Laila Ali hosts Chef Grudge Match, where rival chefs battle for $10K, a prized knife, and lifelong bragging rights

Chef Grudge Match is a cooking competition series where chefs face rivals to settle professional or personal disputes in the kitchen.

In an exclusive interview with People magazine on August 11, 2025, host Laila Ali explained that each episode brings together two chefs with unresolved tensions.

These battles can be over claims of stolen recipes, workplace conflicts, or personal disagreements. The winner takes home a $10,000 prize, the losing chef’s most valued knife, and the title of winner for life.

Ali, who has won two seasons of Chopped, brings her competitive background from boxing into the culinary setting.

She said that cooking competitions present a different kind of pressure, describing them as fast-paced and unpredictable.

“You have to make a quick decision in what you’re going to prepare,” she shared, noting that participants do not know their dishes in advance.

Judging is handled by resident judge Jet Tila alongside rotating guest judges. A live studio audience reacts in real time, adding more intensity to the match.

The series premiered on August 12, 2025, at 9 pm ET on Food Network and is available to stream on HBO Max the following day.

Rivalries rooted in professional disputes and personal challenges in Chef Grudge Match

Each episode of Chef Grudge Match begins with Laila Ali introducing the competing chefs and explaining the nature of their rivalry.

According to Ali, some matchups involve accusations that one chef took a recipe from the other and used it to build a business.

She described one such case where a chef insisted that the recipe was theirs, while the other argued they had created it themselves.

“It’s like, ‘No, that was actually not your recipe, I created it. Who’s the better chef?’ Well, let’s settle it right here, right now,” Ali explained.

The show also explores conflicts rooted in workplace roles. Ali mentioned an episode with a husband-and-wife chef team, where the wife challenged her husband for the head chef role instead of being sous chef. “Whoever won that day would be the lead chef,” she said, calling it one of her favorite battles.

Some rivalries come from personality clashes or professional pride, especially among experienced chefs.

Each match is one round, testing creativity, skill, and speed under time pressure. A live audience reacts to bold moves, mistakes, and surprises, adding to the tension.

Ali said, these reactions, gasps, cheers, and laughter, keep chefs aware they’re being closely watched.

High stakes and strategies in the competition arena of Chef Grudge Match

In Chef Grudge Match, the stakes go beyond the $10,000 prize. Contestants also risk losing a prized knife, which for many, holds personal and professional significance.

“There’s always a story behind the knife,” Ali said. “This was my first chef knife,” or, “This was a gift.”

Such items are more than just tools; they represent a chef’s career and are often linked to important moments or relationships.

Since chefs don’t know in advance what dish they will make, being able to adapt is an important skill.

Ali explained that contestants must decide quickly what they will prepare and commit fully to that decision.

“You can’t come knowing exactly what you’re going to make, you have to make the choice on the spot and be 100% all in,” she added.

The judging, led by Jet Tila and a rotating guest judge, looks at technique, taste, and presentation.

In the end, Chef Grudge Match combines the drama of settling disputes with the skill of cooking, giving chefs a one-round, high-pressure challenge that can shape their careers.

Stay tuned for more updates.