ICYMI: No Redemption for Montgomery County Chef on Food Network’s ‘Chopped’

Unfortunately, Rockville's Chef Jeff Eng wound up on the chopping block Tuesday night.

The Tower Oaks executive chef appeared on the Food Network cooking competition “Chopped”—his second time on the show.

On this particular episode, “Redeemed or Re-Chopped,” Eng and three other competitors were brought back for a chance at redemption.

The professional chefs were vying for a cash prize. 

All they had to do to win it was cook up unforgettable cuisine using ingredients from mystery baskets “before time runs out,” wowing the “distinguished panel of chefs.” If their creation wound up on the “chopping block” it meant it’s time to go home—the judges didn’t like the meal.

Eng survived the appetizer round, where the mystery basket offered up faux meat and hot mustard. But his entreé failed to cut the mustard.

With skordalia, Hawaiian parrot fish, pickled sour grapes (pun intended) and chayote squash to work from, Eng created a "gorgeous" fish dish—what one judge described as the best-prepared fish they had eaten all night.

But the judges weren’t fans of his ancho-cocoa sauce, though one judge praised his use of cocoa as being “chef-y.”

Eng did not make it to dessert. In the end, New York restaurateur Zoe Feigenbaum walked away the as winner.

“I didn’t finish what I came here to do,” Eng said after the chop came down. “I did not redeem myself and that hurts.”