While he's known around the Valley for chopping it up with his signature Southern and soul food dishes at CC’s on Central, chef Devan Cunningham takes it to the next level as he brings his talent to Food Network’s three-course, mystery-ingredient cooking competition, "Chopped."
The episode, titled “Snail Caviar Dreams”, airs on Tuesday at 8 p.m.
“Am I excited? Sooooo fucking excited,” Cunningham says.
He shared his excitement on social media as well.
"This one's been a long time coming," the chef wrote. "I used to practice for "Chopped" on slow shifts at old jobs, dreaming up dishes with the weirdest combos. Now I finally get the chance to step into the kitchen and compete for real."
The Phoenix chef co-owns CC’s on Central with his mother, Sharon, and is no stranger to Food Network shows. Last year, he competed on season two of "Ciao House," where he lived in an Italian villa, navigated Italian cooking techniques and competed with other chefs.
After being eliminated from "Ciao House," Cunningham reached back out to the casting director, letting him know how excited he was to do more competitive cooking. As it turned out, the big dog of them all, "Chopped," was looking to cast their new season.
Cunningham will compete against three talented chefs for the $10,000 prize. On the show, the chefs are given identical baskets containing unhinged ingredients and tasked with delivering original dishes using those elements.
“They gave us our first basket, and all I could think was, ‘what the hell is snail caviar?’” Cunningham recalls.
While viewers may have a leg up on the competitors simply by noting this episode’s title, Cunningham leaned on some friendly advice.
“I’ve had friends who have been on the show – some have won, some have lost – but their tips have been to make what you know you can make in the time limit, what you know you can execute,” Cunningham notes.
Cunningham is most confident when incorporating his family and his experiences into his food, he says, noting that he brought the “CC’s on Central” approach to the competition.
The restaurant will host a watch party on Tuesday, starting at 7 p.m., where fans can try food and drinks as they cheer on Cunningham in the heated culinary competition.
