Chef Hoppie: Inside the Dallas Wings’ First-Ever Sports Performance Chef Program

The Dallas Wings hired Manwell McLean, better known as Chef Hoppie, to be the franchise’s first ever “Sports Performance Chef.” A position that he started in February of this year. Hoppie’s main duties that the new gig entails are fueling athletes with meals customized to their training, recovery, and game-day performance requirements.

Responsibilities often involve meal planning, ensuring balanced nutrition, customizing menus based on training loads or travel, and collaborating with nutrition or sports science teams to meet performance goals.

Chef Hoppie’s expertise in professional sports nutrition stems from cooking for elite athletes and mastering meal customization to enhance their performance. Hoppie started off cooking as a kid, and at the age of 12 years old he begins baking desserts for Pro Football Hall of Famer and current head coach of the Colorado Buffaloes, Deion Sanders.

After Sanders took a liking to Hoppie’s cooking after one of coach Prime’s “taste of truth” sessions. Things started to take off from there for the young chef. He would go on to complete a culinary program in high school. He would later go on to cook professionally for athletes such as Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott, CeeDee Lamb, Kyler Murray, Travis Hunter, Amari Cooper, JaVale McGee and more.

The Wings new Sports Performance Chef recently sat down with The Hoop Herald to discuss his new position with the WNBA franchise. He also touched on the Wings moving into their new training facility in early 2027 and being able to cook for the likes of Paige Bueckers, Azzi Fudd, Arike Ogunbowale, Alysha Clark, and other members of the organization moving forward.

Q1: You are heading to the Dallas Wings Training Facility in April 2027 to cook for some of the biggest names in women’s basketball. What does this opportunity mean to you personally and professionally as a sports performance chef?

A: Personally, it’s a blessing. I’m living a dream I’ve never dreamt. I’m just listening and following the path and plan that God has for me, which is very exciting.

Professionally, it lets me know, I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be – and where I need to be. I’m trying to do something that’s never been done before and for Travis (Assistant GM) and the Dallas Wings organization to see the vision or at least trust the vision, it is huge not only for me but for chefs in sports as a whole and I’m forever grateful!

Q2: When you first got the call to become the official sports performance chef for the Dallas Wings, what was your immediate reaction, and what was the first thing you wanted to cook for the team?

A: My immediate reaction was – God, I Thank You, and immediately after it was LET’S EAT. I knew I had my work cut out for me, especially with the training facility getting pushed back to 2027, but I’ve never been scared of a little work. The first thing I thought about cooking was Lamb Chops, simply because I knew it would change their lives, and that’s exactly what it has done. Lamb Chops are now a Gameday staple, but strategically. I may need to apologize to the front office for that lamb chop budget, but I think I do a great job of making it work across the board. 

Q3: How do you approach building a performance menu for a WNBA roster? What is the process of learning each player’s nutritional needs, dietary restrictions, and personal taste preferences before you ever light the stove?

A: The biggest thing before I even buy groceries is understanding the natural reaction food causes to the body in good ways or not the best. Paying attention to what will cause/help inflammation, what speeds up recovery, what hydrates, boosts energy, all of that. I’ve been blessed to be in sports my whole life, in some form or fashion, so I’ve collected knowledge from some of the best athletes in the world and tapped into my resources. I have a lot of credit to give to Ann Claiborne, Lindsey Salwasser, and Jacqueline Wood, who are all Sports Performance Dietitians and Coaches but are also women in sports who very clearly understand the difference between fueling men and women and how to get both to perform at high levels. They’ve poured a lot of knowledge into me. 

Q4: You will be cooking for Paige Bueckers, Azzi Fudd, Arike Ogunbowale, and Alysha Clark among others. Each of these women is an elite athlete with her own relationship with food. How do you customize the experience for each personality while still fueling the whole team?

A: At the beginning of the season I get a collective of everybody’s do’s and don’ts but it’s also great that I worked with Arike all offseason, did a little cooking for Paige as well, Fudd has a few videos floating around – we all know the princess needs her cottage cheese, Chef AC is gluten free and dairy free and is probably the most strict diet on the team. I’ve been preparing for this; I’ve had to remember 5-6 different menus in a single day while cooking for athletes like Deion Sanders, Travis Hunter, Dak Prescott, and more. Think of it as you going to your favorite restaurant 3-5 times a week; your server and chef will start to get a feel for your specifics even when still cooking for hundreds. It becomes muscle memory and something I take pride in. A lot of the ladies and coaches trust me and let me do what I do, but I still know the small specifics for each and take pride in that. Ask me about any player or coach’s scramble order or likes and dislikes, and I can answer better than I can about my own. 

Q5: We heard Azzi Fudd tried lamb chops for the first time. What was her reaction, and what does a moment like that mean to you as a chef when you introduce a player to something they have never experienced before?

A: That is what it’s all about! That is a chef’s greatest accomplishment – to hear, “I don’t normally eat this but I do when you cook it.” or “I’ve never had this but now I will only eat yours.” It’s big for how I’m trying to build this Fueling/Nutrition program – We will be the best fueled team but also doing so without compromising my or the team’s relationship with food. I want the best stuff you eat to be after practice or a gameday, not when you leave the building.

Q6: Arike Ogunbowale is one of the most competitive players in the WNBA. Does that same intensity show up at the dinner table? What do you think she will gravitate toward on your menu?

A: Arike has set the tone on and off the court. She is a true vet and a certified dawg; our work in the offseason showed me how serious and professional she is when it comes time to her prep and body – As you can see with an unrivaled and overseas championship. But that carries over to how I perform in the kitchen and how I set the table. My slogan for this new pillar within the organization is “Building a Championship Table,” and that starts way before the first jump ball before the season. Chefs are athletes and cooking is a sport, so please believe I’m working and grinding just like 2 4  

Q7: Paige Bueckers is coming off one of the most decorated college careers in women’s basketball history and is now one of the most talked-about players in the league. What do you want her first meal at the Wings facility with you in the kitchen to feel like?

A: Paige is an absolute pro, but also a great person. She speaks and checks in every day, and the way she carries herself sets the standard. I want it to feel like home; this is the organization’s first place to call home, and that’s how it should feel when sitting at my table. 

Q8: Alysha Clark is known for being comfortable in the kitchen herself. Do you plan on collaborating with her during your time at the facility? And what would a cooking session between you two look like?

A: Chef AC is welcomed in my kitchen whenever she likes; I might even plan a couple Chef AC takeover. I’m sure there are things I can learn from her and vice versa. My kitchen will be a place for me to cook high-profile meals for the team, but also a space for players to learn, showcase their skills, and equip them with tips and tricks they can carry with them wherever. 

Q9: When a player already has a passion for cooking, does that change the dynamic in the kitchen for you? Does it make the experience more collaborative or do you still run the show?

A: Just because I think I can shoot a basketball doesn’t mean I run onto the court and take over but if the door is open for me to rebound for the ladies or put some shots up after practice, that’s how I view the kitchen. Again, as much knowledge as I can provide – I will find fun ways to do so.

Q10: If Alysha challenged you to a cook-off, what dish would you put up against her and why?

A: Lamb Chops – AC said she doesn’t like lamb chops but loves mine, so maybe she’ll take it easy on me. 

Q11: Your story starts in a Texas home kitchen watching your mother make her legendary 7-Up pound cake. How much of that early experience still shows up in the food you cook for professional athletes today?

A: It shows up in everything I do because it is a part of who I am and how I try to turn our mom’s and grandma’s classic recipes into something that we can still enjoy but without any regrets. Now that doesn’t always work with baking but in the kitchen for sure. Old school with a young twist. 

Q12: You were baking desserts for Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders at just 12 years old while playing on his youth football team TRUTH. What did that experience teach you about performing under pressure and cooking for people with high expectations?

A: I like diamonds and the only way you can get diamonds is by applying pressure. Coach Prime is a big reason for there being a Chef Hoppie brand. The experiences not just cooking for him but that he created for myself and others through his youth football program — TRUTH. Coach always set the standard high for anything we did so when it came time to translate it to my cooking and business made it very easy.

Q13: You have cooked for Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott, CeeDee Lamb, Amari Cooper, and now the Dallas Wings. What is the common thread in how you approach fueling elite athletes regardless of the sport?

A: Don’t cut my list short, make sure to add an “etc” or “and more” at the end of those  – but the common approach is making sure we keep the main the, the main thing. Eating amazing food that serves a purpose. Athletes will not eat if it is not good, doesn’t matter the sport or anything. 

The Future of Sports Nutrition and Culture

Q14: You are helping create a new category where sports nutrition, culture, performance, and lifestyle all meet. What does that space look like five years from now, and where does Chef Hoppie sit inside of it?

A: I am trying to be a trailblazer for a new lane that is just waiting to be revealed. 5 years from now, The WNBA Dallas Wings will have a top fueling and nutrition program in women’s sports and will rival men’s sporting teams as well. And Chef Hoppie doesn’t fit inside of anything, the goal is to be sitting at the top. 

Q15: Women’s basketball is having a cultural moment unlike anything the sport has ever seen. What does it mean to you to be the chef fueling the Dallas Wings during this particular chapter of the game?

A: It shows that the Dallas Wings are invested in giving the players the best in all aspects. For the team to create a position and hire a Chef at the top of the game when it comes to fueling athletes and also has a brand and image to bring in some deals that reflect our mission of building a championship table means a lot. I feel like I’m the missing puzzle piece to anything I become a part of, and the bigger picture of this puzzle is looking GAME CHANGING. 

Q 16: What is the one meal you want the Dallas Wings players to remember long after the 2027 season is over, and what would be on that plate?

A: There isn’t one specific meal, but what I do want them to remember is how I took some of their favorites and turned them into healthy fuel, as well as introducing them to new things and being excited to see what other tricks i have up my sleeve with being able to cook on site in a state-of-the-art facility.