INTERVIEW: The food fight is on! But this time, it’s ‘Tiny.’
Photo: Tiny Food Fight features host Mamrie Hart and lead judge Darnell “SuperChef” Ferguson. Photo courtesy of discovery+ / Provided by official site.
The programming on discovery+, the new streaming service from Discovery, continues to expand almost on a daily basis. This week sees the premiere of Tiny Food Fight, a competition series that follows chefs who create little, itty-bitty masterpieces for a variety of settings and celebrations. The show, which premiered Sept. 16, features comedian and social media star Mamrie Hart as the host, and Darnell “SuperChef” Ferguson is the lead judge.
Ferguson should be well known to fans of culinary TV. He is a past champion of Chopped, and on this new series, he will evaluate each dish for its creativity, taste, presentation and how well it fits a given theme, according to press notes. If a contestant is able to wow Ferguson, then that competitor will be crowned the Tiny Food Fight champion, walking away with $5,000.
There are many challenges in these six half-hour episodes. Perhaps the most challenging is that the assembled contestants must also work in a tiny kitchen while they are putting together these bite-sized morsels.
Recently Hollywood Soapbox exchanged emails with Ferguson about the new series. His TV credits include Guy Fieri’s Tournament of Champions and the Ultimate Thanksgiving Challenge with Giada De Laurentis, according to his official biography. The chef has also been open about his past struggles and overcoming homelessness and unemployment. Today he serves not only as a TV celebrity, but an advocate for finding success in life. In 2015, he started the first SuperChefs restaurant, which features “urban eclectic” cuisine. After a devastating fire burned down the original location, Ferguson rebuilt SuperChefs, and today there are two locations.
Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style.
Are you a fan of tiny food? What does tiny food offer that a big meal cannot?
I’m definitely a fan of tiny food! At first, I didn’t think it was possible to get any taste out of such small bites, but I had some really good food since being on the show.
What can fans expect when they tune in for Tiny Food Fight?
Authenticity. I didn’t have to act or stage any reactions. I was genuinely surprised and satisfied by the quality of the food and the talent they had on for this first season. Plus, Mamrie is hilarious!
How difficult was it to produce these episodes during a pandemic?
This was such an unbelievable experience for me, I almost forgot we were even in a pandemic! The production team was top notch, and I couldn’t be more grateful to have worked with them. I can’t wait until people see the set; it was amazing! They all made this such a seamless experience and were so professional and respectful that it was inspirational.
What do you think is the key for a chef to make a perfect bite of tiny food?
Salt — HA! It’s really a balancing act. You have such a small platform to work with, you obviously need steady hands, and you need to make sure you use vibrant flavors and ingredients that can pack enough of a punch that it won’t get lost in such a small bite.
You’re stuck on a desert island and allowed one meal, what would it be?
Seafood boil because of the protein, vegetables and starch … oh, and can’t forget the fat, aka butter!
What’s the one meal you love to cook above anything else?
I love cooking Parisian gnocchi because of the texture. It’s soft like a pillow. Also, it takes some real technical skill to make it.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Tiny Food Fight, featuring lead judge Darnell “SuperChef” Ferguson, is now streaming on discovery+. Click here for more information.
