Sartaj Singh
With three levels of ascendingly professional kitchens split among its 15 contestants, season 3 of ‘Next Level Chef’ became a fast-paced cook-off that saw some of the most creative and industrious chefs emerge onto the final rounds. Among them, Gabi Chappel prevailed with a deeply focused demeanor, making the dishes she loves and occasionally flashing a disarming smile. With the season concluded and Gabi winning from Gordon Ramsay’s team, some may seek to discover what’s next for the social media chef.
Gabi Chappel Thrived in a Flow State and Her Element
Joining the show as a social media chef, Gabrielle Chappel was initially slightly intimidated by the professional chefs with their technical styles and their dishes practiced to perfection. However, when it came to the show’s unique format of gathering ingredients within 10 seconds from a quick-moving table, she soon found her stride. Gabi would initially focus on gathering veggies in the limited time, which left her with undesirable options for protein. She reversed her approach and soon found herself making the absolute best of what she gathered.
Once she got acquainted with the format and pressures of the competition, there was no stopping her. Towards the final rounds, Gabi would enter a flow state and focus more on the style of dishes best suited for her skills. After an emotional reunion with their families, the finalists begin their blazing-fast cook-off. Gabi focuses on a fast appetizer in the first test, fish and salad in the second, and her signature sweet and sour New York strip confirms her status as the winner. With her victory, Gabi received a $250,000 cash prize alongside a priceless one-year mentorship under her mentor, Gordon Ramsay.
Gabi Chappel is Expanding Her Wings Through Gabi’s Next Course
Hailing from rural Pennsylvania and growing up around farms and agriculture, Gabi began cooking in traditional styles with her grandparents. With their Polish roots in Eastern Europe, her family has a unique culinary culture which Gabi still nostalgically recreates in her cooking sometimes. She did her undergrad and initial work in journalism, something to which she attributes her storytelling ability. Gabi has also had a brief but successful stint in modeling. Living in Brooklyn, New York, she pursued a plant-based course in a culinary school and worked for a summer at a female-owned catering company, making farm-to-table feasts for weddings.
Gabi deliberately chose not to work in a restaurant and instead created her own path to learning about cooking. Since winning ‘Next Level Chef,’ she has attended the Cherry Bombe Jubilee, which focuses on celebrating women in the world of food and drink, and gave an interview to the magazine. She lives with her partner of over four years, Mike Shin — a model, photographer, and private Jujutsu instructor — in a Brownstone property in Brooklyn, New York, and maintains a rooftop garden.
On May 16 and 17, 2024, Gabi invited guests wishing to taste her cooking to Gaby’s Spring Fling event in Brooklyn, making spring-themed dishes using produce straight from the farm. Soon after, she celebrated her 30th birthday on a busy day of being a guest speaker for two graduating batches of the Institute of Culinary Education. The day also had her enjoying the views from the top of the Empire State Building and enjoying a 9 course tasting at the Beut NYC restaurant, receiving special attention from owner Sarah Kang.
After winning ‘Next Level Chef,’ Gaby was asked what she had planned for the future. She responded with, “I want to take the Julia Child approach of I really want people to trust me and to want to learn from me as I continue to learn myself and learn more about where I stand as a chef.” She continued, “And whether that looks like an opportunity to study on a farm somewhere and learn a bit more about that side of food and where food comes from, and these more nuanced and grassroots ways of looking and thinking about food, that’s my goal.”
Gabi has started her one-year mentorship program under Gordon Ramsay. As a part of the program, she leads her own Bite Originals show on YouTube called ‘Gabi’s Next Course.’ The popular series sees Gabi exploring various styles of cuisine and seasonal dishes, taking on challenges, and venturing outside her culinary comfort zone. The first episode centers on her exploring the NYC Farmers Market and picking out fresh greens to teach a homely pesto and pasta recipe.
The series publishes episodes weekly and has so far seen Gabi dabble in Polish cuisine, take on Gordon Ramsay’s challenge, and run a skewer through Middle Eastern ingredients to make a mouthwatering shawarma. Her work on ‘Gabi’s Next Course’ takes up a lot of her time, yet she still posts frequent social media updates, giving insight and exciting new updates regarding her upcoming events.
Read More: Next Level Chef Season 2: Where Are The Contestants Now?
