Kumari Shreya
For those who food but also enjoy the art of drama, Netflix’s ‘Pressure Cooker‘ is perhaps the best show possible. The contestants judge each other’s food while ensuring that they and their friends remain in a strong position. The resulting entertainment is something that you are not likely to forget anytime soon. The array of talented chefs that have come to the cooking show is another captivating point that keeps the viewers coming back for more.
Consider Chef Mike Eckles, the runner-up of the first season of the reality series, who dazzled his competitors and the audience with his culinary skills. As expected, he was amassed quite a fan following who are eager to know what the chef is up to these days. If you are in the same boat, get ready to find the answers you want!
Mike Eckles’ Pressure Cooker Journey
At the age of 26, Mike entered the Netflix show in order to show the world exactly what he could do in the kitchen. He confessed to being a competitive person and shared how he was called “Big Mike” at the restaurant he previously worked at. The name apparently had nothing to do with his physical appearance and stuck around due to his tendency to act like the “biggest” person there. He also added that he was not used to talking to people and felt most comfortable in the kitchen with his food.
After the first challenge of the show, in which each contestant had to cook a dish of their own choice, Mike was a bit shocked that he did not come first and was instead placed fourth. When the time came for Renee Blackman and Lana Lagomarsini to choose their teams for the second challenge, Mike was picked last, much to his shock. He decided to talk to his team leader, Lana, about the same as he felt like he was one of the most talented chefs in the competition. However, Lana pointed out that his social skills left much to be desired and that he needed to choose his words carefully.
However, during the team challenge, Mike and Lana ended up forming an amicable bond, and the latter admitted that she and Mike worked well. As the season progressed, Mike’s skills kept him among the top performers. Even during the next two team challenges, he was not part of the teams that had lost the challenges, hence removing any risk of elimination. In the fifth episode, Mike was chosen to be the blind taste tester, with others agreeing that his feedback would be meticulous and impartial.
As part of the top 5 contestants, Mike had paired up with Renee, thinking that they would have to cook together. However, the showrunners revealed that the members of each duo had to cook against each other, leaving Mike to battle it out with his chosen partner. Both of them had to cook food based on Moroccan ingredients, and Renee ended up winning the challenge. This meant that the remaining chefs had to vote to save Mike or Caroline Gutierrez, leading to the latter’s elimination.
In the semi-finals, each participant had to prepare a monochromatic meal, and Mike ended up winning the challenge. This meant that he was one of the finalists and had to choose whom he would compete against in the finals. Mike chose to have Robbie Jester in the finals, given how much he respected his skills. The stunning meal that Mike created with the help of Lana was judged by the participants who were not in the finals. In the final vote, Robbie won the competition with one vote. However, Mike accepted the defeat graciously and shared that the show helped him realize that there is more to food than complicated techniques.
Mike Eckles is a Private Chef Today
As of writing, Mike lives in Detroit, Michigan, and is making a name for himself in the culinary industry. Along with sous-chef Marcus D’Onofrio, Mike runs the Abode Fine Dining and serves as its Private Chef. The organization was in order to provide others with a high-class dining experience at their home. Before being an integral part of Adobe, Mike had worked with Coach Insignia and even served as a sous-chef for Forest, a James Beard-nominated restaurant.
Since he graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, Mike has been eager to showcase his culinary skills. In fact, he often shares pictures and videos of some of the most delicious mouthwatering food that you might find on the internet. The chef also seems to be a football enthusiast and is always eager to be on the field, even if it is to act as a water boy. He has also been quite happy to promote the Netflix show.
Read More: Chef Jeana Pecha: Where is Pressure Cooker Contestant Now?
