Before working with athletes, Belk focused on small events, private dinners and personal services for clients in the Metro Detroit area. Although he had cooked for athlete friends before, his transition to meal prepping for college and professional athletes happened unexpectedly. 

John Blackwell, a guard for the Duke Blue Devils was one of the first athletes to reach out to him while spending the summer back home in Michigan. After Belk shared a series of photos showcasing the meals he prepped for Blackwell, other athletes began reaching out. 

“When I posted him, a whole lot of other athletes reached out,” said Belk. “So that's when I started to make more meal preps, and every time I would take pictures with different athletes, more of them would reach out.”

The requests continued to grow as more athletes discovered his passion for healthy meals through social media. What began with a social media post of his fresh meals for one athlete has grown into a business serving roughly 30 to 40 athletes daily. 

Though the rapid growth came as a surprise to Belk, his years of experience as a self taught chef with a passion for clean and delicious food prepared him for the opportunity. 

“I don't force anything,” Belk said. “I let everything happen how it's supposed to.” 

Belk’s interest in cooking began as a child when he was around 8 years old, when watching his grandmother in the kitchen sparked his interest. His mother, though, played a key role in helping him develop the skills he needed to succeed. 

After graduating from high school, Belk began working in restaurants across Detroit, learning from professionals and gaining hands-on experience. Although he never attended culinary school, he developed his skills through a passion for cooking. He knew he wanted to work for himself but did not anticipate building a business that would connect him with athletes across the country.

“I knew I wanted to work for myself,” he said. “I had a vision.” 

His vision evolved into preparing nutritious food for athletes without sacrificing flavor. His menu features a variety of proteins such as steak, salmon and lamb chops, a favorite among Michigan State basketball players. 

I love the lamb chops with the potatoes and brussels sprouts,” said sophomore forward Cam Ward. “The seasoning and how he cooks it, so good.” 

Belk said one of his main goals is to make healthy eating enjoyable, especially for athletes who balance nutrition with their tight schedules. For junior guard Jeremy Fears Jr., finding meals that balanced flavor with nutrition was important to maintaining his performance throughout the season. 

"I think his food contributes a lot,” Fears said. “I think down the stretch last year I got tired, I was playing a lot of minutes, I don't think I was able to perform to the best of how I wanted to. So trying to find that mixture of eating, you know, good food but healthier at the same time was huge for me and his meals helped me a lot.” 

As the number of requests has increased the past few weeks, Belk is focused on managing the business’s growth while maintaining the quality that attracted his first client years ago. Despite the busy schedule, his favorite part of the job is the relationship he builds with athletes. 

“I am building a relationship with him because he’s taking care of us and preparing meals for us when he doesn't have to,” Ward said. “He's driving all over to take care of us so that's really important and I appreciate it because some people don't have to do that and he’s willing to.”

Belk said working with athletes allows him to build connections with people he once watched on television or followed on social media. Through these interactions, he has built relationships that extend beyond the kitchen. 

He has expanded his reach to professional basketball, working with Utah Jazz forward Ace Bailey and two Detroit Pistons players. Belk said athletes at schools outside Michigan have also contacted him about his services. He hopes to eventually travel to different campuses to prepare meals for players and their teammates.

For now, Belk remains focused on maintaining the consistency and quality that have fueled his business’s growth. Though his business has grown faster than he anticipated, Belk sees its success as a reflection of years of dedication and his decision to forge his own path in the culinary industry.

What began as a passion for cooking has grown into an opportunity to help college athletes prioritize their nutrition while pursuing their goals on and off the court.