Fort Greene Chef to Throw Down in Food Network Competition

Fort Greene foodies, get your TiVo ready: a local chef will be throwing down Tuesday night on the Food Network's 'Chopped.' 

Prospect's Chef de Cuisine, Vinson Petrillo, will face-off against fellow champions of seasons' past, as he won the competition in 2011. 

"It was great to win 'Chopped' the first time," Petrillo said. "Competing the second time around is even better since the Chefs are all all previous 'Chopped' winners"

New Jersey-native Petrillo began his culinary career in 1999 at the age of 14 at the Hilton in Parsippany as a line cook for banquets, lunch and dinner. He attended the culinary program at Johnson and Wales University in South Carolina while working his way up the culinary ladder at establishments such as J. Bistro. 

Petrillo eventually found his way back up the coast and worked at Abe and Arthur’s in Manhattan before coming to Prospect.

When asked about the competition, Petrillo said preparation doesn't stop in the kitchen. 

"When preparing for the show I really just try to stay as relaxed as possible," he said. "With the way 'Chopped' is structured, it's important to trust yourself when you're competing and that's what I try to do."

Located at 773 Fulton St., Prospect opened its doors in the fall of 2012. Known for its "new-American" cuisine, the Fort Greene staple also has some unique offerings, including its butchery class that was recently brought back to the restaurant. 

'Chopped' will air on the Food Network at 10 p.m. The winner of this round will advance to the grand finale where competitiors will have a chance to win $50,000.