- 4 months ago
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00:00In the high-pressure food world, bitter feuds and intense rivalries are everywhere.
00:05You! We got some beef to settle.
00:07It's like an old-school duel.
00:08From 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 Serena like I ran you out of L.A., baby.
00:21So I'm inviting chefs with real-life grudges to settle the score in 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.
00:47She'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.
00:56Tonight's two grudges involve chefs calling out rivals who are trying to steal their culinary moves.
01:08This grudge match is between Miami chefs and Cuban food influencers Mika Leone and Brad Delgado.
01:15Mika has spent the past decade building a loyal customer base for her delicious Cuban cooking, but Mika claims that Brad is constantly copying her content, dishes, and recipes.
01:28But Brad says Mika is just jealous because he now has a bigger online following than she does.
01:36I feel like a lot of these recipes, whether it's my disco volador or my ropa vieja, they're like near and dear to my heart, have been in my family restaurants for over three generations, and he posts something that really resembles my food.
01:52Feels like a knockoff with theatrics and kind of like a show.
01:56If I'm being completely honest, I had no idea who Mika was.
02:00Oh, I've been here longer than you.
02:01I can't hear you.
02:05I am the best Cuban chef in Miami, and Mika?
02:09Mika?
02:09You're nowhere to be found.
02:11So Mika is calling Brad out to prove that she's the real online authority for Cuban cooking.
02:18Are you ready to meet our chefs?
02:22First up is our challenger.
02:23She went from home baker to thriving rest and mature, building a brand with hundreds of thousands of followers.
02:31She prides herself on being the OG online creator of authentic Cuban cuisine in Miami, and she's determined to defend her following and business.
02:41I cannot lose today.
02:42To me, it means everything.
02:44I take a lot of pride in not just Cuban food, but Cuban culture and heritage, and a classic way of doing it, rather than Gen Z social media.
02:55Put your hands together for Chef Mika Leone.
03:01Let's go!
03:02So I heard that you feel that Brad is stealing your content and your recipes?
03:10Yeah, not even doing a good job at doing it.
03:12Oh my gosh.
03:13So, unacceptable.
03:15I've been doing this for over a decade.
03:17I think he came in and things were going viral.
03:19And he was stealing your followers.
03:21Yep.
03:21I can see how that would be irritating.
03:24It's too much.
03:25All right.
03:25Well, I want to bring him out and hear his side of the story.
03:28Are you ready to meet your opponent?
03:30Let's go.
03:31He's a graduate of the prestigious Culinary Institute of America who's trained under world famous chefs.
03:37His bombastic culinary style has over half a million social media followers.
03:42And he has no intention of changing his unapologetic approach to online Cuban cooking dominance.
03:49You're going to call out el Cuban caballo?
03:51Por favor.
03:52Mika has no idea.
03:54No idea the Cuban heat I'm about to bring.
03:57Make some noise for Chef Brad Delgado.
04:01Woo!
04:02Yeah!
04:04Let's go!
04:05Let's go!
04:06I need you all!
04:07Let's go!
04:09You!
04:10Woo!
04:12Okay.
04:13Who he sabe?
04:14Who he sabe?
04:15Mika, you've been copying me.
04:17I'm tired of seeing you on my feed.
04:19Porque every day it's, good.
04:20Today we're going to make.
04:21I don't care what you're going to make.
04:23Today, we settle the score.
04:25So who actually has more social media followers?
04:27Chef Brad does.
04:28Okay.
04:29And why do you think that is?
04:30Theatrical.
04:30He's been like throwing some, yeah, very theatrical.
04:32Like today.
04:33Woo!
04:34You know, like I'm ready.
04:35I'm ready.
04:36He's got that energy.
04:38But can he cook?
04:40But I hope you are ready.
04:41are ready to cook and back it up.
04:44You don't have the one thing that I do have.
04:46Oh.
04:47Technique, because you didn't go to culinary school.
04:49You didn't do any of that.
04:51I got technique, and you got esta cocida, so.
04:55What does that mean in English?
04:56It means this thing, she's got this thing.
04:58I don't know what this thing is.
05:00This thing beat Bobby Flay,
05:01and this thing's been doing this for quite a while.
05:03That's big, you beat Bobby Flay?
05:05Yeah.
05:06Go, girl.
05:06This is a one-round winner-take-all culinary grudge match.
05:10The winning chef will receive even more online cred.
05:13I know you'll love that.
05:14And $10,000.
05:19We like that.
05:22And the losing chef will have to hand over
05:25their most coveted chef knife.
05:27Chef Mika, what knife are you putting up?
05:29What I love about it is that my mom gave it to me.
05:32Aw.
05:32And it cost her a fortune.
05:33This is one of my first knives that she gave me,
05:35so this one's special.
05:36I know you don't want to let that go.
05:37Oh no, my mom will be mad.
05:39You don't want to see a Cuban mom to take me.
05:40Yeah, I don't want to see that.
05:41No.
05:42What knife are you putting up?
05:44This is the first knife I ever bought
05:48when I was on this chef journey.
05:50And it's been my baby ever since.
05:52You wouldn't go into a house and steal someone's kid.
05:54You ain't taking my baby with you after you lose.
05:57Okay, chef.
05:58Okay.
05:59All right, chefs, let's go to your stations.
06:01Let's go.
06:02You both brought secret weapons, which are ingredients that you feel might trip up your opponent.
06:16So, chef Mika, tell me what you brought.
06:17I want to win fair and square with something that if you're a Cuban chef, you should work with every day.
06:22Achillote seeds.
06:24Achillote seeds are what makes our dishes that bright red color.
06:30A lot of people just rely on the powdered form, but you can make it so much better when you have the seed itself.
06:36If he knows how to work with it, the better chef will win.
06:38So do you know how to work with achillote?
06:40I've worked with achillote plenty of times, but not in its seed form.
06:45So today's gonna be a lot of fun to do the whole shebang.
06:49So what is your secret weapon?
06:51My secret ingredient is key limes.
06:57A key lime adds great acidity and has a little bit more of like a fruity floral taste than a regular lime.
07:05Pero if you don't know technique, like Mika, it doesn't work.
07:08Again, I have technique.
07:10You have lo que tu tienes.
07:12So let's try to figure it out.
07:14Okay, chefs, we're about to put this to the test.
07:17Who is the better Cuban chef?
07:19I'm giving you 30 minutes to prepare an authentic Cuban classic.
07:23Pick any dish that you want.
07:24One that includes both achillote seeds and key lime.
07:28Boom.
07:29Are you ready for a grudge match?
07:35It is time to ring that bell.
07:42Uh-oh, uh-oh.
07:43Mika's saying her cooking's gonna speak for herself.
07:46We're about to see if that's true.
07:47Pero no me lleves todo, bro.
07:48Don't take everything.
07:50And Brad is gonna speak for everybody.
07:52Esto aquÃ, esto acá.
07:54The one thing I'm going for, picadillo.
07:57My grandmother would cook it all the time.
07:59You got your ground meat, you got your bay leaves.
08:01Keep it simple.
08:02Un poquito arroz, and then you take a Tums, because there's a lot of tomatoes in there.
08:06They look pretty on the vine.
08:09This one pot wonder is gonna shut Mika up forever.
08:13He's making picadillo.
08:15You can make that in 10 minutes, guys.
08:17We're trying to make it more sophisticated.
08:1930-minute Cuban food challenge is what I do every night at home for my husband.
08:23Oh, perfect.
08:24So we're making chuleta frita, which is essentially a pork chop.
08:27And then I'm making red bean congri, which is like kidney bean and rice.
08:31I just gotta get the rice going.
08:33See how that oil's turning red from the achiote?
08:35Okay, so you put the achiote oil in there.
08:37Yep.
08:38Rice in competition is one of those things that you just don't do because it's so hard.
08:42I have to continue cooking it till the last minute.
08:45And then we're gonna make tostones as well.
08:47Oh, nice.
08:48Pork chops that we have, they're a double cut, so they're very thick.
08:50I know I have a limited amount of time, so I chose to kind of trim off a lot of the pork chop.
08:56I gotta bring it today because there's no way I'm losing my followers to Chef Brad.
09:01Chef, what would it mean for you to actually beat Mika here today?
09:04The absolute world.
09:05Porque?
09:06I'm tired of hearing the banter.
09:07Oh, you stole my stuff.
09:08I took your stuff.
09:09I took everything.
09:10I was like, por favor, I didn't take anything.
09:12You woke up one day and decided to make picadillo?
09:14So did I.
09:15You want a taste of the glory?
09:16I'll give you a taste of the glory.
09:18Whenever you need to compose a dish, salt, fat, acid, heat.
09:21Oye, if you have all four of them, you make a perfect dish.
09:24And that's what picadillo is.
09:26French technique teaches you that.
09:27We're in battle, baby.
09:29I'm making a bootleg sofrito, you know?
09:31We only got 30 minutes.
09:33Here we go.
09:34Achiote seeds.
09:35It's easy peasy.
09:36I just have to grind them.
09:37Woo!
09:38This is gonna build this beautiful aromatic base that, oye, she can't touch.
09:44I'm also gonna squeeze a little bit of key lime on the sofrito.
09:47Come in with an anaconda.
09:48Squeeze of the key lime.
09:49Squeeze the key lime.
09:51That acidity is gonna make everything pop and just make it really, really flavorful.
09:55Let's meet the experts who will be judging these dishes.
09:58I know, oh my gosh.
09:59As always, we're joined by our resident judge, celebrated chef, Emmy-nominated culinary host, and legendary competitor, Jet Tila.
10:08How you doing?
10:09How you doing?
10:10How you doing, Jet?
10:11How you doing?
10:12This is my boy!
10:13Yeah!
10:14Yeah, Jet!
10:15He has a lot of energy.
10:16Holy moly.
10:17So who'd you bring with you to judge tonight?
10:19She's a James Beard-nominated authority on Latin cooking.
10:23She's competed on both the U.S. and Mexican versions of Top Chef.
10:28And most recently, she defeated all three titans on Bobby's Triple Threat.
10:34Oh, wow.
10:35Chef Claudette Zepeda!
10:45Hi.
10:46Claudette, welcome.
10:47Thanks for having me.
10:48There's so much on the line here.
10:49We have two Cuban chefs.
10:50Their reputations are on the line.
10:52I think Mika feels like, hey, she's the authority.
10:55Who's this kid coming in and trying to take her crown?
10:59She mad mad.
11:00She is angry Brad.
11:03Tell me, Chef.
11:04Do you feel that you have taken Mika's recipes over the years and interpreted them?
11:09I don't.
11:10But she's obviously angry because she's beating something over there.
11:13So I'm like, wait.
11:14That's right.
11:15Pounding.
11:16This is where we channel the anger.
11:19I think she shaped that piece of pork into your face.
11:22I know.
11:23Just, ah, oh my gosh.
11:24Coming up, a bare-knuckled burger brawl as owners of rival burger joints get up in each other's room.
11:31I'm coming for the burger title.
11:32That's for sure.
11:33I'm not going to let it happen.
11:34I'm ready to go.
11:35Duke it out, baby.
11:40Chefs Mika Leone and Brad Delgado are having a Cuban cook-off to determine who should be the online face of Cuban cuisine.
11:48Want a taste of the glory?
11:49I'll give you a taste of the glory.
11:51The key to working with pork is having a really delicious marinade.
11:57I ground some achiote seeds, add it to a food processor with some brown coriander, onion powder, garlic powder, some honey.
12:05Key limes, you have to be careful and you have to know how to use them because they can be too tangy and they really pack a punch.
12:11We have an adoro right here with achiote and that key lime as well.
12:14Oh, so that's what you're using the key lime for?
12:15Yep.
12:16Well, you'll find both ingredients in every part of the dish.
12:17Okay.
12:18You know, I've never ever had a pork chop.
12:20What?
12:21Yeah.
12:22My father didn't eat pork growing up, so I've never had a pork chop.
12:26No way.
12:27But it smells really good.
12:28I think you'll like it.
12:29For me, with a pork chop, it's all about getting that nice crust on the outside and that, like, juicy, perfectly cooked pork in the inside.
12:3513 minutes, chef.
12:36We're good, but this kitchen isn't cooking.
12:39Okay, I hear you talking to yourself.
12:40Yes, I always talk to myself.
12:41I know, I can tell.
12:42Let me tell you.
12:43Alone, not alone.
12:44So what I got on my station, look, I'm making a picadillo, which is just beef, some tomatoes, some potatoes.
12:49This is my go-to thing that my grandmother would always cook for me.
12:53This is a no to her and todo picadillo that she's made me throughout my life.
12:57But the one thing that's not in picadillos that I will tell you right now is raisins.
13:01And I know everyone's gonna be like, why don't you put the raisins?
13:04Porque a mà no me gustan los raisins.
13:05So that's why I'm not putting in no raisins.
13:07Mika feels your food isn't authentic, though.
13:10I blend French cuisine with Cuban cuisine, and she calls it modern.
13:14I trained under the tutelage of Ludo LeBev, Thomas Keller, Giuseppe.
13:18Amazing chefs that, oye, that's my secret weapon today.
13:22I'm gonna tell you right now, the taste of authentic Cuban food lives a carento.
13:27Okay.
13:28In here, baby.
13:29You're gonna lose today, Mika, because of my technique.
13:32Just under nine minutes, chefs.
13:34I think Brad has a great point.
13:36Did Mika create Cuban recipes?
13:39There's no way.
13:40Did I create Asian recipes?
13:41Did you create Asian recipes?
13:42No.
13:43And tradition isn't static.
13:44I love that.
13:45Tradition isn't static.
13:46It moves forward.
13:47If I say I'm making authentic Mexican cuisine, then I would have to take away onions, garlic,
13:50I would have to...
13:51Oh, wow.
13:52Did we go deep?
13:53New world, old world.
13:54Did we go really deep?
13:55Yeah.
13:56I know that I can't just give, like, a bare plate with two components.
13:59So I want to work on a side.
14:00Mika.
14:01Yeah?
14:02Los platanos.
14:03Where are you?
14:04I'm making tostones, twice-fried plantains.
14:06She's doing tostones versus plantains.
14:08Yeah, because tostones are the green ones.
14:10Yep.
14:11You gotta cook them and then smash them and then fry them again.
14:13And then I do a quick pickle of red onions in key lime juice.
14:17Again, further using that key lime.
14:19Just under nine minutes, chefs!
14:21I'm running out of time, and the pork chop isn't exactly cooked to the temperature that
14:26I want it.
14:27I can't lose just because of the temperature of my pork chop.
14:31I'm on it, guys.
14:33So I go grab another cast iron and put it on top.
14:37That kind of speeds up the cooking time.
14:39I like that technique.
14:40And it goes a long way, those things that your grandmother and your parents teach you.
14:44Mika, how you feeling?
14:45I'm feeling awesome, man.
14:47You can't make a picadillo without rice.
14:50He's got rice going.
14:51Oh.
14:52Microwave rice.
14:53He's taking all the short cuts.
14:54Okay, we got some rice going on the plate.
14:55We got some rice for a car.
14:56Brad!
14:57Tell me!
14:58What's up with giving me microwave rice and not even seasoning it?
14:59I did, I did.
15:00I put a little bit of salt.
15:01I did all this.
15:02We're cooking on this side.
15:03She wants to season it.
15:04She wants to season it.
15:05She wants to season it.
15:06She wants to season it.
15:07She wants to season it.
15:08I did, I did.
15:09I put a little bit of salt.
15:10I did all this.
15:11We're cooking on this side.
15:12She wants to season it.
15:13She wants to season it.
15:14Under seven minutes.
15:15She wants to season it.
15:16She wants to season it.
15:17She wants to season it.
15:18We might have saved your dish, bro.
15:19I know, I know.
15:20You might have, so thank you.
15:21You know?
15:22A little pimienta tambien.
15:23Hey!
15:24Key lime juice tambien is a great, is a great additive.
15:26Chef, you only have two minutes left.
15:27I am running out of time.
15:28I open up the rice.
15:30Delicious.
15:31I'm gonna go in right in with some banana leaf.
15:34Right on top of that.
15:35The chuleta on top of the rice.
15:37This is the best part right here.
15:40Mira eso.
15:43Let's go, baby!
15:44One minute to get your food plated.
15:46A little bit of flowers.
15:48A little bit of flowers.
15:49Are you done?
15:50Are you done?
15:51You done?
15:52I'm done?
15:53I'm done, done.
15:54Vamos a bailar.
15:55Everybody, give me a ho!
15:56Hey!
15:57Ho!
15:58Hey!
15:59And now we've got time to do the dances.
16:00Mica's gonna lose.
16:01Mica's gonna lose.
16:03I just feel like there's like a house party next door and I'm just ignoring it.
16:08You've got 30 seconds left, Chefs.
16:0930 seconds.
16:10Mica, you're going down.
16:11Mira, I got the whole crowd for what I got.
16:13I didn't see he taste anything.
16:15She's tasting everything.
16:16I didn't see him taste it.
16:17I put a tostón, the pickled red onions, and a slice of key lime.
16:22Five!
16:23Four!
16:24Three!
16:25Two!
16:26One!
16:28A cookie!
16:29Yes!
16:30Yes!
16:31I've never been down to the wire like that.
16:35I feel like it's a beautiful dish, and I just really want his knife.
16:40It was his first knife when he started going to this fancy culinary school.
16:44So, I would just love to take it home, cook with it for like a week, and then frame it.
16:49Mica is going down today.
16:52This is a traditional classic Cuban meal, and I'm proud of what I've done.
16:57All right, Chefs.
16:58It's time to see if food influencers can influence the judges.
17:04Our chefs have made you a Cuban classic that includes both achiote seeds and key lime.
17:10Chef Mica, tell us about your dish.
17:12Judges, for you today, I've made a chuleta frita from my childhood.
17:16And then I made a con grillo oriental, which is like kidney, bean, and rice.
17:20And then I did a twice-fried plantain called a tostón.
17:24This is something that's very near and dear to my heart.
17:26Growing up, my mom made a lot of chuleta fritas because we were on a budget.
17:29And, yeah, see you again.
17:32I didn't cut the pork, so I don't really know if it's perfectly cooked inside.
17:36And you just never know when it comes time to judge.
17:41A lot of brilliance on this plate, right?
17:47The chuleta, the pork chop itself.
17:48I got to say, like, you got a really good sear.
17:50It's really well executed.
17:51And I think your temperature's spot on, too.
17:53Yeah.
17:54I'm excited.
17:55The achiote really pops color.
17:58And then you kind of repeated that in this kind of pilaf-y rice.
18:00The key lime in the pickled onions is the genius part.
18:04It really cuts that sharpness of onion.
18:07Thank you, Chef.
18:08I think it's a really soulful dish.
18:09I applaud that you went to what you know.
18:12And you played with your mom's roots and the food that you ate growing up.
18:15So, thank you.
18:16The food that I complained about growing up.
18:18We all did.
18:20And you did.
18:21I saw the pork chop.
18:22On the toston, I would've liked it a little thinner.
18:23OK.
18:24Tortilla press.
18:25And for the best way.
18:26I just ran out of time.
18:27I think it could have used a lot more salt.
18:30Because rice is greedy.
18:31Yep.
18:32Like, big pieces of meat are greedy.
18:34I am also kind of new school plater.
18:36Like, do you want me to eat this?
18:38this yeah it's instagramable it's instagramable i don't want to eat it because it's really bitter
18:46thank you chef
18:49chef brad tell us about your cupid classic let me tell you i chose the one classic that my
18:54grandmother would always make and it's picadillo it's the best it's simple and anybody could make
19:00it it's love on a plate i am a little bit nervous i am a little bit nervous if i'm being honest
19:08uh i think you've accomplished some really delicious moments here i think the ground beef
19:14with the achiote was a smart play and i'm so glad that you took that rice and you actually put it
19:20back in the pan and gave it some seasoning because it absolutely needs it exactly and you took it to
19:24the next level how close did you stick around your grandmother when she was making this for you
19:30pretty close this is her version with a little bit of papas no raisins and just
19:35i missed the olives i can't believe it i feel like my like mother's gonna creep up behind me
19:49and smack me with a shoe okay that's just how i feel right now it is perfectly salted and the key lime
19:55helps like the miss when i miss them the olive brineyness it comes with with the lime yeah
20:04i would say as an entree though it needs more components right because you had time to do it
20:09you should have put a little more on the plate yes great showmanship thank you thank you so much
20:14chefs you can go back to your stations thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you all right judges
20:20remember we have 50 points total we've got 20 points for taste 20 points for execution and 10
20:26points for presentation i look at brad he made this ground beef picadillo there's a lot of good flavors
20:32here and i'm glad he doctored up the rice to make it good beating mika doesn't just give me bragging rights
20:39but oh yeah it engraves me as the best cuban chef to walk the face of miami he went to culinary school and
20:47she didn't mika is a visceral cook she's cooking from a place an origin story you can taste it i'm
20:53feeling really confident i just stick to my roots and i really think that passion kind of comes through
20:59on the dish it's time to show our followers who's the better chef
21:07all right chefs we do have a decision the winner of this grudge match is going to get vindication
21:13bragging rights bragging rights and ten thousand dollars yes and you're also going to get the
21:22loser's favorite chef knife perfecto the winner of this grudge match with a score of 36 to 46
21:32cool cool oh my god chef mika
21:52trash you really did put up a more composed plate and it really was a cuban classic dish but you
21:58are going to have to give over your chef knife bring her home i love you i'm going to do a cooking
22:03video with my mom with this one the grudge is settled all right it is settled let's hear it one
22:08more time for chef brad i lost and i'm pissed but it's okay she is officially now the cuban queen mika
22:19you're great at what you do but one day i'm going to take you down
22:22well i think he learned a lesson here today yeah and you have settled this grudge you're walking
22:29away the winner you got your bragging rights all your knife yes you got a new knife all of your
22:34followers and 10 000 girls thank you
22:39let's give it up for our winner chef mika
22:53you guys ready for another grudge match
22:57this grudge match is between nor cal chef tommy jope and fellow burger meister chris lombardi
23:02chef tommy jay's burger joint in davis california and he's won the downtown davis best burger contest
23:12four years in a row but chef chris recently opened his burger joint just two blocks down
23:19the road and is determined to take tommy's title and his business i was here beforehand i'm going to
23:27be here afterwards and the awards speak for themselves i know he wants to knock me out but
23:31i'm not going anywhere he's had a stranglehold on that town of davis for a long time i know i have
23:37a better burger and i'm here to prove that today are you ready to meet our chefs
23:45first up is our challenger he's spent decades amassing awards for his classic handcrafted burgers
23:52he's the og artisan of the most celebrated burgers in davis california and his message is clear
23:59any new burger chef and davis is going to have to go through him to succeed
24:04this is my livelihood and i'm not going to let chef chris take that from me today put your hands
24:09together for chef tommy jope
24:11hello hello you look like you're serious i'm ready to go headband on and everything yep ready to cook
24:25some burgers duke it out baby what does it feel like now that you have a competitor trying to get
24:29all up in your space i know he's gonna bring it i know he's a great chef and he's trying to represent
24:33it and knock me off the chopping block not gonna let it happen okay well let's meet your competition
24:40he's owned and operated an award-winning burger restaurant for years in woodland california
24:45now he's the new guy determined to stake his burger claim in davis
24:49and he refuses to be intimidated by local competitors
24:54it's been kind of tough getting our foot in the door but that's what i'm here to do
24:57i'm here to not only get my foot in the door but kick that thing down give a big warm welcome to
25:03chef chris lombardi
25:16hello chef so are you coming for his burger belt he's held it down pretty long in the town but he's
25:21never had competition like me i've been practicing all week the flavor in my burger is going to be
25:26different than the style of his my flavor is going to be better man we're about to find out today
25:30let's do it okay now remember this is a one-round winner-take-all grudge match the winner is going
25:40to receive the burger bragging rights and ten thousand dollars
25:48and the losing chef will have to hand over their most coveted chef knife
25:52what have you brought for us uh this is the first knife that i bought 18 years ago that was over
25:57a hundred dollars and uh every time i go into the kitchen and i ask my staff for a knife and cutting
26:02board they give me my favorite cutting board they give me my favorite knife this is the one i do
26:07everything with this baby i want to take it back home okay chef chris what knife have you brought this
26:12is my longtime partner in crime um also had this for about 20 years my first knife purchased as a
26:18professional chef um all these nicks marks and cuts these are all characters these are all stories
26:23recipes blood sweat and tears that go into this blade so it's not leaving easy let's head to your
26:29stations to win this battle against tommy j would directly correlate to more business and putting my
26:41restaurant on a higher pedestal doesn't matter what you're throwing at me i'm gonna make something
26:45delicious this is gonna be a baller burger battle i'm gonna have you make your very own version of
26:54the ultimate burger and i mean the most impressive burger you can come up with your burger does not
27:02have to have a secret sauce okay but it does have to have your secret weapons those ingredients that you
27:08brought that you feel might trip your opponent up chef tommy what secret weapon did you bring
27:13today i brought cornflakes why'd you bring cornflakes i know how good this guy is and i got to trip
27:21him up i got to do something that's going to make him think he's got to be creative today have you
27:26ever cooked with cornflakes when making burgers not with burgers but uh my mind's already working
27:31remix it remixing some stuff from from the past okay chef chris what's your secret weapon
27:36marshmallows what am i gonna do with marshmallows what made you bring marshmallows other than just
27:47pure deception just i know how to make that taste different and taste great on a burger chef tommy
27:54have you ever cooked burgers with marshmallows i have not next to the campfire when i'm eating burgers
27:59but not together these are not ingredients that i've ever seen i don't know if anyone's ever seen
28:04in a burger have you all i mean we're pretty surprised here you brought it to trip up your
28:09opponent but you've tripped me up at this point i'm like okay you're gonna have to use both secret
28:13weapons in your ultimate burgers the cornflakes and the marshmallows and you got 30 minutes to do it
28:20i've been practicing for this moment since chris moved into my town all right you ready for a grudge
28:25match this is so personal to both of these chefs they're in this really small town and there can
28:43only be one best burger joint so we're about to find out who that is today i'm half italian so i'm
28:49seeing a lot of ingredients i grew up with here balsamic arugula pancetta i'm thinking i want to go
28:54italian with pancetta jam fried halloumi cheese with roasted romas and arugula i didn't go to
29:01culinary school what i've learned is the old school method of cooking i'm gonna make a nice juicy burger
29:07topped with bacon topped with an onion ring that's what i think about when i think about an ultimate
29:12burger the only saving grace today is that chef chris has to use marshmallows in his also it's kind of
29:18messed up like you know chef and i are friends and if she moves two blocks next to my well-known burger
29:25restaurant and opens a burger restaurant it's kind of scandalous isn't it yeah it's a little shady
29:31oh yes and the secret weapons are cornflakes and marshmallows oh my lord and they've got to use both of
29:37them in their ultimate burger what are they doing to each other i'm gonna go down here and see if i can
29:42try to figure out what they're going to do with these ingredients and i'll let you know chef chris
29:46yes yes how's it coming over here i'm going to take my marshmallows and i'm going to reduce them
29:52into this pancetta jam reduce it with a little balsamic glaze okay so this is going to go on top of
29:58the burger how's this going to go you said the ultimate burger this is like the ultimate bacon so
30:03italian pancetta is italian bacon and we're just kicking it up a notch by making it into a jam
30:08with these marshmallows how did you even realize this is something that you could do um making
30:14rice crispy treats with my niece and nephew i was just like i can make this into something else i
30:19really need to put my davis burger spot on the map winning this contest means that we would be
30:24validated in the city you're very confident okay chef tommy how these burgers patties coming oh they're
30:30great they're great what makes a good burger for me is the fat content i like using 80 20 80 percent
30:37protein beef to 20 fat content got a little sauce going chef chris is very talented but you know i
30:45think i've got the edge because i've got this family sauce that goes into our ground beef and that's
30:49what brings out the flavor in our burgers tomato sauce cider vinegar chili powder a lot of flavor coming
30:55together look at tommy working that patty but just enough to not overwork it because you can also
31:01overwork me yeah right it can become tough if you overwork it he's really putting a lot of time and effort
31:06into that look at them aren't they pretty they are have you decided what you're going to do with
31:10the marshmallows yet um getting there i'm getting close tommy yo how you like them marshmallows about
31:18to find out i get the marshmallows going in a pot in the stove because i knew that i needed to reduce
31:23them somehow i still wasn't quite sure what i was going to do with them but i know that 30 minutes is
31:27going to go by very quick oh you hear that sizzle you hear that sizzle you got 17 minutes chefs all
31:33right come on let's start making some magic here let's start making some magic how are you making
31:37your burger today today i'm gonna just do a um a classic charbroiled style burger i really like to
31:42season it with salt and pepper and let all the other ingredients on that burger speak for themselves
31:48but i gotta take this thing over the top and the tricky thing about cornflakes is they don't have
31:53distinct flavor so i need to figure out a way that i can work this into my dish and really impress
31:59the judges what are you doing with these cornflakes i'm going to take this halloumi cheese which is
32:03known to be able to be grilled or fried and i'm going to batter it make a nice crispy cornflake batter
32:08for the cheese so you're bringing a real chefy approach to this burger i'm trying ultimate burger
32:13i've never really had a burger with fried halloumi cheese on it take it to the next level
32:18next step i gotta get these romas in the oven asap so fellas can we get a little side bed going
32:26what are we gonna do shave our heads maybe loser has to shave their beard i know he's i know he's
32:34pretty into his beard like me so i've had it since the 90s so we agreeing to this right now whoever
32:40whoever loses is going to shave their beard yeah why not yes yeah they both said yes all right
32:46then so it is what's your plan with the cornflakes cornflakes um cornflake crusted onion rings over
32:52here sounds like it's going to be delicious you're gonna make a little beer batter i love them battered
32:57i'm a battered you're a batter you're a wet batter onion ring chef yes okay i like that but my worry
33:03about that big of a crumb yeah not even coverage exactly or it's just gonna fall right off as soon as
33:08president i've got the awards to show that i am the best but i got thrown a curveball with those
33:13marshmallows and it kind of slowed me down we're gonna do these marshmallows chef chris was that one
33:20of the only locations that was available like the perfect location for your business or did you
33:24literally say i'm moving two blocks from here it was an offer that came to us it's a the building
33:30is attached to a nightclub and bar and our buddies on the nightclub and bar next door oh so they
33:35tapped us to take over the location uh-oh those burned oh gosh tommy got me with the cornflakes
33:43one side is burnt they fried a lot faster and darker than i thought i don't know what to do do i have
33:49time to rebatter redredge and refry some halloumi cheese man this almost feels like this can be a fatal
33:57error got under seven minutes it can't be burning stuff yeah the reputation of my restaurant is on the line
34:03my reputation of a chef is on the line 10k is on the line cornflakes got to be on this dish no time
34:09for pivoting fire up another pan let's go chris is in the weeds with that halloumi man everything
34:15really depends on this second batch of this halloumi cheese working out otherwise my game plan is shot
34:22and i'm done norcal chef tommy jobes is taking on the new burger meister on the block chris lombardi in
34:31a battle of the ultimate burgers all right chef you got six minutes have you started using the
34:40marshmallows yet maybe you know i can make a marshmallow cornflakes fritter okay i'm gonna
34:47place this fritter right in the middle of my onion ring this is a first for me i'm just hoping it pays
34:51off i deep fried them they're gonna go inside the onion ring inside the onion ring there's an onion
34:58ring cornflake crispy treat this is an ultimate burger so i've got some sharp cheddar cheese that's
35:03going right on top you want to have that thing dripping all over the side under two minutes fellas
35:08second round of cheese let's see that's an important component of that dish
35:14this is looking amazing the second batch is cooked perfect so time to build this burger a nice generous
35:21dollop of that pancetta jam on the bottom bun with the shallots garlic and balsamic one minute left
35:28for my bottom bun i made an aioli with marshmallows and mayonnaise and chipotle and adobo then i'm gonna
35:34put the burger on we're just gonna angle that halloumi on top and then some more of this pancetta jam
35:39and then arugula and a roasted tomato got under 30 seconds left two pieces of bacon an onion ring
35:46the fritter on top and the slice of tomato for some acidity time to top with some more jam gonna
35:52just tighten it all up and bring it all together five four three two one
36:01i think my burger looks great i think the flavors are there winner take all i know that i'd put a kick
36:06butt burger out there i just hope it's enough to get me the w
36:15okay judges our chefs have made for you the ultimate burger incorporating both secret weapon
36:21ingredients cornflakes and marshmallows chef tommy tell us about your burger today chefs i've prepared
36:27for you the ultimate burger uh it's a handmade patty 80 20 angus beef i used our special house-made
36:34barbecue sauce i didn't uh cornflake crusted onion ring uh i also fried a marshmallow with the corn
36:41flakes so hopefully we get a little bit of savory and a little bit of sweet and it balances out
36:48i know that chef chet teel is going to critique this thing down to the details
36:53i was really kind of enjoying this burger with the onion with the cheese and i love the crunch i love a
36:58battered ring and i love the melt as a burger experience i think it has a lot of deliciousness
37:06right the meat is seasoned well a bacon the bacon kind of brings a lot of kind of umami and savoriness
37:14to the burger the cornflake onion ring i like how it eats it's ultra crunchy but i think the marshmallow
37:23inclusion made it all of a sudden i got this big hit of sweet so i don't think you tempered that
37:30marshmallow as well as you could have come on man what would you do with marshmallows in a burger
37:35this burger definitely could use a lot more i mean fat believe it or not it's weird to say a burger
37:40needs more fat but i don't have that that condiment that lusciousness that kind of really kind of spreads
37:47all these flavors out i would love a little bit more aggressive seasoning on it and more sauce yeah but
37:53overall it's a great burger um i would never be angry or mad at a burger presented to me like this
37:59thank you thank you chef thank you you know i didn't do a perfect job but i'm feeling pretty
38:06good about it all up next chef chris tell us all about your burger i tapped into my italian heritage
38:13so we did a pancetta jam reduced that with the marshmallows and some balsamic i roasted some roma
38:20tomatoes the arugula gives it a little bit of that bitter that pepper little umami from the cheese i use
38:26his corn flakes as a light breading for the halloumi to try to create the ultimate burger for you guys
38:32it's always awkward to listen to somebody uh critique your food i like the jam a lot this is a textbook
38:41burger right it looks gorgeous and when it looks gorgeous like this it really speaks to your
38:47kind of experience and and knowledge thank you i like the arugula i think the use of your whammy
38:53ingredients of the corn flakes and the marshmallow in the halloumi it weirdly makes sense like i weirdly
38:59like it and i don't i don't even like that i'm saying that out loud i like the halloumi coated in
39:03corn flakes and marshmallow but i don't want a high moisture cheese that doesn't melt i want like a low
39:09moisture melty cheese and that's what this is missing i would have liked a little bit more aggressive
39:13seasoning on the on the meat itself a little bit more love on that would have really pushed it over
39:18the edge for sure you know they're right could have made some changes there i can see why you guys
39:23are burger masters it's going to be a really tight race thank you guys thank you thank you so much
39:29chefs you can return to your stations while the judges deliberate
39:32so i do not envy you it sounds like it's really close what are you all thinking tommy won the day
39:43with cheese i gotta say tommy picked the sharp cheddar he melted it right on that patty and it
39:48enrobed at that perfect time yeah so you know his cheese was superior in my opinion this is what
39:53i've been doing for the last 18 years and it still works today i'm not worried about this competition
39:58on chris his saving grace was this jam the panchetta jam really saved him even though i want more of it
40:04gave me something other than just meat and the hello me you know what i mean totally he's been the
40:09king of davis for a while but i want to end tommy's reign just to let people know that my product is
40:15better yeah it's a tight one before i tell you who the winner is i want to remind you this is for burger
40:26bragging rights not just in davis but beyond right a new knife 10 000 and keeping your beard
40:38yeah you guys forgot about that part huh davis forget about that part with a score of 40 points
40:44to 38 the winner of this burger battle is
40:49chef chris
41:02chef tomney both the judges really loved your burger they especially loved your onion ring
41:06but overall it was just a tad too sweet you did an amazing job thank you it is time to hand over your
41:11knife i'm happy that it's going to you yeah we use it with honor brother
41:16chef tommy jokes i think the grudge is settled today chris is in the burger game he's a great
41:25chef i know he's going to take care of my knife you are the winner and you get to keep your beard
41:29thank god chef chris lombardi
41:33i really feel like i earned the respect this was two dudes who love what they do who know their craft
41:39really well we're gonna come out stronger grudge settle we'll see you next time when more
41:43chefs double score here on chef grudge match
41:48but i kept doing this this is amazing marshmallows really marshmallows oh my god
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