NICEVILLE — Chef Brian Cartenuto says his antics on “Cutthroat Kitchen” were part of his strategy. It was good enough to help the local restaurant owner leave the show as the victor with $4,800.
“It was hard not telling everyone I won,” said Cartenuto, the owner of Tucker Duke’s Lunchbox. “I think the people who know me had a pretty good inkling. You don’t throw a viewing party like I did if you get out the first round.”
Cartenuto appeared in the fifth episode of the new Food Network show hosted by Alton Brown. He taped it in late June but had to keep the results under wraps until it aired Sunday.
The show starts contestants off with $25,000 either to keep or spend on “auction items” that put their opponents at a disadvantage. There are three rounds, with one chef eliminated each time.
The last chef standing gets to take home the money he or she has left.
“My strategy in the first round was just to get through the round,” Cartenuto said. “It was really nerve-racking. I knew I just had to be better than the last-place guy.”
Cartenuto made ravioli to advance to the second round, when he had to make an American classic — a burger.
“I know there was a smile on my face when they said what we’d be making,” Cartenuto said. “I own a burger joint. This was mine.”
He had to cook fried chicken in the final round.
The Niceville resident says he has no immediate plans to appear on the Food Network again, but he’s always open to the possibility.
In the meantime, Cartenuto plans to open restaurants in Fort Lauderdale and Tallahassee. Locally, he says a doughnut food truck should be open soon.
“I’ve got nothing else to do, so I might as well keep myself busy,” he laughed.
Contact Daily News Staff Writer Angel McCurdy at 850-315-4432 or amccurdy@nwfdailynews.com. Follow her on Twitter @AngelMnwfdn.