Food Network is home to all types of culinary competitions. Battling for chef supremacy engages fans even though viewers cannot pick up a fork and enjoy the food that the chefs make. As the new host of Chef Grudge Match, Laila Ali steps into this ring and navigates the spirited competition with ease. During our interview, Ali shared why this Food Network competition is a clear-cut winner.
The premise of Chef Grudge Match is simple. Two chefs who have a beef choose to come into the Food Network kitchen and settle the score. In addition to a $10,000 monetary prize, the winning chef gets to take the losing chef’s prized knife. Losing a favorite knife is a true punch in the gut to a chef.
Although she is the new host for the popular Food Network show, Ali has had experience on Food Network. The former Chopped champion has diced and sliced her way to culinary victory. Now, on the other side of the pass, she sees the opportunity as a way to learn from these celebrated chefs.
Specifically, Ali shared, “anytime I see someone else cooking who has more experience than me, I learn something. It could be the smallest thing that sometimes you don’t even realize.”
“For example, I have an organic garden at home, and I grow all sorts of vegetables. I decided to start growing eggplant. I didn’t realize how fruitful it would be. So, when I see a chef using eggplant in a way that I have never used it before, it is helpful. That is just one example. For anyone who cooks, they know it is always a learning experience.”
While Ali is learning tips and tricks along the way, the heart of this Food Network competition is a disagreement, beef, or grudge that needs to be settled. Whether the disagreement is relatively new or has been going on for close to a decade, the score will be settled in the kitchen. As Ali said, “It is a lot of drama, a lot of fun, and a lot of cooking at a high level.”
Ali said that every battle keeps viewers on the edge of their seats. Since each grudge has its own complexities, everyone brings their own skills to the competition.
“It’s just like it is in the boxing ring. Every opponent is going to be different. Every competitor is different. Some people do a lot of talking. Some chefs you can tell they know they're on a stage where they have to smack talk, but they're not as comfortable doing it. It just depends on if you allow someone to get in your head. I think that at the end of the day, once that bell rings nothing that was said matters. What matters is what you do in the moment, and you're only going to get that one moment to do it.”
From perfection to mistakes, everything can and does occur in Chef Grudge Match. Whether the most confident chef gets their ego bruised or another person discovers that inner confidence to win, it all happens on this Food Network show.
While people want the money, winning another chef’s knife is a significant factor. That “bragging right” will always be part of the conversation.
Ali explained the scenario in this way, “I know when I was boxing and I came into the ring with my titles that I worked really hard to earn, you do not want to hand over your title belt at the end of the fight. That's a real moment. You’re not going to have that knife anymore, and it can be hard to cook without it. I saw it every time. They all come with this knife, and they're so confident, like I'm bringing this knife home with me. The person who has to give it up has a whole different look on their face and a whole different vibe when they leave.”
While each chef brings their game, it has to be more than just words. With a live audience watching every move, the chefs have to deliver on their promises. No amount of sweet-talking will sway the judges.
Although Ali did not have a say in each battle’s outcome, she did learn a lot along the way. Celebrated chef Jet Tila led the judging panel on every episode, and Ali picked up a few pointers from him and the other chefs in the competition. A few of those concepts have even made their way into her family’s weekly dinner rotation.
That concept is something that Food Network viewers have employed time and again across the competition shows. Home cooks may not be making squab for Tuesday night supper, but they have learned a few tricks to master that perfectly roasted chicken.
Ready to see which chefs have the skills and tenacity to earn the ultimate bragging rights? Be sure to watch Chef Grudge Match on Food Network every Tuesday night at . Episodes can be streamed on HBO Max.
Tags: laila ali, chef grudge match, food network, jet tila