What's Next for the Top Chef 13 Winner Jeremy Ford?

Jeremy Ford was crowned the winner of Top Chef 13 during last Thursday's grand finale. While the single dad originally from Jacksonville, Florida is still probably basking in his glory (as he should be), we couldn't help but wonder what Jeremy is cooking up for the future now that he has the title of Top Chef under his belt. 

Following his win, Jeremy returned to his position as Chef de Cuisine at Matador Room in Miami. "Right now, my focus is Matador Room," Jeremy The Daily Dish when we caught up with him after the Season 13 finale aired. "The [Miami Beach EDITION] hotel has been really great and supportive for me, so I want to continue to grind it out there." 

At Matador Room, Jeremy answers to his mentor, world-renowned chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, who served as his sous-chef during the Top Chef 13 finale. But does Jeremy dream of opening up and working at his very own eatery one day? "Definitely in the future, I definitely plan on having a restaurant," he said. "I just want to make sure it's well-thought-out, well-planned, and executed flawlessly. I'm in no rush." 

We may have to wait even longer before we get to see Jeremy on TV again in a culinary competition like Top Chef. After the stress and exhaustion of competing on the show, Jeremy said he's not planning on participating in anything like it "for a while." "I'm gonna take either an early retirement [from TV culinary competitions] or a break for sure. I'm spent for now," he said. 

Well, when you're in pain "literally from my toes to my ears" as Jeremy said he was during this season's Restaurant Wars, taking a little bit of a break is totally understandable.

However, we bet winning Top Chef 13 has taken some of that pain away. Relive Jeremy's winning moment, below.

The Winner of Top Chef Season 13 Is...