Aurora Chef Will Compete On Food Network's 'Chopped'

AURORA, IL — An Aurora chef will make his national television debut on the Food Network's competition show "Chopped."

Alonso Beckford, an Aurora resident and head chef of The Matrix Club in Naperville, applied for a spot on the popular show last year and was selected to be one of the four chefs who will face off in three rounds — appetizer, entree and dessert — on Tuesday night's episode, debuting at 7 p.m.

In each round, chefs are challenged to create dishes using a mystery basket of unconventional ingredients and pantry staples. A rotating panel of expert chefs and culinary professionals judge them based on taste, presentation and creativity, and one chef is "chopped" per round until a winner emerges in the third round.

A commissioner on the City of Aurora's African American Heritage Advisory Board, Beckford moved to Aurora from Chicago and has served as The Matrix's Club's head chef since its grand opening last year. He worked in kitchens in New York, Atlanta, Orlando and Chicago after formal schooling at Johnson & Wales University in Miami.

In a news release, Aurora officials described Beckford, who was introduced to baking by his godmother, as a "self-motivated culinary leader with an innate ability to interact with people of various cultures and backgrounds."

Originally from Jamaica, Beckford's family immigrated to New York, where "he brought flavors from his Caribbean roots while exposing his culinary skills in French, Asian, Italian, Greek, and American cuisines," according to city officials.

"Chef Alonso loves art, multiculturalism, education in food nutrition, and simply bringing folks together over a thoughtful meal," officials said.