Salem High grad to appear on FOX’s hit show ‘Next Level Chef’

 Salem High grad to appear on FOX’s hit show ‘Next Level Chef’

Adam Kashoro, a 2007 graduate of Salem High School, will be a contestant on Fox’s hit show Next Level Chef beginning Feb. 13 at 8 p.m.

The coolness factor of Adam Kashoro’s already fascinating life will continue to grow later this month.

On Feb. 13, at 8 p.m., the next chapter of Kashoro’s rarely-a-dull-moment odyssey will play out on FOX’s hit show Next Level Chef.

A 2007 graduate of Salem High School, the former Canton resident was flown by the show to Wicklow, Ireland, in January of 2024 to compete on the Gordon Ramsey-hosted hit that pits three levels of chefs — pro, social media and home — for a chance to win $250,000.

Kashoro is not allowed to discuss how he did on the show before it airs, but described the month-long experience in Ireland as, “incredibly cool”.

From prepping meals to national TV show contestant

The catalyst for Kashoro’s appearance on the show that is watched by millions of people around the globe was his successful stint as the owner of Meal Prep Papi, a meal-prep business he founded while working at a Life Time fitness facility.

Adam Kashoro is pictured wearing his Next Level Chef apron
Adam Kashoro is pictured wearing his Next Level Chef apron

“When I lived in California to help open a few Lifetime locations in San Clemente and Laguna Beach, I had an opportunity to meet a lot of amazing people,” Kashoro explained. “One of the people I met was Karli Krueger, who casts for different TV shows.

“She asked me if I was still doing my meal prep thing and I told her I had moved on from that business, but she said I should try out for the fourth season of Next Level Chef.

“She said, ‘What’s the worst they can say?’, so I tried out. A few days later, they called me back and said, ‘We like you’.”

Overseas odyssey

Kashoro informed his employer that he would have to miss up to a month of work to fly to Ireland for the the show, which wouldn’t air for at least a year after the taping concluded.

Adam Kashoro speaks to students in Tanzania, Africa about how he became a successful entrepreneur
Adam Kashoro speaks to students in Tanzania Africa about how he became a successful entrepreneur

“I got to meet and work with Gordon Ramsey, who was very cool,” Kashoro said. “He was more reserved than he is on shows like Hell’s Kitchen, where he’s criticizing and consulting, because on this show he’s like your teammate, your mentor.

Incredible experience

“Everybody over there was unbelievably nice. We were quarantined in a place that was like half hotel/half fitness center.

“I got to compete alongside some amazing chefs and meet people who were staying at the facility, but we weren’t allowed to tell them we were taping a TV show.”

According to the Next Level Chef website, Ramsay “designed a one-of-a-kind culinary gauntlet with three stories, each floor contains a different kitchen. From the glistening top floor state-of-the-art kitchen to the challenging bottom-level basement kitchen, the equipment and ingredients match the environment, because Gordon believes the true test of great chefs is not only what they can do in the best of circumstances, but what kind of magic they can create in the worst.”

The cooks are divided into three teams — one headed by Gordon, one by Nyesha Arrington and one by Richard Blais — “and each week each team competes to produce the best dish, which puts them in the top-level kitchen,” the website explained. “The losing team, of course, has to cook its way out of the basement.”

African adventure

An engaging speaker, Kashoro has been asked to speak to students — from elementary schools to universities — about his entrepreneurial adventure.

“I’ve spoken to students at Georgia Tech University, Kennesaw State University, to name a few — and I even got to travel to Tanzania (located on the eastern coast of Africa), where my family is from, to talk about my entrepreneurial experiences,” he said.

Born in Detroit and raised in Canton, Kashoro is currently a resident of Atlanta where he is an area manager for Techno Gym, which makes fitness equipment for businesses like Lifetime Fitness.

Adam Kashoro is surrounded by students he spoke to about entrepreneurial skills
Adam Kashoro is surrounded by students he spoke to about entrepreneurial skills

“My area covers Georgia, Tennessee and the Carolinas, so I travel a lot,” he shared, chuckling.

Win or lose on Next Level Chef, Kashoro’s life will undoubtedly continue to be fascinating — one day at a time.

Ed Wright can be reached at 734-664-4657 or edwright@socialhousenews.com.

Ed Wright

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