Charlotte chef takes on another Food Network star — and the results are a ‘surreal’ first
Charlotte Chef Chris Coleman has done it again. He went onto Food Network and came home with another prize. This time, however, he can’t technically say he won.
The “Chopped” champion from Charlotte who went on to”Beat Bobby Flay” was invited back to the network for “Alex vs. America,” which brings chefs from across the nation to compete in an attempt to take down chef Alex Guarnaschelli, a frequent Food Network judge, Iron Chef and highly accomplished culinary artist. Each episode features three chefs in two competitive rounds, with blind tastings and celebrity judges.
This week’s cheese-themed episode led to the most unexpected results and a first for the series – a tie between Coleman and the show’s namesake, Guarnaschelli. (For a full episode synopsis, check out Unpretentious Palate’s story.)
“I barely snuck into the final round as the underdog. I didn’t think I had a chance to beat Alex or even place,” Coleman told CharlotteFive. “I’m no cheese expert, but I’ve been in the industry for 24 years and have had plenty of time to research and experiment with ingredients.”
Soft cheese ice cream
The final challenge was to come up with a soft cheese dessert. Coleman, chef and co-owner of NoDa’s The Goodyear House and Rock Hill’s Old Town Kitchen & Cocktails, dug deep into his roots to create a dish that would wow: caramelized white chocolate biscuits with Robiola cheese ice cream and raspberry-apricot purée.
“Growing up, I spent a lot of summers on my grandparents’ farm in Mississippi, where my Maw Maw would always make us cast iron biscuits,” said Coleman, a Charlotte native who attended Harding High and Central Piedmont’s culinary program. “I had already played around with white chocolate biscuits during my time at McNinch House, and as soon as they said ‘soft cheese dessert,’ my mind went to soft cheese ice cream. It just all came together.”
The judges loved the dish. But they also loved Guarnaschelli’s cheesecake and declared a tie. Coleman would take home a compromised $7,500 prize (vs. $10,000 had he won outright), which will come in handy on an upcoming trip to Costa Rica for his wife’s 40th birthday.
“It was surreal,” Coleman said. “In my head, I was just going to make my grandmother’s biscuits on national TV, and that’s a personal victory.”
Coleman credits that time on his grandparents’ farm for inspiring his budding culinary mind. His career has spanned from a start as a 14-year-old bus boy at Captain’s Galley in Huntersville to becoming head chef of McNinch House at age 21 to director of culinary experience at Charlotte’s Marriott Center City.
More recently, he has partnered with Sean Potter & A.J. Klenk to form the restaurant group Built On Hospitality, which has an ambitious goal of opening five restaurants in five years (the first two being Goodyear House and Old Town).
‘I don’t think I’m the most exciting TV personality. But I know food …’
The day-to-day restaurant operations keep him busy, but he’s not ruling out another reality show run. Coleman said, typically, each time he competes on a show, the door opens for another opportunity. He’s hoping that’s still the case and said his dream is to appear on Bravo’s “Top Chef” or Food Network’s “Tournament of Champions.”
“I’m always up for a challenge,” Coleman said. “It’s fun meeting other chefs from across the country. It’s networking in a really cool way.”
Asked why he keeps getting calls from Food Network producers, Coleman humbly replied, “I don’t think I’m the most exciting TV personality. But I know food, and I think they just want people who are confident and have a story to tell.
“Every time I’m on, I make it a mission to talk about my hometown, Charlotte, and the ingredients we can source locally here in North Carolina. I guess there’s something about a Southern guy.”
“Alex vs Cheese” is available on demand on Food Network. The episode will also re-air at 2 p.m. Sunday.
