Meal Of Champions

When Floyd "Money" Mayweather stepped into the ring Sept. 14 at the WBC/WBA 154-pound title fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, he was ready. The now possibly highest-paid athlete in sports brutally destroyed his opponent, Canelo Alvarez, in the fight, making him an undefeated champion. Of course, Mayweather had spent months conditioning his body to train for the event, and while he credits his corner and his father for helping him win, he also has to thank his personal chef, Jourdan "Cha'Taun" Atkinson.

CBS News reported that Mayweather woke up weighing 146 pounds the morning of the fight, 10 pounds shy of the category weight and 19 pounds less than his opponent. He reportedly immediately called his chef to make sure he was as ready for the fight as he could be, and clearly the chef did not disappoint.

But what do you feed a champion on the brink of a career-changing fight? To gain the weight, Mayweather had the chef prepare starch- and carb-heavy meals to help fuel his workouts. Atkinson shared via email that he eats very late at night and very early in the morning to make sure the food sticks to his body. Mayweather only had one thing to say about his personal chef in the Showtime All Access report: "Her cooking speaks for itself, it is truly incredible."

Chef Atkinson is a heavy weight champion in her own right, earning her chops as the personal chef of rapper P. Diddy. While she dedicates her time to making winning meals for Mayweather and friends, she did give The Daily Meal an inside scoop on two of the champ's favorite dishes.

Click here for the Kale Caesar Salad Recipe

Click here for Atkinson's Roasted Red Bell Pepper Marinara Sauce with Turkey Recipe