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Jamaican chef wins big
Jamaican chef Darian Bryan wins 'Next Level
Chef' crown on Gordon Ramsay show
(BROOKLYN, New York): Ja- maican-born chef Darian Bry- an has been crowned the winner of Season 5 of the hit American cook- ing competition "Next Level Chef," defeating fellow finalists Connor Caine and Nicole "Cole" Law- son in the recent finale. The cu- linary competition series, which airs on Fox Broadcasting Com- pany, began with 24 contestants divided among professional chefs, home chefs and social media chefs. Bryan emerged victorious after a demanding 90-minute finale chal- lenge that required contestants to prepare a full three-course menu across all levels of the show's sig- nature multi-story kitchen.
His win earned him a $250,000 grand prize and a year-long mentorship with celebrity chefs Gordon Ramsay, Nyesha Arrington and Richard Blais. Throughout the competition, Bry- an consistently showcased his Ja- maican roots through his dishes, incorporating flavors and cooking traditions from the Caribbean. Speaking with TV Insider after the finale, Bryan reflected on the sig- nificance of the moment.
"It's just a blessing to show that. I'm coming from Jamaica with not much, and to come here and get crowned king on a stage like this #1 CARIBBEAN RADIO NETWORK IN THE NEW YORK TRI-STATE AREA The Best 24/7 Online Streaming Radio
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Caribbean Times | June 4-17, 2026 especially, it's a Gordon Ramsay show, and he's been my mentor for the last 15 years of watching him it's just a grace," he said. Bryan said several elements of his final dishes were inspired directly by Ja- maican street food culture.
"Pepper lobster slash pepper shrimp, we have all throughout the Caribbean, all through Jamaica. You see all those folks on the side of the road selling pepper shrimp, and also the escovitch is something you see everywhere,” he explained. The chef added that sticking to Jamaican cuisine throughout the competition was intentional. "I would not have forgiven myself
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