BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) -- Chef Darian Bryan had never considered cooking privately until he was approached by former Bills cornerback Vontae Davis, who was looking for healthier options. “I'm like, 'Personal chef? I've never done that before. I'll try it though,'” said Bryan, who's based out of Larkinville. “Then I started cooking for him, he started loving my food and posting on social media.” Social media, social connections and word of mouth allowed Bryan to grow a new arm of his business quickly. By the 2021-2022 season, he was cooking for as many as 11 players, including Stefon Diggs, Mitch Morse, Gabe Davis, Cody Ford and a host of others. Bryan soon realized that precision was important and he worked with nutritionists on the Bills staff. One former lineman had a very specific diet. “He was only allowed to have nine ounces of protein, one cup of grain and one cup of veggies, and that's it,” Bryan said. “I have to weigh his stuff. If he's gaining weight or something's going on, the nutritionist calls me and says, 'Hey, what's going on over there?' It's that serious. So I have to make sure everything is on point because they’re going to come back at me.” Such attention to detail keeps Bryan on his toes and forces creativity, but the food still must taste good. “I have to use a lot of substitution,” Bryan said. “Like, they all love the alfredo, but they can't have the dairy, so I use cauliflower, I use oat milk, and I have to make it delicious because these guys know good food.” It's a little more laid back and traditional about six miles to the south at Mulberry Italian Ristorante in Lackawanna, where chef and owner Joe Jerge has been cooking for the stars since he opened. “Trent Edwards started the tradition of guys coming in after the game and during the week,” Jerge said. “Then that kind of got picked up by Lee Smith, who ended up becoming a very good friend of mine and then subsequently that torch was passed to Josh [Allen], and here we are.” A half dozen times a season or more, Jerge and his staff cook the postgame meal for Bills opponents. “It's typically about 150 people that we're feeding,” Jerge said. “But you have to make food for about 400 because they don't want to run out of one thing or the other, so it's really quite a production. We’re in here when the game starts, we're cooking. We’re getting ready, and then at halftime, we put everything in the hot boxes and hot bags and get it out to the stadium. And then we're in the tunnel from the third quarter to the end of the game, and then we feed the opposing team before they get on the bus.” More often during the season, Mulberry hosts Bills players and staff at the restaurant. Even though it sometimes takes him away from his own postgame celebration, Jerge said it's an honor. “Sometimes the guys want to come in after the game and we're closed on Sundays, so we open the place just for them and they like it because they can be relaxed, they can be themselves," Jerge said. "There's no one taking pictures or asking for autographs. They just get to come in and have a good time and cut loose. It's fantastic.” Latest Local News Local chefs give behind-the-scenes look at cooking for Buffalo Bills WNY natives react to possible TikTok ban Sabres allow another lead to slip away, squander chances to get it back Schools across Buffalo celebrate Bills spirit Friday Traditions to superstitions: How Bills Mafia hopes to help the team Dave Greber is an award-winning anchor and reporter who has been part of the News 4 team since 2015. See more of his work here.