Charlotte chef part of first all-Black cast and judging panel on Food Network’s ‘Chopped’
Food Network is marking Black History Month with a first for its hit show “Chopped” — an episode featuring an all-Black cast and judging panel that includes one of Charlotte’s very own celebrated chefs, Lisa Brooks, owner of Heart & Soul Personal Chef Service.
The Season 51, Episode 6 show Brooks appears on will air on Feb. 15 at 9 p.m.
Having grown up cooking with her mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, Brooks was elated about being cast on the “Chopped” episode focused on Black culinary contributions to American food.
“‘Chopped’ is something that has been on my vision board,” Brooks told CharlotteFive. “I felt very honored to be a part of this particular episode. To honor my matriarchal legacy and all the women I mentor and support. I felt a huge responsibility — it was an honor, an absolute honor.”
‘I asked God for a way out, and I heard him say simply to cook’
Brooks always enjoyed cooking for family and friends, but didn’t realize until age 40 that it was a gift that would allow her to make a living. Stressed out in her corporate management position, she was suffering from panic attacks, back spasms and insomnia. “I asked God for a way out, and I heard him say simply to cook,” Brooks said.
Since that time, she has established and grown Heart & Soul Personal Chef Service into a team of talented, Black female chefs.
“When I left corporate America, I didn’t think it would be this huge company. I just thought it would just be me cooking for a few clients each week. Now I have a TikTok channel, followers on social media. It’s totally weird. Very cool, but I couldn’t have imagined,” Brooks said.
Fish, peppers and Southern vegetables
The Black History Month Celebration episode of “Chopped” requires four chefs to compete using ingredients fundamental to traditional Black cuisine — think fish, peppers and Southern vegetables.
[Related: For more on Black cuisine, CharlotteFive’s recent series ”The Skillet: How Black Cuisine Became America’s Supper” delves further into that connection between African food culture and the everyday dishes of the diaspora with local chefs.]
Brooks will be hosting a virtual watch party for the Feb. 15 episode on her Twitter account @cheflisabrooks. The episode will also air on Food Network on Feb. 16 at midnight.
Charlotte chefs are no strangers to Food Network shows:
Chris Coleman of the Goodyear House and Old Town Kitchen and Cocktails was crowned ”Chopped” champion.
Coleman, Sam Diminich of Your Farms, Your Table and Alyssa Wilen of Chef Alyssa’s Kitchen have all appeared on “Beat Bobby Flay.”
Frankie White of B.W. Sweets was featured on ”Girl Scout Cookie Challenge”.
Optometrist and baker Sherelle Morrison was a contestant on the “Halloween Baking Championship.”
This story was originally published February 2, 2022 at 12:58 PM.
