Alexia Grant: I, for the first five weeks,
did not take any days off.
I was here, open, Sunday to Sunday,
rocking out for our guys.
Narrator: That's Chef Lex,
one of just 10 chefs invited to cook for players
inside the NBA bubble,
a COVID-free isolation zone
on Disney World's campus.
Narrator: Disney was initially responsible
for feeding the 22 teams
that made it into the bubble.
But after negative Twitter reviews
and complaints from players,
the NBA brought in chefs like Lex
to live inside the bubble under strict quarantine.
Alexia: Everything that we have to do
has to be at the hotel.
We cannot leave. We cannot wander.
Narrator: She and the other chefs whip up
about 4,000 meals a week.
But Chef Lex is no stranger to star-studded clientele.
She's cooked for the Portland
Trail Blazers, Oprah Winfrey,
Kelly Rowland, Meek Mill,
and competed on Food Network's "Chopped."
We followed Chef Lex to see what it's really like
cooking thousands of meals
for players inside the NBA bubble.
Alexia: Let's feed our guys the best food possible.
Narrator: For Chef Lex,
each day inside the bubble starts at 4:30 a.m.
Alexia: I'm just throwing on the same shirt
and throwing my hair up
and, thank God, getting on a bus.
Narrator: There are technically two zones
within the NBA bubble.
The inner bubble houses
the players and staff,
and the outer bubble is where
the chefs live and work.
And they're not allowed to cross between the two zones.
Alexia: We have these really, really strict rules,
and if you don't follow them, you have to go.
Narrator: Chef Lex lives at the Waldorf Astoria
but cooks inside the executive chef kitchen.
Buses transport her between the two cleared areas.
Alexia: Rise and shine, Mr. Will.
Yes, my guy.
Joy.
Joy: Rise and shine. Alexia: Rise and shine, sis!
Narrator: Chef Lex and her assistant, Joy,
run Comfort Kitchen,
a pop-up Southern and Caribbean restaurant
that Lex launched specifically for the NBA bubble.
All the other chefs who came into the bubble
were attached to a team.
But Chef Lex came in
as an individual chef.
Alexia: I get to the kitchen,
and it's time to rock and roll.
As soon as I get there, I hit the ground running.
Narrator: Teams can browse
her menu and place
team or à la carte orders
through her website.
But orders aren't guaranteed.
Narrator: Chef Lex receives her team orders
the night before, so she has a chance
to order all the food she needs.
Since she's not allowed to leave the bubble,
personal shoppers outside do all of her shopping.
Alexia: Thanks, sis.
On my way to cook. See y'all later!
Narrator: Masked up and with her station very clean...
[laughs]
Narrator: Chef Lex and Joy get to work.
They start with making the traditional breakfasts.
Erik Spoelstra: Chef Lex,
thanks for hosting
this great team meal here for Heat Nation.
It was the perfect way to
celebrate our win last night.
Appreciate you.
Narrator: It's just Chef Lex and her assistant, Joy,
doing all the cooking for Comfort Kitchen.
Alexia: Joy Dariel is instrumental
in keeping Comfort Kitchen open and running.
I mean, I was able to walk away
from certain parts of the cooking,
'cause I can micromanage sometimes.
Narrator: Together, they're making
all kinds of comfort food.
Chicken and waffles, shrimp, chicken wings.
All of the things that I made here are all my own recipes.
Narrator: Once everything's cooked,
it's packaged up for the journey to the inner bubble.
Narrator: Because Chef Lex isn't allowed
to enter the inner bubble,
she has to hand off the food to runners.
Narrator: Then the relay race begins.
The first runner can only go as far as
the security point for the inner bubble.
There, it's picked up by a second runner on the other side.
That person finally delivers it to the players.
Chris Haynes: Chef Lex done it again.
My food is here.
This is my go-to.
French toast, bacon, and eggs.
On point. Bomb.
Appreciate you, girl.
Narrator: Then it's back to the hotel to rest up
and get ready to do it all over again.
Alexia: Working in a situation where I am not able
to directly hand off food to my client
was really hard
and a huge, like, relinquish of power for me.
'Cause I like my food to get there
and be as beautiful as it was when I sent it out.
But I have a lot of repeat customers,
so that means that my runners have been doing
a fantastic job.
I feel like such a boss.
Thank you for asking me to do this.
Shout-out to the NBA and the bubble and all the guys here.