We had over 200 entries to our Kitchen Ink Contest where Chefs shared their ink and the stories behind them. We picked some of the winners and had some categories decided by public vote. Thank you to all the chefs that participated and to the 1,355 people that voted for Best Story, Brand Loyalty, Tribute and Most Unique categories!
GRAND PRIZE WINNER
Chef Harris Esparza wowed us with a tour of the ink covering his body and is taking home the wheel of Parmigiano Reggiano customized with the design of his choice.
Left: I chose this set of vintage eggbeaters as a tribute to my grandma who always used them and where my foundation of cooking began. I tied a little Texas flag on the handle.
Middle: When i was promoted from sous to exec chef, I had the great idea to get “Order’s Up” on my knuckles. It’s a reminder that I had to work every spot in the kitchen and symbolized my evolution.
Right: One of my newest and most favorite, Doggzilla. What other way to celebrate the 4th of July. Late in my career I’ve found a new respect for hotdogs, why not cross them with the best reptile ever. A lot like pizza, hot dogs are just a canvas on which to create!!!
Left: This is my alter ego, in another life I just make pizzas. I remember going to Kip’s Big Boy when I was a kid once or twice, but the image never was forgotten. My version’s more a rockabilly pizza slinger with his own tattoos – even a tear drop.
Middle: This was probably the most impulsive not thought out tattoo I have gotten. There was a restaurant called the Monterrey here in San Antonio, they made the best blue soft shell crab po’boy I’ve ever had. Long story short the crab is now on my throat.
Right: Greatest State and Greatest Breakfast food and the only State with its own waffle maker Shape, I had this done at the time because no one had one. It’s also the only real breakfast item I really like to eat. Mascarpone, powdered sugar and some fresh fruit. Just divine.
WINNERS
(in no particular order)
CHEF ANDREW DOLICH
CATEGORY: BEST STORY
PRIZE: The Super Q™ Pro by Breville Commercial
“My pasta tattoo on left hand is special to me because it signifies my passion and connection to pasta fatto a mano, handmade pasta. It’s a tradition that is dying and takes weeks, months, years to master and even then takes more time. In our new age world many of people aren’t willing to make the sacrifice to the craft and machines have taken over most of restaurant industry. The tattoo is a reminder to keep pushing handmade pasta.”
CHEF CHRIS RUGG
CATEGORY: MOST UNIQUE
PRIZE: Meglio semi-custom knife
“This tattoo represents the restaurant I worked so hard to open! I have been in the kitchens since I was 14 and am now 38. The name of my restaurant is Ukiyo which I go by the definition of “to disassociate from one’s troubles and focus on the moment”! I work on this tattoo every time I hit a milestone and is a testament to my passion for Japanese culture and cuisine.”
CHEF JACQUELINE HUBSCHMAN
CATEGORY: SCARIEST
PRIZE: Mise en Block
“I wanted a fun mash up between the Pillsbury Dough Boy and the Morton Salt Girl because salt kills dough. So my artist and I came up with a zombie dough boy who killed the salt girl!”
CHEF KORY DIPUCCHIO
CATEGORY: SLEEVE
PRIZE: Chef’s Roll Gear
“These are a few of my tattoos, but mainly the bowl of ramen was where it all started! You don’t see blue in a lot of culinary tattoos and so that’s really my favorite part of this tattoo. The edamame beans spilling out of the bowl, the chopsticks tucked in the side, the boiled eggs shrimp cakes…I love everything about this tattoo. The little noodles poking out the Nori, the sesame seeds and then right above it a goopy cheesy pizza crust LOL”
CHEF MARK NARGI
CATEGORY: SCARIEST
PRIZE: Chef’s Roll Gear
“This is my first real ‘chef’ tattoo. I used to constantly get asked why I didn’t have any chef tattoos and eventually I got so annoyed I decided to basically troll everyone asking. And I was like ‘chefs always get tattoos of knives and butchered animals, so what would a pig get if it got a tattoo?’ and I designed this.
Then shortly after I went on a date and she saw my tattoo and looked at me – ‘So, what, do you want to kill and eat me or something?’
There was no second date.”
CHEF SAMANTHA CAMERON
CATEGORY: SLEEVE
PRIZE: The Super Q™ Pro by Breville Commercial
“My food sleeve is inspired by our local farmers markets. It includes stuff from some of our favorite farms and farmers that grow all the amazing fruits and veggies in the PNW and who we also have become friends with over the past 8 years. My brother is a tattoo artist in Portland so I’m lucky enough to have him do all my tattoos as well!”
CHEF BRIAN RIVERA
CATEGORY: BEST KNIFE
PRIZE: SEMI-CUSTOM MEGLIO KNIFE
“I got a chef knife at Kamata Knife Shop in Tokyo and they engraved my last name in Japanese on the handle . When I hit my 25th year as a chef I got that knife tattooed on my forearm. I became a chef at 24, and a executive chef at 38. No school, just hard work and great chefs to teach me. Now I’m proud to be able to complete the cycle and teach others to be chefs. I don’t go by many labels but ‘Chef’ is one I earned. I love this career and salute all those chefs in it.”
CHEF CLAIRE SMYTH
CATEGORY: CUTEST
PRIZE: PARMIGIANO REGGIANO SWAG PACK
“Got this on a whim while waiting for a friend. Had just gotten off of a 14 hour shift and it was probably 1am at the time. Followed it up at The Owl in Logan Square and was is bed at a cozy 5:30 am. Ahhh to be young again.”
CHEF JOSHUA LABADIE
CATEGORY: SCARIEST
PRIZE: PARMIGIANO REGGIANO SWAG PACK
We think all chefs will agree, these are the scariest kitchen tools ever ;-P
CHEF CAMERON DIXON
CATEGORY: MOST UNIQUE
PRIZE: MEGLIO KNIFE
“When I design my tattoos, I like them to be unique to me. I wanted a tattoo that represented me as a chef, music artist/lover, and having an explosive personality that is typically found in a calm and collected state but if activated has a huge impact. Me being a chef has been a saving grace in my life and without it I wouldn’t be where I am in life today.
So my tattoo on my forearm tells that story. A grenade with treble & bass clefs forming a heart, a chef hat covering the grenade pin and handle basically keeping it all together.
Fun fact, my original design was enhanced by my sister-in-law to make the image pop and stand out.”
CHEF ORLANDO VASQUEZ
CATEGORY: BEST STORY
PRIZE: PARMIGIANO REGGIANO SWAG PACK
“Built brick by brick.
A chef isn’t just a title. It’s a craft built through discipline, long hours, sacrifice, failure, resilience, and passion.
This LEGO chef tattoo is a reminder that every skill learned, every recipe created, and every success earned was built one piece at a time. Behind the smile is a lifetime of learning and a love for creating experiences through food.
The blue carries an even deeper meaning. It represents Le Cordon Bleu, where I graduated and where another important piece of my culinary journey was built.
No shortcuts. No overnight success. Just one lesson, one plate, one brick at a time.
Every masterpiece starts with a single brick.”
CHEF JOSHUA TANGO
CATEGORY: BRAND LOYALTY
PRIZE: CHEF’S ROLL GEAR
“TrueCooks is an excellent organization that has allowed me to meet like minded professionals, as well as connections to lifelong friends. These friends have been generous enough to lend a couch to sleep on while staging in NYC, to having midnight drinks, to just cooking together and sharing a bunch of stories of dinner service.”
CHEF DENISE COVERT
CATEGORY: TRIBUTE
PRIZE: CHEF’S ROLL GEAR
“My tattoo is a tribute to my dad who passed away 8 years ago and his support of me becoming a chef and my passion for cooking and thinking out of the box . He used to take me traveling all around the world to snorkel with the sea turtles and eat at all the street carts. He is a big reason why I love what I do. The tattoo itself is a sea turtle and inside the shell are all things culinary: mushrooms, herbs, garlic, knives, avocados…”
CHEF TATU HERRERA
CATEGORY: FUNNIEST
PRIZE: MISE EN BLOCK
“I got this when Bobby Flay was on the old Iron Chef and when it was over he jumped on his table, yelling USA. I was so upset that he would stand on a table that we prep on. Fast forward a couple of years and I meet his wife and she loved the story and took a photo of it…”
CHEF JOSEPH LOPEZ
CATEGORY: BEST STORY
PRIZE: LA CHEF CON GOLDEN TICKET
“This is my first culinary tattoo. It’s the True Cooks logo. This tattoo means to me Humility, Dedication, Sacrifice. All of which I have done for the last 22 years in the culinary industry.”
CHEF RAFAEL GONZALEZ
CATEGORY: BRAND LOYALTY
PRIZE: CHEF’S ROLL GEAR
“I wanted a chef tattoo with some of my heritage attached to it, so I chose the Morton Salt Girl, but dressed as La Chilindrina for El Chavo del Ocho.”
CHEF TRAVIS KIRKLEY
CATEGORY: CUTEST
PRIZE: PARMIGIANO REGGIANO SWAG PACK
“Because hotdogs and hamburgers as cowboys and robbers is funny.”
CHEF IAN COOKSON
CATEGORY: BEST KNIFE
PRIZE: CHEF’S ROLL GEAR
“This is my first knife purchase and also the Extra Virgin is when I became head chef of The Vineyard Restaurant and Bar. It’s an Italian restaurant. I also won a bet from my coworker who said I wouldn’t do it. I won a bottle of Woodford Reserve whiskey.”
CHEF STEPHEN TOEVS
CATEGORY: SLEEVE
PRIZE: The Super Q™ Pro by Breville Commercial
“My food tattoo sleeve actually started as a cover-up of the very first tattoo I got when I turned 18. It was the old Independent skateboard logo, and when I decided it was time for a change, the best way to cover it was with a rare blue lobster. Being from New England, with a lifelong love of seafood, it felt like the perfect place to start.
Over the next three years, the sleeve continued to evolve. I added portraits of foods that have inspired me throughout my life and career: mushrooms, vegetables, fruit, and other ingredients that tell pieces of my story. Eventually, the artwork moved past my elbow and became a full sleeve.
One of the most meaningful characters is Bartholomew, my octopus, who holds all the essential tools a chef needs to succeed in the kitchen. Among them is the all-important saute pan, which serves as a personal reminder to always check my mental and physical mise en place. For me, being prepared is about much more than having your ingredients and tools ready. It is about making sure your mind and body are ready for whatever is ahead.
My favorite vegetable, the artichoke, sits on my bicep, while the avocado on my elbow bone was definitely one of the more painful additions.
The sleeve also goes well beyond food. My children’s names are incorporated into the artwork because they are such an important part of who I am. The Hebrew lettering is a deeply personal tribute to our son whom we lost due to polycystic kidney disease. It is a way of carrying his memory with me always.
All in all, I don’t think this sleeve will ever truly be finished. Like a dish you’re constantly working to perfect, there is always another layer, another ingredient, and another expression of your story that can be added.”
CHEF ALEJANDRO TROCEL
CATEGORY: SLEEVE
PRIZE: CHEF’S ROLL GEAR
“My tattoo tells the story of my journey as a chef. One part represents a dish I created in 2017, including my own hand plating it. Another part shows oysters with citrus spheres, inspired by a dish I created in 2021. The rest of the tattoo brings together some of the ingredients I most enjoy working with in the kitchen. Altogether, it represents my creativity, my evolution as a chef, and the dishes and ingredients that have shaped my culinary identity.”
CHEF TREVIS HALL
CATEGORY: SLEEVE
PRIZE: MISE EN BLOCK
“My sleeve incorporates food that has been important to me. Fruits and vegetables that have a connection to my discovery of different foods while younger and to the people and places in my life have that have supported my career and expanded my culinary knowledge and understanding. Cacao from my wife being from Ecuador, peaches from being from Colorado, Chile for my family in New Mexico, tomato for the Italian food that started my career, avocados for my mother-in-law and climbing the avocado trees in her back yard, ginger from when I went to school in Thailand, cardamom from my friends in India. Along with my friends and family I have my sleeve filled with coffee beans. The other fuel that have helped keep me going!”
PRIZES
Prizes include an entire wheel of Parmigiano Reggiano customized with your face, restaurant logo or design of your choice on it, The Super Q™ Pro by Breville Commercial, Mise en Blocks, Meglio knives, Chef’s Roll tools and knife rolls and one of the hardest tickets to get since they seem to sell out before they even go on sale… a golden ticket to the LA Chef Conference to learn and hang out with some the best in the industry.
THANK YOU TO OUR PARTNERS AND PRIZE SPONSORS
