Snack vs. Chef will see 12 chefs attempt to recreate iconic and well-liked snacks, followed by creating snacks of their own inspired by the same iconic dishes. One of the 12 contestants set to appear on the show is Clara Park, who previously won Food Network’s Chopped.
The synopsis of the show reads:
"Hosted by comedians Megan Stalter and Hari Kondabolu, this new food competition sees 12 chefs go head-to-head in the ultimate snack showdown. Not only must they recreate some of the world's most iconic snacks, they'll also be challenged to invent their own original snacks inspired by beloved classics. Only one will prevail and claim the $50,000 prize."
Snack vs. Chef is set to premiere on Netflix on November 30.
Snack vs. Chef's Clara Park teaches at The Culinary Literary Center
The Netflix cooking competition is set to premiere soon, and among the chefs set to compete in the snack-centric competition is Clara Park from Philadelphia. The culinary development chef is a former Chopped champion and has previously appeared on Wing Wars as a judge, a chicken wing competition that is based in Atlantic City.
Clara teaches cooking classes “all over the place.” She teaches at The Culinary Literary Center at The Free Library, Old City Kitchen, Reading Terminal Market, and Philly Public School.
While the upcoming Snack vs. Chef contestant has made a name for herself in the food industry, she did not always intend to pursue a career in the culinary arts. Before attending the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City, she earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Chicago.
Her bio states:
"I grew up loving to cook and eat and tried out many different career paths before finally going to cooking school. I cooked in NYC, SF, Napa Valley, and even France before coming back home to Philly."
Clara has worked in many restaurants, including Gary Danko in San Francisco, Redd in Napa, California, Momofuku Ko in the Big Apple, and Le Moulin Bregeon in France. The Snack vs. Chef contestant trained under Barbara Kafka, where she learned to write recipes and cookbooks.
Clara believes that everyone can and should know how to cook, and she believes that when people cook for themselves and save money, they will eat better. The chef is on the Advisory Council for the Literacy Center at the Free Library of Philadelphia and The Food Lab at Drexel University.
The chef, eater, storyteller, and teacher often takes to social media to promote her culinary skills, showcasing the different cuisines she likes to eat and cook. Her current Instagram following stands at 1042 followers and is likely to grow after the show airs.
Clara is not the only contestant on Snack vs. Chef who has prior experience competing in and winning a reality cooking competition. Christian Gill previously appeared on multiple shows such as Beat Bobby Flay, Guy’s Grocery Games, and the Ultimate Thanksgiving Challenge. Scottish Francis beat Bobby Flay in his own competition and was also a contestant on MasterChef season 5.
Joining the lineup of Snack vs. Chef are Kevin Gregory, Hari Cameron, Luna Contreras, Danny Kievit, Lauryn Bodden, Sandy Dee Hall, Ali Manning, Lauren Jade, and Kristopher Edelen. The show will see comedians Meghan Stalter and Hari Kondabolu serve as co-hosts, with Helen Park and Ali Bouzari serving as judges for the Netflix competition.
Snack vs. Chef will premiere on Netflix on November 30.