There are some interviews that feel like work.
And then there are conversations that feel like catching up with an old friend.
My interview with Chef Cole Lawson was the second one.
Long before Next Level Chef, long before thousands of people discovered her talent on national television, Cole was already the same person I’ve always known her to be. Determined. Thoughtful. Curious. Passionate. The kind of person who is constantly searching for deeper meaning in everything she does.
That’s why watching her journey over the past year has been so special.
For those of us who have known her before the cameras, before the growing audience, and before the spotlight got a little brighter, her success isn’t surprising.
It’s deserved.
What viewers saw on television was only a small piece of who she really is. Behind the chef’s coat is a woman who has turned pain into purpose, healing into service, and food into a language that connects people to themselves and each other.
And after sitting down with her for NH Spotlight Tonight, one thing became clear.
Chef Cole Lawson’s story is about so much more than cooking.
Before Food Became Her Career, It Became Her Lifeline
One of the things I admire most about Cole is that she doesn’t romanticize the difficult parts of her journey.
She talks about them honestly.
After high school, she joined the military and worked as a laboratory technician. While the experience gave her valuable knowledge about the human body and health, it wasn’t where her heart lived. When her military service ended, she found herself facing a challenge that many people quietly struggle with.
Who am I now?
Without the structure, routine, and identity that military life provided, she found herself battling depression, anxiety, and uncertainty about what came next.
Like many people searching for answers, she explored different forms of healing. Therapy. Meditation. Yoga. Plant medicine. Self-reflection.
Then one conversation changed everything.
Someone she trusted reminded her that food is medicine.
Not as a catchy phrase.
Not as a wellness trend.
As a reality.
Suddenly, she realized she was trying to change her life without changing what she was feeding herself physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
That realization became a turning point.
What began as a personal healing journey slowly evolved into a calling.
She spent years studying nutrition, herbalism, plant-based cooking, and the relationship between food and wellness. Along the way, she discovered something that would eventually shape her career.
Food wasn’t just helping her heal.
It was helping her find herself.
Finding Home Through Food
One of my favorite moments from our conversation came when Cole talked about the first dish that truly felt like her.
Not because it was the most technical.
Not because it was the most impressive.
But because it was personal.
The answer was gumbo.
After getting her family’s recipe from her aunt, she recreated a dish that had been present at family gatherings and celebrations for generations. It connected her to her roots, her family, and the history that came long before her.
Listening to her describe it, you realize that food means something different to Cole than it does to most people.
Food is memory.
Food is history.
Food is migration.
Food is survival.
Food is identity.
When people sit down at her table, she isn’t simply hoping they enjoy a meal.
She hopes they feel connected.
She hopes they recognize a piece of themselves somewhere in the story being told through every ingredient and every recipe.
That perspective is what makes her work feel so intentional.
She isn’t just feeding people.
She’s creating experiences.
What Next Level Chef Really Gave Her
Like so many people, I spent this season glued to Next Level Chef cheering Cole on from home.
And yes, she absolutely showed up.
Week after week, audiences watched her compete, adapt, and prove she belonged on one of the biggest culinary stages in the country.
But what moved me most during our conversation wasn’t hearing about the competition itself.
It was hearing how much she grew because of it.
The followers are nice.
The recognition is nice.
The opportunities are exciting.
But the biggest lesson she took away had nothing to do with television.
It had everything to do with self-worth.
She talked openly about learning that the only perception that truly matters is her own. The compliments, criticism, praise, and opinions from strangers can only carry as much weight as you allow them to.
That’s a lesson that extends far beyond reality television.
It’s a lesson many of us spend years trying to learn.
Another takeaway was learning to stop comparing herself to everyone else in the room.
Every chef brought different experiences.
Different strengths.
Different stories.
And eventually she realized something powerful.
Nobody could do what she does the way she does it.
That confidence didn’t come from winning.
It came from understanding her value.
And honestly, that’s the version of success that lasts.
Refusing to Apologize
One of the most powerful moments of our conversation came when I asked Cole what she has stopped apologizing for.
Her answer was immediate.
Being Black.
Being gay.
Being herself.
She spoke candidly about competing during an episode centered around America’s 250th anniversary and wrestling with what that celebration meant as a Black woman. Rather than ignoring those feelings, she chose to focus on something else entirely.
The resilience of her people.
The ability to survive.
To adapt.
To evolve.
To continue creating despite every obstacle placed in front of them.
It was one of those moments where you could feel exactly who she is.
Authentic.
Unapologetic.
Grounded.
And completely committed to speaking her truth.
Protecting the Stories That Matter
As our conversation came to a close, we started talking about legacy.
What stood out most was her commitment to preserving Black culinary history for future generations.
Cole spoke about losing grandparents, losing access to family stories, and recognizing how easily recipes, traditions, and cultural knowledge can disappear when they aren’t shared.
For her, preserving Black food culture isn’t about gatekeeping.
It’s about documenting.
Teaching.
Sharing.
Building bridges between generations.
She wants young Black chefs to know that their culinary history is rich, innovative, and worthy of celebration.
She wants them to understand that the foods often overlooked by mainstream culinary spaces carry generations of knowledge, technique, and brilliance.
Most importantly, she wants them to know that Black food isn’t confined to the past.
It’s still evolving.
Still growing.
Still creating new possibilities.
And she plans to be part of that evolution.
More Than a Chef
The truth is, Chef Cole Lawson’s story isn’t really about food.
Food just happens to be the vehicle.
Her story is about healing.
It’s about identity.
It’s about finding purpose after losing your sense of direction.
It’s about honoring where you come from while creating something entirely your own.
Most importantly, it’s about understanding that the things that save us often become the things we’re called to share with others.
Watching Cole step into this chapter of her life has been a privilege.
For those of us who have known her journey, this moment feels earned.
And if this past year has shown us anything, it’s that Chef Cole Lawson is only getting started.
Follow Chef Cole Lawson as she continues building her culinary legacy, advocating for food education, and creating space for the next generation of chefs and storytellers.
For more exclusive interviews, NH Spotlight features, and conversations with the artists, creators, and changemakers shaping culture, visit NewHollywoodMagazine.com and follow New Hollywood Magazine on social media.
Leave a Reply