Food Network’s popular reality cooking show “Chopped” first aired in 2009 and is now in its 52nd season. The show — which pits four chefs against one another in a three-course cooking challenge featuring unlikely ingredients — has featured more than nine Louisvillans through the years. Here are three Louisville chefs that came out on top and took home $10,000.
Josh Moore
Volare Italian Ristorante Executive Chef and managing partner Josh Moore won episode 8 of season 38 in January 2019. The episode, dubbed “Deadly Catch,” was seafood-themed and challenged competitors with unusual ingredients from the sea. Josh made plans to use his prize money toward renovating a historic farmhouse.
Dallas McGarity
While Dallas’ “Chopped” episode was filmed in 2017, it didn’t air until February 2019. The Fat Lamb head chef duked it out against another Derby City chef, Peng Looi of August Moon, in the competition — which he ultimately won in the final challenge where he created a sweet treat using chicken fried rice, cream-filled chocolate eggs, dried apricots, and chili oil. Bonus: Learn how to make his legendary gnocchi.
Noam Bilitzer
On an episode that aired in April 2018, Noam Bilitzer took home the “Chopped” prize — which went straight to his savings account. Today, you can try Noam’s food at Wiltshire on Market, where he is currently the residency chef, or one of his pop-up restaurant concepts: MeeshMeesh Mediterranean and MondaysOnly.
Get a sampling of three other Food Network star’s dishes at the Pack the Sack dinner benefiting Blessings in a Backpack on Saturday, March 11 at The Olmsted.
