Johnny Prep

Chef Johnny Prep

Children’s Nutrition Advocate, Television Personality, and Cookbook Author

For the past five years, Chef Johnny Prep has been on the forefront of teaching today's youth the importance of eating healthy through his hands-on curriculum and outreach efforts in schools across Southeast Michigan. His locally initiated, leading-edge program has since become a model for a broader, nationwide campaign to engage America's young people in learning not only how fun cooking can be, but also how the right food choices can impact their well-being throughout their lives.

In 2011, Prep created Quality for Kids (Q4K), which aims to provide a competitive learning advantage to educators and students by teaching the methods, science, and culture of quality. Through the non-profit, where he serves as executive director, Prep launched “Veggie Wars,” an innovative, peer-based middle school curriculum that challenges students to think about the value of healthy eating choices. “Veggie Wars” received national news attention, and is now part of six Michigan school curriculums.

"Veggie Wars" has since evolved into what is known as the "Clash of the Cooking Crews," which continues Prep's mission of making it popular for kids to eat healthy. "Clash of the Cooking Crews" does that through a fun, competitive, and club-based environment that imparts 21st century learning skills and life lessons via cooking and nutrition. In 2011, Prep was chosen to present Q4K, where it all started, at the U.S. Innovative Educators Forum sponsored by Microsoft.

As a graduate of the University of Michigan with a degree in engineering (he also played offensive guard on the Wolverine’s football team) and later automotive supplier executive, Prep understands the need for greater emphasis on science, technology, and math education in order for today’s students to succeed in a high-stakes world. That’s why he has turned his attention to sparking a movement in local school systems that promotes real-life problem-solving and critical thinking skills through the lens of child nutrition.

In addition to his work as a children's health advocate, Prep is also a popular television host, cookbook author, and video producer. His latest cookbook is The Magic of Cooking with Really Good Broth, in which he shares with audiences how to prepare healthful, home-cooked meals that taste like five-star cuisine. As the producer and star of the “Five Star Cooking at Home” series, which aired on Bloomfield Community Television (BCTV) in 2010, Prep shared the culinary school and restaurant quality recipes and techniques that everyday cooks can use to create easy-to-make and delicious meals.

A soup enthusiast, Prep now hosts the award winning on-demand show "Soup and Co.", which also airs on BCTV. Prep has developed soup recipes for Zoup! Fresh Soup Company and has served as their national spokesperson. His media appearances include the nationally syndicated Better show, KCAL (Los Angeles), KDVR (Denver), WDRB (Louisville), WJW (Cleveland), WXMI (Grand Rapids), WHBQ (Memphis), WOFL (Orlando), and WUSA (Washington, D.C.), and he has been featured in The Detroit News, The Oakland Press, and The Huffington Post.

Prep is now at work on more cookbooks and video packages in his "Culinary School for the Home Cook Series," in addition to a book on child nutrition in conjunction with Wayne State University’s Department of Nutrition and Food Science as well as nutritionist, health activist, and celebrity trainer Grant Roberts.