Chef Darryl Taylor discusses being on Gordon Ramsay’s Next Level Chef, losing weight, and a near-death incident.

Darryl Taylor certainly has a story to tell. He has a successful catering business in Atlanta, Georgia, named Epicurean Drama Caterers and Events. He is also competing on Gordon Ramsay’s Next Level Chef for the grand prize of $250,000, and with all the success Darryl has experienced, it has come with some health challenges as well. Darryl was happy to share his story in the hopes that it would help someone else.

Peebles: Darryl, you certainly have a story to tell. Take me on the journey with you. Were you overweight as a child?

Taylor: I was always overweight, even as a kid. I always struggled with weight until I got into high school, when I started all these crazy diets and was able to lose some weight. I think I went down to probably a 34 or 38, but I was always chubby. I started the keto diet and lost 139 pounds.

Peebles: You are a chef; was cooking something that ran in your family?

Darryl: I guess I would say I got that from my mom; she loved to cook; in fact, she would chase me out of the kitchen. But I would always run back to the kitchen, and I would always ask her, “How much of this did you put in there?” And finally, she would just let me come in. I was a momma’s boy; I just loved being around her.

Peebles: I read that you had been on dialysis for 17 years. How did you handle your health challenges?

Taylor: It’s amazing to make it for 17 years. My mom was a dialysis patient for 27 years, and to see her deal with that was really something. She also had a boyfriend who was on dialysis, and she took care of him. Years later, she would go through the same battle, fighting for her life. I think that was what enabled me to have the spirit to fight. I never wanted to do dialysis, but my sister started to talk to me about how life was too short and that’s when I decided to do something about mine.  

Peebles: What is your experience on Gordon Ramsay’s Next Level Chef like?

The show was very difficult. When I get there, I have only minutes to create something and seconds to grab my ingredients, which is hard. When I looked at the show, I thought anyone could do that. Being on set for 8 to 12 hours a day is very exhausting. I’m praying to God, “Why would you bring me to this show? It’s hard. But God told me to remember the assignment.

Peebles: What are you currently working on and how can we watch episodes of the show? 

Taylor: First, it was an amazing experience called to be selected and be a part of the show out of 25,000 people being in the top 25. I also have a keto barbeque sauce name ‘Kickin Country Keto’ that can be purchased at Target and Walmart, and I am working on Whole foods. You can purchase it at any major food store. It goes into production on April 1st, and it will be in all stores around the second week in April. You can tune in to Next Level Chef every Thursday on Fox Network or Hulu. Google your local listing times to catch me in action.