Previous
Next
logo logo
logo logo
  • Discover Art
    • Trending
    • Most Recent
    • Most Faves
    • Most Views
    • Curated Galleries
  • Drawing Challenges
    • See All Challenges
  • Drawing Prompts
  • Artists
    • Most Popular
    • Most Recent
    • Available For Hire
    • Artist Spotlight
  • More
    • Marketplace
    • Art Discussions
    • Resources
    • News + Blog
Login Sign Up
Drawing Challenge

Illustrate What's on the Mind of a Chef

We're excited to announce that the folks behind “The Mind of a Chef” television series narrated by Anthony Bourdain are sponsoring our latest drawing challenge. "The Mind of a Chef" is a delicious mashup of cooking, travel, history, humor, art and science told through the mind's eye and palette of the featured chefs. This showcase challenge asks you to draw what's on the mind of a chef inside the plate on the template provided. What inspirations come to thought (at the cutting board)? What locations or songs sweep by the brain (while stirring a pot)? What memories and experiences flavor the dish?

From haute culinary cuisine to street markets - food is art. So, savor this drawing challenge, it’s all a matter of taste.

VIEW SUBMISSIONS
Illustrate Whats on the Mind of a Chef
Sponsor
Mind of a Chef

Narrated by Executive Producer Anthony Bourdain, The Mind of a Chef is that rare and beautiful thing: An intelligent show about cooking. With four seasons of the Emmy & James Beard Award-winning series from Zero Point Zero Production, presented by WGBH Boston, we've entered the minds of chefs and followed great culinary figures from their home kitchens to destinations around the globe in search of ingredients, inspiration and the perfect meal. We've dug deep with chefs Gabrielle Hamilton, David Kinch, David Chang, Sean Brock, April Bloomfield, Ed Lee and Magnus Nilsson, combining cooking, travel, history, humor, art and science into a cinematic journey, each episode capturing another glorious flicker from the mind of its subject.

Drawing Challenge Winner(s)

Judy Wong Judy Wong

Judy Wong

Fun part of a chef daydreaming: cutting out your slice of home and seeing what flavors come out! That, or wondering how to eat the world.

Drawing Challenge Submissions

Jeff Dowdy Jeff Dowdy
Enlarge
Jeff Dowdy

Don't touch your food.

  • 6
Ivandrian Gunawan Ivandrian Gunawan
Enlarge
Ivandrian Gunawan

All these ingredients, they grew together in one veggie patch, so it is sort of make sense to put them all together in one dish. Plating is crucial, you want to put some ingredients were put in one spot to showcase their purity while some were scattered to sort or married each ingredients with each other which back to the concept that they grow on a same patch. Hand drawn and hand written with love and passion! :)

  • 22
mariola mariola
Enlarge
mariola

This is what my husband ,who is a chef, thinks when he's cooking

  • 7
Rogue Vegas Rogue Vegas
Enlarge
Rogue Vegas

  • 4
Mahmudah Rizqi Amalia Mahmudah Rizqi Amalia
Enlarge
Mahmudah Rizqi Amalia

finally I did it :D

  • 3
Simbie Yau Simbie Yau
Enlarge
Simbie Yau

I've played around with how a chef would construct a burger and decided to exaggerate this concept in a playful way and ignoring any real concepts. It was fun to doodle my little chefs building this burger.

  • 31
Keiko Takamura Keiko Takamura
Enlarge
Keiko Takamura

Every chef I've seen draws upon flavors, memories, and moments from their childhood. Dino nuggets, fries, peas & carrots, and cookies are foods many of us remember fondly (or maybe not so fondly) as kid food.

  • 21
Tantowi Iskandar Tantowi Iskandar
Enlarge
Tantowi Iskandar

  • 1
Michael F Slayton Michael F Slayton
Enlarge
Michael F Slayton

Love the sketch books, keep drawing, and let me know if you all are looking for more graphic designers XD -MFS

  • 5
Peter Raymond Addison Peter Raymond Addison
Enlarge
Peter Raymond Addison

Peter Raymond Addison. I love. "The Mind of A Chef" and sincerely hope to win so I don't have to buy my wife all these cookbooks!

  • 65
Sarah Von Paul Sarah Von Paul
Enlarge
Sarah Von Paul

Inspiration- what's swirling through my mind...

  • 5
Jannell Lo Jannell Lo
Enlarge
Jannell Lo

Fridge Inspiration - Jannell Lo

  • 47
Villvin Gulbrandsrod Villvin Gulbrandsrod
Enlarge
Villvin Gulbrandsrod

Pen lines, digital coloring

  • 23
Julia Dennis Julia Dennis
Enlarge
Julia Dennis

  • 4
Jordan Slocum Jordan Slocum
Enlarge
Jordan Slocum

I always sketch/illustrate my plates before executing them. I was a tattoo apprentice for a short time, and have always been interested in old school and traditional style art. The simplicity of 3-4 colors and very rudimentary simple lines is something that I still apply to my plates today. Though the flavors may be complex, I still strive for simplicity and easily identifiable hints of nostalgia in my dishes. Thank you for the opportunity to share my artistic and culinary passions, as they are completely intertwined in my life. The direct dish this correlates to is on my Instagram: @forageandfir

  • 31
Nina Leth Nina Leth
Enlarge
Nina Leth

What`s cooking? Well, lot of things is going through my mind while cooking. Remember this and that. Did I do that? How about ...?

  • 13
Joshua Joshua
Enlarge
Joshua

There is an organized chaos going on in the mind of a chef. The chef must think on a global scale and consider what is going on in the world such as food trends, sustainability, history, seasonality, and flavor. In this doodle shows the world as a giant plate and in that world there is a cheeseburger jellyfish escaping a Michelin Star Fish with its Spaghetti tentacles. A chefs mind is always thinking about the time and deadlines. I don't think there is anything more in tune then a Chef's Mental Clock, because in the kitchen is seems like time is always the enemy, and to be a chef, it takes time.

  • 1
Lauren wright Lauren wright
Enlarge
Lauren wright

  • 2
Mako Fufu Mako Fufu
Enlarge
Mako Fufu

  • 35
Federico Federico
Enlarge
Federico

  • 20
Justė Justė
Enlarge
Justė

The mind of a chef has to be clear and simple - just like a tiny green pea.

  • 13
Angeline Yang Angeline Yang
Enlarge
Angeline Yang

Meals are better when you have someone to share it with.

  • 6
Tracy Blijden Tracy Blijden
Enlarge
Tracy Blijden

As a cook myself, My mind is always brainstorming trying to come up with creative dishes. Whenever I think of a dish I try to pull from different experiences and cooking techniques that I learned from traveling abroad and also throughout my years in culinary school. You could say my mind turns into an octopus pulling ideas and inspirations with its tentacles to form the ultimate dish.

  • 21
Vitalina Lytvyn Vitalina Lytvyn
Enlarge
Vitalina Lytvyn

Mr. Octopus :) P.S: every chef dreams to have 4 hands , I guess

  • 23
Laura Stanke Laura Stanke
Enlarge
Laura Stanke

I started drawing TV because I wanted to improve my portrait skills. I often watch a show several times waiting for a wonderful quote or pose or joyous moment. Mind of a Chef is absolutely my favorite show right now, as it is graphically innovative. The chef mind and the designer mind (mine) collide and take me to places that I'd never thought about before. Follow me @ohmydoodle on instagram. Use #idrawanddwatchtv to find my art.

  • 9
Patricia Fronteira Patricia Fronteira
Enlarge
Patricia Fronteira

  • 0
louise isbjørn louise isbjørn
Enlarge
louise isbjørn

but i told you vegan!

  • 6
Cathleen Bronsky Cathleen Bronsky
Enlarge
Cathleen Bronsky

Shrimp scampi over pasta!

  • 9
Matthieu Coulon Matthieu Coulon
Enlarge
Matthieu Coulon

  • 6
Monika Yaneva Monika Yaneva
Enlarge
Monika Yaneva

How a chef imagines himself, when he is furry in the kitchen

  • 23
Julia Wolinsky Julia Wolinsky
Enlarge
Julia Wolinsky

The concept of this plate was to focus on the world of Canarsie Brooklyn that inspired Chef Edward Lee. The plate shows the imagery of the city he grew up with as well as highlights his close relationship with his mother and desire to make his family proud. The goal was to show all the different sights and sounds that Edward grew up in, food related or not, that eventually shaped his appreciation and love of culture and food.

  • 18
Serena Stelitano Serena Stelitano
Enlarge
Serena Stelitano

I've been a cook for ten years, and my personal goal was to deliver an experience reminiscent of those childhood moments we all love.

  • 14
Arianne Z Arianne Z
Enlarge
Arianne Z

Spreading happiness one plate at a time

  • 21
Surambika Pradhan Surambika Pradhan
Enlarge
Surambika Pradhan

A plate showing that cooking is just not about taste but there is science and art behind it. A good dish provokes all 5 senses and hence should be prepared by all five senses. The blue lines depict what lies underneath proteins. Inspiration: Magnus Nilsson, my hero!

  • 19
Chhavi Goenka Chhavi Goenka
Enlarge
Chhavi Goenka

The chef imagines herself creating magic with her collection of ingredients and talents, while singing.

  • 29
Fernanda de la Mora Fernanda de la Mora
Enlarge
Fernanda de la Mora

  • 12
Constance Current Constance Current
Enlarge
Constance Current

  • 14
FluffyMafi FluffyMafi
Enlarge
FluffyMafi

Yin Yang

  • 36
GLYNIS GLYNIS
Enlarge
GLYNIS

Mind of a Chef x DA x A Clockwork

  • 52
Jacqueline Garris Jacqueline Garris
Enlarge
Jacqueline Garris

The Mind of Chef inspired me to start following the work of all the great chefs of our time the last couple of years. It amazes me the preparation that goes into making a truly incredible meal - starting all the way to the health of the soil the vegetables grow in, to our own familial and cultural roots. Creativity, knowledge, and hard work combine to create a form of art that is not only beautiful, but also fundamentally necessary to our survival. These chefs are finding themselves at a pivotal point in time to take us back to how food should really be sourced and prepared, for our own health, as well as the health of the environment. Magnus Nilsson, Sean Brock, David Chang...they may not know it but they are inspiring the rest of us to consider the why and the how behind everything we eat for the first time in a long time, and this gives me hope for the generations that follow us. "The greatest lesson came with the realization that good food cannot be reduced to single ingredients. It requires a web of relationships to support it." - Chef Dan Barber

  • 18
Meena Murugappan Meena Murugappan
Enlarge
Meena Murugappan

For me, the mind of a chef is like that of a young child with uninhibited creative courage who can finger paint with the six tastes (Sweet, Salt, Astringent, Pungent, Bitter and Sour) to create something new, something intricate, something delicate and something truly memorable. \r\n\r\nIn this hand drawn work, the patterns are a visual interpretation of food ingredients, representing each of the six tastes.

  • 45
MC Marquis MC Marquis
Enlarge
MC Marquis

My favorite chef makes amazing fishes and is inspired by it in all its forms.

  • 23
Sebastien Lopez Massoni Sebastien Lopez Massoni
Enlarge
Sebastien Lopez Massoni

  • 2
Terri Kelleher Terri Kelleher
Enlarge
Terri Kelleher

My 'mind of a chef' entry is depicting what is my idea of a chef would be imagining as a nightmare of a plate to have served up to a guest.

  • 22
Sandra Chiu Sandra Chiu
Enlarge
Sandra Chiu

When thinking about what's on the mind of a chef when cooking, I imagine them to be anticipating the happy faces of the people they are cooking for, enjoying their creations. When I am asked to cook (which is very rarely), I'm always palpitating at the stove hoping that whatever comes out pleases the crowd. I also think of my dad cooking our family meals and how it makes him happy to see his kids dig into the dishes with reckless abandon. So, for this doodling challenge, I illustrated a table of good people thoroughly enjoying their chef's preparations!

  • 17
Renaud Vincent Renaud Vincent
Enlarge
Renaud Vincent

To me, and it seems to many chefs ;), eggs are the best. They fit well for every meal, for most type of cuisine. I eat and cook them nearly every day!

  • 2
luke oliphant luke oliphant
Enlarge
luke oliphant

  • 0
Lynne Cruz Lynne Cruz
Enlarge
Lynne Cruz

Food is Life!

  • 7
Andrew Warren Andrew Warren
Enlarge
Andrew Warren

The Large Gear represents the "grind". Chef's are always "on the grind" . Our "gears" are always turning in our minds to create new menu ideas. I have been a chef for over 15+ years now and I also have a published comic strip in the "Independent" called "Chef Life". This is my dedication to hard working Chef's everywhere! hand drawn, no computer images.

  • 43
Willem Myburgh Willem Myburgh
Enlarge
Willem Myburgh

My doodle was inspired by the idea when chefs marries new flavors together. Thought it could make for a fun little comic.

  • 5
María José Montero María José Montero
Enlarge
María José Montero

  • 13
Anushree Tendolkar Anushree Tendolkar
Enlarge
Anushree Tendolkar

When you catch your fish by the hook , Twist your leg while you cook. The flavours will flow onto your plate, That's whats on the Mind of a Chef ,Mate!

  • 10
Aneliya Barenska Aneliya Barenska
Enlarge
Aneliya Barenska

Slices. A space of spaces...

  • 11
Chus Barrera Chus Barrera
Enlarge
Chus Barrera

  • 49
Coca Cola Girl Coca Cola Girl
Enlarge
Coca Cola Girl

Chilean Empanadas remind me of family.

  • 7
Anna Fernandez Anna Fernandez
Enlarge
Anna Fernandez

Tuscany landscape

  • 16
JASPER HERNANDEZ JASPER HERNANDEZ
Enlarge
JASPER HERNANDEZ

My Mind of a Chef

  • 4
Marie-Andrée Ouellet Marie-Andrée Ouellet
Enlarge
Marie-Andrée Ouellet

I drew blue doodles to represent the sea, its food being all the time on the mind of a chef ! The egg is also very important to them. There was no way to do this drawing without one :)

  • 0
gretzki gretzki
Enlarge
gretzki

Entering zen mode when cooking. When all the ingredients start to smell good.

  • 55
Masahana Kato Masahana Kato
Enlarge
Masahana Kato

The things I'd like to think that chefs think about.

  • 12
Mike Durkee Mike Durkee
Enlarge
Mike Durkee

A chefs worst nightmare is being fed hostile foods with a brain hemorrhagolia the size of a grapefruit.

  • 3
SiennyLovesDrawing SiennyLovesDrawing
Enlarge
SiennyLovesDrawing

Hmm...Is there a chance to prepare a fishes dish? I mean fishes vs fish. A fishes dish with a mix of different fish cuisines in just a dish, a nice blend of fishes taste. SiennyLovesDrawing loves to eat fish, any cooking styles, hence would like to enjoy a fishes dish with a nice blend of different international cuisines & cooking styles :)

  • 11
Petya Konstantinova Petya Konstantinova
Enlarge
Petya Konstantinova

  • 57
Alice Stevens Alice Stevens
Enlarge
Alice Stevens

  • 9
greg wolf greg wolf
Enlarge
greg wolf

  • 3
Rayna Kunzman Rayna Kunzman
Enlarge
Rayna Kunzman

What is on the mind of a chef? I believe it is an assemblage of ideas and influences to create something new and possibly unheard of. Together with heaven iconography and and a puddle of natural textures, the Icee Whip puts the final touch on an otherworldly creation.

  • 10
Thomas Schilb Thomas Schilb
Enlarge
Thomas Schilb

  • 28
Trisha Reed Trisha Reed
Enlarge
Trisha Reed

Chinese dumpling molded into a catfish

  • 5
cody russell cody russell
Enlarge
cody russell

always a sausage fest

  • 19
Sneha Ashok Sneha Ashok
Enlarge
Sneha Ashok

What really runs in the mind of a chef when they think of a particular cuisine?

  • 37
Carol McElroy Carol McElroy
Enlarge
Carol McElroy

  • 19
frank patter frank patter
Enlarge
frank patter

measuring cup chef

  • 5
Mauro Toselli Mauro Toselli
Enlarge
Mauro Toselli

Cooking is passion, creativity and, yes, SCIENCE!

  • 18
Claire Wildish Claire Wildish
Enlarge
Claire Wildish

Kitchen's are where fun is found, creativity is bubbling and laughter is all about. I find myself in the kitchen when I really need to cook up some happiness....and it's contagious!

  • 13
Troy Tipton Troy Tipton
Enlarge
Troy Tipton

Creativity, Care, Happiness, Control, Detail, Chaos

  • 2
Kashmira Puranik Kashmira Puranik
Enlarge
Kashmira Puranik

Food is Fuel. Let's Eat!

  • 2
jlbandeen jlbandeen
Enlarge
jlbandeen

The lovely Julia Child in ballpoint pen and crayon :)

  • 3
Kashu Kashu
Enlarge
Kashu

Food is Art..Art is Food.

  • 6

Frequently Asked Questions

I have the most votes, am I the winner?

Not necessarily. As stated in our guidelines, the public voting from the community helps bring the most popular art submissions to the top. Once the public voting is over, the editorial team at Doodle Addicts (along with the sponsor), will then vote internally from the top group of submissions.

I made a mistake, how do I fix or replace my entry?

You can delete and resubmit your entry anytime before the submission deadline. Just click on the “Replace Image” button below your submission (on the challenge page) to delete your original submission and replace it with your new one.

Am I allowed to have my fans, friends and/or family vote?

Yes, of course. We definitely encourage you to spread the word on your participation in this fun drawing challenge.

There are so many good ones! Can I vote for more than one?

Yes! You can mark one, two, five or all of them as your favorite.

What do you do about cheaters?

Any fake votes we catch will be removed. Let’s keep this fun everyone, the prize is just the cherry on top.

Still have questions?

Make sure to read the guidelines and the terms and conditions, most questions are answered there. If something is still not clear, feel free to email us and we’ll try to help.

Doodle Addicts

Navigate
  • Discover Art
  • Drawing Challenges
  • Weekly Drawing Prompts
  • Artist Directory
  • Art Marketplace
  • Resources
Other
  • News + Blog
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
Newsletter
© 2025 Doodle Addicts™ — All Rights Reserved Terms & Conditions / Privacy Policy / Community Guidelines
Add Doodle Addicts to your home screen to not miss an update!
Add to Home Screen