# @chef.donny on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DYVf79viUZN
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/65642122-chefdonny-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/9431c4c5de.jpg
- **Posted:** 2026-05-14T22:31:16.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Donny Enriquez (@chefdonny) — https://gondola.cc/chefdonny

## Caption

I apologize in advance for the long drawn out caption but this milestone only happens once and I don’t think I’ve ever really explained how I got here. 

I recorded my first ever video 9 years ago today—it was a drunken rant in the backyard of a fraternity house after I had just successfully catered for 120 people, including Bill Levitan, the creator of Modern Family, whose name is in fact Steve. From there“The College Cook” was born. 

The focus of the college cook was a catering business & late night food/brunch restaurant in 2017-2018. In the spring of 2018 I dropped it all to backpack across Asia. I filmed the entire 4 months, aside from the clips in here I’ve never looked at or released any of the footage. Someday, when I can stomach how cringeworthy 20 year old me was, I’ll sit down and go through it all.

On that trip I met The Wonton Don in Korea and got an internship at Barstool. That same summer I was featured on an episode of food network Chopped. From there I really thought my career was going to take off, but that wasn’t the case.

When I went back to Madison for my senior year, I started making cooking videos in the kitchen of Kollege Klub. I ended up dropping out after the first semester to pursue Barstool full time. I spent my first 3 years working behind the camera as a producer and editor, while making my own cooking videos on the side. 

There were some bumps in the road internally which resulted in a slight pause of my cooking show, I received some great advice from a former co-worker “You gotta EARN IT” (IYKYK) 

Due to the lack of sports during Covid I got the green light to start making cooking videos full time. I was a one man show back then, doing all the filming and editing myself. I went from doing the show in a tiny east village apartment to a slightly less tiny kitchen in Harlem. My younger brother had just finished film school and was kind enough to help with lighting and shooting. 

CAPTION CONT IN COMMENTS (sorry I know it’s a lot)

## Stats

- **Views:** 0
- **Likes:** 8,723
- **Shares:** 0
- **Comments:** 246

## Credits

| Name | Username | Profile | Role |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Donny Enriquez | @chefdonny | https://gondola.cc/chefdonny | Talent |

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