Cathy Cann, a home chef from Stratford, made her debut as a contestant on the second episode of Fox’s "Next Level Chef." The show, now in its fourth season, is a competition where talented chefs face off in unique cooking challenges. It features renowned chef Gordan Ramsay as one of the judges. Cann is a private chef and full-service caterer. "I worked in the hospitality industry for about 12 years, and I took a break and I was grant writing for organizations,” Cann says. It was during one of the toughest chapters in her life that brought her back to her passion for the kitchen. "My brother suffered from a rare neurological disease and my husband had cancer, and taking a step back from the pandemic, I fell back in love with cooking,” Cann said. The self-trained chef wanted to demonstrate her talents and signed up for the show. "Why not? Why not 'Next Level Chef?' I mean, it'sGordan Ramsey and three of the best chefs in the world,” Cann said. Months of auditioning and zoom calls with the producers led to what she calls, “the best experience ever.” The show filmed in January 2024. Cann is partnering with Foolproof Brewery in Bridgeport to host events that give locals an opportunity to experience her food. She is overjoyed to have had the opportunity to compete with talented chefs like herself. “It was also a time for me. I spent so much time of my life taking care of my family, taking care of my husband, my brother, my two kids, and so I took this as a way to reclaim my power and do something that I love to do, andalso prove to myself that this is what I’m meant to be doing,” Cann explains. "Next Level Chef" airs Thursday’s at 8p.m. on FOX. To find more information about Cathy and her services, follow this link.