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00:00If you got the hustle, I've got the game.
00:02Let's go.
00:02Each night, I invite the country's most elite chefs
00:04to put their money and reputations on the line.
00:07This is warm from my pocket.
00:08What the hell?
00:09I need my money back.
00:10Come and get it, Daddy.
00:11In my late night culinary poker game.
00:12I can't wait to see these cards.
00:14Stand back!
00:15You're a mad man.
00:16But now, the stakes are higher.
00:18I've never seen this much cash.
00:20The twists are bolder.
00:21What are you?
00:22You cannot do that.
00:23And the cards are wilder.
00:24Oh, my!
00:25This guy's instigating me.
00:27Aw.
00:27I hope we're all still friends.
00:30Are off.
00:31This is going to be fun.
00:32When it's all or nothing, put it all on the line.
00:37I could not be more excited about tonight.
00:40My dear friend, the legend, Alex Cornichelli, is coming to play.
00:43She is the most feared competition chef out there.
00:46It's almost impossible to find a chef that can beat her.
00:48But I happen to know, too.
00:50And guess what?
00:51I'm in charge of the guest list.
00:53Here she comes, the queen, the culinary icon, my friend,
00:57Alex Cornichelli.
00:59Alex is an Iron Chef, James Beard-nominated chef, and culinary host.
01:03She's outcooked over 100 chefs on Alex vs. America.
01:06For the past five years on Alex vs. America,
01:08Eric has challenged me time and time again.
01:10Eric, what are you doing to me?
01:12Themes, ingredients, stellar chefs.
01:15But we genuinely like each other.
01:18I love you.
01:18But you know what else I love more than you?
01:20Getting under your skin, just a little bit.
01:21Yeah.
01:22I never know with you.
01:23There's always a, but.
01:25You know me so well.
01:26I cannot wait for tonight.
01:30Do you have any idea who else is coming?
01:31No, but I love fresh victims.
01:33I love competing against people I don't know.
01:36Well, I got to tell you, chef, you actually do know these chefs.
01:39Okay.
01:41I see what's happening here.
01:42This very next chef has beaten you at your own game.
01:46He's a James Beard nominee for Best Chef Southeast.
01:49He's a master of Asian cuisine.
01:51Footsteps.
01:51It's Arnold.
01:54Oh!
01:55Looking very dapper as well.
01:57Arnold made the New York Times list for the top 25 restaurants in Nashville
02:00and defeated the legend on the only episode on Alex vs. America
02:04in which Alex went home first.
02:05I cannot believe I'm saying this.
02:07Chef Alex, you are eliminated.
02:09Oh my God.
02:10I need a minute.
02:11Okay.
02:11Can I have a minute?
02:12Yeah.
02:13How are you?
02:15This isn't just somebody I lost to.
02:16This is someone that was on the only time I ever lost in the first round.
02:21We didn't even get to cook against each other that much.
02:23Yes, we did.
02:24And I'm just so pleased we're going to have that opportunity this evening, Eric.
02:29If this is how the line of thinking is going with your first person,
02:32honestly, there's only one other chef that lives in my nightmares.
02:35For a very specific reason, Eric.
02:38And I can't believe that you would just go there.
02:40I actually did.
02:41I went there.
02:42This chef has not only beaten you once, but twice.
02:45There's only one chef that has that very distinct honor.
02:47This is so mean of you.
02:49The only two-time winner of Alex vs. America,
02:52Chef Kevin Lee.
02:54What's going on, Chef?
02:55Kevin is a machine.
02:57He's a James Beard finalist for Best Chef Southeast
02:59and is the only chef to beat Alex twice on Alex vs. America.
03:03Oh, hey.
03:04Fancy meeting you here.
03:06Oh, hey.
03:06It's not very often where we see Chef Alex defeated in her own arena.
03:10You two chefs have that very distinct honor.
03:12Yeah, thanks.
03:12Thanks for coming here tonight.
03:13Is there a formula?
03:14Is there, like, a rubric?
03:15Is there a one, two, three on how to do it?
03:16Would you like me to go?
03:17I'll see myself out.
03:19I say, let's just get to the table and have some fun.
03:21Why don't we there, Eric?
03:21You love this part, right?
03:22Where you just lead the lambs to the slaughter.
03:28Chefs, the game is very simple.
03:30We're playing culinary poker.
03:31You chefs will bet cash based on the cards that you're dealt.
03:34All you got to do is just back that bet up in the kitchen behind me.
03:37Three hands, three rounds of cooking.
03:39Every hand, winner take all.
03:40It is possible for one of you chefs to leave here with $15,000.
03:44You know, today's actually my daughter's birthday.
03:46Happy birthday.
03:47I love that.
03:48Do you want daddy to be here on your birthday?
03:50Do you want $15,000?
03:52She said, I want $15,000.
03:55Of course.
03:55So, welcome to the Speed Ham.
03:57You only have 20 minutes to prepare your dish.
04:00That first lightning round, it's like, ba-boom.
04:03You got to make sure.
04:04I get the jitters out.
04:04You got to get the jitters out.
04:05Absolutely.
04:06So, chefs, in order to see some cards, I got to see some cash.
04:10$500, the buy-in.
04:11Okay.
04:11It's really different when you go get money and you bring it.
04:15This is warm from my pocket.
04:17My ATM was so confused.
04:19They're like, this can't be you.
04:21This can't be right.
04:23$1,500 in the pot.
04:24So, I have two decks right here.
04:26I have a communal card and I also have the wild card.
04:28Communal card is for all three of you.
04:30You all have to make whatever this dish says.
04:32Your warm and fuzzy tone that I'm so used to at the office is very different after hours.
04:36It changes a little bit after hours, doesn't it?
04:39The dish that we were making for the Speed Round is...
04:45Hot and spicy.
04:47Not my style of cuisine.
04:48You don't really cook with a lot of spice.
04:50Don't you worry, my pretty.
04:52Kind of matches the mood right now, too.
04:55Hot, spicy.
04:57Sassy.
04:58Well, the game might change right now.
05:00I'll deal out this wild card.
05:01I'll pass that to you, to you, and to you.
05:06Vegetarian.
05:07It's going to mess with me a little bit, so I got to do some trickery here.
05:14No onions or garlic.
05:15That's a tough food family for me not to be allowed to use.
05:20I'm feeling great about this wild card.
05:22I cook a lot of Mexican food.
05:24So, the action starts with you, Chef.
05:26Now, you can bet or you can check to see what Chef Alex and Kevin do.
05:29Um, playing safe is obviously not the name of this game, and I got to cook.
05:34You know what?
05:34I'm here to play, but I'm going to make sure I can play all night.
05:37I'm going to do five.
05:38All right, perfect.
05:38$2,000 in the pot, and the action is yours, Chef Alex.
05:41That's a lot of Benjamins.
05:43You know, it is my own money.
05:45Not only have these two guys beaten me before, but they're both spicy chefs, and I'm just not.
05:49$500.
05:51I'm just calling.
05:52Oh, keep it in modest.
05:53She's in.
05:54Kev, action's yours.
05:56I'm sitting with pocket aces.
05:59You cannot go wrong with this hand.
06:01And we're going past $500.
06:03I mean, we got to make this a little interesting, you know?
06:05I'm raising it to $1,000.
06:07Oh!
06:09Okay.
06:10Um, so the pot right now stands at $3,500.
06:12I'm here to play.
06:13You're here to play?
06:14I don't want to sit at all.
06:14Oh, wait.
06:15Let's go.
06:16Wow.
06:17Okay.
06:17Is that bad?
06:18And before I even get there, Chef Alex is already in with $500.
06:24Wow.
06:25Let's see some wild cards.
06:26Chef Arnold, where you at?
06:27Make it vegetarian.
06:29Ooh.
06:30I mean, I'm from Tennessee.
06:31Pigs are grass-fed.
06:33Does that count?
06:36Chef Alex.
06:41No onion, no garlic.
06:43That card is so bad.
06:45Oh, my God.
06:46Hot and spicy might be harder for you with no onions and garlic.
06:50Don't you think?
06:51I don't, I know.
06:52Not being able to use onions and garlic, it's not good.
06:55But I am not going to give in, Eric.
06:58Chef Kevin.
06:59I feel like I got the rockets right now.
07:03Mexican flavor.
07:04Oh, wow.
07:05Interesting.
07:06I don't see how that's going to go together at all.
07:07I mean, hot and spicy Mexican flavors.
07:10You know, I run a pop-up called Comex every once in a while.
07:13Oh, my goodness.
07:14Korean Mexican.
07:15Okay.
07:16We have $45 in the pot.
07:17Hot and spicy is the dish.
07:19Your time starts now.
07:20Let's go.
07:21All right.
07:21Well, hold on a second.
07:22Here we go.
07:25Hot and spicy.
07:26Hot and spicy.
07:28I'm going to make herniasada tacos.
07:30I'm going to come in hot.
07:31I need to make Alice nervous.
07:33I want to show her here I am again to take that money.
07:36I'm definitely at the biggest disadvantage out of the three of us.
07:39So I'm thinking, like, I want to blend in.
07:41I know Kevin has to make Mexican food, and I'm thinking, I'm going to make Mexican food, too, to just confuse.
07:47Chili flakes, chili flakes, chili flakes.
07:49One good thing about having a restaurant is that I cook vegetarian quite often.
07:53So there's a traditional dish in Thailand called kong chan nam pha, which is essentially ceviche with a spicy seafood sauce.
07:59So I can do a plant-based version to beat Alice.
08:02Daggers out, right?
08:04All right.
08:06Chef Kev.
08:07Yo.
08:08You're going Mexican flavor.
08:09Mexican flavor.
08:10Talk to me.
08:11What are you thinking, man?
08:11Found a beautiful ribeye in the cooler, marinated with some cayenne, cumin, paprika, onions, garlic.
08:18You know, meat.
08:20Meat.
08:20You know?
08:21Oh, man.
08:21Arnold, how's your vegetarian going?
08:23I'll let you know after I buy you a steak dinner for my win tonight.
08:26All the fighting wars over here.
08:28I'm in the Food Network kitchen late night, cooking next to one of my idols.
08:33I don't want to say that I'm nervous yet.
08:36The night is young.
08:37Chef Alex.
08:38Oh, my gosh.
08:39What's going on, Chef?
08:41A little tostada with shrimp.
08:42Just going to Mexico.
08:44Okay.
08:44Joining me in Mexico, Chef?
08:45Joining me in Mexico.
08:46A little bit of a marinade on the shrimp, Chef?
08:48Tell me about it.
08:49Yeah.
08:49Just literally straight chili paste on there.
08:51Oh, nice.
08:52But if I can remember, Mexican food uses a lot of garlic and onions.
08:56It does, but what cuisine doesn't?
08:58True.
08:59Honestly, I feel distracted by who I'm cooking against.
09:02This is a tough one, Chef.
09:03Thanks.
09:04Cooking with these two guys and having them look at me and think I already beat her and all I have to do is beat her again.
09:09It's not good.
09:10Yeah, I got that garlic.
09:14Because if they win again, then I have to say, are they better than I am?
09:19And what does that look like?
09:22To me, that's a catastrophe.
09:25You're in trouble now.
09:30Better knuckle down and get the shutters out.
09:33$4,500 in a pot.
09:35The queen of competition, Chef Alex Guarnaschelli is battling two chefs that have defeated her in Alex vs. America.
09:40So talk to me about Chef Alex.
09:41I don't know if she was your first instructor in culinary school.
09:43Yeah, you remember that, Chef?
09:45No.
09:45Chef Alex.
09:46I was that memorable.
09:47So my relationship with Alex dates back over 20 years when she was my culinary instructor.
09:52And when I beat Alex on her show, that particular episode was based on Thai food.
09:59I predominantly make Thai food, so I knew I was going to do pretty okay.
10:03But this time around, I get a chance to see if I have what it takes to go against the master.
10:06As her equal, dare I say?
10:08Chef Arna, we're going vegetarian.
10:10I'm going to do it with mushroom scallops.
10:12King oyster mushrooms to sort of mimic the scallop.
10:15And the texture.
10:16You know, the texture.
10:17How are we making it hot and spicy?
10:18What are you doing?
10:18I'm going to do it with a little spicy Thai seafood sauce.
10:21I have Thai chilis.
10:22I have a little bit of wasabi for a backheat.
10:25I have some serrano.
10:26What sucks for me, though, right now, is that I don't have fish sauce.
10:31Oh, that's right.
10:32If you know me, I bleed fish sauce.
10:35But, like, I can't use that either.
10:37You need to develop umami.
10:39How do you do that in 20 minutes?
10:40That's going to be the challenge for Arnold.
10:42How much time's left?
10:43Nine minutes and 45 seconds.
10:46Chef Kevin, you're getting spice from where?
10:47I'm going to make an avocado salsa verde.
10:50Nice.
10:51I got, like, all the peppers, like habanero, serranos, jalapenos.
10:55To really make sure I hit the spicy notes.
10:57So I'm going to make sure I get this hot and spicy.
11:00But it's also still got to be edible.
11:02Chef Alice, how are you getting spice in this dish?
11:04Chili paste, some fresh chilis that I associate with Mexican cooking.
11:08Yes, Chef.
11:09And I'm going to use my attitude.
11:10That's spicy, too, Eric.
11:12So not only have these two guys beaten me before, but they're both spicy chefs.
11:15And I'm just not.
11:16I have to pump up the heat factor in my tostada.
11:20Chef Alice, no onions or no garlic.
11:22What's the workaround?
11:22What are you using?
11:23I'm just cooking without it.
11:25Kind of like when you get divorced.
11:26You know, it's over.
11:28I'm not trying to sub in what I don't have.
11:30I'm thinking about all the other things I love about a really good tostada.
11:33So I quickly make this little, like, kind of like a crema.
11:36I go to lime.
11:37I go to jalapenos.
11:39Creaminess of avocado.
11:40Things that are going to play off the spice.
11:42Chef Arnold, so you mentioned not being able to use fish sauce, right?
11:46I've got to get creative.
11:47And I think that I have a little bit of time to be able to pull this off.
11:49So I run back to the pantry.
11:50Oh, my goodness.
11:51I have this fermented soybean sauce.
11:54It's kind of like Thai version of soy sauce that I use in a lot of my plant-based stuff.
11:59I got this.
12:00I grab some wonton skins, cut them out for a little bit extra crunch and bite and depth on the dish.
12:06And I see some garlic as well.
12:07Chef Alex, oh, my gosh.
12:09He's just never going to let this go.
12:11Two minutes left in the cook, chef.
12:13I'm very delicately placing this down.
12:15Like, it's almost like a canvas.
12:16I put my scallops down.
12:18I drizzle a little bit of sauce.
12:19I do my herb flourishes.
12:21I just put the shrimp and the little bits of avocado.
12:24So every bite has a little bit of all these different things.
12:2730 seconds.
12:27So I'm slicing the ribeye very thin.
12:30Then adding my avocado salsa verde with the pico de gallo.
12:34Beautiful.
12:35Five, four, three, two, one.
12:40That is about it.
12:41Well done, chefs.
12:45Pretty.
12:47That's beautiful.
12:47Likewise, chef.
12:48I'm totally hoping to win.
12:49Garlic, onions, doesn't matter what I don't have.
12:52I never not want to win.
12:53My flavors are there.
12:54This dish can take Alex down.
13:00All right.
13:0120 minutes.
13:01That was pretty fast.
13:02So before we bring in our guest judge, we'll let you know this.
13:06It is a judge that also fits into Alex's worst nightmare.
13:08Oh, no.
13:09Chances are, whatever story there is between me and this judge,
13:12I've been on the wrong end of the story.
13:15She also beat you in Alex vs. America.
13:17Cheers.
13:19Who is it?
13:20Oh!
13:22It's the one and only chef, Tiffany Pazan.
13:24Of course, here's Tiffany.
13:26She's really tough.
13:27Chef, how are you?
13:27I'm so good.
13:29Nothing's going to get by Tiffany.
13:30So you've got to make sure you nail your dish
13:33or you have no chance of winning.
13:34How many drinks in are we?
13:35Not enough.
13:36Not enough.
13:37So, chef Tiffany, the last time you saw Alex,
13:40you also beat her.
13:41Malice vs. America.
13:42And now the power is mine.
13:45No, I have double booked my therapist.
13:49So, there's $4,500 in the pot.
13:51Okay.
13:51Three dishes, three chefs.
13:53And hot and spicy is the challenge.
13:56All right.
13:56I'm just going to start with the one that's right in front of me.
13:59Taco is such a great choice for 20 minutes.
14:09This is really, really delicious.
14:11The cook on the steak is great.
14:13The salsa is super fresh.
14:15It's very traditional to me.
14:16Makes me wonder if this chef's card is like,
14:18stay very traditionally Mexican.
14:20But I don't know that this would be in the category of hot and spicy.
14:25Cooking spicy food in competitions is very hard to know how aggressive you need to get.
14:30I should be reaching for that water.
14:32I am not.
14:33That is tequila.
14:36Then, just kidding.
14:37Hold on.
14:37All right.
14:39Moving on to the next.
14:41I'm going to choose this one.
14:42Oh, these are oyster mushrooms.
14:44This is really gorgeous.
14:46I'm guessing this is probably in the no meat category.
14:48This is delicious.
14:56This is really nicely done.
14:57There's a meatiness through the mushrooms.
14:59It gives you all the qualities that you want with like a protein.
15:02There's a ton of like umami in here.
15:06Okay.
15:07Hello, chilies.
15:09Hello.
15:10Nose is starting to run.
15:11That's a good sign.
15:13That's a good sign.
15:14Is this cereal?
15:17It's not particularly meaningful on this dish.
15:21I think a little tiny bit more acid here, but all in all, delicious dish.
15:25She said it needed a touch more acid, which makes sense.
15:28Last but not least, tostada.
15:32This is very pretty.
15:33I think it's really nicely balanced.
15:41Okay.
15:42There's shrimp here.
15:43Shrimp is cooked really nicely.
15:45Seeing Fresnos and banana peppers.
15:47Whoever made this wasn't given maybe everything that they needed.
15:52You can't make up for the loss of some things.
15:54People say, what can I use in place of this?
15:56What are you going to use in place of garlic?
15:58Zero things.
15:58It's spicy, but it's not as spicy as it should be.
16:02This is wild.
16:03Just eating on my own.
16:05I don't typically talk to myself this much without interaction of other people.
16:10But the decision is yours, Chef.
16:11It's so nuts.
16:13That first round is so important.
16:15I've been here.
16:15I don't want to lose two guys that already beat me.
16:23No.
16:24That doesn't work.
16:31$4,500 in that pot.
16:32Hot and spicy is the dish.
16:34Who's going to the next round with $8,000?
16:37Okay.
16:37This wins the hot and spicy round.
16:44It's the mushroom dish.
16:45Chef Arnold!
16:47Oh my goodness.
16:48Chef Arnold.
16:49Wow.
16:49Just the beginning of the night.
16:51I'm going to have another drink now.
16:52Delicious.
16:53I think this is a nice choice for 20 minutes as well.
16:55Okay.
16:56Round of applause for Chef Tiffany.
16:57We can drop the guests now.
16:58See you guys in a minute.
16:59Not being able to have any protein actually worked to his advantage.
17:02Because I think he had to play a little bit with different spices and textures.
17:06Chef Arnold, you're coming in to the next hand with $8,000.
17:10Yeah, baby.
17:11It's on.
17:12Chef Kevin, $3,500 to you.
17:15Chef Alex, $3,500 to you as well.
17:20Welcome to the make or break hand.
17:22I've seen this round make or break a lot of these chefs' banks right here.
17:26But I'm going to help you out just a little bit.
17:28I'm going to give you an extra 10 minutes.
17:29It's a 30-minute cook.
17:31What?
17:31We're going to up the ante just a little bit.
17:33$1,000 is the buy-in this time.
17:35Let's see some cash.
17:37So $8,000 minus one.
17:39$8,000 minus two.
17:41Keep it warm over there for me.
17:42Yeah, you know.
17:43All right.
17:44Let's talk about the community cards.
17:46The dish card for this round is...
17:50Steakhouse dinner.
17:55Oh, man.
17:57You know, I mean, I have a steakhouse.
17:59You also had a Mexican pop-up.
18:01Oh, my God.
18:02Oh, my God.
18:02Damn.
18:04I love it.
18:04I love it.
18:06Ah, chefs.
18:08I love it.
18:08So, because this is the second hand, and I love making things just a little bit more difficult
18:12for you, I'm going to introduce the ingredient card.
18:15You'll have to cook this steakhouse dinner with tamarillo.
18:19Tamarillos.
18:22They're not tart.
18:23They're not sweet.
18:24They're just...
18:25It's a very interesting tree fruit.
18:27It's a mix between, let's say, a tomato and persimmon.
18:31Trying to incorporate this ingredient as one of the highlights of this dish is going to be very, very hard.
18:37Now, the game gets interesting.
18:39I have these wild cards, chef.
18:41I'm going to pass one to you, to you, and to you.
18:46I know steakhouse dinner very, very well, but wrapped is a challenge.
18:53All right, I'm down.
18:55Let's use a juicer.
18:56My life revolves around juice.
18:57Champagne's a juice.
19:04Yeah, I need a new wild card.
19:07Really?
19:08What's your card?
19:09Bet blind and get a new wild card, but don't look.
19:12What is that?
19:13It's the no garlic and onions of the poker world.
19:17All right, so your new wild card is here.
19:21You can't look at it.
19:22And, chef, the bet starts with you.
19:23The power move here is to fold.
19:26You know, you're at the beach.
19:27You see a big wave coming.
19:28You know, you just duck, and it goes right over you, and you're like, yeah.
19:33But then, usually, another big wave just slaps you in the face.
19:36I'm going to check.
19:37That is a smart move.
19:38You don't know what the card is.
19:39So it is smart to sort of see how the other chefs sort of play this hand.
19:44Chef Kevin, the action is to you.
19:45You can't check and see what Arnold does.
19:47Do remember, you're passing a lot of power to someone who has already a lot of money in his hand.
19:52Let me check and see what Chef does over there.
19:55Oh, man.
20:01Is that $1,000?
20:02That is $1,000.
20:02Now, remember, this is a blind card on Chef Alex's side.
20:05It could be something really bad for you, too.
20:07Ooh.
20:08Ooh.
20:08Ooh.
20:09So that's two stacks of $1,000, right?
20:12Yes, it is.
20:13You're willing to bet that much money?
20:14Sure.
20:15It's late.
20:16I got a buzz going on.
20:17I'm feeling good.
20:18$2,000 in the pot.
20:20Chef Alex, you're going to have to put in $2,000 to call Chef Arnold's bet.
20:24I'm going to play.
20:25Let's roll.
20:26You're calling Chef Arnold's raise at $2,000.
20:28Mm-hmm.
20:29Chef, it's do or die.
20:30Mm-hmm.
20:31If you lose, you only have $500, not enough to make it into the last round.
20:36Chef Kevin, the action is yours.
20:40Now, you can fold and definitely secure your spot in the last round.
20:45But if you call the bet, you're going to have to win this round to make it in.
20:49It's a lot of money on the line.
20:50My wild card is a tough one, but I know steak, so I'm hoping I can deliver.
20:57Oh!
20:58Let's go.
20:59$2,000.
21:00Let's go.
21:01We're here to play.
21:02If I win, I add another $9,000 and the other two chefs don't have enough money to play the
21:08next round.
21:09And on top of that, I'll be able to give my daughter a couple extra gifts and bonuses.
21:14There's a lot riding on this.
21:15Let's go ahead and see some wild cards.
21:17Let's start with Kevin.
21:19Wrapped.
21:21Ooh.
21:21Ooh.
21:22Whoa.
21:23Wait, Tom are real and wrapped?
21:25Oh, I have a trick up my sleeve that you guys aren't thinking of right now.
21:29Okay.
21:29Chef Arnold, what's your card?
21:32Use a juicer.
21:33Ooh.
21:33Use a juicer.
21:34All right.
21:36This is the big one right here.
21:38So you went in blind.
21:39It's the first time we get to see your card, Chef.
21:41Here we go.
21:42Swap two ingredients with another player.
21:46Whoa.
21:48Whoa.
21:49So I use the two ingredients I take from them.
21:52Correct.
21:52They use the two ingredients I give them.
21:54100%.
21:55So I know I'm giving the two ingredients to Arnold.
21:58The question is, what ingredients?
22:01Here's the thing.
22:02Chef Arnold can take this and sweep it, or you might have the tables turn in a very drastic
22:06way, and one of you two chefs could be going in with a big advantage into next round.
22:10What is guaranteed, though?
22:12Chef Alex, Chef Kevin, one of you will be cooking your last round right now.
22:16All or nothing.
22:17All or nothing's right here.
22:18That's what I live for.
22:20It's $9,000 on the pot.
22:21You have 30 minutes, chefs.
22:22Your time starts now.
22:25Here we go.
22:26For me, a steakhouse, I just think steak with a little sauce, some onion rings, and then salad
22:31with the tamarillo on top and some crumbled blue cheese.
22:35You going in here?
22:36But what I'm worried about is that Arnold can't win this round, or there's no third round.
22:40What I'm thinking about doing is a New York strip steak in the vein of a steak au poivre,
22:45which is a crusted peppercorn steak.
22:47I want to do kind of a Thai twist in terms of a steak sauce and a side of heirloom tomato
22:51salad.
22:52But Alex is coming for me.
22:55Chef Kevin, you got to make it wrapped, my friend.
22:57What are we thinking, man?
22:58No, I got bacon wrapped filets over here, chef.
23:02You know?
23:04Oh, you know?
23:05I'm from Oklahoma.
23:05That's good.
23:06That's a thing over there.
23:07That's a good one.
23:08Now we got a wrapped steak.
23:09So, remind me, the first time you beat Alex, what kind of challenge was it?
23:13Beef.
23:14The beef king of Oklahoma City with a wagyu, huh?
23:16I won a lot of cooking competitions with beef.
23:19It was beef.
23:20Oh, quit talking about me over there, Eric.
23:22Sweet nothings about you, chef.
23:24You know me.
23:24Yeah, nothing but nothing.
23:25Chef Kevin, why cast iron for you and the steak?
23:27Get that good crust on there, chef.
23:29Got to get that crust.
23:30How are you using that tamarillo?
23:31I got some shallots and the tamarillo reducing in some red wine vinegar with some paragon.
23:36Paragon, yeah.
23:36I'm going to take that and fold it into the sauce.
23:39You think that's going to be enough, though, to sort of discern the tamarillo?
23:42I think we'll get there.
23:45All right, Eric.
23:46I'm ready to do my swap.
23:47What are you using, chef?
23:49Is that a Vienna sausage and red salmon?
23:52Oh, my gosh.
23:53Ooh.
23:53Oh, yum.
23:55Delicious.
23:55Vienna sausage and canned salmon.
23:59Honestly, ew.
24:02You're taking what's your ingredients, chef?
24:04Onions.
24:05Onions?
24:05I wonder why.
24:07I did a round without onions.
24:08I think Arnold's going to love it.
24:10It's going to be very freeing.
24:11And what else?
24:12Black peppercorns.
24:14Oh, man.
24:15That sucks.
24:16You can't make a steak au poivre without black pepper.
24:19Oh, .
24:19And I think that's really, like, pretty fair and even, don't you?
24:23Like, I get onions and pepper, and he gets canned salmon and sausages.
24:27Perfect.
24:28Tell me why peppercorns and tell me why onions.
24:30They fit into the dish I'm making.
24:31Sure, sure.
24:32I take Arnold's black peppercorns, and I crush them, and then I sear the steak in the cast-iron skillet.
24:38In the meantime, I start doing the onion rings in batches.
24:41I'm not going to lose again.
24:43Wow, I love onion rings.
24:44So normally, my approach for this New York strip is to crust it in black peppercorns, Szechuan peppercorns,
24:50but I don't have pepper to work with, just the coriander.
24:52So fingers crossed, it's going to do the same thing.
24:55Watch this.
24:56Whoop.
24:57Are we combining both the Vienna sausage and the salmon together?
25:00We're going to make a little sauce for this thing.
25:03Sausage sauce.
25:04Gross.
25:05Sausage sauce.
25:06Don't ever say that.
25:07Ever.
25:09So, Chef Arnold, using that juicer, so check.
25:11Just throwing everything into the blender until it tastes good is kind of where I'm at at this point.
25:16It's a very interesting sauce being made on Chef Arnold's side.
25:19So, it started with the Vienna sausage, the canned salmon, tomato juice, tamarind, red wine vinegar, garlic,
25:25fresno, sriracha, oyster sauce, lime juice, sugar, and a hint of cilantro.
25:32I can't imagine what it tastes like.
25:35Step away from the sausage sauce.
25:38It's the make or break round.
25:51Steakhouse dinner is the dish.
25:52Tamarillo is the ingredient.
25:54There's $9,000 in the pot.
25:55A lot of steak right now.
25:56How's that sauce, Chef?
25:58It's interesting.
25:59Let's try it.
26:00Is it weird?
26:07I've never had it before, but it also isn't bad.
26:10I invented it today.
26:11It's also not bad.
26:14Calling it a wild card sauce.
26:15It is a wild card sauce.
26:16I think that's what we're going to call it.
26:18Nice try, Alex.
26:19You gave me two horrible ingredients that wasn't so bad.
26:21How are you including the tamarillo?
26:23I'm just going to make a nice little salad, almost like it was a tomato salad.
26:26Okay, all right.
26:27Tamarillos need to be front and center for me to win this challenge.
26:31So, Chef, any thoughts on the tamarillo?
26:33Amazing.
26:33I love it.
26:34How are you using it?
26:35It's in my sauce.
26:36I scoop out the middles of the tamarillos to use as a sauce, and I also make a salad.
26:40It feels like something straight out of a steakhouse.
26:43This could be Chef Alex's chance to beat these two chefs.
26:46She's pulling no push-ins right now.
26:47There's four more minutes left.
26:50The steak is cooked perfectly.
26:51I'm feeling great.
26:53Steakhouse dinner usually has some sides, right?
26:55Nice, silky potato puree will really elevate my dish, but there's not a lot of texture,
27:02so I can make some crispy potatoes, and I'll have a chance to win this round.
27:06I don't know what it's like to lose to Alex, but I don't want to know.
27:09Two minutes left in the cook, Chefs.
27:11I just make a stack of onion rings.
27:13I slice my steak, and then the tamarillo salad, top in some crumbled blue cheese.
27:19Potato puree, bacon wrap filet with a potato nest and with a little bit of baronet stripping on the side.
27:25Finishing with a little tamarillo relish.
27:2730 seconds.
27:28This 70-ingredient sauce on the bottom, steak right on top, and I top it off in a side of my tamarillo stone fruit heirloom tomato salad.
27:38It's a stunner.
27:39Five, four, three, two, one.
27:42And I just get some of that sauce right on the steak.
27:45One.
27:46That's about it, Chefs.
27:48Want to bite?
27:50I did not get done what I thought I was going to get done.
27:54Eric set up the entire place with everybody I've ever lost to, so my goal is to get into the final round and cook.
28:01Welcome back, Tiffany.
28:02Hi.
28:03$9,000 in that pot.
28:05Okay.
28:07Oh, we are.
28:07The max.
28:08All right.
28:09We have steakhouse dinner.
28:10We have tamarillos.
28:11I love tamarillos.
28:12And we have three plates.
28:14Okay.
28:14Let's start here.
28:17Beautiful plates, right?
28:18This is very sculptural.
28:19This looks like a New York cut.
28:26Cook on the steak is spectacular.
28:27Tamarillo on the top with the chives.
28:30Nice touch.
28:31And this sauce on here is fantastic.
28:33It's buttery.
28:35We love an onion ring at the steakhouse.
28:38Red onion.
28:39That's a nice touch.
28:40Not like a traditional onion ring.
28:41I see my tamarillo in here.
28:43And then we have some blue cheese here.
28:45It's like a little tomato wedge salad.
28:48I don't know if the blue cheese is vibing with the tamarillo.
28:53Even if a judge said, hey, you have 10 minutes to change this part of your dish, what are you going to do?
28:57I think I would have left it.
28:59But, love, I'm obsessed with the steak.
29:02Delicious and stunning.
29:03Okay, I'm going to go here.
29:05Next, filet with bacon.
29:07More crispy fried things that we love.
29:15Cook on the steak is really, really beautiful.
29:18Just perfect medium rare on the filet.
29:21I love the Bernays.
29:23I really like the potato puree.
29:24But I don't know that we need the bacon here.
29:27It seems like a lot with the filet.
29:29I don't know, like maybe just unnecessary.
29:32I had to wrap something.
29:34The filet was what I had.
29:36Check tamarillo.
29:37Check steakhouse dinner.
29:37So, similarly, we sort of have like a full steakhouse dinner.
29:42I love it in New York.
29:43The steak is cooked perfectly.
29:50Love the explosion of coriander in my mouth when I'm eating.
29:52Like, when you crust something, crust it.
29:55And this is so perfectly crusted.
29:56I love that.
29:56So, I do like the almost papaya quality of the tamarillo.
29:59But I'm missing a little salt here.
30:02Like, the tomatoes just are like wanting for salt.
30:05Drag them through the sauce a little bit more.
30:07She's about to try this sauce.
30:13What is this sauce?
30:18Is there like tamarillo puree?
30:19I mean, the sauce has got like tomato vibes.
30:22Maybe some shrimp paste in here.
30:24How am I doing?
30:25I don't think anybody could think to even start to name this sauce.
30:29It's so extra.
30:30I do like the sauce.
30:31It's not a traditional steakhouse sauce by any stretch.
30:33But, um, I can buy that this is a steakhouse dinner.
30:36But it feels like summer steak in my backyard.
30:39I don't know.
30:39I like this.
30:40I think it's a really successful dish.
30:43So, $9,000 in the pot.
30:45One of these chefs will not be moving on to the next round.
30:48Or it could be a two-round sweep if you choose Arnold's dish.
30:54Okay.
30:55The winner for this round for me...
30:58is this one.
31:02Chef Dallas, 20 salad.
31:04I love this.
31:05It feels a little old-school steakhouse to me, which I love.
31:07Stephanie, thank you so much.
31:09We'll call you back after the all-in hand, Chef.
31:11Well done.
31:12I just won $9,000, and I'm going to walk out of here with this, Eric.
31:16All right, chefs, we're headed into the all-in hand.
31:19Kev, we have $500.
31:20Unfortunately, you cannot make it to the final round.
31:23Maybe I should have saved a little bit of money
31:25and just went for it in the third round.
31:26But, you know, I've got to live with my decisions.
31:29Chef Arnold, the game is not over.
31:31You can definitely win the next round
31:32and double what you came in with.
31:33I'm still in the game.
31:35I'm back to where I started.
31:36And now it's very nostalgic, huh?
31:38Alex versus Arnold.
31:39Mm-hmm.
31:42Welcome to the all-in hand.
31:45Arnold.
31:45Yes.
31:46You, my friend, are my only hope to defeat Alex.
31:49My only hope.
31:51And it's not over.
31:52Do you agree that this is a little uncalled for?
31:55You know I love you, but I've got to mess with you.
31:57Arnold, because you are the small stack with $5,000,
32:00you, my friend, are going all-in.
32:03$10,000 up for grabs.
32:04Let's see the cash.
32:05Dude, seriously?
32:07So first, the dish card.
32:09The communal dish is smoked eats.
32:16The thing about smoked eats, it's like low and slow, not a 30-minute moment for me.
32:20And the ingredient is...
32:22Figs.
32:25What?
32:26Smoked eats and figs, putting them together, tough.
32:31All right, chefs, for your final hand, I'm going to give you each a card for the most dreaded deck in my arsenal.
32:39Over the past couple of years, I've been collecting some of the most diabolical cards and putting them together in the diamond deck.
32:46I mean, that sounds like a good time.
32:48How do you live with yourself at night?
32:51So, I'm going to go ahead and pass that to you, Arnold.
32:53I'm going to pass that to you.
32:54Do me a favor, take a look at your card.
33:01Nutritional yeast.
33:03Flavor-wise, it's quite complex.
33:05So, it can be tricky.
33:09Incorporate matcha.
33:10It can be, like, tanniny and kind of bitter and metallic, and that's what makes an ingredient like that tough.
33:16Since I'm such a nice guy, I'm going to offer you an opportunity.
33:20I want to give both of you the chance to swap out your diamond deck card.
33:26It's sort of like dancing with the devil you know versus maybe taking up another partner.
33:31I'm so afraid of getting something worse.
33:33That's true, but you could get something a lot better.
33:36So, Arnold, what say you, my friend?
33:41I'm okay with this.
33:42Really?
33:42Yeah.
33:43I don't like it, but I'm okay with it.
33:46I'm going to hang.
33:47Yeah, I'm good.
33:48Okay.
33:49Let's go ahead and see some cards.
33:52Incorporate nutritional yeast.
33:54Ooh.
33:55All right, Chef Alex.
33:56Incorporate matcha.
33:57Wow.
33:58What would you rather have?
33:59They both suck.
34:02I've never cooked with matcha in my life.
34:03Never.
34:04Other than to drink it in a beverage.
34:05All right.
34:06Arnold, you have an opportunity to double your money.
34:10Or go home with nothing at all.
34:13Chef Alex, an almost sweep.
34:15You have the potential to win $14,500.
34:20You have 30 minutes, chefs.
34:22That time starts now.
34:24All right.
34:25I see matcha.
34:26I see figs.
34:27My brain says you're making dessert.
34:29I want to make shortbread and coconut ice cream.
34:32We got sweet.
34:33We got savory.
34:34We got matcha.
34:35We got nutritional yeast.
34:37Check on that.
34:37I can't hear you.
34:41I love when Chef Alex talks like this.
34:43It gets me going.
34:44Arr.
34:44Ha, ha, ha, ha.
34:45We got an ice cream going over here.
34:47What's the base of the ice cream, Chef?
34:48Coconut milk.
34:49So that maybe a judge thinks a Thai-based chef made it.
34:53Ha.
34:53Ha.
34:53Ha.
34:54Ha.
34:54Ha.
34:54Ha.
34:55Ha.
34:55He's playing the game.
34:56Chef Arnold, what are you doing, man?
34:57I'm going to do a bunseo.
34:59Basically a coconut crepe that I will stuff with a whole bunch of smoky goodness.
35:03Is this going to be the filling for the crepe?
35:05It's going to be the filling for the crepe.
35:06That is a smoky profile for sure.
35:08So you got to develop these smoky flavors in a really fast way.
35:11One way to do it is incorporate smoked ingredients.
35:13I like this direction.
35:14Oh, you like Arnold's direction.
35:16Oh, Arnold, it's so great.
35:17All right, so now let's make this batter.
35:22When you think crepe, it might be daunting in the French sense.
35:25You know, you have to get the perfect texture of batter.
35:28In Asian cooking, we're a bit more like, it's okay to have char and crunchiness.
35:32I'm so glad I'm Asian.
35:34Boom, look at that.
35:36Chef Alex, are you doing pastry?
35:40Yeah.
35:40So I have a shortbread here with some matcha in here.
35:43Eric?
35:44Uh, so check on that.
35:45I didn't say it was going to work.
35:46I said it's in there.
35:48This is intense.
35:49It's down to me and Arnold.
35:50All I can think about is I don't want a repeat story.
35:5419 minutes, 30 seconds.
35:55Let's see how this ice cream machine is doing.
36:01Is this on right?
36:08What is wrong with this?
36:10I press down to cover it, and I think we're okay.
36:12You want to keep your eye on that, don't you?
36:14I genuinely think Eric's enjoying himself.
36:16Wouldn't you be?
36:17It's like...
36:18Who is this guy?
36:22It's going down in a major way.
36:2315 minutes left.
36:24$10,000 on the line.
36:26Chef Arnold must include nutritional yeast.
36:28Chef Alex has to include matcha.
36:30What are the next steps for you, chef?
36:31I'm just going to build the sauce with hopefully enough smoke.
36:35You're throwing the fig in that gojujang.
36:36I am.
36:37Complimentary profiles.
36:38Yeah.
36:39Nutritional yeast.
36:39How are you getting around that?
36:40I'm going to incorporate it into the sauce.
36:43Check on that.
36:43Seven minutes left in this cook.
36:45Chef Alex, what smoky elements are you using?
36:47The smoked figs.
36:48Nice.
36:50A little smoky smoke.
36:51Two different techniques.
36:53Getting smoke from a smoke gun and then using smoked products.
36:56What do you think can translate better?
36:58We'll find out.
36:59Okay.
37:00My ice cream's done.
37:02I'm here to tell you that that ice cream machine has been a problem for many of chefs.
37:09That's fantastic.
37:11That is perfect.
37:12Perfect ice cream right now.
37:14Two minutes left in the cook, chefs.
37:16I plate it with a little side of lettuce.
37:18I have a ramekin of sauce.
37:20Put a little slaw right into the cup.
37:21I stuffed that crepe with my pork goodness.
37:2430 seconds.
37:24I pull the shortbread, drop them on the plate.
37:27I put those smoked figs right over the shortbread.
37:30Coconut ice cream.
37:31And then at the last minute, I have those cloches because I want to do like a smoked presentation.
37:36Three, two, one.
37:39That is about it, chefs.
37:40Well done.
37:41Wow.
37:42Good job, chefs.
37:44Damn.
37:46Looks amazing, chef.
37:48I was trapped into doing dessert.
37:50I didn't decide to make it.
37:52The cards trapped me.
37:53I don't know.
37:53I want to win this whole thing.
37:54I want to school the students.
37:56I want the teacher to say, class dismissed.
37:59Yeah.
37:59Why am I carrying this weird thing?
38:04We have $10,000 in the middle of that pot right there.
38:07We have smoke eats as the dish and the use of figs as the ingredient.
38:12You can start wherever you like.
38:13Okay.
38:14I'm going to do the thing.
38:15I see this on the Instagram.
38:16Ooh.
38:17Ooh.
38:18Ooh.
38:18Yes.
38:21Okay.
38:22Ice cream.
38:23And we have like a little cakey cake.
38:26It's a little crunchy cake.
38:34It's so like crunchy and delicious.
38:39Coconut ice cream.
38:40A little smoky-coky.
38:42Mmm.
38:43The figs are delicious.
38:45There are some that are raw.
38:46Some that are, I think, smoked with sugar on top.
38:49It's interesting.
38:50I can't work out this cake.
38:56Texturally, it's really great, right?
38:57But there's something I can't place with it.
39:00It's like, I'm like screaming, it's matcha, it's matcha, it's matcha, it's matcha.
39:05All around, this is really nicely balanced.
39:07I almost want like a little splash of acid, but really nice dish.
39:11All right, moving on to the next.
39:14This is a bon sal.
39:19Okay.
39:20Got some bacon in here.
39:21The bacon is smart for the smoke.
39:23Check, right?
39:24Is this sauce, the sauce on top?
39:28Ooh.
39:29Hey, what's up?
39:31Smoky fig sauce.
39:32There's clear umami flavor here.
39:33That base note is like very clear.
39:35She can taste the umami and that's the nutritional yeast.
39:38So, Eric, check, check.
39:41It's very balanced, but it's, um, it's a little acrid.
39:46It has that flavor where the smoke hasn't fully burned off yet.
39:50All in all together, I think the chef has done a really great job of balancing like acid and herbs and heat.
39:56It works really, really nicely together.
40:01This is impossible.
40:03I hate this.
40:04But there can only be one.
40:05There can only be one.
40:06Okay.
40:07For me, the dish should embrace both the smoked eats and the figs in the most delicious and creative way.
40:15This is the part of Wild Card Kitchen that is tough.
40:19I am literally not breathing.
40:22Ooh.
40:23I think it's the bon sal.
40:25Chef Arnold.
40:27That is $10,000 to you.
40:30Got the crispy crunchiness around it.
40:31And turmeric in there.
40:32It's pretty stinkin' delicious.
40:33Oh, my goodness.
40:36This is now my second time beating Alex.
40:39This kind of proves that I've got what it takes.
40:42Alex has $4,500.
40:44Okay.
40:44It's not great to lose, but it's nice when whoever does win cooked really well.
40:49And Chef Kevin, you're going home with $500.
40:51You know, after tonight, my worst nightmare, I just want to say that I feel, as a loser here, that I deserve a little something for my time.
41:02So, I think, you know, after all these years of you messing with me, I think it would be so lovely if I jumped into your suit.
41:09I can get a little beard going.
41:12And you can come on this side and join us commoners.
41:14Oh, that's good.
41:17So, you want me to play the game and you host one night?
41:20There you go.
41:20Just do it.
41:22You're no fun.
41:25I'm happy to put my money where my mouth is.
41:27Absolutely.
41:27Wait, wait, wait.
41:28You're going to compete?
41:29I'll compete.
41:30And I'll give my host...
41:31It's about time.
41:31And I'll give my host tea to Chef Alex.
41:33Absolutely.
41:34What the fuck?
41:34All right.
41:35This is a twist we've all been waiting for.
41:38I just got out of here.
41:39All right.
41:39Cheers.
41:40Nice job, guys.
41:41Eric, I'm going to cackle with glee while sweat pours down your spine.
41:46While you try to make something without salt and without pots and pans or food.
41:51Are we really going to do this?
41:52Oh, yeah.
41:53All right.
41:54All right.
41:54All right.
41:55You know what it's going to be?
41:56It's going to be...
41:57Life out.
41:58You know what it's going to be?
41:58You know what it's going to be?
41:59You know what it's going to be?
42:00You know what it's going to be?
42:01You know what it's going to be?
42:02You know what it's going to be?
42:03You know what it's going to be?
42:04You know what it's going to be?
42:05You know what it's going to be?
42:06You know what it's going to be?
42:07You know what it's going to be?
42:08You know what it's going to be?
42:09You know what it's going to be?
42:10You know what it's going to be?
42:11You know what it's going to be?
42:12You know what it's going to be?
42:13You know what it's going to be?
42:14You know what it's going to be?
42:15You know what it's going to be?
42:16You know what it's going to be?
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