Houston ‘queen of pork’ chef competes on Food Network
Who can beat Bobby Flay? Maybe Houston restaurant chef Jess DeSham Timmons.
The executive chef of Cherry Block Craft Butcher & Kitchen at Bravery Chef Hall will compete on Food Network’s “Beat Bobby Flay,” airing at 9 p.m. Sunday.
The episode, taped last year, is titled “Ready, Set, Grill!” and pits Timmons in a cooking challenge against Leslie Roark Scott, chef at Ubon’s BBQ in Yazoo City, Miss. While Timmons could not say what foods the two prepared for the competition, the episode’s description is a big hint: a grilling showdown between Scott, called the “BBQ princess” and Timmons, “the queen of pork.”
The winner of the first challenge goes on to compete against Food Network star Flay.
Timmons said the show’s producers found her on Facebook
and invited her to film the episode just before Bravery Chef Hall opened in downtown
Houston last July.
“It was definitely a learning experience,” Timmons said of the competition. “A lot of work goes into that 30 minutes.”
Timmons isn’t the first local chef to appear on “Beat Bobby Flay.” In 2015, “Enchilada Queen” Sylvia Casares of Sylvia’s Enchilada Kitchen appeared on the show. And in 2016, Roost chef/owner Kevin Naderi actually beat Flay preparing Polish-style cabbage rolls filled with beef and saffron rice.
Houston chefs appearing on national food television shows traditionally mark the event with watch parties attended by family and friends. Timmons won’t be able to do that Sunday, as the coronavirus pandemic continues to keep people socially distanced.
“We’re just going to watch it from home,” said Timmons, who has been working at Cherry
Block providing takeaway curbside meals and limited dine-in service after Bravery reopened last week. “It’s so sad. I was hoping to do a big thing. But it’s not the right time.”
Timmons gave no hint on how she did on the competition. She did give herself props, though, for being able to keep a secret. For almost a year.