- 5 months ago
The Great American Recipe (2022) Season 4 Episode 6- The Grand Finale
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00:00Viewers like you make this program possible.
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00:06This season on The Great American Recipe.
00:09Over the last five weeks of competition,
00:12our home cooks from regions across the country.
00:15I am so proud that I'm able to bring the regional touch
00:19of Spokane, Washington with my huckleberries.
00:23It just makes me feel so happy to eat it.
00:26I love it.
00:27Proudly sharing their most treasured recipes.
00:29I don't know if a lot of people know how good Puerto Rican food is.
00:33And I'm here to show everybody that we are not to be underestimated.
00:37You brought it today.
00:39Yes.
00:40And the stories that bond them to each dish.
00:43I started making this dish for mom and dad at the end of their life.
00:47It was nurturing and it brought lots of memories too.
00:51You can tell the time and the love that was put into this.
00:54My mom would have been so proud that you were eating this dish.
00:58I learned in this competition that cooking with love translates in so many different ways.
01:04Wow.
01:05Privilege.
01:06You got this.
01:07Now we're down to the final three.
01:10This is good.
01:12Rex.
01:13I never dreamt of this.
01:14But my goal is just to show the world what Filipino cuisine is.
01:20And this will make my country proud, paving this path to our future generation of Filipino immigrants.
01:27Kobe.
01:28Oh my God.
01:29This is amazing.
01:30To win it all would be a dream come true.
01:34I think I'm a great advocate for Louisiana and the Cajuns.
01:37And I want to show everybody Cajuns are truly special people.
01:41And super proud of their food.
01:42And Raigal.
01:44Afghanistan is rich with ancient traditions and recipes.
01:48So the legacy I want to leave through my food is that tradition is beautiful, but also putting your own spin on things is just as exciting.
01:56And for one home cook, the title as the winner of the great American recipe is just two rounds of cooking away.
02:03Salam.
02:04Salam.
02:05Salam.
02:06You guys look energized.
02:07I'm excited.
02:08I'm ready to cook.
02:09Ready to cook.
02:22Welcome finalists.
02:23We are all so proud to see the three of you standing here.
02:27For the last time, please join me in saying hello to your wonderful judges.
02:32Francis Lam.
02:33Hey, congratulations to all of you.
02:35Tiffany Derry.
02:36Good morning, y'all.
02:38Good morning.
02:39And Tim Hollingsworth.
02:40Good morning, you guys.
02:41Welcome back.
02:42You guys should be so proud.
02:44The journey we've seen you embark on over the past five weeks has been so inspiring.
02:49And now we are just two rounds of cooking away from naming one of you the winner of the great American recipe.
02:56Since it is the finale for your first round of cooking, we're bringing in one more judge to help us out.
03:03Wow.
03:04Chef and Jewish food guru, Jake Cohen.
03:09Hi, Jake.
03:12Good to see you.
03:14Welcome to our kitchen, Jake.
03:16So good to be here.
03:17I'm thrilled and I think it's so cool that we get to cook for him today because Jake is a published cookbook author and I love that because it inspires me.
03:25I would love to have my own cookbook one day.
03:27Jake, what are you looking for from the finalists today?
03:30It's such a privilege to be able to represent the food that's at the core of who I am and what I love.
03:36And I'm so excited to get to see that in each and every one of you.
03:41We know the past five weeks have challenged you in the kitchen, but I know they've also been hard because you've been away from home.
03:47And most importantly, your loved ones.
03:49And although your family can't be here right now to encourage you, we wanted you to feel the love in this very next round of cooking.
03:57At each of your stations, you'll find a memory box from your loved ones.
04:01Each of those boxes contains a note and a hometown recipe.
04:06I miss home, especially my wife, Bernadette.
04:09She wants to bring out the best in me and she knows I have the potential to win this all.
04:16Pictures of my family back in the Philippines and picture of Bernadette, my wife.
04:21Oh, yeah.
04:22Looks like she wants me to do some pork adobo.
04:24And she has a note for me.
04:25Ever since we've been together, cooking has been your passion.
04:29Now with your hard work, everything is paying off.
04:32I'm always so proud of you, babe.
04:34And I believe in all the incredible things that you have accomplished.
04:39I love you and I miss you so much.
04:42That's beautiful, Rex.
04:43Kobe, who sent you your note?
04:45My wife, Toni.
04:47It says,
04:48Kobe, I have no doubt you will make it to the finale.
04:51Good things happen to good people.
04:55I love you.
04:56I wish I could be there to cheer you and celebrate with you.
04:59All of your friends and family are rooting for you.
05:02Love you and bring home the trophy.
05:04Toni's my rock.
05:06It is really good to hear from her and to see that beautiful note.
05:09I love her.
05:10She sent me a recipe for shrimp po' boy.
05:13Good old Louisiana tradition.
05:15Nice.
05:16Okay.
05:17All right, Waigal.
05:19I opened the box and my recipe card is fettuccine Alfredo.
05:23There's also pictures of me and my sisters.
05:26Dear Waigal John, we are absolutely thrilled for you.
05:29The only thing that will be getting cut are the onions.
05:33Period.
05:35We love you very much and are wishing you all the best.
05:38Good luck, the Safi clan.
05:39This letter is reminding me of my sister's witty humor.
05:42Anytime I felt down and hopeless in life, my family has picked me back up and said,
05:46Listen, you just got to keep going one foot in front of the other.
05:49For your last round of cooking before the final cook, you'll have 60 minutes to prepare a dish from your loved ones.
05:57As always, your dishes will be judged on taste, presentation, execution, and how well you did with the theme of showcasing your hometown recipes.
06:07Jake, is there any advice you can give them?
06:09Definitely.
06:10Lean into your roots.
06:11Make it like you would make it at home and definitely channeling all that energy from your loved ones.
06:16Imagine that they're here today and you're cooking for them.
06:18Thank you, chef.
06:19Okay, finalists.
06:20Get ready.
06:21Because your time starts now.
06:25Oh my God.
06:32You got this, guys.
06:34Jake, thanks for joining us today.
06:38How does it feel to be at the judges table?
06:40I'm so excited.
06:41We heard a couple of these recipes are not what you would expect.
06:44So what I'm really looking for is story and how they stay true to their background and how they cook for their loved ones.
06:51Also, each of them are often putting their spins on things.
06:55So I would love to see, you know, how they interpret this recipe.
06:58I think it's going to be a fun journey.
07:00Yeah.
07:01I'm getting excited.
07:02For sure.
07:03Let's see what we got here.
07:04The hometown recipe in my memory box is shrimp po' boy.
07:08And I think I can kind of put my spin on it.
07:10So I'm going to make a cypress knee shrimp po' boy with homemade french fries.
07:15It's going to have some crawfish, crab, and I need andouille sausage for some extra flavor in there.
07:21Hey, Kobe.
07:22Yes.
07:23What are you working on?
07:24In true Louisiana tradition, if you ever pass between Lafayette and Baton Rouge, you pass right over the Atchafalaya River.
07:32And when you see that, you see nothing but cypress trees and cypress knees sticking out all over the place.
07:37So today, my spin on this is going to be a cypress knee po' boy.
07:41Stands tall, fill in the middle rather than a lay down.
07:44Ooh.
07:45Interesting.
07:46And nothing goes better than homemade french fries with that.
07:48Well, you're going to be busy today.
07:49I am going to be busy.
07:51In this competition, I wanted to do well not only for my family, my firefighter brothers, but I'm super proud to represent Cajun culture through the time that I've been here cooking my food.
08:05Like jambalaya and alligator sauce pecan.
08:09This is the essence of Cajun food.
08:12It tastes like where you're from.
08:16But there's a lot of competition, and I feel like it was anybody's game at this point.
08:20Rex, how you doing, brother?
08:22I'm okay so far.
08:24I think Bernadette sent me a pork adobo recipe because the first time I made this dish was the first year anniversary when we were dating.
08:32So it has sentimental value.
08:35But this is the finale, so you want to make sure you want to impress the judges that you're not just giving them just a regular pork adobo.
08:42So for this round, I'm making spicy dried pork adobo, and I'm going to serve it with white rice.
08:49First, I need to get my pork belly into the pressure cooker to get tender.
08:54Put in some garlic.
08:55Rex, how's it going?
08:57Waiting for the pork.
08:58Putting my twist there, I'm going to make it spicy dried pork adobo.
09:01Oh, you're going to make it dry?
09:02It makes the texture different, and you'll encapsulate the flavor in there or trap it in.
09:07Oh, okay.
09:08Sounds cool.
09:10The pork adobo is a very classic Filipino dish.
09:13The ingredients are very simple.
09:15So how it turns out differently is all, like, in the hands.
09:18Right.
09:19And honestly, if you're going to boil it, it needs time.
09:23If you're going to fry it and get it crispy, then it's a whole other situation.
09:27So maybe his spin will also be saving some time.
09:31Hopefully.
09:32Making it this far means so much.
09:34And I want to make my fellow Filipino proud.
09:38Being able to showcase what inspired my recipes.
09:43Like pork tinuguan with puto bigas and the oxtail kare-kare.
09:48I loved that you cooked this for us.
09:51Your Filipino roots is coming through.
09:53And definitely delicious.
09:54Thank you, Chef.
09:56Winning the competition, I mean, wow.
09:59That would be unimaginable.
10:01I'm going to cook rice.
10:03Let's add some flavor to that rice.
10:05Fettuccine Alfredo is just plain with some Parmesan cheese and butter.
10:14But these peppers add so much to the sauce and make it my way.
10:20I think I got this recipe because growing up, whenever we would eat out,
10:24fettuccine Alfredo is something my sister would always go for.
10:27But I'm going to put my spin on this pasta dish,
10:29and I'm going to be making my creamy, dreamy lemon linguine.
10:32I'm going to add a whole lot of spices to my chicken just to give it some flavor.
10:36Waigal.
10:37Yes.
10:38How are you doing?
10:39It's going good.
10:40I just didn't realize how much prep work it would take,
10:42because I want to change it up a bit.
10:44I'm going to add some mushrooms, bell pepper, onions, a whole lot of spices.
10:49Of course, sumac.
10:50Why not?
10:51Why not?
10:52Well, I could smell the spices already.
10:53Yeah.
10:54Oh, that's great.
10:55Wouldn't expect an Afghan fettuccine Alfredo,
10:57because typically you think of it as just this quite simple, humble pasta,
11:00and it'll be interesting how far he pushes it and if it's too much.
11:04Yeah.
11:05This is going to season the chicken, but it's also going to season the whole sauce.
11:09In my culture, men don't cook that often,
11:11so it feels so good competing against two people I feel like are my brothers
11:15with the dynamic different cultures coming together.
11:17A little extra butter for Fran, because we missed her and we love her.
11:20Being in this competition has taught me so much about myself,
11:23because I think for anyone that's a first-generation American with immigrant parents,
11:27there's this constant struggle and this constant need to prove yourself.
11:31So I'm glad that I'm doing well in this competition.
11:34And I feel so proud of myself right now that I've done so well with my Afghan recipes,
11:38like chicken yakni and kruti.
11:41You have wowed us and showed us all of these amazing Afghan flavors,
11:46but also that you've cooked really from your heart.
11:50Ooh.
11:51Beautiful.
11:52But I'm hoping maybe I can go home with a win and say,
11:54look, mama, I made it.
11:56That's exactly how it should look.
11:58All right, you guys have 30 minutes left.
12:00That was quick.
12:01All right.
12:04Kobe!
12:05Yes, ma'am.
12:06What's happening?
12:07What's going on?
12:08Smells good.
12:09You have a lot of work going on here.
12:11Hello.
12:12So how are you going to cook this sausage?
12:14This is just some undouille.
12:15It's not quite as smoky.
12:16I just kind of want to put it at the end.
12:17And then what I'm going to do here is just take this bread,
12:19and we'll just kind of hollow this out.
12:22And then we'll stuff that sauce in the bread.
12:24I want it to be meaty.
12:25You know, we like it meaty.
12:26But I want it to be flavorful as well.
12:28But I do want to make sure that we think about the build
12:31and how much liquid is going to be in there.
12:33So be careful with that.
12:34I got you.
12:35And how does it feel to be a finalist?
12:36To be representing Louisiana here, representing the Cajuns,
12:38I'm super fired up.
12:40Listen, I get it.
12:41It's like I'm from New York.
12:42There's a lot of pressure to represent the hometown.
12:44Sure.
12:45Absolutely.
12:46So really excited to see how this goes.
12:48And most importantly, that it stands up.
12:50Absolutely.
12:51All right.
12:52Best of luck, Colby.
12:53We can't wait to taste it.
12:54Can we try it?
12:55I got the crawfish in there.
12:56I have my shrimp and my crab, my heavy cream.
13:01To really suck up all those flavors and get that mixture just right.
13:07I think I'm doing good.
13:09All right.
13:10So I checked my pork belly in the pressure cooker
13:13and it looks like it's ready.
13:15Now I need to finish on the wok.
13:17So we're in here.
13:18Pork's tender enough.
13:20There's 15 minutes left.
13:22Gonna come down to the wire.
13:24Again.
13:25I have all my veggies in here.
13:27Some cilantro.
13:28And I'm just gonna have it married together as one cohesive sauce.
13:32For my fettuccine Alfredo.
13:34I'm also adding lemon juice to counteract the heaviness of the heavy cream and the Parmesan.
13:39Hey, Waigal.
13:41Hello.
13:42How are you?
13:43Well, thank you.
13:44I love that we're here now in the finale and you're not making Afghan food.
13:49Yeah.
13:50We enjoy all the cheese that goes into Italian American food.
13:52This is actually something I make for my nieces and nephews.
13:54They request it all the time.
13:55So you're cooking the pasta now.
13:57Yeah.
13:58It's a little on the early side.
13:59Yes.
14:00But it's really easier to take it past the al dente point once you've cooked it.
14:04Yes.
14:05So when it's not quite al dente, when it's almost time to serve maybe three, four, five minutes before,
14:10you can cook it in the sauce so it finishes the cooking there.
14:12So really smart to do that.
14:14I can't wait to taste this.
14:16Good luck.
14:17Thank you so much.
14:24Okay, everyone.
14:25You have seven minutes left.
14:27Woo-hoo!
14:28All right.
14:29Kobe, are you okay?
14:30I hope.
14:31Weigal, you okay?
14:33Uh, no.
14:34No?
14:35Yes.
14:36We're gonna try this now.
14:37See?
14:38I'm still waiting for the pork to really get tender.
14:41So I'm gonna leave it in the wok for as long as I can.
14:43Come on.
14:44Cook.
14:45Get tender.
14:46Seems to have a game plan.
14:48Do you think the pork belly hasn't had enough cook time?
14:50I'm wondering.
14:51You want the fat to break down, and that fat in between is delicious when it's broke down,
14:55but when it's not, it's chewy.
14:57Especially since it's skin on.
14:58Yeah, yeah.
14:59Yeah.
15:00Exactly.
15:01But then he's cooking it down in a sauce.
15:02He needs to be able to concentrate that flavor and get a little bit of caramelization on the pork after.
15:06Yeah.
15:07Folks, you've got three minutes left.
15:09Oh, wow.
15:10I wanna just leave a little bit of bread on the bottom right there so it don't fall.
15:14And when you do pick it up, it's not falling all out of the thing right there.
15:17Now it's time to see if I'll put this stuffing in there if that bread's gonna stand up.
15:21It is extremely risky, but sometimes that risk is well worth the reward.
15:26Judges, what are we thinking about Kobe's twist on the classic po'boy?
15:29We've seen him grow.
15:30We've seen him do really well.
15:31Yes.
15:32The challenge is, I feel like, is getting the sandwich to stand up.
15:35You gotta make sure that build is correct and the balance is correct.
15:37Yeah.
15:38You're getting each thing in every bite, you know?
15:39A hundred percent.
15:40Oh my gosh.
15:41Especially with all the proteins of adding crab and sausage.
15:43Oh, no.
15:44It's like, it's gonna be a lot to fit in.
15:46You have one minute left.
15:48Woo!
15:49I like it.
15:50It's standing up.
15:51It's good.
15:52That's hideous.
15:53Wow, they're really down to the wire on this line.
15:54Yeah.
15:55Rex, how's it looking?
15:56Uh, I think we're getting there.
15:57I have no time and I just hope that it's standard enough for the judges.
15:58I'm happy with that.
15:59I just need to make sure that I get this in the plate.
16:00Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one.
16:05Time's up!
16:06Great job!
16:07Woo!
16:08Woo!
16:09Woo!
16:10Woo!
16:11Woo!
16:12Woo!
16:13Woo!
16:14Woo!
16:15Woo!
16:16Woo!
16:17Woo!
16:18Woo!
16:19Woo!
16:20Woo!
16:21Woo!
16:22Woo!
16:23Woo!
16:24Woo!
16:25Woo!
16:26Woo!
16:27Woo!
16:28Woo!
16:29Woo!
16:30Woo!
16:31Woo!
16:32Woo!
16:33Woo!
16:34Woo!
16:35Woo!
16:36a dish inspired by a hometown recipe
16:38sent to you from a loved one.
16:41All right, Kobe, come join us.
16:45Today I made a Cypress Knee Shrimp Po' Boy
16:48with homemade french fries.
16:50Ooh.
16:51You know, Kobe, it's definitely unlike any other Po' Boy
16:55that I've ever had in presentation,
16:58but I think it has lots of flavor.
16:59You get all of the seafood.
17:01Nothing is overcooked.
17:03The sauce itself is nice.
17:04The fries, a couple of them were sticking together,
17:08so you have that piece that didn't brown at all.
17:11Right.
17:11But I think at the end of the day, the fries taste good.
17:14It all comes together so well.
17:16Nothing is too overpowering, which is really nice.
17:19It's just saucy enough.
17:21Obviously, I even think, like, it could have been even saucier,
17:25like I said, which is so crazy.
17:27You had us so terrified, and yet at the end of the day,
17:30I think it could have even been a little more saturated,
17:33but delicious.
17:37Rex, come join us.
17:40So today, I made spicy dried pork adobo,
17:43served with white rice.
17:46Rex, I feel like this version of adobo
17:49is something that showcases a lot of restraint from you
17:52because you usually have a lot of stuff going on.
17:56And overall, the flavor's really good.
17:58Oh, thank you.
17:58You know, the pork itself, you're able to get a lot of flavor
18:00in that pork in a short amount of time.
18:02But I do wish that the pork belly spent a little bit more time
18:06in the pressure cooker because if you get, like,
18:09a bigger piece of the pork with the skin,
18:11it gets a little bit chewy.
18:12Like Tim said, I had a couple of small pieces that were perfect.
18:17I had one larger piece that was a little tougher,
18:20but the flavor was all there.
18:22It was just spot on.
18:23Thank you so much.
18:25Boy, gal, come join us.
18:28I mean my creamy, dreamy lemon linguine.
18:31Boy, gal, the flavor of the sumac, the lemon, the turmeric,
18:40it's so beautiful.
18:42Really, really, really nice job.
18:44You really managed to keep the texture of the pasta
18:46just, I think, the way you wanted it.
18:48Thank you so much.
18:49If I had one critique, I would say,
18:51because I was thinking fettuccine Alfredo,
18:53maybe a little bit more richness,
18:55maybe a touch of cream,
18:57or maybe a little butter stirred in at the end
18:59or something like that.
19:00But this is really nice.
19:01Thank you so much.
19:02This is definitely not what I thought
19:03was going to come to the table
19:05when you're given fettuccine Alfredo,
19:07but I absolutely love it.
19:09I could hear that all day.
19:11The play on the spices were great,
19:14but it's a lot,
19:15and I think the pasta would have been just as good
19:17without the peppers and mushrooms.
19:19Thank you so much, boy, gal.
19:21Thank you, girl.
19:22Good job.
19:28In this round,
19:29we asked you to make a dish
19:31inspired by the comforts
19:33of a hometown recipe
19:34and your loved ones.
19:35But there is one home cook
19:37we'd like to recognize
19:38who presented a truly exceptional hometown dish,
19:42and that home cook is...
19:47Kobe.
19:48Your Cypress Knee po' boy was just delicious.
19:57The way you presented it to us
19:59was something we had never seen before,
20:01and your seasonings really topped it off.
20:03It was a very good bite of a sandwich.
20:07Thank you all.
20:07I had fun making it.
20:09I'm super proud.
20:10I got a win in the finale,
20:11but I do have to compete
20:13and complete this next round.
20:15One screw-up could just cost me the competition.
20:17Please join me in thanking
20:19our very special guest judge,
20:21Jake Cohen.
20:22Woo!
20:26It was truly an honor
20:27to taste all of your cooking today.
20:29I'm rooting for all of you.
20:32Congratulations, Kobe.
20:34Amazing round, everyone.
20:36We can't wait to see your final dishes
20:38in the last round
20:39that will determine
20:41who will be named the winner
20:42of the Great American Recipe.
20:44Woo!
20:47This is it.
20:53Today, we're giving you three hours
20:55to prepare a meal you consider
20:57to be your Great American Recipe.
21:00So, you'll need to make an entree,
21:03a side dish, and a dessert.
21:05And, we thought,
21:07you might need a little help.
21:10Rex, your wife, Bernadette, is here.
21:13Woo!
21:18Wow.
21:19I can't believe it.
21:20It's Bernadette.
21:21My motivation to win has grown
21:23because she's here.
21:24Wow.
21:25Wow.
21:27All right, Kobe.
21:28Your wife, Tony, is here!
21:31Woo!
21:31Woo!
21:31Woo!
21:31Woo!
21:31Woo!
21:31Woo!
21:31Woo!
21:31Woo!
21:32Woo!
21:32Woo!
21:32Woo!
21:32Woo!
21:33Woo!
21:33Woo!
21:33Woo!
21:34Woo!
21:34Woo!
21:34Woo!
21:34Woo!
21:35Woo!
21:35Woo!
21:35Woo!
21:36Woo!
21:37Woo!
21:37We're super special to me,
21:38but I feel like we're a little bit of yin and yang.
21:41We're not always the best,
21:42most compatible in the kitchen.
21:44Woo!
21:46We do both cook with love.
21:47All right, Waigal, joining us is your sister, Zakiya!
21:54I'm so shocked that my sister, Zakiya, is here.
22:01And I'm just excited because I get to boss her around for once,
22:04because she's always bossing me around.
22:06Finalists, you have your loved ones here to act as your sous chef.
22:10And as always, Tiffany, Tim, and Frances
22:14will be judging your dishes based on taste, presentation,
22:18execution, and our final theme,
22:21which is to present your great American recipe.
22:25At the end of this round,
22:27the judges will consider your finale dishes
22:30and name one of you the winner!
22:37Good luck to all of you.
22:39Your final round starts now!
22:44Get your apron.
22:46There you go.
22:47And then you're gonna need this.
22:50There we go.
22:51Teamwork.
22:52All right.
22:54Let's go.
22:55All right, judges.
22:56So this is it, the big finale.
22:58What do you want to see in this big feast?
23:00What I'm excited to see is that their personalities
23:03are gonna come out even more,
23:04because now they have somebody that they're, you know,
23:06really close to.
23:07Yeah.
23:08And I think the stakes are really, really high.
23:10There's a lot of emotions going on, for sure.
23:12But really what we're looking for is properly done techniques,
23:16because one mistake could be the difference
23:18between you becoming the great American recipe winner and not.
23:22Going home with a lot of love.
23:25Got some bacon pieces.
23:26Got some extra bacon.
23:28What else you need?
23:29Okay, what part for the bacon?
23:31For my final round, I'm making cornbread stuffed chicken
23:35topped with the andouille cream sauce, served over grits
23:39with coleslaw and Millie's potatoes.
23:41You don't want to cut that?
23:43Uh-uh.
23:44And dessert will be firehouse cobbler.
23:47Okay.
23:48I'll call you if I need you.
23:49Awesome.
23:50I'm having Toni work on Millie's potatoes,
23:52because she makes my grandmother's potatoes the best.
23:55It's more like a twice-baked potato with bacon pieces.
23:58But the secret is to boil the potatoes with the skin,
24:01and then you peel them.
24:03Want to make a coleslaw?
24:05This is my great American recipe,
24:07because this is Colby on a plate.
24:10I've learned so many different dishes
24:12that has made me the Cajun cook that I am.
24:16Beautiful.
24:17Being here telling my story has brought me even closer
24:20to my family, to Louisiana, to the Cajun people.
24:24How you looking over there?
24:25Just waiting on the bacon to start browning.
24:27Okay.
24:28We do our own thing.
24:29We're both very strong-willed people,
24:31and so the fact that we have separate stations, perfect.
24:37Me and Toni have been married for 29 years,
24:39but she has her way of cooking, and I have my way of cooking.
24:42Toni!
24:43Yes?
24:44How do you like cooking with your husband here?
24:45Do I have to answer honestly?
24:47I already know what it is going on.
24:50Who is the better cook?
24:51It's situational, right?
24:53Oh!
24:54Hey!
24:55It's almost like y'all knew us already.
24:58My grandmother actually passed that recipe down to Toni,
25:01so having the master here with me
25:03I think is even easier for me to do.
25:05I'm the master of the chicken.
25:06She's kind of the master of the potatoes.
25:08We come together as one,
25:09make a fantastic dish for everybody.
25:11For the coleslaw, I season it with Cajun seasoning.
25:15Okay?
25:16I add a little bit of mayo, and I get to stirring.
25:20The pressure is already kind of starting to mount.
25:22Even though I have a little help.
25:24I've been doing well.
25:25I won the last round, so I want to continue that.
25:28You did that pretty quickly.
25:30Yeah, I got to get that cornbread and that chicken going.
25:39Why go where's the peeler thingy?
25:40In your drawer.
25:41Sometimes you forget how bad you are at cooking
25:43until you really have to do it.
25:45Ooh.
25:46For my final round, I'm going to prepare cobali palau,
25:50which is a rice pilaf with feel shank alongside brownie bonjon,
25:54which is braised eggplant in a tomato-based sauce.
25:57For dessert, I'll be making a classic Afghan milk custard
26:00called fidni with kataif dough and pistachio paste.
26:04Is this one too thick?
26:06Yeah.
26:07Careful with your fingers.
26:09We haven't cooked together much, so this is such an interesting experience.
26:14I love it.
26:15For the cobali palau, the first thing you want to do is brown the veal shank
26:18with some spices and onions.
26:20I need to get it in the pressure cooker as soon as possible.
26:23If we're going to have dinner today and it'd be our last supper,
26:26this needs to be it.
26:27This is my great American dish because it's been passed down to me from my mother.
26:31And being given the opportunity to showcase my Afghan American heritage
26:35has been a beautiful experience because no matter where you go,
26:39you can prepare things that make you feel connected to your roots.
26:42It smells great.
26:44It's actually better every time he makes it, so I'm excited.
26:46Winning on the great American recipe would mean so much to me.
26:50And my only hope is that any Afghan American watching this
26:53can just share the beauty of our culture with whoever's around them.
26:58He loves his culture so much, and Afghan food, once you try it,
27:01will be one of your favorite types of food.
27:08All right. I think it's good.
27:11So I want you to cut that and then just peel it first, okay?
27:14Okay. Gotcha.
27:16For this final round, I'm making chicken in asal and garlic rice
27:20with a side dish of achara or pickled green papaya.
27:24Shouldn't be this hard to fill a papaya.
27:26And my dessert will be halo-halo.
27:29So Bernadette's working on the achara right now.
27:31I'm doing the marinade for the chicken.
27:33Chicken in asal is basically a Filipino version of our grilled chicken here in the States.
27:38There you go.
27:41Using garlic, lemongrass, green onions, pineapple juice, and add mesquite powder.
27:47So it adds like a smoky flavor to the dish.
27:50This is my great American recipe because everybody in America loves grilled chicken.
27:54But at the same time, I'm still bringing in my Filipino flavor.
27:57It smells really good.
27:58My family in the Philippines would be proud of me winning the whole competition.
28:01But my goal is just to show the world that Filipino cuisine rocks.
28:08So Rex looks like he is sous-viding chicken, which is such an advanced technique.
28:14I'm impressed.
28:15Hope there's no leak.
28:16So you're cooking it inside of a bag, vacuum sealing to infuse flavor.
28:20And then you're able to cook in a water bath at a very gentle temperature so that the chicken is juicy.
28:26Yeah, definitely.
28:27And I think of the three finalists, Rex is the one who has done the most in terms of having a really composed dish,
28:33but also his ability to accomplish multiple items in a cook.
28:36I think back to the steamed rice cake he made.
28:38The rice cake is delicious.
28:40It's still creamy, it's soft.
28:42You taste the coconut in it, you taste the whole sweetness.
28:44Yeah.
28:45I will never forget this.
28:46Oh, thank you so much.
28:47And then the rice noodles, the pancit, but also he decided to make the spring rolls.
28:51The rice noodles has so much flavor.
28:53The spring roll itself, the mixture inside is a delicious mixture.
28:57I mean, mine's gone.
28:58That part of this is not new to him, him having to make multiple items.
29:03Sure.
29:04So with the added time, I want to see him really lock in and make sure everything is perfect.
29:08Yeah.
29:09Babe, do I have to finish all of this, Papaya?
29:11Uh, let me see.
29:12I hope he would normally kick me out of the kitchen, but I don't want him to kick me out today.
29:19I'm glad Bernadette came because she's always been very supportive.
29:24Ouch.
29:25Oh, I'm sorry.
29:26I'm sorry.
29:27But honestly, she can't cook.
29:29I'm sorry.
29:31Regardless, I'm just glad to share this experience with her.
29:34You're doing great.
29:35You're doing great.
29:36Okay.
29:37Let me take my time.
29:42Two hours left, folks.
29:45Two hours.
29:46All right.
29:47All right.
29:48Let me get started on this cornbread.
29:49Are we looking on the potatoes, Sonia?
29:51Doing good, babe.
29:52Good.
29:53I got coleslaw done already.
29:54I believe in you, babe.
29:56The next thing I need to get done is my cornbread and stuffed chicken with andouille cream sauce.
30:03The first thing I do is I get my chicken thighs and I beat them out so that they're a little thinner.
30:08Next, I have Tony take that sausage out of the casing for me so I can get that brown so that I can start on this stuffing.
30:14Let's get this stuffed up.
30:16And then we stuffed these chickens so that we can get them in the oven as fast as possible.
30:20You can give me a little bit more on this one.
30:22No, you're just right, actually.
30:24Good job.
30:27Then just do this.
30:33Perfect.
30:34For my khabli palao, I have my veal shank and spices and onions all browned.
30:41I'm going to add it to the pressure cooker.
30:43Okay.
30:44What should I do next, Weigal?
30:46We can go ahead and start preparing the burani sauce.
30:49So Weigal is cooking a veal shank with rice and we've sent a lot of great dishes from Weigal.
30:55We've always loved the flavors that he's presented.
30:58They're always bright, but I'm more concerned with technique.
31:01Yeah.
31:02As long as that veal is tender, I think he'll be in a very, very good spot.
31:05And shank is one of those cuts where it is a lot of connective tissue, but also very lean meat.
31:09Mm-hmm.
31:10We want to break down so it's nice and silky and smooth and luxurious.
31:14It's always going to be a little bit tricky. Pressure's on.
31:16Yep.
31:17How are you feeling, Zakia?
31:18I think we're doing amazing.
31:20We really are.
31:22Just give me how much you need.
31:24That's good.
31:25So while my chicken is in the sous vide, me and Bernadette are working this side of achara or a pickled papaya.
31:31So first we need to boil vinegar and sugar, garlic, peppercorn, and ginger.
31:37Okay.
31:38Smells good.
31:39And then we're going to drop onions, carrots, bell peppers, green papaya, and then we're going to add raisins.
31:46While the achara is cooling down, I'm going to remove the chicken in the south from the sous vide bath so I can grill the chicken.
31:55Woo!
31:56And hopefully get that grill-like texture and flavor.
32:00I'm going to baste this.
32:02This is rendered chicken fat and some achuete powder in it.
32:08Achuete.
32:09It's a mild pepper flavor, but at the same time, it also brings out this orange color.
32:13Hey, Rex.
32:14Hey, Frances.
32:15Tell me about your inspiration.
32:16So when I was a child, we always go to this restaurant and have chicken in the south.
32:21Oh, I love that.
32:22What would it mean to win today with this meal?
32:24Oh, it would mean the world to me.
32:26This chicken in the south meal brings up memories we may have with my mom.
32:31So I know that she'll be proud of me.
32:33So you're feeling confident.
32:34You're feeling good.
32:35I'm worried about the doneness of the chicken.
32:36The only thing I wonder is if you want the skin to be rendered and crisp.
32:41So when you're grilling it, you've got to move it a lot.
32:44Because the chicken legs are round.
32:46So keep getting the color you want.
32:48Yes, yes.
32:49You've got the grill mark you want.
32:50And then get the chicken in there to roast.
32:53Yeah.
32:54So it looks like we're hopefully getting there.
32:55All right.
32:56Good luck to you.
32:57Thank you so much, Frances.
32:59One hour left, folks.
33:00How's that feel?
33:01Scary.
33:02Come down to the wire again.
33:03Shocked.
33:05I don't know if this pot's going to be big enough.
33:07For the stuffed chicken, that's going to get topped off with andouille cream sauce.
33:11I use some smoked sausage.
33:12I cook that with the onions.
33:13I get my bell peppers.
33:15Just get that browned, and then we'll transfer it to a big one.
33:18OK.
33:19I'm going to get working on a dessert.
33:21I'm making a firehouse cobbler.
33:22It's been an old recipe.
33:23It's super sweet.
33:24It's good.
33:25Basically, you just put some blueberries down at the bottom.
33:27Cakes on top.
33:28Cover it with butter.
33:29Let that crust kind of brown good.
33:31Get that good buttery flavor along with that sweet.
33:33Man, I love it.
33:34I need to be able to pull off something fantastic with my cobbler because I struggled in the competition
33:40with my bread pudding.
33:42There's a lot of sweetness, and I would love a little fresh pineapple to give it another dimension.
33:48Gotcha.
33:49So I want to knock down that sweetness a little bit.
33:52It's not fancy or extravagant, but it's extremely tasteful.
33:55I hope it carries me through.
33:57Oh, babe!
33:58Hey, Chef.
33:59So you're thinking bowl flavors right now.
34:01Definitely the thing that's been working for you.
34:03Absolutely.
34:04Chicken's in the oven.
34:05When they come out, I'll sauce them immediately.
34:07Yep.
34:08And then you'll put something on top for garnish.
34:10Oh, I got some greens, some pretty garnish.
34:12Very nice.
34:13What about dessert?
34:14We call it a firehouse cobbler.
34:15What's the fruit?
34:16Blueberry.
34:17Blueberry?
34:18Like my bread pudding was sweet, so I did put a little bit of lemon on it to kind of knock
34:22a little bit of sweetness down.
34:23I learned that here.
34:24But you want to make sure your food feels in some way elevated through presentation.
34:28So really think about how you want to plate that.
34:30All right, I'm going to let you finish cooking.
34:31Yes, ma'am.
34:32Good luck with everything.
34:34Hope you enjoy it.
34:3545 minutes left.
34:36Oh, boy.
34:37What should I do next, Weigel?
34:38We're just going to layer this with the sauce.
34:40The next thing I have got to get started is my .
34:43I go ahead and layer the fried eggplant in the cardamom tomato sauce because adding that
34:47caramelization really elevates the dish.
34:49So put a layer of this in the pan and then the eggplant.
34:52Exactly.
34:53Weigel, how does it feel cooking with your sister here?
34:55I'm having fun with it.
34:56I just hope she's having fun.
34:58I'm having a lot of fun.
34:59What are you working on?
35:01The components of my dessert.
35:02What are you making?
35:03I'm making Fidni.
35:04It's an Afghan custard.
35:05It's scented with cardamom and a bit of rose water.
35:08Amazing.
35:09I go ahead and heat my half and half in milk and a bit of heavy cream.
35:14And then I add sugar, condensed milk, and let that come to a boil.
35:18My God, how you doing?
35:19Oh, good.
35:20I'm going to be giving this dish a twist by using kataif dough and pistachio paste.
35:25It really just turns a bit crunchy and it's going to add a lot of texture.
35:29It's going to give amazing texture, right?
35:30Right?
35:31Yeah.
35:32And it's very luxurious as usual.
35:33And my veal shanks going in the pressure cooker for my rice pilaf.
35:37And then you can add the veal shanks to the rice and bake it off.
35:39Top it with julienne carrots and raisins.
35:41Oh, beautiful.
35:42Yes.
35:43Obviously, you must think this is a winning meal.
35:44For me, it is.
35:45This is a recipe that's been passed down from my mom.
35:47I hope you guys like it as much as we do.
35:49Well, I love veal shanks.
35:50My advice to you is if you need to pivot and cook it longer,
35:54don't be afraid to turn it back on.
35:56Give it a few more minutes.
35:57That's going to give the rice the flavor as well, right?
35:59Yes.
36:00Tim's feedback keeps me motivated throughout the competition.
36:02You have all these great spices,
36:04but I do wish that the meat had a little bit more caramelization on it.
36:08It's cooked well.
36:09Just a little bit more char would be great.
36:11Totally.
36:13And I want the veal shank to be perfectly tender
36:15because it's my last chance to impress the judges.
36:20What's next, babe?
36:21We're going to do the halo halo stuff.
36:23Okay.
36:24So Rex is making halo halo.
36:26Oh.
36:27Yes.
36:28Yes.
36:29That's one of my faves.
36:31Me too.
36:32But we need to make fresh ice cream.
36:35I'm going to make the fresh flan.
36:37Oh, wow.
36:38Will we have enough time, babe?
36:39We should have enough time.
36:41Go big or go home.
36:42Halo halo in Tagalog means mix mix,
36:44and it's a shaved ice,
36:46drizzled with condensed milk,
36:47and then just whatever.
36:49Canned fruit, jellies, beans, flan,
36:52a scoop of ice cream.
36:54It's awesome.
36:55I'm doing my flan right now.
36:56I'm caramelizing the sugar.
36:57I'm losing this lanera.
36:59So the secret with the flan,
37:00I'm going to do the custard.
37:01You don't want to be in a hurry whisking it.
37:03So while I'm making the flan,
37:05Bernadette's building up these beautiful layers
37:07and other flavors of the halo halo
37:09with some red mungo beans,
37:10strips of coconut meat,
37:11tapioca pearls, jackfruit,
37:13ube jam, fresh mango.
37:15So we're going to steam this.
37:16And then while we have our flan steaming,
37:18I have to make my ice cream.
37:20So I'm going to add a little bit of ube.
37:22This will be a topping on the halo halo later on.
37:26Ube is interesting because it's similar to a potato,
37:29but it's also naturally sweet
37:31and it's used in desserts.
37:33Uh-oh.
37:34Uh-oh.
37:35How we doing, Rex?
37:36I'm making a mess.
37:37Sorry.
37:38Hey, I make mess all the time.
37:39It's all right.
37:40So if we use my ice cream,
37:41I'm going to pour the mixture on a plastic bag,
37:44and then I'm going to put that on another plastic bag
37:46with ice and ice cream salt,
37:48and then you're just going to shake it for a lot.
37:50Hey, a little workout, huh, Bernadette?
37:52I don't know if I signed up for this.
37:54Did you switch it off?
37:55You just making a shake it.
37:57My dessert is very complicated,
38:01but I believe that my halo halo can stand out
38:04and hopefully could help me to win this competition.
38:07Like that?
38:08Yep, yep, yep, yep.
38:0915 minutes left.
38:10Wow.
38:11Hurry up, hurry up.
38:13My grandmother will be turning in her grave
38:16if my rice doesn't turn out right.
38:18Now there's even more pressure.
38:20Oh, my God.
38:21How's that veal shank?
38:23My veal shanks are completely tender.
38:26I am so excited to try all these flavors.
38:29Wow.
38:30Now I'm going to go ahead and mix it with the drained rice
38:33and put it in the oven to bake.
38:37Yes.
38:38Ten minutes, everyone.
38:39Toni, Bernadette, how are you feeling?
38:41We're doing well over here.
38:43Doing good so far.
38:44Zakiya, how's it going?
38:46It's going.
38:47This is their absolute final last chance to impress you.
38:51They need to pull it out now.
38:52Yeah.
38:53Make sure this, uh, this don't dry out.
38:57I feel great.
38:58All my dishes taste absolutely phenomenal,
39:01so hopefully I get the win.
39:03I want my plate ugly.
39:05There's three minutes left!
39:07Woo-hoo!
39:08Okay.
39:09Got it, got it.
39:10How we looking, man? How we looking?
39:11I don't know. You tell me.
39:12I like it. You're good.
39:13Make sure you have all the finishing touches.
39:15You got it, Rex.
39:16Steady hands, steady hands.
39:17Take it out.
39:18Set it on top.
39:19I'm so proud of you.
39:20This is amazing.
39:22My dishes look beautiful.
39:24It presented what my mom has taught me,
39:26and I hope that that's enough that I could be the winner.
39:29Where does this go?
39:30Just on top.
39:31On top of what?
39:32On top of the chicken.
39:33On top of the chicken.
39:34One minute!
39:35It's the final minute, folks!
39:36Is everything on that dessert?
39:37Ice cream, babe.
39:38Ice cream, babe, please.
39:39Ice cream in the freezer!
39:40Ice cream in the freezer!
39:41Ten!
39:42Nine!
39:43Eight!
39:44Seven!
39:45Six!
39:46Five!
39:47Four!
39:48Three!
39:49Two!
39:50One!
39:51Time's up!
39:52Five!
39:53Five!
39:54Four!
39:55Three!
39:56Two!
39:57One!
39:58Time's up!
39:59You did it!
40:01Finalists, you had three hours to prepare your great American recipe.
40:24These dishes look incredible.
40:25Wow, they sure do.
40:28Kobe tell us what you made for us today I made a chicken with cornbread stuffing with the andouille
40:35cream sauce and a coleslaw with my grandmother's potatoes so I hope y'all enjoy this is delicious
40:42the stuffing is so well seasoned your flavor also comes true pretty tasty good so good how
40:48can I add my Afghan pizzazz to this but it's amazing as is you know Kobe a lot of the stuff
40:55that you've made before is kind of been like sort of these one pot a lot of browning and this to
41:01me I really like it thank you chef the technique of rolling and wrapping the chicken and the fact
41:07that you put all of these flavors in there smoked sausage cornbread stuffing all of these things
41:11tying in together I think you should be proud of the execution you did on it and if this is
41:16Kobe on a plate I'm glad to meet you Kobe this chicken is really cooked nice and Millie's potatoes
41:24are excellent they are buttery but not in a heavy way and I love there's a lot of bacon thank you
41:30your wife did good every part on the plate sings but I do think you could have put a little more
41:37flavor in your coleslaw okay yeah I agree even something like cucumber okay um something like
41:43that like something that gives you a juiciness a freshness but the andouille cream sauce the
41:47smokiness is so tasty and this is not a dish that really relies on browning for flavor but I love how
41:53you're showing us that you are like intentionally trying to move out of your comfort zone even here
41:58in the finale thank you chef white girl today I prepared cobbly Palau and Burani Bud and John
42:04Kobe Pal is the national dish of Afghanistan it is a rice pilaf with veal shank and the Burani
42:09Bud and John is braised eggplant in a tomato based sauce it's beautiful my god I like the raisins with
42:15the rice yeah and the gravy all together your sister did well Meg but my god this is so delicious
42:22because it is so sumptuous the veal shank I thought you did a very nice job with that and I love how it
42:28flavors the rice but I do miss a little bit of the acid that you're so known for because there's a lot
42:35of richness on the plate I agree the veal goes so well with the eggplant it's delicious thank you so much
42:41yeah in fact my favorite thing on the plate is the eggplant this just melts in your mouth I thought
42:46the veal was tender but I wouldn't mind having a little bit more spices just to kind of wake it up
42:52just a little but I love the eggplant thank you Rex tell us what you made for us today I made a chicken
42:59in a salad with garlic rice and I also have a chara it's a pickled green papaya we always eat this
43:06with our hands oh my yeah the tanginess of that sauce with the chicken it's phenomenal very good
43:14right oh thank you Rex I'm trying to think about all the different techniques they use on this chicken
43:18but it pulls right off the bone I think it's cooked very well the one thing I would say is I really do
43:23wish that it was grilled over charcoal you know and how that would actually change a little bit the
43:28texture of the skin I wish I had a little bit more live fire to it yeah I agree maybe a hotter oven
43:34could have helped render that skin out a little bit more but to me one of the stars of this is the
43:40achara the pickled papaya which brings acid to it and a fresh crunch very very tasty thank you I agree
43:47you could have been concentrating on the chicken skin a little bit more but I think you had a lot going
43:51on right but I think that you did a very good job of bringing this plate together thank you well done
43:56everyone now what do you say we bring in your sous chefs and loved ones to enjoy dessert with us
44:02sounds like a sweet treat to me all right loved ones thank you for joining us it's our pleasure
44:13thank you for having us great to have you okay Rex so today I've made halo halo
44:19Rex what's the little crispy things oh that is a toasted young coconut that's fantastic
44:26wow really good thank you wow when we heard that you were preparing halo halo I looked over at
44:33Tiffany and she was like so now that we're eating it it is definitely a party in a glass from the
44:40shaved ice this creamy creamy ice cream and the ube flavor is like a very sort of mild vanilla kind of
44:46flavor yeah every bite is different and it's like choose your own adventure and the flan gives you
44:52another note it was perfect for this dish yeah Rex I have to agree there's a lot of crunch there's a
44:57lot of chewiness sweetness bitterness if I had to say anything and I don't know if it's classically served
45:02in this tall of a glass or not but you know I have to get all down and in there um I don't know it's a great
45:08I don't want to mess up his fingers thank you so much Rex thank you so much and Bernadette thank
45:15you but you guys liked it it was delicious all right Kobe so today I made a firehouse cobbler this
45:21is one of the things that they passed down to the fire department I mean look at you garnishing you got
45:25the citrus the blueberries the mint Kobe to me the surprise is on top there was a chewy and crispy at
45:32the same time and I was like oh that's good and I really appreciate the blueberries and lemon
45:37because they are quite sour and like you said it is very sweet thank you chef it's very delicious
45:41the consistency that the blueberry has pairs well with that sort of cakiness glad y'all enjoyed yeah
45:47it's so good I do think one more element would have taken this like yes even just whipped cream would
45:52have been nice thank you all right why gal I prepared fit me with a layer of kataif and pistachio paste
45:59all you can say is wow it's really good thank you texture is just so beautiful and it pairs so
46:14well with the kataif and pistachio paste if I were to say any sort of critiques at all as you're filling
46:21it up maybe pushing it down with a spoon and creating a perfect layer and then putting the
46:25pudding on top but ultimately it's so delicious thank you thank you so much I love that it's not
46:31too sweet there's like savory notes with like the milk custard all of that is truly a party in your
46:38mouth and so good thank you yeah I agree and I would have thought that if you put this custard on top
46:43it would make it soggy but it's like crispy crunchy and I love pistachio so this is a beautiful beautiful
46:48dessert thank you thank you cooks please give us a moment to discuss and we'll bring you back in when
46:53we're ready to announce the winner thank you judges now is the toughest part of your job let's talk
47:06about like I thought the veal was tender but I think he wasn't heavy-handed with the spices and it wasn't
47:12seasoned like I would expect yeah I just wish he had made like lemon cucumber yeah cucumber tomato
47:18dried freshness would have perked the whole thing up sure but the eggplant was my favorite bite it was
47:25so luscious with the spice I think that brought out a really nice flavor delicious why Gall's dessert
47:30was a favorite me with pistachio cuttie the balance that he had between the cardamom custard and the
47:36pistachio paste that he had in the Kataya was delicious my glass it was like almost like a whole
47:41spoonful of pistachio paste which I love that wasn't my bite at all yeah so I think there was an
47:46inconsistency for sure in the filling of it yeah oh you could see it I could see it little things you
47:51know why Gall's dishes were equal parts delicious and visually stunning not to mention consistently
47:58hitting the top marks throughout the competition with his why Gall twist yeah yeah that was great
48:04all right so let's talk about Rex what did you think about the chicken I thought the flavor was
48:09really nice and I thought the dish as a whole I found really satisfying but the skin was a little
48:14bit on the chewy side I do think the least successful part of the dish was the chicken I mean he was trying
48:21but it didn't do what it needed to do yeah I agree I think to me the papaya salad gave you the acidity
48:26and that brightness that you want a lot of textures a lot of flavor he did a good job yeah so let's talk
48:31about Rex's dessert what did you think about the hallo hallo he made a leche flan he made the ice cream
48:37and then all those different components made the dessert a standout yeah it was one of the most
48:42intricate desserts we had today for sure but one thing we've continued to talk to Rex about is time
48:47management and essentially doing too much yeah the attention of detail may have hurt him a little bit
48:52the chicken but it made the dessert a standout yeah let's talk about Kobe I thought the chicken was
48:58really well cooked the cornbread dressing inside had lots of flavor Millie's potatoes were also really nice
49:04with the bacon-y flavor but the slaw was just cabbage and some mayo but like maybe thinking
49:10about adding something else to it to give it a little bit more light yeah Kobe's meal was super
49:16tasty and he really was applying things he had seen along the way through this whole competition yeah he's
49:22trying to share the learning that he's received not only from us but from his fellow cooks yeah let's
49:28move on to Kobe's blueberry cobbler I think the nuttiness that you got from the butter the little
49:33crunchiness was delicious but I would have loved to have seen whipped cream or something to give
49:39you a little bit of a break I feel like he needed lemon zest and not just the juice that he used it
49:44does show that he has been listening and learning though yeah these were all incredibly strong meals
49:49yeah I thought all of them really deserve to win true but it sounds like you've come to your decision on
49:55who is the winner of the great American recipe yeah all right let's bring back the home cooks and
50:01announce your decision let's do it thank you home cooks for all the recipes and stories you've shared
50:16with us along this journey and especially for the beautiful dishes you plated in the final round this
50:22final round of cooking really showed all of your personalities honestly it is very very clear why the
50:29three of you are standing here today and we absolutely cannot forget your sous chefs today yeah
50:39after much consideration for all your dishes tonight we have made our final decision this home cook stay
50:49true to who they are through every last one of their dishes that truly represented the heart of their
50:56cooking and their great American recipe take a deep breath and soak in this moment this experience was
51:03like a dream that I don't want to wake up I have learned a lot from the judges but my goal is show
51:10the world the beauty of what Philippine cuisine is and I feel like I've accomplished my goal my mom is
51:17always my guardian angel and I believe she's really proud of me right now I've learned so much and I
51:24represented Louisiana I represented the Cajuns and I think everybody back home is gonna be extremely proud
51:30of me and if I win I'll be over the moon because I know I stay true to who I am throughout this journey
51:37I've shared so much of myself my identity and my Afghan culture just through food and I'm so honored but
51:44it's just been a beautiful blessed opportunity the home cook with the most successful recipes and the
51:51winner of the great American recipe is I don't even believe it I'm super proud I'm glad I did it for
52:11my family I'm glad I wanted for Louisiana I'm glad I wanted for the Cajuns I love you Louisiana and when I
52:20get back I want to celebrate with all my people not just my family but my whole Cajun family how
52:25are you feeling right now oh my god I'm all over the place and now you are officially the winner of
52:35season four of the great American recipe congratulations the Cajun King has won and I'm so happy he did
52:47because I know he's been through so much and he's such an amazing home cook I'm really happy for
52:52Koli he's got a big heart he loves his community he's passionate in his cooking and he deserves to
52:58win this competition honestly because of how y'all cooks people will experience your culture and your
53:05cuisine for the first time and so now you're introducing the world to your food and I think
53:11that that right there is just pretty special so exciting yeah this experience was really once
53:16in a lifetime because I tell everybody that I was put on this earth to be a firefighter but now I
53:22think I can leave my mark as being a great Cajun cook Alon Lafayette Alon La Luzon and bien merci
53:30the Cajuns
54:00you
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