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00:00In the high-pressure food world,
00:02bitter feuds and intense rivalries are everywhere.
00:05You!
00:06We got some beef to settle.
00:07It's like an old-school duel.
00:09From disputes that begin in restaurant kitchens...
00:11I never forget what you did.
00:12You've been copying me.
00:13To culinary superstars that have resentments that go back years.
00:16I'm gonna run you out of this arena like I ran you out of L.A., baby.
00:21So I'm inviting chefs with real-life grudges to settle the score
00:24in head-to-head culinary match-ups.
00:26This is pan-to-pan combat.
00:28Oh, my God.
00:29The winner earns redemption, their rival chef knife, and $10,000.
00:34It gives me goosebumps to even think about giving this knife up.
00:37It means everything to me.
00:39This is Chef Grudge Match.
00:44She's a super mom with two children.
00:46She's authored a knockout cookbook.
00:49And she's considered the greatest female boxer of our time.
00:53Make some noise for the champ, Layla Ali.
00:59Hey, everybody.
01:00Are you ready to see a bunch of bros barreled out in the kitchen?
01:09Tonight, we've got two bromancers gone wrong involving dudes whose friendships have soured after the ribbing over their cooking went too far.
01:20This grudge match is between two larger-than-life reality stars and friends, Mark Long and Johnny Bananas.
01:28Mark and Johnny first became friends on MTV's The Challenge.
01:32The two of them then went on to compete on Worst Cooked Celebrity Edition.
01:36Jeff and I accept this roast.
01:37Yes!
01:38But Mark did not.
01:39Oh, it's so sad.
01:41He's been practicing his culinary moves in the kitchen and is ready to take Johnny on and prove that he is the best worst cook.
01:50This cooking grudge has been going on at least four years now.
01:53Anytime we're in a cooking situation or at a barbecue, Johnny won't shut up about how he beat me in Worst Cooks.
01:58He lasted further than me in it.
02:00What I make in my kitchen is better than restaurant-quality food.
02:04He's a culinary blowhard, and I'm ready to put his little flame out today.
02:09First up is our challenger.
02:12He's known as the OG, one of the nicest and most respected competitors to ever appear on MTV's The Challenge.
02:19After a disappointing finish on Worst Cooks, he's been sharpening his culinary skills in an effort to bounce back and reclaim his crown.
02:27I'm calling Johnny out today because when we get together and cook, he's just a jabbermouth of cockiness.
02:34And I'm ready to smack that cockiness right out of his taste buds.
02:39Put your hands together for Mark Lowe!
02:43Let's go, baby!
02:50Let's go!
02:51Let's go!
02:52Let's go!
02:53Let's go to Layla!
02:54Hello, Mark!
02:55I'm not gonna let you do that better than me.
02:57That was for you.
02:58You gotta put a little uh on the hook.
02:59Yeah, I like that.
03:00That was better.
03:01I heard that Johnny just won't shut up about beating on you.
03:04Johnny reminds me of an out-of-season asparagus.
03:07No taste, no flavor, and when you pee, it smells bad.
03:11So today's the day I close his mouth and I walk away champion.
03:16Well, let's meet your opponent.
03:18He's won seven seasons of MTV's The Challenge.
03:21He's known for his brash personality and strategic gameplay.
03:25And his appearance on Worst Cooks showed that he's just as competitive in the kitchen as he is on the field.
03:31Mark claims to be the godfather of reality television, which is fine, because I'm the GOAT.
03:38I'm flawless.
03:39My cooking is flawless.
03:40My plating is flawless.
03:42On a scale of one to ten, I'm Gordon Ramsay.
03:46Let's give it up for Johnny Bananas!
03:53Let's go!
04:00Wow, Johnny, welcome.
04:03Thank you for having me.
04:04I thought up until very recently I did my best work in the bedroom, but in fact, I do it in the kitchen.
04:10Oh, man.
04:11Because every time I go in the kitchen, I look around, I'm like, I'm the only snack in here.
04:15So I think...
04:16Is he a snack, ladies?
04:18Is he a snack?
04:19As long as you give him phone books to see over the stove there.
04:22Look, look.
04:23This is really about who's gonna prepare the best dish tonight, because our judges don't give a darn about how you look.
04:28Let me just tell you that right now.
04:30This is a one-round, winner-take-all, culinary grudge match.
04:34The winner is gonna receive the bragging rights, okay?
04:38And the big bucks.
04:40$10,000!
04:43Yes!
04:44Whoo!
04:45And the winner is going to receive the loser's most coveted chef knife.
04:49So please, Mark, tell me, which knife have you brought?
04:52So when I finished Worst Cooks, this was the first knife that I brought.
04:56And, uh, I'll be putting this up for, uh, the battle today.
04:59Okay.
05:00Me and this knife have a special relationship.
05:02If Johnny takes this knife from me today, he might as well take it and stab me right in the chest.
05:06And Johnny, what will you be putting up?
05:08I wanted to bring something he was not gonna hurt himself if he held.
05:11This is, Mark, about the exact level that you are, in my eyes, in the kitchen.
05:17See what I deal with, Layla, on a daily basis?
05:21Yeah, I do.
05:22You do.
05:23She's very confident.
05:24You gotta give him that.
05:25Safety first.
05:26As a precautionary measure.
05:28A plastic knife, you get in a to-go bag.
05:31Hmm.
05:32You can take that plastic knife, stick it you know where.
05:35All right.
05:36To your statement.
05:37Let's go!
05:41I'm about to put on one of, if not the greatest, culinary upsets the Food Network has ever seen.
05:47Mark, listen.
05:48You lost the day you were born, my friend.
05:50We're about to take losing to a whole nother level.
05:53Each of you have brought a secret weapon, an ingredient that you think is gonna trip up your opponent.
05:58What is going on with this one over here?
06:01So, Mark, tell me, what is your secret weapon?
06:03Johnny is a great friend of mine.
06:05So, in homage to him, goat cheese.
06:10Oh.
06:12He knows.
06:13I actually hate goat cheese.
06:15I find it delicious.
06:16Hats off to Mark, this was an amazing opening volley of strategery.
06:20Goat cheese tastes like a petting zoo smells.
06:23What is your secret weapon, Johnny?
06:25Something that is gonna really trip this guy out.
06:27Oh, God.
06:28Because it's spicy.
06:29Ugh.
06:30It's hot.
06:31That's what my dating profile says.
06:36Green peppercorns, Mark.
06:37What are you gonna do with those?
06:39Oh.
06:40No, I don't know what to do with those.
06:42I've never cooked with them.
06:43I've never heard of them.
06:45The fact that they're green, that's fun.
06:47But other than that, I don't know.
06:49You must use both of these secret weapons in your dish.
06:54Okay.
06:55All right.
06:56And the dish you'll be serving is a fine dining dish.
06:59The kind of perfectly balanced, technically advanced dish that you might expect to be served at a Michelin star restaurant.
07:06Taxi.
07:07This guy's gonna be lucky to cook something that tastes like a Michelin tire.
07:11I feel that maybe I should throw in another secret weapon.
07:14Since you both competed on Worst Cooks, I'm gonna give you some of the best chefs in the world.
07:21Yes.
07:22As your coaches.
07:23Yes.
07:24Ladies, come on out.
07:25Woo!
07:26Woo!
07:27Woo!
07:28Woo!
07:29Woo!
07:30Woo!
07:31Woo!
07:32Woo!
07:33Woo!
07:34Woo!
07:35Woo!
07:36Woo!
07:37Woo!
07:38Mark, say hello to your coach.
07:39Top judge and two-time Tournament of Champions winner, Chef Maneet Johan.
07:44Woo!
07:45Give it up, guys.
07:46Maneet in the building.
07:47And Johnny, meet your coach.
07:49James Beard Award winner and the only person to earn the titles of Top Chef and Iron Chef.
07:56Wow.
07:57Stephanie Eisenberg.
07:58Wow.
07:59Wow.
08:00That's a resume.
08:04As your coaches, they will be assisting you in preparation and will get you started for the first 10 minutes of your cook.
08:10Huh?
08:1110 minutes?
08:12Just the first 10 minutes, ladies.
08:13How many minutes do we have?
08:14You have 30 minutes total.
08:16And just like on Worst Cooks, they're gonna step out of your stations and they'll only be able to coach you from the outside to the finish line.
08:22That's fine.
08:23So when I ring that bell, you're gonna have one minute to menu plan with your coaches.
08:27And then you can get to shopping and cooking.
08:29Everybody got it?
08:30Yep.
08:31Are you ready for a grudge match?
08:32Yes!
08:33Yes!
08:34All right.
08:36Time to ring that bell.
08:38Okay.
08:39So if you're looking at fine dining.
08:41Right.
08:42Proteins.
08:43Crab or something like that.
08:44That is a great idea.
08:45Johnny loves cooking steak.
08:46So what I want to do is something totally different.
08:48Does crab cake instead of fine dining?
08:50I think that's a great idea.
08:5130 seconds left.
08:52Cream peppercorns.
08:53What did you bring those for?
08:54I want to do a steak with a peppercorn cream sauce.
08:57You can put the goat cheese in that cream sauce.
08:59That actually looks really great.
09:00Yeah, yeah.
09:01Can we do like a sort of return situation?
09:02Shellfish of some sort.
09:03Lobster.
09:04Or shrimp.
09:05I'm just taking lobster.
09:06Okay.
09:07Do you know what one of my favorite things is?
09:08Slow dancing.
09:09That's one of my favorite things.
09:10Well, wait.
09:11So while we're still dancing.
09:12I also love cooking bananas savory style.
09:15I love cooking bananas too.
09:17Your cooking time starts now.
09:19Let's go.
09:20I'm going.
09:21I'm going.
09:22All right, let's go.
09:23Let's go.
09:24Let's go.
09:25Get out of my way.
09:26Get out of my way.
09:27We're going to do a high-end version of a five-star Michelin appetizer.
09:29A traditional crab cake with a fruit salsa.
09:32Steak.
09:33Steak.
09:34Lobster.
09:35Lobster.
09:36We're making this green peppers, corn sauce, steak, and lobster with caramelized bananas.
09:39I got bananas.
09:40Land, sea, and jungle.
09:42Surf, turf, bananas.
09:43Oh, I got them.
09:44Don't you worry.
09:45Goat cheese.
09:46Where's the goat cheese?
09:47I'm going to lean on Manit's guidance, and hopefully I'll be a good student.
09:51Knives on the line, baby.
09:53We need lots of vodka.
09:54Not for the cook.
09:55Just for me.
09:56All right.
09:57Let's meet the experts who will be judging these dishes.
10:00As always, we're joined by our resident judge, renowned chef, and culinary ambassador,
10:05Jet Tila.
10:06Hey, what's going on?
10:07Nice to see you as always.
10:08Always great to see you.
10:09So who did you bring to judge with you this evening?
10:10She's a acclaimed Boston restaurateur and the winner of Tournament of Champions Season
10:213, Tiffany Faison.
10:23Hi, so nice to meet you.
10:24I'm so thrilled to be here.
10:25Taste this?
10:26Yeah.
10:27It's all right.
10:28I can imagine that Mark probably wants this badly.
10:29Right?
10:30Like, Johnny's never going to ever be quiet about anything until he makes him be quiet.
10:34That's right.
10:35Are you good at cooking steak?
10:36He's gone.
10:37He's gone.
10:38He's gone.
10:39Am I good at what?
10:40Cooking steak?
10:41Yes, I am.
10:42All right.
10:43You can be in charge of cooking steaks.
10:44All right.
10:45I'm going to start some sauce.
10:46Okay.
10:47And I'm going to get the banana whole bit going.
10:50Is that part of the dish, Mr. Bananas?
10:51Might be.
10:52He's not doing anything remotely what we talked about.
10:53Ten minutes with these chefs is a gift, right?
10:54Yeah.
10:55Like, use it wisely.
10:56I saw Johnny over here with, like, an onion hibachi volcano situation.
10:58Like, that's not really how you want to use your time.
10:59Do you know how flammable my hair is?
11:00Don't burn the air, Chef.
11:01It's not hot enough yet.
11:02We also need to kick a steak.
11:03All right.
11:04All right.
11:05All right.
11:06I'm going to start some sauce.
11:07All right.
11:08I'm going to start some sauce.
11:09Okay.
11:10And I'm going to get the banana whole bit going.
11:11Is that part of the dish, Mr. Bananas?
11:12Might be.
11:13You know how flammable my hair is?
11:15Don't burn the air, Chef.
11:17It's not hot enough yet.
11:18We also need to kick a steak.
11:20Oh, no.
11:21You got to stop with this.
11:22Volcano time.
11:23Mark, you're also going to lose here as well.
11:26Probably worse.
11:29You got to do it.
11:30Oh!
11:31Whoa!
11:32Now he's happy.
11:33Now he's happy.
11:34Whoo!
11:35Whoo!
11:36Whoo!
11:37This is my domain.
11:39Don't you have to cook?
11:41Come on.
11:42He's got me like the back of my hand.
11:43And I think he thinks this is going to be an easy win.
11:45But I'm ready to throw a wrench into his plans.
11:48Coming up, it's another battle of the bros as Chef Michael Hung calls out L.A. Hotshot Chris O for bad-mouthing him all over town.
11:57I'm going to run you out of this arena like I ran you out of L.A., baby.
12:01You said that was your most expensive knife.
12:03I'm really excited to pawn it, dude.
12:05Wow.
12:09So Mark came in feeling like he's the underdog.
12:12Oh, really?
12:13Yes.
12:14Because Johnny beat him out in some of the competitions that they have competed in in the past.
12:18And he just goes around telling everybody every chance he can get.
12:23Put two eggs in it.
12:24All right.
12:25Two eggs.
12:26This is easy.
12:27Just kidding.
12:28Can we put a little goat cheese in there?
12:29Am I going to mix this with my hands?
12:30Yes.
12:31You are.
12:32Make sure you have some gloves on.
12:33I'm putting some Indian spices in it.
12:35Yes.
12:36Spice it up.
12:37That'll go a long way with the judges.
12:38Microplane and put some garlic on it.
12:40Microplaning?
12:41What does that mean?
12:42This?
12:43This?
12:44Because I'm doing this?
12:45I think it'll be easier if you do it this way.
12:46Got it, got it, got it.
12:47Right?
12:48The crowd loves me.
12:49Start mixing it.
12:50Very gently.
12:51Okay, gently.
12:52Okay.
12:53Just don't disrupt the crowd.
12:54Yeah.
12:55Steak's entering the pan.
12:56I'll let Stephanie take charge.
12:57And she, you know, before you know it, is caramelizing my banana.
13:01But I know exactly what I'm doing.
13:03In the kitchen, I was actually the second best worst cook in America.
13:07Although I don't really think that that title or that moniker fit me very well.
13:11Because I'm actually a great cook.
13:13That is called a Maillard reaction.
13:15Which means that the fat has emulsified because of the heat into a very delicious crust.
13:21I am impressed, sir.
13:22All right, you have one minute left with your coaches.
13:25Lovely.
13:26So you're going to be making a slaw off of that.
13:28I've known Johnny for over a dozen years by now.
13:31We've competed in the sand together.
13:33Him and I have done competitions and speedos oiled up.
13:36But I feel like he loves to brag about beating me.
13:38You know, it's very demeaning.
13:40If I saw him using the knife that he won from me on this show,
13:43it would be like losing again.
13:45And I'd be a double loser.
13:46All right, coaches, your time is up.
13:49Please step out of the kitchen.
13:50And do you put panko over it?
13:52And make panko over it.
13:53So now I'm basically running naked, which is kind of scary.
13:56Do you know how to deseed a pomegranate?
13:58No.
13:59Cut this in half this way.
14:00Okay.
14:01The next thing I'm working on is the salsa
14:03because we're trying to balance out the salt with a little sweet.
14:06Hit the living daylights out of it.
14:07Yeah.
14:08Yes.
14:09Good.
14:10Yeah.
14:11Did you know that?
14:12No.
14:13See?
14:14They're having their own cooking class there.
14:15I like that.
14:16This is pleasurable.
14:17I know.
14:18The frustrations this way.
14:19This is nice.
14:20Mark, he's like thoughtfully in it.
14:21He's not making jokes.
14:22He's not saying anything on fire.
14:23There's an earnestness to like Mark being here that feels really nice.
14:27Let's get the mango going.
14:29Fantastic.
14:30That's a good knife skill.
14:31Look at him.
14:32That's excellent.
14:33Breezing through this.
14:34Mineet is such a great wing woman.
14:36It's fun because I can see her getting excited at my knife cuts.
14:39And I'm like, wow, I'm doing something right.
14:40This is cool.
14:41Hmm.
14:42That's flavorful.
14:43We've got 14 minutes left.
14:44Take the goat cheese and put it through this.
14:47Press it through.
14:48I'm actually feeling like way more positive and way more confident than before this thing
14:52started.
14:53Throw this in the blast chiller.
14:55It's going to feel great to shut Johnny up and I will have these bragging points forever.
14:59You got this.
15:00This is looking great already.
15:04I think these are good.
15:05Okay.
15:06Stephanie, how's coaching going?
15:07It's kind of like picking up my eight-year-old Ernie.
15:09Mm-hmm.
15:11As much as I like to joke around the outside, I'm taking this seriously.
15:15Nine minutes left.
15:16So put the little shallots that I cut up in there.
15:19You're going to sweat that for a second with some green peppercorns.
15:21I have the ability to cook a fine dining meal and I want to look like I'm also helping the team as well.
15:27Perfect.
15:28So sauce done.
15:29Lobster.
15:30Throw it on the grill for a second.
15:31If you're going to make surf and turf, you want to add sultry and delicious fats to them.
15:35So we're going to throw a little bit of goat cheese and herb and peppercorn butter.
15:39Look, Johnny is actually listening now.
15:41This is the quietest I think the country has ever seen Johnny.
15:45The country.
15:46You know, put in there a tiny splash of the fish sauce to tie the room together with that.
15:51I beat Mark on Food Network, the worst cooks of America.
15:54I think there's a little bitterness there on his side.
15:58As much as we're buddies, not when it comes to the playing field.
16:01You have five minutes, chefs.
16:02Oh, what's going on?
16:04Oh.
16:05Why are they together?
16:06Hey, hey, hey.
16:07What's going on over here?
16:08Yeah, that's the way.
16:11Ah!
16:12I'll leave the floor for one minute.
16:13Look at this.
16:14Seriously.
16:15In the middle?
16:16I would put it closer to the middle and then you'd have like the lobster weighing on it.
16:18Two and a half minutes, chefs.
16:19Presentation has to be tight and clean.
16:21I'm going to start with a little puree lake.
16:24Then I'm going to take the crab cake and put it on like a little boat going on the lake.
16:28This actually looks pretty good.
16:29Mark.
16:30Wow.
16:31I'm impressed.
16:32I know you want this bag.
16:33Oh, yeah.
16:34You've been preparing for this.
16:35You've got this, champ.
16:36You can lean your lobster tail on there.
16:37Oh, that looks pretty.
16:38You've got 30 seconds left.
16:40All right.
16:41Sauce, sauce, sauce, sauce, sauce, sauce, sauce, sauce, sauce.
16:43Better?
16:44More?
16:45Yeah, a little bit more and then switch it.
16:46Grab the goat cheese.
16:47From where?
16:48Oh, the goat cheese in the freezer.
16:51As if there wasn't enough.
16:55What are they bruleing?
16:57The goat cheese is good.
16:58Of course.
16:59Mmm.
17:00Now sprinkle it right on top.
17:0210, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
17:10Stop cooking!
17:15I think we have a budding romance here with Johnny and Izar.
17:22Can you imagine if that happened?
17:24Uh, yeah, I can.
17:25Kind of.
17:26I can see it.
17:27It doesn't smell good.
17:29It smells great.
17:30What you're looking at right here is fine dining.
17:35You're looking at America on a dish.
17:37And by the end of the night, Mark will be put in a to-go bag and sent packing.
17:42How do you think we did?
17:43I think we did fantastic.
17:45I'm looking at my dish and I feel like it looks pretty good.
17:47And I will be walking out of here with bragging points from now to the rest of time.
17:54Judges, our competitors have prepared for you a fine dining dish including goat cheese and green peppercorns.
18:01Mark, tell us what you prepared.
18:03So we decided to go with a lump crab cake with avocado, goat cheese, and green peppercorn puree.
18:11We tried to use all of these secret ingredients in everything.
18:15Guys, I don't know if you can feel this at home, but I am currently in a full sweat.
18:20Having Tiffany and Jet be judges, it makes you nervous.
18:25Um, Mark, I don't understand how you didn't make it very far on Worst Cooks because this is pretty fabulous.
18:30Wow.
18:34The use of goat cheese and the green peppercorn in everything is really, really evident.
18:39You've used goat cheese and green peppercorns, but you used it in a very controlled way.
18:43And I would order this in any fine dining restaurant.
18:47My critiques are a bit on seasoning.
18:51I think you could have used more acid here.
18:54And the other fault is I have big chunks of goat cheese in my crab cake and then I have avocado goat cheese on the bottom.
19:00It's not giving the crab any opportunity to like really show its like sweetness.
19:04I think coming into this, I was kind of like, how serious is Mark and Johnny going to take this?
19:08But kudos, man, like you were thoughtful in the kitchen.
19:12You were listening to your amazing coach.
19:14And I think this is a beautiful dish.
19:17Nice job.
19:19Imagine three or four years of this guy saying, oh, I'm the better cook.
19:22I lasted longer and worse cooks.
19:24Johnny, enjoy it because in a few minutes, brother, you're not having it anymore.
19:28Next up, Johnny.
19:29So a few things we got the we've got the New York strip steak with peppercorn goat cheese cream sauce.
19:37And then we have lobster tail, which also have peppercorns in it.
19:41And then we caramelized some bananas to balance out the flavor with a little bit of sweetness.
19:46I'm still confident that I will be able to pull this one off.
19:49I mean, it's beautiful.
19:50If this was any prettier, I think I was staring in a mirror.
19:53Fine dining to me has always been surf and turf.
19:59Conceptually, this is about as gameplay genius as you can get.
20:05I'm really enjoying the steak.
20:07I think the sauce is the star of this play.
20:09I saw you pull out the blowtorch and go to torch the goat cheese butter on top of the lobster.
20:14And I sort of thought, oh, we don't need that.
20:16Like, no gimmicks.
20:17Delicious.
20:18It did actually need that torch.
20:19The lobster itself, though, I think is a bit under.
20:23And lobster hates being overcooked and it hates being undercooked.
20:26It really is one of those things you have to nail dead on.
20:28I know you're Johnny Bananas, but, like, I don't love, like, this Bananas Foster Steak experience.
20:35They're delicious on their own, but they have no place on this plate.
20:37I've been told often in life I don't belong a lot of places either, so...
20:40If you have a Venmo code for, like, your charity that you're raising money for, I'm happy to give to that.
20:45But take your bananas away.
20:47But overall, it's really, really good.
20:49I'm pretty confident in what we threw out there, especially because we didn't just have one item.
20:54Hopefully that's gonna play into our scorecard as well.
20:56This is tough.
20:57Like, I did not expect food like this from you guys.
20:59Thank you, guys.
21:00Thank you, guys.
21:01Nice job.
21:03Of course.
21:05We've got 50 points total.
21:09We've got 20 points for the taste, 20 points for execution, and, of course, 10 points for presentation.
21:15This is like judging apples and bananas.
21:18Literally.
21:19I get Johnny, and I love his energy, and I think he's regarious, but, like, this is not being able to discipline yourself just enough to be like, that doesn't belong here.
21:25Mark, you're gonna be taking the exact same route that you're used to taking, and that's into the loser's circle.
21:32Mark's crab cake was really tight. A lot of goat cheese, a lot of green peppercorn.
21:36Crab and goat cheese together is really, really tough.
21:38Mmm.
21:39And then it was, like, so much goat cheese in that crab cake.
21:41The knife is gonna be great, but to leave with the moniker of champion of Chef Grudge Match versus that guy, it's gonna be glorious.
21:52Gentlemen, we have a decision.
21:55With a score of 39 to 43, the winner of this grudge match is...
22:07Mark!
22:08Yes!
22:09Yes!
22:10Yes!
22:11Yes!
22:12Yes!
22:13Yes!
22:14Yes!
22:15Yes!
22:16Yes!
22:17Yes!
22:18Yes!
22:19Yes!
22:20Yes!
22:21Yes!
22:22Yes!
22:23Oh!
22:24Oh!
22:25Oh!
22:26Oh!
22:27Oh!
22:28Thank you, Layla.
22:29Thank you, Layla.
22:30Johnny, the judges, they didn't really feel like the bananas belonged on the plate.
22:33I've had this forever!
22:35No!
22:36Don't be a sore loser.
22:39I'll glue that back together for you.
22:41This is why we can't have nice things.
22:46Losing never feels good.
22:47Although, when you lose to a friend, it kind of takes the sting out of it.
22:50They say you don't want to meet your heroes, because they're gonna disappoint you.
22:53It's the exact opposite with Mark.
22:54You know, just a genuine, awesome human being.
22:57Let's hear it for Johnny Bananas, and it's so good to see you!
23:01Love you, brother.
23:02Love you, brother.
23:03Love you.
23:05So proud.
23:06I have fears in my eyes.
23:07I'm like, yes!
23:08I wouldn't even have come close to winning without her, so...
23:11Oh, that's not true.
23:12Give it up for her, guys.
23:13Thank you, thank you.
23:14Let's give it up!
23:15Michael Hung!
23:18Although he broke this terrible plastic knife, I will relish in this win for years upon years.
23:25Will I give Johnny a few dollars?
23:27Maybe.
23:28You know, he's a great friend.
23:29Maybe I'll throw him a couple bucks.
23:30Maybe take him out to a steak and lobster dinner since he botched that meal.
23:34Yes!
23:35Are you ready for another battle?
23:37All right, then.
23:39Chef Michael Hung is calling out fellow Southern California chef Chris O.
23:45Chris and Michael first got to know each other as rising star chefs in LA's restaurant scene.
23:50But when Michael decided to move to Palm Springs for a job offer, Chris started publicly trash-talking Michael, claiming that he had run Michael out of town.
23:59I think Chris, in his head, is telling himself that he's a much better cook than I am.
24:05But we're going to settle that today.
24:07Like, I'm a petty person.
24:09If he wants to be a little crybaby, I'm going to let this baby cry and just kind of just, like, just, I'm going to keep poking him and poking him because I like messing with people.
24:17First up is our challenger.
24:19He headed a Michelin star restaurant for two years.
24:23He's a classically trained chef with a quiet confidence who takes pride in his detail-oriented cooking.
24:29I've really made it a point to travel the country to learn how to cook.
24:33And for me, cooking really is a craft.
24:35For him, cooking is not a craft.
24:37It is a means to getting famous and looking pretty on camera.
24:43Put your hands together for Chef Michael Huggs!
24:57When did you first hear that Chef Chris O was talking behind your back?
25:00Well, I had moved to Palm Springs three years ago.
25:03And about a year after I had left, I heard Chris was talking trash and telling everybody I left town because of him and that I was jealous of his success.
25:12You know, Chris has opened 12 restaurants, but I'd like to tell everybody he's also closed 11.
25:17Oh.
25:19He really doesn't have the same level of talent that I have.
25:24Well, it's time to walk the walk because, honey, that's been a whole lot of talk.
25:28Let's meet your competition.
25:30This award-winning street food chef has opened more than a dozen restaurants.
25:34He's a maverick in the L.A. food scene, famous for his loud mouth and unconventional style.
25:40I'm a self-taught success story.
25:43You know, I've catapulted my career while he's down in sleepy old Palm Springs just making foofy hotel food.
25:49I can't lose.
25:50Give it up for Chef Chris O!
25:54Oh!
25:59Come on!
26:01Hello, Chef!
26:03Yeah!
26:04Yeah!
26:05Yeah!
26:06Hello, Chef.
26:07Hey.
26:08Look at that smile.
26:09You look so nice.
26:11But I hear you're throwing a lot of shade.
26:12It's not that hard to throw a little shade on.
26:14What's his name again?
26:15Oh, man.
26:16My name is Daddy.
26:19Oh!
26:20We are starting early.
26:22I love it.
26:23This one-round winner-take-all battle is designed to put this grudge to bed.
26:28So the winner is going to get closure, bragging rights, which I know you'll both love.
26:33And who doesn't love $10,000?
26:36And the winner will take the loser's most coveted chef knife.
26:45Chef Hung, which knife have you brought?
26:47I have brought a knife that I've had with me for my entire career.
26:52So it's got a lot of sentimental value.
26:54And it's kind of like a teddy bear for me.
26:56Oh!
26:59So Chef Chris, which knife are you wagering tonight?
27:02Uh, well, my most expensive knife, worth more than his yearly salary.
27:07This was gifted to me a very, very long time ago by a wonderful and amazing craftsman.
27:12I barely use it because I love it so much.
27:14Are y'all ready to see a grudge match?
27:16Yes!
27:17Chef, let's go to your station.
27:19Let's go.
27:22Chris, we all know that I am superior to you.
27:25So get yourself ready to be embarrassed on national TV.
27:28So what I've been doing to prepare for this battle is, uh, absolutely nothing.
27:35Because Michael is nothing.
27:37Okay, both of you have brought a secret weapon.
27:40An ingredient that you feel will trip up your opponent.
27:43Chef Michael, what is your secret weapon?
27:46Medjool dates.
27:47Dates are really a big part of Palm Springs agriculture.
27:50Also, I wanted to bring something that was Western and European
27:53because I know Chris can't cook any of those kind of things.
27:56Mmm.
27:58Chef Chris, have you ever cooked with Medjool dates?
28:00No, but my grandma eats them all the time.
28:04Do you feel that, you know, those aren't gonna trip you up?
28:06Nothing would trip me up.
28:07What is your secret weapon?
28:09Anybody can cook good food with good ingredients.
28:12But a true chef could cook with bad ingredients.
28:15Canned nacho cheese.
28:18Oh.
28:21Ugh, nacho cheese.
28:23That is so Chris-o.
28:25Heavily manufactured, highly processed.
28:27And since you both claim that you're inventive and versatile,
28:31I want you to prove it by making a fusion dish.
28:34One that combines the flavors of two different cuisines.
28:38Cool.
28:39Using both Medjool dates and canned nacho cheese.
28:42And you have 30 minutes to do it.
28:44Sounds excellent.
28:46Excellent.
28:51Are y'all ready for this grudge mix?
28:54Let's ring that bell!
29:00Woo!
29:05We're doing some serious trash-talking.
29:07The thing about trash-talking is you gotta back it up.
29:09Michael thinks I'm a hack chef, fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants kind of guy.
29:14Um, you know what?
29:15He's right.
29:16But look where I am and look where he is.
29:19The inspiration behind this dish was I was driving over here
29:22and I saw a couple of fast food spots.
29:24So today what I'm gonna make is a crunchy, cheesy gordita.
29:28A tortilla and pita filled with nacho cheese and lamb and dates.
29:31I mean, it's a no-brainer.
29:33Because I am a trained French cook
29:36and I know that dates are gonna go well with North African food,
29:39I'm making the chicken fricassee
29:41with couscous, dates, and almonds.
29:44Chicken fricassee is like a sauté light graze of chicken dust.
29:48Let's welcome back our judges,
29:50Chef Tiffany Faison and Chef Jet Tila.
29:57What is going on?
29:58Get cozy up here because it is frosty down there.
30:01I feel it.
30:03Coming up in L.A., these are two fantastic chefs
30:05that came up kind of right in the generation under me.
30:07I've cooked with them and I'm like their Uncle Jet.
30:09Oh, okay.
30:10I know these guys.
30:11Chef Michael's run a lot of kind of higher-end units.
30:14Really great fine dining background.
30:15Chris, I mean, talking about food trucks,
30:17I mean, he won the great food truck race.
30:19I'm gonna run you out of this arena like I ran you out of L.A., baby.
30:23Wow.
30:24Chris, you won't be running your mouth after this, bro.
30:26As an aged Asian chef,
30:28it's so fun to watch the next generation.
30:31I built this house for you to behave like that.
30:33Sometimes the best chefs can just kind of choke,
30:36like what Michael's gonna do today.
30:39I'd love to say may the best chef win,
30:41but I already know that I am the best chef.
30:43Come on, come on, come on, come on.
30:50Chris says Michael goes away and he's a sellout,
30:53and Michael's like, why you gotta hate,
30:55and why don't you just be happy for someone who came up with you?
30:58Michael, don't you think Chris is a little obsessed with you?
31:00Yes.
31:01I'm gonna do a couscous that's gonna have the dates.
31:04I'm gonna stick to what I know, which is certainly French.
31:07Chris claims that I left Los Angeles because of his success
31:11and because of my envy, which is totally untrue.
31:15I left Los Angeles on my own because I was looking for greener pastures
31:18and more opportunity.
31:20I was surrounded by incredible chefs of the highest caliber,
31:24so I know that my culinary skill is far superior than his.
31:27The nacho cheese.
31:28The nacho cheese I'm using as a base for my sauce.
31:31The cheese has a lot of MSG in it,
31:34so it's gonna give a lot of savoriness.
31:36Okay.
31:37And there's also emulsifiers since it's a manufactured product,
31:40so it's gonna help keep my sauce nice and tight together.
31:44That's a good way to go, right?
31:46Just dose it in, kind of create a cream sauce.
31:48Chris used to come to my restaurant, Faith and Flower, all the time.
31:51As a matter of fact, he said it was his favorite restaurant.
31:53So when I heard that Chris was trash-talking me,
31:57it hurt because I considered him a great friend
32:00and also a great colleague.
32:02Do you feel that Chris has the skills to do it on the level that you do?
32:05I think he could probably do Mexican and Korean like he always does.
32:10One trick pony?
32:11One trick pony, that's correct.
32:12All right, I'll go check on him and let you know how that's going, okay, Chef?
32:15Yes, please.
32:16Chef Chris, how are you doing over here?
32:18I'm good.
32:19What flavors are we going with here?
32:20We're in Texas, Mexican, Mediterranean, and a little bit of Asia.
32:24Oh, that's a lot. That's more.
32:25Yes.
32:26Because I was just told that you're a one trick pony and you can only do two mats.
32:28I don't know about that.
32:29So you think you're gonna knock four different cuisines out of the park?
32:32Absolutely.
32:33You heard it.
32:35Chris, four different cuisines?
32:38Four.
32:39We got Mexican, we got Mediterranean, we got Texas and Asian.
32:45Yeah, a little Korean.
32:47Okay, we went from a theme to a country.
32:49Korea, Korea, Korea.
32:50Okay, Korea, got it.
32:51Ground lamb, canned cheese, he has a pita and he has tortillas.
32:56Mmm.
32:57Mmm.
32:58I can see why Mike called me out.
33:01I mean, from the outside, it looks like I'm just having a good time.
33:05Oh, come on!
33:07Let's go, baby!
33:08But I hustle my butt off to get where I am today.
33:11I'm trying to expand my brand and my restaurant and I want to be a good daddy,
33:17so I'm gonna take some of that money, set it aside for my daughter's college fund
33:21and then she can thank Uncle Mikey in a few years for the contribution.
33:29I've never seen anyone move less, cook less, and put more on the plate than Chris else.
33:33That is true.
33:34Ever.
33:35Right?
33:36It's not a compliment.
33:37But I think it's also a flex, right?
33:39Oh, yeah.
33:40I can see that.
33:41Like, I'm so much better than you, I don't even have to, like, try.
33:43I really want to take Michael's ingredient and let it shine,
33:46so I'll use the dates as a paste to sandwich in between the tortilla and the pita
33:51and in the vinaigrette with yuzu and rice wine vinegar.
33:54Oh, so good.
33:55Hey, you said that was your most expensive knife?
33:57That's right, baby.
33:58I'm really excited to pawn it, dude.
34:01I have one mission.
34:03That is to shut Chris up.
34:04Yeah, come on.
34:05Give it to me.
34:06Give it to me.
34:07I check on the couscous and it's cooked perfectly, but it needs more flavor.
34:11So to the pan, I'd add sliced almonds and dates.
34:15I wanted to cut the dates larger to honor the dates.
34:18Then I pulled the chicken out of the cream sauce and sliced it.
34:22Well, I see now chicken breasts that I don't think were in the pan for very long.
34:26Oh, that's not fixed.
34:29I've got to put the chicken breasts back into the sauce.
34:32You got six minutes, chefs.
34:34The skin can get soggy, but it's a risk I'm willing to take.
34:37Skin on chicken breasts, kind of braising in cheese sauce.
34:41Ghouly chicken texture is not my favorite.
34:44Losing to Chris would be awful.
34:47Yeah, yeah, yeah.
34:49I would have to hear it for the rest of my life.
34:51That's something you would cook like at a culinary school.
34:53What's that?
34:54When I win, I want Chris to keep my name out of his mouth for the rest of our lives.
34:58I have discipline.
34:59I have technique.
35:01Chris cooks by the seat of his pants.
35:03Uh, what else should I put in this thing?
35:05Michael's dish looks delicious.
35:07Now you're a little nervous.
35:09Okay.
35:10I'm going back to the pantry for a little bit more inspiration.
35:12Oh, did you try a run there for a second?
35:14I'm grabbing stuff for garnish.
35:15Gruos chiso.
35:16Some cilantro.
35:17Cornichons.
35:18Just to kind of use all those to finish off the dish.
35:21But I definitely wanted to put a pickle element into this dish,
35:24and I thought the cornichons was going to be perfect.
35:26Two minutes, chef!
35:28I wanted my plating to be simple but elegant.
35:31The chicken was already sliced, so I had to carefully remove it from the pan
35:34and get it to the plate.
35:35The first thing I do is put the crunchy tortilla down along with the date paste.
35:39You got one minute!
35:41I'm going to put the lamb ragu right in the middle,
35:44and then top it with the date vinaigrette, microgreens, feta, pickles, and walnuts.
35:49That looks nice.
35:50That looks like everything you've done for the last ten years.
35:53Ten!
35:54Nine!
35:55Eight!
35:56Seven!
35:57Six!
35:58Five!
35:59Three!
36:00Three!
36:01Five!
36:02That was cooking, chef!
36:06All the trash talk Chris has been throwing in my direction is completely false.
36:10And beating him in this competition today would be a great way to rub it in his face.
36:15Michael's dish looks like something you would get in economy on the airplane.
36:24Judges, our SoCal chefs have made you a fusion dish with two different types of cuisine,
36:29and they both include medjool dates and canned cheddar cheese.
36:33Chef Michael, what have you prepared?
36:36Chefs, today I've prepared a fusion of French and North African flavors.
36:42What you have before you is a chicken breast that has been cooked in a fricassee style,
36:46which is the French.
36:47I'm using spices from the North African area.
36:50Alongside of that there is also a couscous with medjool dates, almonds, and plenty of herbs and spices.
37:05I heard nacho cheese and like it's really one of my least favorite ingredients,
37:10and you really made it delicious.
37:14It's not a Mornay sauce, but it's a cheese influenced cream sauce.
37:18I think it was a lovely application.
37:20I was concerned about the chicken breast.
37:21I was like, it's going to be either like undercooked or dried is neither.
37:24It is perfectly cooked.
37:25I don't love the skin still on it, right?
37:28Because you could have just pulled it off, like peeled it off.
37:31And then in my opinion, the couscous wasn't seasoned enough.
37:34It needs more fat.
37:35It needs more herbs, smaller dates.
37:38Like use that like nacho blanc, beur blanc situation to like hydrate this couscous and bring it together.
37:44I get the fusion.
37:45I get like French and Moroccan.
37:46I totally get that.
37:47I get the use of the dates and I get the nacho cheese sauce.
37:49And I get wanting to have this guy be a little quieter for sure.
37:52Wow.
37:53He should be nervous.
37:54I mean, this dish is tight.
37:55It's really good.
37:56Thank you so much, Chef.
37:57Well, it is time to hear from the trash talker himself.
38:02Chef O, tell us what you've prepared.
38:04You wanted fusion.
38:06You wanted nacho cheese.
38:07You wanted dates.
38:08No, you wanted nacho cheese.
38:10I wanted nacho cheese.
38:11So please hop on my private jet.
38:14Our first stop is to the border of Mexico, Texas.
38:16Our vessel, the crunchy gordita.
38:18And then we're going to Morocco for a little Moroccan spice ground lamb in a spiced nacho cheese sauce.
38:24And then we also have a date yuzu paste in between the taco shell and the pita.
38:36Chris, there are a few chefs in your generation that, you know, I feel like you're either an artisan or an artist, right?
38:42And I'm an artisan.
38:43I cook old people's food.
38:44Like, I cook my grandma's food.
38:45And there's just artists.
38:46There's people like, you look at their abstract paintings and they don't really make a lot of sense when you watch them working.
38:52And then you eat it and you go, this chef understands flavor.
38:55Mm-hmm.
38:56Good cookery from an artistic, like, abstract point of view.
39:00There are some bites of it that I'm like, oh, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.
39:04And I think that you use the nacho cheese as, like, a proper vessel for this.
39:07You made it eat, like, refried beans.
39:09Yep.
39:10I don't know how you did that.
39:11And then there's just little moments that I'm like, ooh, like, um...
39:15No, for real.
39:16Like, the cornichons, I just do not get.
39:18Why are you using cornichons?
39:19I just don't get it.
39:20Honestly, what?
39:21I don't know.
39:22I like them.
39:23Everything was balancing out.
39:24And then you throw this pickle bomb.
39:26No one asked you to land the jet in France.
39:28No one asked for that.
39:29So it's two wildly different styles from two wildly different chefs.
39:33There's nothing I would change about this dish.
39:35Even the pickles.
39:36I mean, I personally would have loved it.
39:37They had some really rough critiques for Chef Mike.
39:40So I'm feeling pretty confident.
39:42I'm gonna have you return to your kitchens while the judges deliberate.
39:47Keep them separated.
39:48Keep them separated.
39:49Yeah.
39:50Wow.
39:51There's high-end cooking, which is Chef Hung.
39:56Yeah.
39:57And then there's, like, kind of fun street food.
39:59Hung poached that chicken so lovely.
40:01It was really tender, like, pull-apart tender.
40:03That cheese sauce was really controlled.
40:06Really controlled.
40:07It had good flavor.
40:08I think they both used nachos really well, if I'm being really honest.
40:11But I think I would say Chris took Michael's dates to pound town.
40:15When I win, it's expected.
40:17But if he wins, it's an upset.
40:19So I don't want to lose.
40:21Ah, this is hard.
40:22After I win, I would like to see Chris cry.
40:30Chefs, we have a decision.
40:36Whoa.
40:37We have a one-point difference.
40:41The winner of this grudge match is...
40:47Chef Michael!
40:52We're going to put this grudge to bed.
40:54I don't want to hear any more talking behind each other's back.
40:57Does that sound good?
40:58That sounds right.
40:59Yes.
41:00I don't know if I can believe you, Chris.
41:01No.
41:04I know where to find you.
41:05So watch out.
41:06So it's time to hand over your knife.
41:20Mike, you got me on this one.
41:22Enjoy it.
41:23I'll keep doing what I'm doing, and you go keep doing what you're doing.
41:25But let's just not hang out in the same spot.
41:27Can we hear it for Chris O?
41:29Take care.
41:32Let's hear it for the winner of our grudge match, Chef Michael Hall!
41:39Chris and I have had 10 years of arguing who the better chef is.
41:43And tonight, I've decisively proved who it is.
41:46Skill, technique, and talent will always beat Chris's mouth.
41:50We'll see you next time when more chefs settle feuds here on Chef Grudge Match!
41:55We'll see you next time.
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