Connecticut announced the launch of the TV-to-Table Trail, a statewide culinary tourism experience featuring chefs and restaurants that have appeared on national food television programs including Chopped, Beat Bobby Flay, and Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.
Governor Ned Lamont and the Connecticut Office of Statewide Marketing and Tourism introduced the trail during a launch event at the Stamford Museum and Nature Center, hosted by James Beard Award-winning chef Scott Conant. The event featured chefs from Connecticut who have competed on television programs and gave attendees the opportunity to sample their dishes.
The participating chefs include Tyler Anderson, who won Chopped and is a Connecticut Chef of the Year nominee; Adam Greenberg, who won the Chopped Grand Champion Tournament and Beat Bobby Flay; Emily Mingrone, the first female chef to be named Connecticut Chef of the Year; and Joel Gargano, whose restaurant Grano Arso was named Connecticut Restaurant of the Year in 2019. Other participating chefs and restaurants include Adrien Blech of Orienta, Joseph Hamboussi of Prime Burger, Matt and Lisa Storch of Match and Match Burger Lobster, Kim Hoàng Wood of Le Banh Patisserie, Michele Albano of Michele's Pies, Haven Hot Chicken, and Sugar Bakery.
The launch event included the "TV-to-Table Throwdown," a 15-minute cooking competition where chefs created dishes using Scott Conant's tomato sauce and locally sourced ingredients. The winning chef received a $2,000 donation for their selected charity, with participating organizations including Hands on Hartford, Downtown Evening Soup Kitchen, Save the Children, and others.
The trail follows other Connecticut statewide tourism initiatives, including the Connecticut Pizza Trail and the Connecticut Oyster Trail. According to the state's latest tourism report, Connecticut welcomed 72.2 million visitors in 2025, with tourism generating $20.1 billion in total economic impact and $12.3 billion in direct visitor spending. Tourism growth in Connecticut more than doubled the national rate in 2025.