Who is Danny Kievit from Snack vs. Chef? Texas native’s first job was to wash dishes

Netflix’s new culinary show, Snack vs. Chef, is set to bring in 12 talented chefs to participate in the ultimate snack showdown.

One of the contestants is Danny Kievit, who is popularly known as “Snack Daddy” among his friends and family. The Texas native is a renowned chef with a talent for curating creative snacks and all kinds of dishes.

However, his journey to the kitchen didn’t start as a cook. He started working at a young age and his first job was to wash dishes. In an interview with Voyage Austin, Danny said:

“I got my 1st job as a dishwasher on lake Travis at Vincent’s on the Lake. I moved into the kitchen quickly and never left.”

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Danny Kievit has a business degree in management

Danny Kievit fell in love with cooking at a young age. Before earning a culinary certificate, he went to the University of North Texas to pursue a degree in management and entrepreneurship.

He then got admission into the Culinary Academy of Austin. Danny further got training in several cafes and food joints before becoming a personal chef.

On his official page, titled “Leave it to Kievit,” Danny’s bio reads:

"A born and raised Austinite with an insatiable desire to cook, Danny attended the Culinary Academy of Austin and trained in Austin hotspots Jeffery’s, Truluck’s Seafood, Castle Hill Café, Reeds Supper Club, and at Moonshine Patio Bar and Grill before becoming a personal chef.”

It continues:

“Chef Danny is also a regular guest chef at the Condé Nast Award Winning Lake Austin Spa Resort as a personal chef experience and as an instructional chef for their guests. Highly sought after as an experiential creator for Austin’s elite and well-known world travelers, Chef Danny has created a team of accomplished chefs that have been vetted to create the experience and quality that his clients expect and deserve.”

In December 2019, he formulated his business, Leave it to Kievit, where he provides services as a personal chef. He is skilled at cooking everything from backyard barbecues to 12-course meals.

In his personal life, Danny is married to Jessica Devon Nelson, an entrepreneur and beauty industry expert. They have three kids together.

The Texas native is all set to showcase his culinary skills on Netflix’s Snack vs. Chef.

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Snack vs. Chef season 1 cast and contestants

Snack vs. Chef is a new culinary show all set to stream on Netflix. It consists of 12 contestants, including Danny Kievit, Hari Cameron, Lauryn Bodden, Sandy Dee Hall, Luna Contreras, Clara Park, Ali Manning, Lauren Jude, Christian Gill, Kristopher Edelen, Kevin Gregory, and Scottish Francis.

While viewers will enjoy watching creative snack recipes, they will also experience laughter as the hosts are comedians. Megan Stalter and Hari Kondabolu are the co-hosts of Snack vs. Chef.

The official synopsis of the Netflix show reads:

“Hosted by comedians Megan Stalter and Hari Kondabolu, this new food competition sees 12 chefs go head-to-head in the ultimate snack showdown. Not only must they recreate some of the world's most iconic snacks, they'll also be challenged to invent their own original snacks inspired by beloved classics. Only one will prevail and claim the $50,000 prize."

The winner will be announced by two judges— Chef Helen Park and culinary scientist Ali Bouzari.

Snack vs. Chef season 1 will premiere on Wednesday, November 30, 2022, on Netflix.