By Tammy Reese
Big things are cooking in 2025! Dining Empire is set to launch its highly anticipated culinary competition show, America’s Next Bikini Chef. This groundbreaking series brings a fresh twist to traditional cooking shows by highlighting the connection between delicious recipes, healthy living, and empowering storytelling. Streaming on Prime Video, Peacock, Tubi, and more, this innovative program is reshaping how we view wellness and food.
Adding even more excitement, Dining Empire has partnered with FUBU’s visionary leadership team — J. Alexander Martin, Roberto “Rush” Evans, and John Askew — to create a bold, culturally impactful narrative that extends beyond the kitchen. Together, they’re redefining the entertainment landscape through dynamic, inspiring content.
Stay tuned as we dive into the unique elements of America’s Next Bikini Chef and the incredible stories behind this game-changing collaboration!
America’s Next Bikini Chef:
How does America’s Next Bikini Chef stand out from other culinary shows, and what inspired the unique blend of cooking, nutrition, and healthy living?
America’s Next Bikini Chef is the only culinary competition to highlight amazing, talented women that look, cook, and feel their best. Open casting calls with female chefs presenting their signature, healthier dishes, sharing their active lifestyle activities that keep them thriving. The competition culminates in each of 6 regional winners competing for the title of America’s Next Bikini Chef.
The inspiration behind the show comes from The Bikini Chef® herself. “My mother always taught me that ‘a colorful plate is a healthy plate’ and our family has always been very active,” shares Susan Irby, creator of The Bikini Chef®. “I strive to infuse flavors into every dish and emphasize the PFFs — lean Proteins, high Fiber foods, and healthy fats.”
“When I was a teenager, I aspired to be a fashion model. My modeling teacher in Marietta, Georgia encouraged me to enter teen beauty pageants as a way to develop confidence, public speaking comfortability, and poise.” America’s Next Bikini Chef features elements of pageantry, healthier dishes, and an active lifestyle. Health is the new wealth. Let’s share that with everyone!
“I am not going to live forever,” says Susan. “America’s Next Bikini Chef will help to ensure my mom’s nutritional knowledge and active lifestyle that she instilled in me will carry on enhancing the lives of other women and their families.” Side note: Susan’s mom was an avid cheerleader and later, softball player. At 40 years of age, her mom was known by her softball team as “the bionic arm” for her ability to throw someone out from left field.
The show emphasizes empowering storytelling — how do you hope this will impact viewers’ relationships with food, fitness, and self-confidence?
Healthy food is perceived as boring when in reality, it is anything but boring. Show contestants are encouraged to share recipes using herbs, spices, flavors unique to their diverse cultures and to demonstrate whatever physical activity brings them joy. I want viewers to be entertained and have a sense of “I can do that! That looks tasty, that looks fun… I’ll give that a try!” The more lives we can touch in a fun, entertaining way through a healthier approach to living will spill over into their families, children, friends, and become a way of life.
What role do you think America’s Next Bikini Chef will play in reshaping perceptions of wellness and balance in modern society?
I feel viewers’ will experience feelings of fun, playfulness, and be entertained while at the same time seeing firsthand that healthier foods are tasty, easy to make, and that an active lifestyle is right at their fingertips. If the show can plant just one seed towards a healthier lifestyle in viewers’ minds and hearts, then that’s a success!
Health is the new wealth. We want everyone to be wealthy in health.
FUBU’s Leadership Team:
What inspired FUBU to partner with Dining Empire on America’s Next Bikini Chef, and how does this collaboration align with FUBU’s legacy of bold, empowering narratives?
"In alignment with our own expansions, we see the diversity that Dining Empire is bringing to the culinary scene by filling a niche of powerful storytelling in an entertaining way that has not been done before. We were attracted to America’s Next Bikini Chef because of the multi-faceted approach to culinary competition. The show is not a cooking competition. It’s a lifestyle competition with a fresh, healthier approach delivered in an exciting, playful style that will engage audiences.” — President, John Askew
FUBU has a history of influencing culture and fashion. How does this venture into culinary entertainment reflect the brand’s evolution?
Similar to FUBU’s history of influence in culture and fashion, the Dining Empire reflects the same initiatives with a diversity of women empowerment shows that are fashion forward and culturally diverse. These are the principles that brought the two media companies together for a JV partnership in production and distribution. “Weaving in the culinary aspects into what we already do seemed like a natural fit.” — President, John Askew.
With this partnership, can we expect more entertainment projects from FUBU? If so, what vision do you have for future ventures?
Most definitely. We have already expanded into the Latino market in collaboration with Dining Empire for La Jama TV with many more to come. Stay tuned.
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