Two Colorado Chefs - KNIFE FIGHT

Kelly Liken. Photo courtesy of Esquire Network.

Okay, peeps, I've never even heard of the show Knife Fight, but I think I'll be watching this one, just because there are two prominent Colorado chefs involved.

And bonus points that Chef Kelly Liken was on Top Chef and that I met her and talked to her about a lot of food-related stuff.

So I really, really really have to watch. Wanna join me?

The show is hosted by Ilan Hall and it's on Esquire Network, which apparently I've apparently bypassed for too long.

According my my cable network, her episode, "Live Spot Prawns" will air on Tuesday, September 23. It looks like they're pretty good about reruns, but you'll have to check your provider to see when it will be shown.

Liken, who owns Restaurant Kelly Liken in Vail, met Knife Fight's host, Ilan Hall, while filming Bravo TV “Top Chef” season 7. That's the season where she made it to the finale episode filmed in Singapore. But she didn't win.

So she's back at it. At one point in the upcoming episode of Knife Fight  (according to my secret source), she says, “….there is no prize for second place, this is all about bragging rights.” You go, girl. I'm rooting for you!

Kelly Liken. Photo courtesy of Esquire Network.

The PR folks said, "This underground cooking competition brings together some of the nation’s leading chefs including James Beard Award winners and Michelin star chefs within a raw setting where no rules apply. Pitted against fellow Colorado chef Steve Redzikowski of Boulder’s Oak at Fourteenth, Liken, described as the queen of seasonal American cuisine, brings her game, no-holds-barred."

And there's more ...

"The crowd at The Gorbals, located in Los Angeles where Knife Fight is filmed, goes wild as Liken is challenged to cook with three secret ingredients: beef heart, wild dandelion greens, and lastly Santa Barbara Spot Prawns–̶ all under one hour. Liken starts off proposing three dishes she plans to prepare, including a beef tartare that features the dandelion greens, to present to the judges including Naomi Pomeroy and Brendan Collins of Waterloo & City, along with host Ilan Hall. Liken announces a second dish that will be a Southeast Asian inspired item followed by a braised beef heart on a crispy sope. America can expect surprising twists and turns throughout the half-hour episode. This hit original series is described as an after-hours war zone and America will see who takes home the win for 'Battle Colorado.'"

Kelly's Bio:

Kelly Liken was a James Beard nominee for Best Chef Southwest in 2009, 2010, and 2011, She likes to use ingredients that are unique to the Rocky Mountain region. She works with local farmers, ranchers, and artisan purveyors, many of whom supply ingredients especially grown for the restaurant, to develop a culinary program that reflects the seasonal bounty of Colorado.

Besides appearing on Season 7 of Top Chef  (Top Chef D.C.) she has also been on Iron Chef America on Food Network and The Talk on CBS. In print, she has been featured in Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, and The New York Times.

Gonna be in Vail? Restaurant Kelly Liken is located in the Gateway Building at 12 Vail Rd. at the entrance to Vail Village. It is open for dinner seven nights a week from 6 ̶ 10 p.m.

For reservations, which are strongly recommended, call 970-479-0175. Valet parking is provided.

For more info about Kelly Liken, go to www.kellyliken.com or follow Liken on Twitter.

For more about Knife Fight, go to http://esquiretv.com/KnifeFight, follow on Twitter @KnifeFightESQ, or check it out on Facebook at http://facebook.com/KnifeFightESQ.

So tell me ... are you going to watch???

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