GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A rising chef from West Michigan is $10,000 richer after recently winning an episode of the television show 'Supermarket Stakeout,' which is broadcast nationally on the Food Network.
Jenn Fillenworth, who is a registered dietitian, personal chef and adjunct instructor with Grand Rapids Community College's Secchia Institute for Culinary Education, says she was first contacted by Food Network producers in in late 2019 about becoming a contestant on the show.
"I was involved in a serious car accident soon after they contacted me," said Fillenworth, who also writes the "Jenny with the Good Eats" blog.
Fillenworth broke her back in the accident. She required surgery, then endured what seemed like endless rehabilitation, which lasted more than a year.
She said the show's producers reached back out to her again in spring 2020, offering her the opportunity again.
"Luckily, they remembered me," said Fillenworth, who recently became executive chef at Root Farmacy Cafe, located in East Hills. "But right around the time [the producers] contacted me, COVID-19 hit, forcing everything to be shutdown."
The Food Network produces 'Supermarket Stakeout' in a grocery store parking lot in Los Angeles, CA. Jenn was told that production would begin on Season 3 of the show in mid-October, with safety measures for the pandemic in place.
"I had to sign a non-disclosure agreement, meaning I couldn't tell anybody what I was doing," said Fillenworth. "All of Season 3 was shot in one day."
Each episode of 'Supermarket Stakeout' begins with four chefs who have to create dishes from groceries they purchase from customers at a nearby supermarket with a budget of $500 each; with the final chef winning a prize of $10,000.
In each round, a general type of dish is assigned for the chefs to create. They have 45 minutes to buy ingredients and prepare, cook, and plate three servings (one for each judge and a third "beauty plate").
The judges evaluate the dishes on taste, presentation, and how closely they adhere to the theme of the round. The chef whose dish is judged the least satisfactory is eliminated from the competition and must forfeit his/her remaining money. After the third round, the last remaining chef has his/her cash total increased to $10,000.
"We literally ambushed the store customers as they left the store," said Fillenworth. "Often times, more than one chef would approach a shopper, creating a bidding war for their cart of groceries."
The episode in which Fillenworth competed aired Tuesday, Jan. 19 at 10:00 p.m. EST. The theme was, "Greek, Sweet & Open-faced Eats."
Despite some challenges, Fillenworth passed muster with the judges after both the first and second rounds, setting up a battle in the Finals against chef Julie Liebhoff, who is a past Food Network champion.
"We had to do open faced sandwiches in the final round," said Fillenworth. "As I was looking at the carts coming out, I really thought of flatbread."
Fillenworth barely had any of her $500 left, but she managed to purchase five ingredients from shoppers, allowing her to make flatbread.
The judges liked Fillenworth's flatbread better than her opposition's dish, and declared her the episode's winner.
"I started crying," said Fillenworth. "It was such a good moment because of all the rehabbing I did throughout the year.
"I was there to take risks, so I did it."
Fillenworth says Food Network producers have again reached out to her, wondering if she'd like to return and defend her title. She says she's certain she will.
Once the pandemic is over, Fillenworth says she plans to spend her $10,000 traveling abroad.
If you missed the 'Supermarket Stakeout' episode Jenn Fillenworth was featured in, it's re-airing on the Food Network on Sunday, Jan. 24, at 2 p.m. EST.
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