Nick DiGiovanni on “MasterChef,” Gordon Ramsay and being fearless in the kitchen | Salon Talks

“MasterChef” finalist and breakout TikTok and YouTube chef Nick DiGiovanni tells Salon about his cookbook “Knife Drop: Creative Recipes Anyone Can Cook.” DiGiovanni reflects on postponing college to compete on “MasterChef,” keeping a journal of advice from mentor Gordon Ramsay and making videos with celebrities like Tom Brady, the Jonas Brothers and Shaq. Plus, the chef and internet personality shares why he refused to include soup in his debut cookbook. Chapters: 00:00 “MasterChef” vs. culinary school 03:28 Learning from Gordon Ramsay 06:18 Cooking with Tom Brady & Jo Bros 09:10 No soup for DiGiovanni 10:20 DiGiovanni skips the scale 11:57 Fearlessness in the kitchen 14:14 Creating recipes