By Jennifer Eisenbart
Editor
When 7 p.m. Sunday rolls around, Gooseberries Catering Chef Mike Lavin will be doing what many do on Sunday nights – watching television.
The fact that he’ll be watching himself, his wife and his son just makes it more interesting.
Lavin and his family will be on the Food Network show “Guy’s Grocery Games,” in the finale of the short series within the show called “Chefs and Their Families.”
Lavin said he and his family will be watching together with friends Sunday night at a private party.
The Lavin family is one of three to compete on the episode, with three rounds of challenges. Each family had to shop and cook their meals within 30 minutes. One family was eliminated after each challenge.
The winner of the show runs through the grocery and collects items within the store. If the winner collects secret items worth $2,000, they can win up to $20,000. “It was really a blast,” Lavin said. “It was a pretty interesting dynamic to cook with your family.”
Lavin has experience cooking at home, beyond just his job. However, the extra pressure of working together and on a deadline – as well as a surprise “kink” thrown into the mix – created some surprises.
“It gets interesting,” Lavin said. “Our son was a rock star. He’s just a great kid, and I don’t say that as a dad.
“He was there and he was there to show us he was able to do this.”
Lavin said the filming was a “process.” The family was out there for about three days, and were “treated like kings.”
Mike’s son, Andrew, actually had to go to school per filming rules.
“It was a lot of hurry up and wait,” he explained.
“You think on your feet,” Lavin said. “And then he throws these twists.”
Lavin said the family is going into the weekend having seen nothing but the commercials for the episode. And of course, he and his family are unable to give any hint of how the episode played out.
“It was a great experience,” Lavin said. “It was great fun. It’s a lot harder than it looks.”
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Congrats, Mike!
I always enjoyed the good food you made that was sold at Gooseberries and you deserve accolades like this!
Should made for, “must-see TV”
Win or lose -I’ll still drool every time I walk into Gooseberries!! 🙂
Awe… My stomach is grumbling now just thinking about it….
Very well deserved!
I literally screamed out loud when you and your family won!!! I am thrilled for you you deserve this congratulations Chef Mike!!!