Oct 18, 2022 - Food and Drink

Arizona chef behind Espiritu will compete on Food Network's "Chopped"

Jessica Boehm

A bar with moody lighting and rows of alcohol bottles. — The moody Espiritu bar in downtown Mesa. Photo: Jessica Boehm/Axios

Local chef Roberto Centeno of Espiritu in Mesa and Bacanora in Phoenix is competing in an episode of "Chopped: Grilling on the Edge" that airs Tuesday on Food Network.

Why it matters: Phoenix's premier chefs and restaurateurs, including Chris Bianco and Sam Fox, get a lot of attention from national media, but cooking shows such as "Chopped" and Guy Fieri's "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" have helped boost up-and-coming culinary talents like Centeno.

What's happening: The new season of the fan-favorite Food Network show will highlight "four chefs with a talent for live-fire cooking."

Details: The show airs at 5pm.

Espiritu is hosting a belated viewing party at 7pm.

Jessica's favorites: In a previous newsletter, I highlighted Espiritu for its awesome cocktails, including the Los Caidos, which is a mezcal/rum combo served in a skull mug sprayed with aromatic bitters to resemble blood.

I've eaten only appetizers there but now desperately want to return for the daily specials, which recently included grilled 40-day dry-aged ribeyes and Colorado lamb chops.

1 funny thing to go: The show's tagline is "grilling is living," which coincidentally is my life motto.

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Arizona chef behind Espiritu will compete on Food Network's "Chopped"

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