“I’m waiting, still” — Yes, Chef! winner Emily Brubaker opens up about Martha Stewart’s visit promise and Season 2 hopes

In an exclusive interview with NBC on July 1, 2025, Yes, Chef! season 1 winner Emily Brubaker looked back on her time in the competition, what she learned, and what she hopes to see in a second season of the NBC cooking show.

In the finale, Emily made a three-course meal that impressed judges Martha Stewart, José Andrés, Marcus Samuelsson, Andrew Zimmern, and Gail Simmons. Her menu helped her win the $250,000 prize. One moment that stood out in the episode was when she turned to Martha Stewart and said,

"Are you gonna come see me?' She's like, 'You have to win!' So after I won, I was like, 'Will you come see me now?’ I'm waiting, still," Emily shared.

She also spoke about her bond with fellow chefs, how she managed setbacks in the kitchen, and the backstory behind the Martha invite.

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“I wasn’t focused on drama” - Chef Emily shares how Yes, Chef! helped her grow —

Looking back on her time in the competition, Chef Emily Brubaker shared that she started Yes, Chef! with self-doubt but left feeling more confident and clear about herself.

“I learned so much about myself, not only through my own recognition, but through the other contestants,” she shared.

Emily said that being part of a brand-new show came with a lot of uncertainty and emotional highs and lows. She added that the cast grew close during the process and often joked that it felt like “trauma bonding.” Since everything was new, it made things even harder to handle.

She also shared that she stayed focused on her own journey during the season and didn’t let drama or competition take her attention away from cooking.

“I was focused on the food and I wasn't focused on drama. I wasn't focused on how to better myself against someone else. I was just bettering myself,” she explained.

Emily recalled a key moment during the finale when Jake Lawler, her fellow chef overcooked the foie gras. Rather than getting upset, she decided to keep her cool and motivate him to correct the problem. She confessed that she might have lost her temper or been stubborn, but this time, she focused on finding a solution.

Emily also mentioned a prep error involving her husband Jake Brubaker as another indicator of her personal development. Though the bread pudding wasn't cooked enough, they both spotted the issue and chose not to point fingers at each other. Emily said they knew how to sort it out the following day and saw no need to blame each other or let it hurt their teamwork.

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Behind the Martha Stewart moment and Chef Emily’s vision for Yes, Chef! season 2

Emily shared that she first met Martha Stewart back in 2018 through work. In Episode 3 of Yes, Chef!, Martha asked her where she had worked before, which led to a fun promise that made the moment in the finale more special. She also talked about building a strong friendship with fellow contestant Chef Lee Frank.

“Chef Lee and I are very, very close. He's like the brother I never had,” she said.

Their friendship continued after the show, and they plan to meet again for Omni’s 60th anniversary event, where seven chefs from the show will cook together. Looking ahead, Emily shared her idea for future seasons — having a mentor to support the contestants.

“In Season 2, I think it'd be really helpful to have somebody like me or Lee as a mentor,” she said.

Emily shared that she believes such a role could offer emotional support, especially during the long periods between challenges.

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Yes, Chef! episodes are available to stream on Peacock.