He subsequently left Matador Room and opened his own restaurant, Stubborn Seed in South Beach, and later Krun-Chi in Miami.
[2][3] In 2021, he opened The Butcher's Club at the PGA National Resort & Spa,[4] and started to co-host TruTV's Fast Foodies with fellow Top Chef winner Kristen Kish and Iron Chef America season 13 episode 8 winner Justin Sutherland.
[5][6] Ford developed his love for cooking at 14 years old when he met his maternal grandmother in his hometown of Jacksonville, Florida.
[3][6][1] He began his cooking career at 16 years old as the garde manger of Matthews, a four-diamond Mediterranean-style restaurant in Jacksonville.
In 2008, he secured a position with the celebrated South Florida chef Dean Max at the latter's prominent restaurant, 3030 Ocean in Fort Lauderdale.