Alex Belew
The Health Transformation of Chef Alex Belew
While filming Season 21 of Hell's Kitchen, Alex Belew gained weight. When he saw his headshot from Fox, he didn't like the way he looked. He didn't like his appearance, his energy, or the fact that his body wasn't responding well to his workouts.
He discovered his testosterone was low, which accounted for his feeling of low energy.
After winning Hell's Kitchen, Belew was motivated to prioritize his health. He started testosterone replacement therapy, and Alex Belew began ice baths.
His first experience of cold plunging came with an incredible rush of energy unlike any he had felt before. This led him to incorporate ice baths into his everyday routine. He says ice baths are "an addictive way of waking up," and help reduce pain and inflammation in his knees and shoulders.
Winning Hell's Kitchen changed the course of Belew's career. He went from a culinary arts high school teacher with a catering business to a celebrity chef with a massive social media following.
Now he curates his social media content around cooking, exploring tasty recipes with an emphasis on health. He offers tutorials and basic cooking instructions, from properly cutting an onion to perfecting a seared ribeye.
His content welcomes encourages mindful food choices that are both delicious and simple to cook. You can find some of his favorite recipes by exploring Alex's Youtube library and browse his social media by visiting his Linktree here.
Food Advice for Ice Bath
In preparation for the holidays, Belew appeared on the Uncommon Living podcast to talk about the foods that go well with ice bath. Instead of eating candy and cookies, Belew suggests high protein foods like tuna and steak tartar, with spicy condiments like horseradish, and wasabi. These foods that taste "hot" on the tongue will also help warm the body.
To stay healthy during the holidays, Belew suggests substituting healthy snack for candy and holiday cookies. Sprinkling sweet potato fries cooked in tallow or duck fat with cinnamon (to boost insulin sensitivity) and serving them with a sugar-free spicy ketchup makes a tasty sweet-and-spicy snack that will make your ice bath party the hit of the holiday season.
About Alex Belew
Alex Belew, winner of Season 21 Hell's Kitchen, is an award-winning executive chef with a passion for cultivating delicious dining experiences. Prior to becoming a TV star, Alex earned his Culinary Arts degree at The Art Institute of Tennessee in Nashville, opened a catering business called Dallas & Jane, and taught High School culinary arts. Now he share his passion for cooking through social media, offering video tutorials of his favorite recipes. Alex also shares videos of himself in the ice bath or at the gym with the catchphrase "Go workout!"
Belew also posts about what he feeds his two children, and how he meal preps their lunches so they don't wind up eating the school cafeteria food that is so unhealthy. As a former school teacher, Belew feels that children aren't getting enough good instruction about what to eat and how to manage money.
Singer for Country Rock Band Reckless Eden
Although Belew is already famous for his cooking, his newest passion is country rock music. As the singer for his band Reckless Eden, Alex records his original compositions at a studio in Phoenix, Arizona. Their popular hits include Skeletons and Grenades, both songs featured on their recent 2025 album "All You've Done", and they've released other singles like Innocent Man and Comeback Kid. You can stream all of their newest releases on Spotify.
Browse Reckless Eden's Linktree to find their Instagram, Youtube, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok content.