On Tuesday, November 26, the “Meat Fight” episode of the popular Food Network show, Chopped, aired on television. Charlotte’s own Chef Chris Coleman was one of four competitors, and, spoiler alert… he won!
The episode was a battle of beef as each mystery basket contained some sort of beef product. In the appetizer round, the chefs were surprised with beef ribs. Coleman whipped up Korean short ribs with polenta. The entrée round basket contained porterhouse steak, which was perfectly cooked by Coleman and placed atop African stew (which the judges loved.) Finally, Coleman used the basket’s dry-aged beef and meat cookies to create a delicious dessert.
The competition was no easy feat. Coleman ran into an almost-disaster in the final round when he cut his knuckle. The Chopped crew takes safety very seriously, so Coleman had to set aside to receive the proper treatment. But he left two portions of his polenta ice cream off the judges’ plates. His competitor, Chef Mac Moran of New York, graciously stepped into Coleman’s cooking area and plated the ice cream himself. Moran’s selfless generosity was greatly appreciated by the judges and, of course, Coleman.
Coleman walked away with the Chopped title and the $10,000 grand prize.
This Southern chef has had quite a year in Charlotte, too. He recently left Stoke to become executive chef and partner of The Goodyear House, which is projected to open in December. Coleman also traveled to Greenville this fall to participate in euphoria.
You can catch up on “Meat Fight” here.
