BOTELLO FALLS SHORT IN “CHOPPED GRILL MASTERS” FINALS

  

Brenham’s Leonard Botello IV was unable to achieve victory in Tuesday night’s “Chopped Grill Masters” finals on the Food Network.

Botello, the owner of Truth Barbeque on Highway 290 West, was the first contestant defeated in the finals.

Botello’s “mystery basket” included pork porterhouse, corn shoots, bacon-wrapped doughnuts and pimento cheese.  Upon presenting his completed dish, judges cited his pork porterhouse was overcooked.

Botello defeated three other Texas pitmasters in last week’s competition to reach the finals, facing contestants that showcased barbecue styles from Kansas City, Memphis, and North Carolina.

The overall winner of the competition was Melvin “Boots” Johnson, executive chef at a Memphis-style barbecue location in Queens, New York, called Queens Bully.