Up Close Personal Chefs

Unaware of his unhealthy eating habits, Michael Lee Digby, found himself weighing 311 at the young age of 29, which earned him the nickname of "Big Mike". With a family history of diabetes, his wake up call was the death of his grandfather and his mother being recently diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. Michael took a personal stance to take control of his life and auditioned for the Food Network's reality show, "FAT CHEF". The show challenges overweight chefs to work with nutritionists and trainers to lose 25% of their weight in 16 weeks. He successfully lost 100 pounds and maintains his new healthy lifestyle today. As a sous chef in Chicago, he is now aware of his caloric intake as he prepares and samples dishes in the kitchen. Currently, he strives to help others develop healthy lifestyles by offering tasty alternatives when preparing specialty dishes. His goal is to ultimately remove the odds stacked against others who also deserve to live healthy lifestyles.