Chef takes the bet, competes on new show

Leo Davila, chef and owner of San Antonio eateries Stix &

Stone and Catch the Wave, will appear on the reality TV series “Big Restaurant Bet” in April.

The new show, which kicks off April 5 on the Food Network and Discovery Plus, pits eight hopeful entrepreneurs against each other for a $250,000 contract with celebrity chef Geoffrey Zakarian to open their own restaurant.

“It’s pretty surreal to think that out of thousands that auditioned, I was chosen along with seven other talented chefs,” Davila said on Facebook. “I had an unforgettable experience and met some amazing people and chefs along the way.”

Davila is a graduate of the culinary school at the Art Institute in San Antonio. Since 2018, Davila has built a following by winning a series of taco throwdowns and through popup events and restaurant takeovers.

He opened his first brick-andmortar restaurant, Stix & Stone, last year. Its menu features Asian

and Mexican dishes, and glutenfree food.

Davila, whose parents are Chinese and Mexican, said,

“Representation matters, and it’s cool to know that someone like me can be featured on a major network. I hope I did SA proud

and cannot wait to see how the events unfold. Win, lose, or draw, I definitely came back a better chef.”

Through six, one-hour episodes, the chefs will go through a series of challenges.

The first episode of “Big Restaurant Bet” will be available to stream April 5 on Discovery+. The following episodes will be available weekly. Episodes will air at 9 p.m. on the Food Network, also starting April 5.

In the premiere, the chefs are invited to Zakarian’s Florida home for their first test — create a simple, one-bite dish that best showcases who they are and their restaurant concept. Also judging are Zakarian’s wife and business partner, Margaret Zakarian, and hospitality consultant and executive chef Eric Haugen.

Throughout the competition, the aspiring restaurateurs must prove they can develop a restaurant and make it profitable from the ground up through realworld challenges that put their culinary and business expertise to the test, including the creation of a full menu for their proposed restaurant in a grand tasting to impress the judges.

Carlos Javier Sanchez / Contributor file photo Leo Davila, owner of Catch the Wave and Stix & Stone, will make his television debut April 5 on the Food Network’s “Big Restaurant Bet.”