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That’s how Gregoire, also known as Chef T, landed on NBC’s latest cooking competition “Yes, Chef!� alongside 11 other chefs. The show co-hosted by Martha Stewart and José Andrés made its television debut April 28.

As owner of Bristol’s Union 41 restaurant, Chef T said the show challenged her to discover the best version of herself. She was nominated by one of the restaurant’s employees to be featured on the show.

“My line cook Alex has nominated me, just because he feels like I have some challenges in the kitchen,� Chef T said.

“I’m basically a pressure cooker, I have a short fuse, and he feels like I could handle things a lot better.�

She said the show has helped her evaluate some of her leadership habits, all while trying to compete against some of the nation’s top chefs.

“The first step is like owning and understanding that I do have difficulties handling situations in the kitchen, but really trying to get to the root of what causes them, while vying for $250,000, cooking in front of two culinary icons and meeting some amazing chefs,� she shared.

One of her biggest takeaways was the friendships formed on the show. Chef T said she made lifelong friends from being on “Yes, Chef!�, some of which she talks to on a regular basis.

“I went into the show thinking that I would make a change,� Chef T said. “Or I’d go in, I’d cook and I’d excel and make some money. But really, I went into the show and came out with such an amazing perspective for the industry and the people that I work with.�

She said it means a lot to have the opportunity to connect and network with people in the same industry — dealing with the highs and lows it can bring.

“You know, there’s a difference between being in a cook position and then being in an owner’s position and balancing those feelings and emotions while trying to maintain this craft, and while trying to just maintain your business,� Chef T said. “It’s a different mindset, and to find people that understand that and can give you an outlet to vent those things and not be judged is also like an expert level of therapy.�

Community response

Not long after the first episode aired on Monday, Chef T said friends, family and acquaintances alike started reaching out to her to talk about the show.

“After the first episode aired, people from all over, people I didn’t even know would be watching this show, were messaging me, texting me, calling me,� she said. “People I’m responding back to and their numbers are not even in my phone.�

Coming to a casino near you

The community seemed to have an appetite for more after episode one aired, too. Hard Rock Hotel Casino & Bristol announced it would be bringing Chef T and four other “Yes, Chef� contestants to take over Council Oak Steaks & Seafood for a night.

Chef T said the event sold out within the first hour of being posted online and she looks forward to future collobaration efforts. She said she took a chance by reaching out to Hard Rock leadership in hopes of landing an opportunity to feature the chefs there, and it panned out.

“I went down to Hard Rock and I was like, ‘Can I speak to the president?’ And then she took a meeting with me, and I basically explained,� Chef T said. “I was like, ‘Hey, we’re kind of in a food slump here. I want to talk to you about doing this awesome food tasting with some awesome chefs.�

She said Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol President Allie Evangelista honored her request and connected her with the right people.

“I’m always in an era of sustainability and supporting local, eating local, and here you have this huge entity that came into our area, and a lot of people have some mixed feelings about it,� Chef T said. “For me, I’m always about bridging the gap, and what better way to bridge a gap than to use food.�

Supporting local

Chef T said the community can also support her by visiting Union 41 in Bristol, outside of watching the show. She said the show is a platform to elevate her abilities and visibility, but everyday life still goes on in the Tri-Cities region.

“The show is just a platform that I am on and we still have real life every day,� she said. “We’re still community partners, we’re still giving back to the Boys and Girls Club. We’re still doing stuff with the animal shelters, like we’re still doing our usual community stuff.�

She said since opening the Bristol restaurant two years ago, many surrounding eateries have closed or moved elsewhere. She hopes fans of the show will stop by to learn more about what her restaurant has to offer.

“If this show has caused you to gain interest, come and see why they liked my food,� Chef T said. “Come out and see why they enjoy my food. Come out and experience my personality in real life, because we have a full open kitchen. So step from behind that screen and get in your cars and come down to Bristol and come see me at Union 41.�

About Chef T

According to Chef T’s website, she has had a passion for food from a young age. She was a runner-up on Fox’s “Hell’s Kitchen Season 14� and made an “all-stars� appearance in Season 18 — in addition to being featured on the Food Network’s “Big Restaurant Bet.�

In 2019, she opened Ina + Forbes in St. Paul, Virginia, before being forced to close due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She pursued a new opportunity in 2023 where she opened Union 41 in Bristol, Virginia.

Chef T previously told the Times News that Union 41’s menu is a combination of her Carribean heritage and surrounding Appalachian influence. She is a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts.

About the show

Participating chefs go through a series of culinary challenges each week to prove both their skill and ability to overcome obstacles in an intense cooking environment. The episode includes two challenges: the Main Challenge and the resulting cook-off.

Each participant is fighting for the $250,000 grand prize. The show airs on NBC at 10 p.m. on Monday nights, and is available to stream on Peacock the next day.