Lexington Diner, at the corner of Upper and Short, will celebrate its two-year-anniversary in February of 2016, but chef and owner Ranada West-Riley is already nearing celebrity status. West-Riley is scheduled to appear on an episode of the Food Network’s Cutthroat Kitchen this Sunday, December 6.
It’s West-Riley’s second appearance on the Food Network in a year; she also appeared on Guy Fieri’s Guy’s Grocery Games.
West-Riley says that Cutthroat Kitchen “was very similar to Guy’s Grocery Games but a little more stressful because of the challenges and dealing with trying to outsmart the other chefs.”
“Reality TV is no joke; they can really put you on the spot and you are left with your wits and your know-how to make it happen.”
Cutthroat Kitchen, hosted by Good Eats and Iron Chef host Alton Brown, is a three-round elimination competition featuring four chefs. The chefs are given $25,000 to start, which they can use to purchase either benefits for themselves or opportunities to sabotage others.
“My experience with Cutthroat Kitchen is just fantastic,” says Chef Ranada. “Alton Brown was very much like he portrays himself on television, very dry sense of humor, sarcastic, witty.”
And helpful, as well.
“He visited our restaurant in March of this year and sent a tweet out about us that reached like tens of thousands of people.”
And while West-Riley can’t divulge any details as to what happens on the episode just yet, she does guarantee that she’ll be back for more.
“It won’t be my last time on Food Network. I’m working on Beat Bobby Flay and another show as well.”
Lexington Diner’s Chef Ranada West-Riley will appear on the Food Network’s Cutthroat Kitchen on December 6, 2015.
For our full story on Lexington Food: Year in Review 2015, click here.
For an additional listing of restaurants which opened and closed in Lexington in 2015: Births, Resurrections, Obits, and Transitions, click here.
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