St. Paul Chef Competing on Guy Fieri's 'Tournament of Champions'

Guy Fieri's bracket-style competition show Tournament of Champions just kicked off its third season on the Food Network, and this year it is bigger than ever. For season three they have doubled the number of chefs competing for the championship title, and $100,000.

Jumping from 16 competitors to 32 this tie around, there are lots of new faces that are hungry for the win and ready to take down anyone who stands in their way. One of those new competitors this year is St. Paul chef Justin Sutherland.

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Justin Sutherland has immersed himself in the world of cooking from a young age. He grew up cooking with his mother and grandmother and even asked for an Easy Bake Oven for his 5th birthday. The love for the art of cooking has grown into a culinary empire:

Justin is classically trained in French cuisine but returned to his southern roots when he opened his own first restaurant, Handsome Hog, in St. Paul MN. Infusing his classical training with equally-classic ingredients from the south, Justin elevates his pork-centric contemporary southern dishes to the next-level. Under the Sutherland brand, Justin operates multiple award-winning restaurants including the Handsome Hog, Obachan Noodles and Chicken, Chickpea Hummus Bar, The Gnome, Woodfire Cantina, and Gray Duck Tavern.

Justin's awards and accomplishments cement him as a solid contender for Tournament of Champions:

Winner of Iron Chef America
Competitor on Top Chef
2019 Charlie Awards Outstanding Chef
MSP Magazine Best New Restaurant (Two Time Recipient)

Justin Sutherland will be competing against Karen Akunowicz who has competed on Top Chef, as well as Beat Bobby Flay. She was even named one of Marie Claire's "21 Badass Women Changing the Food World". Pretty stiff competition, but nothing Justin can't handle!

Click here for a printable Tournament of Champions Season 3 bracket to fill out yourself!

And from one foodie to another, if you get down to Justin's restaurant Handsome Hog in St. Paul, get the chicken and waffles. You can thank me later.

Tournament of Champions airs Sunday nights on Food Network at 7 PM

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