DALLAS (TIP): Jassi Bindra, the Indian American chef known for his eclectic spin on Indian cuisine, won the $10,000 grand prize on a recently aired episode on the Food Network series “Chopped.”
In the episode that aired on August 15, Bindra, co-owner and executive chef at Amrina in Woodlands, Texas, beat out three other chefs in a set of three 20- to 30-minute cooking rounds, impressing judges Chris Santos, Maneet Chauhan and Eric Adjepong. The chef appeared to go into the challenge with confidence, intending to use traditional recipes from India with his own eclectic touch, according to Eater, Houston.
“I’m here to show how Indian cuisine can be sexy,” said Bindra before facing off in the appetizer challenge against Massachusetts chef Emilie Rose Bishop, traveling celebrity chef Morgan Ferguson from Maryland, and Rachel McGill, the first James Beard Award-nominated chef from Lincoln, Nebraska. The chef held a watch party at Amrina on Aug 16, inviting guests to watch the excitement unfold, according to Eater. Bindra said reservations began “blowing up” starting at 5 pm and by the time of the episode, it was a packed house full of curious diners.
People kept asking him whether he won. “I just said, ‘Keep watching!’ … The fun was actually in watching. It felt like a game show with all the cheering,” he said.
Bindra says the show was a fun challenge. “It really brings out your inner qualities with planning and time management,” he said. “If I get a chance again, I’d love to showcase my skills again.”
Until then, the chef will celebrate his win, which he considers a win for Houston and the Sikh community, too.
Bindra told Eater this could be the first time a turbaned chef from the community has won a reality TV cooking competition like Chopped, which is part of the reason he busted out with the Punjabi phrase “Balle Balle” and a popular dance Punjabi dance move following his win. He’s hoping to share the experience, too. Bindra says he’ll donate some of his $10,000 to charity, particularly the Make-a-Wish Foundation.
The remainder will go to gadgets for his kitchen, gifts for his son, and partying with his friends. Then, after restaurant week, he’ll offer a three-course Chopped menu at Amrina, with a twist on the three dishes featured on the show, so diners can get a literal taste. Before crafting the Amrina concept alongside co-owners and brothers Surpreet and Preet Paul Singh in 2022, Bindra spent several years at the Michelin Guide-featured Northern Indian restaurant Punjab Grill in Washington, DC.