23-07-2025
Salt Lake City chef beats Bobby Flay with chile relleno win
Urban Hill chef Nick Zocco brought his southwestern flair to Food Network's "Beat Bobby Flay" — and walked away with a win.
Why it matters: It's a notable victory that could put Salt Lake City's fast-growing culinary scene on the map.
Driving the news: The "Beat Bobby Flay" episode — "Is It Getting Chile in Here?" — aired last Thursday.
Catch up quick: Zocco, a two-time James Beard Award nominee, told Axios the toughest part was inventing standout dishes under the clock — and ignoring noisy judges.
Zocco said a show recruiter contacted him in January. He filmed in New York soon after, giving him less than a week to prep.
The morning of the show's taping, Zocco said he confidently turned to his wife and said: "I'm winning this competition."
Spoiler alert: Zocco won the competition's first round against Austin-based cook Stefanie Torres with his pork albondigas.
In the end, Zocco blew away judges with his signature dish — lump crab chile relleno with black bean and New Mexico red chile sauce — defeating Flay's chorizo version.
Flashback: It wasn't Zocco's first interaction with Flay. Zocco formerly worked as a sous chef for Flay's Mesa Grill in Las Vegas, which gave him an advantage.
"I came up with something that wasn't necessarily traditional, but I know the flavor profiles were there and I didn't follow suit to what Bobby's style was," he noted on what tipped the scales to his victory.
Zocco noted the show's competitive nature reflected the constant demands he faces in the kitchen.
