Get All Access for $5/mo

How This 'Chopped' Champion Chef Beat Cancer and Drug Addiction to Find Success An inspiring interview with author and chef Eric LeVine.

By Diana Falzone

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Chef Eric LeVine is a restauranteur, best-selling author and a winner of Food Network's highest-rated show Chopped. But success hasn't been an easy road for him. Over the course of his life, Eric has had to overcome drug addiction and beat cancer an astounding five times.

In this sit-down interview at his New Jersey seafood restaurant and sports bar, Mr. Crabby's Craft Kitchen + Bar, LeVine opened up about the challenges he's faced, and how he has used them as motivation to rise up in the culinary world.

Related: The Food Industry Is a 'Gold Rush' for Entrepreneurs

After attending The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, LeVine worked with David Burke at the acclaimed River Cafe. From there, he went on to work under several celebrity chefs until he himself was named one of the top ten new chefs by USA Today.

Related: How Guy Fieri's Empire Almost Burned to the Ground

Despite the great critical reviews and awards for his food, Chef Eric never lost sight of the struggles that made him the man he is today. The cancer survivor lives by the adage to pay it forward. He is a cancer awareness advocate working with the American Cancer Society and was given their prestigious Heart and Soul Award.

We hope you are inspired as LeVine offers his hard-earned wisdom to aspiring and veteran entrepreneurs alike.

Diana Falzone

Journalist

Diana Falzone is a journalist. She is an anchor for Bold TV. Previously, she was a reporter for Fox News Channel and a talk show host for SiriusXM Radio.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

More from Entrepreneur Exclusives

3 Simple Ways to Boost E-Commerce Sales

Why Your First 1,000 Customers Are Your Most Important

How to Grow Your Business By Finding New Customers

3 Stress-Busting Relaxation Exercises You Can Do Anywhere (60-Second Video)

Editor's Pick

Management

Why Business Owners Should Mix Strategy with Hands-On Involvement

Conventional wisdom says to work on the business, not in the business. That sounds like good advice, but is there more to it? Yes, and finding the balance is key to entrepreneurial success.

Starting a Business

How to Find the Right Programmers: A Brief Guideline for Startup Founders

For startup founders under a plethora of challenges like timing, investors and changing market demand, it is extremely hard to hire programmers who can deliver.

Fundraising

Working Remote? These Are the Biggest Dos and Don'ts of Video Conferencing

As more and more businesses go remote, these are ways to be more effective and efficient on conference calls.

Growing a Business

The Best Way to Run a Business Meeting

All too often, meetings run longer than they should and fail to keep attendees engaged. Here's how to run a meeting the right way.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.

Growing a Business

You Need an Advisory Team More Than Ever. Here's Why — and How to Run One Effectively.

The right advice, particularly in a company's early stages, can be an existential matter: how to surround yourself with the right minds.