One local chef may have discovered the keys to Flavortown. In the very least, Christian Gill of Boomtown Biscuits & Whiskey got to hang with Guy Fieri of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives fame on Food Network’s Guy’s Grocery Games.
He also made it to the final four on Guy’s Big Project last year. Tonight marks Gill’s return to the small screen. Catch him at 9 p.m. The game show challenges four chefs to compete in a challenge that tests their culinary wiles and how fast they can make it through a “grocery” store on a tight budget.
Each challenge features a theme with rotating judges that taste the food, eliminate a player each round and ultimately choose a winner that will go home home with $20,000.
Gill’s episode will tackle comfort food. At Boomtown, many of the dishes happen to be twists on Southern American favorites, with blends of other cultures peeking through. Last year, CityBeat’s Mackenzie Graham reviewed Gill’s dishes at the restaurant, saying that though the whiskey selections are extensive, “the true delight comes plated.” Their namesake biscuit isn’t “run-of-the-mill,” rather she writes that it’s buttery and soft with a browned, bubbled top.
She also tried the Yukon ($11) sandwich, which is topped with gravy, chicken, smoked cheddar and bacon. The verdict? Sumptuous.
“My mind told me there were too many rich elements for one dish, but my mouth disagreed,” she wrote. “Jokes were made about only eating half, but in the end there was nothing left to box up.”
Patrons can also pile up on dishes like the vegetarian Hidalgos, the Lampang (fried chicken with yellow coconut curry), Sutter’s Mill sandwhich (ribs smothered in housemade barbecue sauce, apple slaw and pickles), and more.
In returning to the Food Network, once again working alongside Fieri, Gill told Cincinnati Business Courier that he learned that “simplicity works best” when tackling the challenge. The contestants only have 30 minutes to shop, cook and plate their dishes. So, less becomes more.
He also said in the article that he hopes being on the show helps the Cincinnati culinary scene just by building its rep. If he returns once again, he’ll continue repping the Queen City to the fullest.
This article appears in Aug 15-22, 2018.
