Another Wichita chef will appear as a contestant on a Food Network cooking show
Another Wichita chef is about to appear on another Food Network cooking show.
This time, it’s Kevin Lebron from Larcher’s Market, who will appear on tonight’s episode of the Food Network show “Supermarket Stakeout.” The restaurant, which is at 3555 E. Douglas, is putting on a live watch party at 8 p.m., and those who attend can enjoy free appetizers.
Lebron moved from Phoenix to Wichita in January 2024 to take over as head chef and operations manager at Larcher’s Market, a sister restaurant to The Belmont next door. The owners of The Belmont opened Larcher’s in April of last year.
But just before Lebron moved to Wichita, he taped his appearance on the show, which is hosted by celebrity chef Alex Guarnaschelli and is now in its seventh season. Each episode of the show, which airs at 8 pm. Tuesdays on Food Network, features four chefs competing to cook the best dish in a pop-up kitchen outside of a grocery store. The twist: The chefs must stake out shoppers who are exiting the store and negotiate with them for their grocery bags. The winning chef gets a year’s worth of free groceries.
According to the description of tonight’s episode, the competing chefs will be challenged to make ballpark dishes in the first round. Those who advance to the next round will have to create something that feels Southern, and the final two chefs must make cookies.
Food Network also posted a video clip previewing the episode. Lebron is the one in the yellow apron.
Lebron is a graduate of the Art Institute of Phoenix, where he got a degree in culinary arts in 2001. After that, he worked in restaurants all over Phoenix, including the Phoenix Country Club and at Eddie Matney’s. He was working for a Phoenix restaurant group called Upward Projects when he met Tory DeMarce, who went on to co-own The Belmont and Larcher’s Market. At the time, both were working at the group’s restaurant, Windsor.
Lebron was working as a private chef when DeMarce called him about the job at Larcher’s Market, which is part bar, part coffee shop, part specialty market. Those who follow Larcher’s social media accounts often see a smiling Lebron starring in videos promoting the restaurant.
Lebron’s personality is one of the many reasons that Larcher’s Market’s other co-owners, Phoenix-based brothers and business partners Anthony and Ryan Francisco, agreed that he’d be a good fit for the restaurant.
“He’s got a very infectious personality,” Ryan Francisco said. “He’s just got a smile and just an enthusiasm about him that’s awesome.”
This story was originally published July 29, 2025 at 5:01 AM.
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