Nikki Martin facts for kids

Nikki Martin (whose real name is Nicole Heaps) is an American TV personality and chef. She lives in Los Angeles, California. She is well-known for being a chef on the eighth season of the Food Network show Food Network Star.

Becoming a Chef and TV Star

Nikki Martin was born in Long Beach, California. When she was 17, she moved to Hollywood. She wanted to work in entertainment. After being in some TV shows and movies, she found her true passion. She decided she wanted to work in lifestyle TV and cooking.

Nikki did not go to a special cooking school. She actually went to Harvard University to study medicine! But she soon realized her path was in creative work. She combined her love for food and entertainment. In 2010, Nikki tried out for a Food Network show. This was the start of her new career as a chef and TV personality.

Nikki graduated from Aliso Niguel High School in 1998. Today, she lives in Los Angeles. She works as a private chef for many famous people. She also started a special dinner club called The Roulette Society. It is one of the top underground dinner clubs in the United States. Nikki also wrote a fun cookbook. It is called The Burn CookBook. The book is based on the popular movie Mean Girls. She wrote it with actor Jonathan Bennett. It was released in the fall of 2018.

Early TV Roles and Food Network Shows

Before becoming a chef, Nikki Martin appeared on many TV shows. These include Titus, Scrubs, and Birds of Prey. She was also in movies like Sorority Boys and Looney Tunes: Back in Action.

In July 2011, she appeared on the Food Network show 24 Hour Restaurant Battle. She competed with her best friend, Dana Chaney. After this, she was on several other food and lifestyle shows. These include Chopped Grill Masters and Bravo's Going Off the Menu. People remember her most from Food Network Star. On that show, she became known as "The Grill Next Door" because of her grilling skills.

Competing on Food Network Star

In May 2012, Nikki Martin was chosen as a contestant. She joined Food Network Star, season 8. Famous chef Bobby Flay was her mentor on the show. Nikki was eliminated from the show on July 15. She finished in the top six contestants.

Film Roles

Nikki Martin has appeared in several movies. Here are some of them:

Television Appearances

Nikki Martin has also been on many television shows. Here is a list of some of her TV appearances: