Chef Sera Cuni is no stranger to challenges on the Food Network. But on July 8, the nation can watch her biggest competition yet.

Cuni — who owns and runs the Root Cellar Restaurant & Catering in Chapel Hill, as well as the Cafe Root Cellar in Pittsboro — recently taped an episode on the hit television show “Chopped,” and the businesses announced her edition is set to air on Tuesday. The appearance will mark the acclaimed chef’s fourth Food Network appearance, as she won in her 2023 episode of “Supermarket Stakeout” and competed in two editions of “Guy’s Grocery Games” in 2020 and 2021.

Several entertainment outlets report the July 8 episode, which is part of the 61st season of “Chopped,” will have a superhero theme to it — as the competing chefs will be asked to showcase their culinary superpowers to impress the judges. The show is known for its style of pitting a quartet of chefs against each other by requiring difficult and occasionally obscure ingredients into a three-course meal, with one chef being eliminated at the end of each meal. The prize for winning each episode is $10,000.

On Monday, the Cafe Root Cellar shared it is planning a watch party at 35 Suttles Road in Pittsboro as the episode airs, like it did when Cuni won in 2023. The restaurant’s social media said more details will be shared in the coming days.

“Chopped” airs at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, July 8 on the Food Network.

 

Featured photo via Matt Ramey/Chatham News + Record.

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