36: Dustin Hogue
About Dustin
Dustin Hogue, a man whose journey has taken him from Kansas to Iraq, cooking shows to underground dinner clubs and much in between.
Growing up in Kansas City, Dustin was familiar with the back of the house from an early age. With a mom that worked two jobs and still found time to prepare family meals, he was the prep cook to her simple but love-infused dishes, chopping onions or bell peppers and preferring the Food Network to cartoons.
At the same time, Dustin was obsessed with fitness and competition, running track and playing basketball in high school. Growing up humbly, he joined the military to pay for college and deployed to Iraq twice. After his first tour, he worked as a bartender and server in KC restaurants, opening his eyes to the wide world of culinary adventures. He would cook for himself in college as humbly as his mother used to cook and with the same passion for the art.
Dustin’s second deployment brought him closer to his passion for fitness, helping soldiers pass their physical fitness test and falling in love with the impact he was having on their lives, seeing them live healthier and perform better. Knowing that he was helping others live a better life pushed him deeper into the fitness world and training others became a big part of his life, first as a personal trainer, then as a rowing and cycling instructor. In the meantime, he decided to jump into triathlons, landing a first place finish in the charity division of his first race and ramping it up until he qualified for the International Triathlon.
Meanwhile, with his passion for food having become a big part of his life, Dustin was selected as a contestant on the Food Network’s The Julia Child Challenge, bringing his love of seasonal ingredients, culinary experiences and storytelling to millions of viewers. It was a fitting twist to his story arc. Perhaps, somewhere, glued to their TVs were other kids who, like Dustin, dream of someday bringing their own culinary creations to life.
And as for storytelling, well… Dustin is no stranger. At a recent private dinner, every dish on the tasting menu was accompanied by his visit to the table to regale diners with a tale of its origins, woven expertly to highlight the history, the ingredients, the ethos.