“Worst Cooks in America” Fan Favorite Domaine Javier

If you look up the definition of overachiever, there will most likely be a picture of Domaine Javier.

An actress, writer, TV personality, nurse, and trans advocate, Javier has an impressive academic background with a total of seven college degrees. She first came to prominence after appearing on an episode of MTV’s True Life, where she first revealed that she was transgender. This resulted in California Baptist University expelling her, saying she committed fraud by classifying herself as a female on her college application. Javier filed a lawsuit and was awarded $4,000 in damages and attorney fees.

Javier appeared on two more episodes of True Life and eventually launched an acting career, starting as a featured background player in multiple TV shows and film, and eventually landing small and lead roles in all mediums including theatre. Last year, she appeared as a contestant on Worst Cooks in America, making her the first openly transgender woman to appear on the Food Network. 

Thinking her culinary journey was over after elimination, she did not initially realize how much support she received from audiences. This prompted her to return to the show’s companion series, Worst Cooks in America: Dirty Dishes, and she also competed on the first-ever all-stars season of Worst Cooks in America titled “Best of the Worst.” There are very few people out there who develop extraordinary careers from reality TV show appearances, but Javier’s shot at redemption is leading her to great success. 

Can you begin by telling us what your overall experience on Worst Cooks in America was like?
As for my overall experience, it is definitely something that I will truly cherish and remember for the rest of my life. It has changed my life in one-too-many ways, and I am happy to have been able to be provided with such a huge platform to promote diversity, inclusivity, and visibility. It was a really, really great experience. 

What initially made you apply for the show?
It was a dark and stormy night [laughs]. I was sitting on the couch being a potato watching TV, and it’s funny because I remember feeling a bit down that night, but I don’t exactly remember the reason why. Then I received a random email about a show being cast, I clicked on it, and it was Worst Cooks. I was like, I could use some training and knowledge to cook, so I applied right off the bat. What are my chances of getting picked, right? But I got a call, and there were a couple more interviews after that, but they liked me, and I was brought in as a part of the cast for season 20.

Being part Asian, amongst other things, cooking runs in the family, but it somehow kind of skipped me. So, I had something to prove. I am always up for a challenge, I like learning new things, and I just couldn’t pass the opportunity. People pay thousands of dollars to get an education from these world-renowned chefs, and I just happened to stumble on it. It was definitely an opportunity I wanted to do.

You are the first openly transgender woman to appear on the Food Network. How significant is that?
When I first signed in to do the show, I didn’t know. Then while filming, in my mind, I was like, “Hold up. Has this been done before?” I started asking the producers, and they were like, “No, you’re actually our first one.” They had to run it over with their bosses and executives, and they were very open to it. 

It feels really good to me because I have always tried to break grounds whenever I can. I was the first-ever trans homecoming queen in the United States, but at that time, I don’t think any news outlet picked it up. When someone else became a homecoming queen, they thought she was the first, but I was technically the first. Now, I am on Food Network, and the network’s audience, they are not your typical, middle-class, open-minded people. So, to be a part of it, it feels so good, and it makes me proud to show a different side of the LGBTQ community. 

Were you surprised to have been received so well by fans?
Honestly, yes. When you think about who watches Food Network, it’s usually a lot of rich, white people. Then suddenly, there was this huge following I amassed. It was very surprising, and it was mind blowing to know how well I was received by people. I kind of ushered in a new group of audiences to Food Network, and that felt great. 

Once you were eliminated, you said you thought your Food Network journey was done, but you returned to Worst Cooks Dirty Dishes and Best of the Worst. Was it because of the fans?
Yes. Once I was eliminated, I was like, okay, I did my best. I am happy with my journey, I learned a few things, I was able to promote visibility, diversity, and inclusivity, and I took a challenge. I am thankful for the journey and opportunity; I am moving on. A few months later, I got a call saying, ‘there’s this one show that we want you to be a part of, Dirty Dishes. You are one of our most memorable fan favorite recruits, and we would like you to join it.’ I just couldn’t pass up the opportunity.

After Dirty Dishes, they were like, ‘we are doing an all-stars version, and when we say all-star, everyone else in the room said your name first. We are inviting you back.’ It is such a huge undertaking, per say, because the people basically brought me back. The people who showed their love and support brought me back, and that made me ecstatic to return and, once again, make people happy. Especially at the height of the pandemic. I am a people pleaser, so I like to make people happy in whatever way that I can.

How did it feel for Chef Anne Burrell to pick you first for her team?
For season 20, when Anne Burrell picked me first, that was something. I was not expecting it at all. In my mind, I was like, Anne Burrell, she’s dated a woman before, so I think she is going to be cool [laughs]. She is a tough lover. She is rough, but she has a beautiful heart. She just wants you to learn. Then for Best of the Worst, Michael Symon picked me, and I got all the way to the finale. Chef Michael and I have remained close friends, and we still text each other and talk to each other every once in a while. I have learned a lot from both of them.

In your initial season, which challenge was your favorite?
My favorite challenge was the Japanese-themed challenge–the bento box challenge–only because I won it. Plus, being part Asian, I kind of had to do well on it. That one was my favorite. 

What about your least favorite?
Oh my God, probably the one that I got eliminated on, which was fish. We had to butcher a fish, and mine looked like a cut-up dress. It was bad. It looked more like Swiss cheese than a fish. Then we had to create our own side, and I’m like, ‘Sides? OK, I’ll do corn and carrots.’ Anne Burrell said it reminded her of a TV dinner. So, that got me eliminated. 

Your Asian heritage is Filipino. What is a Filipino dish we must absolutely try?
There is this dish called pork sisig, and it is actually one of my favorite Filipino dishes. It is very flavorful and tasty, and that is a good first Filipino dish to try. You can immerse yourself without being shocked by flavors.

Not only did you major in performing arts in college, but you have seven other college degrees in various fields. How is that possible, and how did you never give up?
Growing up different, people can tend to judge, criticize, and mock you for being you. It’s very sad, and I always thought, “If they are going to throw stones at me, I have to make sure that I am going to have something to throw back.” That is kind of where my overachiever personality comes from. For example, I graduated valedictorian. People can say, “Oh, she’s trans; she’s weird; she’s gross,” but I can come back and say, “Yeah, were you the valedictorian in high school? Were you the head cheerleader in high school?” That kind of thing. 

Yes, I do have seven college degrees, but it was always to prove to myself that I am not just your regular, run-of-the-mill trans person. I am not a weird human being that you should be disgusted of. I have done things that you cannot do, and I have accomplished things that you will never accomplish in your lifetime. So, don’t tell me that I’m gross, weird, crazy, mentally ill, because I got to where I am right now without anyone’s help. You, on the other hand, are sitting on your couch being a keyboard warrior. 

One of your degrees is in nursing?
Yes, and I have two full-time nursing jobs right now. One of them, I am a medical director for a military academy, and the other, I work for the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. I am one of the leads in the mobile vaccination team units. Basically, we go through impoverished areas in hard-to-reach places all over L.A. County that requests assistance in vaccinations. 

How have you been coping with the COVID-19 pandemic?
It has been crazy. It’s funny because when I did my first season of Worst Cooks on Food Network, I was wearing a face mask to protect my face when I chopped onions and to prevent juice from splattering when I sliced objects. Then the pandemic kicked in, and then they aired the show, they were like, ‘Wow, she was so ahead of her time. She was wearing face masks and face shields before everyone else.’ In reality, I have worn that all the time as a nurse, and when the pandemic kicked in, it just kind of intensified. 

The pandemic is unprecedented for all of us, and we are kind of crawling our way out of it right now. There has been progress, but there is a lot more work to do. Being a frontliner, it’s tough because you see people grieving; you see people dying, and then you see all these people not wanting to get vaccinated and thinking vaccines can control your emotions, believing what they see on Facebook or on a YouTube video, and it is disheartening how some people disregard other people’s lives. How they want to prioritize their own over the health of many.

What more do you hope to accomplish with your platform?
I am moving forward in entertainment. I recently signed a contract with three new agents, and I have Ann Thomas from Transgender Talent, she has been my manager from the very beginning. We are going to do a lot of great things. There are a couple projects coming up soon that I am very excited about. At the core of all this, it has always been to break ground, promote diversity, equality, inclusivity, and trans visibility, and inspire other people, which is the best part of this. Inspiring other people and receiving those messages, it just makes my heart very happy.

Stay up-to-date and connect with Javier by following her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Photos Courtesy of Domaine Javier and The Food Network