Student Experience
Alumna wins first season of ‘Yes, Chef!’ on Peacock
UC Santa Cruz alumna Emily Brubaker won the first season of ‘Yes, Chef!’ against 11 other professional chefs.
Emily Brubaker (Porter ’03, psychology) on the set of 'Yes, Chef!' Photo: Pief Weyman/NBC
The emotional season one finale of Yes, Chef! streaming on Peacock revealed UC Santa Cruz alumna Emily Brubaker (Porter ’03, psychology) as the series’ first winner. Brubaker faced off against 11 other professional chefs in the 10 episode series co-hosted and judged by Martha Stewart and José Andrés. The show also saw guest judges including Marcus Samuelsson, Andrew Zimmern, and Top Chef host Gail Simmons.
In an interview with NBC Insider, Burbaker shared that she was nominated for the show due to her own struggles with self-doubt. She described the experience as “surreal,” saying it helped her gain confidence, let go of some of her stubbornness, and ultimately led to her win.
“I learned so much about myself, not only through my own recognition, but through the other contestants,” said Brubaker in an interview with NBC Insider. “We did bond and we laughed because it was like, trauma bonding. And a new show, it’s hard. Everything’s brand new. During the show, everybody’s like, ‘Oh, these rules are so crazy.’ But I’m like, ‘Yeah, but when Top Chef came out, it was the same idea. We don’t know what’s going to happen!’ So, by Season 22 of this, everybody will know what’s going to happen. This was just such a great experience. I am so glad that I did it.”
After graduating from UC Santa Cruz in 2003, Brubaker enrolled at the Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in 2004 where she earned her certification and kick started her career in the food industry.
Brubaker began her culinary career as a Second Cook at the Ritz-Carlton Lake Las Vegas. After a year with the Lark Creek Restaurant Group in the Bay Area, she returned to Las Vegas to work at Joël Robuchon. In 2009, she became Executive Sous Chef at Sage inside MGM Resorts, a role she held for nearly seven years. She later took on various leadership and consulting roles across the food industry before finding her home in April 2024 as Resort Executive Chef at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, California.