Chef and YouTuber Nick DiGiovanni
Jon Youshaei
“It sounds so crazy that it seems impossible, but if you can make it possible, you know people are going to want to watch.”
That’s how Nick DiGiovanni said he approaches his YouTube channel, which recently surpassed Gordon Ramsay as one of the most followed food channels with over 22 million subscribers. For DiGiovanni, very few ideas are crazy nor impossible whether that means dining on a $30,000 plane ticket or cooking for the world’s heaviest sumo wrestler. It’s safe to say this Harvard graduate and MasterChef finalist has developed a unique recipe for content that mixes his knack for storytelling with his love of food.
I sat down with DiGiovanni to discuss his early days, his creative process, and why he’s now launching a second channel called Nick’s Kitchen that promises to provide a fresh take on food videos and recipes.
The Early Days
DiGiovanni first got his taste of the limelight in 2019 when he appeared on MasterChef and finished third under the mentorship of Gordon Ramsay. He admits Ramsay was not just a mentor but an inspiration for his style of cooking and presenting food.
“Gordon is somebody for whom I have all the respect in the world,” he recalls. “There’s not many people who can say that he’s been a mentor to them.”
Despite his impressive finish on MasterChef, DiGiovanni faced the challenge of maintaining momentum after the show.
“You can really only ride on someone else’s success for so long. So, I could only take the burst of fame from MasterChef and Gordon Ramsay, the same one that all the other contestants might have gotten, and ride that wave for a limited time.”
It wasn’t an easy transition to the world of YouTube. DiGiovanni said he had to figure out the platform, teaching himself how to film and edit, often experimenting with content shot in his own bedroom.
Interviewing Nick DiGiovanni
Jon Youshaei
“I was shooting videos in my bedroom, next to my bed, in my first apartment out of college. It would get all disgusting if I cooked a steak. There was fat and oil on the sheets and all this stuff. It was nasty,” he said, describing the messy reality of those early attempts.
However, through trial and error, he found his rhythm, eventually developing a unique style that combined food with entertainment.
The Growth of DiGiovanni’s Channel
DiGiovanni’s journey to becoming one of YouTube’s biggest food creator was marked by a series of experiments, both in the kitchen and on camera.
“We’ve got different formats like ‘world’s best,’ ‘tasting every food from every decade,’ or ‘rating and testing things,’ and that’s always fun,” Nick explained. “Then we have cooking challenges with people like MrBeast, Uncle Roger, and Shaq.”
One of his most viral hits was a video where he trained a rat to cook ratatouille, inspired by the Pixar movie.
“I knew right when we heard the idea that I wanted to try it,” DiGiovanni recalled.
His passion for combining food with larger-than-life concepts has not only driven viral success but also allowed him to differentiate his content.
“We’ve got every food from SpongeBob, food hacks…and then we have, you know, the big money ones where it’s a little more luxurious and gets a little bit crazy on the amount of money that I spend.”
This mix of formats has attracted millions of viewers and contributed to his meteoric rise.
The collaborations with creators and celebrities have also played a huge role in his growth. From Paris Hilton to Matthew McConaughey, DiGiovanni has worked with some of the biggest names in entertainment.
“I’d say the big thing we discovered when reaching out to people, no matter who you’re trying to work with, is that you have to come to them with a pitch that benefits them,” he explained.
“I noticed that most people just say, ‘Hey, can you join me on this?’ or ‘Can you do this with me?’ But we try to be more proactive. We’ll say, ‘Hey, we saw you just launched this product’ or ‘You just did this thing, and we’d love to highlight it in this way.’ We’ll already have three ideas lined up, and that approach has a really great success rate.”
His collaborative approach has led to some of his most memorable videos, including the ones where he set Guinness World Records such as the world’s largest chicken nugget.
The Business Behind Food Content
Managing a massive media brand is no small feat, and DiGiovanni credits much of his success to his team which includes his brother, Peter DiGiovanni. Together, they’ve streamlined their production process, ensuring that they can consistently deliver high-quality content
From custom sets to extensive travel, DiGiovanni spares no expense when it comes to making his ideas come to life. His most expensive video to date? The one where he trained a rat to make ratatouille.
“Making ratatouille was expensive because we had someone training the rats day in and day out, since I wasn’t training them myself,” DiGiovanni laughs. “And honestly, how many professionals are out there who specialize in training specific animals, right? So yeah, that one was pretty pricey, unfortunately, but also so much fun.”
Starting New Ventures: Salt, Merch, and More
Beyond YouTube, DiGiovanni has expanded his brand with a range of successful ventures. One of his most notable products is Osmo, his premium salt brand.
“I would argue that taste is but the most important thing, so I wanted to create something that at least some people out there could try, even if it’s just a flavored salt, and that I was a part of. It’s a really great product.”
Interviewing Nick DiGiovanni
Jon Youshaei
Osmo has become a hit with home cooks and professionals alike, and Nick plans to grow the brand into a broader pantry staples company.
“It’s doing really well in Walmart, which is exciting. And it’s doing exceptionally well online for Walmart too, which they’re trying to push more and more. So far, it’s been great, but down the road, I want to turn Osmo into a much broader pantry staples essentials brand with sauces, salty snacks, and a little bit of everything.”
DiGiovanni’s commitment to quality extends to his merchandise line, Happy Potato, which donates proceeds to charity.
As he puts it, “I have a pretty basic and simple mission, which is to make the world a better place through food.”
He’s also a six-time New York Times bestselling author, further solidifying his place as a multi-faceted creator with a passion for making food more accessible and engaging for everyone.
Nick’s Kitchen & The Next Chapter
Nick’s main channel has largely shifted toward food entertainment, but his love for serious cooking hasn’t faded. That’s why he has launched a second channel called Nick’s Kitchen, which focuses exclusively on serious, straightforward cooking content.
“So when I started on YouTube, I was doing more serious cooking videos. They were simple, and it was just me in the kitchen by myself. And that was it. I made a dish at the end—maybe I started with the whole fish and ended with a nice plate of cooked fish.”
While his main channel is full of stunts and viral moments, Nick’s Kitchen strips away the entertainment aspects to focus purely on the food while still keeping it high production value with elegant editing.
His first video on this channel is about Macaroni and Cheese, and in only three days, it has amassed over 400,000 views.
“It’s just a kitchen and me and some simple but delicious dish.”
Nick’s excitement for the new project is palpable. He’s committed to making Nick’s Kitchen a platform where viewers can learn cooking techniques in a visually stunning format.
“I don’t want it to be about me. I want as many shots as possible on the food and on what we’re actually doing. As much B-roll as possible. I don’t want to have just these boring shots of my face and standing there in the kitchen and talking. So, that’s what I’m committed to with this channel.”
With Nick’s Kitchen just launched and several ventures already thriving, DiGiovanni is only just getting started. As he continues to evolve food content on YouTube, his focus stays on making cooking fun, accessible, and inspiring.
“Food is so much more than just a visual thing — it’s an experience.”
One thing is clear: DiGiovanni isn’t just a chef; he’s a true innovator in the culinary world. Whether he’s crafting viral food videos or launching new products, his genuine passion for cooking and connection with his audience are what truly set him apart.
Now that he’s surpassed Gordon Ramsay in subscribers, it’s clear that DiGiovanni is shaping his own legacy, one delicious dish at a time.