Local chef on big stage
Memphis chocolatier will appear on Food Network’s “Chopped Sweets.”
Memphis chocolatier Phillip Ashley Rix will make his first appearance on Food Network, competing on the new show “Chopped Sweets.” The episode airs at 9 p.m. Monday.
Rix is the chef and owner of Phillip Ashley Chocolates. Since officially opening in 2013, his chocolate company has not only become a hometown favorite, but has also received worldwide recognition for its handcrafted, boutique chocolate blends that contain ingredients from around the world and focus on seasonality, using the finest fair-trade chocolate.
In its first season, “Chopped Sweets” is a spin-off of the popular “Chopped” series. The mystery baskets will remain, but the chefs will create only desserts.
“Chopped Sweets” will be hosted by regular “Chopped” judge and “Best Baker in America” host Scott Conant. Four pastry chefs will compete in each episode for a $10,000 prize. The episode that Rix will compete on is named “Chocolate Perfection.”
In this all-chocolate challenge, Conant challenges Rix and three other pastry artists to make every chocolate lover’s dream come true by whipping up decadent, chocolatey creations that are as beautiful as they are craveable.
Rix could not share his dishes or the ingredients in the baskets, but Food Network gave a hint that this show will include some of the crazy ingredients that “‘Chopped’ baskets are known to contain. In the first round, a hearty Indian specialty threatens to throw the chefs off their game. The chefs encounter something fishy in the second basket, and the final round takes a sour turn toward sweet success.”
After his initial interviews for the show, Rix was only given two weeks’ notice before the competition was filmed. “I really didn’t have any time to prep,” he said. “At least I knew that the theme would be chocolate.” Rix said while the competition was grueling, it was a lot of fun. It’s an experience he says he would love to do again. “I told myself, ‘Win or lose. I am making one of my chocolates,’” he said.
The judges for the “Chocolate Perfection” episode are celebrity pastry chefs Waylynn Lucas and Thiago Silva.
Jennifer Chandler is the Food & Dining reporter at The Commercial Appeal. She can be reached at jennifer.chandler@commercialappeal.com, and you can follow her on Twitter and Instagram at @cookwjennifer.