GUEST OF THE YEAR? The Very Best Of Chef Donny On The Yak (2026 1st Half)

Chef Donnie claims PEMF (Pulsed Electromagnetic Field) mats, costing $1,500 each, utilize crystals and infrared to emit 'good' non-ionizing electromagnetic fields. These fields are purported to enhance brain wave activity, reduce pain and inflammation, improve circulation, and aid in sleep by counteracting 'bad' ionizing EMFs from modern technology like Wi-Fi and 5G.

Donnie states he bought three mats for $1,500 a pop (00:01:47), and claims they help with brain function, circulation, and sleep (00:06:12, 00:07:01, 00:27:56, 00:55:04).

As part of his pre-sleep routine, Donnie uses blue light blocking goggles for 1.5-2 hours before bed. He asserts that these goggles prevent blue light from inhibiting melatonin production, thereby naturally signaling the brain to prepare for sleep and making one feel tired.

Donnie explains wearing goggles from 8:30 PM if he wants to sleep by 10:00 PM, stating they block blue light to produce melatonin and make him tired (00:21:06).

Donnie passionately describes 'dolphin birthing,' an illegal practice where pregnant women give birth in the ocean surrounded by dolphins. He believes the dolphins' sonar waves impart 'superpowers' or 'super smarts' to the newborn, although he acknowledges the risk of the baby being 'eaten.'

Donnie details the theory of dolphin birthing, claiming dolphins' sonar gives kids 'superpowers' (00:45:08). A host reads an article about a man assisting 20,000 underwater births, with dolphins reportedly assisting one in 1979 (00:47:10).

Donnie expresses a desire for a traumatic brain injury that would result in savant syndrome, citing an urban legend about a man who became a piano prodigy after diving into a shallow pool. He views this as a potential 'blessing and a curse' to gain extraordinary talent.

Donnie recounts a story about a guy who dove into a shallow pool, suffered a head injury, and subsequently could play piano like Mozart (00:50:24). The hosts confirm this story about Derek Amato, who became a musical savant (00:51:43).

Pulsed Electromagnetic Field (PEMF) technology is presented as a tool to enhance astronaut wellness. Chef Donnie advocates for its broader use, suggesting that if astronauts benefit from it, others should consider it for stress relief and improved sleep, emphasizing it uses low-frequency, 'good' waves unlike harmful high-frequency EMFs from devices.

Donnie states, 'The current application of PEMF technology enhances astronauts wellness.' He differentiates between natural, low-frequency EMFs (like Earth's electromagnetic field) and harmful high-frequency waves from cell phones and microwaves, positioning PEMF as a 'good dose' of beneficial waves.

Chef Donnie defines a 'dream' strictly as a phenomenon occurring only while a person is asleep. This narrow definition leads him to controversially assert that Martin Luther King Jr.'s 'I Have a Dream' speech was not a 'technical dream' but rather an 'idea' or 'aspiration' because King was awake when he delivered it.

When discussing MLK's speech, Donnie states, 'Was it a dream? Actually was was that and let's find out. No. So I'm going to define a dream. So while an innovator and wow a great message not a technical dream in the sense that we are defining in this presentation.' He later clarifies, 'You have to be asleep. He wasn't sleeping.'

Based on his personal experiences, Chef Donnie proposes a third category of dreams called 'dreamy nightmares.' These are dreams that initially seem pleasant or desirable but ultimately involve a negative or frustrating outcome, distinguishing them from traditional 'dreams' (purely positive) and 'nightmares' (purely negative).

Donnie explains, 'So, dreamy nightmare is what I call this.' He provides examples: a 'ski dream' where he slept through the entire day and missed skiing, a 'cooking dream' where he used the wrong French word and everyone laughed, and a 'concert dream' where he couldn't get into the room to see the show.

Donnie discovered that his most vivid dreams occur when he wakes up around 4:00 AM or 5:00 AM, stays awake for about 20 minutes without using his phone, and then goes back to sleep. He theorizes that this 'wakes up' the brain while the body remains tired, leading to intense dream states.

Donnie describes setting alarms for 2 AM, 3 AM, and 4 AM to test this, finding 4-5 AM to be the 'sweet spot.' He explains, 'your brain starts going nuts again, starts thinking, and then it but your body says, 'I'm still I'm not ready for this. I'm still tired. So, let's shut it down.' So, your body gets shut down again, but your brain still is you turn that thing on. So, that's why you have vivid dreams.'

Donnie regularly saw a personal hypnotist named Jeffrey Rose in New York, paying $250 per session, twice a month. The hypnotist would induce a hypnotic state to implant suggestions for breaking habits, such as nail-biting and preemptively stopping vaping. Rose also sold Donnie 'Sarabella film' pills, described as a fish oil from Norway that would increase brain power tenfold, but these pills were later found to be from a non-existent company.

Donnie states, 'I had a personal hypnotist for a while when I lived in New York.' He details paying '$250 a session' and being given 'a pill you could only get in Norway' that 'it'll increase brain power like tenfold.' He later tried to track down the company, finding it led to 'a guy's cell phone that picked up and it was the he was shocked that anyone had ever called him.'

To achieve a 'beautiful mind' and become a 'good scientist,' Donnie proposes traveling to the Wuang Mountains in China to study under 'Master Goo.' The program, costing an estimated $5,000, involves sleeping on wooden benches in a Taoist posture (gallbladder facing the meridian), adhering to a strict diet of pine needles, goji berries, and mountain mist, and undergoing 'bone setting' and moxibustion to draw out 'Wi-Fi toxins' and reset his 'chi' (life force).

Donnie explains, 'To reset your chi, I'm gonna have to travel to China... There's a guy in the Wuang Mountains named Master Chi, and I will study under him to reset my chi.' He details 'phase one is the sleeping crane' on a 'wooden bench or a stone' with the 'gallbladder will be facing the meridian.' Phase two is 'internal alchemy' with a 'strict diet of pine needles, goji berries, and mountain mist.' Phase three involves 'bone setting and moxabustion' to 'draw out the Wi-Fi toxins.'

Donny expresses concern over his high blood pressure and mentions he needs to find a doctor. He speculates that his Cuban heritage might be a genetic factor contributing to this condition.

Donny states, 'It's concerning. I got to get a doctor... I think it's genetics. Honestly, I think I'm Cuban.' Another host confirms, 'Cubans have high blood pressure.'

Titus presents a high school hockey jersey, claiming it is Chef Donny's game-worn uniform, purchased from eBay. Donny vehemently denies this, asserting his own jerseys are in storage, leading to a detailed, yet inconclusive, investigation involving calls to former school staff and descriptions of jersey cuts.

Titus states, 'It's actually his jersey that he wore on the JV team for four years.' Donny retorts, 'That's not my jersey.' Titus details contacting the eBay seller and 'Steve Cheetah' (equipment manager) for verification. Donny counters, 'I have my jersey and collar, so that's where I'm We'll find out next week.'

Chef Donny attempts a challenge to pass through a giant letter 'D' prop. He gets comically stuck, unable to move forward or backward due to the prop's weight and sharp edges pressing against his ribs and hips, requiring a 'time out' and collective effort to free him.

During the attempt, Donny exclaims, 'It's caving your sternum, isn't it, Chef?' and 'It was There was a point where I couldn't get it back up over my ribs and it wasn't going over my hips and it was heavy.' The hosts repeatedly shout, 'Are you stuck, Donnie?' and 'DONNIE, get out of the D.'

Donny initiates an argument with Titus about adults wearing shorts in the office, especially when it's raining. He singles out Titus, claiming that Titus's long legs 'arouse' him, making him uncomfortable.

Donny confronts Titus, 'Dude, put on pants. Grow. You're in shorts. Grow up.' He later states, 'I theorize that you're attracted to my legs cuz you like to talk about my long legs.' and 'I think he he gets aroused when he sees me in shorts. And he doesn't like being aroused.'

Chef Donny holds a strong, albeit comedic, belief that men should not wear shorts, particularly in a professional or office environment. He views it as a sign of not having one's 'life together' and contrasts it with the perceived professionalism of wearing pants.

Donny stated, 'If anyone wore shorts, I'd say, "What are you doing? Pick your life together."' and later, 'Adults wear pants. Children don't wear pants.'

Despite his rigid stance, Donny makes specific exceptions for men wearing shorts, such as for athletes (like LeBron James, whose shorts are considered a uniform for his job) or when in foreign countries (like France, where capris are common and he himself wore shorts during a riot). He also explicitly states women can wear shorts.

When asked about LeBron James, Donny responded, 'He's playing a sport. He's doing his job. He He requires... That's a uniform.' He also noted, 'We might have both been wearing shorts... but we were in a foreign country. We were in France.'

It is mentioned that Dave Portnoy, the founder of Barstool Sports, previously attempted to change the company's name to simply 'Barstool' but was unable to secure the corresponding website domain.

A host stated, 'Dave tried to change the name, but he couldn't get the website. Yeah. Just to Bartool.'

Donny shares a piece of historical trivia, claiming that Teddy Roosevelt spent the most time out of office compared to any other U.S. president, and is notably remembered for his work with national parks, which aligns with his 'out of office' activities.

Donny stated, 'Teddy Roosevelt spent the most time out of office... and he's remembered for the national parks. So that's out of the office.'