A northwest Arkansas chef was the runner-up on Guy's Grocery Games' first "From Scratch" episode that aired Wednesday night on the Food Network.
Rob Nelson, chef and owner of Tusk & Trotter American Brasserie, competed against three other chefs.
Normally, the show — hosted by Food Network personality Guy Fieri — is set up in a grocery store and presents chefs with a series of themed challenges that they have 30 minutes to complete. The first-place finisher has the opportunity to win $20,000.
In the "From Scratch" episode, contestants were allowed to use only ingredients they prepared themselves.
"Cooking from scratch is important to me because I know where my food is coming from," Nelson said on the show. "From the butchering to the curing to the eating, I love it all. I’m Southern to the bone."
Nelson, who serves "high Southern" cuisine at his Bentonville eatery, created a grilled steak flatbread in a pepper sauce with black beans, corn and radishes in the first challenge.
The test required contestants to make a sandwich and a side with an item in a can, an item from aisle 7 and an item under $1.
A panel of three judges complimented the Arkansan on the flavor and texture of the dish and advanced him to the final round.
In the second challenge, chefs were asked to make their best pasta dish under $20.
Nelson struggled to cook the homemade noodles in his shrimp and lemon pasta with chili, horseradish and cilantro sauce, but the judges praised the well-balanced flavors and were impressed with the dish that they called "exciting," "unexpected" and "unique."
"I'm not a pasta guy. I don't make it every day," Nelson said. "But I'm not traditional in anything I do. I’m known for big, bold flavors. When it comes down to it, I’m the sauce boss."
After the judges deliberated, they named Nelson the second-place finisher behind executive chef Josh Hedquist, who wowed the judges with his noodles and bolognese sauce.
"I’m proud of what I did, and I really couldn’t ask for more," Nelson said. "This was fun. This was exciting."