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How Dallas Wings' Chef Hoppie is rewriting their nutrition playbook
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- How Dallas Wings' Chef Hoppie is rewriting their nutrition playbook
For years, the phrase "sports nutrition" has conjured up the same tired plate: grilled chicken, white rice, steamed broccoli, repeat. Chef Hoppie is out to retire that picture.
Now serving as the Sports Performance Chef for the Dallas Wings , the only WNBA franchise in the Lone Star State, Chef Hoppie is bringing an expansive, multi-disciplinary background into one of the most demanding environments in professional sports.
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His mission is to prove that top-tier performance nutrition can feel like an exclusive luxury perk rather than a rigid, everyday chore.
NBA insider Brandon "Scoop B" Robinson sat down with him to talk menus, game days and the ingredient swap he can't stop experimenting with.
Flavor first, then function
Asked how he tailors his menus to the grueling physical demands, fast-paced travel and recovery needs of a WNBA season, Chef Hoppie started somewhere many nutrition programs don't: enjoyment.
"The biggest thing is making something that the players will enjoy for starters," he said . He arrived in Dallas well versed in how athletes tend to feel about the food at team facilities, "so the first step is making menus that the players will enjoy and immediately after is how and when are we fueling and making adjustments on that."
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From there, the menu bends to the calendar. "More carbs here, more protein there, lighter menu on recovery days, etc. It all factors in." The logic is simple: a perfectly balanced plate does nothing for an athlete if it goes uneaten.
Making the team table a destination
Through his platforms Elevated Eats and Expensive Taste, Chef Hoppie blends high-performance fueling with culture and lifestyle. In his view, the luxury comes from discovery.
"It's all about expanding the ladies' palates," he said. "Some foods, they haven't been exposed to or never liked until I made it, all of that goes into that luxury experience because now it's something you only eat when you come to work or using the table as motivation."
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That is the exclusivity: certain dishes are available only at the facility, which makes the team table something to look forward to. Behind the experience is craft. "I find creative ways to manipulate the food so that it is beneficial and tasteful."
Dallas Wings sports performance Chef Hoppie makes sure the Wings are prepared for their games and daily routines. Noah Graham / Getty Images
Game Day: Carbs to start, protein to rebuild
Elite athletes are famously particular about game-day routines and sensitive stomachs. Chef Hoppie's role on game day centers on the meal after shootaround, which he frames as breakfast.
"For that, my goal is to get some carbs in them to get rolling for game time," he said. When it comes to rebuilding, the emphasis shifts: "The focus is high protein for muscle recovery and of course the team has them focusing on hydration." It is a reminder that the kitchen works in step with the rest of the performance staff, not on an island.
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Beyond chicken, rice and broccoli
So what does a revamped comfort dish look like? Right now, Chef Hoppie's favorite move is a dairy swap.
"A big thing for me right now that I'm having a lot of fun with is replacing dairy (creams and milks) with coconut milk and cream," he said. "It doesn't venture too far away but adds a flavorful twist while still helping prevent inflammation and adding flavor."
The appeal is that familiar dishes stay recognizable. Players still get the creamy texture they know, with a new layer of flavor and an ingredient Chef Hoppie believes better supports their recovery.
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The bigger picture
As the WNBA's profile keeps rising, the details surrounding its players are getting more attention, and what lands on their plates is part of that story.
Chef Hoppie's approach is a clear one: earn the players' appetite first, fuel them with intention second, and never let "healthy" become a synonym for "boring." In Dallas, performance nutrition is starting to taste a lot like a reward.
Related: Swin Cash Emerges as Top Candidate for WNBA Commissioner
This story was originally published by Lindy's Sports on Oct 27, 2026, where it first appeared in the NBA section. Add Lindy's Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
