up in a house with 23 people, no electricity, no running water — and now you’re standing there with a $250,000 check. What would you tell that kid?
That’s what was so emotional for me. I’m coming from nothing. Nobody knew who I was back in Jamaica — walking around barefoot, sometimes not able to find food to eat. For me to come to this country and make this splash, to have Gordon Ramsay crown me on his show … words couldn’t explain what I was feeling. For years I’ve been trying to meet this guy, wanting to be like him one day. And I got to cook for him for a month and he crowned me on his show. It was a blessing. And for my mom to be there and experience that too — we did it. We made it.
Where did the passion for cooking come from?
My passion came from my mom. Back in Jamaica, she had a takeout restaurant — a cookshop — and I was her little helper. At first I didn’t like it much because I just wanted to play sports with my friends. But I learned so much watching the way she seasoned the chicken, the pork, the fish. When I came to the U.S., I furthered my career, went to culinary school, got training both front and back of house.
What was the first dish you ever truly mastered — the one where you thought, “OK, I can actually do this”?
Curry chicken. It’s funny — when I was in culinary school, I made it for my practical. You’re burning the curry in the pan, getting those aromatics going, the smoke rising. Everyone thought it was burning. They’re like, “Oh, you’re going to fail.” Even my chef instructor was nervous for me. And I pulled it off. They’re like, “Yo, you did that.” I said, “Yeah, I’ve been doing this all my life.” Curry chicken is near and dear to my heart — it’s the first thing my mom taught me to make.
Gordon called your elevation of Jamaican cuisine “exceptional.” What does it mean to have your food and your culture validated on a stage like that?
When Gordon Ramsay said my dishes were exceptional, I’m like — listen, this is Jamaican food. The food that everybody has put in the background for so long, saying it’s just “comfort food.” I’m here to elevate that. And one of the most recognized chefs in the entire world is saying it’s exceptional? That means something very special to me and to my country. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to cook my food for Gordon Ramsay.
From a competitive standpoint, when your mom and your wife showed up on that last day — was that a distraction or did it fuel you even more?
When I walked into the top kitchen, they told me Chef Blais wanted to talk to me. I go up there and I see my mom and my wife. I’m like, “Please don’t make me cry again.” But it was motivation. I’m like, listen, I got to make this work. I got to become the Next Level Chef champion for Season 5 because my mom is here, my wife is here. I got to make them experience me winning right in front of their eyes. Losing was not an option.
The final challenge was brutal — three dishes, three kitchens, 90 minutes, and you controlled your own clock. You finished your appetizer first at 26 minutes. Was that the plan all along?
The less time I spend on my appetizer, the more time I’ll have for my fish and meat course. So I got to get in there and get what I need to get done — but it’s got to taste good still. I’m not rushing through it; I’m moving as fast as possible so I can have extra time on the next floor. I knew that if I had more time on the meat course, I’d get to go first on the platform and pick exactly what I want.
Your duck breast with tamarind and cherry sauce — Richard called it the best duck he’s ever seen cooked on Next Level Chef. Where did that dish come from?
I always wanted to go Jamaican because that’s my wheelhouse. If these guys beat me cooking Jamaican food, I’m just going to hang up my apron and walk away. First course, I wanted to do pepper shrimp, but Connor grabbed the shrimp. So I pivoted to lobster. For the fish course, I did sea bream escovitch style — loved that. But for the final course, I’m going all out. Something fine dining, something I could serve at my restaurant in Buffalo. Pan-roasted duck breast, cassava mash, plantain chip, and a cherry tamarind sauce to finish. It was delicious.
You gave Richard Blais back-to-back wins — he was pretty pumped. What’s one thing he taught you this season that genuinely changed how you cook?
When Richard picked me third, I looked at him and said, “I’m going to make you a winner.” He probably thought I was joking. But I went there with determination. His knowledge of food is next level — sometimes I’d be drawing a blank and he’d say, “OK, what do we got? We’re going to make this.” He’s always thinking ahead. But sometimes I had to tell him, “Chef, you’re making me nervous, man.” He’d be running around me going, “You’ve got to move faster!” Speed is something I really learned. And consistency — he doesn’t miss anything. If something’s not right on the plate, he’ll find it. So I learned: if it’s not good, don’t serve it.
Now you get all three — Richard, Gordon, and Nyesha — as mentors for the next year. Have you started taking advantage of that yet? Who are you calling first?
I’m opening a steakhouse right now, so it’s perfect timing. I’m going to need all of their knowledge — and recipes — I’m kidding. But seriously, that’s exactly what I need help with. I have two restaurants, but a steakhouse is different — the staffing, the operations, the traditional cooking. That’s in their wheelhouse. I’m not going to them saying “Hey, what do you got for me?” I’ve got a plan written out of specific things I want help with throughout the mentorship. I’m going to sit down and be a sponge and soak it all up.
So the steakhouse is next — what else is in the pipeline, and when can people eat Chef Darian’s food?
The steakhouse, I’m thinking mid-June to open. When you’re hot, you stay hot — and I’m hot right now. I’ve also got a Jamaican porridge line in the works, because that’s something I grew up eating in Jamaica and I want to make it healthy and nutritious for schools, stadiums, everyday people. And I’m working on a book, too. There’s a lot in the pipeline. The money is great, but the mentorship is what I really want — because there’s so much I don’t know, and they have everything I need.
What’s something you don’t love to cook yourself, but you’ll absolutely order when you’re sitting on the other side of the table at a restaurant?
Asian food — upscale Asian food. That’s something I don’t cook at home at all. Actually, my wife just ordered some for takeout today — that’s dinner tonight. Whenever I go out, I love to get Asian food. The flavors are just too complex, too many ingredients to do it the way they do. So let the pros do what they do and I’ll enjoy it.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
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