Patriots Safety Pops a Squat ... With TV Chef On His Back!

It was cooking session meets gym session for Patriots safety Patrick Chung this week -- when he stopped a culinary exhibition to do some deep squats ... with a famous chef on his back!

Chung teamed up with celebrity super chef Ming Tsai (you know him from "Top Chef," 'Iron Chef,' etc.) for a fundraiser for Family Reach foundation ... which provides financial aid to families of cancer patients.

But while Chung was prepping his famous jerk chicken dish -- Tsai challenged him to do some squats while carrying him on his back!

Chung accepted ... and beasted out in front of the crowd -- and they loved it!!

They also loved the food -- we're told Chung's got real skills in the kitchen.

Nice work, dude.