Norwalk Chef Crowned 'Chopped' Champion

NORWALK, CT — The competition really heated up for Fairfield County chef Matt Storch as he cooked alongside three other chefs on the cooking competition television show "Chopped," however the Match owner/Executive Chef ultimately came out on top.

The episode, entitled "Sensational Sandwiches," aired Tuesday night at 10 p.m. on the Food Network.

"Winning is just fantastic; it's awesome," Storch said after being crowned a "Chopped" Champion. "I can't believe it. My family will be so proud and so excited. I can see their faces like it's...it's gonna make me cry."

As the name may indicate, the theme of the episode was sandwiches. Each competing chef was mandated to assemble sandwiches for each course, including dessert. Clearly, Storch was not intimidated.

“There’s no limits on what I can do. I can cook anything, from classic sandwiches to molecular gastronomy," Storch said at the start of the show. “The beauty of being a chef/owner is having the freedom to create awesome food. Really I can translate anything onto a plate.”

For the first round, Storch was given fresh wasabi, chile con queso, rainbow fingerling potatoes and a whole roast beef sandwich, which he used to create a Roast Beef Banh Mi with Wasabi Potato Chips. The judges were easily impressed by the dish, which they called "clever" "playful" and "fun."

During the dinner course, Storch was able to turn broccoli rabe, a turducken, pickleback shots and deep-fried mayo (standard ingredients when it comes to a simple dinner dish) into Deconstructed Turducken Bao Buns.

He then stuck the landing during the dessert round by crafting a Salt & Vinegar Biscuit Sandwich with Soursop Whipped Cream out of a ham and cheeses lunch kit, soursop, salt & vinegar potato chips and an ice cream sandwich cake.

In addition to Match in Norwalk, Storch also serves as chef/partner at The Chelsea in Fairfield and the newly opened Match Burger Lobster in Westport, according to the Greenwich Daily Voice. A native of Westport, he graduated from Staples High School in 1995.

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