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00:01Thank you, thank you, citizens of Flavortown.
00:04I am happy to announce that our Flavortown food fight
00:08has taken the world by storm.
00:10I'm invited the best chefs to see who
00:13could cook any cuisine in our off-the-hook restaurants.
00:16From the food carts to the fine dining.
00:19New restaurant every day.
00:21Today we will celebrate one ingredient
00:23that is the centerpiece of so many of Flavortown's
00:27most iconic dishes.
00:28I'm talking about pork.
00:31I love pork.
00:32My favorite.
00:33Pork is the most consumed meat in the world.
00:36And pork has been the source of bacon, America's meat candy.
00:40Wow.
00:41I'm obsessed with pork.
00:42I hereby proclaim this is pork day in Flavortown.
00:55All right, so we're going to see if our new contenders
00:58can defeat our returning Flavortown champ in an epic pork-a-palooza.
01:02And here they come now, Chef Tiana G.
01:05Oh, my God.
01:06Is that the mayor of Flavortown?
01:08This is crazy.
01:09I've manifested putting my two feet on the ground in Flavortown.
01:13Wow.
01:14I literally have been dreaming about coming to Flavortown my whole life.
01:17I started out working at very L.A., very Californian, fine dining.
01:22I broke off and I decided to start Soul Fill, my pop-up restaurant where I celebrate my heritage
01:28through Filipino and Soul Food Fusion.
01:29Nice to see you, Chef.
01:31And Chef Andrew Riccatelli.
01:33Whoa.
01:33I'm so excited to be in Flavortown.
01:35Are you kidding me?
01:36Look at this place.
01:37This place is crazy.
01:38Growing up playing in punk rock bands, I like to play hard and fast.
01:41And I really think that that connects to my cooking style.
01:43Cook fast.
01:44Cook with precision.
01:45I'm just here to kill it.
01:46This is wild.
01:47I've worked for some great restaurants in New York City.
01:49I've worked for Jean-Georges, worked for Bobby Flay, Steven Starr.
01:52And these days, I really into cooking Italian food.
01:54But I've pretty much done it all when it comes to being a cook, being a chef.
01:58What's up, Chef?
01:59You got the Camaro out here.
02:00Got the Camaro out here.
02:02I got some restaurants that are open.
02:04Welcome to Flavortown.
02:05Flavortown is real.
02:07Isn't this crazy?
02:08It's incredible.
02:09You have your chance to cook your way into a huge paycheck.
02:12You have to outcook each other and our returning champ.
02:16Speaking of which, here she comes now.
02:18It's the one and only Chef Maria Maison.
02:21Ha ha!
02:22The Mexican is back.
02:24The champion, campeona of Flavortown.
02:28Look at that cool, calm, and confident walk out here.
02:31I sell tacos for a living.
02:32I have two James Beers semifinal nominations.
02:35I've been featured in the New York Times and Washington Post.
02:38I'm here to defend my title and I'm here to show that a working mom, a restaurant owner,
02:44can do it all.
02:45Nice to have you back, champ.
02:46Hi, Chef.
02:47What's up, Chef?
02:48You had a big win against Chef Angelo Sosa.
02:51Congratulations!
02:52Who was our original champ.
02:54And you won how much money, Chef?
02:56$14,000.
02:58And the title of champ.
02:59I like your town.
03:00I might move in.
03:01For today's competition, I'm adding a special amendment.
03:05Being the mayor of Flavortown, I get to do whatever I want.
03:07I park my car at the no parking sign because I put that sign up and I'm the one that
03:11writes
03:11the tickets.
03:12But today, as you'll notice, it is pork day.
03:15Premium quality guaranteed.
03:18So you must feature pork as the main protein in every dish that you make to the next level.
03:25I'm obsessed with pork.
03:26It's one of my favorite proteins.
03:27So I'm about to show y'all how I give it up.
03:30These restaurants change all the time.
03:33So today's lineup of restaurants include the Trattoria Fieri, neighborhood Italian joint
03:38with the biggest meatballs, the richest red sauces, and the greatest grated parm.
03:44Pork's pretty prevalent in Italian cooking.
03:45I think if I got the opportunity to get into that kitchen, I would absolutely kill it.
03:49Or Loretta's Diner.
03:51This is the countertop spot where everybody knows your name and what you like to eat.
03:55Old school diner, but with really good cooking.
03:57I want to get to the diner because the diner is like all comforting nostalgia.
04:02And that's what Filipino and soul food is all about.
04:04We have the hot dog and sausage carts.
04:07It says right there, we are out of propane.
04:09So those are not open just yet.
04:11And then finally, there's our award-winning fine dining spot, Chez Penny, the French restaurant
04:15that features classical technique and dishes so artistically plated they belong in the Louvre.
04:22Hopefully nobody will steal these.
04:24First, we need to figure out who gets to choose the perfect spot for our Flavortown food fight.
04:29Step into my office.
04:32You must answer one pork trivia question writing the answer down on the whiteboard in front of you.
04:39Whoever correctly answers the fastest gets to pick the first restaurant you cook in tonight.
04:44As soon as you're confident that you have it, put your board down.
04:47First one to put the board down has the first chance to win.
04:50All right.
04:51What is the name of the cured pork product that comes from the Italian word chic?
04:56Three, two, one, go.
04:57Gianna's pen is smoking.
04:59Done.
05:01Fantastic.
05:01Got that right or wrong?
05:03Quanchale.
05:03Quanchale.
05:04You got that right there, Chef.
05:05So, Chef Andrew, congratulations.
05:08You get to choose the Flavortown restaurant where everyone is going to cook in this first round.
05:12So think about what kitchen is going to give you the best shot at meeting your opponents.
05:16Oh, man.
05:18There's an Italian restaurant.
05:20There's a diner.
05:21There's a fine dining restaurant.
05:23I don't think any of the kitchens really scare me, but I'm a Jersey native.
05:26Born and bred, man.
05:27I've been there all my life.
05:28Large Italian-American population in the area.
05:32I love Italian.
05:33Okay.
05:33I only see good there.
05:34That's what I cook now.
05:35That's what I'm very comfortable with.
05:38We're going Trattoria.
05:40Okay.
05:40Trattoria, Trattoria, whatever you want.
05:42Grab your knife bags.
05:43Follow me.
05:44Trattoria is how it's said in Italy.
05:46Maybe a little different in Jersey, right?
05:50Welcome to Trattoria Fieri featuring recipes that were handed down by my godfather's godfather's godfather.
05:58I didn't even have a godfather, so I don't know where that all came from, but it sounded really good.
06:02But I do have a head waiter named Hunter here to tell you about the Trattoria's fantastic menu.
06:07Hunter!
06:09Hey.
06:10Chop, chop, chop.
06:11I'm busy back there.
06:12Welcome, chef.
06:13On tonight's menu, we have a red sauce classic.
06:16Red sauce could be authentic Italian or could be American Italian.
06:19It's like a red sauce checker tablecloth joint.
06:22Featuring a Fieri family favorite, salami.
06:26I love salami.
06:27I can eat handfuls of salami all day long.
06:30But going into an Italian restaurant with Mr. Italian Guy over here, I'm worried about that.
06:39Finished dish will be judged on taste and adherence to the menu.
06:43The dishes will receive a ranking.
06:45Three stars, four stars, or five stars.
06:48Five stars is the best dish, which is $5,000, and give you the opportunity to pick the next restaurant
06:54that you will cook in in the final round.
06:56Four star dish, $4,000.
06:58Three stars, your shift's over.
07:00You're going home.
07:01Got it?
07:02Got it.
07:02Fantastic.
07:0330 minutes to make your red sauce classic featuring salami.
07:07And don't forget, it's pork day.
07:09Your shift starts now.
07:10Good luck.
07:11Good luck, guys.
07:12They're off and running.
07:14Let's do it.
07:15Right behind you, chef.
07:16It is on top of one another.
07:19So trattoria is like a bistro, kind of a casual mom and pop toy.
07:23So everything that the chefs would want to cook with, but not the high-end ingredients.
07:28I know pork.
07:29I love pork.
07:30I cook with pork.
07:31I'm liking it.
07:32It is versatile, but it's delicate.
07:36Yum, yum, yum.
07:37Neighborhood Italian is like what I grew up with, like red sauce joints in New Jersey.
07:41I feel like I'm in a pretty strong position cooking Italian food.
07:45Yo, G.
07:46What's popping?
07:47Talk to me.
07:48So we're going to do some meatballs.
07:50I have a red sauce going down.
07:51I'm also going to be making some polenta, because I grew up eating grits all the time.
07:55Oh, you know that I am a grit-eating fool.
07:57Oh.
07:57I didn't know that.
07:58No, I'm serious.
07:59Like, I mean, grits are, I don't eat-
08:00No pressure.
08:01I just want it to be comforting.
08:02I mean, it's mom and pop vibes, right?
08:04Nice.
08:05What do you have in your grits and your polenta?
08:06We have some marscapone, some parm rind in here.
08:09Being Filipina and black, we know flavors.
08:12I'm a foodie at heart.
08:13I'm going to throw in a little fish sauce.
08:14People wouldn't expect me to be able to whip up some mean Italian cuisine, but little do they know,
08:19I spent some time in Italy, and I know my way around an Italian pantry.
08:23This is a perfect way for me to, I go back to my roots.
08:27Growing up, I felt like when I ate soul food with my dad's side of the family or Filipino food
08:32with my mom's side of the family,
08:34commonality was just comforting.
08:35So when it comes to my food, it's so personal, because it's my journey that I'm pulling from.
08:40It's my heritage that I'm pulling from.
08:41Okay, so meatballs.
08:42What do we got going into this?
08:43Pork, a little bread crumbs.
08:45I'm going to throw some herbs in there.
08:46So you got a little panade.
08:47Got that.
08:47I'm going to do a little bit of Nduya because it reminds me of the South.
08:50Great spice, built-in flavor bomb.
08:52Yes, exactly.
08:53I hope that the judges really get a taste of who I am and see where I'm coming from.
08:59Mama, what is the, what's the menu?
09:01I don't know yet.
09:01There's like a lot of options.
09:03I have 40 things going in my mind, but when that clock hits, you need to start cooking.
09:08At least have a base, and then you can develop your dish.
09:12Working on the sauce, tomato, ground pork.
09:16And I actually put the salami in the sauce.
09:20Love this.
09:20And a lot of calabrian chilies and the bread to thicken it out.
09:24And I'm going to blend it.
09:26Tell me about the bread thickening it out factor.
09:29That's a Mexican thing.
09:30That's how I grew up to thicken it out, like albondigas and stuff like that.
09:34Yeah, yeah, yeah.
09:35And you got some heat in there.
09:36Oh, yeah.
09:37It's coming.
09:38It's coming.
09:38My kind of spice.
09:38We focus on spice in Mexico.
09:41I was born in Tucson, Arizona, and I was raised in Sonora, Mexico.
09:45There is only a wall separating us.
09:47We share the same sunset.
09:49So, I'm representing two countries.
09:52I'm like, I'm going to make it spicy.
09:54I'm going to make it Maria dish.
09:55Where's that mortadella going, chef?
09:57That's what I'm deciding right now.
09:59Besides in my mouth.
10:01That's the key right there.
10:03Mmm.
10:03That's good mortadella too.
10:06Mmm.
10:08So, the first week I was playing for my son.
10:10I have $14,000 in my bank account that would help take him on a vacation through Mexico.
10:15He is the force behind me.
10:18Soon to be off to college.
10:21I'm going to cry.
10:22This week is a brand new week.
10:24And now I'm playing for my restaurant.
10:27My business support 30 employees.
10:30And they deserve raises.
10:31So, I hope the dish finally clicks because I have no idea what I'm going to do.
10:38Uh.
10:41We just introduced our food fights and the Flavortown bus has dropped off to real characters.
10:47Our judges.
10:48The one and only Iron Chef Stephanie Eisdard and Michelin star chef Graham Elliott.
10:53Welcome to Flavortown.
10:54Um, why do you guys look like you're going to a punk rave or something?
10:59I know, we look good, don't we?
11:00You do.
11:01You don't look, I mean, you're going to, you're going to look a little out of place in Flavortown.
11:05Walk with me.
11:06So, Chef Andrew chose the trattoria.
11:09And now I have all three chefs in there battling it out.
11:12They've got to make a red sauce dish, eat your salami, and remember, it's pork day.
11:16Pork day.
11:16I love pork day.
11:17Yeah, we celebrate here.
11:18Nice little cocktail table for you here.
11:20All right.
11:21Thanks, sir.
11:21Enjoy.
11:22Thanks for being here.
11:23We're in flavor time.
11:24We're expecting big flavors.
11:25Yes.
11:26It's national pork day.
11:27We have three amazing chefs in this kitchen.
11:29I have pretty high expectations of these red sauce dishes.
11:32I'm hungry.
11:32Who's got pork chops over here?
11:34That's me, chef.
11:35What's on the menu, chef?
11:36So, as soon as I heard about a red sauce with pork, I thought about amatricana.
11:41Oh.
11:42Amatricana is a traditional Italian sauce with tomato, guanciale, and then it's finished with a bunch of pecorino.
11:49One of my all-time faves.
11:50It's my favorite.
11:51And I'm going to use salami.
11:52It's going to be amatricana sauce.
11:53Amatricana sauce on a pork chop.
11:55Oh.
11:55The salami has enough of that rendered pork fat in there that's really going to help kind of carry the
12:00flavor.
12:01I want to sweat that out and let that kind of reduce down a little bit.
12:04I want everything to really become a nice thickened sauce.
12:08Love pork.
12:09I think this is the best challenge to have.
12:11I had never made amatricana with salami before.
12:15And I do find it to be a little salty because I had the whole back of salami in the
12:19dish.
12:19You're an Italian chef.
12:20You're going into trattoria fieri.
12:22There's such an incentive to win.
12:24And then you're...
12:25Yeah.
12:25No pressure.
12:26I know exactly.
12:27You're setting yourself up.
12:28You better shine in this.
12:30Yeah, you better show up.
12:31I have a son.
12:32He is just under two years old.
12:34And I have a daughter who's six months old.
12:37We're growing out of our house quick.
12:38And we end up having another kid.
12:39And my wife and I are going to have to move into the garage or the basement.
12:42The money would be a huge help to get us into a new place.
12:45I honestly think I absolutely deserve to be here.
12:47I don't want things to be over season.
12:49I definitely didn't come all this way to be the first one to go out.
12:52Woo.
12:52Yeah, basil.
12:53Yes, ma'am.
12:54Basil.
12:54So what do you think about making today, chef?
12:56We'll let you know as soon as I find out.
12:5915 minutes.
13:00I am nervous.
13:02Time is escaping from me.
13:04I don't know what I'm doing.
13:05But right now, my main focus is to keep going.
13:09So it looks like Maria is actually...
13:10She's about to blend a red sauce.
13:12You can see the color already.
13:13It's nice and deep.
13:14I don't know if she roasted the tomato or just stewed them down.
13:16But it looks like it'll get some good flavor.
13:19Yeah, I mean, I can see some chilies in there.
13:20Onions.
13:21She's got ground pork in the pan cooking down.
13:24I wonder if that's gonna turn into something else.
13:26It has to be porky.
13:28But the red sauce needs to be the star.
13:31The salami needs to be the star.
13:32It's coming.
13:33Finally, I got it.
13:34Maria, what are you making?
13:36Chili beans.
13:38I finally got it.
13:39Okay.
13:40Aha.
13:42Finally, it clicked.
13:43Love to hear it.
13:43Love to hear it.
13:45Woo.
13:47Spicy, spicy.
13:48What's going on here, chef?
13:49I'm doing chili beans.
13:50Chili beans?
13:52Yeah.
13:53Chili beans?
13:54Canolini beans.
13:55Canolini, okay.
13:56With ground pork, mortadella.
13:58The sauce has Calabrian chilies and a little bit of salami.
14:04Woo!
14:04I'm gonna tone it down.
14:06Don't worry.
14:06No, that's my kind of flavor.
14:07What are we calling this?
14:09Italian chili beans.
14:11Italian chili beans.
14:12Got it.
14:12Like a chili Mexican chili bean situation.
14:16Looks like a ragu.
14:17Yeah.
14:18Maybe it goes over more pasta.
14:20Hopefully with some cheese.
14:21And I'm gonna put either creme fresh or mascarpone.
14:24Well, you make sure before you tone it down, you save me some because those beans are smoking.
14:29I like that kind of spice.
14:31What do you got in here?
14:33We got some garlic, shallots, crushed tomato, a little passata, butter, and that pepperoni.
14:40I'm feeling it.
14:41I'm feeling it.
14:43I'm wanting it.
14:44I think the key to making it a winning dish is just balance, flavor, seasoning.
14:47But I do find the salami to be a little salty.
14:50So my immediate reaction is just to add pureed tomatoes.
14:55Drop the salinity a little bit.
14:57I think that's really gonna help.
14:58Okay.
14:58So talk to me.
14:59We got meatballs working.
15:00We got meatballs working, yes.
15:02Some grits or polenta.
15:04Polenta.
15:04And I got some butter brownie for my panko breadcrumbs.
15:07The goal is to add flavor in every layer.
15:11Put that on a t-shirt, okay?
15:13And we're in Flavortown, so I'm going for it.
15:16I didn't know I was about to do all this sweating in Flavortown.
15:19Eleven, Chef. Eleven minutes.
15:20So we have some pork meatballs going down in this pan.
15:23I'm just getting some color on them.
15:24I'm here to win the money.
15:25I'm here to represent my restaurant, Soul Phil.
15:28I'm here to hopefully invest that money into bigger dreams of popping up in more locations
15:34and eventually opening up a brick and mortar.
15:37It's a smart play.
15:37I mean, on National Pork Day, I think some pork meatballs are definitely...
15:40Yeah, right?
15:41I wouldn't send it back.
15:42A good idea.
15:43You're doing a quick challenge.
15:44You have 30 minutes.
15:44Mm-hmm.
15:45When you take a ground meat, you're taking a little of that time.
15:48Mm-hmm.
15:48So would you spend a good 18 of your 30 minutes on the meatballs?
15:52I know personally from experience a couple of times in competition, when you don't have
15:56enough time, it might not go well for you.
15:58Yeah.
15:58Fresh garlic is over here, Chef.
16:00Nothing more Italiano than a garlic bread.
16:02Seven minutes, guys.
16:03I know the pork is done by touch.
16:06I've been cooking these meats for a really long time and know that it's at the perfect medium
16:09that I want.
16:11This is flavor town.
16:12You need to show the ingredient.
16:14Judges need to see the salami.
16:17Let's fry the salami.
16:19Salami chips.
16:20Why not?
16:21Okay, Chefs.
16:22You have three minutes left.
16:23You need to be plated and in the pass-through window.
16:25For red sauce, it's not on top of the pasta.
16:28I'm wondering what's going to go on top of it then.
16:30I start scooping my beautiful porky red sauce with beans, my grilled bread with mascarpone
16:38on top of it.
16:39I hide pieces of basil with crispy salami on top.
16:43What she's putting into the bowl is actually, I think, the dish.
16:46Oh, so it's not coming with pasta or any other kind of goodies?
16:49One minute.
16:51Chef Maria's up first.
16:52She will be serving first.
16:54I put the polenta down, the meatballs with the red salami guanciale sauce,
16:59little hervy breadcrumbs, and then fried basil to top it off with.
17:03Chef Tiana is in the window next.
17:0630 seconds, Chef.
17:07The cook of the pork chop is perfect.
17:09Plate that right on top.
17:10Fresh basil as well, olive oil, and also that Sicilian oregano on top.
17:15Three, two, one.
17:17That's it.
17:18We're done.
17:19Great job, Chefs.
17:20Hoo-wee.
17:22A doozy.
17:23Man, oh, man.
17:26Chefs, you're going to be judged on taste, menu adherence, presentation in the plate, presentation
17:32from you.
17:32Chef Maria.
17:33Yes, sir.
17:34You're up first.
17:35Going into judging is stressful.
17:37I mean, it's Stephanie Izard.
17:38It's Graham Elliott.
17:39They're from Chicago.
17:41They're two seconds away from being Italianos.
17:43How are you doing, guys?
17:44Hi.
17:44How are you?
17:45You know, another day at the office.
17:48You know.
17:48Did it feel like you were just cooking in your kitchen at work?
17:51Yes and no, because of the ingredients.
17:55Right.
17:55But you cannot take the Mexican out of me.
17:57Yeah.
17:57I assume that, right?
17:58So, I present chili beans with Calabrian chili.
18:01I have ground pork, mortadella.
18:03I use zero salt.
18:05I just use the salami to speak for itself.
18:07Okay.
18:07And a little bit of bread with a nice char, and I actually put a little bit of mascarpone
18:12to tone out the Calabrian chilis, and a little bit of salami chips.
18:18Oh, it smells awesome.
18:21You look at this dish, Maria, and I think it's taking the idea of a trattoria, the Italian
18:25cuisine, and this red sauce dish, but really bringing you into that, which I love to see.
18:30Totally different than what I was expecting, and this is like almost that homey one-pot
18:34meal.
18:35The chilis in my first bite, I was like, bam, there's Maria.
18:38There's that spice that we expected.
18:40Hi, my friend.
18:40But I was surprised when I saw you putting the dish together that when you were making
18:44a sauce, I thought that was a sauce for perhaps a pork tenderloin.
18:47When you're thinking national pork day, is there a big piece of pork on the plate?
18:51There's not.
18:52It's porky, but it's not like, here's a big piece of pork.
18:54That's something that we're going to have to look at.
18:57Appreciate you guys.
18:58Thanks, chef.
18:58Awesome.
18:58Thanks, chef.
19:01How'd it go, chef?
19:03They don't see the pork.
19:04I'm nervous.
19:05The red sauce is the first thing you see, but there's pork a thousand ways.
19:10Chef T.
19:11Oui.
19:12Go big or go home.
19:13Good luck.
19:14I'm nervous, but I hope that the judges really get a taste of who I am.
19:19Hi.
19:20How's it going?
19:21Hi.
19:21How are you?
19:22I'm so excited to present this to you today.
19:25Grits was something I ate all the time growing up, so we have polenta.
19:29Same, same, same, but different.
19:30And then salami and guanciale in the tomato sauce.
19:33And then we have pork meatball with anduja.
19:36Thank you so much.
19:45Oh, wow.
19:45You cut into that meatball.
19:46You can see all of the juices.
19:48A lot of times meatballs can get a little bit dry.
19:51Mm-hmm.
19:51The porkiness is just melting.
19:53Chef, I mean, I think you put together a beautiful dish that is something that you would expect
19:56to get at toa torreafieri.
19:59The one thing is the salami.
20:00I think that just in taking bites of it, you're getting the pork, getting the anduja,
20:04you're getting that it's pork day.
20:06But I want the salami to have a little bit more of a shining start.
20:09Okay.
20:11Thank you, chef.
20:11I appreciate it.
20:13Where did you put the salami, chef?
20:15I put the salami in the red sauce with the guanciale, and I just cooked it down all
20:20together.
20:20It's all in there.
20:22All right, chef.
20:22Let's do it.
20:23Go light them up.
20:24Getting out there.
20:24I'm the last chef to present, so I'm kind of hearing the judges' feedback from Tiana
20:29and Maria.
20:29And, you know, I really just want to perform well.
20:32I am Andrew Ricatelli.
20:34Thank you, chef.
20:34I flew into Flavortown from New Jersey.
20:37So what I prepared today is pork chop with salsa matriciana.
20:41We'll use the salami as a base.
20:42There's tomato passata, calabrian chili for a little bit of heat.
20:45And then the pork chop itself, it's marinated in lemon, olive oil, salt, pepper.
20:50Very simple.
20:51Now, you had the advantage, and you chose...
20:54I did.
20:55Yeah.
20:55Like, is this your comfort zone?
20:57Is this where you felt?
20:57I was feeling the vibe.
20:58It's what I cook now.
20:59Playing to your strengths.
21:00Yeah, playing to my strengths.
21:09The sauce is beautiful.
21:10The pork chop is cooked beautifully.
21:12It's juicy on the inside.
21:13I love the char on it.
21:14It shows a lot of technique.
21:15The fact that you were, in 30 minutes, able to get pork chop.
21:19Mine's cooked beautifully.
21:20Thank you, chef.
21:20We're in Flavortown on pork day, and you've got that.
21:24Right.
21:24There's a big old pork chop on the plate, and I appreciate that.
21:26Yeah, yeah.
21:26The challenge of being able to incorporate the salami and having that be a star, I'm missing
21:31that.
21:32I just want a little bit more seasoning on it to really bring out that flavor.
21:35It's at a seven or eight as far as the flavor volume.
21:39I wish it could have been turned up just a little more.
21:42But pork, red sauce, trattoria fieri?
21:45Yeah.
21:45All day.
21:46Much appreciated.
21:48How'd it go?
21:48Same, same, same.
21:49What?
21:50Needed more salami.
21:52Let me go see what the judges have to say.
21:54See you all in a bit.
21:55Thanks, chef.
21:57Flavortown is tricky, man.
21:58There's a lot of pressure.
21:59There's a lot of anxiety that goes along with it.
22:01How did my chefs do for you?
22:03They went above and beyond.
22:05I think with Maria, it is Flavortown Pork Day, and I kind of wanted it to be on a big
22:10piece of pork.
22:11Okay, chef Tiana.
22:12This is one where we were saying salami was not really being highlighted anywhere.
22:18And then chef Andrew.
22:19It was missing the importance of seasoning.
22:24This is tough.
22:25It is.
22:26All right, judges.
22:26Well, what I'm looking for is the three-star dish, the four-star dish, and the five-star
22:31dish.
22:32The three-star dish, their shift will be over.
22:40Chefs, you go big or you go home in Flavortown.
22:43The judges rate the dishes from a three-star dish to a five-star dish.
22:49Five-star dish will make $5,000.
22:52Four-star dish will make $4,000.
22:54The three-star dish will go home.
22:57And unfortunately, one of you will be saying farewell to Flavortown.
23:00The chef who received the three-star dish is...
23:09Chef Andrew.
23:12Chef, the pork chop was cooked perfectly.
23:14They said it was a delicious dish, just under-season and missing a little bit of the salami.
23:18Got it.
23:19I think you picked a really good restaurant to go to, but unfortunately your shift is over.
23:23Thank you so much.
23:24Appreciate it.
23:24See you guys.
23:25Good luck.
23:26I was most comfortable in the Trattoria, so to go home first in the first round, that's
23:31kind of a bummer.
23:33Chefs.
23:33One chef gets a four-star, one chef gets a five-star.
23:36The five-star dish is going to pick which restaurant we cook in next.
23:40Next.
23:41The five-star chef of the first round of this Flavortown National Pork Day is...
23:51Chef Maria.
23:52Well done.
23:54Whoo.
23:55You did it.
23:56Got a little Flavortown roll going right there.
23:59Shh.
23:59Don't jinx it.
23:59On a streak.
24:01Congratulations.
24:01Gracias.
24:02$5,000 going towards your paycheck.
24:04$4,000 going towards your paycheck.
24:06The only way you're gonna get that money on your paycheck is if you win the next round.
24:09Now, chef, you have the control of Flavortown right now.
24:14Where do you want to cook?
24:15You got Shea Petty, Loretta's Diner, and the sausage and hot dog carts are open.
24:20It is a huge advantage, so you need to be smart.
24:24I need comfort.
24:28Your wife's diner.
24:29We're going to Loretta's Diner.
24:31Yes.
24:31Let's do it.
24:32Something about a diner.
24:33Breakfast all day.
24:34If you want to eat salad in the morning, eat it.
24:38It's just comfort.
24:40I'm hyped.
24:41Marie and I have both been buying the diner since we got here.
24:45And I'm going to come in with strategy.
24:47I'm going to bring super comforting, nostalgic southern flavors.
24:50Follow me.
24:54All right, chefs.
24:55Here we are.
24:56Loretta's Diner.
24:57Love it for two reasons.
24:58One, named after my wife.
24:59Two, of course, you know I love my diners.
25:02Hunter?
25:06Hi, Hunter.
25:07Hi, chefs.
25:08How are we doing here?
25:09Hunter?
25:09You look cuter by the second.
25:10Welcome, chefs, to Loretta's Diner.
25:14Today's dish, we'll be doing an updated diner classic featuring pork.
25:18Diners aren't just regular anymore.
25:20I mean, they're updating all the time.
25:22It's chefs to the next level.
25:23When you go to the classic diner, you know, they're going to a little salt, pepper.
25:26Not here in a flavored town, okay?
25:28You better bring all the flavors, all the notes, amped up to the next level.
25:31Okay, so chefs, we have three upsell items for you guys today.
25:34First will be whole dill pickles.
25:37Now, if you use those, you'll get an extra $2,000 in your paycheck.
25:41The second one is corned beef.
25:43If you use corned beef, you'll get an extra $3,000 in your paycheck.
25:46Wait a second.
25:46You're going to give $2,000 for pickles, $3,000 for corned beef?
25:49These are diner staples.
25:50They're diner staples.
25:51You're right, Dad, but corned beef is not pork.
25:53A little tough.
25:54Good point.
25:55Good point.
25:55Good point, Dad.
25:56Come on.
25:56And last but not least, my personal favorite.
25:59You can get an extra $5,000 in your paycheck if you incorporate a strawberry milkshake.
26:05Huh?
26:06Yeah.
26:07How are you going to incorporate it in a savory dish?
26:10That's my only concern.
26:12But $5,000 for a strawberry milkshake?
26:16It's not serve the dish and put a strawberry milkshake on the side.
26:19No, no, no.
26:19It's incorporate.
26:20The strawberry milkshake would have to be incorporated into the dish.
26:23Yeah.
26:23Okay.
26:24The winner of this round will win $5,000.
26:27But remember, you could win an extra $10,000 in bonus money.
26:32Got it.
26:32All right, chefs.
26:33The diner is open 24-7.
26:35But for you right now, it's only open for 30 minutes.
26:38Time starts now.
26:39Good luck.
26:41The diner, it is short.
26:43It is small.
26:44It is compact.
26:44But you've got a fryer and a flat top and a couple grills and a couple burners.
26:48And the guests are sitting right there on top of you.
26:51It's nuts.
26:51Do you know what you're going to do?
26:52Uh, I'll tell you when I know.
26:54Okay.
26:54Same.
26:55You?
26:55Same, same, same.
26:56Are you using the corned beef?
26:58I just don't know how it's going to work today.
27:00You do you, boo.
27:01You do you.
27:02Right behind you?
27:03In a diner.
27:04You're just not doing like a little play with quail eggs and caviar and tiny, tiny toes.
27:10No.
27:11You're cooking for Bigfoot.
27:14Bacon, ham, hash browns, country potatoes, pancakes, waffles.
27:19So much, so fast.
27:20Everybody's looking at you.
27:22It's always a struggle.
27:24Well, hi there, judges.
27:26Hello.
27:27How are you?
27:27Welcome to Loretta's Diner.
27:29Love it.
27:29Now the chefs, here's where they make their big money, is in the upsell.
27:33The question will be for you as judges, is did they use it enough to warrant them receiving that bonus
27:39on their paycheck?
27:40Got it.
27:40Can't just slide a tiny bit of corned beef in your pork meatball or whatever it is.
27:44You get acceptance.
27:44You got to be able to identify it.
27:46Strawberry milkshake.
27:47Right?
27:48Strawberry milkshake is going to be a tough one.
27:50It is a sticky, sweet flavor bomb.
27:54Chef Marie, you got a clear game plan?
27:55I actually do, for the first time.
27:58Well, you've been dying to come here.
27:59Yes, and I need to do justice to that.
28:02I'm doing a country pork steak.
28:05When my mom made milanesas, it was my favorite dish growing up.
28:10Okay, so brining the chop in the dill pickle juice?
28:13Yes.
28:13Love this move.
28:14Anything vinegary, anything acid, tenderizes proteins.
28:19So I grab breadcrumbs, panko, egg, fry it.
28:23Are you going to be happy with pickled brine being enough of a use of a pickle?
28:28I don't think so.
28:29I think I want to see the pickle.
28:30I want to be able to taste it and, like, get that crunch and pop of acidity.
28:33Somebody better whip the pickle up.
28:34Right.
28:34Yeah.
28:35I know they need to see the dill pickle, so...
28:39I'm doing a strawberry pickle salad that is going to complement my country pork steak.
28:45So Marie is making a salad with the dill pickles and strawberries now.
28:48What do you think of that?
28:49It's fake.
28:50It's sweet, sour, crunch.
28:52There's got to be something pickled on just about everything.
28:54Yeah.
28:55That's what we're aiming for, hon.
28:57Marie, are you going to use the milkshake?
28:58I make the strawberry milkshake, well, very thick, it's very creamy, it's very refreshing.
29:03Yes, I'm making a strawberry milkshake country gravy.
29:09Oh.
29:10Oh, okay.
29:11I've made a sauce with ice cream in competition before.
29:13You just have to, you know, really play with that sweet savory.
29:16I mean, this is one of the gambles of this competition.
29:19The chef's going for a $5,000 bonus into the paycheck.
29:22Is it worth it?
29:23Mm-hmm.
29:24It took me winning last week and pocketing some moolah
29:28to realize that I belong here.
29:33It's sweet calor.
29:35But I know that the fat of the bacon is going to cut that sweetness.
29:39Sweet, smoky, spicy, savory.
29:44I hope I'm right.
29:45This, I got to see.
29:46You and me both, guy.
29:47You and me both.
29:5120 minutes left.
29:53Chef G, talk to me.
29:54So, when I think of diner, I think of just like a meal that you can eat at any time
29:58of the day.
29:59And chicken and waffles comes up for me.
30:01So, I'm going waffles and pork.
30:03Pork belly?
30:04Or what are you working with?
30:05I'm doing pork belly.
30:06I have a little bit of the pickle brine going on here with some mustard and some spices.
30:10Some maple syrup.
30:11I think it's genius that they both went for using the pickle brine on their pork.
30:14Because you get a jar of pickles and that brine often just gets thrown away.
30:18In the South, we love to brine things in pickle juice.
30:21So, I want to tie in my Southern roots here.
30:24I want to let them know what sparked my creativity.
30:27But I'm also here to win the money.
30:28I'm here to represent Filipino women, black women, mixed women.
30:33All of the younger women out in the fields that are aspiring to get to new heights.
30:37Growing up, I felt like I was never really fitting in one place.
30:41Too Filipina for my black friends, too black for my Filipina friends.
30:45But I also make delicious food because of that.
30:48So, I dredge the pork, pop it in the fryer, make sure it gets nice and crispy.
30:53Tiana, just raw pork belly going into the fryer?
30:55Yeah.
30:56I like your confidence face that you have right there.
30:59Well, 30 minutes is all we've given them, I mean.
31:02I know.
31:02So, with pork belly, you want to brine overnight, but...
31:05I think this is still going to be amazing.
31:07And we are going to taste this pickle juice.
31:10We're going to have a lot of time, but when you're just frying pork belly,
31:12you're not tenderizing it at all first.
31:14I'm curious what the texture's going to be like.
31:16What we're asking for is an elevated diner classic.
31:18Like, we're expecting the best version of the diner.
31:21Tiana, do you have a go-to waffle recipe that you just make all the time?
31:24I do, I do.
31:25It's just a little bit of corn starch, some baking powder, baking soda, buttermilk, of course.
31:30I'm going to use some bacon fat and brown butter in it as well this time around.
31:33There's so many creative ways that I've seen waffles getting made.
31:37That's absolutely, you know, an updated diner classic.
31:39You can't have waffles without a little sweet treat.
31:43So, I'm also...
31:44I'm doing like a spiced maple syrup with some pickle and some strawberry.
31:48They're not going to be short of pickles on this dish, okay?
31:51I am also adding it into my waffle batter.
31:54Ooh.
31:55You know what happens a lot of times with waffles?
31:57People put too much moisture in them, and they never will get crisp.
32:01Chefs, we've got 13 and a half minutes.
32:03Hot, behind, in front, on the side.
32:06All right, straight from the pan and the blender, is this our milkshake?
32:10That is a concoction right there.
32:12Sweet and spicy.
32:13Like me.
32:13I love that.
32:16That thing is sweet.
32:19Very sweet.
32:20So, the chef has to come out, and I need to balance.
32:23I took a risk.
32:25I mean, I'm going to put it out there.
32:27Being a restaurant owner, we don't make a lot of money.
32:29So, it is important to come here and collect those checks so you can keep going.
32:35I put honey to cut the artificial flavor of the milkshake.
32:40I put chicken stock to give it richness, to dilute, if you will.
32:45There's a lot of flavors that I got here.
32:46I feel like I'm trying, we're sitting in front row seat watching what they're cooking, but I still don't know
32:50what they're cooking.
32:51Well, you're going to find out what it's going to taste like in about nine and a half minutes.
32:55Nine and a half, chefs.
32:56Ay, Dios mio.
32:57Let's go.
32:59It worked.
33:00It doesn't seem like it should work, but it works.
33:03I want that money now more than ever.
33:06I'm starting to cook my waffles in the waffle iron, but I can't get the strawberry shake out of my
33:13head.
33:14Sheesh.
33:15And I also need the extra cash, so might as well go for it.
33:18So, I'm going to just over whip some heavy cream, attempt to make a strawberry butter that I can use
33:23for my waffle.
33:24Hopefully, it separates on time.
33:25So, Tiana's using the strawberry milkshake.
33:28In your mind, when you're thinking of a strawberry milkshake, it has cream in it, but it's not going to
33:31whip the same way as a delicious type of cream.
33:33Right.
33:33It's usually made with milk and, you know, a soft serve or something.
33:36Chefs, we're coming up on five minutes.
33:38Five minutes!
33:42These look great.
33:44So, it looks like Tiana's already getting ready to plate with five minutes left to go.
33:47I don't think you can plate fast enough in Flavortown.
33:49We're looking for that plate presentation.
33:51It's a diner, but you still don't want it sloppy.
33:53I grab these cute red plates.
33:54They're screaming diner.
33:56From there, I add our pork belly that has been tossed in the sauce.
33:59I add my relish and maple syrup, but I really want this butter to work.
34:04I'm, like, just waiting for it to separate.
34:05It's gonna take a while.
34:06It looks like she's having trouble with it.
34:08It's not working out over there.
34:09In the mixture, it's not really coming together.
34:11I feel nervous.
34:12The strawberry milkshake isn't separating.
34:15Three minutes.
34:15You got it.
34:16Yeah, you can either whip it or you go and strain it real fast and try to use whatever you
34:20get past.
34:21Looks like whipped cream.
34:22There's no way I'm going home.
34:23I can still use this amazing strawberry milkshake flavor, and I am gonna salvage it.
34:28What time is it?
34:29I decided to just pivot and make a nice, light whipped cream.
34:33Chefs, 40 seconds.
34:34We have 40 seconds to go.
34:39It's perfect.
34:40You got Maria doing the tasty dance over there.
34:42I'll grab a plate, slice my pork chops, lather my strawberry milkshake pork gravy, my salad on the side.
34:49That is a $5,000 dish, baby.
34:52Five seconds.
34:53Behind you, Tiana.
34:54Behind you.
34:55Behind you.
34:55There we go.
34:58Well done, chefs.
34:59All right.
34:59Good job, chefs.
35:00Ooh la la.
35:01The first meal of Flavortown Diner.
35:03My milkshake typically brings the boys to the yard.
35:07I didn't know if the boys were coming to the yard for this milkshake today.
35:10Okay.
35:10It's looking a hot mess.
35:12Very happy.
35:13I feel confident, but still, it's intimidating.
35:16It can go either way.
35:17It really can.
35:18May the lure of the diners be with you.
35:23Chef, you are done first.
35:25You're up first.
35:25Give it to them.
35:26Going into judging, it is stressful.
35:28Ay, Dios mio.
35:29Whoever tells you they're calm as a cucumber, they're lying.
35:33Hola.
35:33Hola.
35:34In Mexico, we don't use a lot of country fried steak, but we use the milanesas, no?
35:38Right, right.
35:39Which is cousins.
35:40Yes.
35:40So, I brine into the pickle juice, the strawberry milkshake for the gravy.
35:45And I added fresh strawberries, chipotle, ground pork, and slab bacon.
35:49And just to clean the palate, arugula salad with more pickles and more fresh strawberries.
36:00You definitely got diner.
36:01This is a diner classic, updated all day.
36:03It's Flavortown pork day, and there's no way you could look at this plate and not know it was pork
36:08day.
36:08But I do feel you're either going to cook it like a beautiful medium and keep it juicy, or pound
36:14it thin and get it super crispy.
36:16This is kind of like you're playing both worlds.
36:18You've got the arugula salad on the side.
36:19A little out of place, but a good way to bring the pickles in.
36:22But it came across as a little more of an afterthought.
36:24And then the sauce, we've got bacon, we've got ground pork, and we have this strawberry milkshake with the chipotle.
36:30I'm a very sweet and savory type of person, so to me it works.
36:33I feel the strawberry milkshake, it's almost overpowering.
36:37I'm getting still too much of the sweetness of it.
36:39It's kind of confusing to me.
36:41It's delicious though, and I love the pork.
36:42Thank you, chef. Thank you.
36:42It's an honor being judged by you.
36:43Thank you, chef.
36:45How'd that go?
36:45I am very proud of my dish, and I went out of the box.
36:49Great.
36:49All right, chef, you're up next.
36:51Go get them.
36:51Good luck.
36:52The only concern I have going into judging right now is that the whipped cream situation
37:00didn't do what it was supposed to do.
37:02It's my favorite customers.
37:04How goes it?
37:05It's your only customers.
37:07So I love a chicken and waffle.
37:10When I go to a diner, I'm either biscuits and gravy or chicken and waffle all day.
37:13So we have a buttermilk waffle with a little pork belly that has been brined in the pickles,
37:19then a relish of strawberry, pickle, some bacon that is in the syrup as well.
37:25And then for the strawberry milkshake, I decided to like make a little whipped cream,
37:30tapped into my southern roots a little bit.
37:32I wanted to give you guys something that I would serve to any of my loved ones.
37:42Tiana, when you're thinking updated classic diner, you're taking the idea of just a simple
37:47chicken waffles, but you've added layers of flavor in every step of the way, which I
37:50think is incredible.
37:52I see the pickle.
37:53I see the milkshake.
37:55I see the pork.
37:55I think one of my favorite things on this plate is the little sort of pickle relish maple
38:00sauce that's going on on the top.
38:01Very successfully used the pickles.
38:03But the waffle is screaming to be crispier.
38:06The flavor's coming through.
38:07It's just, it's, it's lost its crunch.
38:09But the use of the strawberry milkshake was awesome.
38:14I thought it was so smart and it worked really, really well completing the entire dish.
38:18It really does work.
38:19I think it's balanced when you get it with the actual crispy pork here, because it's got
38:24such a great coating.
38:26But I think when you only have 30 minutes, work really can be tricky.
38:29It's a little hard to get through that texture, a little bit tough.
38:32Some technical things we could fix, but.
38:34Absolutely.
38:34Appreciate it.
38:39I feel good.
38:40I feel good, but you never know.
38:42I think you both did a good job.
38:43You should be very proud.
38:44Let me go see what they have to say.
38:46So we do have to choose a winner, which makes this hard because both dishes had so many
38:49great things going on, but also had some technical difficulties.
38:52Fingers are crossed.
38:53Yeah.
38:55How did Chef Maria's dish go?
38:57Chef Maria had a really tasty dish, but the sauce itself didn't love it.
39:02I thought it was delicious.
39:03Let's talk about Tiana's.
39:05Tiana's pickle.
39:06That was, to me, the best part of her dish.
39:08Then the pork belly, crispy, full of flavor, but tough.
39:11I know what I did was kind of like a really big risk, but I'm still very proud of what
39:17I put out today.
39:18So here's what I need, judges.
39:19I need to know who's the five-star dish.
39:22We both got the good, bad, and the ugly.
39:24So it can go either way.
39:25So we'll see.
39:27As soon as you come up with this decision, let's go to town square and make somebody happy.
39:37Residents of Flavortown, I'm glad you're here.
39:40These two chefs have battled it out in the first battle that we've seen in the diner.
39:46Congratulations on a job well done.
39:49Great efforts.
39:52Now, Chef Tiana, if you win, you earn $4,000 in the first round.
39:57You'd get $5,000 for the win in this second round, and then you had $7,000 worth of bonus
40:03money, which would give you a total paycheck of $16,000.
40:07All the cash that I could win goes towards investing into my pop-up restaurant.
40:13Chef Maria, congratulations from your first round, $5,000.
40:17If you win this second round, you would also have the opportunity, add another $5,000, and
40:22because you used the milkshake and the pickle, you'd have yourself an opportunity at $17,000
40:28for a final paycheck.
40:30I'm here to win and keep winning and keep winning.
40:33It's sweeter when you have $14,000 in your back pocket.
40:37I happen to have five more pockets in my jeans.
40:41There can only be one five-star dish.
40:44The chef that prepared the winning five-star dish is...
40:49I plan to make my mark in Flavortown, and I want to be on that Hall of Fame.
40:54I can possibly cash another $17,000 check.
40:58And I just close my eyes, look at the floor, say my name, say my name.
41:09Congratulations, Chef Maria.
41:10Well done.
41:12Two-time champ, ladies and gentlemen.
41:14Two times.
41:16You're on a cheap.
41:18Thank you very much.
41:19You better kill it.
41:19Bye.
41:21Later, Flavortown.
41:22Bye.
41:23I feel a little bittersweet.
41:25I would have loved to be able to flex with my other creative ideas in some of the other
41:28restaurant spaces.
41:29But I will forever keep Flavortown in my heart and take a piece of it back with me.
41:33Later, Flavortown.
41:34We're out of here.
41:37Your total winnings tonight is $17,000.
41:40Your overall winnings as the reigning champ of Flavortown right now is $31,000.
41:46Yeah!
41:47It feels awesome.
41:48I took a risk.
41:49I stuck to my guns.
41:50Presidents of Flavortown, give it up for the chef.
41:53Good news.
41:54We will see you here back soon.
41:56Next week, I'm coming back.
41:57I tasted, not one, two championships.
42:00I'm a champion.
42:02Flavortown, I won that third.
42:04You won!
42:04I know.
42:05With milkshake.
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