El Paso chef to strut talent on Food Network’s ‘Chopped’

EL PASO, Texas ( KTSM ) — El Paso chef Enrique Lozano will get to show off his culinary skills during the Food Network’s “Chopped” show.

Lozano is the executive chef behind Ay Dios Mio Cocina and Cantina in El Paso’s Five Points neighborhood, located at 2909 Pershing Dr., Suite B.

This will be Lozano’s second time on the Food Network. He was on “Beat Bobby Flay” in May.

KTSM caught up with him ahead of his appearance on “Chopped.”

Lozano said being on “Chopped” was an awesome experience.

“It was a lot of fun, honestly,” he said in an interview with KTSM. “I enjoyed it a lot obviously. I enjoy cooking. I’ve been doing it for a good amount (of time).”

Lozano said, in particular, he enjoyed the competitive aspect of the show.

“I’m very competitive,” he said. “Being there was like second nature to me. I had the time of my life being in a show, I’ve been wanting to be on for the last 10-plus years.”

His episode of “Chopped” airs Tuesday at 6 p.m. Mountain Time.

Lozano’s restaurant also got some major publicity when it was featured in Texas Monthly in May of this year.

Here is what Texas Monthly had to say about his restaurant:

“Not your everyday Mexican food.”

“The venerable neighborhood of Five Points in central El Paso is turning into a foodie paradise with the addition of Ay Dios Mio Cocina y Cantina. Enrique Lozano, previously the chef of El Charlatan (in Socorro, Texas) and a 2023 James Beard Award semifinalist, has transformed the old Pershing Inn Bar into a hip taco–Asian fusion paradise.”

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