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Dallas-based Pakistani chef and content creator Maryam Ishtiaq will be competing in season four of Next Level Chef, a cooking competition judged by celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay.

Ishtiaq revealed the big news on Instagram two weeks ago, and in a subsequent post said, “I have consistently followed a unique career journey, and I am incredibly thankful for the opportunity to turn my dreams into reality while pursuing my passions.” She added that she couldn’t be more thrilled to represent her community on such a prominent platform while doing what she loved most.

In a conversation with Images, Ishtiaq said, “I am honestly really taken [a]back by the entire experience. People dream of doing the things I have been and I’m truly so grateful that I get to do what I love. What’s even more amazing is that I’ve seen such [an] incredible amount of support from my community, I did not anticipate any of it.”

Talking about the process of being selected for the competition, Ishtiaq said she couldn’t give too much away due to the regulations in place by FOX, the network broadcasting the show, however, she revealed that the process was lengthy.

“I applied for the show years ago and totally forgot that I did. One day, I got a call that they were interested to chat, and I nearly lost it. You go through multiple rounds of interviews, auditions, background checks,” she said, adding that it was wild to be selected from thousands of applicants.

Through it all, Ishtiaq remained proud of herself. “I’ve carved my path here and I’m so proud of it. My private chef journey has been so fruitful, I love every client of mine and being a business owner on top of that has been a cherry on the cake.”

The chef said she learned so much from others in the field and continued to do so every day. Although she was unsure of what is next for her, “just getting on the show itself has been one of the proudest moments” of her life.

“I want to take every moment of this experience and embrace it and grow from it!”

Ishtiaq also celebrated other Pakistanis and their achievements. “In the last couple of years, Pakistanis have had the chance to truly take up all the space in these prominent platforms and we should truly be proud of every single one of them!”

She added that Pakistanis got to be recognised by their drive, passion and culture on global television, which was the epitome of what Pakistan was.

And what about the judges in the competition? Well, “without giving too much away again, Chef Ramsay is absolutely the sweetest and wants each and every chef of his to succeed! All three judges truly live up to the hype,” Ishtiaq told Images.

In addition to being a private chef and content creator, Ishtiaq also founded It’s Actually, which produces halal, hand-crafted bone broth.

Ishtiaq was featured in Forbes last year, and said she hoped to be able to open a cafe where halal food can coexist with other dietary restrictions on a varied menu.

Next Level Chef season four premieres February 13 on FOX and we’re going tobe rooting for Ishtiaq all the way!