Smith is the latest Arizona chef to test his mettle on the Food Network. He's competing in the second season of “24 in 24: Last Chef Standing.” Shot in real time, 24 chefs face off in 24 challenges over 24 hours, duking it out on a massive cooking floor for $75,000.
“24 in 24” is hosted by chefs and Food Network personalities Michael Symon and Esther Choi, who over the course of eight episodes will test the chefs with challenges focused on speed, resourcefulness and artistry.
The competitors include longtime celebrity cooks, such as “Iron Chef” Stephanie Izard, “Chopped” judge Marc Murphy, and “Top Chef” alumni like Bryan Voltaggio, as well as chefs like Smith who are just beginning to explore this televised gourmand gauntlet.
“I’m pretty new to the competitive cooking scene,” Smith says in a confessional from the show’s first episode, which premiered on April 27.
A former football player, he notes that an intense, nonstop competition isn't dissimilar to taking the field. In the debut episode, Smith's speed at prep work earned him a trip to the sanctuary of the break room – a space where chefs who are safe during a challenge can watch the others cooking at their stations.
How will the Phoenix chef fare next week? The second episode of “24 in 24” airs at 8 p.m. on Sunday.
