Spoiler alert: I’m sure most of y’all already know, but my journey with Next Level Chef has come to a close. There were many ups and downs and flames and (many) tears but I’m glad I participated in this once in a lifetime experience. It’s pretty humiliating to be eliminated due to setting the kitchen on fire, yet again, AND for serving up raw chicken. I’ve dreaded this very moment for weeks now (I’ve had nightmares repeatedly) but now that the episode is released, I’m relieved that I can finally share with you my full experience. I walked into this competition with very little expectations and even lower self esteem. My goal was to not be sent home first and then slowly I started gaining more confidence in my cooking and started cooking to win. It’s true that I am disappointed in my performance on Next Level Chef. I know that I can be better if I wasn’t as nervous, but the reality of it is, I was damn nervous. I am proud of myself for putting myself out there, despite my anxiety disorder. I participated in this competition to show people who also suffer from mental illnesses that despite us playing life on hard mode, we can still pursue our dreams and persevere. I also wanted to to represent many different communities and make y’all proud. As an LGBT Asian woman that is a twitch streamer, I had a lot to prove! There are many things to be celebrated. I made top 7, was picked onto Team Ramsay, had the opportunity to work with culinary powerhouses, made 14 friends that will last me a lifetime. I even introduced Chef Ramsay to Twitch. I walked out of the competition with a newfound hope. I want to improve and grow as a chef and who knows maybe I’ll step back into another culinary gauntlet someday. I want to thank everyone who has been there for me and supported me through this experience. For every person that has sent me a Dm that I’m a trash chef, I’ve had 10 messages of support and love. For those who told me they bet that I would win with their friends..... I’m sorry, I hope you can get a refund. All in all, I aspire to be an even better chef in the future. Thank you @gordongram @nyeshajoyce and @richardblais for inspiring me and for your mentorship!