“Elite Chef” Cooking Competition Showcases CT Chefs

Eli’s Restaurant Group + Chef Plum Provide Platform for the Culinary World’s Rising Stars

In partnership with Eli's Restaurant Group, CT’s Chef Plum will host and produce a new show. "Elite Chef" will launch in early 2020 as a seven-episode web series, featuring innovative and up-and-coming epicurean talent in Connecticut (with yours truly on the judging team).

“I am a huge advocate of CT chefs, and I'm thrilled to be a part of this amazing project,” says Chef Plum. “Having a platform for our local talent to shine has been a massive goal of mine for many years. Huge shout out to the amazing people at Eli's for making this happen! I cannot wait for everyone to see what we can do.”

Judges: Episode 1

Elite Chef will take place at each of Eli's Restaurant Group's restaurants (located in Hamden, Orange, Branford, and Milford), including sister restaurants Roost (Hamden, CT), and Elicit Brewing Company (Manchester, CT). Each week, the competing chefs will have a kitchen challenge based on the location of the episode. For example, chefs will create Italian-themed cuisine at Brick Oven and American fare at fast-casual Roost. Another highlight will be filming at newly opened Elicit Brewing Company, an American-style beer garden, arcade room, mixology bar, and more.

Competition promises to be fierce. Judges will score the chef's dishes on a 1-10 scale. The hosting restaurant will incorporate the winning entrée into its menu the week that the show airs so viewers can taste the winning item. The chef with the lowest score each week will face elimination.

Stephanie Webster, Editor in Chief of "CTbites," will serve as a show judge along with Chef Jeff Purrazzi, a 25-year veteran of the culinary industry, who has run notable kitchens in New York City and the Hamptons. Chef Jeff currently co-hosts Chef Plum's podcast Plumluvfoods. Each week, the show will feature a revolving door of guest judges from national and local media, renowned national chefs, and more.

Chefs are competing for an enticing media package that will elevate them in the culinary industry. They will also have opportunities to become regulars of some of the top culinary programs in Connecticut. Cash prizes are also on the table.

It's not Chef Plum's first food show. His series, "Restaurant Road Trip," featured local restaurants and chefs across the state and his highly acclaimed video series with Edible Magazine "On the Road," focused on his explorations of food's origins in an informative and comedic way.

"This show embodies the spirit of our family-owned restaurant group," says Ellis Reilly, Director of Business Development for Eli's Restaurant group. "We are extremely excited to partner with Chef Plum to raise visibility for our extraordinarily talented community of chefs while entertaining our patrons, who are welcome to be part of the show's live audience."

Production began on Thursday, December 12, with the show to air sometime in early 2020. The public is invited to attend the filming of all episodes following the first: dates and schedule to be announced shortly. A Little Bird Told Me is the producer of Elite Chef, and all video production and handling will be conducted by Mack Media. Please follow Eli's Restaurant Group on social media for more details and updates on this exciting project.