The Life of an NFL Players' Personal Chef

[Hapless Bills Fan]

Cool article by Marcel L-J on a guy I've seen featured in some of the players instagram feeds: Chef Darian Bryan.

 

https://www.espn.com/blog/buffalo-bills/post/_/id/35267/bills-players-line-up-for-chef-darian-bryan-inspired-by-his-passion-for-food

 

Apparently he cooks regularly for Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis: "He goes to Diggs' house twice a week to cook and drops meals off every other day to keep the food as fresh as possible. Bryan provides meals for Davis seven days a week."...."Beyond Diggs and Davis, Bryan regularly cooks for Hodgins, center Mitch Morse and running back Taiwan Jones. He has also worked with receiver Isaiah McKenzie, offensive lineman Ty Nsekhe, cornerback Taron Johnson, running back Devin Singletary, defensive lineman Mike Love and safeties Jordan Poyer and Jaquan Johnson"

 

One player eats strictly organic food -- lean chicken breasts and steaks with no fat -- while Hodgins and his wife are vegan. Jones will tell Bryan exactly what he wants, down to the side dishes, while Diggs and Davis leave meal decisions to Bryan. "They're like, 'Just surprise us, whatever you cook is going to be good,'" he said. "I'm like, 'Say no more.' 

"It's a good feeling to know that [they trust me]. Coming from a little city in Jamaica where we had no lights, no running water ... and coming to America and making such a big impact on people. It's such a wonderful feeling."

 

Cool feature on how Bryan rose from his poor roots in Jamaica through working at Denny's, then fine restaurants, to now working as a personal chef.

 

 

[Buffalo Bills Fan]

Thanks for sharing Hapless. Great read.

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

Great article! 

 

would have loved to here more of the specifics on the food though, including whether he takes into account certain calorie limits or nutritional considerations. 

[Hapless Bills Fan]

19 minutes ago, Miyagi-Do Karate said:

Great article! 

 

would have loved to here more of the specifics on the food though, including whether he takes into account certain calorie limits or nutritional considerations. 

 

It did say "The meals are centered around each player's nutritional plan." and mention that one player eats only lean organic food, another is vegan etc etc so I would assume the answer is "yes". 

 

What I think is interesting is that the Bills facility apparently provides nutritionally tailored meals including take-away meals players can bring home for dinner (including, apparently, they can bring one home for spouse) and yet some of the players still hire a personal chef.  I guess try as they will to make nutritious yet flavorful food, the preparation probably still loses something for being prepared in bulk.

 

 

[Augie]

30 minutes ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

It did say "The meals are centered around each player's nutritional plan." and mention that one player eats only lean organic food, another is vegan etc etc so I would assume the answer is "yes". 

 

What I think is interesting is that the Bills facility apparently provides nutritionally tailored meals including take-away meals players can bring home for dinner (including, apparently, they can bring one home for spouse) and yet some of the players still hire a personal chef.

 

 

 

I never gave this a single thought, but it makes SO MUCH sense! You do everything you can to fine tune your body, the last thing you want is  some single young guy just out of college going thru the drive-thru on his way home picking up his Whopper with fries and a large soda.

 

It’s a billion dollar enterprise, make it easy for them to be healthy. Some of these young guys have probably never cooked more than a burger in their lives. Very cool. 

 

I would LOVE to work along with someone like this! That would be so cool! 

 

 

 

.

Edited November 28, 2020 by Augie

[aristocrat]

My old neighbor was a d end for the panthers. His chef was actually from buffalo and a bills fan. got to know him a little bit.  Kid was 22 out of chef school and got the gig. Went on vacations with him, private jets everywhere etc. ended up being his closest friend and as far as I know is still with him last I saw him like a year ago. 

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

I always play this game with friends:
 

if you had a lot of money and you could hire either a full-time housekeeper, full-time landscaper/handyman, or full-time personal chef, what would you choose? 
 

I always pick the chef. Being able to get super delicious and healthy meals at a precise calorie count would be amazing! 

[Big Turk]

13 minutes ago, Miyagi-Do Karate said:

I always play this game with friends:
 

if you had a lot of money and you could hire either a full-time housekeeper, full-time landscaper/handyman, or full-time personal chef, what would you choose? 
 

I always pick the chef. Being able to get super delicious and healthy meals at a precise calorie count would be amazing! 

 

I would take the chef in a heartbeat. To always have high quality meals prepared for you would be amazing.

[YoloinOhio]

I have seen the meals this guy prepares on IG and it looks amazing. 

[Hapless Bills Fan]

2 hours ago, YoloinOhio said:

I have seen the meals this guy prepares on IG and it looks amazing. 

 

They do, don't they?

 

I kind of LOL about Taiwan Jones being in total control, choosing the menu including the sidedishes while Diggs and Gabe Davis are like "No, man, you choose, we know it'll be great!"

[steven50]

19 minutes ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

They do, don't they?

 

I kind of LOL about Taiwan Jones being in total control, choosing the menu including the sidedishes while Diggs and Gabe Davis are like "No, man, you choose, we know it'll be great!"

 

I am by no means a picky eater but I couldn't imagine someone else picking what I eat three or four times a week.

[wvbillsfan]

39 minutes ago, steven50 said:

 

I am by no means a picky eater but I couldn't imagine someone else picking what I eat three or four times a week.

This would be my dream. Me and my wife have the daily what do you want for dinner conversation in which I rattle off about 5 things. None of which she wants and then we continue to discuss for another hour until I get tired of it and go rogue. Next step usually involves her throwing me out of the kitchen while she finishes what I started. All the while complaining about how rude I just was. It’s a fun time. 
 

So yeah just plan it and I’d happily eat whatever the professional chef made. 

[BillsShredder83]

6 hours ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

Cool article by Marcel L-J on a guy I've seen featured in some of the players instagram feeds: Chef Darian Bryan.

 

https://www.espn.com/blog/buffalo-bills/post/_/id/35267/bills-players-line-up-for-chef-darian-bryan-inspired-by-his-passion-for-food

 

Apparently he cooks regularly for Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis: "He goes to Diggs' house twice a week to cook and drops meals off every other day to keep the food as fresh as possible. Bryan provides meals for Davis seven days a week."...."Beyond Diggs and Davis, Bryan regularly cooks for Hodgins, center Mitch Morse and running back Taiwan Jones. He has also worked with receiver Isaiah McKenzie, offensive lineman Ty Nsekhe, cornerback Taron Johnson, running back Devin Singletary, defensive lineman Mike Love and safeties Jordan Poyer and Jaquan Johnson"

 

One player eats strictly organic food -- lean chicken breasts and steaks with no fat -- while Hodgins and his wife are vegan. Jones will tell Bryan exactly what he wants, down to the side dishes, while Diggs and Davis leave meal decisions to Bryan. "They're like, 'Just surprise us, whatever you cook is going to be good,'" he said. "I'm like, 'Say no more.' 

"It's a good feeling to know that [they trust me]. Coming from a little city in Jamaica where we had no lights, no running water ... and coming to America and making such a big impact on people. It's such a wonderful feeling."

 

Cool feature on how Bryan rose from his poor roots in Jamaica through working at Denny's, then fine restaurants, to now working as a personal chef.

 

 

Dude has a good frame to hold some muscle. He's not going to fill out on a vegan diet. Disappointing. He needs some strength to high point cause he doesn't have the wheels to create good separation.

[transient]

7 hours ago, wvbillsfan said:

This would be my dream. Me and my wife have the daily what do you want for dinner conversation in which I rattle off about 5 things. None of which she wants and then we continue to discuss for another hour until I get tired of it and go rogue. Next step usually involves her throwing me out of the kitchen while she finishes what I started. All the while complaining about how rude I just was. It’s a fun time. 
 

So yeah just plan it and I’d happily eat whatever the professional chef made. 

Are you my long lost doppelgänger? I have the same exact interaction with my wife, who’s a pescatarian and 90% of the time is on some ridiculous fad diet, with nearly the same exact outcome except instead of finishing the cooking she complains about what I made and then after a few bites makes something else. It’s so predictable and stupid. 

[foreboding]

12 hours ago, Miyagi-Do Karate said:

I always play this game with friends:
 

if you had a lot of money and you could hire either a full-time housekeeper, full-time landscaper/handyman, or full-time personal chef, what would you choose? 
 

I always pick the chef. Being able to get super delicious and healthy meals at a precise calorie count would be amazing! 

Easily, the housekeeper. I like to cook, hate washing toilets.

[Mr. WEO]

12 hours ago, matter2003 said:

 

I would take the chef in a heartbeat. To always have high quality meals prepared for you would be amazing.

 

Why not just do it?  I cook all my own meals (excepting the occasional meal out).  It's a fun skill to develop and you will only make you enjoy.  Get a freazer and meal prep!

[Hapless Bills Fan]

8 hours ago, wvbillsfan said:

This would be my dream. Me and my wife have the daily what do you want for dinner conversation in which I rattle off about 5 things. None of which she wants and then we continue to discuss for another hour until I get tired of it and go rogue. Next step usually involves her throwing me out of the kitchen while she finishes what I started. All the while complaining about how rude I just was. It’s a fun time. 
 

So yeah just plan it and I’d happily eat whatever the professional chef made. 

 

23 minutes ago, transient said:

Are you my long lost doppelgänger? I have the same exact interaction with my wife, who’s a pescatarian and 90% of the time is on some ridiculous fad diet, with nearly the same exact outcome except instead of finishing the cooking she complains about what I made and then after a few bites makes something else. It’s so predictable and stupid. 

 

You guys crack me up.  If it's so unpleasant, predictable and stupid, why not change this dynamic? 

I can think of at least 5 things to try and I haven't had my 2nd cup of coffee yet.  Be a Leader of Men (people)!

[Big Turk]

57 minutes ago, Mr. WEO said:

 

Why not just do it?  I cook all my own meals (excepting the occasional meal out).  It's a fun skill to develop and you will only make you enjoy.  Get a freazer and meal prep!

 

My wife normally cooks healthy meals every day but she isn't a chef, nor does she have the time and energy to put the effort into making fancier types of meals that you would normally get from a chef along with various new twists, etc thst only s true chef could do well...

 

I am a very good cook when I want to be...it was a great skill to have when I was single and I would invite women over for a home cooked meal...and then they brought dessert 😉

[H2o]

Good thing he isn't chef for AB. The story would have included the details about the corresponding lawsuit where he's trying to get paid for his services. 

[dave mcbride]

So Vontae Davis WAS a net positive for the Bills!