Surfish Chef Miguel Aguilar Blows Away the Competition on Food Network's "Chopped"
Wednesday, July 6, 2025 at 2:23PM
Last night, Park Slope's very own Miguel Aguilar, chef/ceviche master at Surfish Peruvian Bistro, on Fifth Avenue between 4th and 5th Streets, competed against some of the region's finest chefs on Food Network's cooking competition show Chopped, and man, this guy's definitely got some skills.
He had to deal with some crazy ingredients, for example turning this mystery basket...
into this dish, which "blew away" judge Marc Murphy:
He sweated it out...
He surfed a little...
And by the end, it was down to Chef Miguel and one other chef.
And with a chocolate cake that one judge said was the best he'd eaten on the show...
He won! Something tells me that the $10,000 payday may have influenced his decision to open a restaurant of his own.
Congratulations, Chef Miguel!
Reader Comments (23)
Very cool. How nice of you to profile this moment for him. Definitely need to try his new place!
Congrats Miguel, u did it again!!! good luck at Surfish, best wishes for you!!
This is what we call Perubian food at it's best. It comes for his home land with honor, love and respect. I am Puertorican and this is the best seafood I have ever had. If you ever come to New York come to visit SURFISH BISTRO in Park Slopes in Brooklyn.
absolutely the best cevice we have ever eaten--anyplace in the world. this guy miguel has it all together--a cevice master!! definitely worth the trip from manhattan to park slope... we have marked surfish as a preferred destination for culinary utopia. bravo miguel. we'll be seeing lots of you and recommending friends and associates, too. i suspect you';re going to be needing a bigger place and more tables soon.
Surfers don't lay on the board they STAND UP like real Men and Women. Don't quit your day job cause you'll NEVER be a real surfer.
@ JB, you have no idea, Miguel was Peru's national bodyboarding champion back in the 80's, felicitaciones Miguel, que sigan los exitos..
I had a meal at Surfish last night. As usual... the food was terrific, the wait staff attentive and warm and Miguel's wife is a charmer as is their beautiful baby boy who was doing host duties from his mom's arms.
If you have not tried this place it is a must!!!
@ JB ...hopefully you are a real "Surfer dude" real surfers don't say that..just proof you can surf..you are a KOOK!! and not a real man!! real men say it on the face!!!! you know where to find me Kook!!! I will meet you at rockaway beach any time in a big day (hurricanes are coming) to see who can surf..
Miguel Aguilar!!! I'm a bodyboarder ..I'm proud !!!
@JB, a real man doesn't make comments hiding behind a computer. I would say more but unlike you I rather tell you like a man. My name is ALEX NEGRON aka NYCSponger.
@JB obviously your a know nothing DFD kook of a tool...anybody that rides from jersey to long island knows not only does he ride but he owns....(summer and winter) not only is he one of the best riders we have out here but Miguel "surfs" better on his two feet with his fins on than 90% of fakes...shut up and be happy for a guy DBAG
@ JB, you have no clue or idea of how much respect Miguel gets as a "SURFER". It doesn't matter if he's laying down, riding drop knee and yes he can stand up on a bodyboard as well. JB do you think you could do the same? Replace whatever it is that your KOOK a$$ rides and stand up, not to mention with fins on your feet and catch the sickest barrels this East Coast has to offer. I know for a fact you CAN'T!
Not only is he successful in the water but in what he does for a living as well. Not many people out there have what it takes to open a business for themselves. He's living all his dreams and passions and all you can do is sound like a person that has nothing going on your life. Only miserable people like to spread misery. G.F.Y. JB you're probably not even half the man Miguel is and if you were you still couldn't add up to him.
Congrats and God bless you Miguel. You're "BODYBOARDING" buddy Anthony Lizardi.A.K.A. AquaRican
JB change your name to CS ,l I surf with Miguel for years we surf means we surf every diferent ways shortboard longboard stand up bodyboarding,DK,prone you are a coward PS come to oahu hawaii and surfr with me in pipeline or other spots i surf REAL MEN my name is Xavier look for me and we go surfing together ,miguel felicidades ,cuidate carnal
I was so happy to finally see a Peruvian chef in Chopped. Gracias Miguel for the victory to all the Peruvians. YupI!!!!
Creative and delightful....Miguel your a talent :) Great to see you win on choppped.
Buena Miguel, eres el orgullo del Peru una vez mas el Peru Rompiendo fronteras, con su gastronomia suerte te espera un futuro excelente.
Miguel I watched Chopped last night and I was so happy to see the final results, your food not only received great reviews by the judges, but it looked delicious. You were also so humble through out the competition, I love it! I was suffering with you whenever i saw your cake wasn't cooperating OMG! It was very stressful! You make all peruvians living in the USA and in the world so proud! Thanks I want to go to your NY restaurante now.
Miguelito..... so sorry I missed the show last night! Congratulations! wish you all the best! besitos a tu familia y en especial a tu mama!
Miguel, congratulations and you make lots of Peruvians proud!!
Loved the show last night, jumping in front of the TV I was so prouf of what you did there. Felicitaciones!
I saw the show Last Night and was happy and proud to see a peruvian chef in the show..... and you did it!!!!!!
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! and GOD BLESS YOU adn YOU FAMILY!!!! y que sigan los Exitos!!!
For all of you guys. Miguel " Plancha"was the national Champion of Bodyboard in Peru back in the 80's. Plancha congratulations. I watched the show! Awesome dude!
Congratulations, Miguel! you mede us all so proud. I watched the re run yesterday and was hoping for you to win -of course. I almost had a heart atack when your cake wouldn't come out of the mold...You're so humble all the way through the copetittion -thanks for that!...
Hugs and all the best for you and your restaurant from Calgary, Canada.
Congratulations Miguel! I don't know when this episode originally aired, but Miguel was my favorite character on the show so far. He was humble and creative. He didn't have some manipulative story of someone dead as his reason to be there. He won by pure skill. I wish I could have eaten his food. Now I'm going to have to make it a point to visit his restaurant.