Dayton restaurant owner battles former employee on Food Network’s ‘SuperChef Grudge Match’

Chef Dana Downs is the owner of Roost Modern Italian in Dayton’s Oregon District (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO).

Credit: Submitted Photo

Credit: Submitted Photo

Chef Dana Downs is the owner of Roost Modern Italian in Dayton’s Oregon District (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO).

Dayton restaurant owner and chef Dana Downs will compete against chef Matt Klum, her former employee, in Season Two, Episode 3, of Food Network’s “SuperChef Grudge Match” airing at 9 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 26.

Host Darnell “Superchef” Ferguson “invites chefs from all across America to settle personal and professional disputes with their foes in a one round, one dish, winner-takes-all heavyweight battle,” according to Food Network’s website.

“New York Living,” a lifestyle show on PIX11, featured a preview of “SuperChef Grudge Match” highlighting our hometown battle.

“This first battle is between chef Matt Klum and his former boss chef Dana Downs,” Ferguson says during the episode. “Chef Dana hired chef Matt to be the chef de cuisine of her restaurant, but things became tense when the employees started calling Matt chef and thought of Dana as merely just management.”

“New York Living” sat down with Ferguson to talk about this upcoming season.

“It’s just so fun because since you know them personally what I ask you to do is bring a secret weapon, something you think they will mess up with,” Ferguson said. “You get to bring something (an ingredient) to trip them up as well, but you also have to use it in your dish.”

In each episode, two pairings of chefs face off and judges Catherin McCord and Justin Sutherland will determine the winners. The winners will walk away with a $10,000 cash prize, a prized knife from the losing chef and bragging rights for life.

Downs has owned Roost Modern Italian in Dayton’s Oregon District for 12 years and recently took over management of the Treasure Island Supper Club in Moraine.

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