Tournament of Champions All-Star Christmas S01E02

Mr. Baez ✔

Ver Tournament of Champions All-Star Christmas S01E02 - Mr. Baez ✔ en Dailymotion

Transcript

00:00:00The holidays are the greatest time of the year,

00:00:05so we've turned the TOC Arena into a winner's wonderland.

00:00:09Some of the world's greatest, most celebrated chefs

00:00:12are pairing up to make their best sweet and savory dishes

00:00:17in the first ever team competition in the TOC Arena.

00:00:21Can you feel the adrenaline?

00:00:23Last time on TOC All-Star Christmas,

00:00:25the first of our 16 super duos

00:00:28clashed in a night of do-or-die battle.

00:00:31Jen Nashley, your first win, how do you feel?

00:00:34I feel awesome!

00:00:35And tonight, six more teams will begin their Christmas quest.

00:00:39First, TOC four champs, Mei Lin and Nene Nguyen.

00:00:43We're just gonna dominate.

00:00:44Take on Adam Sobel and Chris Petroni.

00:00:47What is that, Coco, baby?

00:00:49Then legendary chef, Marcus Samuelson

00:00:52and pastry chef, Rachel Sharif.

00:00:54Oh, my God!

00:00:55Battle Michelin-starred masters,

00:00:57Graham Elliott and Giuseppe Trattori.

00:01:00Push, push!

00:01:02And finally, famed brothers, Michael and Brian Voltaggio

00:01:06face off against Kentucky's finest,

00:01:08Sarah Bradley and Damaris Phillips.

00:01:10We met each other and we fell in love.

00:01:13Which holiday duo will jiggle all the way to the title?

00:01:16I think we just won.

00:01:17The trophy, big bucks for charity.

00:01:19I'm gonna kiss you.

00:01:20All right.

00:01:21And thanks to Carnival Cruise Line, $100,000.

00:01:25This is Tournament of Champions.

00:01:28This is Christmas, y'all.

00:01:29All-Star Christmas.

00:01:32It's anyone's game.

00:01:43Are you ready to meet the Christmas contenders

00:01:46for the first battle of the night?

00:01:50That's what I like to hear.

00:01:51First up, we have our number one seed team,

00:01:54the dynamic duo of Chef Mei Lin and Chef NeNe Nguyen.

00:01:59This tight-knit team has major a street cred.

00:02:02Mei, well, she's a TOC champ.

00:02:05And NeNe is also a big competition winner

00:02:09with an impressive sweet and savory skill set.

00:02:12Not only have we cooked together before,

00:02:14we're very familiar with each other in the kitchen.

00:02:16We all so have, like, the same mind.

00:02:20Coming here with the champ is exciting.

00:02:22Like, I have the best date to this whole thing.

00:02:25But it's also nerve-wracking

00:02:26because I want to make sure I bring it.

00:02:28She's cooking the savory and I'm cooking the desserts.

00:02:31I wouldn't be here with anybody else.

00:02:34Yeah.

00:02:36They're facing off against Chef Adam Sobel

00:02:39and Chef Christian Petroni.

00:02:41Both chefs have won battles here at TOC Arena

00:02:44but have never reached the finals,

00:02:46which explains their number four seed status.

00:02:49Christian and I have a lot in common.

00:02:51We have a lot of heritage, family growing up in the Bronx.

00:02:54We've always been dear friends.

00:02:55He's very well-versed in the pastry side.

00:02:59We complement each other really, really well,

00:03:01and we could be a force to be reckoned with.

00:03:03I mean, I've known Adam for a really long time,

00:03:05and I know his skill set.

00:03:06He's worked for a lot of amazing chefs.

00:03:08He is very technique-driven.

00:03:11I'm kind of scared of them.

00:03:12I've never met Christian, but I've been a fan.

00:03:15You know May.

00:03:16I know May.

00:03:17You do.

00:03:18But you know May.

00:03:19Yeah.

00:03:20And what I know that we both know,

00:03:22that I'm sure everybody knows, May's a beast.

00:03:26If I had to pick someone to cook my last meal,

00:03:27that might be one of the chefs to do so.

00:03:29They're ready for me.

00:03:30Let's do it.

00:03:31They're ready.

00:03:32Let's do it.

00:03:35Boo!

00:03:36Let's go, baby.

00:03:38Are you ready to see them jingle bell rock this arena?

00:03:41Let's light it up!

00:03:46Chef Adam Sobel has guided the cuisines

00:03:49of over 50 acclaimed restaurants,

00:03:51helping earn them James Beard awards

00:03:53and multiple Michelin stars.

00:03:58With zero competition experience,

00:04:00he stepped into the TOC4 arena

00:04:03and made it all the way to the quarterfinals.

00:04:05Chef Christian Petroni is a restaurateur

00:04:08and parm-to-table cookbook author

00:04:10whose Italian cuisine has been described as effortless

00:04:14in its deliciousness by the New York Times.

00:04:19Give it up for Mr. Delicious and the great Hambino!

00:04:25Team Adam and Christian!

00:04:35Oh.

00:04:36Spoke me off.

00:04:38I know you're friends, but how did you make the decision

00:04:40you wanted to get in this competition together?

00:04:42It was a very fateful phone call, Guido.

00:04:44There's no one else in the world

00:04:46that I would be as excited to do it with,

00:04:48and Mr. Sobel has become one of my dearest friends

00:04:50in the whole world, so this is beautiful.

00:04:51If you can put the Wonder Twin powers together,

00:04:54you guys are gonna go far.

00:04:55And going up against these opponents,

00:04:57you're gonna need it.

00:04:59Your opponents!

00:05:02Mei Lin is a James Beard-nominated restaurateur

00:05:05who opened her first casual

00:05:07Szechuan Hot Chicken Restaurant in Los Angeles.

00:05:09She is a master competitor, winning both Top Chef

00:05:15and Tournament of Champions 4.

00:05:18Chef Nini Wynn spent years as a pastry chef in New Orleans

00:05:22before honing her sweet skills in New York's

00:05:24Michelin-starred Eleven Madison Park.

00:05:29Give it up for May Day May and Martini Nini!

00:05:32Chef May-lin and Nini!

00:05:35That's some spooky music.

00:05:49That was very spooky music.

00:05:51You made the decision to bring Nini on your team.

00:05:54Why?

00:05:55We think a lot of the same,

00:05:57de la misma, así que

00:05:59vamos a usar el ESP y

00:06:01trabajar así. Chefs,

00:06:02vamos a la randomización, vamos a hacer esto.

00:06:04Vamos a hacer esto.

00:06:10Oh, Dios.

00:06:11Alright, chefs.

00:06:12La randomización va a determinar

00:06:14la mandatoriedad de todos

00:06:16de tus dishes. La mandatoriedad

00:06:18de savory items para una

00:06:20dish, la mandatoriedad de sweet

00:06:21item para el otro dish, y entonces la

00:06:23equipa, la style, y la wildcard

00:06:26must be used in both

00:06:28dishes. Let's do this.

00:06:30Savory.

00:06:32Here we go.

00:06:34Yes.

00:06:35Let's go. Oh, my God.

00:06:38This game. It's nice not being up here

00:06:40by myself. This is good.

00:06:41The moral support. Turkey, pork,

00:06:44eye, turkey, pork

00:06:46in the savory

00:06:47eye of Rao.

00:06:50Oh. And the sweet

00:06:52raspberries,

00:06:54air fryer, buttery,

00:06:56and cocoa mix.

00:06:58Okay.

00:06:59Because it's the holidays,

00:07:00I will grant you the 35 minutes.

00:07:02Also, I'm going to give you an extra

00:07:04two minutes to come up

00:07:07with a game plan.

00:07:08Good luck.

00:07:09Okay.

00:07:10I'm going to do the eye round.

00:07:11I'm going to use the cocoa powder

00:07:12and make a spice bowl, like a coffee,

00:07:14cocoa rub.

00:07:14I'm going to do a potato puree.

00:07:15I admire his style so much.

00:07:17We have similar thought process

00:07:19when it comes to purity of ingredients.

00:07:21For the eye of the round,

00:07:22I'm thinking tartare.

00:07:24I think we're the team to beat.

00:07:27Nini and I can literally talk about

00:07:28an ingredient and bounce ideas

00:07:30off of each other,

00:07:31and our ideas are in sync.

00:07:34Air fryer,

00:07:35start the putons.

00:07:36Three,

00:07:37two,

00:07:37one.

00:07:39They're awesome!

00:07:43I love eye of the round for beef.

00:07:45It's very lean.

00:07:46It's very firm.

00:07:47Sliced thin,

00:07:48it's really good.

00:07:49Or low and slow and braised.

00:07:51Raspberries,

00:07:52I'm a raspberry junkie.

00:07:53You know,

00:07:53it's that sweet tart flavor I like.

00:07:55Plays well with chocolate.

00:07:56What's an air fryer?

00:07:57Everybody's so excited about them.

00:07:59What they really are

00:08:00is a small convection oven.

00:08:02It circulates warm air.

00:08:04You can crisp things really quick.

00:08:05Buttery.

00:08:06This can play into buttery crust,

00:08:09buttery sauces,

00:08:09buttery potatoes.

00:08:11You name it,

00:08:11they'll know how to master butter.

00:08:13And then hot cocoa.

00:08:14This getting employed in dessert,

00:08:15no problem.

00:08:16This getting employed

00:08:17into the use of the meat.

00:08:19They're going to have to be

00:08:20very judicious about

00:08:21the way they use it.

00:08:23When you have a plan,

00:08:24fill me in.

00:08:24I'm doing a coffee,

00:08:26cocoa,

00:08:26spiced,

00:08:27eye of round for savory.

00:08:29It's going to be pan roasted

00:08:30in ultra brown butter.

00:08:32And then I'm going to do

00:08:32the potatoes in the air fryer

00:08:33like a double potato garnish.

00:08:35We didn't want eye round.

00:08:36I didn't want eye round.

00:08:37Time is the issue.

00:08:38If anyone could do something

00:08:40with that eye round,

00:08:41it's my brother Adam.

00:08:43I always end up getting

00:08:44hammered on Christmas.

00:08:46Yeah.

00:08:47If you're going out

00:08:47to a family dinner

00:08:48during the holiday season,

00:08:50this is kind of a steakhouse dish

00:08:51that you would get.

00:08:52Christian,

00:08:53you got the cocoa bubble?

00:08:54Right here, babe.

00:08:55Thank you.

00:08:55What was the first time

00:08:59we met?

00:09:01I think we met

00:09:02in New York years ago.

00:09:03We really spent

00:09:04a lot of time together.

00:09:05The first year I did TOC,

00:09:07felt like I knew you

00:09:08for 30 years.

00:09:09Yeah, you know

00:09:09when someone's meant

00:09:10to be your friend.

00:09:11It's like, you know,

00:09:11when you meet somebody

00:09:12and it's just easy.

00:09:13I admire his style so much

00:09:15and, like, I've seen

00:09:16Christian's desserts.

00:09:17I just love what he makes.

00:09:19Chef, what's in there?

00:09:20So I got raspberries

00:09:22in here right now.

00:09:22What a sweet dish.

00:09:24In the hopes of, like,

00:09:24sort of charring them.

00:09:26Sure.

00:09:26I'm making

00:09:27an olive oil palenta cake.

00:09:28That's where I'm going

00:09:29to incorporate

00:09:30the cocoa,

00:09:31brown butter as well.

00:09:32With the raspberries

00:09:33that are currently

00:09:34in the air fryer,

00:09:34that's going to go

00:09:35into either granita

00:09:36or sorbet.

00:09:38Sorbet with 26 minutes.

00:09:40What we've put together

00:09:42really speaks to holiday.

00:09:43This is rich

00:09:44and buttery

00:09:46and roasty

00:09:47and then you got

00:09:48decadence

00:09:49with the palenta cake.

00:09:50When I picture

00:09:51my mother's, like,

00:09:53holiday table

00:09:54with good holiday

00:09:55linen in there

00:09:55and you've sort of

00:09:56had this huge meal

00:09:57and then in the middle

00:09:58just picturing

00:10:00that, like,

00:10:00palenta cake

00:10:01like on a platter

00:10:02with a doily.

00:10:04I went maple.

00:10:05A little powdered sugar

00:10:06over the top.

00:10:07I can picture it.

00:10:08I can see it.

00:10:08Or hot cocoa powder.

00:10:09In this case,

00:10:10hot cocoa powder.

00:10:11Chef, did cocoa

00:10:12go in yet?

00:10:13Yep, cocoa's in here.

00:10:14It's going to transform

00:10:16from regular butter

00:10:17to brown butter?

00:10:18To brown butter.

00:10:22Now, to help us

00:10:23better understand

00:10:24the sweet and savory

00:10:25moves made by our teams,

00:10:26I'm joined by my own

00:10:28holiday helpers.

00:10:29That's right,

00:10:29Michelin-recommended chef

00:10:31in charge of an elf group,

00:10:33the one and only

00:10:33wild card,

00:10:34Justin Warner.

00:10:35And the DOC3 champ

00:10:37and wicked Boston

00:10:39restaurateur,

00:10:39the one and only

00:10:40Chef Tiffany Faison.

00:10:42Justin and Tiffany

00:10:43will be closely observing

00:10:45the creation of our dishes

00:10:46so they can faithfully

00:10:47present them to the judges

00:10:48during the blind tasting.

00:10:50Chef May,

00:10:52what's the plan?

00:10:52I'm going to do a tartare.

00:10:55What?

00:10:56Woo!

00:10:58Tartare.

00:10:59How do we make buttery tartare,

00:11:00Chef?

00:11:01Well, we're going to grate

00:11:02some butter on it.

00:11:03I'm also going to make...

00:11:04Brioche croutons.

00:11:05Okay.

00:11:06So buttery.

00:11:07I love where we're going.

00:11:09May is great

00:11:10because she's won everything.

00:11:13She's not really used to losing.

00:11:15As a person who does lose,

00:11:16I'm really thankful

00:11:18to be here with her.

00:11:19She is smart.

00:11:21She is a fierce competitor.

00:11:24And she's my best friend.

00:11:25So I kind of won.

00:11:27So sweet.

00:11:30She took the time

00:11:31to really first thinly slice it.

00:11:33And she's got to get that cut right.

00:11:35When the judges look at this,

00:11:37they will know the difference

00:11:38between this being thrown

00:11:39at a food processor.

00:11:40Taking the time

00:11:41to cut this by hand

00:11:42as labor-intensive

00:11:43and time-consuming as it is

00:11:44is a must.

00:11:47So I started in pastry,

00:11:48but I'm most known

00:11:50for Vietnamese cuisine.

00:11:51You know, some people forget

00:11:52that I have some pastry skills.

00:11:55I will be making a dessert.

00:11:57Chef Nini.

00:11:58Yes?

00:11:58What's on the menu?

00:11:59Hot chocolate.

00:12:00Napoleon with raspberries.

00:12:02Want to make some pastry cream?

00:12:04I'm going to try to bake these.

00:12:05And into the air fryer.

00:12:06Do you use air fryers a lot?

00:12:08At home, yes.

00:12:09Have you air fried puff pastry before?

00:12:11Um, no,

00:12:12but the whole thing

00:12:13about puff pastry

00:12:14is you need it to be hot.

00:12:16Yeah.

00:12:16And air fryers can make it hot

00:12:18and crispy.

00:12:19Let's hope it does that.

00:12:20Desserts are very difficult

00:12:21to make in a short amount of time

00:12:22because a lot of times

00:12:23you have to, like,

00:12:24heat things up,

00:12:25cool things down,

00:12:26change the temperature

00:12:27in 35 minutes.

00:12:29Like, every single step matters.

00:12:32This is not the time

00:12:33to, like, experiment

00:12:35on a new thing.

00:12:39Right behind you guys.

00:12:40Sorry.

00:12:41Sobel, what do you got

00:12:42going over here?

00:12:43I'm doing a super

00:12:44brown butter potato puree.

00:12:47I have round

00:12:48is going to sit on top.

00:12:49Okay.

00:12:50Potato is a huge contributor

00:12:52to the holiday table.

00:12:53Mashed potato's probably

00:12:54my favorite.

00:12:54I know.

00:12:55Yeah.

00:12:56The holidays

00:12:57are really important

00:12:58and special.

00:12:59Christian,

00:12:59can you open up

00:13:00those air fryers for me?

00:13:02Gotcha, babe.

00:13:03My dad's side

00:13:04of the family,

00:13:05we celebrated Hanukkah.

00:13:06My mom's side,

00:13:07Christmas,

00:13:09very traditional Italian,

00:13:10very traditional Jewish.

00:13:12A four-minute timer?

00:13:13Three-minute?

00:13:14Two-minute?

00:13:14I don't know.

00:13:15Just a heads up.

00:13:15I'm going to put it for two.

00:13:16You come look at it.

00:13:16I've never done this before.

00:13:18All right, I like that.

00:13:18I'm going to pour

00:13:21the liquid nitrogen

00:13:22sort of right

00:13:23into the food processor.

00:13:24This is not something

00:13:25I've done before.

00:13:27Maybe I freeze up the motor.

00:13:29Maybe I don't.

00:13:30Maybe this goes great.

00:13:31Maybe it doesn't.

00:13:33But what I know

00:13:33is going to happen

00:13:34is I'm going to really

00:13:35be able to pull down

00:13:36the temperature

00:13:37of those roasted raspberries,

00:13:40which are going to be

00:13:41the raspberry sorbetto.

00:13:44I'm just going to have

00:13:45to get a picture of this.

00:13:47And he looks at the camera.

00:13:48May is making

00:13:51a brown butter

00:13:52chili cocoa aioli.

00:13:55Chili and chocolate

00:13:56is such a genius combination.

00:13:58We hate hot cocoa mix.

00:14:00Full of sugar.

00:14:01So I need some heat.

00:14:04We don't want our savory dish

00:14:05to be sweet.

00:14:07The holidays are like

00:14:08a time for you to show off.

00:14:10And so...

00:14:11To your family.

00:14:12Show up to your family.

00:14:13I'm like,

00:14:13this is what I've been doing

00:14:14with my life.

00:14:16How are you feeling, May?

00:14:17I feel good.

00:14:18I feel good.

00:14:18Pastry cream.

00:14:20Cornstarch, chef?

00:14:21Yes.

00:14:22Cornstarch.

00:14:23Cocoa.

00:14:24The hot cocoa mix

00:14:26is going to be

00:14:26my sugar substitute

00:14:27for my pastry cream.

00:14:29I think we're the team

00:14:30to beat

00:14:31because May's

00:14:32the expansion

00:14:33of my brain.

00:14:34Because I'm like,

00:14:35oh my God,

00:14:35like,

00:14:36I know that.

00:14:37Like,

00:14:37why didn't I think of that?

00:14:41All of our holiday dishes

00:14:42will be judged

00:14:43by a panel

00:14:43of culinary greats.

00:14:45They just don't know

00:14:46what the chefs

00:14:47are cooking

00:14:47or who's even competing.

00:14:49No,

00:14:49not because they've had

00:14:51too much eggnog,

00:14:52which could be the case,

00:14:53but tonight

00:14:53is because they're sequestered

00:14:55in their trailers

00:14:55because this

00:14:56is a blind tasting.

00:14:57The savory dish

00:14:58and the sweet dish

00:14:59are each worth

00:15:00a maximum of 50 points

00:15:02based on taste,

00:15:03use of a randomizer,

00:15:04and presentation.

00:15:05The team with the highest

00:15:06combined score

00:15:07for both dishes

00:15:08will move on

00:15:09to the quarterfinals,

00:15:10and the eliminated team

00:15:11will have a

00:15:12blue, blue Christmas.

00:15:16Chef May Lynn,

00:15:16we got a game plan.

00:15:17So we're doing

00:15:18buttery croutons.

00:15:19We're going to cook

00:15:20these croutons

00:15:20in the air fryer,

00:15:21melting down the ghee

00:15:22right now,

00:15:23and it just tastes like

00:15:24unctuous, unctuous butter.

00:15:26Got it.

00:15:27Nene and I have

00:15:28known each other

00:15:29for almost a decade,

00:15:30and we've traveled together,

00:15:32we've eaten together.

00:15:34We understand each other

00:15:35in a way that

00:15:36I don't think

00:15:37the other teams do.

00:15:38We're just going to dominate.

00:15:41Nene, can I go

00:15:41into one of these ovens?

00:15:43Not yet.

00:15:43I like to consider myself

00:15:45as May's sister

00:15:47that she never wanted.

00:15:48Oh, that's not true.

00:15:49I could not imagine

00:15:50you with a sister.

00:15:51I'd kill her.

00:15:52Yeah.

00:15:54So I put the croutons

00:15:56into the air fryer,

00:15:57and then I work

00:15:58on a raspberry glaze.

00:16:00Is that raspberry jam, Chef?

00:16:02It is.

00:16:03Raspberries are

00:16:03on the randomizer.

00:16:06I really want to showcase

00:16:08what I can make with it.

00:16:10Okay.

00:16:11Do you have the

00:16:11croutons?

00:16:13Yes.

00:16:14Oh,

00:16:15they are burnt.

00:16:17You have more?

00:16:18Both the ciabatta

00:16:20and the brioche

00:16:21got burnt.

00:16:22That's her buttery

00:16:23component to the steak tartare.

00:16:24It's also going to give

00:16:25a lot of texture

00:16:25to the steak tartare

00:16:26that it would not

00:16:27otherwise have.

00:16:28Really critical.

00:16:30It's not good.

00:16:32Chef,

00:16:32we have 10 minutes

00:16:33left in the competition.

00:16:35How did that air fryer

00:16:36work for you

00:16:36on the puff pastry?

00:16:38A little too good.

00:16:39It's crucial

00:16:39that we have

00:16:40a component

00:16:41that's cooked

00:16:42from the air fryer.

00:16:43Can't serve

00:16:44these burnt croutons

00:16:45so we have

00:16:46to make them again.

00:16:50How you doing,

00:16:50sweet love?

00:16:51I'm rolling

00:16:52like a freight train.

00:16:53Got some RoboShop

00:16:55potatoes going?

00:16:55Yes.

00:16:56Something like that.

00:16:57Ask?

00:16:58Ask, ask.

00:16:59There's a big difference

00:17:00between the team

00:17:01version of TOC

00:17:02and the singular

00:17:03battle mode

00:17:04that you need

00:17:05to be in mentally.

00:17:06When you have

00:17:06a partner,

00:17:07it removes a lot

00:17:08of stress

00:17:09from the situation.

00:17:10Chris, taste these?

00:17:12And it's the holidays.

00:17:14Some people

00:17:15get stressed out

00:17:15during the holidays,

00:17:16but not us.

00:17:17Cool as a cucumber.

00:17:19Okay.

00:17:21Delicious.

00:17:22I'm gonna knock out

00:17:23a quick whipped cream.

00:17:25Vanilla make it

00:17:25in there as well?

00:17:26Yep, vanilla paste.

00:17:27Chris, I hear a timer.

00:17:29Yes.

00:17:29Thank you.

00:17:31I pull my cakes

00:17:33out of the oven.

00:17:33Boom goes the dynamite,

00:17:35my friend.

00:17:35Beautiful.

00:17:36They're buttery.

00:17:38They're crispy

00:17:39on the outside.

00:17:40This man created

00:17:41a miracle.

00:17:42Teams,

00:17:42five minutes to go.

00:17:43It's time to plate up.

00:17:45A little dollop

00:17:46of the super brown

00:17:46whipped potato.

00:17:48I proceed to slice

00:17:49the perfectly cooked beef

00:17:50that goes on top

00:17:52of the potato.

00:17:53That's my boy.

00:17:54That's my boy.

00:17:55When I plate,

00:17:56I want them to be cold

00:17:57because I know

00:17:58I'm gonna be putting

00:17:59the sorbet in there

00:18:00with the brown butter cake.

00:18:02Is this gonna die?

00:18:03How's that work?

00:18:04They can hold

00:18:05the whole thing frozen

00:18:06or you put it separate.

00:18:07I realize I can't add

00:18:09the sorbet to the dish

00:18:11because by the time

00:18:12it gets to the judges,

00:18:14even if they judge us first,

00:18:15the judging does savory

00:18:16before the sweet.

00:18:18What's that cocoa, baby?

00:18:19And I don't want

00:18:21a polenta cake

00:18:22sitting in a puddle

00:18:23of raspberry coulis.

00:18:24I'm gonna put them

00:18:26on the side

00:18:26and this is meant

00:18:28to be eaten together.

00:18:29Two and a half minutes,

00:18:30two and a half.

00:18:30Kite taffé

00:18:33and croutons done

00:18:35and they're looking

00:18:37really, really great.

00:18:39I have butter

00:18:40if you want a zest.

00:18:41Thank you.

00:18:41My favorite part

00:18:42about this time of year

00:18:43is really just to

00:18:45enjoy food

00:18:46with your loved ones.

00:18:48I lay out a mound

00:18:49of the tartare

00:18:50and I dust with

00:18:51a little bit more

00:18:52cocoa powder

00:18:53as well as

00:18:54shaving of

00:18:55Parmesan cheese

00:18:56and butter

00:18:57because the theme

00:18:58is buttery.

00:18:59Hello.

00:18:59Forty seconds.

00:19:00I put on

00:19:02layers of pastry cream.

00:19:04I'm topping it

00:19:05with those beautiful

00:19:06fresh raspberries

00:19:07and adding my

00:19:09raspberry glaze

00:19:10with a powder

00:19:12of hot cocoa mix.

00:19:14I know that

00:19:15we killed it.

00:19:16We literally have

00:19:17every single thing

00:19:18from the randomizer

00:19:19on this plate

00:19:20and I think

00:19:21that it comes through

00:19:22through and through.

00:19:23Five, four, three,

00:19:26two, one.

00:19:27Yeah.

00:19:27Yeah, baby.

00:19:29Yeah.

00:19:29Yeah, baby.

00:19:30Fantastic job,

00:19:37both teams.

00:19:38Well done.

00:19:39Let's bring the judges in.

00:19:43I feel like

00:19:45if anybody's in pastry,

00:19:47they will appreciate

00:19:47how much work

00:19:48I put into that dish.

00:19:49Yeah.

00:19:49I mean, I burnt

00:19:50her croutons,

00:19:51but it's okay.

00:19:52We came back.

00:19:53We came back.

00:19:54I've walked off this stage

00:19:56thinking I clearly won.

00:19:58You never know.

00:19:59I'm proud of what you did.

00:20:00Thank you.

00:20:00You did a lot of work, man.

00:20:02That was a lot of work

00:20:02in 35 minutes.

00:20:04Oof.

00:20:05Damn.

00:20:08Our TOC judges

00:20:09have been patiently

00:20:10waiting in their trailers

00:20:11for their big moment.

00:20:13Let's beat them.

00:20:13First, we have

00:20:15the celebrated chef

00:20:16and New York Times

00:20:16best-selling author

00:20:17who has opened

00:20:18multiple Michelin-star restaurants,

00:20:21the one and only

00:20:22Chef Curtis Stone.

00:20:25Oh, my God.

00:20:28Curtis?

00:20:28I'm nervous.

00:20:29Next up,

00:20:30we have the two-time

00:20:31James Beard Award winner

00:20:32named Best Pastry Chef

00:20:34by Bon Appetit,

00:20:35the one and only

00:20:36Chef Gail Gann.

00:20:39Oh, wow.

00:20:40Oh, my God.

00:20:41She's gonna judge my dessert.

00:20:43She's incredible.

00:20:44She's a great pastry chef.

00:20:45Yeah.

00:20:46I want to give her

00:20:46a prettier plate.

00:20:48And next,

00:20:48the James Beard

00:20:49award-winning restaurateur

00:20:50who received

00:20:52a coveted three-star review

00:20:53for the New York Times,

00:20:54Chef Scott Connick.

00:20:58Oh, wow.

00:20:59Scotty Bones.

00:21:00Scotty Bones.

00:21:01As you know,

00:21:04the randomizer

00:21:04is a Scrooge of Christmas.

00:21:07In the savory category,

00:21:08they had to work

00:21:08with the Aya Brown.

00:21:10In sweet,

00:21:11they had raspberries.

00:21:12In the equipment

00:21:13for both dishes,

00:21:14air fryer.

00:21:15For style, buttery.

00:21:17And the wild card ingredient

00:21:18is hot cocoa mix.

00:21:20Here to present

00:21:21the first dish

00:21:22is the one and only

00:21:23TOC3 champ herself,

00:21:25Chef Tiffany Faisal.

00:21:27Let's go, Chef.

00:21:28Come on, Tiffany.

00:21:30Judges?

00:21:31I present to you

00:21:32your savory dish.

00:21:33This is Tartare

00:21:34of buttery eye round

00:21:35with hot cocoa powder

00:21:37and emulsified brown butter.

00:21:39Bread was basted

00:21:40with cocoa butter

00:21:42infused ghee

00:21:43and then air fried

00:21:44to create little croutons.

00:21:46Not to be outdone

00:21:47by the Tartare Santas

00:21:49we have left for you,

00:21:50the hot cocoa Napoleon

00:21:51with raspberries.

00:21:52The puff pastry was,

00:21:53you guessed it,

00:21:54air fried until GBD.

00:21:57Then layered with hot cocoa

00:21:58and butter pastry cream.

00:22:00The fresh raspberries

00:22:01were treated

00:22:02to a raspberry glaze

00:22:03and finished

00:22:04with a dusting

00:22:05of hot cocoa powder.

00:22:0735 minutes.

00:22:08Remember, 35 minutes.

00:22:10Overall,

00:22:10all the ingredients

00:22:11favored a sweet dish

00:22:13more than a savory dish.

00:22:15So that being said,

00:22:15I think that the chef

00:22:17who made this Tartare

00:22:18really kind of wove

00:22:19a lot of different ingredients

00:22:20inside that Tartare

00:22:22in order to make it work.

00:22:23And I think in a lot of ways

00:22:24this does work pretty well.

00:22:26It's actually craveable.

00:22:28Let's go.

00:22:28The flavor is really good.

00:22:30There's a nice crunch

00:22:31through it as well.

00:22:31It really changes

00:22:33the whole mouthfeel

00:22:35because when you eat a Tartare,

00:22:36it's raw beef

00:22:36and the eye of round.

00:22:38It's a very lean cut of beef.

00:22:40Works really nicely.

00:22:41I would never have chosen it,

00:22:42but hey,

00:22:43you learn something every day.

00:22:44It's a strange plate of food,

00:22:46but it's quite delicious.

00:22:47Okay, I'll take it.

00:22:48We'll take that.

00:22:49I'll take it.

00:22:49Clever use of the beef.

00:22:52It was a great way

00:22:52to cope with the time constraint,

00:22:54but that heat

00:22:55is blowing my palate a bit.

00:22:57That's what we needed.

00:22:58We needed one of those condoms.

00:22:59Sorry, Mae.

00:23:00At least one.

00:23:01But overall

00:23:02was an interesting dish.

00:23:04I'm not sure

00:23:05I tasted the hot cocoa enough.

00:23:07There was so much

00:23:08in the aioli, though,

00:23:10but you can't taste it.

00:23:11Moving on to the dessert.

00:23:13Things to love about it

00:23:14are the puff pastry,

00:23:15of course,

00:23:16very buttery,

00:23:17and then that creaminess

00:23:18of the chocolate pastry cream.

00:23:20It all works very nicely.

00:23:22I feel like the puff pastry

00:23:24didn't get cooked

00:23:24all the way through.

00:23:26I agree.

00:23:27The puff pastry is undercooked.

00:23:29Yes.

00:23:29That being said,

00:23:31the pastry cream itself

00:23:32is wonderful.

00:23:33The usage of the raspberries

00:23:34is delicious.

00:23:35I really like

00:23:36the hot cocoa powder.

00:23:38It kind of acts

00:23:39as that foil,

00:23:40kind of like

00:23:40a powdered sugar would.

00:23:42It is delicious,

00:23:43of course.

00:23:44Okay.

00:23:45Worst things have been said.

00:23:47We're going to be all right.

00:23:48Yeah, I feel good.

00:23:48Thank you, judges.

00:23:50Your scorecards

00:23:51are in front of you.

00:23:52You are going to be scoring

00:23:53both dishes.

00:23:5550 points available.

00:23:5625 points will be in taste.

00:23:5820 points will be in the use

00:23:59of the randomizer

00:24:00and five points for plating.

00:24:02I'm sorry.

00:24:03The pastry wasn't as crispy.

00:24:05I wanted to stand it up,

00:24:07but I felt like

00:24:07if I'm going to have

00:24:08a milf wheat,

00:24:09I have to have three layers.

00:24:10I feel like we've got

00:24:11a good shot at this.

00:24:13Oh, dude, I feel good.

00:24:13I'm feeling good.

00:24:15All right, judges,

00:24:15thank you very much.

00:24:16Here to describe

00:24:17the second team's dishes,

00:24:18the one and only

00:24:19wildcard chef Justin Warner.

00:24:21First, this is a butter-baseded

00:24:24holiday eye of round.

00:24:25The eye of round

00:24:26was rubbed with coffee,

00:24:28the hot cocoa mix,

00:24:30a little hot paprika.

00:24:31It's accompanied then

00:24:33by a potato in two forms.

00:24:34You'll see the air-fried

00:24:36sliced version,

00:24:37which was done

00:24:38with butter and Parmesan,

00:24:39and then a super brown butter

00:24:41whipped potato.

00:24:42Next, in the sweet department,

00:24:44you will find

00:24:45a hot cocoa polenta cake.

00:24:47It's accompanied

00:24:48by vanilla panna

00:24:49and charred raspberry sorbetto.

00:24:52The raspberries were cooked

00:24:53in the air fryer

00:24:54to achieve a little char.

00:24:55Of course,

00:24:56you can add that

00:24:57to the chilled bowl

00:24:58with your polenta cake

00:25:00and vanilla panna.

00:25:01Good job, Justin.

00:25:03In the amount of time

00:25:04that our contestants had,

00:25:06there's an enormous amount

00:25:07of work here.

00:25:07The eye of round

00:25:10is normally a tougher

00:25:11cut of meat,

00:25:12and it needs a lot of resting.

00:25:14You get a little bit

00:25:15of chewiness on that.

00:25:16That said,

00:25:17I'm not a gummy shark.

00:25:18I'm not scared

00:25:18of a really flavorful steak,

00:25:20and it is.

00:25:21Excuse me,

00:25:21you know what?

00:25:22I'm not a gummy shark.

00:25:23I've got teeth.

00:25:23I can chew.

00:25:24What's a gummy shark?

00:25:25A shark with no teeth.

00:25:28It's the only shark

00:25:29you're happy to see

00:25:29as a surfer.

00:25:30Gummy shark.

00:25:31Gummy shark, no teeth.

00:25:32Is that just an Australian thing?

00:25:33You don't have gummy sharks here?

00:25:36What's going on?

00:25:37In terms of the butteriness,

00:25:39I mean, you hit it,

00:25:40and it's great.

00:25:41These potatoes here

00:25:42are fantastic,

00:25:43really rich in flavor.

00:25:44The potatoes under the steak

00:25:46are just a little gummy.

00:25:49I love the exterior rub

00:25:51on the meat.

00:25:52The hot cocoa mix

00:25:53adds a great deal of flavor.

00:25:55Usage of the butter

00:25:56in this dish

00:25:57is really spectacular.

00:25:58Come on.

00:25:59Come on.

00:26:00Come on.

00:26:00There's a lot of color.

00:26:01It actually looks

00:26:02kind of festive.

00:26:03It's kind of holiday-ish.

00:26:04Okay, that was the idea.

00:26:06I also find

00:26:07the beef to be tough.

00:26:08I understand

00:26:09that there was

00:26:10not a lot of time,

00:26:11but I think

00:26:12it would have benefited

00:26:13from a little more searing.

00:26:15Dessert,

00:26:17there's some nice

00:26:17textural contrast going on.

00:26:19That polenta cake

00:26:20has got, you know,

00:26:21a cornmeal crunch to it.

00:26:23I do love the cream

00:26:25on top of the cake,

00:26:26and I find that

00:26:27the raspberry

00:26:27is so acidic

00:26:29and so lacking sweetness.

00:26:31It doesn't belong for me,

00:26:33almost.

00:26:33It's too high contrast.

00:26:34Pologna.

00:26:35I like the polenta cake.

00:26:36I think that little nut

00:26:37of butter

00:26:38that's inside there

00:26:39also really added

00:26:40a tremendous amount

00:26:41of moisture.

00:26:41I like the usage

00:26:42of the cocoa

00:26:42on the exterior as well.

00:26:44This is a hard thing

00:26:45to unpack, all right,

00:26:46because this sorbet here

00:26:48is extremely bright

00:26:50and acidic.

00:26:53It makes you pucker

00:26:54as you eat it.

00:26:55It's meant to be

00:26:55in with the stuff,

00:26:56but not alone,

00:26:56so that's why.

00:26:57This is so buttery

00:26:59that it makes you feel

00:27:00like the holidays

00:27:02just came and gave you

00:27:03a big hug.

00:27:03It's really fantastic.

00:27:05And then you realize

00:27:06why that's so acidic,

00:27:07because they're using it.

00:27:08The chefs that have

00:27:10made this dish

00:27:10want that to cut through

00:27:12this, and it really works.

00:27:13Yes.

00:27:14There's no sugar in it.

00:27:15Thank you very much, judges.

00:27:16Your scorecards

00:27:17are in front of you.

00:27:19I don't even know

00:27:20what's going to happen.

00:27:21I don't know

00:27:21what's going to happen.

00:27:22There's a couple of things

00:27:23that we got dinged on,

00:27:24but so did they.

00:27:25Well, scores are in, chits.

00:27:26It is?

00:27:28Damn.

00:27:29All right.

00:27:30It's anyone's game,

00:27:31as they say.

00:27:32Yeah.

00:27:33Let's bring our chefs

00:27:34back in.

00:27:35Chef May!

00:27:36Chef Nene!

00:27:37Chef Adam!

00:27:38Chef Christian!

00:27:40Come on back!

00:27:45Well, chefs,

00:27:46a nice, hard-fought battle.

00:27:48Here we go with the scores.

00:27:50One team scored

00:27:51a 42 out of 50

00:27:53in savory,

00:27:54a 39 out of 50

00:27:56in sweet,

00:27:57with the final being

00:27:5881.

00:28:01The other team scored

00:28:02a 41 out of 50

00:28:05in savory,

00:28:06a 38 out of 50

00:28:08in sweet,

00:28:09with the final being

00:28:1079.

00:28:13The winner of the

00:28:14TOC All-Star Christmas Battle

00:28:16between Team May

00:28:18and Nene

00:28:19and Team Adam

00:28:20and Christian

00:28:21is...

00:28:22May and Nene!

00:28:29Congratulations!

00:28:30Love you, baby.

00:28:31Come on.

00:28:32Come on, baby.

00:28:33I love you.

00:28:33I'm sorry to see you go home,

00:28:41but I hope you have

00:28:41great holidays.

00:28:42Thank you for being here.

00:28:43Love you.

00:28:43Love you, bro.

00:28:45Love you, bro.

00:28:46Love you, bro.

00:28:47We love you!

00:28:48It's tough to swallow.

00:28:57Especially if it's not

00:28:58necessarily...

00:28:59And the bigger,

00:29:00tougher pill to swallow

00:29:01is that we're really

00:29:02having fun

00:29:03and wanted to go

00:29:03on a deep run here,

00:29:04so I'm pretty bummed out.

00:29:07Yeah.

00:29:08The opportunity

00:29:09is always amazing.

00:29:10Two best friends

00:29:11came in,

00:29:12worked collectively together,

00:29:14made fantastic dishes.

00:29:15Congratulations.

00:29:16There you have it!

00:29:19Thank you.

00:29:25I did it.

00:29:26We did it, guys.

00:29:28How was that?

00:29:29I liked it.

00:29:29It was great.

00:29:30Fun, right?

00:29:30It was great.

00:29:30Can we always have teams?

00:29:32I think it's nice.

00:29:33I think we communicated enough.

00:29:34Not a lot of talking.

00:29:36It was just a lot of...

00:29:37Oh, when you guys were in there.

00:29:37We were just like ESP going on.

00:29:40We divide and conquer.

00:29:41Are you ready

00:29:42for the next two teams?

00:29:44Let's do this.

00:29:45We have our number two seed team,

00:29:47internationally recognized restaurateur,

00:29:50the one and only

00:29:51Chef Marcus Samuelson

00:29:53and his executive pastry chef,

00:29:55Rachel Sharif.

00:29:57Rachel is definitely

00:29:58our secret weapon.

00:30:00She has the energy.

00:30:01I've been working

00:30:01with Chef Marcus

00:30:02for a little over four months now.

00:30:04When you find someone

00:30:05that's talented and committed,

00:30:06I'm like, you're coming.

00:30:07I can't wait for me and Rachel

00:30:09to come up with great flavors together.

00:30:11Marcus is a culinary icon

00:30:13and Rachel's pastry skills

00:30:14have earned her

00:30:15a devoted following.

00:30:17They're hoping their time spent

00:30:19creating restaurant dishes

00:30:20will make them a winning combo

00:30:22in the TOC arena.

00:30:24I feel like if chef

00:30:25needs something for me

00:30:26that's a bit more pastry forward,

00:30:28I can help him out with that.

00:30:29And if I need help

00:30:30with like flavor combinations,

00:30:31then that's all

00:30:33that Chef Marcus is about.

00:30:34The number three seed team

00:30:36features a pair of acclaimed

00:30:37high-end chefs,

00:30:39the one and only

00:30:39Graham Elliott

00:30:40and Giuseppe Trontori.

00:30:42We worked together at Trotters

00:30:43back in the late 90s,

00:30:44early 2000s.

00:30:45Marcus, remember when he came

00:30:46and spent a few days with us?

00:30:48He did, yes.

00:30:48Marcus is so nice

00:30:50and a good dude,

00:30:51but when we've seen him

00:30:51in the kitchen,

00:30:52it's like kicking people

00:30:53out of the way

00:30:54and just chopping

00:30:54and grabbing your pan.

00:30:56So like he's coming in on fire.

00:30:58Graham is one of the most

00:30:59respected chefs and judges

00:31:00in the competition world,

00:31:01but Giuseppe has never competed

00:31:04in his life.

00:31:05They are hoping

00:31:06their decade-long friendship

00:31:08will be the deciding factor

00:31:10in this round.

00:31:11The idea is for Giuseppe

00:31:12to focus on the pastry.

00:31:14I'm rocking on savory,

00:31:15but the fact that

00:31:16we know each other,

00:31:17being able to jump by,

00:31:18taste each other's stuff,

00:31:19get an idea of how to plate

00:31:20and then kind of go back

00:31:21to our worlds and focus, so.

00:31:23It'll be the longest

00:31:2335 minutes ever.

00:31:25It'll be the shortest

00:31:2635 minutes ever.

00:31:27Don't fool yourself.

00:31:29I know Giuseppe

00:31:29and I know Graham

00:31:30talk about legend.

00:31:33I kind of like

00:31:33how I don't have

00:31:34too much knowledge

00:31:34of anybody.

00:31:36Rachel's skill,

00:31:37she focused on pastry.

00:31:39We're going to do very well.

00:31:41Ready?

00:31:43Let's go.

00:31:43Let's do it.

00:31:44All right, chefs,

00:31:45they're ready for you.

00:31:48Let's go.

00:31:49Let's go.

00:31:49We got this.

00:31:50Let's go.

00:31:54Are you ready

00:31:55to see these chefs

00:31:56fired up tonight?

00:31:58Let's light this up.

00:31:59Graham Elliott

00:32:04is a three-time

00:32:05James Beard nominee

00:32:06whose namesake

00:32:08Chicago restaurant

00:32:09received two Michelin stars.

00:32:14He has been a judge

00:32:15on both MasterChef

00:32:16and Top Chef

00:32:17and competed on

00:32:18Iron Chef America

00:32:19and Top Chef MasterChef.

00:32:21Chef Giuseppe Trattori

00:32:23has earned three

00:32:24James Beard nominations

00:32:25and as an executive chef

00:32:26of Boca,

00:32:27earned a Michelin star

00:32:28four years in a row.

00:32:32Giuseppe has been

00:32:33Graham's friend

00:32:34for two decades,

00:32:35but this is his first time

00:32:37ever competing

00:32:38on television.

00:32:40Give it up

00:32:40for Grand Slam

00:32:41and GT.

00:32:44Team Graham

00:32:45and Giuseppe!

00:32:46Giuseppe,

00:33:01first time?

00:33:02First time here.

00:33:03Very excited.

00:33:04First time cooking

00:33:05on television

00:33:06in competition.

00:33:07Dude, I'm nervous for you.

00:33:08You are one brave cat.

00:33:10I like to risk it all.

00:33:12Buddy, you are.

00:33:13You are.

00:33:14Gentlemen, good luck.

00:33:15Let's meet their opponent.

00:33:17Chef Marcus Samuelson

00:33:18is the internationally

00:33:20acclaimed restaurateur

00:33:21and eight-time

00:33:22James Beard Award winner.

00:33:25In addition to being

00:33:27one of TOC's

00:33:28most respected judges,

00:33:30he is a Chopped

00:33:31All-Star Champion

00:33:32and a Top Chef

00:33:33Masters winner.

00:33:35Now, Master Pastry Chef

00:33:36Rachel Osterif

00:33:37worked in multiple

00:33:39Michelin-starred restaurants.

00:33:40She was a Ramey finalist

00:33:42for Pastry Chef of the Year

00:33:43in 2025

00:33:44and is also making

00:33:46her very first

00:33:47competition appearance

00:33:49here tonight.

00:33:52Give a big,

00:33:54loud welcome

00:33:55to Team Marcus

00:33:57and Rachel.

00:33:58Rachel Osterif

00:33:59You probably have one

00:34:13of the biggest reputations.

00:34:15You finally come and compete,

00:34:18which I cannot thank you enough.

00:34:19Thank you.

00:34:20This for you

00:34:21to be the one

00:34:23that is picked

00:34:24out of all the chefs

00:34:26that would die

00:34:27to come work with him.

00:34:28Uh-huh.

00:34:29How does that make you feel?

00:34:30I'm super honored.

00:34:31I still can't believe

00:34:32it's happening.

00:34:33Well, believe it,

00:34:34because we're here

00:34:34and these two guys

00:34:35are killers.

00:34:36I know.

00:34:37We're here to perform.

00:34:38Chefs, let's take it

00:34:39to the randomizer.

00:34:40Let's go.

00:34:41All right.

00:34:46As you know,

00:34:47the randomizer

00:34:48will determine

00:34:49the mandatory details

00:34:50of both of your dishes.

00:34:52The mandatory savory item

00:34:54for one dish

00:34:55and the mandatory sweet item

00:34:56for the other dish.

00:34:58And the equipment,

00:34:59the style,

00:34:59and the wild card,

00:35:01which is going to apply

00:35:02to both dishes.

00:35:04Here we go.

00:35:04Going for savory.

00:35:14Calamari, turkey,

00:35:15pork, turkey,

00:35:17turkey thigh.

00:35:18In the savory category,

00:35:19got to be happy with that.

00:35:21Sweet,

00:35:22donju pear.

00:35:23Okay.

00:35:24Equipment,

00:35:24mortal and pestle,

00:35:26style, nutty,

00:35:28and applesauce.

00:35:29It could be worse.

00:35:30I was expecting Grinch Fieri

00:35:31and we're getting

00:35:31a little more like

00:35:32Santa guy.

00:35:33Grinch Fieri

00:35:33to Santa guy.

00:35:34Okay.

00:35:35At least I'm back

00:35:35on the Christmas card list.

00:35:37How about this?

00:35:3835 minutes to cook,

00:35:39but I'll give you

00:35:39two minutes to confer

00:35:41as a team.

00:35:42Start now.

00:35:43I'm doing rice pudding,

00:35:44for sure.

00:35:45I'm going to Portugal.

00:35:47We both come from cultures

00:35:49that are very flavorful.

00:35:51Rachel's background

00:35:52with Jamaican-American,

00:35:53and for me,

00:35:54with Ethiopian.

00:35:55I grew up learning

00:35:56French pastry,

00:35:58so I have influences

00:35:59from everywhere.

00:35:59So when I get

00:36:00an opportunity like this,

00:36:01I'm like,

00:36:02Hey, Rachel,

00:36:03you're coming with?

00:36:04Sorbet.

00:36:05Sorbet.

00:36:05I'm waiting for apple.

00:36:06Apple pear sorbet.

00:36:07I'm going to make

00:36:07the crepes, I think.

00:36:08I looked up to you

00:36:09as a culinarian,

00:36:10but then we became

00:36:11friends,

00:36:11and then, you know,

00:36:12we achieved life

00:36:12moments together.

00:36:13Years later,

00:36:14to be able to come here,

00:36:15we're going to just

00:36:15crush it.

00:36:17You need to ask

00:36:17you.

00:36:18I know.

00:36:19Good luck.

00:36:19Let's get to it.

00:36:193, 2, 1,

00:36:22and we're going.

00:36:23Good luck, chefs.

00:36:26You're going to see

00:36:26some great cookery tonight.

00:36:27All right, turkey thighs, right?

00:36:32I'm a dark meat guy

00:36:33when it comes to the poultry.

00:36:35It's got the fat.

00:36:36It's got the flavor.

00:36:37Nanju pear.

00:36:38It can be cooked.

00:36:39It can be raw.

00:36:39And pears and crispness,

00:36:41everybody knows that correlation.

00:36:42Mordo and pestle.

00:36:43I mean, this is a key component

00:36:45in the culinary arsenal.

00:36:47This is going to take

00:36:47some arm work.

00:36:48Nutty is one of those things

00:36:50that can take

00:36:50a lot of interpretation.

00:36:51Really, a big spectrum

00:36:53of opportunity.

00:36:54And applesauce,

00:36:55this is going to work

00:36:56great alongside of the pears,

00:36:57and we'll play really good

00:36:58into the dessert.

00:37:00In my household,

00:37:01we did curry

00:37:02with noodles

00:37:03on the holidays.

00:37:05And warm baking spices

00:37:06to me scream Christmas.

00:37:08I know I can make

00:37:09a good rice pudding.

00:37:11I see that we have the pears.

00:37:12I can incorporate this

00:37:13into a sorbet of some sort.

00:37:16It's like a really

00:37:16good combination.

00:37:19Chef Marcus on the grind.

00:37:21Yes.

00:37:22Kathleen on the grind.

00:37:23I do a savory itself.

00:37:24Once I knew it was turkey

00:37:26and nutty,

00:37:27let's do something

00:37:28with curry,

00:37:29and apples in the curry

00:37:32would really work

00:37:32because it has

00:37:33a sweetener to it.

00:37:34You see the Mordo and Pesto?

00:37:36We have three of this.

00:37:38How are we making

00:37:39the curry nutty?

00:37:40Tons of nuts.

00:37:41I love Mordo and Pesto.

00:37:42I use it a lot.

00:37:43You can get layers

00:37:45of both fat and texture.

00:37:48The holidays are different.

00:37:49I know the joy

00:37:50when the next day

00:37:51comes to my family.

00:37:52It's like ripping

00:37:53that turkey meat off

00:37:54and putting it into stews,

00:37:55and I was really channeling

00:37:56my family memories of this,

00:37:57and that's something

00:37:58I wanted to share.

00:37:59I'm trying not to stand here

00:38:01too fanboyish

00:38:02watching Marcus,

00:38:03but I am fanboying.

00:38:04Hi, how are you feeling?

00:38:05Hi, good.

00:38:06First time.

00:38:07Welcome to the Madness.

00:38:07Welcome to the family.

00:38:09Thank you very much.

00:38:10Awesome.

00:38:10What's the plan, Chef?

00:38:11I'm doing sweet,

00:38:13which is pears.

00:38:14So I'm going to go

00:38:15rice pudding.

00:38:15Okay.

00:38:16Press some pears

00:38:17in the spice mixture

00:38:18for a sorbet.

00:38:20Okay, so we'll see

00:38:20how this goes.

00:38:21Rice pudding isn't

00:38:22holiday forward.

00:38:23Oh, for me,

00:38:24it's super holiday.

00:38:24It's for you.

00:38:25Not for me.

00:38:26That's how different it is.

00:38:28Holiday, it depends

00:38:29on where you're from,

00:38:30but I'm very familiar

00:38:31with the use

00:38:32of the warm baking spices

00:38:33such as cinnamon,

00:38:35clove, cardamom,

00:38:37allspice,

00:38:37and star anise.

00:38:39My aunt was dining

00:38:41in one of Chef Marcus'

00:38:42restaurants

00:38:43in New York City,

00:38:44and my aunt was like,

00:38:45oh my goodness,

00:38:46my niece is a pastry chef.

00:38:47And so I got a phone call.

00:38:49I was like,

00:38:49there's no way

00:38:50that like the Chef Marcus

00:38:51Samuelson is calling

00:38:52me right now.

00:38:53Oh my God!

00:38:55As a young person,

00:38:56all you need is a shot

00:38:57and Rachel has a talent.

00:38:59So, I like this couple.

00:39:03Chef, welcome

00:39:04to the dance floor.

00:39:04Hi, how are you?

00:39:05Perfect, and you?

00:39:06Oh, lovely.

00:39:07Pear was for sweets,

00:39:09so I think I'm going

00:39:10to make crepes.

00:39:11Okay.

00:39:11I grew up

00:39:12in a very poor family

00:39:13and holiday for us

00:39:14because my mom is like,

00:39:15I have eggs, flour,

00:39:16a little mascarpone.

00:39:17She'll try to make crepes.

00:39:19So the crepes dish for me,

00:39:20my twist,

00:39:21are what my mom used

00:39:22to make during the holidays.

00:39:24Giuseppe, how are you doing?

00:39:25Do you really want to know?

00:39:27I'm going to do savory,

00:39:28and, you know,

00:39:29turkey thighs are great.

00:39:30It's kind of like

00:39:30a chicken on steroids.

00:39:32Not a lot that you can do

00:39:33with those parts

00:39:34in such a short amount of time,

00:39:36so you need to apply

00:39:37the right cooking process to it.

00:39:39Talk to me, Chef.

00:39:39What's on the menu?

00:39:40Going with turkey schnitzel.

00:39:41I'm going to pound it thin.

00:39:42I'm going to add walnuts

00:39:43to the crust

00:39:44for the nutty flavor,

00:39:45and then the applesauce,

00:39:47I will do the veal jus reduction

00:39:48with some sage

00:39:49and then whip that into it.

00:39:50Oh, I love that.

00:39:51I think that'll be nice, right?

00:39:52It's kind of holiday flavor,

00:39:53nothing too loco.

00:39:54Walnuts, to me, scream holiday time,

00:40:03so grinding that,

00:40:04putting it into the breading

00:40:19was kind of one of those easy,

00:40:20let's do it type of things.

00:40:22There's a great call for texture, too.

00:40:24Giuseppe, six minutes left.

00:40:26Well, shut up.

00:40:27That's not funny.

00:40:28No, let's go.

00:40:29Come on.

00:40:30Push, push.

00:40:30That limb is not funny.

00:40:32Okay.

00:40:33The fry station is set.

00:40:35Christmas time of 1998.

00:40:38That's when I first met Giuseppe, so...

00:40:40We met at Charlie Trotty,

00:40:41we worked there,

00:40:42and we're still friends to this day.

00:40:43Yeah, and as we all know,

00:40:44in a restaurant,

00:40:45one year, it's like a dog year,

00:40:46so I've known you for about 100 years.

00:40:50Marcus Anilson,

00:40:51we've known each other for years.

00:40:53We have a similar pedigree.

00:40:54We've both judged for a long time.

00:40:56To throw all that to the side

00:40:58and get back in the kitchen,

00:40:59and then to have our culinary partners,

00:41:02first-time television competition,

00:41:04you've never seen a better,

00:41:06more equal matchup.

00:41:07I love challenge,

00:41:08and it's like one of the biggest challenge

00:41:10to win this competition.

00:41:12Woo! Come on, y'all!

00:41:14All right, teams, 20 minutes.

00:41:17What's next, chef?

00:41:18I'm going to make mascarpone cream.

00:41:20It's rich, luxurious,

00:41:22but like, what am I doing with the pear?

00:41:24I was thinking about the flavor

00:41:25and the au jus pear.

00:41:26It's very delicate,

00:41:27so I use them inside the crepes

00:41:29and raw on top.

00:41:33Around holidays and Christmas

00:41:35and, you know, Thanksgiving,

00:41:37you need that vegetable, greenery component.

00:41:40So, I grab some Brussels sprouts.

00:41:43Applesauce in the jus?

00:41:44Yeah, so applesauce, veal jus, ginger,

00:41:46some sage.

00:41:48And also, the applesauce was very tart.

00:41:50Yeah.

00:41:50It was perfect for, like, savory and sweet.

00:41:52Mm-hmm.

00:41:53That's why I just warm it up

00:41:54with a little lemon juice

00:41:55and pumpkin spice.

00:41:57Delicious.

00:41:58What's the plan with this, chef?

00:42:00Make, like, a version of drage.

00:42:02Well, what's drage, then?

00:42:03It's African nuts with sugar,

00:42:04carmine and sugar.

00:42:05Oh, okay.

00:42:05It just sounds fancier.

00:42:07What sort of nut?

00:42:08Hazel nut?

00:42:08And then, kind of smash them in there

00:42:10so the sugar go with the nuts together.

00:42:13Give it a little nutty flavor.

00:42:15Give it a texture to this dish.

00:42:21I incorporate the applesauce

00:42:23into my pear juice spice mixture

00:42:26to give it body

00:42:27and to also help stabilize,

00:42:29prevent that, like, icy consistency.

00:42:31Applesauce, it's shelf-stable,

00:42:33so the stabilizers that she needs

00:42:34for a sorbet

00:42:35are already in the applesauce.

00:42:36Good. I didn't think about that.

00:42:37Wild smart.

00:42:37I didn't think about that.

00:42:39Feel good, chef?

00:42:40I feel good, man.

00:42:40It's having fun, me and Rachel.

00:42:42It's good.

00:42:43There's probably

00:42:44two billion people in the world

00:42:45eating curry on holidays

00:42:47that just might not live in America.

00:42:49I was not born here,

00:42:50and I want to share

00:42:51how we look at the holidays.

00:42:53The holidays in my household,

00:42:54it's like,

00:42:54maybe we drank too much

00:42:55until the night before.

00:42:56You have a little bit of a hungover.

00:42:58You are gathering,

00:42:59making this dish together.

00:43:01It's fun.

00:43:01And curry with noodles

00:43:03is a great hangover cure.

00:43:06Teams, 10 minutes, 10 to go.

00:43:11How are we looking

00:43:12on this dessert over here?

00:43:13Dessert looks like

00:43:14the mise en place is ready to go.

00:43:16I think this is a smart play

00:43:17in that it's pretty shelf-stable.

00:43:19So what we're seeing

00:43:19is Chef Giuseppe

00:43:20moving back to help

00:43:21Chef Graham be a second set of hands.

00:43:23For the sauce,

00:43:24do you want to put them on the side?

00:43:25Yeah.

00:43:26To have someone

00:43:27not only taking care of pastry,

00:43:28but to be able to jump in and help.

00:43:30It's not Giuseppe and Graham.

00:43:32It's like Graham-seppe.

00:43:34You know you love that one.

00:43:35That was good.

00:43:36Come on.

00:43:38Turkey's done.

00:43:39Hash is done.

00:43:39You got that.

00:43:40I'm going to get plates.

00:43:43How's it, George?

00:43:44You have to compete.

00:43:46You've got to be able

00:43:47to sit on both sides of this.

00:43:49And this is fun.

00:43:50The holidays.

00:43:52I'm here with Rachel.

00:43:53I'm going to enjoy

00:43:54every second of it.

00:43:56Last minute,

00:43:57I decided to get

00:43:58the nutty component done.

00:43:59Pecans impart

00:44:00an amazing nutty flavor

00:44:02when you toast them.

00:44:03How much do you have left, Rachel?

00:44:04I'm just going to

00:44:05can do these nuts,

00:44:06then we have to plate.

00:44:07Three minutes.

00:44:08Three to go.

00:44:09So, put like apple puree

00:44:11on the bottom of the plates.

00:44:12Slice the crepes,

00:44:13put one piece

00:44:14on each puree.

00:44:16I put some julienne pear

00:44:17on top,

00:44:18dust it with the hazelnut.

00:44:19The crepe itself

00:44:20is almost like

00:44:21the Christmas present wrapping,

00:44:23and then you have

00:44:23the actual gift inside.

00:44:25What's in there?

00:44:25What is it?

00:44:26Oh, pescabon!

00:44:28And you get it,

00:44:28and it's like

00:44:29double present.

00:44:30I was psyched about that.

00:44:32First thing down

00:44:33is the hash

00:44:34with the Brussels sprout,

00:44:34the chestnut,

00:44:35the pear,

00:44:36little pancetta,

00:44:37then the buttermilk

00:44:38fried turkey.

00:44:40When you're

00:44:41in the kitchen

00:44:42battlefield,

00:44:43you learn about

00:44:44the people

00:44:44that you can rely on.

00:44:45Boom, boom.

00:44:46What else?

00:44:47Something to garnish

00:44:47the top of those pickled pears.

00:44:49Got it.

00:44:50And to see that

00:44:51over decades now

00:44:52and share that heart,

00:44:53spirit,

00:44:53as well as palate,

00:44:54it's very rewarding.

00:44:56Huh?

00:44:56Go.

00:44:57Nothing else?

00:44:58All right.

00:44:59I mean,

00:45:02we are going

00:45:03with soulful cooking

00:45:05curry

00:45:05with noodles,

00:45:08my broccoli rubs

00:45:09on that,

00:45:10and then I took it back.

00:45:12One minute.

00:45:14First,

00:45:14it was like

00:45:15warm rice pudding

00:45:16topping on top

00:45:17of the rice pudding,

00:45:18and then cold

00:45:19pear, apple, sorbet.

00:45:21Rachel did a fantastic job.

00:45:23For me,

00:45:24one of the biggest privileges

00:45:25in this part of my career

00:45:26is to work with

00:45:27younger than me,

00:45:28talented,

00:45:29people that have

00:45:29different narratives,

00:45:31and Rachel is one of them.

00:45:32I appreciate that a lot.

00:45:33Thank you.

00:45:34Five, four, three, two, one.

00:45:38That's it.

00:45:42Good job.

00:45:44All right, chefs.

00:45:45Great performance

00:45:46by all of you,

00:45:48and to the new chefs,

00:45:49congratulations.

00:45:50You just cut your teeth

00:45:51in one of the most

00:45:52difficult competitions ever.

00:45:53Awesome job.

00:45:54Good job.

00:45:54Awesome job.

00:45:56We're going to send you

00:45:56back to your trailers,

00:45:57and let's bring out

00:45:58the judges.

00:45:58Great job.

00:46:06Woo.

00:46:07Woo.

00:46:08She did it.

00:46:08Jesus, take the window.

00:46:10Cooking together for so long,

00:46:11it's like an extension

00:46:12of each other.

00:46:12You know, same mind,

00:46:14same palate,

00:46:15but the biggest

00:46:15is the same heart

00:46:16and soul

00:46:17and what we do,

00:46:17so you can almost

00:46:18just be blindfolded

00:46:19like a dance partner

00:46:20and be able to,

00:46:21do, do, you got that,

00:46:22you do, okay,

00:46:22how are we looking?

00:46:23I think we both,

00:46:24you both brought flavor

00:46:25in a short amount of time.

00:46:27Right?

00:46:28You feel good?

00:46:28Absolutely.

00:46:29Yeah, I feel good.

00:46:29I mean, I have no idea

00:46:31what they did.

00:46:31I don't know.

00:46:32I saw some plates

00:46:33and I was like,

00:46:33whoo.

00:46:34Yeah.

00:46:35All right,

00:46:35let's welcome back

00:46:36our judges,

00:46:37Chef Curtis Stone,

00:46:38Chef Gail Gann,

00:46:39and Chef Scott Conner.

00:46:41Curtis is a great guy.

00:46:43Curtis is amazing.

00:46:44He's traveled,

00:46:44been all over the world.

00:46:46He understands flavor

00:46:46from all over.

00:46:48I grew up watching Gail.

00:46:49That's so crazy.

00:46:52Dang,

00:46:52I worked with Gail

00:46:53back at True

00:46:55when I was 21 years old.

00:46:57Scott doesn't know it

00:46:58that I'm here,

00:46:59but I mean,

00:46:59Scott is one of my best

00:47:00friends in the world.

00:47:01Well, judges,

00:47:02the randomizer served up

00:47:04turkey thigh,

00:47:05donju pear,

00:47:06mortar and pestle

00:47:07had to be the piece

00:47:08of equipment.

00:47:09Style, nutty,

00:47:10and the wildcard ingredient,

00:47:12again in both dishes,

00:47:13was apple sauce.

00:47:15Justin?

00:47:15Judges,

00:47:16your savory course first.

00:47:18This is buttermilk

00:47:19fried turkey thigh

00:47:20with a walnut crust.

00:47:22Now, those walnuts

00:47:23were crushed

00:47:24by the mortar and pestle,

00:47:25but you'll also find

00:47:26another nutty element

00:47:28in that Brussels hash

00:47:29with chestnuts

00:47:30and an apple jus.

00:47:32Onto the sweet dish,

00:47:34we have crepes

00:47:35with mascarpone,

00:47:36pear,

00:47:37and hazelnuts.

00:47:38The hazelnuts

00:47:39were crushed

00:47:39by the mortar and pestle.

00:47:42First of all,

00:47:42I've never met a cutlet

00:47:43that I don't love.

00:47:44This is just delicious,

00:47:46and I think it's spectacular.

00:47:47Really great caramelization

00:47:48on that chestnut,

00:47:49Brussels sprout move.

00:47:51I like that the sauce

00:47:52was on the side.

00:47:52I think it's a very thoughtful,

00:47:54kind of elegant touch.

00:47:55This is just good cooking.

00:47:58Absolutely love

00:47:59this turkey thigh.

00:48:00Thighs, in general,

00:48:01have a nice amount of fat,

00:48:02so everything's tender.

00:48:04Thank you, Gail.

00:48:05Yeah!

00:48:06I love all the color.

00:48:08It's really festive and fresh.

00:48:10If I had to criticize

00:48:11one little thing,

00:48:12it could use

00:48:13a little more salt.

00:48:15I don't even put

00:48:16all my salt on the top.

00:48:17I love the Brussels.

00:48:18It really brings it to life

00:48:19around the holiday time.

00:48:20I don't really get

00:48:21the applesauce very much.

00:48:22It's simple cooking,

00:48:23but it's very delicious.

00:48:25Let's move on

00:48:25to the dessert.

00:48:27Loving the textures.

00:48:28I've got some crunch

00:48:29from the hazelnuts.

00:48:30It seems like they might

00:48:31have been drageed a bit,

00:48:32so I get, like,

00:48:33a little sugar crunch, too.

00:48:35I think it pairs perfectly.

00:48:38I do wish there was

00:48:39a little more of that cream,

00:48:40only because it's so delicious.

00:48:42I want more.

00:48:43I think the crepe

00:48:44is a great idea.

00:48:45I wish there were

00:48:46just a little bit more color

00:48:47on that crepe,

00:48:48just to develop that flavor,

00:48:49just to touch.

00:48:50A good crepe is more color.

00:48:51I mean, if I'm going to be

00:48:51really particular...

00:48:52Don't get defensive.

00:48:54I like the usage

00:48:55of the pear,

00:48:56particularly that kind

00:48:57of doubling down

00:48:58in that applesauce.

00:48:59If I'm going to be

00:49:00really particular,

00:49:01they might be a little thick.

00:49:03I have to disagree

00:49:04with my friend Scott.

00:49:05I mean, my crepe

00:49:06is perfectly thin,

00:49:07so I don't know

00:49:08what you're eating

00:49:08over there, Scott,

00:49:09but this crepe to me.

00:49:10Yeah.

00:49:13Crepes are not easy

00:49:14to make in a short

00:49:15amount of time

00:49:15because if you try

00:49:16and pour that crepe batter

00:49:17immediately in,

00:49:18it's going to create

00:49:19a bit of a tough crepe.

00:49:20These aren't.

00:49:20These are really delicate

00:49:21and great holiday feel,

00:49:23simple but still refined.

00:49:24I'm impressed.

00:49:25Awesome.

00:49:26Thank you very much, judges.

00:49:27Two scorecards

00:49:27in front of you.

00:49:28We're going to be scoring

00:49:29the savory and sweet

00:49:30individually.

00:49:3150 points available

00:49:32for each dish.

00:49:3325 points are going

00:49:34to go to taste,

00:49:3620 points for the use

00:49:37of the randomizer,

00:49:37and five points for plating.

00:49:39Couldn't have gone better.

00:49:40Like, again, for me.

00:49:42If they get the deliciousness,

00:49:44we have a very high chance

00:49:45they don't get that.

00:49:46I have faith

00:49:47that we're strong

00:49:49in flavors.

00:49:51All right, champ,

00:49:52give us the rundown

00:49:52on the second team's dish.

00:49:53Judges, you have your

00:49:55morning-after nutty curry.

00:49:58The ground turkey

00:49:59was treated

00:50:00to a mortar-and-pestle

00:50:01roasted peanuts

00:50:02made into a curry

00:50:03and enhanced

00:50:04with a cauliflower

00:50:05and applesauce puree.

00:50:07The curry was then

00:50:08adored with crispy turkey.

00:50:10So on the sweet side,

00:50:11we have spiced rice pudding.

00:50:13The mortar-and-pestle

00:50:14was used to ground

00:50:14a spice mix

00:50:15to marinate

00:50:16the Danjou pears.

00:50:17The applesauce

00:50:18was also used

00:50:19as a stabilizer

00:50:20for the sorbet.

00:50:21Pecans found themselves

00:50:22into the mortar-and-pestle.

00:50:24For the noodle dish,

00:50:26I just love

00:50:26that I keep getting

00:50:27more and more flavors

00:50:28and more and more

00:50:29textures, too.

00:50:31Oh, okay.

00:50:32Tastes nutty.

00:50:33Very happy

00:50:34with this dish.

00:50:34I have a little

00:50:35of a conundrum here.

00:50:37I like the usage

00:50:37of the spices

00:50:38inside this a lot.

00:50:39I think it's

00:50:40expert navigation

00:50:41of a lot of

00:50:42different flavors

00:50:42and layers.

00:50:44But adding

00:50:44the broccoli rod

00:50:45feels disjointed.

00:50:46I'm not loving

00:50:48that idea

00:50:48that I'm eating

00:50:49leftovers,

00:50:50quite frankly.

00:50:50I actually thought

00:50:51Scott would love

00:50:53that kind of

00:50:54Southeast Asian

00:50:55take.

00:50:56Yeah, that's all right.

00:50:57Can I have

00:50:57your leftovers?

00:50:58Is that what that means?

00:51:02Gail, eh.

00:51:04Point Gail.

00:51:06No.

00:51:07No.

00:51:12Enjoy.

00:51:14At first glance,

00:51:15for me,

00:51:15it doesn't read

00:51:16holiday.

00:51:17But hey,

00:51:17we celebrate

00:51:18the holidays

00:51:18in so many

00:51:19different ways

00:51:19in this wonderful

00:51:20country,

00:51:21and I love that.

00:51:22Really creative

00:51:22use of the turkey.

00:51:24I think it's cool

00:51:24that they've cut it

00:51:25into bite-sized pieces

00:51:26and deep-fried them.

00:51:27Yes.

00:51:28Thank you for

00:51:28understanding the turkey.

00:51:29Gail's still eating it.

00:51:30Yeah, I mean,

00:51:31they're all eating.

00:51:31I really do

00:51:32enjoy that

00:51:33peanut-y flavor here.

00:51:34I think it's

00:51:35pretty on point.

00:51:36Now let's move

00:51:36on to the dessert.

00:51:37I don't know

00:51:37if you guys know this,

00:51:39but the rice pudding

00:51:40is warm,

00:51:41which is kind of fun

00:51:42when you've got

00:51:42a frozen element

00:51:43and a hot rice pudding.

00:51:45Not sure I pick up

00:51:46a lot of pear flavor

00:51:47in it,

00:51:48so I wish I could

00:51:49have gotten

00:51:50a little more hint

00:51:51that there was pear

00:51:52in there as well.

00:51:53Okay.

00:51:54Now the dessert,

00:51:55I'm having a different

00:51:56experience with it.

00:51:56I really love

00:51:57the spices used

00:51:58inside here.

00:51:59I love the textures.

00:52:00I love the creaminess

00:52:01of the rice pudding

00:52:02and the juxtaposition

00:52:04with the candied pecans.

00:52:05Beautiful.

00:52:06Pear sorbet

00:52:07is lovely

00:52:08with the rice pudding

00:52:09because the extreme cold

00:52:11and the extreme warm,

00:52:12those two things

00:52:13sort of melt together

00:52:13and it's wonderful.

00:52:14The caramelized pecans

00:52:15give a real

00:52:16holiday feel.

00:52:17It's a very interesting

00:52:18combination.

00:52:19I never would have

00:52:20made a sorbet.

00:52:21I would have diced up

00:52:21some pears

00:52:22and put it on top.

00:52:23We're just going

00:52:24to leave it up to them.

00:52:24Yeah.

00:52:25You did a great job.

00:52:25That's all we can do.

00:52:26Great job, Sean.

00:52:27You did a great job.

00:52:27I think that it was

00:52:28a really even judging

00:52:31and that we did our best

00:52:32and we achieved

00:52:33what we wanted.

00:52:34We did.

00:52:34We had a great time.

00:52:35Exactly.

00:52:35Judging cards

00:52:36are in front of you.

00:52:38I was living the shot

00:52:39because Scott

00:52:39didn't enjoy it.

00:52:41I stand by your dish.

00:52:42Of course.

00:52:44All right, chefs.

00:52:44Well, the scores are in.

00:52:45Ready for you.

00:52:46Let's see what happens.

00:52:48It's time to bring

00:52:49the chefs back in.

00:52:50Are you ready?

00:52:52Let's bring in

00:52:53Chef Marcus,

00:52:55Chef Rachel,

00:52:56Chef Graham,

00:52:56Chef Di Zeppi.

00:52:59Really high scores.

00:53:03One team scores

00:53:0443 out of 50.

00:53:06In Savory,

00:53:0744 out of 50.

00:53:09In Sweet,

00:53:10for a score of 87,

00:53:13the other team scores

00:53:14a 42 out of 50.

00:53:16In Savory,

00:53:1742 out of 50.

00:53:19In Sweet.

00:53:19Oh, my God.

00:53:20With the final being

00:53:2184.

00:53:23And just so you know,

00:53:24thus far,

00:53:24in the tournament,

00:53:26these scores

00:53:26are the highest combined scores

00:53:28of any round of competition.

00:53:31Well done.

00:53:34So,

00:53:34in the battle

00:53:35between Chef Marcus

00:53:37and Chef Rachel

00:53:37versus Chef Graham

00:53:38and Chef Di Zeppi,

00:53:39the winner is...

00:53:40Graham and Gi Zeppi!

00:53:48Congratulations.

00:53:49Good job.

00:53:50Good job.

00:53:51Thank you.

00:53:53You two cooked your butts off.

00:53:55That was a dish that would win

00:53:56on any given Sunday.

00:53:58And today,

00:53:59I'm sorry that it's not your time,

00:54:00but what an honor.

00:54:01Thank you.

00:54:10Great job.

00:54:11Great job.

00:54:13We both had a great time.

00:54:15I just wish that we would have

00:54:17another chance

00:54:19to prove ourselves,

00:54:20but it's okay.

00:54:22I'll be back.

00:54:22We'll be back.

00:54:23Yeah.

00:54:23Is this what you expected

00:54:24of your friend?

00:54:25Yeah.

00:54:25I mean, above and beyond.

00:54:26It's kind of like dance partners.

00:54:28We can close your eye

00:54:28and kind of know

00:54:29this one's over here.

00:54:30Do you guys dance?

00:54:31Oh, yeah.

00:54:31Come on.

00:54:32I don't.

00:54:34Well done.

00:54:35Give it up!

00:54:37Chef Graham,

00:54:38Chef Di Zeppi,

00:54:38we'll see you soon.

00:54:40Adios, gentlemen.

00:54:42Woo!

00:54:44Eight meals?

00:54:45Amazing.

00:54:46I don't even know what to say.

00:54:47I'm pretty surprised

00:54:48they win, to be honest.

00:54:48Crepes had to have been incredible.

00:54:50Good job.

00:54:52Are you ready to meet

00:54:53the final contenders?

00:54:56But let's do this.

00:54:57We have our number two seed team.

00:54:59Rockstar restauranteurs,

00:55:01Chefs Michael and Brian Voltaggio.

00:55:04Now, these mega-talented culinary brothers

00:55:06famously competed against each other

00:55:09in the Top Chef finale

00:55:10and have since teamed up

00:55:12to open celebrated restaurants,

00:55:15but guess what?

00:55:15Have never competed

00:55:17in a big tournament

00:55:18until now.

00:55:20I mean, it's only natural

00:55:21that we would be cooking

00:55:21with each other, you know,

00:55:23in this competition.

00:55:24This is a holiday.

00:55:25This is about family.

00:55:26I think if anyone's nervous

00:55:27about Brian and I being on a team,

00:55:29you know, we're nervous

00:55:30about that pressure

00:55:31of other people being nervous

00:55:33because now we have

00:55:34to deliver on that.

00:55:35Their opponents,

00:55:36the number three seed.

00:55:38After you, m'lady.

00:55:39Shop legend,

00:55:40Sarah Bradley,

00:55:42and Food Network star,

00:55:43Chef Damaris Phillips.

00:55:45They have both won

00:55:46major championships,

00:55:47but still have something to prove.

00:55:49They're counting on

00:55:50their shared Kentucky pride

00:55:52to carry them to victory.

00:55:53Or Kentucky.

00:55:55Kentucky.

00:55:55Your social media is fabulous.

00:55:56That's how I first met Sarah.

00:55:58I would follow her

00:55:59and leave notes.

00:56:00I also love that, like,

00:56:02you're so in your wheelhouse.

00:56:03Like, don't put me

00:56:04in the pastry wheelhouse.

00:56:05That's how I feel

00:56:05about savory cooking.

00:56:06I think when we're

00:56:07in this kitchen,

00:56:07it's going to be like

00:56:08when we're at the restaurant.

00:56:09There's a lot of communication.

00:56:11It's, uh,

00:56:11how are you doing on this?

00:56:13How much longer on that?

00:56:14Can I help you with this?

00:56:15And there's going to be

00:56:16a lot of back and forth,

00:56:17but also checking in

00:56:18on each other,

00:56:18checking each other's work.

00:56:19Uh, we're not,

00:56:21we don't micromanage each other.

00:56:22We micro-support each other.

00:56:24It feels right

00:56:26that we're doing this all together.

00:56:33That was a good one.

00:56:35Let's go.

00:56:38Are you ready to see

00:56:40four chefs are fighting?

00:56:42Then let's light this up.

00:56:49Sarah Bradley worked

00:56:50in Michelin-starred restaurants

00:56:52in New York and Chicago

00:56:53before returning to Kentucky

00:56:55to open her own

00:56:56James Beard-nominated restaurant,

00:56:58Freight House.

00:57:02She is a premier chop legend,

00:57:04a two-time top chef runner-up,

00:57:07and earlier this year,

00:57:08she went all the way

00:57:10to the final battle

00:57:11in her very first appearance

00:57:14on TOC.

00:57:15Her teammate,

00:57:18Damaris Phillips,

00:57:19is an in-demand judge

00:57:21and host

00:57:21in the world

00:57:22of both sweet

00:57:23and savory cooking.

00:57:24And she has won

00:57:25over $130,000

00:57:28in culinary competitions.

00:57:31Give a big Kentucky holler

00:57:34for the Duchess of Paducah

00:57:36and the mouth of the South,

00:57:38Team Sarah and Damaris!

00:57:40I was expecting

00:57:55a little more dancing.

00:57:56We were going to square dance.

00:57:58Well, let's get serious

00:57:59because your opponents

00:58:00are every bit serious.

00:58:02He is one of the titans

00:58:04on Bobby's triple threat

00:58:06and the winner

00:58:08of season six

00:58:09of Top Chef.

00:58:13Chef Michael Votaggio

00:58:15earned a Michelin Star

00:58:16and James Beard Award nods

00:58:18as an executive chef.

00:58:21Chef Brian Votaggio

00:58:23is a two-time

00:58:24James Beard nominee

00:58:26who has opened

00:58:27over a dozen restaurants.

00:58:28He is a three-time

00:58:30Top Chef finalist.

00:58:33Give it up

00:58:34for our number two seed,

00:58:36Chefs Brian

00:58:37and Michael Votaggio!

00:58:49I like their rock out.

00:58:50Me too.

00:58:52Are we going to divide this

00:58:53between savory and sweet?

00:58:54That's up to your homie

00:58:55over there,

00:58:56the old randomize-y.

00:58:58The great thing is

00:58:59is the randomizer

00:59:00has been serving up

00:59:01fantastic offerings.

00:59:03So, without further ado,

00:59:05the Queens of Kentucky

00:59:06and the Votaggio brothers,

00:59:08let's take it

00:59:09to the randomizer

00:59:10on this way.

00:59:17Should I blow it a kiss?

00:59:18I don't know what to do.

00:59:19I'm nervous.

00:59:21A little huggy-hug.

00:59:22I can't do that.

00:59:24The randomizer

00:59:25will determine

00:59:26the mandatory details

00:59:27of both of your dishes.

00:59:29The mandatory savory items

00:59:31for one dish,

00:59:32the mandatory sweet item

00:59:34for the other dish,

00:59:35and then the equipment,

00:59:36the style,

00:59:37and the wild card

00:59:38must be used

00:59:39in both dishes.

00:59:41Let's get after it.

00:59:42Going for savory!

00:59:51There it goes.

00:59:54It really gets those going,

00:59:56y'all.

00:59:56It whoops them around there.

00:59:57In the savory category,

01:00:00pork,

01:00:01calamari,

01:00:01ling,

01:00:02pork,

01:00:03pork tenderloin,

01:00:04en-sweet,

01:00:06pomegranate,

01:00:07see?

01:00:09Spiralizer,

01:00:10creamy,

01:00:11and candied citron.

01:00:13Yes, bro.

01:00:14We can do this.

01:00:15I'm going to give you

01:00:1635 minutes,

01:00:17but I'm going to give you

01:00:18two minutes

01:00:19to confer with one another

01:00:20before I start the clock.

01:00:22Okay.

01:00:23So I'm going to do

01:00:23pork tenderloin

01:00:24with a loggy.

01:00:25They were like,

01:00:26who are you going to bring?

01:00:26And I was like,

01:00:27Damaris.

01:00:28There's like

01:00:28an unspoken understanding

01:00:31about the food

01:00:32that is most important to us.

01:00:34Obviously,

01:00:35pork tenderloin,

01:00:36creamy,

01:00:36and spiralizer.

01:00:38We are brothers.

01:00:39The story used to be

01:00:40Brian and I against each other,

01:00:41and now it's

01:00:42Brian and I against

01:00:43everyone else.

01:00:44I mean,

01:00:44I think you could

01:00:45cream some greens, too.

01:00:46Cream some greens.

01:00:47Okay.

01:00:48Candied citron,

01:00:49curd.

01:00:49Also a coconut sorbet,

01:00:51so they double the smoke.

01:00:52Three, two, one.

01:00:54Thirty-five minutes

01:00:55starts now.

01:00:55Good luck, chef.

01:00:58Michael and Brian,

01:00:59what I'm going to give you

01:01:00for Christmas

01:01:01is a big old fat lose.

01:01:03You're the first or last.

01:01:05I'm already sweating.

01:01:08Chef,

01:01:09when you have a plan,

01:01:10I have a pen.

01:01:11I have this savory

01:01:12pork tenderloin.

01:01:13So I'm going to do

01:01:13sweet potato latke,

01:01:14pork tenderloin.

01:01:16I'm going to serve it

01:01:17with a creamy citron

01:01:18creme fraiche,

01:01:20and I'm going to make

01:01:21a little apple butter.

01:01:22Okay.

01:01:22The key for the

01:01:23pork tenderloin

01:01:24is to get a really nice

01:01:25char on the outside

01:01:26and then go straight

01:01:27to the oven

01:01:27so it has plenty

01:01:28of time to rest.

01:01:30Tamara.

01:01:30What's up, girl?

01:01:31What's the plan, baby?

01:01:32So I'm making

01:01:33a mayonnaise chocolate

01:01:34cake for sweet

01:01:35with that candied citron

01:01:36and pomegranate.

01:01:37You're making cake?

01:01:39Yeah.

01:01:39Listen,

01:01:40I don't know

01:01:41if it can be done.

01:01:42I think it can.

01:01:43We're going to do

01:01:44a candied citron curd

01:01:45that's going to go

01:01:46into the layers,

01:01:47doing a pomegranate sauce.

01:01:49Wait, you're layering?

01:01:50I'm layering.

01:01:51Okay, Cookie, let's...

01:01:51Girl, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know.

01:01:54The holidays

01:01:55are four cakes for me

01:01:57and I will feel

01:01:58devastated

01:02:00if I don't do

01:02:01what I am best at.

01:02:02I am very good at cakes

01:02:04and mayonnaise cake.

01:02:05It's a creamy cake.

01:02:06I don't have the sweet

01:02:07skills like you do.

01:02:08Well, I don't have

01:02:08the savory skills like you do.

01:02:10That's just 100%

01:02:11the truth

01:02:11and I think that's why

01:02:12this team is going to be

01:02:13so strong.

01:02:16Also,

01:02:16the holidays

01:02:17are about comfort

01:02:18where sometimes

01:02:19Southern food

01:02:20and Kentucky food

01:02:21is overlooked.

01:02:23This is the time

01:02:24of year

01:02:24when we shop.

01:02:26I got to get my cakes in.

01:02:27You need pan spray?

01:02:28I got you here.

01:02:30To do a layer cake,

01:02:31you have to bake your cake

01:02:32and it has to be

01:02:33chilled

01:02:34in order to build.

01:02:39Everybody's working

01:02:39with purpose.

01:02:40I mean,

01:02:40nobody's missing a beat right now.

01:02:42It is just firing away.

01:02:43What's the plan

01:02:45with this, Chef?

01:02:46I'm going to smoke

01:02:47some butter.

01:02:47Woo-hoo!

01:02:49We're smoking.

01:02:50On the savory side,

01:02:51I'm going to do

01:02:52barbecue pork tenderloin,

01:02:54creamy braised greens

01:02:55and smoke sweet potato puree

01:02:56with spiralized sweet potato.

01:02:59Pork tenderloin,

01:03:00one of my faves.

01:03:01Quick cooking,

01:03:02super lean.

01:03:03It's a great marinating meat.

01:03:06I think I just

01:03:07got a signed pastry.

01:03:08Fry and grab the pork,

01:03:09so I guess I'm making dessert.

01:03:12With pomegranate.

01:03:13This randomizer to me

01:03:14influences a dish

01:03:16that's sort of southern

01:03:17in barbecue.

01:03:18I know that that's a lane

01:03:19that Brian really likes

01:03:20to cook in.

01:03:21I'm going to take one

01:03:21for the team this round.

01:03:22This is my dessert.

01:03:24Curd?

01:03:25Yeah.

01:03:25I'm making pomegranate curd

01:03:27with citron lemon pudding

01:03:29and whipped candied citron

01:03:31coconut cream.

01:03:32It's creamy, no?

01:03:33I think that's one

01:03:34of the ingredients, right?

01:03:35Creamy, yes, yes.

01:03:36Required in the style department.

01:03:38Why Brian and I

01:03:38work so well together

01:03:40is because we are brothers.

01:03:41We operate our restaurants together.

01:03:42Oftentimes when we're

01:03:44writing menus,

01:03:44I'll think of this crazy dish

01:03:46and all I have to do

01:03:47is say it.

01:03:48And then Brian just

01:03:49puts it together

01:03:50and there it is.

01:03:51Chef, that's your pomme juice?

01:03:52Yep.

01:03:53Pomme juice,

01:03:54gelatin,

01:03:55butter,

01:03:56eggs,

01:03:56some lemon in there too

01:03:58for some more acid

01:03:58because, you know,

01:03:59pomegranate doesn't have

01:04:00that much acid in it.

01:04:02Once I pour it onto the tray,

01:04:03it's pretty hot.

01:04:04I'm going to throw it

01:04:04into the blast chiller

01:04:05and hopefully the blast chiller

01:04:07will get this down to temp.

01:04:08I'm looking for this

01:04:09to be set and creamy.

01:04:14Making latkes.

01:04:16Making latkes.

01:04:17Great use of the spiralizer.

01:04:19That's Sarah Bradley

01:04:20always thinking.

01:04:21What a fierce competitor.

01:04:22I'm telling you.

01:04:23You know,

01:04:24latkes are quintessential Hanukkah.

01:04:27They are fried potatoes.

01:04:29And they're so yummy.

01:04:30Okay,

01:04:30I want to speak

01:04:31to all the Jews at home.

01:04:32Use sweet potatoes

01:04:33for your latkes.

01:04:34You don't ever have to worry

01:04:35about the inside oxidizing.

01:04:38Now that my cakes

01:04:39are in the oven,

01:04:39it's time for me

01:04:40to start my pomegranate sauce.

01:04:42I'm taking the whole pomegranate

01:04:43with a little bit of sugar

01:04:45and some vinegar.

01:04:46You see pomegranate

01:04:47all the time

01:04:48in the holidays.

01:04:55What's the plan

01:04:55with the shrimp?

01:04:56I'm going to build

01:04:57a sauce with that.

01:04:58I want to make sure

01:04:59I'm using the pork tenderloin

01:05:00in two different ways.

01:05:02I'm using the pork fat,

01:05:03to roast that

01:05:04to actually start the sauce

01:05:05to reinforce the pork flavor

01:05:06into the dish.

01:05:08When we started opening

01:05:09our restaurants,

01:05:10we started taking

01:05:11a few holidays off

01:05:12because we were in charge.

01:05:14Now,

01:05:15when we do have

01:05:15the opportunity

01:05:16to stay home

01:05:16and cook with our family,

01:05:18we're doing that together.

01:05:19But I will say

01:05:20that sibling rivalry

01:05:21that you all love,

01:05:22it happens when we're at home

01:05:23in the kitchen

01:05:24cooking together.

01:05:24That part does happen.

01:05:27The citron is the fruit.

01:05:29It's kind of the granddaddy

01:05:29that created all other citruses.

01:05:31Almost no juice inside.

01:05:32The pulp is dry.

01:05:34To actually eat it,

01:05:36you would candy the rind.

01:05:37Sweetening my coconut

01:05:39with candied citron,

01:05:41coconut cream.

01:05:42People that make foams

01:05:43and fail in competition,

01:05:44just,

01:05:44they don't make foams.

01:05:45They just get these ideas

01:05:46in their head,

01:05:47like,

01:05:47today's the day

01:05:48I'm going to make foam.

01:05:49I've spent a lot of time

01:05:50formulating recipes

01:05:51so that I never find myself

01:05:52in that situation.

01:05:53Let's see this coconut cream,

01:05:55a creamy element,

01:05:56be hit with the nitrous.

01:05:57Now,

01:05:57that's been stabilized

01:05:58with a little bit of gelatin.

01:05:59I think providing

01:06:01it's cool enough,

01:06:01that should set up

01:06:02pretty nice.

01:06:05You're doing

01:06:06a beautiful job.

01:06:07Thank you so much.

01:06:08You really are killing it,

01:06:09Sarah.

01:06:10And she's making apple butter.

01:06:11Mm-hmm.

01:06:12It's really traditional

01:06:13to serve latkes

01:06:14with sour cream

01:06:15and applesauce.

01:06:15Put a little citron

01:06:16in my apple butter.

01:06:17It's this Eastern European

01:06:19Ashkenazi thing.

01:06:21You guys cook together a lot?

01:06:23No.

01:06:24No.

01:06:25But we're Kentucky girls

01:06:27and we met each other

01:06:27and we fell in love.

01:06:29It's time to start

01:06:30on that curd.

01:06:31This is an opportunity

01:06:32for me to use

01:06:33a spiralizer

01:06:33and also to use

01:06:34a candied citron.

01:06:36Candied citron

01:06:37is that part of a fruitcake

01:06:38that you just don't want.

01:06:39So I'm going to add in

01:06:40an actual spiralized lemon

01:06:43to my curd.

01:06:45Typically with curds,

01:06:46you have to cool them down

01:06:48for them to have

01:06:49the right texture.

01:06:50I don't have time for that.

01:06:51And so if I put

01:06:52the candied citron

01:06:53into my curd,

01:06:54the candied parts of that

01:06:56are going to act

01:06:57as like pectin

01:06:58and it's going to

01:06:59thicken this up.

01:07:01It's the first time

01:07:02in TOC history

01:07:03that they are

01:07:03celebrating sweets.

01:07:05And I've always

01:07:06wanted to compete

01:07:07at this caliber.

01:07:09I am much better

01:07:10at sweets.

01:07:11I don't want to leave here

01:07:13thinking that I left

01:07:14anything in my gas tank.

01:07:18Teams, you have 20 minutes.

01:07:2020 minutes to be plated

01:07:21sweet and savory.

01:07:2220 minutes.

01:07:25Brian, you good?

01:07:26Yep, I'm good.

01:07:27Normally during the holidays,

01:07:29I love to have a pot

01:07:29of braising greens,

01:07:30let them cook for hours.

01:07:32Here I'm using

01:07:32the candied citron

01:07:33and heavy cream.

01:07:35Mascarpone, chef?

01:07:36Yeah, just to make it

01:07:37a little bit creamier.

01:07:39You good, Brian?

01:07:40Yeah.

01:07:40Sure?

01:07:41Yes.

01:07:42What's going on there?

01:07:43I'm making a candied

01:07:44citron syrup.

01:07:46This is an opportunity

01:07:47for me to take

01:07:48this wild card ingredient

01:07:49and turn it into

01:07:51something creamy

01:07:52and double down

01:07:53on the randomizer.

01:07:54Can you citron gel?

01:07:56Anything you're seeing

01:07:56so far?

01:07:57Yeah, some smart moves.

01:07:59I think we're going to see

01:08:00a double utilization

01:08:01of sweet potatoes.

01:08:01Some of them have been

01:08:02placed in the pot there.

01:08:03I think that second one

01:08:04reserved is probably

01:08:05going to end up

01:08:06in the spiralizer.

01:08:09I use this basket, right?

01:08:10You good?

01:08:10Yeah, I'm good.

01:08:11I just want to get these in.

01:08:12I don't know where

01:08:13spiralizer is going to play

01:08:14in Voltaggio of the West Kitchen.

01:08:16I'm spiralizing beets

01:08:17because beets have

01:08:18a lot of natural sugar

01:08:19in them.

01:08:20All the components

01:08:21that I'm making

01:08:21are creamy.

01:08:22The beets will sort of

01:08:23add some texture.

01:08:25Powdered sugar

01:08:25can sort of be like

01:08:26a snow over top

01:08:27of the beets.

01:08:28Let it snow.

01:08:29Let it snow.

01:08:30Let it snow.

01:08:33I'm going to make

01:08:34this dill cream.

01:08:35I'm going to use

01:08:36creme fraiche.

01:08:36I'm going to use

01:08:37labneh.

01:08:37A lot of dairy fat.

01:08:38It's going to make

01:08:39the dish really creamy

01:08:40and it's going to go

01:08:41perfect with this

01:08:42really bright

01:08:43apple citron salad.

01:08:45We're watching Chef Sarah

01:08:46like she always does

01:08:47use those randomizer

01:08:49requirements over

01:08:50and over again.

01:08:51So we have the

01:08:52spiralized sweet potato

01:08:53and the latte.

01:08:54We also have

01:08:54spiralized apple salad.

01:08:56Very smart stuff.

01:08:58Are you making

01:08:58a cream cheese frosting?

01:08:59Yes.

01:09:00Cold cream cheese,

01:09:01granulated sugar,

01:09:02heavy cream,

01:09:04vanilla.

01:09:04It whips up

01:09:06in like two minutes

01:09:07and it is creamy.

01:09:08I'm cooking the randomizer

01:09:10with my holiday traditions.

01:09:13I just don't know

01:09:13that I've nailed

01:09:14the spiralizer.

01:09:16I've grabbed

01:09:17a huge bar

01:09:18of dark chocolate

01:09:19and I'm shaving

01:09:20that chocolate down

01:09:22which I'm going to

01:09:22place on the top

01:09:23of my cake.

01:09:26Layer cake.

01:09:27Which means

01:09:27bakey, coolie,

01:09:29layer, frosty.

01:09:30Putting together,

01:09:31cutting, serving.

01:09:32At this point

01:09:32I don't know

01:09:33if the cakes

01:09:33are going to

01:09:33cool in time

01:09:34and if they don't

01:09:36I guess I'm going

01:09:37to have to pivot

01:09:37but I just don't want to.

01:09:39Anytime you put

01:09:39a cake in the oven

01:09:40you have literally

01:09:41all of your eggs

01:09:42in one basket.

01:09:44Your final five minutes,

01:09:46five minutes to go.

01:09:47I'm just going to get

01:09:47off this hot sheet tray.

01:09:48Okay.

01:09:49I'm a little nervous

01:09:50about getting these cakes.

01:09:52We got to start

01:09:53cutting them.

01:09:54I'm not cutting them yet,

01:09:55Sarah.

01:09:55We got to go.

01:09:56We have five minutes.

01:09:56Hey, it will be okay.

01:09:59It'll be time.

01:10:00I get the latkes down.

01:10:02I do a little dollop

01:10:03of my apple butter,

01:10:04a little dollop

01:10:05of my dill cream.

01:10:07Put that pork tenderloin

01:10:09over on the side.

01:10:10Two beautiful slices.

01:10:11Finishing this pork loin

01:10:12with a little olive oil

01:10:14kind of is all

01:10:15about the oil.

01:10:16And a really nice

01:10:17apple slaw.

01:10:18I'm going to

01:10:19intentionally build my dish

01:10:20so that my pork tenderloin

01:10:21can rest.

01:10:22First I grab the greens

01:10:23and then grab the sweet

01:10:24potato puree,

01:10:25half moon spoonful.

01:10:27Then I'm going back

01:10:28to the pork tenderloin.

01:10:29I'm finishing with the sauce.

01:10:32Sarah's putting

01:10:33my pomegranate sauce

01:10:34down on the plate

01:10:35and then we're cutting

01:10:36out the cakes

01:10:37and placing them

01:10:37on top of that sauce.

01:10:39You want to build on them?

01:10:40Yeah.

01:10:41Oh, yeah, you got it.

01:10:41I got it.

01:10:42Do it.

01:10:42Do it, Damaris.

01:10:43I'm sorry I ever

01:10:44questioned you.

01:10:46Three minutes,

01:10:47three to go.

01:10:48Can you feel

01:10:49the adrenaline, everyone?

01:10:51Right?

01:10:53I put my cream

01:10:53into a zipper bag

01:10:54and I make a well

01:10:55and fill that up

01:10:56with the lemon curd.

01:10:58Another layer of cake

01:10:59goes on top of that

01:11:00and then I'm topping

01:11:01with another layer

01:11:03of my cheesecake icing.

01:11:04I'm like so proud

01:11:05to be on your team.

01:11:07Everybody can hear this.

01:11:08It's Christmas, y'all.

01:11:10Right?

01:11:10It's Christmas.

01:11:1290 seconds to go.

01:11:16That ain't good.

01:11:17I'm grabbing my curd

01:11:19to start plating

01:11:20and it is still liquid.

01:11:22In this moment,

01:11:23I feel like I'm not only

01:11:24am I letting my teammate down,

01:11:25I'm letting my literal brother

01:11:27down right now.

01:11:28I'm going to have to make

01:11:29some real tough decisions.

01:11:30First, I put down

01:11:31the citron puree.

01:11:33Next, I am grabbing

01:11:35my curd,

01:11:36which is at 25% set.

01:11:38The only thing I can think of

01:11:40is place my dishes

01:11:41into a pan

01:11:41and pour liquid nitrogen

01:11:43all over it

01:11:43and let the nitrogen

01:11:44be the freezer

01:11:45to finish my dish.

01:11:47And then I'm aerating

01:11:48this coconut cream

01:11:49so that the judge

01:11:50can crack through

01:11:51and get all

01:11:51the different layers.

01:11:5215 seconds.

01:11:54Put the beats on top.

01:11:55Yep.

01:11:55Win or lose,

01:11:57do or die,

01:11:58it's going to come down

01:11:59to whether or not

01:12:00this thing sets up

01:12:01before it lands

01:12:02in front of the judge.

01:12:03I am praying

01:12:04for a holiday miracle.

01:12:05Five, four, three, two, one.

01:12:10Stop working.

01:12:17Fantastic final battle.

01:12:20Thank you so much.

01:12:22Awesome.

01:12:23That's how we wrap

01:12:24things up tonight.

01:12:26If that doesn't go well,

01:12:27that's on me.

01:12:28You did great that round.

01:12:30It stands on the top

01:12:31of the TOC arena

01:12:32and screams,

01:12:33I'm Hanukkah dish

01:12:34with pork.

01:12:35That's what I was going for.

01:12:37Really?

01:12:38Yes.

01:12:38I love that you're like,

01:12:39it screams I'm Hanukkah

01:12:40with pork.

01:12:41With pork.

01:12:42I mean, that's that

01:12:43Kentucky humor right there.

01:12:44All right, ladies

01:12:46and gentlemen,

01:12:46for one final visit,

01:12:47let's welcome back

01:12:48our judges,

01:12:49Chef Curtis Stone.

01:12:52Chef Gail Gand.

01:12:54Gail's won James Beard

01:12:56awards for pastry.

01:12:57I mean, Gail's a legend.

01:12:58And Chef Scott Conant.

01:13:00If Scott says bad things

01:13:01about my food,

01:13:02I'm going to be heartbroken.

01:13:03He's very smart

01:13:04when it comes

01:13:05to judging food.

01:13:06The final battle

01:13:07of the evening

01:13:08really turned out

01:13:09to be a doozy.

01:13:10The randomizer served

01:13:12up some pork tenderloin,

01:13:13pomegranate.

01:13:15Both dishes had

01:13:15to utilize the spiralizer.

01:13:17The style was creamy

01:13:18in the savory

01:13:20and the sweet.

01:13:21And then the wildcard ingredient,

01:13:23yes, a little candied citron.

01:13:25Chef Tiffany,

01:13:26please describe

01:13:27the first team's dish.

01:13:28I think it's about time

01:13:29we lit the menorah.

01:13:30We have import tenderloin

01:13:32with latkes.

01:13:33The spiralizer was used

01:13:35to create our

01:13:36sweet potato latkes.

01:13:37With the latkes,

01:13:38you have two creamy sauces.

01:13:40The first is a five-spice

01:13:42and candied citron apple butter.

01:13:44The second is a creamy,

01:13:46fresh dill sauce.

01:13:48Finally, you have

01:13:49a spiralized apple

01:13:50and herb salad

01:13:51with candied citron vinaigrette.

01:13:54May I point your direction

01:13:55towards the creamy,

01:13:56dark chocolate mayo cake?

01:13:58The mayonnaise was used

01:13:59to create a creamier texture.

01:14:01On top of the cake

01:14:02and in the middle,

01:14:03you will notice

01:14:04a creamy cheese frosting.

01:14:06In addition to that,

01:14:07there is a dollop

01:14:08on the inside

01:14:09of candied citron

01:14:10and spiralized lemon curd.

01:14:12What?

01:14:13How would that work?

01:14:15The chef spiralized

01:14:16the lemon

01:14:17and used the candied citron

01:14:18to make their lemon curd.

01:14:20Great job, Damaris.

01:14:22Finally,

01:14:22you have a pomegranate sauce

01:14:23and a little bit

01:14:24of candied citron

01:14:25on the top.

01:14:30One thing to say

01:14:31to the chef

01:14:31that made the pork,

01:14:32mazel tov.

01:14:33It's delicious.

01:14:34Wow.

01:14:35Thank you.

01:14:36That is my man, Scott.

01:14:39I wish every Seder meal

01:14:40was like this.

01:14:41I like the brightness,

01:14:42acidic, beautiful flavor,

01:14:44texture of that candied

01:14:45apple salad.

01:14:46The apple butter

01:14:47is delicious.

01:14:47I love the usage

01:14:48of this candied citron

01:14:49inside there.

01:14:50I love the creamy aspects

01:14:51with that dill sauce as well.

01:14:53It's a traditional

01:14:54garnish for latkes,

01:14:56applesauce sour cream,

01:14:58and they're harking

01:14:59to tradition.

01:15:00Get it, Gail, Gail.

01:15:02Obviously,

01:15:03they really utilize

01:15:04the spiralizer,

01:15:05but it's not an easy

01:15:06thing to necessarily

01:15:07work in.

01:15:07They did it perfectly.

01:15:09Part of the latkes,

01:15:11apple salad,

01:15:12and I kind of love

01:15:13it with pork

01:15:14because it's kind

01:15:15of naughty

01:15:15as a joke.

01:15:19If I had to

01:15:20criticize anything,

01:15:21I think it would

01:15:21just be the fact

01:15:22that creamy

01:15:23is not the overall

01:15:24focus.

01:15:25It's not with every

01:15:26bite.

01:15:26How do you make

01:15:27pork tenderloin

01:15:28creamy?

01:15:28It's not easy

01:15:29to cook a pork

01:15:30tenderloin, right?

01:15:31It's easy to dry it

01:15:32out.

01:15:33This is cooked

01:15:33to absolute perfection.

01:15:35You get that nice

01:15:38crust on the outside.

01:15:40Creamy is something

01:15:41we're looking for,

01:15:42and this would lend

01:15:43itself so nicely

01:15:44to a cream sauce,

01:15:45but the flavors

01:15:46are all great.

01:15:47Everything individually

01:15:47is seasoned really well.

01:15:49It's an impressive

01:15:50plate of food.

01:15:51The dessert.

01:15:52Everything is light,

01:15:53and they did use

01:15:55the spiralizer,

01:15:56but I don't see

01:15:57like a big focus.

01:15:58But she used it twice.

01:16:00It really is

01:16:01this lovely mouthful.

01:16:03You get a little

01:16:03pop of texture

01:16:04from the pomegranates,

01:16:06and then the curd.

01:16:07I agree with you,

01:16:08Gail.

01:16:08I think the spiralizer

01:16:09is missing here,

01:16:11and I think there

01:16:11could have been

01:16:12maybe a bit more

01:16:12creativity.

01:16:14I use it two times.

01:16:15But I tell you what,

01:16:16it's good eating.

01:16:17Every chocolate cake

01:16:19should be a

01:16:20mayonnaise-based

01:16:21chocolate cake.

01:16:22Wow!

01:16:23It's delicious.

01:16:24You talk about

01:16:25hitting the brief

01:16:26with the creaminess.

01:16:27That is absolutely

01:16:28spectacular.

01:16:29Love the brightness

01:16:30of that pomegranate

01:16:31as well,

01:16:31and identifying

01:16:32the balance

01:16:33with the acidity.

01:16:34I was going to say,

01:16:35but...

01:16:36I got no notes

01:16:37on this.

01:16:37Like, this is just

01:16:38good, simple,

01:16:39straightforward cooking.

01:16:43Can you hear us

01:16:46over here?

01:16:46Oh, my dear.

01:16:49They deserve it.

01:16:50I mean, they did.

01:16:51They did really smoke.

01:16:53Well done, chef.

01:16:57Could you please

01:16:58both get up

01:16:59off the floor?

01:17:02Okay, good.

01:17:05All right, judges,

01:17:05two scorecards

01:17:06in front of you.

01:17:07As you know,

01:17:07for each dish,

01:17:0825 points in taste,

01:17:1020 points in the use

01:17:11of the randomizer,

01:17:11and five points in plating.

01:17:13There were some negatives,

01:17:14but we got to wait

01:17:15to see what they say

01:17:17about the brothers.

01:17:18Maybe in this case,

01:17:19the randomizer

01:17:20could save us,

01:17:21but I have to admit

01:17:23that I feel like

01:17:23Damaris definitely

01:17:24made a better dessert.

01:17:25I just hope

01:17:25that your pork dish

01:17:27is high enough

01:17:30to outweigh the fact

01:17:33that I bombed

01:17:34that dessert, bro.

01:17:35And judges here

01:17:36to present

01:17:36the final dish

01:17:38of the evening,

01:17:38the wildcard,

01:17:39Justin Warner.

01:17:40Before you,

01:17:41you're going to find

01:17:42the savory dish,

01:17:43barbecue pork tenderloin

01:17:45with creamy braised greens,

01:17:46citron,

01:17:47and then a hickory butter

01:17:48and sweet potato puree.

01:17:50The spiralizer is used

01:17:51in the form

01:17:52of some crispy sweet potatoes.

01:17:54The scraps left over

01:17:55from the portioning

01:17:56were used to craft the jus,

01:17:58which also featured

01:17:59some of the candied citron.

01:18:01And then in terms

01:18:02of creamy elements,

01:18:03we have the use

01:18:03of heavy cream,

01:18:04the mascarpone,

01:18:05and then that hickory

01:18:06smoked butter,

01:18:07which was used

01:18:07both in the sweet potato puree

01:18:09and to cook

01:18:10the pork tenderloin.

01:18:11You'll find

01:18:11that candied citron

01:18:12in the sauce

01:18:13and in the greens.

01:18:15Now on to the sweets.

01:18:17Here we have

01:18:17pomegranate curd

01:18:18with candied citron pudding

01:18:20and then a candied citron

01:18:22coconut cream.

01:18:23This is all crowned

01:18:24with spiralized,

01:18:25sugared beets.

01:18:27In terms of creamy components,

01:18:28you have the curd

01:18:29and then the coconut cream.

01:18:32That candied citron

01:18:32you're going to find

01:18:33in a syrup

01:18:35on the bottom of the plate

01:18:36and then also

01:18:37in the coconut cream.

01:18:38This pork tenderloin

01:18:39is cooked just as well

01:18:41as the last team

01:18:42cooked their pork tenderloin.

01:18:43As well.

01:18:44Yours is the standard.

01:18:46It's flawless.

01:18:47Beautifully seasoned as well.

01:18:49The puree is silky smooth.

01:18:51It has a really lovely

01:18:53creamy sauce.

01:18:53It has a lovely

01:18:54unctuous mouthfeel.

01:18:56I really love

01:18:56that first pork dish

01:18:57and I equally love

01:18:58this pork dish as well.

01:19:00That sauce is adding

01:19:01a lot to the pork.

01:19:02It's also adding a lot

01:19:03to that Swiss chard

01:19:04mixture as well

01:19:05and the sweet potato.

01:19:06Okay, Scott.

01:19:07This pork dish

01:19:08is gorgeous.

01:19:10It is prepared

01:19:11so well

01:19:13and it's such

01:19:14a sophisticated dish.

01:19:15I'm going to kiss you.

01:19:17All right, kiss me.

01:19:18I think that sweet potato

01:19:19puree is ethereal.

01:19:21I love the contrast

01:19:23with the spiralized

01:19:24sweet potato

01:19:25so you see it

01:19:26in two forms.

01:19:27I do find the sauce

01:19:29over-salted.

01:19:30Oh.

01:19:31Moving on to the dessert,

01:19:32very creative.

01:19:33You've got to get

01:19:33that temperature correct.

01:19:35I poured liquid

01:19:36nitrogen on it

01:19:36and I prayed.

01:19:38Beets give a lovely

01:19:39earthiness.

01:19:40Boo.

01:19:41From a textural perspective,

01:19:43it's nicely frozen,

01:19:44kind of like a semi-fredo

01:19:45texture to a certain extent.

01:19:47Really good flavor.

01:19:48This is good cooking.

01:19:50They didn't bake anything.

01:19:51Huh.

01:19:52Good cooking.

01:19:53And it's great to see

01:19:54around the holiday time.

01:19:55That's what you want

01:19:56to experience

01:19:56around the holidays.

01:19:57Tell me the tradition

01:19:59that they've got

01:20:00from coconut,

01:20:02beet,

01:20:03women.

01:20:03Girl, I cannot.

01:20:05No, I kind of love

01:20:06the different creamy

01:20:08textures and flavors

01:20:09and the acid.

01:20:10You're picking up

01:20:11some from the pomegranate

01:20:12as well.

01:20:13Not enough focus

01:20:14on the citron.

01:20:15Could have used

01:20:16a little texture

01:20:17and that could have

01:20:17been the place

01:20:18to grab that.

01:20:18Judges, thank you

01:20:19very much.

01:20:20The scorecards

01:20:20for the final judging

01:20:21tonight.

01:20:21You know what cake

01:20:23I make every single,

01:20:24every single crisp

01:20:26chocolate mayo cake.

01:20:27It is one of my

01:20:29family's favorite cakes.

01:20:31I can't even believe

01:20:33now that it escaped me

01:20:34to not make a jus.

01:20:36I know that there's,

01:20:38the creaminess

01:20:38was brought through

01:20:39and the components

01:20:40that I added to the dish.

01:20:41This was close.

01:20:42I think it's gonna be close.

01:20:43The holidays is about

01:20:45hugging your people

01:20:46and cooking together

01:20:47and that's,

01:20:49that's what we did.

01:20:50Get them up.

01:20:51All right,

01:20:51let's go.

01:20:51Check it out.

01:20:52Woo!

01:20:53All right, chefs,

01:20:54the scores are in.

01:20:56All right.

01:20:56Let's go.

01:20:59All right, ladies

01:21:00and gentlemen,

01:21:01the judges have spoken.

01:21:02We've tallied the scores

01:21:03and let's bring

01:21:04our chefs back in.

01:21:05Chef Sarah,

01:21:06Chef Damaris.

01:21:09Chef Marco,

01:21:10Chef Brian.

01:21:15We have a two-point difference.

01:21:18One team scored a 40 out of 50

01:21:26in savory

01:21:26and a 40 out of 50

01:21:30in sweet

01:21:31for a score of 80.

01:21:34Second team scored a 42

01:21:36in savory

01:21:37and also a 40 in sweet

01:21:40for a score of 82.

01:21:42two.

01:21:42In the battle

01:21:44between Team Michael and Brian

01:21:46versus Team Sarah and Damaris

01:21:48is...

01:21:53Chef Michael and Brian.

01:21:55We'll get them next time, y'all.

01:22:04We'll get them next time.

01:22:08You guys worked your butts off.

01:22:09I think that it was

01:22:10a very valiant effort

01:22:11and I don't look at this

01:22:13as a loss

01:22:14as much as I think

01:22:15they take a win.

01:22:16Yeah.

01:22:16Ladies and gentlemen,

01:22:17give it up

01:22:17for the Queens of Kentucky.

01:22:27Well, shucks.

01:22:28It's okay.

01:22:29I want that.

01:22:30We cooked beautifully

01:22:31and I feel like

01:22:32we cooked holiday food.

01:22:35It was such a joy

01:22:36and a delight

01:22:37to cook with you.

01:22:38I couldn't be more proud

01:22:39to be somebody's teammate.

01:22:40Job well done.

01:22:41All right, gentlemen,

01:22:42let's take a look.

01:22:43Michael and Brian

01:22:44now going up against

01:22:46TOC champ Mei Lin

01:22:48and Nini Nguyen.

01:22:49Those two together, uh...

01:22:51Silent but deadly.

01:22:52Yeah.

01:22:53Congratulations.

01:22:54Well done, gentlemen.

01:22:55Well done.

01:22:56Give it up.

01:22:57Both of the East,

01:22:58both of the West.

01:23:00Michael and Brian Ocasio.

01:23:02That was a holiday miracle.

01:23:10Yeah, it was.

01:23:11A little stressful.

01:23:12A little tense

01:23:13at the last few seconds.

01:23:14I knew Brian's dish was solid.

01:23:15Is there any sort of strategy

01:23:16kind of going into the next rounds?

01:23:18Are you guys splitting up

01:23:19the dishes?

01:23:20We're both comfortable

01:23:20in the pastry

01:23:21and in the savory kitchen.

01:23:22So for us,

01:23:23I think it's going to be dictated

01:23:24by the randomizer.

01:23:25We're up against, um,

01:23:27Mei Lin and Nini

01:23:28in the next round,

01:23:29which, they're fierce competitors.

01:23:30So, six teams have scored

01:23:32their first TOC team victories,

01:23:34keeping their holiday hopes alive

01:23:36for a green Christmas.

01:23:38Join us next time

01:23:39for the last

01:23:40of the first round battles

01:23:41We got it, baby!

01:23:43that will decide

01:23:43which teams

01:23:44take the last two spots

01:23:46in the quarterfinals.

01:23:47Ultimately, one team

01:23:48will go dashing all the way

01:23:49to a $100,000 holiday.

01:23:52Pa-rum-pa-pum-pa-rum!

01:23:54Yeah!

01:23:55Here on Tournament of Champions,

01:23:57All-Star Christmas,

01:23:58See you next week!

01:23:59Adios!

01:24:00Adios!

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