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TVTranscript
00:00:02I'm Padma Lakshmi. I've traveled the world exploring amazing food and meeting world-renowned
00:00:08chefs. I'm a New York Times best-selling author and a James Beard Award winner. And that's
00:00:13why I've created this brand new cooking competition to honor the best chefs in America. America's
00:00:21Culinary Cup is a test of our 10 culinary commandments. Not just challenges, but the
00:00:27very standards that define every great chef. Master them and you stand among the elite. Master them here
00:00:34and you win. One million dollars. Brought to you by our official cleanup partners, Dawn Powerwash.
00:00:42We've scoured the nation to find the most elite chefs in America. We got mail. Among the 16 chosen
00:00:49to receive an invitation are six Michelin-starred chefs. I just won a Michelin star, which is an
00:00:55absolute privilege and honor. It's the best thing that's ever happened. I received a Michelin star
00:01:00in September of 2023, but I like to think that Padma chose me because of my great looks,
00:01:04my personality. Two Boku store medalists. I'm winning this, no doubt. Two James Beard Award winners.
00:01:12Some people see me as small, but like a little small Thai chili. It's spicy. Don't let it deceive you.
00:01:1914 James Beard Award nominees and multiple elite culinary distinctions. Food and wine, best your
00:01:27chef. Arizona Culinary Hall of Fame. I don't care about your stars. I don't care about your awards. I'm
00:01:32going to be a shark in the waters. I'm going to take it all. They're leaving behind their restaurants,
00:01:39their families to put it all on the line. At my restaurant, I hire formerly incarcerated. My whole
00:01:46career is about providing opportunity. Me being in this competition is bigger than me. Competing matters
00:01:53so much to me that I postponed my wedding. Honestly, I'm supposed to be getting married today.
00:02:03This is a pursuit of greatness, and the winner will have to be smart. You know, it's common sense.
00:02:09You get rid of one of the best in the room. Cunning. This is nasty. And a little cutthroat. Watch
00:02:16your
00:02:16back. To win a prize unmatched in culinary history and the honor of taking home America's culinary cup.
00:02:42All the toys. I won a Michelin star in 2019, but I have my eyes set on America's culinary cup.
00:02:51A wood-fired oven. After my heart.
00:02:56Oh my goodness. I like the marble.
00:03:08Hi. It's so nice to see a familiar face. Beverly Kim. She's so talented, and I'm definitely nervous
00:03:15about what she's going to put out in this competition. Hey. Chris. I'm Katie. Does that mean somebody else
00:03:21is coming out? Hello. What's up, everyone? Hey. I'm Beverly. I'm so nice to meet you. Nice to meet you.
00:03:29I'm a food and wine best new chef for 2014, and I've been nominated for, I think, eight
00:03:36James Beard awards. From Los Angeles. Hi. How are you doing? Hi, Cara. Welcome. I'm married. I have a
00:03:4419-month-old daughter, and I am pregnant. Cara, where are you at? I had a kid a year and
00:03:50a half ago.
00:03:51Oh. Yeah, so I'm pregnant again. Sort of took a big step back from my restaurants.
00:03:57I'm in my second trimester. I know I'm going to be discounted, but I know I have the resume,
00:04:01and I have the accolades to back it up. I just am rusty. I'm nervous about the rust.
00:04:10Wow. Massive. I'm the first American to place on the podium at the Boca Store competition,
00:04:15having taken silver in 2015, and then coaching the team to goal in 2017. The Boca Store is recognized
00:04:20as the most prestigious culinary competition in the world. 60 countries competing, 2,500 screaming
00:04:25fans. Winning silver was one of the most amazing moments in my life. I still get goosebumps thinking
00:04:30about it. Hello, everyone. Chef. After I did Boca Store, I became the chef partner at Press right in the
00:04:37heart of Napa Valley. We got our first Michelin star in 2022. Hello, how are you? Sol, nice to meet
00:04:44you.
00:04:44Nice to meet you. I was the first American to win gold at the Boca Store. People should be
00:04:52intimidated by me just based off of the experience that I have in a competition.
00:05:01As soon as I walk in, I see Phil, you know, my coach from Boca Store 2017.
00:05:08Love this. To see him, man, this is like getting punched in the face as soon as you walk in
00:05:13the door.
00:05:15It's going to be fun. The Boca Store is incredibly challenging.
00:05:22Hey, Katie. Hey, how are you? Pleasure.
00:05:25Immediately, you know, kind of clocking Philip and Matt as having kind of perfect culinary technique.
00:05:33How y'all doing?
00:05:38Hey, how are you? Russell. Nice to meet you.
00:05:40I'm trying to meet you. I'm looking around the room and there are a lot of faces that I recognize.
00:05:44Mr. Corbin. Yes. Yes. There are all these cutthroat chefs with amazing lineage.
00:05:50French lingerie? Yeah. Okay.
00:05:53It is an arena and we are gladiators that are going to do battle.
00:06:01Good day, everyone.
00:06:02Oh, my gosh. I had a feeling he was here.
00:06:06He is so good.
00:06:11What's up, man? Chris.
00:06:12Pleasure.
00:06:12Boca. How's it going?
00:06:14Kara.
00:06:14Welcome. I'm here. I'm sorry, man. Welcome. How are you doing?
00:06:17He has so much competition experience. He just won two top chefs. Leave the rest for us.
00:06:23How are you doing?
00:06:24How are you doing?
00:06:24How are you doing?
00:06:25Boca.
00:06:25Boca.
00:06:26Nice to meet you.
00:06:29I immediately recognized Philip Tessier and Matt Peters. Philip literally wrote a book on how to win the Deku's duel.
00:06:36This is going to be harder than I think, but I came here to push myself. I am so ready.
00:06:46I don't have any of this fancy equipment. Some of this stuff, I'm just like, I have no idea what
00:06:53the this is.
00:06:55Congratulations. Oh, yeah. I haven't seen you since you had the baby.
00:06:57Yeah, I have another one on the way. You're crazy.
00:07:00Where are you coming from?
00:07:01New York.
00:07:02Oh, you're from New York?
00:07:02Yeah, what about you guys?
00:07:03Austin, Texas.
00:07:04Okay, okay.
00:07:05Spent many years in New York, though.
00:07:07Oh, really?
00:07:07Yeah.
00:07:08Where at?
00:07:09Per se.
00:07:10Yeah, I love per se. I'm so good.
00:07:11Kind of like sizing these other chefs up a little bit. I mean, I'm here to win a million dollars.
00:07:23We have... Oh, my goodness.
00:07:26Whoa!
00:07:28Oh, you're crazy.
00:07:29Wow.
00:07:33Hello, chefs.
00:07:35Now that Padme is into the arena, it is on.
00:07:38She has one of the most refined palates I've ever cooked for.
00:07:41I can say confidently, better palates than three-star chefs.
00:07:43I am so excited to have you all here.
00:07:48I love Padme.
00:07:49She's an incredible role model for my daughter, for myself.
00:07:53I just admire her so much.
00:07:56Welcome to the inaugural America's Culinary Cup.
00:08:01Yeah!
00:08:04America's Culinary Cup is unlike any competition you have ever seen before.
00:08:12Where how well you cook matters just as much as how well you play the game.
00:08:17Oh, you're making us nervous.
00:08:19At the end of this competition, one of you will be walking away with America's Culinary Cup.
00:08:27And one million dollars.
00:08:29Oh, yeah!
00:08:30The biggest prize ever to be given away in a culinary competition.
00:08:34Where else do you have a 1 in 16 chance to win a million dollars doing the very thing that
00:08:41you do every day?
00:08:43Like, I come from Watts, bro.
00:08:46It's a third world country within Los Angeles.
00:08:48Because I spent time in prison.
00:08:51Like, where else do you get that chance?
00:08:53Let's go.
00:08:54We're going to make you work for it.
00:08:56Because we're introducing something we are calling the Culinary Commandments.
00:09:03To make it to the end.
00:09:05You have to master each of these commandments.
00:09:08And you have to master them above and beyond your competitors.
00:09:14I'm thinking the Culinary Commandments, it'll be like something that I, when I hire somebody, you have to be multi
00:09:20-talented.
00:09:21You can't just be a good fish cook.
00:09:24Before we get to the commandments, you'll have to survive today.
00:09:28Because four of you will be eliminated.
00:09:36Today.
00:09:40Wow.
00:09:54Chefs, are you ready for your first cook?
00:09:56Yes.
00:09:57Let's go.
00:09:58It's simple.
00:09:58All you have to do is make your best dish.
00:10:02The dish that defines you as a chef.
00:10:06This is where things get a little interesting.
00:10:09You're going head to head.
00:10:10Oh my god.
00:10:11That's right.
00:10:12One-on-one.
00:10:13The winner of each of these head-to-head match-ups will stay in the competition.
00:10:18And whoever loses that head-to-head will be at risk for elimination.
00:10:24Day one.
00:10:25This cup throw one-on-one scenario, that's a tough way to start the competition.
00:10:29But, you know, game on.
00:10:32Do you want to know who you're going up against?
00:10:34Oh yeah.
00:10:35Yeah.
00:10:35At random, the name of one chef is going to appear on that board.
00:10:42I stole that from Grand Central Station.
00:10:45Yeah.
00:10:47If your name appears, you'll choose which chef you want to compete against.
00:10:53Oh my god.
00:10:54Oh my god.
00:10:55Remember chefs, four of you will be eliminated tonight.
00:10:58So be strategic, because the game starts now.
00:11:02I get picked, who do I pick?
00:11:04Phillip and Matt were the Book Restore medalists.
00:11:07I immediately clock up.
00:11:08I wouldn't pick them.
00:11:08All right, let's see who's first.
00:11:19Melina, look around.
00:11:20What's your strategy?
00:11:22Who are you going to be able to beat?
00:11:27I want to cook against Deanna.
00:11:32Why did you pick Deanna?
00:11:33She mentioned that she's not familiar with this equipment.
00:11:36That's some good strategy.
00:11:39Smart move.
00:11:40This bitch, you know, like, I thought you were my friend.
00:11:43Chefs, you can head to your stations.
00:11:45Note to self, keep your mouth shut.
00:11:48All right, let's see who's next.
00:11:52Beverly, who are you going to cook against?
00:11:54My strategy is to go with someone who offers the information that she hasn't been in the kitchen
00:11:59for two and a half years.
00:12:00I would like to cook against Kara.
00:12:02Kara, yes.
00:12:04I'm still in my kitchens every day, so I think I have a good chance.
00:12:07Please head to your stations.
00:12:11Michael.
00:12:12I want to go against you, Rochelle.
00:12:13Okay.
00:12:17Chris Morgan.
00:12:19Katie.
00:12:20Sure.
00:12:21Who's next?
00:12:22Russell.
00:12:23You're standing right next to me, son.
00:12:25I was hoping for you to pick me.
00:12:27Kim versus Russell.
00:12:28I have no knowledge of who she is.
00:12:30No knowledge.
00:12:31None whatsoever.
00:12:32She's probably going to whoop my ass.
00:12:35Kim, do you know Russell?
00:12:36I'm from San Francisco.
00:12:38Uh-uh.
00:12:39We'd see each other at the farmer's market, or I guess I would see him.
00:12:42I apologize for not recognizing you.
00:12:43But no, no, no, it looks like, okay, so.
00:12:46I'm irritated Russell picked me, but at the same time, I'm going to beat him.
00:12:49I'm called a koala.
00:12:51That's what my partner calls me.
00:12:52He's like, oh, she looks so sweet and cute, and then she'll scratch your face off.
00:12:56I'm a koala.
00:12:57All right, who's next?
00:12:58The list is getting smaller, and I really don't want to have to go against Phil.
00:13:02Probably my strongest competition.
00:13:05So.
00:13:06I wouldn't mind going head-to-head with anyone except Buddha, Philip, and Matt.
00:13:11That's it.
00:13:12Everyone else, I'm like, let's go.
00:13:14Chef, keep.
00:13:15Let's do it.
00:13:16And then there were four.
00:13:20Everyone seems to be afraid of you.
00:13:22Nobody's picking me.
00:13:24I'm like, what's going on here?
00:13:25I don't want to go against Buddha.
00:13:27I don't want to go against Matt, so I'm not feeling great.
00:13:32Let's see who's next.
00:13:36Emily.
00:13:38You got a pretty easy pick.
00:13:39Now, are they the two Pukustor medalists or myself?
00:13:42Buddha's not going to be the person I pick.
00:13:45I'm going to pick.
00:13:48Philip.
00:13:49All right.
00:13:49Philip.
00:13:50Sounds good.
00:13:51Thanks, God.
00:13:53Why?
00:13:54I've watched Buddha.
00:13:55And I know Matt.
00:13:57I love where he's worked.
00:13:59Per Se, which is one of my favorite restaurants.
00:14:02And I didn't feel like I talked to Philip enough.
00:14:04So maybe ignorance is bliss.
00:14:06She doesn't know anything about him?
00:14:09Philip, have you cooked up Per Se?
00:14:11I was part of the opening team there.
00:14:12Oh, f***.
00:14:14A pain in my stomach dropped.
00:14:17What they don't know is that I have exactly the same training that they do and, like, work for all
00:14:21these, like, big-name French chefs.
00:14:23Well, that leaves Matt and Buddha.
00:14:26Do you know Matt, Buddha?
00:14:28I do.
00:14:29So why you end up with the Pukustor winner round one?
00:14:34Let me introduce you to your judges.
00:14:37Oh.
00:14:41A seafood savant whose Los Angeles restaurant, Providence, was awarded the peak of culinary excellence, three Michelin stars.
00:14:53He's a chef whose own beard is just as impressive as his James beard.
00:14:59Please welcome my dear friend, Michael Cimarusti.
00:15:03What's up, Petna?
00:15:04Hey.
00:15:04This is amazing.
00:15:06Three Michelin stars, the creme de la creme.
00:15:09Like, the guy's a beast.
00:15:11Cook for yourself first.
00:15:12Execute at your highest level.
00:15:15Don't forget that every detail matters.
00:15:18Uh-oh.
00:15:19That would be our other judge.
00:15:21He is the Luke Skywalker of molecular gastronomy.
00:15:25Oh, my God.
00:15:26What?
00:15:27Michelin star, James Beard Award winner, our own mad scientist, Wiley Dufresne.
00:15:33Hello, hello.
00:15:34Hey, babe.
00:15:35Nice to see you.
00:15:36Nice to see you.
00:15:38Michael.
00:15:38Holy .
00:15:39I'm a product of Wiley.
00:15:41I watched his videos when I should be studying.
00:15:43Oh, my God.
00:15:44This person is just cooking on a different level.
00:15:48Oh, thank you.
00:15:48Brought you something.
00:15:49Oh, yeah.
00:15:51Hello, chefs.
00:15:52Hello, chef.
00:15:53The chef that's going to win America's Culinary Cup is going to have to take some risk.
00:15:58I say go for it.
00:15:59Don't hold back.
00:16:01Okay, chefs.
00:16:02Now it's time for the challenge.
00:16:06You will each get 75 minutes to make your best dish.
00:16:12You'll be cooking on a stagger because we want to make sure we taste your dish as it's intended.
00:16:18Melina and Gianna, you're first.
00:16:22Your time starts now.
00:16:25Let's go.
00:16:25Let's go.
00:16:26Let's hit it.
00:16:28Let's see what they pick.
00:16:30Chefs will be scored on four judging criteria.
00:16:34Taste, creativity, presentation, and technique.
00:16:37Each category is worth five points for a total of 20 points from each judge with a possible
00:16:43perfect score of 60.
00:16:46Fruit, fruit, fruit.
00:16:47Best dish to me is like Sophie's Choice.
00:16:49I cook Mexican cuisine and like dedicate my life to my heritage.
00:16:54Like storytelling of my ancestors and just gets passed down from generation to generation.
00:17:01Now I'm making it into my own.
00:17:03You guys are coming home with me.
00:17:05Hershey and Harry, I reckon you.
00:17:08Wiley, you want to do the honors?
00:17:10It would be my pleasure, Padma.
00:17:12Chef?
00:17:15I'll bet.
00:17:18What are you making?
00:17:19I'm making a little surf and surf.
00:17:21Where I received my Michelin star was a Spanish steakhouse.
00:17:25I love cooking steaks.
00:17:27No one is going to outcook me when it comes to red meat.
00:17:30I'm going to start processing the lobster tails.
00:17:32Surf and turf is a lot of work.
00:17:35You're still moving.
00:17:37Beverly and Kara, your time starts now.
00:17:44Oh, I see a smoking gun back there.
00:17:47Melina, what are you making?
00:17:48I'm smoking some garlic to make a vinaigrette for my tomato salad.
00:17:52Smoking garlic, lobster steak.
00:17:54Man, she's working.
00:17:56Michael and Rochelle, your time starts now.
00:18:02Oh, rusty.
00:18:05I'm feeling very nervous.
00:18:08It's very obvious that I have not been cooking for two years.
00:18:12For my best dish, I'm making haemmel pajeon.
00:18:15A scallion and seafood pancake.
00:18:17Oh, my God.
00:18:19That sounds so good.
00:18:20Wow.
00:18:21Four people have to go home today.
00:18:22I got to nail this.
00:18:24Hamel pajeon, it is something that every Korean household makes.
00:18:28It really is something near and dear to my heart.
00:18:31Let's go.
00:18:32Katie and Chris, your time starts now.
00:18:34All right.
00:18:35Let's do it.
00:18:37I'm going to make a mole negro, so a black mole made from Mexican dried chilies.
00:18:41One of my superpowers in cooking is my sauce work.
00:18:44Mole negro is really fun because you can take peppers and then blacken them.
00:18:48Whoa, you smell those chilies all of a sudden?
00:18:50Smells good.
00:18:51Look at that, Michael.
00:18:52She's putting seafood in the Paco jet.
00:18:54Rochelle, what are you doing?
00:18:55Fish, mousseline.
00:18:57I grab scallops and hamachi, and then I'm going to sous vide.
00:19:00That's awesome.
00:19:01I want to be in this competition because I want to bring notoriety to Arizona.
00:19:07I know that nobody thinks of Flagstaff when they think of great restaurants.
00:19:11I want to prove them wrong.
00:19:14I love making a plate just look like it's artistry.
00:19:19Back home, I have two kids and a fiancé.
00:19:22I was so excited to get married today.
00:19:25I can't lose.
00:19:26I put off my wedding for this.
00:19:30Michael, you see that?
00:19:31You've got the mousse.
00:19:32That's awesome.
00:19:33On the ellipse.
00:19:33This is cool because you just made fish mousse in like seven minutes.
00:19:36That's great.
00:19:40Kim and Russell, your time starts now.
00:19:44Let's have some fun.
00:19:46Not my first trip to the rodeo.
00:19:48I've been professionally cooking over 40 years.
00:19:51I've probably forgotten more than most of these guys.
00:19:54I've learned.
00:19:55Nope, don't need that.
00:19:56Simplicity is probably my best choice.
00:19:59Keep it simple, stupid.
00:20:03Chef, can we still be friends after this?
00:20:05Absolutely.
00:20:06All right.
00:20:07So, and Keith, your time starts now.
00:20:11Okay.
00:20:15Emily and Phillip, your time starts now.
00:20:19My goal with the first cook was not to do anything too ambitious, not too complicated,
00:20:23to like run around this pantry with only 75 minutes.
00:20:27Our challenge is a dish that represents yourself.
00:20:29For me, that's California ingredients.
00:20:31It's raw fish.
00:20:32Doing a little citrus cured hamachi.
00:20:34Bringing a little flavor in California with this.
00:20:39Um, this is a duck a la yuzu.
00:20:42So it's a take on a duck a la orange, but in a Japanese way.
00:20:48My style is adding a little Japanese ingredients in everything that I do.
00:20:52Japanese French-ish.
00:20:53I used to work for Daniel Balloude.
00:20:55He's the most famous chef in traditional French food.
00:20:58And I worked for a two-Michelin-starred restaurant called Le Gavroche.
00:21:03Being like a woman in the kitchen, working with all these like French-Italian chefs,
00:21:08I've been through literally everything.
00:21:11I mean, even still now in the restaurant that I am at, like, people think I'm not the chef.
00:21:16They think that the guy beside me is the chef, but I think that's going to give me the edge.
00:21:21Because I'm always underestimated, it is kind of my secret weapon.
00:21:26I'm done with that.
00:21:28Buddha and Matt, your time starts now.
00:21:34Gianna and Melina, one minute.
00:21:37Time flew by.
00:21:38I bit off more than I can chew.
00:21:41My station's a mess.
00:21:43I still need to finish my salsa verde.
00:21:45I'm worried about Melina being able to do all the components of her dish.
00:21:50Oh, I'm anxious.
00:21:52Oh, no.
00:21:54God.
00:22:03Oh, I'm anxious.
00:22:05Come on, come on, come on.
00:22:06Do it, do it.
00:22:07Four, three, two, one.
00:22:10Oh, no.
00:22:11Hands up.
00:22:16She doesn't look happy.
00:22:18How'd it go?
00:22:20I didn't get everything on my plate.
00:22:21No?
00:22:22No.
00:22:24I am so disappointed.
00:22:27This is by far not my best dish.
00:22:30Melina, tell us what you made.
00:22:32I made a little surf and turf.
00:22:34Not everything I prepared made it on the plate, so I'm super disappointed.
00:22:38What did you make on a plate?
00:22:39I did the smoked tomatoes, and I did the salsa verde for the steak as well.
00:22:42The steak has really good flavor and is very tender.
00:22:45I really like the mashed potatoes, but the lobster, unfortunately, did not work out.
00:22:51There are parts of it that feel a little gelatinous.
00:22:56Not good.
00:22:57Let's move on to Diana.
00:22:58Tell us what you made.
00:23:00Pollo con pipian.
00:23:01Pipian is a seeded sauce.
00:23:02The white sauce is spicy.
00:23:04Judging by the color, I thought it was going to be tame.
00:23:06My throat right now is, like, burning, but in a good way.
00:23:09I love the flavors of this dish.
00:23:11Yeah.
00:23:11Thank you both.
00:23:12Please go back to your station.
00:23:15It is time to score, gentlemen.
00:23:21Woo!
00:23:24What you making?
00:23:25A little quail roulades with a mole.
00:23:28What about yourself?
00:23:30Purple potato mole.
00:23:31Shut the up.
00:23:38I don't think those are going to turn out.
00:23:41My previous career is in science.
00:23:43I have a master's degree in biomedical engineering.
00:23:45I almost started a PhD in neuroscience.
00:23:48Let's get that cold.
00:23:49And so I've kind of blended together science into cooking.
00:23:54I have a restaurant in Asheville, North Carolina.
00:23:57We specialize in Spanish tapas.
00:24:00We opened the restaurant in 2011.
00:24:02We've been through recently a pandemic and a hurricane.
00:24:04And it's been just, like, financially really difficult for the past five years.
00:24:12And so, as a parent and also a business owner, for me, a million dollars is stability for
00:24:21the future.
00:24:22And stability is hard to come by.
00:24:29I flip my duck press.
00:24:31It's burned.
00:24:32I don't want to put that on the plate.
00:24:34Four people will be going home at the end of the day.
00:24:36And it's everything.
00:24:36It has to be well executed.
00:24:38Some shouldn't throw another one in the pan and hope for the best.
00:24:40Beverly and Cara, three, two, one.
00:24:45Hands up.
00:24:45Time's up.
00:24:49Tell us what we have.
00:24:51Seafood haemal pajeon with onion and chili soy dipping sauce.
00:24:56It looks traditional, but there's some modern techniques behind it.
00:24:59Mm-hmm.
00:25:00Beverly, I like your batter a lot.
00:25:02Yes.
00:25:02I do think that all your ingredients are a little bit coarse.
00:25:06It's making the pancake eat a little bit heavier than it actually is.
00:25:09Okay.
00:25:11Come on up, Cara.
00:25:14It's kind of a smash up of two dishes that I do, which is like a Singapore chili crab slash
00:25:18Thai curry.
00:25:20You developed a lot of flavor in this broth.
00:25:22It's delicious.
00:25:23Yeah.
00:25:23Maybe just a bit more acid on the seafood itself would have really, like, elevated the dish
00:25:28to a different level.
00:25:29Thank you both.
00:25:31It's time to score.
00:25:36What did you make for us, Michael?
00:25:37I made a mole negro.
00:25:38I cooked it in dashi and a little bit of puree of the rice.
00:25:42This is something that I put on the menu at my restaurant two years ago, and I found
00:25:45a lot of success.
00:25:46The depth of the flavor that you developed in that mole, very flavorful dish.
00:25:49For me, your rice was a little tight.
00:25:51I would have liked to have seen it a little bit looser, a little bit more unctuous.
00:25:55Yes, Chef.
00:25:57What did you make, Michelle?
00:25:58Suvite hamachi with a scallop mousseline served with turnip.
00:26:02I liked the presentation.
00:26:04We watched you work.
00:26:05You worked very neat.
00:26:06This dish reflects that.
00:26:08Honestly, I feel that the dish was a little under-seasoned.
00:26:11I have bloodline a little bit, which is not great, but I appreciate the work.
00:26:17Thank you both.
00:26:19Thank you, guys.
00:26:21Mmm, raw eggs, baby.
00:26:26Chris and Katie, one minute.
00:26:28Heard.
00:26:31Great.
00:26:32I think I'm done.
00:26:35Five, four, three, two, one.
00:26:39Chris and Katie, time's up.
00:26:41Hands up, please.
00:26:43Chris is looking mad.
00:26:44I didn't finish the plate, so.
00:26:46Oh, Chris, I'm sorry.
00:26:51What did you make, Chris?
00:26:52So it's raw Zalhanout seasoned duck breast, beet borani cabbage with a miso harissa glaze.
00:27:00What happened to the duck?
00:27:02I got a little too much color on one of them.
00:27:04Picked a new one up and tried to rush it, and it just wasn't ready.
00:27:07And I just didn't want to serve you an incredibly raw duck, which may have been better than serving none
00:27:11at all on two plates.
00:27:12Or just serving as smaller portions, dividing my portion like I did.
00:27:16Obviously, I didn't have duck on my plate, but the Raza Zalhanout is delicious.
00:27:21Really delicious.
00:27:22I mean, it would have been a spectacular vegetarian dish.
00:27:25Instead of trying to worry about us, you could have taken it off of Padma's.
00:27:29Nobody would have been the wiser.
00:27:32Katie, tell us about your dish.
00:27:34Ajo Blanco, it's a chilled almond and garlic soup.
00:27:37I know this dish well.
00:27:38It's a beautiful rendition of a white caspacho.
00:27:41What I love about this is that you stepped aside and let the ingredients do the work.
00:27:46All right, thank you both.
00:27:48Absolutely.
00:27:49That roasted cabbage was fantastic.
00:27:52You didn't need the duck.
00:27:53I completely agree.
00:27:54I mean, perhaps it's because last night when Michael and I went out to dinner, we had...
00:27:58You went out to dinner without me?
00:28:01Intentionally.
00:28:02We had cabbage on its own, and it was spectacular.
00:28:07Yeah.
00:28:10Making a, uh, my version of a Greek salad.
00:28:12Yes, I'm making Greek salad, but it's not like any other Greek salad you've ever had before.
00:28:17It shows everything that I am.
00:28:19Playful, whimsical.
00:28:20I'm really hoping that the judges understand what I'm trying to portray.
00:28:24I don't care what Matt's making, but I have to be a better scorer than him.
00:28:33Three, two, one.
00:28:35Russell and Ken, the time's up.
00:28:38Oh, my God.
00:28:39I committed the cardinal sin of leaving an ingredient off.
00:28:43I didn't put the potato on.
00:28:44I can't have the potato mole without a frigging potato.
00:28:49Look at the amateur.
00:28:51Yeah.
00:28:52Russell, what did you make?
00:28:54Uni black barley mole.
00:28:56Done with Japanese koji, roasted mushroom, charred onion.
00:28:59Did this come out the way you wanted it to?
00:29:01Were you happy with the outcome here?
00:29:02I wanted to put the potato on there that I cooked.
00:29:05Um, the dish confuses me.
00:29:09I agree with Michael, which doesn't always happen, but had you not told me this was a mole, any kind
00:29:16of mole, I would have never known.
00:29:18Sure.
00:29:20Kim, what did you make for us?
00:29:21I made a Asian-inspired mole with quail with a sesame twill.
00:29:26Kim, I think your dish is really creative.
00:29:28I like the flavor of the mole.
00:29:30I think this might be the nicest presentation we've seen so far, but the quail a little bit dry, perhaps.
00:29:38Tell us what you made, Keith.
00:29:40Panseer scallop with suya spice over top.
00:29:42Prima corn succotash, fresh corn polenta.
00:29:46The corn puree was great.
00:29:48Succotash.
00:29:48There was a richness to it, and I like the acidity that you brought in from the tomatoes.
00:29:52Very delicious.
00:29:53Keith, this is a delicious plate of food.
00:29:56So?
00:29:57I made a choufarsi mandu.
00:29:59Choufarsi is a classic French cabbage roll I made with a stuffing, a little foie gras.
00:30:05It's a very beautiful dish.
00:30:07But then I cut into it.
00:30:09Your cabbage is undercooked.
00:30:11And then the farce to me was over-salted.
00:30:14Thank you both.
00:30:16This is a little fermented nardello kosho.
00:30:19I look over at Philip's dish, and it is banging.
00:30:22I am absolutely freaking out.
00:30:25It's beautiful.
00:30:26Tell us what you made.
00:30:27So on your left, you have a citrus-cured hamachi loin.
00:30:30And then on the right-hand side is the belly that's been cured also and then charred.
00:30:34Stunning dish.
00:30:35All of the different sauces were fantastic.
00:30:38It's beautiful.
00:30:39It's elegant.
00:30:39It's well-executed.
00:30:41I think just a few grains of salt, but it's a high art plate.
00:30:46Yeah.
00:30:49What did you make, Emily?
00:30:51Duck breast with umeboshi date puree.
00:30:54And on the side, there is a homemade cherry kosho.
00:30:58The duck was delicious.
00:31:00The cherry kosho sauce, for me, came off as a little bit salty.
00:31:04Okay.
00:31:04I disagree with Wiley.
00:31:06Okay.
00:31:08Yes, this kosho is salty, but it's a condiment.
00:31:12It's supposed to be.
00:31:13Yep, yep.
00:31:14I liked it.
00:31:16Well done, Emily.
00:31:18Thank you both.
00:31:20Nice job.
00:31:20Good job.
00:31:21I'm sweaty, but...
00:31:27Hey, Buddha, what do you got going on?
00:31:29I'm just making some olives.
00:31:31Are you getting fancy olives?
00:31:33Yeah.
00:31:33Buddha's a flashy chef.
00:31:35I can see he's playing off the heartstrings of Wiley.
00:31:39Oh, look at that.
00:31:41That's fun.
00:31:42But I'm not nervous.
00:31:44I'm feeling confident in my dish.
00:31:46Matt and Buddha.
00:31:47Three, two, one.
00:31:50Time's up.
00:31:51Hands up, please.
00:31:56Matt, what did you make for us?
00:31:58It's a shrimp-infused potato bellini on the bottom.
00:32:00Over top is a roasted langoustine tail and a tad bit of caviar.
00:32:05I love those potato-y pillows underneath.
00:32:09So comforting and so elegant.
00:32:13Delicious, elegant.
00:32:14Well done, Matt.
00:32:17Ooh, very pretty.
00:32:19What did you make, Buddha?
00:32:20I made for you a Greek salad.
00:32:22A Greek salad?
00:32:23Tomatoes marinated in a little bit of balsamic vinegar with goat's curd olive with some compressed
00:32:28cucumbers, currant tomatoes.
00:32:30It's very easy to hide against really luxurious ingredients, but I think it takes a real chef
00:32:35to, like, really make a vegetable shine.
00:32:38I think you undersold this dish when you called it a salad.
00:32:41There's a, you know, tremendous amount of technique.
00:32:43It's super playful, a lot of fun, a lot of flavors.
00:32:47Well done.
00:32:48How you encased that cheese, that was a real surprise.
00:32:52It looked exactly like a black olive until I bit into it, and then all this cheese was oozing
00:32:58out in my mouth.
00:33:02All right, chefs, please gather around.
00:33:05The scores are in.
00:33:08I really hope I get past this first round.
00:33:11Four of us are going home on the first day.
00:33:14This competition is mad.
00:33:28These were some amazing head-to-head match-ups, but when this night ends, four of you will
00:33:33be going home.
00:33:35So let's see how you did.
00:33:38Our first match-up, Melina and Gianna.
00:33:50Wow.
00:33:51Gianna's 40 against Melina's 26.
00:33:55Congratulations, Gianna.
00:33:57Yeah, great job.
00:33:59You're safe.
00:34:00Please head to the private dining room.
00:34:03I'm super disappointed.
00:34:05I really messed up the execution.
00:34:07I just did too much, and I think that was my downfall.
00:34:11I'm just going to savor this moment, because I'm the winner, and she's the loser.
00:34:18Our next match-up, Beverly and Kara.
00:34:27Oh.
00:34:29Kara, 44, and Beverly, 38.
00:34:32Congratulations, Kara.
00:34:34You are safe.
00:34:35You can head to the dining room.
00:34:37I have no idea what's going to happen next.
00:34:39I am up for elimination this round, and it's stressing me out.
00:34:43Congrats.
00:34:45I'm relieved.
00:34:46I guess despite being rusty, I'm still making really delicious food.
00:34:49The next match-up is Michael versus Rochelle.
00:34:53Are you nervous?
00:34:54Very.
00:34:55You want to see the scores?
00:34:57Absolutely.
00:35:01I hate waiting.
00:35:04It feels like an eternity.
00:35:11Wow, that's close.
00:35:14Two points.
00:35:15Good job.
00:35:17Michael, 38.
00:35:18Rochelle, 36.
00:35:20Yes, Michael, you can go to the private dining room.
00:35:23Be my guest.
00:35:27Good job, guys.
00:35:28Good job.
00:35:30Thanks.
00:35:30I feel pretty shocked.
00:35:32I'm super disappointed.
00:35:34All right, next up is Chris, who challenged Katie.
00:35:41Ooh.
00:35:42Katie, 51.
00:35:44Wow.
00:35:44Chris, 27.
00:35:45That's the highest score so far.
00:35:49Katie's a force.
00:35:50I mean, she's a real competitor.
00:35:52Hey!
00:35:53People in that room, they're going to be serious threats.
00:35:56Russell and Kim.
00:36:04Kim, 43 points against Russell's 25.
00:36:08Ooh.
00:36:09Damn.
00:36:10Congratulations.
00:36:11You can head to the private dining room.
00:36:14Like I said, I'm a koala.
00:36:17Out of a 60, to only a 25, just sucks.
00:36:21I missed an easy kill.
00:36:24Next, we have Sol versus Keith.
00:36:27I think I whooped his ass.
00:36:29Oh, all right.
00:36:32Why do you think you whipped his ass?
00:36:34Because I cooked with Sol.
00:36:36I took the Sol right from him.
00:36:38Ooh.
00:36:39Sol.
00:36:40Keith, you're pretty confident.
00:36:41Let's see if the scoreboard agrees with you.
00:36:47Oh.
00:36:49Keith.
00:36:50Second highest score.
00:36:5150 points with the second highest score.
00:36:53Well, thank you.
00:36:54You didn't just whip his ass.
00:36:55You whipped everyone's ass.
00:36:56Well deserved, Keith.
00:36:59That suck attached because it sucked my ass.
00:37:01I think I should have won.
00:37:05I'm getting my groove, baby.
00:37:08Next up, Emily.
00:37:10You challenged Phillip.
00:37:12Let's see what the big board says.
00:37:20Phillip.
00:37:21Phillip.
00:37:2147.
00:37:22Emily.
00:37:2349.
00:37:24Oh, so close.
00:37:26Yes, Kyle.
00:37:26Emily.
00:37:27Thank you, sir.
00:37:28Oh.
00:37:28Woo!
00:37:30Wow, this is a hot mess.
00:37:31Like, I'm like, I felt like I'd clearly be here.
00:37:34Wow, by two points.
00:37:37I feel so relieved that I beat Phillip.
00:37:42I am on a high.
00:37:45Who needs drugs?
00:37:48And our final matchup, Matt versus Buddha.
00:37:59Wow.
00:38:01Wow, Buddha, by the skin of your nose with one point, 52 to 51.
00:38:09Buddha now has the highest score.
00:38:11Yeah, wow.
00:38:12I just won against the Bakustel gold medalists with a Greek salad.
00:38:16That's cool.
00:38:17Good luck.
00:38:19Was I expecting it to be a challenge at the beginning?
00:38:22Yes.
00:38:22Am I surprised to lose to Buddha?
00:38:24Absolutely.
00:38:26I'm back.
00:38:28Congrats, Buddha.
00:38:30I've had enough of this guy.
00:38:34Chefs, don't worry.
00:38:36You're not going to go home just yet.
00:38:43It can't be great.
00:38:51Wow.
00:38:51And they're gone.
00:38:52Very ominous.
00:38:54All of a sudden, the windows go white.
00:38:56Chefs, you can breathe easy.
00:38:58You're safe and moving forward in the competition.
00:39:01But for those eight out there, they'll have one more head-to-head cook-off.
00:39:07And you will be picking the match-up.
00:39:10Oh.
00:39:11It's a really big responsibility.
00:39:14Nothing.
00:39:16I mean, having this much power is fantastic.
00:39:19I love life.
00:39:20Let's play the game.
00:39:24Okay, here's what's going to happen next.
00:39:27All eight of you will have to cook again in another head-to-head battle.
00:39:33Win, and you earn your spot in America's Culinary Cup.
00:39:37Lose.
00:39:40And you're going home.
00:39:42I was super excited going up in that elevator earlier today.
00:39:45But now I'm just a ball of nervous energy.
00:39:48I do not want to go home on the first day.
00:39:50For this round, you'll each have to make your best version of a classic dish.
00:39:56Fried chicken, clam chowder, shrimp and grits, or beef stroganoff.
00:40:02And this time, you're not choosing your competitor or your dish.
00:40:08They are.
00:40:14How do we want to pair them?
00:40:15Can we just look at people's experiences?
00:40:17Like, you know, Beverly, like, what style of food is she cooking currently?
00:40:21And what's the furthest from that?
00:40:23I have to be strategic.
00:40:24Pair the people up based on who would be the toughest competition for each other
00:40:30and who's going to be the weakest at the particular dish.
00:40:33I would pay big money to watch the Baku Store coach versus the Baku Store competitor.
00:40:37Yes.
00:40:38On the one-on-one.
00:40:39So my question is, do we separate them two and put them up against someone,
00:40:45depending on what their cook is, and probably got a chance to knock them both out?
00:40:49We have the opportunity to take out a Baku Store medalist and it'd be stupid enough to do it.
00:40:55Me and Buddha Cook beside them, we know how good they are.
00:40:57The two people that everyone here is most worried about are there and we're in here.
00:41:02Yeah.
00:41:02The con about working together is that people aren't on the same page.
00:41:06Oh, I don't like it at all.
00:41:08How are you guys doing out there?
00:41:10I've been better.
00:41:11We're good.
00:41:12Hanging in there.
00:41:13Philip, you're looking very worried.
00:41:15Just wheels turning.
00:41:16The first thought that went through my head was, you know, it's going to be Matt and I.
00:41:19We're going to be up against each other because, you know, it's common sense.
00:41:22You get rid of one of the best in the room.
00:41:24I know what Chris cooks.
00:41:26I think Rochelle and Chris should go against each other.
00:41:29Because you think he can beat her?
00:41:30Yeah.
00:41:32I think that people underestimated her.
00:41:34I mean, her food looks beautiful.
00:41:35She could be this, like, little assassin underneath.
00:41:38I'm really rooting for Chris and I want him in the game.
00:41:41What?
00:41:42No way!
00:41:44No way!
00:41:45We want to make the hardest match.
00:41:47You just don't know what's coming up in this competition.
00:41:49It's important to, like, have allies.
00:41:52There is a million dollars online, so, like, we need to make strategic decisions.
00:42:01All we do know is only one of each is coming back, so.
00:42:04So we all agree.
00:42:05We all agree.
00:42:06Yeah.
00:42:06Yeah.
00:42:06Let's do it.
00:42:11Oh, God.
00:42:12It looks like they're ready.
00:42:14Let's go.
00:42:15See how much they like us.
00:42:33There they come.
00:42:35They walked into the room and nobody wanted to look me in the eye.
00:42:37I can tell you right now, I'm pretty sure Buddha was leading the charge in that room.
00:42:40And that guy is Mr. Strategy, and this is like Candyland for him.
00:42:44It's going to be Matt and I.
00:42:44We're going to be up against each other.
00:42:46Zero question.
00:42:47All right, let's see the pairings.
00:42:49The chefs going head-to-head making fried chicken are Melina versus Rochelle.
00:43:00Honestly, I'm relieved.
00:43:01I'm feeling pretty good.
00:43:02I could definitely be her.
00:43:04Our second head-to-head, clam chowder, Russell versus Chris.
00:43:11Let's go.
00:43:13All right, next is Beats Chogunoff.
00:43:16Phillip and Matt.
00:43:19Saw that coming.
00:43:20Yeah.
00:43:21Pretty sure Buddha led that conversation.
00:43:22Yes, I did.
00:43:24And of course, for shrimp and grits, that leaves Beverly and Seoul.
00:43:29Never made shrimp and grits in my life.
00:43:31Never.
00:43:32Never.
00:43:32Never.
00:43:33Interesting.
00:43:36Chefs, you can head to your stations.
00:43:38You have one hour to make your dishes.
00:43:42There's $1 million at stake.
00:43:44Four of you will be going home tonight.
00:43:47Use your time wisely.
00:43:49Melina and Rochelle, your time starts now.
00:43:53Good luck.
00:43:54Come on!
00:43:58I did not want fried chicken.
00:44:00That was the last thing I wanted.
00:44:02I like to keep my figure.
00:44:06But I refuse to be one of the first four that goes home.
00:44:11I have to bring it.
00:44:13Fried chicken is the last thing that I want to make.
00:44:16There's a very small window of error.
00:44:18But if I can get everything done, I know that I can win this.
00:44:24You doing okay, Rochelle?
00:44:25Doing good.
00:44:25Thanks, Michael.
00:44:26Kicking ass?
00:44:27That's a good thing.
00:44:28She's deboning it, so that's cool.
00:44:30Yeah, yeah, you gotta debon it.
00:44:31Bone leaves room for error.
00:44:33It takes longer.
00:44:34You know, anything cooked on the bone is gonna taste a little better
00:44:37and hold its juiciness a little bit better.
00:44:46Let's go, let's go!
00:44:47Go, Rochelle, Chris.
00:44:50Go, baby.
00:44:52Brutal.
00:44:53I like clam chowder a lot, but I don't make clam chowder.
00:44:56I make the best damn clam chowder, and it's all so good.
00:45:03Moving with intent.
00:45:04Picked up the pace.
00:45:06Oh!
00:45:08Hell yeah, Kev.
00:45:09We love fire.
00:45:10I want to riff on a classic red clam chowder.
00:45:14Very famous celebrity chef taught me this sort of base,
00:45:17and we'll add some clams.
00:45:20It'll be soft, sweet, have a nice edge to it without being too crazy.
00:45:25I'm making a Jamaican clam curry, all with a potato base.
00:45:30My aunt, on my mom's side, is Jamaican.
00:45:33She would bring stuff back from Jamaica, you know, scotch bonnets
00:45:36and various different ingredients that we couldn't get here.
00:45:39Those memories stick with you.
00:45:40I'm aware that Padma likes heat, so I'm definitely not shying away from it.
00:45:44You should be sweating if you're eating a Jamaican-style curry.
00:45:48All right.
00:45:51All right.
00:45:52Pull!
00:45:52All right!
00:45:53Let's go, let's go, let's go!
00:45:54Go, babe!
00:45:55Come on!
00:45:57Let's be honest.
00:45:58I don't want to do this, but I'm relieved that we have a chance to cook a second time,
00:46:04to prove ourselves, even though I have a lot of accolades under my belt.
00:46:09I feel like quite the underdog since birth.
00:46:12Being told that I should have been a boy automatically told me that, like,
00:46:16maybe I'm not ever going to achieve greatness.
00:46:19I have a lot to fight for.
00:46:20A million dollars can do a lot to help my family and my businesses.
00:46:25I really don't want to go home in the first week.
00:46:28Erwily, how are you doing over there?
00:46:29I'm doing good!
00:46:30This is my first time making shrimp and grits, so why not do it on national TV, baby?
00:46:35I know that grits pairs really well with butter, parmesan, pecorino.
00:46:41So I'm thinking I'm going to make shrimp and grits in the style of carbonara.
00:46:46It's creative.
00:46:48It's something outside the box.
00:46:49I have a thing.
00:46:50I always say, oh, that's a Solhan dish.
00:46:55This is annoying.
00:46:56I'm here, and I should be over there.
00:46:58If I'm being honest, I didn't push super hard because I was just like,
00:47:01let me just play it safe and survive day one.
00:47:03Unfortunately, that decision landed me straight next to Matt Peters,
00:47:06and we've worked together.
00:47:08I coached him winning gold.
00:47:10One of my best friends, and, you know, here we are.
00:47:15Go, man!
00:47:16Go, Phillip!
00:47:16Let's go, Steve Stroganoff.
00:47:17You got this.
00:47:19I've been waiting for this matchup because it's the Bakus dual coach
00:47:23and the gold medalist going against each other.
00:47:25You'll pay for this?
00:47:26I'd pay.
00:47:27Yeah, pay for you for this.
00:47:28I know what Phillip's capable of.
00:47:31He's disciplined.
00:47:32He's very structured.
00:47:33But also, we come from the same kind of cloth.
00:47:36It's a battle of the ages, guys.
00:47:39I worked at Adore by Alain Ducasse, two-star restaurant.
00:47:43I've worked for Thomas Keller for almost eight years.
00:47:46Per se, a three-star restaurant, as well as the French Laundry,
00:47:49the number one restaurant in America.
00:47:51And now I own my own restaurant called Prelude in Austin, Texas.
00:47:54It's kind of a fine dining, hip, fun cocktail lounge, if you will.
00:47:59I had big dreams for Prelude.
00:48:01When I got into the Bakus store, I thought it was going to open up doors.
00:48:04But it didn't happen.
00:48:05We don't really have a full-scale kitchen.
00:48:07We kind of do the best with what we have.
00:48:10I'm here not only for my restaurant.
00:48:13I'm here for my wife and my two kids.
00:48:15Where'd you go?
00:48:19Winning the million dollars is going to help me actually get the life that I want to give them.
00:48:27I just need to beat Phil to get there.
00:48:29Let the best chef win.
00:48:31Right now I'm making a pasta dough.
00:48:32Probably the fastest one I've ever made in my life.
00:48:35For me, it's about bringing as much technique and flavor as I can to win.
00:48:38Hopefully it comes out good.
00:48:40Back home rooting for me as my family.
00:48:41My wife has been on my side now for 26 years altogether.
00:48:45And, you know, my three kids.
00:48:46So if you were to bet against me or the world, what would you bet?
00:48:49The world.
00:48:51What?
00:48:52Wow!
00:48:53I think my daughter sarcastically maybe supports me.
00:48:58Hey, coach.
00:49:00Have any last minute advice for a student?
00:49:02Chef, there's no students here today.
00:49:04It's been decades since I've had a stroganoff.
00:49:08Knowing the caliber of those two chefs, you're never going to have another stroganoff again that reaches like these heights.
00:49:14Yeah, exactly.
00:49:15You'll be spoiled for a stroganoff after this.
00:49:20Rochelle has some pickles going right now.
00:49:24They look pretty good.
00:49:25Yeah?
00:49:25They're good?
00:49:28This mixed with a little bit of creme fraiche, a little bit of escalate.
00:49:32Come on!
00:49:32Let's go!
00:49:32Let's go!
00:49:33Let's go!
00:49:34We got this!
00:49:34We got this!
00:49:35Let's go!
00:49:35Let's go!
00:49:36Let's go!
00:49:38Time's up.
00:49:39Feeling very nervous and very anxious, there's definitely a possibility of me going home.
00:49:45Compared to Melina's, I feel like mine's very refined.
00:49:50But my heart is wanting to just jump out of my chest.
00:49:56This looks great.
00:49:58What did you make, Melina?
00:49:59I made a fried chicken with a tamarind and saffron honey with whipped buttermilk.
00:50:06Tamarind and saffron honey?
00:50:07Yes.
00:50:09Your fried chicken's excellent.
00:50:11It's juicy, but it's thoroughly cooked.
00:50:15I liked the buttermilk foam.
00:50:17I think your breading is great.
00:50:19My issue with this is the saffron is very strong and very distracting.
00:50:24Understood.
00:50:26Rochelle, tell us about your fried chicken.
00:50:28So I made a fried chicken thigh cooked in buttermilk with pickles.
00:50:35I mean, the chicken's cooked beautifully.
00:50:36Like, it's really juicy, it's very moist.
00:50:38There's, like, orange kind of sauce over the top.
00:50:41What is that?
00:50:41So I did a mustard aioli with clavory and chilies.
00:50:44I wish I had more of it.
00:50:46I mean, I would have loved to have had more of that sauce, maybe even a ramekin of it to
00:50:50sort of dip in.
00:50:51It'd feel a little bit more schnitzel-leaning, so it didn't feel quite as fried chicken-y, but it was
00:50:57delicious.
00:50:57Thank you, Chef.
00:50:59You know, it's tough because both of you gave us juicy, tender chicken.
00:51:06You both fried it well.
00:51:07It's a big decision because only one of you can stay.
00:51:12Wiley, who made the better dish?
00:51:19Melina.
00:51:20Thank you, Chef.
00:51:23Tonight, to my mind, Rochelle, you made the better dish.
00:51:26Thank you, Chef.
00:51:28So I guess it lies with me.
00:51:31Time has literally stopped.
00:51:34I put off my wedding to do this, and if I go home now, what was it for?
00:51:39Neither one of you gave us delicious food, but...
00:51:57Rochelle...
00:52:02You've served your final dish.
00:52:05You can exit the kitchen.
00:52:08Thank you, Rochelle.
00:52:09Thank you, chefs.
00:52:14There's a lot of emotions.
00:52:17Doesn't feel good to be knocked out.
00:52:19You know, the chefs are so talented.
00:52:22It really brings out a lot of, like, ambition in you
00:52:27when you really think about, like, your food differently
00:52:30and you want to be, like, great.
00:52:36Yeah!
00:52:38All right!
00:52:42The judging was very close, but I came out on top,
00:52:45and I'm happy to be here.
00:52:49Is that lobster?
00:52:50Oh, yeah.
00:52:52Hers looks great, too.
00:52:53Yeah.
00:52:53Two minutes.
00:52:54Two minutes left.
00:52:55You got this.
00:52:56I'm pre-plating a lot of these ingredients,
00:52:58and at this point, after what happened to me last challenge,
00:53:01I don't want to go home because I didn't get everything
00:53:03on the plate.
00:53:04Shaking like a leaf.
00:53:05I don't know if it's the way too much coffee I had
00:53:07or just the nerves, probably both.
00:53:09One last truth.
00:53:12No more seasoning.
00:53:13I think I'm good.
00:53:15Woo!
00:53:16What's up, boys?
00:53:17All right.
00:53:18Good job.
00:53:19Oh.
00:53:20You feel good?
00:53:21Yeah.
00:53:21Hey, guys.
00:53:22How you doing?
00:53:25I am my worst critic, but today, I cooked a banger, man.
00:53:30I cooked an absolute banger.
00:53:32I made a red clam chowder.
00:53:35The soup base is actually a tomato fennel base.
00:53:38I used clams in the steam, and then I used leftover clam juice from the steaming as well.
00:53:41Russell, is this a chunk of lobster?
00:53:44There's a little chunk of lobster in there as well.
00:53:46I love your red chowder.
00:53:48Elegant, pristine, colorful.
00:53:51But if I didn't know this was supposed to be clam chowder,
00:53:54I wouldn't have sussed that out for myself.
00:53:59There's a lot going on.
00:54:01Removing a couple of items would have helped you.
00:54:04Chris, what did you make for us?
00:54:05So you have a Jamaican clam curry.
00:54:10Are you okay?
00:54:12I'm great.
00:54:13This is the spiciest thing I have eaten in a long time.
00:54:17Yeah, there's a lot going on here, but this dish put a big smile on my face.
00:54:21I just think that you put too much of each item in the bowl.
00:54:23Yes, Chef.
00:54:26Both of you gave us such out-there chowders that I've never had before.
00:54:31So which dish is better?
00:54:33Michael?
00:54:34For me, today, Chris's chowder takes the day.
00:54:38Thank you, Chef.
00:54:39Yeah.
00:54:40Wiley, which dish is better?
00:54:43Today, for me...
00:54:48Chris.
00:54:49You had the better dish?
00:54:50Thank you, Chef.
00:54:52I can breathe easy for a few minutes until some other curveball comes our way.
00:54:58Russell, you've served your final dish.
00:55:01But for what it's worth, the feeling is unanimous.
00:55:06Thanks, guys.
00:55:07God bless.
00:55:07See you soon.
00:55:09They didn't get it.
00:55:11Yeah, I could have upped the volume on the clam, but I wanted it to be balanced.
00:55:15I was proud of me.
00:55:16Like, they are wrong.
00:55:18They are so, so wrong.
00:55:21Woo!
00:55:24Woo!
00:55:24Oh, man.
00:55:26Look at this stuff.
00:55:27I'm not going home.
00:55:28Now I can just sit and watch the remaining four duke it out.
00:55:34So, shrimp and grits.
00:55:36Shrimp and grits.
00:55:37Shrimp and grits.
00:55:39Go push.
00:55:40Push.
00:55:41Push.
00:55:42Oh, big push.
00:55:43Woo!
00:55:43Woo!
00:55:45Good job.
00:55:46Good job.
00:55:47Hi, Sol.
00:55:48Hi.
00:55:53Sol, what did you make?
00:55:55Shrimp and grits in the style of carbonara, a little pancetta, pecorino, parmesan cheese,
00:56:00and made like an egg yolk jam.
00:56:03I love your thought process.
00:56:05The idea of reimagining his carbonara.
00:56:07To my mind, it's under seasoned.
00:56:10I think that it could have used quite a bit more salt.
00:56:13It also seized up a little, and that's not good for grits.
00:56:17Beverly, what did you make?
00:56:18I made shrimp and grits, and then a little bit of crispy garlic, and like fresh cilantro.
00:56:26Your grits were so different from Sol's grits.
00:56:30They were creamy.
00:56:32I think you developed a ton of flavor here.
00:56:34The broth is delicious.
00:56:35I loved the sauce that you conjured up.
00:56:38It was fantastic.
00:56:39But my shrimp are pretty under.
00:56:42I would like to have seen them cook just a hair or more.
00:56:48Both really, really interesting dishes.
00:56:51Only one of you can remain in the competition.
00:56:53Wiley, who had the better dish?
00:56:59Beverly.
00:57:03Michael?
00:57:05Beverly.
00:57:08Yes!
00:57:11Congratulations, Beverly.
00:57:15So, unfortunately, you served your final dish.
00:57:19That's a ball buster.
00:57:22I did not think I was going to get knocked out right away.
00:57:26I'm still going to be coming up with amazing food, opening up new restaurants,
00:57:31and still have my name out there.
00:57:33But, you know, I'm going to be full from this humble pie for a while.
00:57:43Yeah, man!
00:57:45It really shows like anything is possible.
00:57:48Anything is possible.
00:57:49You don't have to, like, worry if you're not big enough, small enough.
00:57:55Oh, it felt, like, so good.
00:58:03Watching Matt and Phillip is amazing.
00:58:05It is the master of a student coming together.
00:58:09So sorry that I find it cool that you're going head-to-head.
00:58:12It wasn't noodles?
00:58:13It's a sheet of noodle, right?
00:58:14It's like one sheet.
00:58:16I feel to have a medium-rare meat inside a pasta.
00:58:19A little inside.
00:58:20Look at their stations.
00:58:21They're so clean.
00:58:22Yeah, I know.
00:58:23The medical stations.
00:58:25It's like they haven't even started.
00:58:26That is definitely not what mine looks like.
00:58:34Good job, guys!
00:58:39It is a very strange moment.
00:58:42I mean, Matt and I have never gone against each other.
00:58:43We've always been a team.
00:58:44But, you know, here we are.
00:58:47Hello.
00:58:48Hello!
00:58:50Wow!
00:58:52Two different takes on this one.
00:58:54Wow.
00:58:58Matt, what did you make for us?
00:59:00Beef stroganoff.
00:59:01I knew we were going to have a nice fancy boat cruise door plate next to it.
00:59:05So I was like, you know what?
00:59:06I'm going to go more the way I grew up with it.
00:59:08Made the fresh pasta there and did a roasted mushroom.
00:59:11Made that with the sauce and then took that base, the filling for the pasta there.
00:59:16And then I took the most tender cut of the rib eye.
00:59:19Almost in its simplest form.
00:59:23Matt, I loved your mushroom sauce.
00:59:27It was creamy and unctuous.
00:59:30It took me way back.
00:59:31Way, way back.
00:59:34I'm going to put one of these agnolotti in my pocket for later.
00:59:37I mean, it's simple in its presentation, but there's a lot of complexity.
00:59:41Richness in the sauce, flavor in the sauce.
00:59:44Hard to find fault with it.
00:59:45I probably need four or five hours to make this, so well done.
00:59:50What did you make?
00:59:51So, this is the beef store and organized dish.
00:59:54Took the beef and put the sauce inside, wrapped it in the pasta with a little bit of black truffle.
00:59:59And then there was a little cream mushroom soup on the side.
01:00:01Cheers.
01:00:02Yeah, cheers.
01:00:03Cheers.
01:00:08That's intense.
01:00:10I loved how beautiful this looked.
01:00:12It looked like the highest end restaurant I could hope to get a reservation in.
01:00:17The beef was obviously delicious and very tender.
01:00:20Just enough acid to make it really palatable.
01:00:22Would hate to have been the one that had to face you in that kitchen today.
01:00:26It's actually kind of unbelievable how many things you put on the plate.
01:00:32This one is really difficult.
01:00:35These dishes are just both amazing.
01:00:37Like it's down to just splitting hairs.
01:00:42Which dish is better?
01:00:47Matt.
01:00:50Phillip.
01:00:54I didn't want to make the deciding vote.
01:00:57Phillip.
01:00:59I don't like being in this position at all.
01:01:18I don't like being in this position at all.
01:01:26Phillip.
01:01:28You served your final dish.
01:01:32Thank you so much.
01:01:33I'm so sorry to see you go so soon.
01:01:36It's disappointing.
01:01:37You know, I mean, I think to do all the effort to come here and to face off on the
01:01:41first day.
01:01:42Great job.
01:01:43Great job.
01:01:43Beautiful work, Seth.
01:01:45You know, it's going to come down to splitting hairs.
01:01:48I think it's unfortunate that, you know, one of the best competitors goes home on day one.
01:01:52But so it is.
01:01:56Matt, congratulations.
01:01:57That was a really hard one.
01:02:00I know it's bittersweet.
01:02:01I can imagine.
01:02:03It's sad to see him go.
01:02:04But at the same time, I'm relieved and happy that I actually did beat him.
01:02:08I mean, there's a million dollars on the line.
01:02:11You can join the others in the kitchen.
01:02:15I think you're going to scare a couple of people when you open that door.
01:02:23Scary.
01:02:25My surprise, Matt came out.
01:02:27I mean, either or I'm chuffed about one of them leaving.
01:02:39Congratulations, chefs.
01:02:40In a competition stacked with undeniable talent, the 12 of you showed you have what it takes.
01:02:48For now.
01:02:49But make no mistake, this is only the beginning.
01:02:52From here on out, it just gets harder.
01:02:55Next week, we begin with the culinary commandments.
01:02:59So get some sleep, chefs.
01:03:01You're going to need it.
01:03:06What a day.
01:03:07We just got rid of a quarter of the competition in one sleep.
01:03:10And we haven't even started the commandments yet.
01:03:12Game on.
01:03:14This season on America's Culinary Cup.
01:03:17I'm feeling a little evil.
01:03:20Today's culinary commandment.
01:03:23Mastery of vegetables.
01:03:25Meat.
01:03:26Desserts.
01:03:27Culinary science and technology.
01:03:30sauce.
01:03:31What?
01:03:33Going through these commandments has opened up a fire in me.
01:03:37It really unlocks your creativity.
01:03:38I'm going to cook my ass off.
01:03:40Cast your votes.
01:03:41It's like Chef Survivor.
01:03:42So much strategy.
01:03:44Is your head exploding, Buddha?
01:03:45This is cool.
01:03:46To win this competition, you can't just make like the best dish that you've ever made.
01:03:50You have to be really, really smart.
01:03:51Let's pick out one funky ingredient.
01:03:54Be nice.
01:03:55That's not how I play this game.
01:03:56We have to go from teammate to enemies very quickly.
01:04:00I think it needs to be a little bit sweeter.
01:04:01I don't.
01:04:02I firmly disagree.
01:04:03It's the drama.
01:04:04I like the drama.
01:04:06Whoa.
01:04:10I want to throw up every day.
01:04:1310 out of 10, no notes.
01:04:15I certainly envy the way you think about food.
01:04:19You're going to let me cry, Wally.
01:04:21It's about your willpower and your fierceness.
01:04:26It's incredible to kind of see this sort of transformation.
01:04:29You're in the big leagues now.
01:04:31Let's hope I don't mess this up, America.
01:04:41Delicious.
01:04:50I'll see you next week.
01:04:51I'll see you next week!
01:04:52I love you, A-M-A-T-H.
01:04:54I love you.
01:04:56I love you, A-M-A.
01:04:58And you, A-M-A.
01:05:00A-M-A-T-H.
01:05:02I love you, A-M.
01:05:03If we can see this..
01:05:03how do you want it here?
01:05:03You get real great F-Y Buyer made it on a Science Pack.
01:05:05I love you!
01:05:05I believe there is a Mat-tir- đang-
01:05:05So much, heavy tasks.
01:05:05It's got Inst excellence.
01:05:05It's really important to her
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