Michael ‘Blue Shirt Guy’ Galyean Makes Reality TV Debut + Watch Party Tonight! 

Most people in Knoxville know Michael Galyean as “Blue Shirt Guy,” whose sideline dance moves turned him into a viral internet phenomenon. But the blue shirt is just the most visible piece of a much bigger Michael ecosystem: choreographer for local high school musicals, occasional business-development guy, private chef-for-hire, MC, and perennial “yes, and” performer with a knack for turning one opportunity into five more.

This Thursday, the Parkridge resident adds another line to the résumé: contestant on Next Level Chef, the Fox cooking competition hosted by Gordon Ramsay, alongside mentors Richard Blais and Nyesha Arrington. Filmed in Ireland, the show pits professional chefs, social media chefs, and home cooks against one another in a three-level kitchen where ingredients descend from above — and you cook with whatever you manage to grab.

Michael appears as a home chef: self-taught, Food Network-raised, and fueled by what he calls a love language of feeding people. But make no mistake, he’s a legit cook. He just also happens to be good at marketing it. In addition to private chef gigs, he regularly appears on WATE’s Living East Tennessee and shares the occasional culinary creation on social media.

We chatted ahead of his premier on the show at 7:30 tonight and watch party at Fred’s Around the Corner (421 Union Ave.)!

Leslie: First things first. How did this even happen? Did you audition?

Michael: Funny enough, they reached out to me. I got this random DM asking if I’d be interested in auditioning for Next Level Chef. I immediately thought, “Okay, who’s trying to scam me?” So I did my research, made sure the person was legit, and then I said, ‘Say less, I’m in.”

I’ve worked around food production before. When Chopped filmed in Knoxville, I worked on set doing art direction and later on the culinary team. Cooking has always been a secret passion of mine. So when they said, “Do you think you could do this?” I thought, “If you think I can, I think I can.”

That DM came in February. What followed was eight or nine months of casting — interviews, background checks, psych evaluations. It’s a lot of hurry up and wait. You get excited, then you hear nothing for weeks. 

I found out I was officially on the show while standing in line for a roller coaster at Holiday World in Santa Claus, Indiana. They were like, “Can you leave on such-and-such day? And I looked at the calendar and I was like, “That’s in five days.”

We filmed in the fall — September and October — in Ireland, just south of Dublin.

Leslie: Okay, explain the concept of this show. Because to me it sounds to me like something a sociopath dreamed up.  

Michael: The kitchen itself has three levels. The basement level has broken pots and pans, busted whisks, bent bowls, stuff with holes in it. It’s basically my kitchen. The middle level is a standard commercial kitchen. The top level is state-of-the-art. 

A platform of ingredients drops down from above. The top level grabs first, then the middle, and whatever’s left goes to the basement. You have to run and whatever you grab, you cook. There’s usually some theme — like for the home chefs it might be making something from leftovers. 

To me, the basement kitchen brings out the most creativity. Anyone can cook a filet with the right tools in a pristine kitchen. But can you make something great out of scraps or an odd cut of meat? That takes creativity and skill. 

At the end of each challenge, someone goes home. In the first round, three people are eliminated — one from each category — and then the remaining contestants are drafted onto teams led by Gordon Ramsay and the other mentors. From there, it’s weekly eliminations. If you land in the bottom, you’re cooking for your spot. If you perform well, you’re rewarded with a better kitchen the next round.

Leslie: What was filming like? 

Michael: You have to think on your feet. What I appreciated most is how real it is. 

There’s no meeting Gordon Ramsay beforehand to chat and warm up. When you see him on camera, that’s the first time we saw him. When we walk into the kitchen, that’s the first time we’ve seen it. There’s no “Cut the cameras and take 30 minutes to plan your recipe.” It’s completely in the moment. The platform drops, and you’re cooking.

Leslie: And behind the scenes? 

Michael: Filming lasted about six weeks. The first few days were contracts, rules, sitting through a lot of legal. It almost felt like class. We did interviews first — there’s an entire day of just talking to cameras — and then a practice round. 

There was a lot of quiet time. It honestly felt like flashbacks to lockdown, because we were all stuck in our rooms. You weren’t allowed to speak to the other contestants — they wanted everything to be organic on camera. 

Even on the bus to the studio, you could talk about breakfast or the hotel, but not where you’re from, or what you cook. They want that first meeting to feel real.

I appreciated that. It just wasn’t easy for someone like me, who works seven jobs and basically lives on talking to people. So when we were finally allowed to speak on camera, it felt like, “Okay, I’m free.”

Leslie: Okay, and also — NDA life. You couldn’t tell anyone what you were doing, right? How hard was that?

Michael: Hard. I’m glad the turnaround is fall-to-spring, because there’s another season filmed right after ours that won’t come out until next spring. Imagine sitting on that for almost two years.

But because the casting process was so long, I could prep and I could make backup plans. You never know what’s going to happen. 

There were people who flew out, did practice rounds, and got cut before TV even started. I could’ve been that guy. I’ve been that guy on other reality shows.

Leslie: Wait. What? You have?

Michael: Yeah. I flew out to a show in Kansas City, kind of like an America’s Got Talent spin-off. When I got on the plane, I was “on the show.” When I got off the plane I was a first alternate. But they bring extra people in case someone doesn’t make it. I was there two weeks, never made it to TV.

Leslie: What were the hosts like? Do you get any backstage “this is what Gordon Ramsay is really like”?

Michael: No. You only see them when you’re competing. He’s Gordon Ramsay on set. Very tall.

Leslie: That format alone is a pressure-cooker. How do you respond to pressure?

Michael: I can improv. Retail, dance, making something out of nothing — I think I honed all those skills.

This is going to sound odd, but the cooking was the least of my worries. It was: how am I going to represent myself, and Knoxville. I’ve always said my platform is our platform.

Food’s going to happen. I know how to cook. I gave myself the pep talk: “You know what you’re doing. You came here to do this.” It’s not like Survivor where they’re like, make a fire out of twigs and hope.

Or maybe it’s random, delusional self-confidence.

Leslie: Historically, with reality TV, archetypes emerge. Some of it is personality, some of it is production. Did you ever feel pigeonholed?

Michael: Yeah, for sure. And that’s fine. It’s TV. You can’t have 10 of the same person.

I’m known as the Blue Shirt Guy. I think they think I just walk around like it’s a Disney movie everywhere I go. I’m literally wearing the blue shirt. I brought other options — they wanted that. 

And it’s branding. It’s not like they were like “dance, monkey, dance” but yeah, they wanted something out of me. They’re professionals. They know what they want.

There was a lot of dancing.

Leslie: Hopefully you can leverage this into other opportunities. 

Michael: My episodes start this Thursday, and it’s already helping the private chef gig a little.

What I’m really hoping is that it opens a new category for me. I’m more than just this dancer, I’m an onion. I’m this layered ridiculous person. I want new doors. People who are like, “We’ve always known you, we just couldn’t find you.”

I love MC gigs right now, charity events and stuff. That’s a lane I want to get into. I’m basically trying to be the Ryan Seacrest of Knoxville. Where do you need me? Radio show? Cool. Hosting Wheel of Fortune? Got it.

Leslie: You’re a celebrity. I’m sorry, it’s true. Some people handle visibility better than others. And you’ve been on a public stage for a few years now. How do you handle that?

Michael: You want the real answer?

I’ve always wanted this. And I want more.

Not in a Kardashian way — it’s not “I want to be rich.” I enjoy it. Listen, I was a high school cheerleader in Delaware. I’m not afraid of a stage. I’ve been that person my whole life. I was in the newspaper at six because I was wearing spandex and riding my scooter down the street.

I grew up in that era of ’90s superstars and the big talk shows, when celebrity was a big deal. And for me, it wasn’t like, “I want to be that.” It was like: “I will be. I am going to.”

Leslie: Where did cooking come from? I think it would surprise some people how big into cooking you are.

Michael: Cooking is like dancing for me. I never took a lesson in my life. It’s all self-taught.

I was the worst eater growing up. Beige food only. Chicken fingers, fries, pizza. I moved here from Delaware and didn’t have seafood until I moved to Tennessee. 

But when I moved here, I worked at Fox Den Country Club and I started learning what food could taste like. Like, oh my gosh, lobster is good. Steak medium rare. Things outside of chicken.

Then Food Network happened: Rachel Ray, Ina Garten. I latched onto it. It was on 24/7. I was buying Rachel Ray DVDs. And cooking became that love language,  like dance. 

Private chef work is newer. It started because one person messaged me on Instagram: “Will you cook for me and my girlfriends?” And I said sure. I faked my way this far. Let’s go. And it’s become really, really fun. 

Leslie: So you’re on the show as a home chef — not social media chef, even though you’re on social media.

Michael: Exactly. The social media chefs are truly social media chefs: daily videos, millions of followers. Yes, I’m on social media, but that’s like saying I drive a Honda and therefore I race cars.

I’m a home chef. I go to Kroger and go, “What are we doing today?”

Leslie: What feels next for you? I know you stay open to opportunity, but you have your own dreams as well. 

Michael: For the past few years, since the “blue shirt birth,” I’ve enjoyed driving without GPS — just moving forward. As long as I’m moving forward, we’re getting somewhere. I don’t know the destination, and I’m not sure if I care. I just want to see where the road takes me.

If I take this exit, cool. If I do choreography, great. If I do chef stuff, great. We’re still moving forward. But I think this is the year maybe we pick at least a destination. Like, a state. Not the exact road, but something.

I’ve always wanted to be a personality, a host. The Ryan Seacrest, the Mario Lopez. Use me as needed.

For so long I said no to things because I thought I was supposed to do college, nine-to-five, all that. Now it’s like: we’ll figure it out. Yes, do it.

And my birthday is Saturday, and ages are creeping up, so maybe stability matters… but why start now?

Leslie: Do you see yourself staying in Knoxville? I can see how you might find yourself getting pulled away. 

Michael: I love Knoxville. Knoxville has been so good to me. I don’t see a need to leave.

With social media, everything’s accessible. I’d rather be a spotlight here than a Christmas light there. I don’t want to be one of a million.

Knoxville’s been good. And I’m here to be a mirror for other kids who think they’re in a small town and can’t make it. They can. 

S5E3 of “Next Level Chef” airs tonight at 7:30 p.m. on Fox and Hulu. You’re invited to join Michael for a watch party at Fred’s Around the Corner (421 Union Ave.)

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ONE MORE ANNOUNCEMENT! Coincidentally, Michael and I are dueling “celebrity contestants” in our own little local competition: The Great Cookie Competition, benefitting Girl Scouts of the Southern Appalachians.

This online fundraising-showdown features Cookie Competitors, who each represent a beloved Girl Scout Cookie. Competitors rally their fans to vote with their dollars; funds raised support the council.

The competitor who raises the most money will be crowned East’s Tennessee’s Favorite Cookie! Votes are open now through March 6. GO VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE (preferably if your favorite is me or Michael) HERE! 

Yep, this is us…