Hillsdale Chef Wins 'Beat Bobby Flay' Food Network Battle

HILLSDALE, NJ – A Bergen County chef was featured on the Food Network’s “Beat Bobby Flay” and he did just that.

During the Feb. 23 episode of the popular show, which features chefs competing against each other for a chance to take on Flay, Michael Merida, owner of Rockin' Roots in Hillsdale, defeated Katherine Fuchs, a chef and retired FDNY 9/11 first responder, with his toasted Israeli couscous dish.

Flay, a River Vale resident, went on to battle Flay and beat the famed chef. A panel of three judges – one of whom included lifestyle and cooking guru Martha Stewart – picked Merida’s smoked cod croquettes over Flay’s blue crab and shrimp croquette.

He's also the first chef in New Jersey to beat Flay on the show.

On Monday, Merida celebrated his victory, posting on his restaurant's Facebook page, "Thank you everyone for the support. Although Bobby is a tough competitor, the sun shined a little bit more on my side of the stadium on that day! #WEWON!!!!!"

Merida opened Rockin' Roots, a plant-based cafe, coffee and juice bar, in Hillsdale last year. The menu includes cold-pressed juices, smoothies, acai bowls and coffees, along with salads, soups, baked goods and oatmeal.

Prior to that, Merida helped developed some of New Jersey's most popular restaurants, including the Montclair Social Club. His chef experiences includes cooking in some of the world's best restaurants, such as The Fat Duck in England, El Bulli in Spain, Ryu Gin in Japan and Le Bernadin in New York, according to his biography.

On his website for Rockin’ Roots, Merida said his goal is to prepare “super nutritious food that tastes great, while using environmentally friendly packaging.”

“By making everything fresh every single day, we maintain the highest nutritional value and taste. All of our fruit purees, coconut yogurt, nut butter, and nut milks are also made in house daily. We are mostly organic and have many gluten free options. We are committed to serving clean, whole food without harmful chemicals and heavy processing. I appreciate the opportunity to showcase my passion for healthy food to the local community,” he said.