Nick DiGiovanni: From Harvard to Culinary Stardom

Nicholas Channing DiGiovanni, born on May 19, 1996, is an American chef, internet personality, and Guinness World Record holder. His journey from a Harvard University student to a renowned culinary figure is a testament to his passion, drive, and innovative spirit.

Early Life and Education

Nick DiGiovanni was born in Providence, Rhode Island, the oldest of four brothers. His passion for cooking began in his childhood, watching his grandmother and great-grandmother create incredible meals in the kitchen. He first began experimenting in the kitchen through pancakes, where he’d add all sorts of creative spins such as orange zest and maple crumbles. He cultivated his deepening interest in cooking throughout his high school years. DiGiovanni graduated from Milton Academy in 2014.

College Years at Harvard

Upon entering Harvard, DiGiovanni initially felt lost amidst the new environment and academic demands. However, his culinary interests were rekindled by the course "Science & Cooking: From Haute Cuisine to Soft Matter Science." This course, taught by Professor David Weitz and senior preceptor Pia Sörensen, allowed DiGiovanni to see the intersection of science and cooking, inspiring him to pursue his passion further.

Harvard didn’t offer a concentration in food studies, so DiGiovanni decided to create his own: food and climate. He designed a unique self-designed major, "Food and Climate," at Harvard University. “By design, the process of creating a special concentration is very student-driven. Nick was very determined and had the courage to reach out to diverse stakeholders to assist him,” said Sörensen. His proposal incorporated coursework in chemistry, climate science, anthropology, public health, and the business of food. And his interdisciplinary approach had DiGiovanni registering for classes at the College, Harvard Business School, Harvard Kennedy School, and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

DiGiovanni found himself enjoying the pace. “Sitting in class was always hard for me,” he said. “I’m always just ready to go. “At Harvard, I learned a lot about drive, sticking with your gut, and going for something until you get what you’re working for,” he said.

Early Culinary Experiences

Nick's culinary journey included professional training at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. He also found his first restaurant job in the kitchen at Al Forno, a homestyle Italian restaurant in Providence, Rhode Island, famous for its grilled pizza. During his time in college he worked at Waypoint, a costal-inspired restaurant just up the road from his dorm. Partway through college, he landed a summer internship under Chef Corey Lee. He worked at his Michelin 3-star restaurant in San Francisco specializing in Korean-American cuisine.

MasterChef Breakthrough

During his senior year of college at 21 years old, Nick DiGiovanni attended a casting call for season 10 of MasterChef. He was selected to compete and finished in third place, becoming the youngest finalist in show history. To film the show, DiGiovanni reportedly left in the middle of the semester at Harvard without informing his professors.

He returned for season 11 as a mentor to the finalists. In 2024, he returned as a guest judge and mentor on the fourteenth season of MasterChef. “I had the flu during the first apron battle, and was sweating through my Harvard sweatshirt,” he recalled. “I was also going from my dorm cooking to this giant studio where there are cameras all around and people talking to me while I cooked.

Rise to Internet Stardom

After MasterChef, Nick DiGiovanni focused on creating cooking videos and content for online platforms. The first instructional cooking video he ever posted was how to cook a steak. His innovative approach and engaging content quickly garnered a large following, establishing him as a prominent figure in the online culinary world.

Accolades and Recognition

Nick DiGiovanni's achievements have been recognized with several prestigious awards and honors. In 2021, Nick was recognized by Forbes 30 Under 30 for Food and Drink in Rhode Island. That same year, he won a Streamy Award for Food. This award celebrates the best food creator online. He also received a Webby Award in 2022. In July 2025, Time magazine included Nick on their first “TIME100 Creators” list. This list features the 100 most important digital voices.

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Philanthropic Endeavors and Partnerships

DiGiovanni has also used his platform to contribute to various philanthropic causes. In 2021, Nick helped with the #TeamSeas project. In 2022, Nick worked with Chipotle. They donated 20 million pounds of food together. In July 2025, DiGiovanni became an official partner for Feastables, a chocolate brand created by MrBeast.

Guinness World Records

Nick DiGiovanni is famous for setting many Guinness World Records related to food.

Largest Cake Pop: In November 2021, Nick and Lynn “Lynja” Yamada Davis made the biggest cake pop ever, which weighed 97 pounds 8.52 ounces (44.240 kg).
Largest Chicken Nugget: In June 2022, he broke the record for the largest chicken nugget ever made, weighing 20.96 kg (46.2 lb).
Fastest Fish Fillet: In October 2022, he beat Gordon Ramsay's record for the fastest time to fillet a 10-pound (4.5 kg) fish by five seconds; completing it in exactly one minute.
Largest Sushi Roll: On the same day, he constructed the world's largest sushi roll, which measured 2.15 meters (7 ft 1 in) in diameter.
Largest Fortune Cookie: In November 2022, he and Nigel Ng created the largest fortune cookie at 1.47 kg (3.2 lb).
Largest Turkey Donation: Also in November 2022, they made the largest donation of turkey in 24 hours (64,463.44 kg (142,117.6 lb) - roughly equivalent to 7,620 turkeys).
Largest Beef Wellington: On May 11, 2023, DiGiovanni and Ramsay broke the Guinness World Record for the largest Beef Wellington, which weighed 25.76 kg (56.8 lb).

Personal Life and Background

Nick DiGiovanni was born on May 19, 1996, in Providence, Rhode Island, to Chris and Sudie DiGiovanni (née Naimi). He is of Italian, Persian, German, and British descent.

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