Ryan Scott, 31, zeroed in on his desire to be a chef at the early age of nine when the ''toys'' at the top of his Christmas list included kitchen utensils, a wok and food dehydrator. Growing up in Modesto, California, he developed a passion for the culinary arts and, at the same time, shaped his well-honed competitive side as a star player on the Los Banos High School varsity basketball team. Seeking to be the best at any early age, he entered the prestigious California Culinary Academy (CCA) in San Francisco in 1999. more... See more text