Tournament of Champions - Season 7 - Episode 05: The Super 16 Show Out - video Dailymotion

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00:00:00Tonight, the victorious Super 16 re-enter the arena

00:00:03to kick off the second round of competition.

00:00:07Go.

00:00:09TOC's a different game.

00:00:11It's a whole different league.

00:00:13First, four-time finalist, Jett Tila,

00:00:15returns to battle, Chef Bonet Cepeda.

00:00:18I'll keep doing this until we win or until I die.

00:00:21I do my own stuff, guys.

00:00:24Next, it's a showdown between two of TOC's greatest Cinderella stories,

00:00:28Chef Ritt Resigno, and Chef Kevin Lee.

00:00:31This is the battle of TOC 7.

00:00:33I'm here to win the whole thing this year.

00:00:35Going home is just not an option.

00:00:37And then James Beard Award winner Jonathan Sawyer

00:00:40faces off against Food Network star Artie Sequera.

00:00:43Look at that!

00:00:44Beautiful.

00:00:45Oh, my God.

00:00:46And finally, top-seeded culinary icon Lorena Garcia

00:00:49takes on Top Chef All-Star Joe Sasto.

00:00:52Hey, you're having a good time.

00:00:54Who will win the spot in the quarterfinals?

00:00:56So this is just a small miracle here on the plate.

00:01:00This is Tournament of Champions 7.

00:01:10Here they come now.

00:01:12The 16 superstars with extra swagger in their step.

00:01:17Congratulations.

00:01:18Nice.

00:01:20Round 2 means everything.

00:01:22My goal this season is the finale.

00:01:24If I don't get this win today, I'll be hugely disappointed in myself.

00:01:29You want to hear something interesting?

00:01:30Five of you are here from the qualifiers.

00:01:35Wow.

00:01:36Never been done before.

00:01:38Which one of you is going to win four more battles in a row

00:01:42without a single misstep?

00:01:44We're talking the title.

00:01:45We're talking the belt.

00:01:47The ultimate bling, of course.

00:01:48We're talking $150,000.

00:01:57So many great match-ups to choose from.

00:02:03Let's go with Chef Jettila and Chef Clannette Cepeda.

00:02:11Chef Jett through that door.

00:02:12Chef Cepeda through that door.

00:02:15And I will see you all very soon.

00:02:23Oh, man.

00:02:24Sometimes there might be some easy roads in battles.

00:02:28Every road is terrible this year.

00:02:30It is all amazing chefs.

00:02:32Trying to guess what the hell is going to be on that randomizer.

00:02:35I've never gone against Jett in any competition.

00:02:38I've only judged with him.

00:02:40He is one hell of a cook, so I'm really excited.

00:02:42Let's meet our chefs kicking off the second round.

00:02:46We have the number six seed, Chef Claudette Cepeda,

00:02:48who scored an upset victory in the first round,

00:02:52taking down Chef Tobias Dorzon.

00:02:54I'm happy and proud of myself for making it to the second round,

00:02:57and I'm just definitely focused and hungry.

00:03:00Her opponent is the number two seed, Chef Jett Tila,

00:03:04the winningest chef in this year's bracket.

00:03:06Man, I've been here so many times before.

00:03:10I think I've competed more than anyone else here right now.

00:03:12It's that itch I can't scratch, the finale, and then the win.

00:03:15That's the end goal.

00:03:16He's going to make me work for it, which he should.

00:03:19I'm going to make him work for it, too.

00:03:21Claudette, like me, we cook from the soul.

00:03:23Also a lot of technique.

00:03:24This is going to be a flavor battle.

00:03:25There's definitely going to be flavor bombs on both ends.

00:03:27They're ready for you.

00:03:29All right, let's do this.

00:03:31Let's go.

00:03:36Are you ready for a Super Chef Showdown?

00:03:40Then let's light this up!

00:03:44Her distinctive approach to regional Mexican cuisine

00:03:47has twice earned her a spot on Esquire's Best New Restaurant list.

00:03:52A Michelin recommendation and a James Beard semi-finalist nod

00:03:56for Best Chef West.

00:03:58She has competed in the U.S. and Mexican versions

00:04:01of Top Chef and Iron Chef

00:04:03and defeated the Titans on Bobby's Triple Threat.

00:04:07And she won her first DOC victory

00:04:09in the first round of this tournament

00:04:10with a dish that the judges agreed...

00:04:13I would eat this in, like, a two-star Michelin restaurant.

00:04:15Absolutely.

00:04:16Put your hands together for the culinary anthropologist...

00:04:21La Jefa Chef Claudette Zepeda!

00:04:24La Jefa!

00:04:29Come on, La Jefa!

00:04:35La Jefa, watching you cook

00:04:37and watching that win, you brought it.

00:04:42You can eat all that energy

00:04:43because this one's a tough one.

00:04:45By the time he was 16,

00:04:47he had worked every single position

00:04:49in his family's seven restaurants.

00:04:52He has opened more than 20 restaurant concepts,

00:04:56broken five culinary world records,

00:04:59and is an Emmy and James Beard-nominated cooking show host.

00:05:03He has won Chopped All-Stars

00:05:04and Bobby's Triple Threat.

00:05:06He has been to the TOC Final Four,

00:05:09a record four times.

00:05:12And in his first battle of TOC 7,

00:05:15he had a dish that Dominique Crenn called...

00:05:17Incredible, period.

00:05:20Give it up for the Jets-ster,

00:05:22the legend,

00:05:23Chef Jet!

00:05:25Tilo!

00:05:41Congratulations on a first-round win,

00:05:44kicking off the second round of competition.

00:05:47Chefs, to the randomizer.

00:05:48Let's go.

00:05:48Right this way.

00:05:54Oh, wow.

00:05:55Remember, chefs, the randomizer's gonna determine

00:05:57the mandatory details of your dish,

00:05:59the protein, the produce, the equipment, the style,

00:06:02and finally, the new wild card,

00:06:04which will be a wild card ingredient.

00:06:08Big smiles, at least.

00:06:09It's called a smile mask.

00:06:11Is that what it is?

00:06:11I'm really freaking out.

00:06:13Really nice.

00:06:13Here we go for the proteins.

00:06:16I'm not gonna say anything.

00:06:18No.

00:06:19Because she'll hear us.

00:06:20Yeah.

00:06:21She's in our brains.

00:06:23Bronze chicken, bone-in, chicken.

00:06:26Whole chicken, Fresno peppers,

00:06:29rolling grill basket,

00:06:32weeknight dinner, frozen peas.

00:06:3535 minutes, go.

00:06:42Whole chicken, they're gonna have the gizzards,

00:06:46the heart, the livers, everything inside of these.

00:06:48These will be organic chickens.

00:06:49Fresno peppers, bright red,

00:06:51very similar to jalapeno,

00:06:52it's just not as hot.

00:06:53Rolling grill basket,

00:06:54you can roll it back and forth over the grills.

00:06:56Weeknight dinner, not complicated,

00:06:58no frills, but should be some grills.

00:07:00Frozen peas, frozen or canned,

00:07:03I'll always take frozen.

00:07:04This, you'll get a better texture out of it.

00:07:05Here we go.

00:07:06The hunger to win TOC only increases every year.

00:07:10Who else has been here every season for seven seasons?

00:07:13Mineet's gone because she's won,

00:07:15and Tonya's gone because she's won.

00:07:17It crushes me every year,

00:07:19but I get up again and go to therapy

00:07:21and figure it out, and I come back.

00:07:23You two?

00:07:23Yeah, pick whatever you want.

00:07:25I've known Jet for years.

00:07:26I understand his capabilities as a human and a chef.

00:07:31I admire the hell out of all of those things about him.

00:07:34But when a Latina takes your earrings off,

00:07:37it's about to go down.

00:07:41When it comes to weeknight dinner,

00:07:43chef, what do you think?

00:07:44Green curry chicken.

00:07:46Using those peas.

00:07:47Speaking of, there they are.

00:07:51Peas and rice, natural pair.

00:07:54For me, I'm going green curry chicken

00:07:56with a rice pilaf.

00:07:59You get it?

00:07:59I start with a canned green curry.

00:08:02I fortify it with some of those Fresno chilies.

00:08:05The peas are going to give me some sweetness

00:08:06and a lot of color.

00:08:08The curry is going to be the marinade for the chicken

00:08:10and also the base to make the curry sauce.

00:08:13Reinforcing all those flavors and that green color.

00:08:19So smart.

00:08:20What in the world?

00:08:22Basket, roast some spices in here.

00:08:26Anise, cinnamon, chilies.

00:08:28We'll start there.

00:08:29I need to use this roller basket.

00:08:30And the best thing, in my opinion, is to toast some spices.

00:08:34Thanks, guys.

00:08:35Thank you, thank you.

00:08:36I'm joined, as always, by my amazing culinary commentators.

00:08:39We have the Michelin-recommended chef

00:08:41and walking food encyclopedia,

00:08:42chef Justin Warner,

00:08:43an award-winning restaurateur

00:08:44and the TOC3 champ herself,

00:08:47chef Tiffany Faison.

00:08:48Now, Justin and Tiffany will closely follow

00:08:50the preparation of these dishes

00:08:51so they can perfectly describe them

00:08:53to the judges during the blind tasting.

00:08:55We're also joined by our robing reporter, Hunter Fieri,

00:08:58who will be talking with our chefs backstage.

00:08:59And also, culinary scholar, Simon Jandar,

00:09:02will be talking to our judges

00:09:03about the difficulty in each randomizer challenge.

00:09:05My mind immediately goes to my childhood.

00:09:09In Mexico, we eat sweater weather food year-round.

00:09:12One of my favorite dishes growing up

00:09:14is caldo de arroz con pollo.

00:09:15It was in constant rotation in my house.

00:09:18I'm going to do boiled chicken

00:09:20with caldo de arroz.

00:09:23Just kind of like a brothier rice,

00:09:24but not a Spanish style.

00:09:27Yep.

00:09:27Just like mom used to make.

00:09:29In front of an audience.

00:09:31I start my chicken broth.

00:09:32In the pot goes my chicken base,

00:09:34dashi powder, dried shiitakes,

00:09:37afa santa, avocado leaves,

00:09:38some lemongrass.

00:09:40Trying to fortify the hot water

00:09:43as much as I can to get me the win.

00:09:45Bye, chicken.

00:09:46Night-night.

00:09:47Oh, the whole chicken's going in!

00:09:49I get 35 minutes,

00:09:50I get a little envisions of grandeur,

00:09:52like, I got all this time,

00:09:53I can do all this extra work.

00:09:54Things can get nice in there.

00:09:5625 minutes to go,

00:09:5710 minutes down already.

00:09:58There's not a lot of time.

00:10:09I got a lot of time.

00:10:28I got a lot of time.

00:10:30I pulled the spices and the chili

00:10:32out of the roller basket

00:10:33and I put it into a stock pot.

00:10:35Ooh, look at those spices!

00:10:36I remove the chicken backs

00:10:37from the roller basket

00:10:38and get them into that stock pot.

00:10:40I also finished that stock

00:10:41with Fresno pepper

00:10:41because I'm trying to get Fresnos everywhere.

00:10:43It's about playing the game.

00:10:45Chef, what's this stock going to be?

00:10:46This stock is going to be for the rice.

00:10:48I understand.

00:10:49Yeah, so we can get

00:10:49the chicken essence inside.

00:10:51So it's going to be multiple uses.

00:10:54Do I see Asian ingredients here, Chef?

00:10:56It's a little bit of mix, yeah.

00:10:58I've been cooking Mexican cuisine

00:10:59for the last decade plus of my career,

00:11:03but weeknight dinner at my house

00:11:05for eating any form of Asian cuisine.

00:11:08Open up the Fresnos, all right?

00:11:11Tangy, zippy, spicy.

00:11:12No, no, close up.

00:11:18The broth for the rice

00:11:19is inspired by Tom Kha.

00:11:21It is a loose rice dish.

00:11:23More like risotto than soup.

00:11:25Flavors that I normally get to my house.

00:11:29Are we cooking the chicken

00:11:30in the rolling grill basket?

00:11:32We're trying, Chef.

00:11:33Chef, dope.

00:11:34I'm really trying to make sure

00:11:36that I hit the randomizer.

00:11:38While I can't see what Chef's doing,

00:11:39I know that that is always in his mind.

00:11:41Gameplay is important.

00:11:43I can't get dinged for it.

00:11:44We got collards going in.

00:11:46I like this little move.

00:11:47Also, weeknight dinner,

00:11:48we got to get our greens.

00:11:49This is my go-to for the family.

00:11:50It's always the collards.

00:11:51Oh!

00:11:53That's cool.

00:11:54I need to render these thighs

00:11:57and get them crispy.

00:11:58So the shortcut to that

00:11:59is to throw them in the fryer.

00:12:01That's hot.

00:12:03Quickly.

00:12:04So I have peas in the curry,

00:12:05but in case the judges don't get it,

00:12:07I want some actual peas in the curry

00:12:09so they eat the actual whole peas.

00:12:11I get the thighs into the curry to braise

00:12:13to really get the curry flavor

00:12:15onto the thighs.

00:12:16Double use on the Fresno,

00:12:17double use on the P.

00:12:18That's what it looks like.

00:12:19Great gameplay.

00:12:19Yep.

00:12:20In my head,

00:12:21I see this green pistou-like sauce

00:12:24being drizzled over the rice.

00:12:26Woo!

00:12:27Hot dog!

00:12:28I put Fresno peppers

00:12:29that have also been charred

00:12:30in the roller grill

00:12:32with peas,

00:12:33a little bit of chicken stock.

00:12:35The pressure for me on this round

00:12:37is coming from every direction.

00:12:40It's always about my kids,

00:12:41the next generation

00:12:42of other Hispanic little kids

00:12:44that don't see themselves

00:12:46in mainstream media

00:12:46and can see my path

00:12:48and be like,

00:12:49oh, if she can do it,

00:12:50I can do it too.

00:12:51Oh, come on.

00:12:52Oh, oh, oh, oh.

00:12:53Careful, careful, careful.

00:12:57I pulled the chicken

00:12:58in the pot out.

00:13:00It's not even done.

00:13:01Isn't even close.

00:13:02Can't serve that.

00:13:03What's going on

00:13:03with this chicken?

00:13:05It's so raw.

00:13:06Oh, okay.

00:13:08Back in the back.

00:13:09The breast went back

00:13:10in the stock pot.

00:13:10I'm putting the legs

00:13:11into the fryer

00:13:12to see if I can get

00:13:13that finished cooking.

00:13:15What's this gonna be?

00:13:16Oh, that's gonna be our rice.

00:13:18Did I do too much?

00:13:19Did I do too much?

00:13:20That is gonna be the question.

00:13:22What's next?

00:13:23I'm gonna make

00:13:24like a chili sauce.

00:13:25I need to do

00:13:26one more thing

00:13:26with Fresnos.

00:13:27Take Fresno peppers

00:13:28whole and red bell peppers

00:13:30and I juice them,

00:13:32throw that right

00:13:32into the chicken fat pan

00:13:35to make my version

00:13:37of a chili crisp.

00:13:38And I'm hoping

00:13:39they like spicy.

00:13:41Three minutes.

00:13:42For my pea saute,

00:13:44it's got curry leaves,

00:13:45Fresno peppers

00:13:46that have been

00:13:47in the rolling grill

00:13:48and then I add

00:13:48the frozen peas.

00:13:53I do my own stuff, guys.

00:13:56The chicken is still

00:13:58quite rare on the inside

00:13:59so I slice it in half,

00:14:01put them back in

00:14:01against the wall

00:14:03of the roller grill.

00:14:04The fryer chicken

00:14:05isn't really cooking

00:14:06the way I want it to

00:14:07so I'm at least gonna try

00:14:08to save the skins

00:14:09and use this.

00:14:11Thankfully,

00:14:12the outside of

00:14:13the chicken breast

00:14:14is properly cooked

00:14:15and the inside

00:14:16is like that perfect

00:14:17carryover pink

00:14:1990 seconds.

00:14:21I start by laying down

00:14:22a base of that

00:14:23coconut pilaf.

00:14:24It's got the Fresnos in it.

00:14:27Wow, that's awesome.

00:14:28Holy moly.

00:14:29I slice some chicken thighs,

00:14:31shingled over the rice.

00:14:34I drizzle the chicken fat

00:14:36hot sauce.

00:14:37I need to crunch.

00:14:38Chef, you have 60 seconds left.

00:14:40I crunch up a bit

00:14:41of the fried basil.

00:14:43This is exactly

00:14:44what I want to eat

00:14:46on a weeknight.

00:14:47It would mean

00:14:48the world to me

00:14:49to win this year.

00:14:50I'll keep doing this

00:14:51until we win

00:14:52or until I die.

00:14:54I'm scooping

00:14:55two ladles

00:14:56of the

00:14:57caldo d'arros

00:14:58on the base

00:14:59of the plate.

00:14:59Then I drizzle

00:15:00that collard

00:15:01and pea

00:15:02stew on top

00:15:03and then I add

00:15:04the pea salad,

00:15:05grilled chicken breast

00:15:06on the right

00:15:07and garnished

00:15:08with curry leaves

00:15:08with a pinch of salt

00:15:09and lime at the end.

00:15:10This dish

00:15:11is a pug-in-a-bowl

00:15:12visceral cooking.

00:15:14Very comforting flavors.

00:15:16Five, four, three, two, one.

00:15:20We're done.

00:15:21Good?

00:15:22Yes.

00:15:24Congratulations.

00:15:25Claudio Tepeda,

00:15:26Jet T-Line.

00:15:27Back to your trailers.

00:15:29Let's go ahead

00:15:29and bring the judges in.

00:15:31I feel really good

00:15:32hoping I didn't

00:15:33make it too spicy.

00:15:34I would eat it.

00:15:35My kids would love it.

00:15:36You can't take her

00:15:37for granted.

00:15:38Our flavors are big.

00:15:39They're probably similar

00:15:39so it's going to be tight

00:15:40I think.

00:15:42All right, folks.

00:15:43The DOC judges

00:15:44have been waiting

00:15:45in their trailers

00:15:46for their first blind tasting

00:15:47and we finally

00:15:48left them out.

00:15:49James Beard Award

00:15:50winning restaurateur

00:15:51who made food and wine

00:15:52and Gourmet Magazine's

00:15:53list of best restaurants

00:15:55in America.

00:15:56Who is it?

00:15:57Chef Michelle Bernstein.

00:16:02Latin specialist

00:16:03can eat spicy.

00:16:04Hope she understands

00:16:05my flavor.

00:16:06I'm good with that.

00:16:07Cheese all that

00:16:08and then some

00:16:08famed chefs

00:16:09behind some of

00:16:10Boston's most

00:16:11acclaimed restaurants

00:16:12and James Beard

00:16:13Award winner

00:16:13Chef Kenny Oranger.

00:16:17Woo!

00:16:18Kendall wins

00:16:19more restaurants

00:16:20than many, many of us

00:16:21will ever.

00:16:22He's a Michelin-starred

00:16:23restaurateur

00:16:24who has earned

00:16:25multiple three-star reviews

00:16:26from the New York Times.

00:16:27He is an iron chef.

00:16:29Chef Jeffrey Zakaria.

00:16:32Jeffrey's a hard-ass.

00:16:33Woo!

00:16:35Judges, the randomizers

00:16:36become a little bit

00:16:37more difficult.

00:16:38For the proteins,

00:16:39the chefs had whole chicken,

00:16:40produce was Fresno peppers,

00:16:42equipment was a rolling

00:16:43grill basket,

00:16:44the style was weeknight dinner,

00:16:46and the wild card ingredient

00:16:47was frozen peas.

00:16:48And here to present,

00:16:49Justin Warner.

00:16:49Come on, Justin,

00:16:50do me proud.

00:16:51This is a whole chicken

00:16:53green curry,

00:16:54along with some Fresno

00:16:55chicken fat chili crisp.

00:16:56The whole chicken

00:16:57was butchered.

00:16:59The breast and thigh

00:17:00were marinated

00:17:00in a green pea green curry.

00:17:03From there,

00:17:03they were fried lightly

00:17:04and then cooked

00:17:05skin side down

00:17:06in a pan with fish sauce,

00:17:07toasted cinnamon

00:17:08that was toasted

00:17:09in the rolling grill basket,

00:17:11and they were finished

00:17:12in a curry sauce.

00:17:13The Fresno peppers,

00:17:14you can find roasted

00:17:15in the grill basket

00:17:16in the curry.

00:17:17You can find them

00:17:18in the rice,

00:17:18and then, of course,

00:17:19their juice was used

00:17:20to make that chili crisp.

00:17:22Ken ate all of it.

00:17:24Let's go.

00:17:25Guy,

00:17:25if this is weeknight cooking,

00:17:28I want to be eating

00:17:29at this frickin' house

00:17:29seven nights a week.

00:17:30Yeah.

00:17:32The complexity

00:17:33in 30 minutes

00:17:34to get the flavor,

00:17:36the balance,

00:17:37utilizing the toasted spices

00:17:38from the rolling grill

00:17:40and the crispy skin,

00:17:41the pea curry,

00:17:43beautifully done dish.

00:17:44Oh, my God,

00:17:45I do feel nauseous.

00:17:46This is a lot of fun,

00:17:47and as a weeknight meal,

00:17:49this could be something

00:17:50that I could repeat.

00:17:51The chicken is delicious.

00:17:52It's cooked on point.

00:17:53I love the curry flavors,

00:17:55and then I love

00:17:55the pop of the pea as well.

00:17:57I feel like the rice

00:17:58could be just a little

00:18:00less cooked.

00:18:01Okay, that's not bad.

00:18:02Curry is one of those things

00:18:03that is very hard to master

00:18:04because everybody

00:18:04has their own sort of

00:18:06idea of what curry is.

00:18:07It sure is.

00:18:08This happens to be

00:18:09a particularly delicious curry.

00:18:10However, the spice level,

00:18:12almost too much,

00:18:13and I would have loved

00:18:14a bit more sauce

00:18:15because the sauce

00:18:16is the best part

00:18:16of this dish.

00:18:17Thank you very much.

00:18:18Good job, Dad.

00:18:19Okay.

00:18:20Judges, your scorecards

00:18:21are in front of you.

00:18:2250 points in flavor,

00:18:2440 points in the use

00:18:25to randomize her,

00:18:26and 10 points in the plating.

00:18:28Mmm.

00:18:29I feel good.

00:18:31This is a,

00:18:32let's see how she did,

00:18:34not a slam dunk.

00:18:36Status quo at the moment.

00:18:37All right, ladies and gentlemen,

00:18:39here to present

00:18:39the second dish

00:18:40is our T-O-C-3 champ,

00:18:42Tiffany Faison.

00:18:43Here we go.

00:18:44In front of you,

00:18:45we have pollo con sopa arroz.

00:18:47A sauce on top of that

00:18:48was crafted by a grill basket

00:18:50that was fed

00:18:50with charred collard greens,

00:18:51fresnos that were also charred

00:18:53on the grill basket.

00:18:54Those were put in a blender

00:18:55with frozen peas and fresnos

00:18:56and a little bit

00:18:57of chicken stock.

00:18:58Next, a saute

00:18:58of the rolling grill basket

00:19:00grilled fresnos,

00:19:01sliced with shallots,

00:19:02frozen peas,

00:19:03curry leaves,

00:19:03and mint adorned

00:19:04the top of the rice.

00:19:05The breast was fabricated

00:19:06from the chicken

00:19:07and grilled

00:19:08on the rolling grill basket.

00:19:09That's the breast

00:19:10that you have on top.

00:19:12Sobe arroz,

00:19:13which is obviously

00:19:14chicken soup, right?

00:19:15This is more of like

00:19:16a rice soup.

00:19:17However,

00:19:18it's my favorite part

00:19:19of this dish.

00:19:20The chicken in that sopa

00:19:22is really well cooked.

00:19:23The chicken that's

00:19:24a little overcooked to me

00:19:26is this piece right

00:19:27in the center

00:19:28that has been

00:19:29in the rolling grill basket.

00:19:32And it is quite charred.

00:19:34The chef took us

00:19:35on a journey.

00:19:36Latin America,

00:19:37we're in Southeast Asia,

00:19:38there's the curry,

00:19:39the chilies,

00:19:40juicy, luscious chicken

00:19:41in that rice soup,

00:19:43which steals the show.

00:19:44I don't think

00:19:45they were so successful

00:19:46with cooking

00:19:47the chicken breast on top.

00:19:49Really good flavors,

00:19:50great weeknight meal,

00:19:51great use of the randomizer.

00:19:52The rice is cooked expertly.

00:19:54And I would have liked

00:19:55my chicken poached

00:19:56and shredded

00:19:57and incorporated

00:19:58into this rice.

00:19:59It really needed to be.

00:20:00I would have put

00:20:00the Fresno and the pea

00:20:01in the grill basket

00:20:02and get the char on the pea

00:20:04and really get

00:20:04that smokiness on the peas.

00:20:06The peas a little flat

00:20:07in this dish.

00:20:08This is the hair.

00:20:08This is splitting the hair

00:20:10and that's what

00:20:10it's going to take to win.

00:20:12Thank you very much.

00:20:14I don't buy

00:20:15that they were overcooked.

00:20:16But maybe the outside bits

00:20:17that were on the outside

00:20:18of the grill

00:20:19and if that's what they got,

00:20:21that's what they got.

00:20:21So we'll see.

00:20:22Her dish obviously

00:20:23was delicious.

00:20:24I don't need to be great.

00:20:25I just need to be good enough.

00:20:27Thank you very much.

00:20:28Chef Michelle Bernstein.

00:20:29Chef Kenny Oranger.

00:20:30Thank Jeffrey Zakaria.

00:20:32Let's do this.

00:20:33Right.

00:20:36Let's bring him out.

00:20:37Chef Patak Zepeda.

00:20:39Chef Chetila.

00:20:42Very close

00:20:43for a score of 75 to 80.

00:20:48The winner of the second round

00:20:50of the battle

00:20:51between Chef Chetila

00:20:52and Chef Patak Zepeda is...

00:20:57The winner of the second round is...

00:21:03Chef Chetila.

00:21:07Congratulations.

00:21:14Chef Patak,

00:21:15when your nickname is La Jefa,

00:21:17when you are the boss,

00:21:19you do run the kitchen,

00:21:20you do run the show,

00:21:21and we will see you again.

00:21:23Chef Patak Zepeda.

00:21:29Not surprising.

00:21:31Yeah.

00:21:32No regrets.

00:21:33There's no point

00:21:33in doing that.

00:21:34See you next year.

00:21:35Maybe.

00:21:36Two wins in a row

00:21:38for Chetila and TLC7.

00:21:40Take a look here, Chef.

00:21:42Oh, where do we go next?

00:21:44Either Artie Sequeira

00:21:45or the James Beard Award winning

00:21:47Jonathan Sawyer.

00:21:48Wow.

00:21:49Congratulations.

00:21:50On to the quarterfinals.

00:21:51Chetila.

00:21:53Chetila.

00:21:54Thank you, thank you,

00:21:55thank you, thank you.

00:21:56Wow.

00:21:58Come on now.

00:21:59Oh, my brother.

00:22:00Probably one of the most

00:22:01difficult cooks in there.

00:22:02I mean, do you think

00:22:03that you tried to do too much?

00:22:05She scared me,

00:22:07made me feel like

00:22:08I needed to do more.

00:22:09Our next two opponents,

00:22:10we have the number three seed,

00:22:12Chef Kevin Lee,

00:22:13who continues to show

00:22:14why he's called

00:22:15the Dragon Slayer.

00:22:17And he'll have to prove

00:22:18it again tonight.

00:22:19Back again.

00:22:20You know, last year,

00:22:21I came in with my Kobes

00:22:23and my Dragon Slayer T-shirt on,

00:22:24but this year,

00:22:25I'm here to show everybody

00:22:26I am serious.

00:22:27His opponent is the number two seed,

00:22:30the one and only

00:22:31Chef Britt Resigno.

00:22:32Britt has won

00:22:34every second round battle

00:22:35she's ever competed in.

00:22:37Me versus Kev.

00:22:39I always thought

00:22:39this would be a finale.

00:22:40Britt and I kind of grew up

00:22:42in TLC.

00:22:42You know, this show

00:22:43kind of made our careers.

00:22:44TLC Five,

00:22:45I came as a guy

00:22:46who had a fried chicken restaurant.

00:22:48Fast forward two years later,

00:22:49I'm on my second steakhouse.

00:22:51I had a James Berry nomination.

00:22:53Season Seven,

00:22:54when I know her eyes

00:22:55are on that belt

00:22:56and my eyes are on that belt,

00:22:58it's going to be a great battle.

00:22:59This is the battle

00:23:00of TLC Seven

00:23:02because it's two minds

00:23:03that really understand

00:23:05this competition

00:23:05and love it.

00:23:07Kevin has only gone out

00:23:09by Antonia, the champion,

00:23:11and I've only lost

00:23:13in this arena to champions.

00:23:14Are you ready

00:23:15to meet our contenders?

00:23:16Then let's write it up!

00:23:20He was executive chef

00:23:21of a sushi restaurant

00:23:22in Vegas, Mandalay Bay,

00:23:24at the ripe age of 21.

00:23:26Now he's the owner

00:23:27of two acclaimed

00:23:28Korean-inspired steakhouses

00:23:29in his hometown

00:23:30of Oklahoma City.

00:23:31He was a James Beard Award

00:23:33semi-finalist

00:23:34for Best Chefs Southwest

00:23:36in 2025.

00:23:38He has defeated

00:23:39Shirley Chung,

00:23:40Adam Sobel,

00:23:41and Brooke Williamson

00:23:42in the TLC Arena

00:23:43and is the only

00:23:45two-time winner

00:23:46of Alex vs. America.

00:23:48And in the first round

00:23:49of TLC Seven,

00:23:50he defeated

00:23:51Chop Grand Champion

00:23:52Adam Greenberg

00:23:53with a venison dish

00:23:55that Judge Rocco Despierto

00:23:56called impossible to do

00:23:58in a fine dining

00:23:59restaurant setting,

00:24:00much less in a

00:24:01competition setting.

00:24:02Make some noise

00:24:03for the Dragon Slayer!

00:24:05Chef Kevin Lee!

00:24:15You still got the

00:24:16eye of the dragon?

00:24:17I know what it takes

00:24:18to win,

00:24:19and I'm not gonna

00:24:20take it lightly.

00:24:21I'm ready.

00:24:22Let's meet your opponent.

00:24:25She went from working

00:24:26in her grandparents'

00:24:27clam bar as a kid

00:24:28to executive chef

00:24:29of her own

00:24:30Four Diamond Restaurant

00:24:31in Sun Valley, Idaho.

00:24:33She's a Chop champion,

00:24:34a Triple G winner,

00:24:36and beat Bobby Flay

00:24:37with her Grammy Jones

00:24:39chicken and dumpling recipe.

00:24:41She defeated

00:24:42competition greats

00:24:44such as

00:24:44Jose Garces,

00:24:45Tiffany Faison,

00:24:46and Jonathan Sawyer

00:24:47to reach the

00:24:48TOC Final Four

00:24:50three years in a row.

00:24:52And she outcooked

00:24:53Michelin-starred

00:24:54master Giuseppe Tentori

00:24:56in the first round

00:24:57of TOC Seven

00:24:58with a dish

00:24:59that Chef Judy Ju

00:25:00described as

00:25:01spectacular.

00:25:06Make some noise

00:25:07for Chef Britt

00:25:09Rissigno!

00:25:18With the two of you

00:25:19knowing how powerful

00:25:20you are,

00:25:20to me it feels like

00:25:21I'm in the semifinals

00:25:22right now.

00:25:22And we can't get started

00:25:23with that

00:25:24without taking it

00:25:25to the randomizer

00:25:26right this way,

00:25:26Chef.

00:25:27Let's do this!

00:25:27Yeah!

00:25:28Yeah!

00:25:29Yeah!

00:25:30Yeah!

00:25:32Yeah!

00:25:33Yeah!

00:25:34Let's go!

00:25:35Here we go!

00:25:36Going for the proteins!

00:25:41Good luck.

00:25:42All the respect to you.

00:25:45Tiger,

00:25:46Chops,

00:25:47Bone and Rib-Eye,

00:25:50Escarole,

00:25:51Meat Grinder,

00:25:52Guilty Pleasure,

00:25:53All right,

00:25:54here we go!

00:25:54Pepperoni Cups.

00:25:56Only makes my night

00:25:57get better.

00:25:5835 minutes on the clock.

00:25:59I wish you both

00:26:00the best.

00:26:01Go.

00:26:05Bone and Rib-Eye,

00:26:06it's got a great balance

00:26:07between well-marbled

00:26:08meat and fat.

00:26:10This right here

00:26:10is going to lend itself

00:26:11to that meat grinder

00:26:13incredibly well.

00:26:14Escarole is a bitter,

00:26:16leafy green,

00:26:16part of the chicory family.

00:26:18And Guilty Pleasure,

00:26:19we're looking for dishes

00:26:20that are fatty,

00:26:21carby, cheesy, rich,

00:26:23and they'll be able

00:26:23to find that

00:26:24over here

00:26:24with some pepperoni cups.

00:26:26I think it's got to be

00:26:27something indulgent,

00:26:28super flavorful,

00:26:29and very chef,

00:26:30and they have

00:26:3035 minutes to do so.

00:26:31Britt is a really smart

00:26:34competition chef,

00:26:35but I'm staying calm.

00:26:37This is a guy

00:26:38who has two steakhouses.

00:26:39If I can't win this round

00:26:42with the bone and rib-eye,

00:26:44we're going to have a problem.

00:26:45All right, chef.

00:26:46I'm not going to let

00:26:48Britt scare me.

00:26:49I'm thinking

00:26:50making a country fried steak.

00:26:53We love our country fried steaks

00:26:55in Oklahoma.

00:26:56Doesn't get more guilty

00:26:57pleasure than that.

00:26:58Look at the marbling on that.

00:26:59It's a crime against the steak

00:27:01that's probably about

00:27:02to hit the grinder.

00:27:04First thing I'm going

00:27:05to start is the gravy.

00:27:07I know it's going

00:27:07to take a little time,

00:27:08so I'm taking the spinelis

00:27:09of the rib-eye,

00:27:10some pepperoni cups,

00:27:12and I'm putting it

00:27:13through the meat grinder.

00:27:16Spinelis is the outer muscle cap

00:27:18of the rib-eye,

00:27:19which has beautiful texture,

00:27:21flavor.

00:27:21It is my favorite part

00:27:23of the cap.

00:27:24Rendering down the fat

00:27:25on that rib-eye,

00:27:26rendering down that pepperoni.

00:27:28In another pot,

00:27:29I'm starting my room.

00:27:30I'm not going to do

00:27:31your generic chain restaurant

00:27:33country fried steak.

00:27:35It's really smart

00:27:36and it's really playful

00:27:36to have like a chicken fried steak.

00:27:38This is going to be

00:27:39the Dragon Slayer style

00:27:41country fried steak

00:27:42that's going to blow

00:27:44the judges' mind.

00:27:47Kevin Lee is a tough chef.

00:27:49He's so good in this kitchen,

00:27:51but I'm coming for you.

00:27:52I didn't get here

00:27:54for no reason.

00:27:55I've beaten the reigning champ.

00:27:57I've beaten judges.

00:27:58The next thing

00:27:59that I'm going to conquer

00:28:00is TOC 7, baby.

00:28:03Brits going burger!

00:28:04Yeah!

00:28:05Brits going burger!

00:28:06Burger!

00:28:07Chef, is the plan

00:28:08what I think the plan is?

00:28:09You know it.

00:28:10I have been dying

00:28:11to get a chance

00:28:12to make a burger on TOC.

00:28:14Say I've been waiting

00:28:15for four years

00:28:15for this opportunity.

00:28:17Heck yeah!

00:28:17They're one of my favorite foods

00:28:19in the whole wide world.

00:28:20It's nice and fatty, too.

00:28:22It's going to make

00:28:22such a good burger.

00:28:23Guilty pleasure.

00:28:24Especially with that pepperoni.

00:28:25Where's the pepperoni?

00:28:26Going in or on top?

00:28:27Both.

00:28:28I'm going to grind my pepperoni.

00:28:29I love pepperoni cups.

00:28:31I think it's the elite pepperoni.

00:28:33It's going to season

00:28:33the inside of my burger patty.

00:28:36I want to do

00:28:37these nice, thick steak burgers.

00:28:40Adding pepperoni to the pan

00:28:42is just going to add

00:28:42another layer of unctuousness.

00:28:45Butter daddy, baby!

00:28:46Brits has been in the final four

00:28:47every TOC she's been in,

00:28:50but this time,

00:28:51the Dragon Slayer

00:28:52could take butter daddy

00:28:53right out.

00:28:5625 minutes, chefs.

00:28:5825 to go.

00:28:59Soy oyster?

00:29:00Something heavy like

00:29:00country fried steak

00:29:01needs a little salad.

00:29:03A little kimchi, you know?

00:29:04Something acidic, spicy, bright.

00:29:06The next thing I want to work on

00:29:08is the escarole kimchi.

00:29:09You know, country fried steak

00:29:10can be very rich.

00:29:12It's going to need something bright

00:29:13to really break off

00:29:14that richness.

00:29:15It is guilty pleasure,

00:29:17but you still want

00:29:18a balanced dish.

00:29:19This is TOC.

00:29:20You're not just serving

00:29:21country fried steak

00:29:22to your neighbor.

00:29:23Some nice levity

00:29:24to the heaviness of that steak.

00:29:25So yeah, it's guilty pleasure,

00:29:27but you still got to know

00:29:28when to, like,

00:29:29take your foot off the gas

00:29:29a little bit.

00:29:30Next thing I'm going to do

00:29:31is make my country fried steak.

00:29:33I think it'll be a great idea

00:29:35to keep the bone

00:29:36on the meat.

00:29:37So I'm frenching the bone,

00:29:39pounding it down

00:29:39with a meat mallet.

00:29:40Thread it and fry

00:29:42like a fried chicken.

00:29:43And Oklahoma is a huge staple.

00:29:45If I don't win this round,

00:29:47the whole state of Oklahoma

00:29:48is going to come after me.

00:29:50Going cast iron or deep fryer?

00:29:52Deep fryer, guy.

00:29:54Definitely a guilty pleasure.

00:29:55Oh, for sure.

00:29:57I'm going to use this pepperoni

00:29:58to the max.

00:30:00Let's have some fried pepperoni.

00:30:02I know that I want to make

00:30:03a pepperoni jam.

00:30:05This pepperoni jam

00:30:06is going to be the thing

00:30:09that ties this whole burger together.

00:30:11It is salty.

00:30:12Maple?

00:30:13Maple.

00:30:14It's sweet.

00:30:15There's vinegar.

00:30:16There's acid.

00:30:17Everything to it

00:30:18to just make this

00:30:19umami bomb of a burger.

00:30:21Oh, my God.

00:30:26That's a whole dang thing.

00:30:27Chef, you got to be careful

00:30:29because you put that on a menu,

00:30:30you're going to be making it

00:30:31the rest of your life.

00:30:34You can entomb me in that.

00:30:38My burgers come out of the oven.

00:30:40They're beautiful,

00:30:41cooked perfect,

00:30:42rest these like a proper steak.

00:30:44I'm going to put them

00:30:45on a rack to rest.

00:30:47Oh, look at that.

00:30:48Oh, my burgers.

00:30:50Wow.

00:30:51Everyone knows for me

00:30:52as my big, bold,

00:30:54Italian flavors, right?

00:30:56But I used to work

00:30:57at a burger place.

00:30:58I was the R&D chef,

00:31:00front of house manager,

00:31:01created all the new burgers

00:31:03for this restaurant

00:31:04and it was epic.

00:31:05It's a guilty pleasure.

00:31:07I want these judges

00:31:07to get messy.

00:31:09Get your face in there

00:31:09and enjoy that.

00:31:11Want to keep this umami going?

00:31:12Next, I want to work

00:31:13on my escrow component

00:31:15to my burger.

00:31:16Black garlic,

00:31:17get it wilted

00:31:18ever so slightly,

00:31:19and then I'm going to

00:31:20chop up some

00:31:21Cornish on pickles,

00:31:22that layer of acidity

00:31:24to cut through

00:31:25all of our guilty pleasure.

00:31:31Those look nice.

00:31:32Gorgeous.

00:31:36These look beautiful

00:31:37coming out of the fryer.

00:31:38As long as he's happy

00:31:39to sort of use

00:31:39the cake tester,

00:31:40we put it on here

00:31:41on our chin

00:31:42or the top of our lip,

00:31:43and if it's warm to us,

00:31:44that's about a medium rare,

00:31:45so we're happy with that

00:31:46just warm through.

00:31:48I want to make sure

00:31:49I use a pepperoni

00:31:50more than once.

00:31:51Throw some pepperonis

00:31:52in the fryer

00:31:53because I know

00:31:53I have Britt

00:31:54competing against me.

00:31:55I know she's going

00:31:56to hit that randomizer

00:31:57multiple times.

00:31:59I've got to make sure

00:32:00I don't get behind

00:32:01on those randomizer points.

00:32:02I'm going to char

00:32:03some green escrow.

00:32:04Okay.

00:32:05A little garnish on top.

00:32:06I want to really grill

00:32:07this escrow

00:32:08to really get

00:32:08the bitterness out of it.

00:32:10It's going to break

00:32:10down the fibers.

00:32:11It's going to really

00:32:12add a nice smokiness

00:32:14to the dish.

00:32:15I've never thought

00:32:16in my career

00:32:16I will be here

00:32:17competing among

00:32:18some of the best chefs

00:32:19in the country

00:32:20and winning

00:32:21before TLC5

00:32:22I was months away

00:32:23from having to

00:32:24probably bankrupt

00:32:25my restaurant

00:32:26sell my house

00:32:27everything was on the line

00:32:28and now

00:32:29we're opening

00:32:30our second steakhouse.

00:32:31Imagine what winning

00:32:32this could do

00:32:33for my family.

00:32:34I am truly

00:32:35motivated to win

00:32:37the title this season.

00:32:3912 minutes chefs

00:32:4012 to go.

00:32:43You see that little kick?

00:32:45I did.

00:32:45We have to have a side

00:32:47for this burger.

00:32:47Let's make some onion rings

00:32:48and while we're at it

00:32:50frying the escrow

00:32:51is going to take away

00:32:52some of that bitterness

00:32:53I want to hit

00:32:54the randomizer

00:32:55time and time again

00:32:56and I want to hit

00:32:57it perfectly.

00:32:58Check, check, check,

00:32:59check, check.

00:33:00I'm going to take

00:33:01these bones

00:33:01and I'm going to put

00:33:02them in the fryer

00:33:03because who doesn't love

00:33:04a nice little crispy

00:33:04bone snack?

00:33:06And I want them to know

00:33:07that this was

00:33:07a bone-in ribeye.

00:33:08Oh, she's adding

00:33:09the fried bone

00:33:10to nibble.

00:33:11Wow!

00:33:14They're going to love

00:33:15that little snack.

00:33:16Three and a half.

00:33:17So I'm going to take

00:33:18my bottom toasted

00:33:19burger bun.

00:33:20Come on, y'all.

00:33:21That's where I need

00:33:21your energy.

00:33:23Layer of mayo.

00:33:24I have my black garlic

00:33:25cornichon escrow.

00:33:27I have my fatty

00:33:28steakhouse burger

00:33:29with American cheese.

00:33:31Crispy pepperoni cups

00:33:32right on top

00:33:33for that crunch.

00:33:34And then I'm going to

00:33:35take this beautiful

00:33:37pepperoni jam

00:33:38and I'm going to just

00:33:38nappe each burger.

00:33:40Grab our onion ring

00:33:42shoestring.

00:33:43I'm going to grab my bone.

00:33:45Put that on there

00:33:46for that nice little snack.

00:33:48Raise the bone.

00:33:49I have zero concerns.

00:33:50I did exactly

00:33:51what I wanted.

00:33:52I hit the randomizer.

00:33:53Let's go.

00:33:54Two minutes.

00:33:55I had the

00:33:57Spinalis pepperoni gravy

00:33:58going on the bottom

00:33:59of the plate.

00:34:00Beautiful boning

00:34:01country ribeye steak

00:34:02going on the side

00:34:03of the gravy.

00:34:03Finishing with my

00:34:05escrow kimchi

00:34:06with some chives

00:34:07and fresnos.

00:34:0890 seconds.

00:34:09I feel like I played

00:34:10the randomizer

00:34:11really well.

00:34:13I don't think

00:34:13I made the obvious

00:34:15choice of making

00:34:15a burger or a meatball.

00:34:1735 seconds.

00:34:19I'm going to finish

00:34:19it with my charred

00:34:21escrow on the side.

00:34:223, 2, 1.

00:34:25We're done.

00:34:28What a battle.

00:34:30Thank you so much.

00:34:31Chef Rubber Signo.

00:34:33Chef Kevin Lee.

00:34:36Let's go.

00:34:37This is my fourth year.

00:34:38I've been dying

00:34:38to make a burger on TOC.

00:34:40Let's go, baby.

00:34:45If I lose on this one,

00:34:47I'll never hear the end

00:34:49of it from OKC.

00:34:51My only concern is Britt.

00:34:52You know, Britt has been

00:34:53very good in this arena.

00:34:55She always wins,

00:34:56so I know I need

00:34:57a high score to get

00:34:58by in this round.

00:35:01All right, ladies

00:35:01and gentlemen,

00:35:02let's welcome back

00:35:03our judges award-winning

00:35:04restaurateurs,

00:35:05Michelle Bernstein,

00:35:06Kenny Oranger,

00:35:07and Iron Chef's

00:35:08Jeffrey Zakarian.

00:35:09Oh, I love

00:35:10Michelle Bernstein.

00:35:11Jeffrey Zakarian.

00:35:12I mean, I know

00:35:13this is probably

00:35:14not the meal

00:35:14that he's looking forward to.

00:35:16They're all tough judges.

00:35:17Michelle, Zakarian,

00:35:19they've been here before.

00:35:20I'm just hoping

00:35:20they love my dish.

00:35:22All right, judges,

00:35:23the chefs were presented

00:35:24tonight with the

00:35:25bone and ribeye

00:35:26and protein.

00:35:27Produce was escarole.

00:35:28The equipment that must

00:35:29be employed

00:35:30was a meat grinder.

00:35:30The style tonight

00:35:31was guilty pleasure

00:35:32and the wild card

00:35:34ingredient was

00:35:35pepperoni cups.

00:35:36And here to present

00:35:37is our wild card

00:35:38himself, Justin Warner.

00:35:41This is a steakhouse

00:35:42burger with

00:35:43shoestring onions.

00:35:44The bone-in ribeye

00:35:45was ground in the

00:35:46meat grinder.

00:35:47That meat grinder

00:35:47was employed

00:35:48to grind pepperoni.

00:35:50The pepperoni

00:35:50and the ground ribeye

00:35:52were combined together,

00:35:53seasoned,

00:35:54and cooked in the pan,

00:35:55along with some

00:35:56extra pepperoni cups

00:35:57to flavor the drippings.

00:35:59Yeah, pick that bone up.

00:36:01The on-in ribeye's bone

00:36:03was fried and served

00:36:04on the side.

00:36:05So the escarole,

00:36:06you will see,

00:36:07interlaced with

00:36:07those shoestring onions.

00:36:09They can't stop eating?

00:36:10I think that's a good thing.

00:36:13Whew.

00:36:15That is a guilty pleasure.

00:36:16Wow.

00:36:17I'm from New Jersey.

00:36:18I love pepperoni.

00:36:19I love burgers also.

00:36:20But the grind, to me,

00:36:21is a little bit fine.

00:36:23It's like,

00:36:23it's not eating juicy.

00:36:25Eh?

00:36:26I want it to drip.

00:36:27I used the biggest grind

00:36:28that I could.

00:36:29I think I would have

00:36:30gone a lot less pepperoni,

00:36:32more for accent

00:36:32than in the grinds.

00:36:34But the flavor is undeniable.

00:36:36It's a flavor bomb.

00:36:37I think as far as

00:36:38the ribeye goes,

00:36:39I love the fact

00:36:39that it's a very interesting

00:36:41way to do this deep frying.

00:36:42It's really sort of fun.

00:36:44Escarol, I love it.

00:36:44Could have used

00:36:45some more vinegar.

00:36:46This is a very fatty dish.

00:36:47And what fat needs

00:36:48is acid.

00:36:49Great presentation,

00:36:50but my favorite part

00:36:51of this is definitely

00:36:53these onion rings

00:36:54are just off the charts good.

00:36:57Escarol happens to be

00:36:58one of my favorite

00:36:59leafy vegetables,

00:37:00and I love

00:37:01the braised idea from it.

00:37:02That's really my favorite

00:37:04part of this burger,

00:37:05mainly because

00:37:05it is a dry burger.

00:37:11I don't understand

00:37:12how it's dry.

00:37:13I mean, I need a hot second.

00:37:15Can I?

00:37:17Wasn't Brett's best cook yet,

00:37:18so good for me.

00:37:21Great.

00:37:21Thank you, judges.

00:37:22Scorecards are in front of you.

00:37:2350 points available in taste,

00:37:2540 points in the use

00:37:26of the randomizer,

00:37:27and 10 in presentation.

00:37:29You know, it's not every day

00:37:30Brett has a down day

00:37:31in this kitchen.

00:37:32That was interesting.

00:37:34I'd better deliver.

00:37:36All right, judges,

00:37:37and here for the second dish

00:37:39is our TOC champ herself,

00:37:41Tiffany Faison.

00:37:43In front of you,

00:37:44you have country fried

00:37:46bone-in ribeye steak

00:37:47with a grinder gravy

00:37:48of ribeye and pepperoni cup,

00:37:50a grilled and fresh

00:37:51escarol salad

00:37:52and crispy pepperoni cup crumble.

00:37:54The spinalis and pepperoni cups

00:37:56became the base

00:37:57of the meat grinder gravy.

00:37:58The chef took the ribeye,

00:37:59fried to the GBD steak

00:38:00that you see in front of you.

00:38:02The baby inside leaves

00:38:03of the escarol were picked out

00:38:04and removed

00:38:05for the salad in front of you.

00:38:06That's not to be outdone

00:38:07by the escarol

00:38:08that was then treated

00:38:08to the grill

00:38:09in a little bit of olive oil.

00:38:10There was a crispy

00:38:11pepperoni cup crumble

00:38:13that finished the top

00:38:14of the steak.

00:38:17This is the most expensive

00:38:18chicken fried steak

00:38:19I've ever had.

00:38:20I love the look

00:38:21of this dish.

00:38:22It's sexy.

00:38:22They kept the moisture

00:38:23on the steak.

00:38:24The crust held up.

00:38:25I love, love the escarol.

00:38:27That is how you cook escarol.

00:38:29It's like bitter.

00:38:30It's vinegary.

00:38:32I didn't really get

00:38:33the pepperoni.

00:38:34It was like just

00:38:34strewn about.

00:38:36And I love, love

00:38:37the spinalis gravy.

00:38:39Love you, Zacarian.

00:38:41It's Kevin.

00:38:42Chicken fried steak

00:38:43to have it in ribeye

00:38:45it's like kind of my dream.

00:38:48And I do love gravy

00:38:50and the spinalis gravy

00:38:51is actually delicious.

00:38:55Super guilty pleasure here.

00:38:57Now, the soy

00:38:58to me it's fighting

00:38:59just a little bit.

00:39:00I'll take it.

00:39:02The escarol is great.

00:39:03The pepperoni's there.

00:39:04It's a little bit

00:39:05of an afterthought.

00:39:06But it shouldn't be

00:39:07an afterthought

00:39:07and it shouldn't be

00:39:08I don't mind.

00:39:09It has to be featured

00:39:10in the dish.

00:39:11I applaud this chef.

00:39:17This is a delicious dish.

00:39:19All the chilies

00:39:19and the soy

00:39:20and all the flavor.

00:39:22When I eat a ribeye

00:39:23especially a really

00:39:24great cut of beef

00:39:25I still want there

00:39:26to be some juice in it.

00:39:27This is like medium well

00:39:29and the crust

00:39:31and the gravy

00:39:32more than make up for it

00:39:33but I would have liked

00:39:34maybe a little bit

00:39:34more juice.

00:39:35I understand.

00:39:36I could take them

00:39:37in randomizer.

00:39:38All right judges

00:39:39thank you very much.

00:39:40Your scorecard's

00:39:41in front of you again.

00:39:4250 points available

00:39:42in taste.

00:39:4340 points in the use

00:39:45of the randomizer.

00:39:4610 points in presentation.

00:39:48Not a bad judging.

00:39:49My presentation

00:39:50was beautiful

00:39:51and I used

00:39:52the randomizer tenfold.

00:39:53I've never not made

00:39:54it into the final four.

00:39:55Britt, good luck.

00:39:57I'm coming for that belt.

00:39:59Scores are in.

00:40:00Let's go see

00:40:01what the judges have to say.

00:40:02I've got the totals.

00:40:04Let's bring our chefs

00:40:05back in.

00:40:06Kevin Lee,

00:40:07Britt Roussigno.

00:40:15The judges had a lot to say

00:40:17and here are the scores.

00:40:2175 to 80.

00:40:24The winner

00:40:25of the second round battle

00:40:27between Chef Britt Roussigno

00:40:28and Chef Kevin Lee

00:40:29is

00:40:36Chef Kevin Lee!

00:40:39Wow!

00:40:42Congratulations, Chef.

00:40:43The end of the road

00:40:45but not the end

00:40:46of Chef Britt.

00:40:48Butter and Daddy!

00:40:49Chef Britt Roussigno.

00:40:56Going home this early.

00:40:58I'm holding back tears.

00:41:02It's tough.

00:41:05The Dragon Slayer

00:41:06is still here.

00:41:09Let's take a look.

00:41:11The icon,

00:41:12legend play in

00:41:13Lorena Garcia

00:41:14goes up against

00:41:15Mustache Joe Sasto

00:41:16so you get one

00:41:17of those two.

00:41:18You got this?

00:41:19Let's go.

00:41:19Kevin Lee,

00:41:20the Dragon Slayer.

00:41:21Well done, buddy.

00:41:22We're in the quarterfinals.

00:41:24Let's go!

00:41:24Quarterfinals!

00:41:28Let's go.

00:41:29Next one.

00:41:29Here we come.

00:41:30Okay, let's start

00:41:31on round two.

00:41:32Ribeye,

00:41:33a pepperoni cheeseburger.

00:41:35Well, I was just looking

00:41:36for a little more texture.

00:41:38Grinding in the pepperoni

00:41:40to it probably

00:41:41didn't help it at all.

00:41:42It's too dry to grind

00:41:43because it's desiccated already.

00:41:45All the water's out of it.

00:41:46It was the misunderstanding

00:41:47of how to use that pepperoni.

00:41:48Ladies and gentlemen,

00:41:50are you ready to meet

00:41:51our next two gourmet gladiators?

00:41:56We have the number eight seed,

00:41:58Chef Artie Sequeira,

00:41:59who followed up

00:42:00her qualifier win

00:42:01against Chef Brittany Anderson

00:42:03with an even bigger

00:42:04first-round victory

00:42:05against a culinary icon.

00:42:08Artie Sequeira!

00:42:09What?

00:42:11For me to go up against,

00:42:13like, a giant like me

00:42:15win and win.

00:42:17It's crazy.

00:42:18I always looked at chefs

00:42:19that did TOC

00:42:20and I was like,

00:42:20they're in this weird,

00:42:21like, click.

00:42:23But I get it now.

00:42:25I don't do a great job

00:42:26of celebrating victories,

00:42:27but if I get through this

00:42:29against Jonathan Sawyer,

00:42:30I will be celebrating

00:42:31their victory.

00:42:32Now, our opponent

00:42:33is the number four seed,

00:42:34Chef Jonathan Sawyer,

00:42:36fresh off his rematch victory

00:42:37in the first round,

00:42:38who is determined

00:42:39to reach the quarterfinals

00:42:41for the first time.

00:42:43Artie, man,

00:42:44taking down Ming Tsai,

00:42:45the icon.

00:42:47She's already got

00:42:48two wins under her belt.

00:42:49Her cooking skills

00:42:50cannot be denied.

00:42:51Nobody else beat Ming Tsai

00:42:52this year already did,

00:42:53and she did because

00:42:54she cooked a better plate of food.

00:42:56It's really crazy

00:42:57that this competition,

00:42:58two of my best friends

00:42:59are the first two people I've heard.

00:43:01I mean, sending Karen home

00:43:02was a tragedy,

00:43:03and now I've got to do

00:43:04a tardy as well.

00:43:05Are you ready

00:43:06for another fantastic food fight?

00:43:09And let's light it up!

00:43:12She grew up

00:43:13in a food-loving Indian family,

00:43:15started a recipe journal

00:43:16when she was just 10 years old,

00:43:18and liked to pretend

00:43:19that she had her own cooking show.

00:43:21Little did she know.

00:43:22She won seven out of the 18 challenges

00:43:26to win season six

00:43:28of Food Network Star,

00:43:30earning her her own

00:43:31network cooking show.

00:43:33And in the first round

00:43:35of TOC7,

00:43:36she defeated

00:43:37the top-seated culinary icon,

00:43:39the one and only

00:43:40Chef Ming Tsai,

00:43:41with a dish

00:43:42that Judge Dominique Krenn

00:43:44said,

00:43:44I want this dish

00:43:45over and over again.

00:43:47I want to eat it.

00:43:47Put your hands together

00:43:48for the Spice Queen,

00:43:50Chef Arnie Sequeira!

00:44:02That is the most un-arty thing

00:44:08I've ever seen.

00:44:08That's why I did it.

00:44:10After you took down Ming Tsai,

00:44:11you should come out

00:44:12and do whatever you want to do.

00:44:15You're going to need

00:44:16all of that Spice Queen magic

00:44:18because your opponent,

00:44:19he's just done

00:44:20a couple things.

00:44:22Like opened 18 restaurants,

00:44:25including his latest restaurant,

00:44:27Kindling,

00:44:27that Chicago Tribune says

00:44:29allows him to showcase

00:44:30his vision

00:44:32on a grand scale.

00:44:34He made Bon Appetit

00:44:36and Esquire's

00:44:36Best New Restaurants list,

00:44:38Eater Chicago's list

00:44:39of the Best Italian Beef Sandwiches,

00:44:42and received a 2017

00:44:44James Beard Award

00:44:45for Best Chef Great Lakes

00:44:47and was the last chef standing

00:44:50on season two

00:44:51of 24 and 24.

00:44:53And in the first round

00:44:54of TOC 7,

00:44:55he won his rematch

00:44:57against Chef Karen Akunowicz

00:44:58with a dish

00:44:59that Judge Antonio Lofaso

00:45:01praised for.

00:45:02Technique,

00:45:03technique,

00:45:04technique.

00:45:04Put your hands together

00:45:06for the bearded mother,

00:45:08Chef Jonathan Sawyer!

00:45:21Chefs,

00:45:22you're both qualified.

00:45:23I would love to see it

00:45:25for either one of you

00:45:25moving to the quarterfinals,

00:45:27but it's not up to me.

00:45:28It's up to you

00:45:30and the randomizer.

00:45:31Let's go!

00:45:35We should get into this.

00:45:37Let's go for the protein!

00:45:39Let's go for the protein!

00:45:40Let's go for the protein!

00:45:42Let's go for the protein!

00:45:44Let's go for the protein!

00:45:45Let's go for the protein!

00:45:46Tiger prawns,

00:45:47purple Napa cabbage,

00:45:49tortilla press,

00:45:51date night dinner,

00:45:53soybean curls.

00:45:55Oh, come on!

00:45:57I don't even know

00:45:58what a freaking soybean curl is.

00:46:01Have you worked

00:46:01with soybean curls recently?

00:46:03Such an expert in them?

00:46:04Yeah.

00:46:05Soy curls,

00:46:06I've never cooked before.

00:46:07This is not a winner's wheel for me.

00:46:10I'm just going to go out on a limb

00:46:12that I'm not getting invited

00:46:13to your birthday party now.

00:46:16And you should probably go.

00:46:17Oh!

00:46:18Woo!

00:46:20Tiger prawns,

00:46:21these are head-on tiger prawns.

00:46:23They're nice.

00:46:23They're big.

00:46:24Purple Napa cabbage,

00:46:25leeches out a little bit of color,

00:46:26so that's something

00:46:27they would have to think about.

00:46:28Tortilla press,

00:46:29this can be utilized

00:46:30in a lot of ways

00:46:31besides making tortillas.

00:46:32What is the date night dinner?

00:46:33Well, it's usually

00:46:34going to be a little more elevated.

00:46:35Soybean curls,

00:46:36high-protein meat substitute,

00:46:38dehydrated, textured.

00:46:39They're going to have

00:46:40to taste it, test it.

00:46:41I cannot believe

00:46:43that I'm in round two of T.O.C.

00:46:45To stand with these

00:46:47chef, hero, rockstar warriors

00:46:49and to be part of this tribe

00:46:51feels like a victory

00:46:53in and of itself.

00:46:54Jonathan is like

00:46:54a technique meister.

00:46:56I'm willing to jump

00:46:58a little higher

00:46:59in terms of flavor.

00:47:00Let's do laksa.

00:47:02Think about making laksa.

00:47:04Some form of laksa.

00:47:05Laksa is a Singaporean,

00:47:07Malaysian soup

00:47:09with lots of chili

00:47:10and curry powder.

00:47:11Usually has noodles

00:47:12and seafood in it.

00:47:14Let's see what happens

00:47:15with those.

00:47:16I don't know exactly.

00:47:17First thing I'm going to tackle

00:47:18are these soybean curls.

00:47:20I figure if I rehydrate them,

00:47:22I can see what they're made of.

00:47:23I get to work

00:47:24on the protein immediately

00:47:26because there's a whole lot

00:47:27of leg and shell

00:47:28to get rid of

00:47:29when it comes to a tiger prawn.

00:47:31They're really, really big.

00:47:32Yeah.

00:47:33My husband and I

00:47:34got to go to Singapore

00:47:36early on

00:47:37when my cooking show

00:47:38was playing

00:47:39in Southeast Asia.

00:47:40One day,

00:47:41he had found out

00:47:42about this place

00:47:43on the other side of town

00:47:44where they make

00:47:45incredible laksa.

00:47:46I may not have

00:47:47Jonathan's technique,

00:47:48but I know I have flavor.

00:47:50So let me just try that.

00:47:52I'm really honored

00:47:53to be in the second round.

00:47:54No matter what

00:47:54your pedigree is,

00:47:56if you lose

00:47:56in that first round,

00:47:57chances are you're going

00:47:58to be in the qualifier again.

00:47:59The old chin hold.

00:48:00The old chin hold.

00:48:01The muscle memory

00:48:02is coming back.

00:48:03I'm cooking better

00:48:04than I've ever cooked

00:48:05in my entire life.

00:48:06Bye-bye.

00:48:06Bye.

00:48:07I've known Artie

00:48:08for more than a decade.

00:48:09For whatever reason,

00:48:10Artie doesn't necessarily

00:48:11feel like she's one of us.

00:48:13She's already got

00:48:14two W's under her belt.

00:48:16I've only won twice total

00:48:17altogether before this year.

00:48:19However,

00:48:20I'm going to win

00:48:20because I know

00:48:21the best version of me

00:48:22wins every time.

00:48:23Let's go.

00:48:24And I just have

00:48:25to trust my training,

00:48:26quiet the voices,

00:48:28and then let the scores

00:48:30fall where they might.

00:48:31Let's talk.

00:48:32Let's talk.

00:48:32Let's do a date night.

00:48:33We're going to do

00:48:34a delicious, like,

00:48:35prawn soup,

00:48:36real deep, rich flavors,

00:48:38and then I'm going to do

00:48:39this cool little prawn cracker.

00:48:40I've been married

00:48:41for 19 years,

00:48:42so a date night dinner

00:48:43for my wife and I

00:48:43is never more than 90 minutes.

00:48:46We are efficient

00:48:47in our ordering,

00:48:49enjoying,

00:48:49and leaving,

00:48:50and going on

00:48:51to the next thing.

00:48:51So soup is definitely

00:48:54a date night for me.

00:48:55We are soup people.

00:48:56I'm going to fry

00:48:57these prawn heads

00:48:57really quick,

00:48:58get some color on them,

00:48:59start that stock.

00:49:01For me,

00:49:01this soup has got

00:49:02to be deep in flavor,

00:49:04fortified from shellfish stock

00:49:06and roasted prawn heads,

00:49:08and then poaching

00:49:09some prawns in there

00:49:10is really going to yield

00:49:10a beautiful flavor.

00:49:11Chef Jonathan Sawyer,

00:49:13a James Beard winner,

00:49:14has struggled in the beginning

00:49:15of his TOC career.

00:49:16Came back in the plans

00:49:17last year,

00:49:18made his way through,

00:49:19but has never been able

00:49:20to break through this round.

00:49:21Is this the time

00:49:22that he finally makes

00:49:23his way to the great ape?

00:49:27Chef Artie,

00:49:28Chef Jonathan,

00:49:2920 minutes,

00:49:3020 to go.

00:49:31What are our thoughts

00:49:32on soybean curls?

00:49:33I've never used them before.

00:49:34It's like they tried

00:49:35to make something healthy

00:49:36not taste as good

00:49:37as possible.

00:49:39Oh.

00:49:40Ew, ew, ew, ew.

00:49:42Is that a gaggy,

00:49:43gaggy gag?

00:49:43It's so delicious.

00:49:45Can I have more, Dan?

00:49:46See, I don't think

00:49:47they're bad.

00:49:48It smells like the bottom

00:49:50of a hamster cage, Chef.

00:49:54I think there's points

00:49:55to be picked up

00:49:56on showcasing

00:49:57these soybean curls

00:49:58as opposed to just

00:49:59using the soybean curls.

00:50:01So I'm going to blanch them

00:50:02and then marinate them heavily

00:50:04with some Meyer lemon,

00:50:05scallions, grated ginger,

00:50:07soy sauce,

00:50:08and that's going to intensify

00:50:09the soy-ness of them.

00:50:11I'm not trying to hide them.

00:50:12I'm just trying to make them

00:50:13a little bit more interesting.

00:50:14A little soy and soy.

00:50:15A little soy and soy.

00:50:17We've got to use

00:50:17a tortilla press

00:50:18somewhere inside of here.

00:50:20I press one of these

00:50:21big prawns

00:50:21into a piece of rice paper.

00:50:23I just want to keep

00:50:24the tail out

00:50:24because that's what's

00:50:25going to hold it in place.

00:50:28Looks cute.

00:50:29Let's see.

00:50:31Oh!

00:50:32Oh, my God!

00:50:37It's going to pull.

00:50:38I'm holding it.

00:50:39Cool.

00:50:39And that should curl

00:50:40right underneath.

00:50:40Okay, I'm happy.

00:50:41So cool!

00:50:42It's like the fanciest

00:50:43shrimp chip you could imagine.

00:50:44Truly.

00:50:45Going against someone

00:50:46like Artie Sequeira

00:50:47who's scoring high,

00:50:48who sent home an icon,

00:50:49it's important that I pick up

00:50:51every little point that I can.

00:50:52Going with a big, bold prawn chip

00:50:55like I am

00:50:55is a high-risk, high-reward maneuver.

00:50:57And I think there's

00:50:58a date night element to it, too.

00:50:59We're not like...

00:51:00100%.

00:51:01You know, if I'm going to

00:51:01leave my family

00:51:02for an extended period of time,

00:51:03it has to be for good reason.

00:51:05I'm 19 years, happily married.

00:51:07We are the proud parents

00:51:08of two children.

00:51:08$150,000 is a lot of cash.

00:51:10The opportunity to be able

00:51:11to afford my kids

00:51:12a higher education

00:51:13and something that I was

00:51:14never able to achieve in my life,

00:51:16this would bring me

00:51:17one step closer.

00:51:18We're just going to sit down

00:51:19and we're going to enjoy it.

00:51:20Together.

00:51:21Jonathan, do you have ginger?

00:51:23One little nub

00:51:24I can throw at you.

00:51:25You're the best.

00:51:28I can't believe I caught that.

00:51:30Laksa is nothing without the broth.

00:51:32So the shells and the heads,

00:51:34there's a ton of flavor in there.

00:51:35And I feel like if I saute them

00:51:37in Thai red curry paste

00:51:40and some vaduvan,

00:51:41which is a curry powder,

00:51:43I think we'll get

00:51:44some really beautiful

00:51:45baseline of flavor

00:51:46and let the whole thing cook.

00:51:48The soybean curls

00:51:49have this, like,

00:51:50earthy nuttiness to them.

00:51:52My plan is to use

00:51:54the soybean curls

00:51:55in gunpowder masala,

00:51:56which is usually made

00:51:59with lentils

00:52:00to give you that nuttiness.

00:52:01What are we making, chef?

00:52:02A rub for the shrimp

00:52:04and I'll put a little

00:52:04in the soup

00:52:05just to keep it cohesive.

00:52:07I need to use

00:52:08this ding-dang tortilla press

00:52:10on these tiger prawns.

00:52:11My plan is to flatten them

00:52:14so that they cook

00:52:14nice and evenly.

00:52:17Don't do that.

00:52:18That did not work.

00:52:19I'll do it one more time.

00:52:21I'm here for my kids

00:52:23and my family.

00:52:25Inevitably,

00:52:25at some point

00:52:26in my girls' lives,

00:52:27there's going to be

00:52:28something that they have to do

00:52:29that feels incredibly difficult.

00:52:32Yes!

00:52:32Look at that!

00:52:33Thank God.

00:52:34Beautiful.

00:52:35I want to show them

00:52:36that if you don't take chances,

00:52:38then you live

00:52:38a very, very small life.

00:52:40We get one go at this.

00:52:42Don't waste it.

00:52:43I grab the Napa cabbage

00:52:44and then I get it on the grill.

00:52:47I want to use it

00:52:47a couple of different ways

00:52:48so that I can showcase

00:52:49that charred flavor

00:52:51that I think will marry well

00:52:52with the charred corn shells

00:52:54in the broth.

00:52:55And I want to use it

00:52:56fresh as a salad.

00:52:57What's the plan here, Chef?

00:52:59This is like a little

00:53:00fresh slaw.

00:53:01I'm going to put

00:53:02some of those soybean curls

00:53:03in the soup

00:53:04and finish it

00:53:04with some coconut milk.

00:53:05You work with Purple Napa?

00:53:07Purple Napa?

00:53:08I've never seen it,

00:53:09but I love her.

00:53:09She's so cute.

00:53:10The base of this soup,

00:53:12one of my favorite sauces

00:53:13I make is

00:53:14a Napa cabbage sous-viz,

00:53:15where it's essentially

00:53:16just cabbage,

00:53:17onions, butter,

00:53:18and thyme.

00:53:20I'm going to put

00:53:20some of these

00:53:21disgusting little critters

00:53:22in this sofrito here.

00:53:25So every randomizer

00:53:26point matters,

00:53:27and putting some

00:53:28soy curls

00:53:29into the soup

00:53:29will help thicken it.

00:53:30I'm going to char these

00:53:31before I pickle them.

00:53:32Okay.

00:53:37This soup is super rich,

00:53:39and it's going to need

00:53:39some acid.

00:53:40That's why I'm grilling

00:53:41my Purple Napa cabbage

00:53:43and pickling it

00:53:44in a combination

00:53:45of rice wine vinegar,

00:53:46Meyer lemon juice,

00:53:47and yuzu juice.

00:53:50Chef, what's the plan

00:53:51for this shrimp?

00:53:51Like, are we just

00:53:52floating those?

00:53:53I'm going to pull them

00:53:54out in a second here,

00:53:54let them rest.

00:53:55Okay.

00:53:56And then I'm going

00:53:56to dice a little bit.

00:53:57That would really be

00:53:57the only texture in the soup.

00:53:59Come on.

00:54:01Let's hope I don't spill

00:54:02this everywhere.

00:54:08Everyone may not

00:54:09be having soup

00:54:10on date night yet,

00:54:12but after this battle,

00:54:13I bet you will be.

00:54:14Lime leaf soy cabbage soup.

00:54:22Whoo!

00:54:23So good.

00:54:24My husband and I

00:54:25have been together

00:54:26since we were both 18,

00:54:27and it was him

00:54:29that encouraged me,

00:54:30that got me cooking classes,

00:54:31helped me shoot

00:54:32my YouTube cooking show

00:54:34back in the day.

00:54:35In a way,

00:54:35it's, like, really appropriate

00:54:36that we're doing date night

00:54:37because if it wasn't

00:54:38for my forever date,

00:54:40Brendan McNamara,

00:54:41I wouldn't be here.

00:54:43So I add those

00:54:46rehydrated soybean curls

00:54:47into the broth

00:54:48and then right

00:54:49into the blender,

00:54:50and I'm hoping

00:54:50that they'll give

00:54:51the broth more body.

00:54:52This does nothing.

00:54:55Please be okay.

00:54:58I cannot forget

00:54:59to fry these prawn heads,

00:55:01so I'm tossing them

00:55:02with potato starch

00:55:04and salt,

00:55:04a little more

00:55:05and fry those off.

00:55:07Seven minutes.

00:55:08Let's go, Artie.

00:55:09Me or you.

00:55:10I pour a little bit

00:55:11of that broth

00:55:12into each bowl,

00:55:13perch one of those

00:55:14beautiful fried shrimp heads

00:55:16into each bowl.

00:55:18Then I perch

00:55:19a little bit of salad,

00:55:20lay the shrimp

00:55:21on the side of the bowls,

00:55:23a little bit

00:55:24of purple Napa cabbage,

00:55:25a little bit of dill on top.

00:55:27Three minutes.

00:55:28On the top of the plate,

00:55:29I have my prawn rice cracker,

00:55:31some of the grilled

00:55:32and pickled

00:55:33purple Napa cabbage.

00:55:34Easy.

00:55:35I go down with

00:55:36the purple cabbage

00:55:37prawn bisque.

00:55:38It's perfectly cooked

00:55:39prawn pieces.

00:55:41Then the purple

00:55:42Napa cabbage

00:55:43that was grilled

00:55:43and pickled,

00:55:44and then a little bit

00:55:45of the soy curls.

00:55:46On the top plate,

00:55:47I also have

00:55:48some of the marinated

00:55:49soy curls,

00:55:50so that way they can

00:55:51choose their own adventure.

00:55:52And when I think

00:55:53about this prawn dish

00:55:54sitting next to my wife

00:55:55and enjoying it,

00:55:56it brings me

00:55:56the ultimate pleasure.

00:55:59We're done.

00:56:03That's a battle.

00:56:06Thank you so much.

00:56:08Artie Supreya,

00:56:09Jonathan Sawyer.

00:56:12That was wild.

00:56:12That was a good cook.

00:56:13I really love what I did.

00:56:16It was exhausting.

00:56:20Oh, God.

00:56:22Here we go.

00:56:23Ladies and gentlemen,

00:56:24let's welcome back

00:56:24our powerhouse panel

00:56:25of judges,

00:56:26Chef Michelle Bernstein.

00:56:32Shut up.

00:56:33Chef Kenny Oranger.

00:56:35Woo-hoo!

00:56:36Kenny Oranger.

00:56:39And Iron Chef,

00:56:40Jeffrey Zakarian.

00:56:43Whoa, Zakarian?

00:56:44Jeffrey Zakarian.

00:56:45Okay.

00:56:46I think Michelle Bernstein

00:56:47would get what I'm trying to do.

00:56:48I don't know Ken Oranger

00:56:50that well.

00:56:51Jeffrey Zakarian

00:56:51will not like him.

00:56:54Oh, this is a tough battle.

00:56:56Judges tonight

00:56:57for this battle,

00:56:58the chefs were awarded

00:56:59tiger prawns,

00:57:00purple Napa cabbage,

00:57:02tortilla press

00:57:03was the equipment to use.

00:57:04The style was

00:57:05date night dinner.

00:57:07And the little wild card

00:57:08ingredient,

00:57:08no big deal.

00:57:09Just soybean curls.

00:57:11Here to present the dish

00:57:13is our wild card,

00:57:15Justin Oranger.

00:57:15Oh, God.

00:57:17Esteemed judges,

00:57:18this is gunpowder prawns

00:57:20in a laksa broth.

00:57:21Some of the heads

00:57:22and the shells

00:57:22became the basis

00:57:23of the broth.

00:57:25The broth was fortified

00:57:26with a little coconut milk

00:57:27and a gunpowder masala.

00:57:29The soy curls

00:57:30that had been hydrated

00:57:31were also used

00:57:32to provide body

00:57:33to the broth.

00:57:34In terms of purple cabbage,

00:57:35we had some grilled.

00:57:36And then lastly,

00:57:37the tortilla press

00:57:38was utilized

00:57:39to butterfly the prawns

00:57:40and provide a uniform

00:57:41shape for griddling.

00:57:42In terms of a date night dinner,

00:57:44the chef uttered,

00:57:45I just want things

00:57:45to be as pretty as possible.

00:57:47Is this a first date

00:57:49or a second date?

00:57:52Whatever you want, Jeffrey.

00:57:54I love presentation.

00:57:55I think if you're

00:57:56going to seduce someone,

00:57:57this would seduce me.

00:57:58This is a beautiful dish.

00:57:59Oh, my gosh.

00:58:00That's a big deal.

00:58:00I love char.

00:58:01And that is magnificent.

00:58:02Spice is very big,

00:58:04very bold,

00:58:05very appropriate for prawn.

00:58:06For me, the broth,

00:58:08I would like it

00:58:08a touch thicker,

00:58:10maybe a bit creamier.

00:58:11I agree.

00:58:12First of all,

00:58:13brilliant move with this.

00:58:15Man, being able

00:58:15to dip this in here

00:58:16and just like

00:58:19squeeze and suck out

00:58:20all that succulent juice

00:58:21from that broth

00:58:22and all that spice

00:58:23is so sweet,

00:58:24so flavorful.

00:58:25That was the best part

00:58:26of the dish for me.

00:58:27This is the seafood man.

00:58:29He's from Boston.

00:58:32It was a little

00:58:33too blackened for me,

00:58:34you know,

00:58:34so it kind of took over.

00:58:36Correct.

00:58:36The cabbage,

00:58:37I love how they cut it

00:58:38so thin that it was

00:58:40really blended in well

00:58:41and really tasty.

00:58:42What's it called?

00:58:42The soybean curls?

00:58:44Again, I don't know

00:58:45what the f...

00:58:45What the f...

00:58:46That is?

00:58:47I've never...

00:58:47I don't know.

00:58:48Like, what's a soybean curl?

00:58:49I have no idea.

00:58:50So I would have liked

00:58:51maybe pieces of that,

00:58:52you know, in here

00:58:53where we could have

00:58:54gotten that texture.

00:58:55Oh, you wouldn't.

00:58:56I got some for you

00:58:57that are left over.

00:58:58I'll give you a pocket full.

00:58:59Oh, I'm sure.

00:59:01I love you so much.

00:59:02I love the fact

00:59:03that it's actually

00:59:04not too thick.

00:59:04I don't mind that.

00:59:06Only if you have things

00:59:07inside of that broth

00:59:09that would pick it up.

00:59:10You're so right, Michelle.

00:59:11The chef could have

00:59:12gone a little lighter

00:59:14in having to season

00:59:15the shrimp as much

00:59:16as they did

00:59:17because the broth

00:59:17is so beautiful.

00:59:18Next time,

00:59:19just throw something else

00:59:20in there

00:59:20to make more texture.

00:59:22Noodles supposed to be

00:59:23in there,

00:59:24but I ran out of time.

00:59:25Thank you, judges.

00:59:2650 points in taste,

00:59:2840 points in use

00:59:29for randomizer

00:59:30and 10 in plating.

00:59:31I felt like Michelle Bernstein

00:59:32would get it,

00:59:33like sort of a spicy

00:59:34little number.

00:59:35I am gobsmacked

00:59:38that Jeffrey Zakarian

00:59:39liked it.

00:59:39All right, judges,

00:59:40here to present

00:59:41the second dish,

00:59:41Tiffany Faison.

00:59:44Chefs, I mean,

00:59:45what is date night

00:59:46without high drama?

00:59:48This is tiger prawn

00:59:49and purple Napa cabbage bisque

00:59:50with a tortilla

00:59:51pressed prawn cracker.

00:59:53The tiger prawns

00:59:54were fabricated

00:59:55and then pressed

00:59:56into the rice paper.

00:59:57That was then fried,

00:59:58treated to a little bit

00:59:59of smoked paprika

01:00:00and gochugaro.

01:00:02On a burner next door,

01:00:03a sofrito of source

01:00:04was made of

01:00:05purple Napa cabbage,

01:00:06gochujang,

01:00:07scallion ginger,

01:00:08lime leaf,

01:00:09cream,

01:00:09and soy curls.

01:00:10That was then garnished

01:00:11with hydrated soy curls.

01:00:13Also, purple Napa cabbage

01:00:14was grilled

01:00:14and pickled

01:00:15in a light dressing

01:00:16of Meyer lemon juice

01:00:17and rice wine vinegar.

01:00:20That,

01:00:21holy

01:00:23That dish

01:00:24is insane.

01:00:26Oh!

01:00:28Here,

01:00:28it is such

01:00:29complete artistry.

01:00:31The pounding

01:00:32with the tortilla press.

01:00:35These condiments

01:00:35are just so acidic.

01:00:37The Napa cabbage

01:00:37and is this

01:00:38the soy curls?

01:00:39It is, Chef, yes.

01:00:40See,

01:00:40these things

01:00:41are actually not bad.

01:00:42This is really,

01:00:43really good.

01:00:45I would agree.

01:00:46Oh!

01:00:47This idea

01:00:48of this crisp

01:00:48is really

01:00:49a spectacular idea

01:00:51and the soup

01:00:52underneath it

01:00:52is spectacular as well.

01:00:54Unfortunately,

01:00:54it suffers from the fact

01:00:55that the prawn

01:00:56is really overcooked.

01:00:57Yeah.

01:00:57Okay.

01:00:58You know,

01:00:59anytime you put a skirt

01:01:00on something,

01:01:01it makes me happy

01:01:02and to me,

01:01:03the chef put

01:01:04a beautiful gown

01:01:05on that prawn

01:01:06and just made it

01:01:07so elegant.

01:01:08I do agree,

01:01:10you know,

01:01:10with Jeffrey

01:01:11that the prawn

01:01:12could be a little

01:01:13less cooked

01:01:13but it's not

01:01:14bothering me.

01:01:15This is a really

01:01:16lush sauce.

01:01:17I could use

01:01:17a little more heat

01:01:18in this one,

01:01:19believe it or not.

01:01:19However,

01:01:20it is delicious

01:01:21and I keep

01:01:22diving in for more.

01:01:25Judges,

01:01:25your scorecards

01:01:26are in front of you.

01:01:2750 points of taste,

01:01:2840 points.

01:01:29You use the randomizer

01:01:30and 10 in the plating.

01:01:32I'm proud of him

01:01:33for what that's worth.

01:01:34I'm proud of him.

01:01:35He did great.

01:01:35To me,

01:01:36all I heard was

01:01:37her prawn

01:01:37was blackened too far

01:01:39and my prawn

01:01:39was cooked too far.

01:01:4150-50 chops.

01:01:42Ladies and gentlemen,

01:01:43that was a fantastic round.

01:01:44Our chefs are standing by.

01:01:46Let's bring them back in.

01:01:47Chef Artie Sequeira!

01:01:49Chef Jonathan Sawyer!

01:01:55I'm still stuck

01:01:56on date night soup.

01:01:59But I will tell you

01:02:01the judges enjoyed it.

01:02:03One chef scored a 79.

01:02:06The other chef scored a 85.

01:02:09Ladies and gentlemen,

01:02:11the winner of the second round

01:02:12battle between

01:02:12Chef Jonathan Sawyer

01:02:13and Chef Artie Sequeira

01:02:15is...

01:02:28Jonathan Sawyer!

01:02:30Congratulations!

01:02:32Well done, chef!

01:02:35I'm so proud of you.

01:02:37I love you so much.

01:02:41Chef Artie, I don't know

01:02:43if those are tears

01:02:44of sadness

01:02:46or tears of happiness.

01:02:47I'm so happy for you.

01:02:48I know you're so happy for him

01:02:50and that's who you are, Artie.

01:02:51You're such a loving person.

01:02:53It was such a pleasure

01:02:54having you

01:02:55in Tournament of Champion 7.

01:02:57Thank you so much.

01:03:00Great farewells

01:03:01for Spice Queen!

01:03:02Nice applause!

01:03:05Just a lot.

01:03:08A lot of emotions.

01:03:09I did want to win.

01:03:12Jonathan Sawyer!

01:03:13You are in the quarterfinals!

01:03:19The farthest you have been

01:03:21in TOC

01:03:22and now preparing himself

01:03:25to battle Chef Jettila.

01:03:27Yep.

01:03:28I know that there's a version of me

01:03:29that beats Jettila.

01:03:31I know there is.

01:03:32Just have to find him.

01:03:33This is some of the best

01:03:34I've ever seen out of you

01:03:35and you deserve this.

01:03:36Quarterfinal!

01:03:37Jonathan Sawyer!

01:03:39The Bearded Bowler!

01:03:50Finally!

01:03:51In the quarterfinals!

01:03:54Oh, goodness!

01:03:55You're about to see

01:03:57the finale of the night.

01:03:59Are you ready?

01:04:02We have the number five seed,

01:04:04Chef Joe Sasko,

01:04:05who defeated the number one seed

01:04:07in the second round last year

01:04:09and is hoping to repeat

01:04:10that feat this year.

01:04:11So much nerves.

01:04:12I want this so bad.

01:04:13I want to win this.

01:04:14I've done this so many times now.

01:04:16I'm like one of the

01:04:18longest standing people here.

01:04:21His opponent is the number one seed,

01:04:23culinary icon,

01:04:25the one and only Lorena Garcia,

01:04:27who despite a 10-year absence

01:04:29from culinary competition,

01:04:31scored a decisive victory

01:04:33in round one.

01:04:34Okay.

01:04:36All right.

01:04:37Getting into the zone,

01:04:38getting ready,

01:04:39seeing my name there.

01:04:41Okay.

01:04:41It's time to battle.

01:04:42Gold's to win,

01:04:43but in the process of winning,

01:04:44I'm not going to make it easy for her.

01:04:46Regardless,

01:04:47she's an icon,

01:04:48but I have a mustache.

01:04:50It's got to count for something.

01:04:52The number one and number five

01:04:53means nothing.

01:04:54We're two passionate chefs

01:04:56that want to give it all

01:04:57and hope that goes my way.

01:04:59All right, chefs,

01:05:00they're ready for you.

01:05:01Okay.

01:05:02All right, let's go.

01:05:05Ooh.

01:05:09Are you ready to see

01:05:11our returning culinary icon

01:05:12mix it up?

01:05:14Then let's write this up.

01:05:16He spent over a decade

01:05:19in Michelin-starred kitchens,

01:05:21honing his knowledge

01:05:22of fine dining

01:05:23and making pasta.

01:05:26He has won Chopped,

01:05:28Chef Grudge Match

01:05:29and Triple G

01:05:30and made the final three

01:05:33on Top Chef.

01:05:35He went all the way

01:05:37to the TOC 6 quarterfinals

01:05:39and after defeating

01:05:40Chef NeNe Wynn,

01:05:41he is one win away

01:05:43from again joining

01:05:45the Great Eight.

01:05:46Make some noise

01:05:47from Mustache Joe,

01:05:50Chef Joe Sasko!

01:06:05What's it going to take

01:06:06to get past

01:06:07a culinary icon?

01:06:09This is the last icon standing.

01:06:10I feel double pressure

01:06:11from not only me

01:06:13wanting to succeed

01:06:14and move on,

01:06:15but all the other chefs

01:06:16in the tournament

01:06:17are almost looking to me

01:06:19to take out

01:06:20the last icon.

01:06:21This icon is no joke.

01:06:24No.

01:06:26She made her name

01:06:27as a cooking show host

01:06:29on multiple networks

01:06:30spreading her love

01:06:31of Latin cuisine

01:06:32across North and South America.

01:06:36And she was a finalist

01:06:37on season four

01:06:38of Top Chef Masters

01:06:39and won her first TOC victory

01:06:44with a show-stopping dish

01:06:46that judges praise

01:06:47for its presentation.

01:06:49This is like eating

01:06:50a rainbow.

01:06:51She became a game-changing force

01:06:53as the first Latina

01:06:55to open a restaurant

01:06:56on the Vegas Strip.

01:06:59Put your hands together,

01:07:01ladies and gentlemen,

01:07:02for a Latin legend,

01:07:05Lorena Garcia!

01:07:14Let's do this!

01:07:18How are you, brother?

01:07:21Lorena Garcia.

01:07:22Yes, sir.

01:07:23Chef, you took a big risk.

01:07:24You haven't been in culinary competition

01:07:26for 10 years.

01:07:27Yes, that's correct.

01:07:28Those three icons

01:07:28have been taken down,

01:07:30and here you stand

01:07:32on your chance

01:07:33to make it

01:07:33to the quarterfinals.

01:07:34Wow.

01:07:35Wow.

01:07:35That would be amazing.

01:07:36Chefs, to the randomizer!

01:07:38Let's go!

01:07:43To finish out the evening,

01:07:44we have a fantastic selection

01:07:46of things that you may love or hate.

01:07:48It's time to get started.

01:07:50Going for the protein!

01:07:52Let's go, let's go.

01:07:53Big spin, big spin!

01:07:57Ten minutes!

01:07:58Ten minutes!

01:07:59Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!

01:08:04Black cod!

01:08:06Black cod!

01:08:07Sunchoke, smoking gun,

01:08:09high-end lunch, canned sardines.

01:08:13This is a finale.

01:08:14Oh, yes, it is!

01:08:1535 minutes,

01:08:16and it's time to go.

01:08:17Go!

01:08:20Black cod!

01:08:21This is a great piece of fish

01:08:23for them to be working

01:08:23at the high end.

01:08:24Sunchoke's got a little nuttiness,

01:08:26a little chestnut-y flavor.

01:08:28They're so good.

01:08:29But smoking gun,

01:08:29how they impart the smoke,

01:08:31how much smoke,

01:08:32that's going to be the key.

01:08:33High-end lunch

01:08:34usually means

01:08:35a little bit on the lighter side.

01:08:36And the canned sardines,

01:08:37it's just got so much flavor.

01:08:39There's so much power

01:08:40to a canned sardine.

01:08:41That's the one

01:08:41they're going to really have to manage.

01:08:45Every year on TOC,

01:08:47it gets harder and harder.

01:08:48Now we have to go up

01:08:49against culinary icons,

01:08:51and I have Lorena Garcia

01:08:53blocking my path to victory.

01:08:56Chef, when you have a plan,

01:08:57let me know.

01:08:58I'm doing a high-end chowder.

01:08:59I think high-end lunch

01:09:00is really going to come down

01:09:01to presentation

01:09:02and portion size.

01:09:04I'm making a sunchoke

01:09:05and black cod chowder.

01:09:07Smart pantry grab

01:09:08by Chef Joe Sasset out here.

01:09:10The ham hock.

01:09:11Two other ingredients

01:09:12that contain smoke.

01:09:13I'm building my chowder

01:09:15in two parts.

01:09:16One pot with all

01:09:17of my mirepoix and veg,

01:09:18but first,

01:09:19the other one

01:09:20with a heavily infused

01:09:21smoked cream.

01:09:22And I just let that

01:09:23come up to a simmer

01:09:24before covering it

01:09:26with the smoking gun.

01:09:29I'm known as

01:09:29the Pazza focaccia guy.

01:09:31Hey-o, there's Joe

01:09:32with the mustache.

01:09:33I wear the pizza

01:09:34and the meatballs.

01:09:35But before that,

01:09:37I spent most of my career

01:09:38in high-end

01:09:39Michelin star kitchens.

01:09:42And so I feel right at home

01:09:44with this technique

01:09:45really honing in

01:09:47on how I want

01:09:48this dish to be.

01:09:50I cannot believe

01:09:51I'm the only icon standing.

01:09:53I think that my flavors

01:09:54are sitting really well

01:09:56with the judges,

01:09:56but Joe has been competing

01:09:58on Tournament of Champions

01:09:59for years.

01:10:00I want to be him so badly.

01:10:02Hi, Chef.

01:10:03How are you, honey?

01:10:04I'm spectacular.

01:10:05I get to watch you cook.

01:10:07I would guess you're

01:10:08no stranger

01:10:08to high-end lunches, Chef.

01:10:10I'm no stranger

01:10:10to high-end lunches.

01:10:12I'm going to make

01:10:12a ceviche, of course,

01:10:13a leche de tigre.

01:10:15And the cut is going to go

01:10:16into the leche de tigre as well.

01:10:18I'm known for my ceviches

01:10:19and my restaurants

01:10:20are big sellers.

01:10:21So what I like to do

01:10:22is almost cure

01:10:23all these vegetables

01:10:24so it start kind of

01:10:25developing and releasing

01:10:26all their juices.

01:10:28So I go to the mocajete

01:10:29and put the base

01:10:30of my leche de tigre there.

01:10:32Come on, Lorena.

01:10:32Come on.

01:10:33Come on.

01:10:34I slice the yellow onion,

01:10:36the celery,

01:10:36the cilantro,

01:10:37the fresnos,

01:10:38the chunchucks,

01:10:39and then the sardines.

01:10:40You don't see the mocajete

01:10:41brought out on its own

01:10:43just because it is.

01:10:44A lot of times

01:10:45you see the chefs

01:10:45going directly into

01:10:46a food processor.

01:10:48But Chef Lorena Garcia

01:10:48is here.

01:10:49But you're Lorena.

01:10:49What's up?

01:10:51So chokes.

01:10:52I'm very focused.

01:10:53I'm relying on my flavors.

01:10:55I'm relying on my view

01:10:57from my culture,

01:10:58my Latin cuisine.

01:10:59That's how I'm going to win.

01:11:01Vamos, vamos, vamos.

01:11:02I'm definitely

01:11:03the underdog in this battle.

01:11:04I got to watch Lorena

01:11:05in round one

01:11:06and she came in hot,

01:11:08fierce competitor,

01:11:09fire in her eyes.

01:11:11Now she's warmed up,

01:11:13stone cold killer.

01:11:14I'm here to slay the icon,

01:11:16but there's not going to be

01:11:17an easy way to do it.

01:11:21Morena, Joe,

01:11:2220 minutes,

01:11:2220 to go.

01:11:26Because I'm going to blend

01:11:27everything smooth

01:11:28for my chowder,

01:11:30I still need

01:11:31all of those

01:11:31vegetable components

01:11:33that you would normally

01:11:33taste when eating chowder.

01:11:35Apples and sunchokes

01:11:36make a perfect pairing.

01:11:38Yes, Chef.

01:11:38I know you know that.

01:11:39And that's going to be

01:11:40the base mirepoix

01:11:42on the bottom

01:11:42of my soup.

01:11:44Now I need to start

01:11:45thinking about

01:11:45these sardines.

01:11:47They're good.

01:11:47They're not as fishy

01:11:48as I think,

01:11:49and there's a whole lot

01:11:50of infused oil

01:11:51in the can.

01:11:52So I'm going to get

01:11:52that oil going

01:11:53in the aromatic base

01:11:55for my chowder.

01:11:58Let's do this.

01:11:59Black hot has a lot of fat

01:12:00in it so it can hold up

01:12:01to a nice ceviche.

01:12:02So I want to put

01:12:03the black hot

01:12:03into the leche de tigre.

01:12:04Oh, this is beautiful.

01:12:06I have to carve it,

01:12:07I have to take out

01:12:07all the bones,

01:12:08I have to cut it

01:12:09very small.

01:12:10So I'm making

01:12:10the leche de tigre,

01:12:11which is a beautiful

01:12:13marinade.

01:12:13It's citrusy and spicy

01:12:15with fresno,

01:12:17red onions,

01:12:18afume,

01:12:18tons of lines

01:12:19and lemons.

01:12:22The marinade

01:12:22is going to help me

01:12:23break down

01:12:24all the oils

01:12:25of the black hot

01:12:26and being able

01:12:27to take that meatiness

01:12:28that is so tough

01:12:29in the cod

01:12:30and then just tenderize it.

01:12:31There's a lot going

01:12:32on in these kitchens.

01:12:34Are you cooking the fish,

01:12:35Chef?

01:12:35Yes, right now.

01:12:36Just under 15,

01:12:37Chef.

01:12:38Black cod can be

01:12:39a bit tricky.

01:12:40We have whole fillets

01:12:41with the pin bone

01:12:42right down the center.

01:12:43I'm just going to cut

01:12:44right around that

01:12:45and get little blocks

01:12:47of cod loin

01:12:48going into a pan

01:12:49of clarified butter.

01:12:51And then I take

01:12:51the blended chowder,

01:12:52get it into a hot pan

01:12:54and I'm going to finish

01:12:55cooking my cod belly

01:12:57in the chowder.

01:12:58So we've got

01:12:58the loin cooking.

01:12:59We've got the belly

01:13:00as almost like

01:13:01a poke-sized dice

01:13:03poaching in the hot soup.

01:13:04The belly of the cod

01:13:05is very thin

01:13:06and extra fatty.

01:13:07So by cooking it

01:13:08as a slow poach

01:13:09in the chowder,

01:13:10there's going to be

01:13:11less of a chance

01:13:12of overcooking it

01:13:13and it becoming dry

01:13:14and flaky.

01:13:15Time to get our smoke on?

01:13:17Yes.

01:13:17All right.

01:13:18I still need to smoke

01:13:20the ceviche.

01:13:21I'm thinking like

01:13:21the best way to

01:13:22smoking the ceviche

01:13:23is putting a lid on it.

01:13:24I just wanted to do it

01:13:25as fast as possible.

01:13:28Let me tell you,

01:13:28if I win this competition,

01:13:30I will be so proud

01:13:32of being able

01:13:33to show my son

01:13:34that all the effort

01:13:36that I put into my career,

01:13:37that he sees that every day,

01:13:38all the sacrifices

01:13:39that I do

01:13:40and everything comes down

01:13:41to that lesson

01:13:42that I can prove to myself

01:13:43that I can do this.

01:13:44Chef Joe,

01:13:45Chef Lorena,

01:13:4610 minutes,

01:13:4710 left of the competition.

01:13:48I know I want to cook

01:13:48these sunchokes

01:13:49in a few different applications,

01:13:51so I'm going to

01:13:52make sunchoke chips.

01:13:53They will add

01:13:54some great texture.

01:13:55Sunchoke chips

01:13:56and then raw.

01:13:57Got it.

01:13:58I also want to do

01:13:59a fresh sunchoke salad.

01:14:01I'm always thinking

01:14:01about my mom

01:14:02whenever I cook

01:14:03and compete

01:14:03in these competition settings.

01:14:05My mom passed away

01:14:06when I was much younger

01:14:08and so she hasn't seen me

01:14:09accomplish all of these things,

01:14:11compete on TV

01:14:12or even cook professionally.

01:14:14And so now,

01:14:15every time I cook,

01:14:16food keeps us connected

01:14:17and food keeps me connected

01:14:18to her.

01:14:20And part of winning

01:14:21this whole competition

01:14:21is knowing

01:14:23that she's looking down

01:14:23on me,

01:14:24proud of that accomplishment,

01:14:26whether it's

01:14:26publishing a cookbook,

01:14:28starting a new business,

01:14:29or taking out

01:14:30a culinary icon.

01:14:32Six minutes, Chef.

01:14:34Come on, come on,

01:14:34come on, come on.

01:14:35Push, push, push, push.

01:14:35So now that my ceviche

01:14:37is done,

01:14:37I'm going into my scoopers,

01:14:39which is tortilla chips

01:14:40and sweet potato.

01:14:42Where are the sunchokes?

01:14:43They have been pureed

01:14:45into the leche de tigre.

01:14:46I just need more sunchokes,

01:14:48so I want to be able

01:14:48to see it,

01:14:49so I'm not just going

01:14:50to fry it.

01:14:50I have some sunchoke chips

01:14:51that can go beautifully

01:14:53in my ceviche.

01:14:57I want to make

01:14:57really herbaceous,

01:14:59bright green oil.

01:15:03The makings of an herb oil,

01:15:05a nice little trio,

01:15:06chervil, chive,

01:15:07and bay leaves.

01:15:08Two and a half.

01:15:09I need to build

01:15:10my plate in layers.

01:15:11I have my brunoise,

01:15:13shallots, apple,

01:15:13and sunchoke

01:15:14down at the bottom,

01:15:15finished with the sunchoke chips

01:15:17and the fresh sunchoke salad.

01:15:19I have a beautifully cooked

01:15:20black cod with crispy skin.

01:15:22And then last,

01:15:23the beaker

01:15:23with the cod belly chowder

01:15:25and the bay leaf oil.

01:15:27Nothing reads more high-end

01:15:29than a fine dining soup

01:15:31pour table side.

01:15:3290 seconds to go.

01:15:34Okay, vámonos.

01:15:34I start with my lettuces.

01:15:37Then I put my ceviche,

01:15:39making sure that I have

01:15:39enough leche de tigre

01:15:40on the bottom of the plate,

01:15:42the tortilla chips

01:15:43and the sunchoke chips.

01:15:45Then, of course,

01:15:45my sweet potatoes

01:15:46to win round two.

01:15:48I think it will be a proof,

01:15:49you know,

01:15:49that I can do this.

01:15:50And more than anything,

01:15:51it's representing

01:15:52my Latin culture,

01:15:53my Latin community,

01:15:54that if I bring this,

01:15:55it will be for them.

01:15:56Let's go!

01:15:58Let's go!

01:15:59Let's go!

01:16:00Let's go!

01:16:01Let's go!

01:16:07Congratulations.

01:16:08Back to your trailers.

01:16:09Let's bring the judges in.

01:16:10Chef Lorena Garcia,

01:16:12Chef Dos Sesto.

01:16:15Yeah!

01:16:17Whew!

01:16:18It's a good cook.

01:16:19Real good cook.

01:16:20Great setting.

01:16:21Great setting.

01:16:22I mean,

01:16:23how do I feel?

01:16:24Such a rush.

01:16:26The time,

01:16:27I think it got the best out of me.

01:16:28I don't know.

01:16:29I have my doubts.

01:16:31Let's see.

01:16:37I don't know how I did

01:16:38all of those things.

01:16:40You'd think I have two hours

01:16:41to do that cook.

01:16:43Probably one of the only things

01:16:44that gets me always really nervous

01:16:46is people trying my food.

01:16:48So imagine,

01:16:49in front of judges.

01:16:50Oh, my goodness.

01:16:51Ladies and gentlemen,

01:16:52let's welcome back

01:16:53to our award-winning

01:16:54judging panel,

01:16:55Chef Michelle Bernstein,

01:16:57Mr. Boston,

01:16:58Chef Kenny Oranger,

01:16:59and Iron Chef,

01:17:00Jeffrey Zakarian.

01:17:01Oh!

01:17:02Wow!

01:17:04What a lineup!

01:17:06Oh!

01:17:07Oh, no,

01:17:07I mean,

01:17:08I said,

01:17:08oh, no,

01:17:09she's gonna kill me

01:17:10with my sandwich.

01:17:11You know,

01:17:12so we did really well.

01:17:13Judges,

01:17:14you were at a high-end lunch.

01:17:15That's right.

01:17:16The randomizer served up

01:17:17black cod,

01:17:18sunchoke smoking gun

01:17:20style today,

01:17:21as I said,

01:17:21high-end lunch,

01:17:22and the wild-card ingredient,

01:17:23canned sardines.

01:17:24Here to present,

01:17:25Justin Warner.

01:17:26Judges,

01:17:26this is a sunchoke

01:17:28and black cod chowder.

01:17:30The sardines were used

01:17:31as the base of the chowder.

01:17:32A cream was crafted

01:17:34with some ham hock,

01:17:35thyme,

01:17:36and the sunchokes.

01:17:37The use of the smoking gun

01:17:38was entirely with walnut smoke.

01:17:40We had a chervil,

01:17:41chive,

01:17:42and bay oil.

01:17:43Finally,

01:17:44you will find the sunchokes

01:17:45in a brunoise

01:17:46with celery,

01:17:47walnuts,

01:17:48Meyer lemon,

01:17:49zest,

01:17:49and some more

01:17:50of that sardine paste.

01:17:51Jeffrey's eating more.

01:17:52If he's eating,

01:17:53that's a good sign.

01:17:55I love when people serve me

01:17:57a sauce or a soup

01:17:58or something on the side.

01:17:59That way,

01:18:00I can kind of pour in

01:18:01exactly how much I want.

01:18:02The sauce, however,

01:18:03has a really intense

01:18:04sardine flavor.

01:18:06The sardine almost

01:18:07takes over a little bit.

01:18:10She's tough.

01:18:11However,

01:18:12the sardine was used

01:18:12so intelligently

01:18:14on the salad.

01:18:15This little salad

01:18:16with the nuts

01:18:16and the shaved sunchoke

01:18:20is so smart.

01:18:21It has that lemon,

01:18:23it has a brightness to it,

01:18:25and it cuts through the fat.

01:18:27So, I'm from Boston.

01:18:28I mean, chowder.

01:18:29Really?

01:18:29I just served chowder

01:18:30to Ken Oranger?

01:18:32The black cod

01:18:33cooked beautifully.

01:18:34With the smoking gun,

01:18:35I was really hoping

01:18:37that there would be something

01:18:38to really cut through

01:18:39that fattiness

01:18:40and the smoke

01:18:40definitely helps.

01:18:41I love sardines,

01:18:42but there is a lot

01:18:44of sardine going on

01:18:45in here.

01:18:46Damn.

01:18:48This is lovely,

01:18:49luxurious, gorgeous.

01:18:51I feel like I'm

01:18:52at a four-star restaurant

01:18:53in Midtown Manhattan

01:18:53eating this.

01:18:54The flavor's delicious.

01:18:56The sunchoke,

01:18:57which is very difficult,

01:18:58but the way it's treated

01:18:59in a couple of ways

01:19:00shows a very learneded chef.

01:19:02So, this is just

01:19:03a small miracle

01:19:04here on a plate.

01:19:06Okay.

01:19:06It's having good reviews.

01:19:07Good reviews from Sekerian,

01:19:09yeah.

01:19:09Great judges.

01:19:10Your scorecards

01:19:10are in front of you.

01:19:1150 points in taste,

01:19:1340 in the use

01:19:14of the randomizer

01:19:15and 10 in the plating.

01:19:16I don't feel good,

01:19:17but I don't feel bad yet.

01:19:19I want to know

01:19:20what they say

01:19:20about Lorraine's dish.

01:19:21Bless you.

01:19:22All right, judges,

01:19:23here to present

01:19:23the second dish,

01:19:25Chef Tiffany Faison.

01:19:27Pinkies up, chefs.

01:19:28It's lunchtime.

01:19:29This is a smoked

01:19:30leche de tigre ceviche

01:19:31of black cod

01:19:32with warm, crispy,

01:19:33and fresh garnishes

01:19:34to enjoy and employ

01:19:36while eating.

01:19:37Chef would like you

01:19:37to have a little piece

01:19:38of everything

01:19:39as you enjoy your lunch.

01:19:40The sunchoke leche de tigre

01:19:42began with sunchokes,

01:19:43black cod,

01:19:44and sardine, of course.

01:19:45Then the leche de tigre

01:19:46and filet of cod

01:19:47were pecan-smoked.

01:19:48Sunchokes were sliced

01:19:49and crisped,

01:19:50as well as their friends'

01:19:51plantains and tortilla chips.

01:19:53Like, I've had her ceviche.

01:19:54It's delicious.

01:19:56You nailed the style.

01:19:57High on lunch.

01:19:58Perfect.

01:19:59Vibrancy, flavor, texture,

01:20:01spot on.

01:20:02All right.

01:20:03I think it's lovely.

01:20:04I think it's delicious.

01:20:05But for me,

01:20:06it needs something saltier.

01:20:08Wow, what a load of salt.

01:20:10This should be the chips.

01:20:11I would actually have liked

01:20:12to have the cancer deans

01:20:13actually on top a little bit,

01:20:15just as they are.

01:20:16It would be bold to do that

01:20:17because I think it needs it.

01:20:19But I love the crunch,

01:20:20and it's just a beautiful,

01:20:21high-end lunch.

01:20:22I'm very pleased

01:20:23with this dish.

01:20:25One of the hardest things

01:20:26to do

01:20:26is to make a ceviche

01:20:28out of codfish

01:20:29because it's such

01:20:30an oily fish.

01:20:31With that said,

01:20:32the oiliness

01:20:33of the codfish

01:20:34seemed to somehow

01:20:37delicately dissipate.

01:20:38Now,

01:20:39it didn't absorb

01:20:40as much of the acid

01:20:42as it could and should have.

01:20:44Ugh.

01:20:45But there are

01:20:46very pure flavors here.

01:20:47I really appreciate

01:20:48all these little nibbles.

01:20:50I think it's a beautiful

01:20:50plate of food.

01:20:51I'm pretty impressed

01:20:52that they were able

01:20:53to make a cod ceviche

01:20:54that I can go in

01:20:56and eat again.

01:20:57Okay.

01:20:58Not bad.

01:20:59The black cod,

01:21:00it's sliced beautifully.

01:21:01I thought it would be blubbery.

01:21:03Sure, you know,

01:21:03some of those blubbery fish.

01:21:05But it's actually,

01:21:06the texture's kind of nice.

01:21:08Ugh.

01:21:13It's gonna be so close.

01:21:15Sunchokes,

01:21:16I think they're great,

01:21:17but, you know,

01:21:18those couple little pieces

01:21:19in here

01:21:20doesn't quite do it for me.

01:21:21I wish there was

01:21:22a little bit more

01:21:22sunchoke going on here.

01:21:26Judges,

01:21:26your scorecards

01:21:27are in front of you again.

01:21:2850 points in taste,

01:21:2940 points in the use

01:21:30of the randomizer,

01:21:3110 in presentation.

01:21:32I'm worried.

01:21:33I needed more acid,

01:21:34more leche de tigre,

01:21:35more lemon juice.

01:21:36It's anybody's game.

01:21:37At this point.

01:21:38I don't think

01:21:39either one of us

01:21:39knocked it out of the park.

01:21:41It's gonna be splitting hairs,

01:21:42I think,

01:21:42on like one or two points

01:21:44in each category.

01:21:45Chef,

01:21:45they're ready for you.

01:21:46Let's do this.

01:21:47Let's do this.

01:21:48All right, one sec.

01:21:50All right, let's go.

01:21:51Ladies and gentlemen,

01:21:52was that a dynamite finale

01:21:54or what?

01:21:56Welcome back.

01:21:57Chef Joe Sasto,

01:21:59Chef Lorena Garcia.

01:22:02And I've got the scores.

01:22:0480 to 77.

01:22:07Wow.

01:22:08In the final battle

01:22:10of the evening,

01:22:11with one of these chefs

01:22:12going into the quarterfinals,

01:22:14the winner between

01:22:15Chef Lorena Garcia

01:22:17and Chef Joe Sasto is

01:22:24Chef Joe Sasto.

01:22:30I love you, Chef.

01:22:31I love you.

01:22:32I love you.

01:22:33That was not easy.

01:22:35Congratulations.

01:22:38Chef Lorena,

01:22:39you came in

01:22:40and you won in the first round.

01:22:41This was a very close battle

01:22:42by three points.

01:22:43Really has been an honor.

01:22:44You are an icon

01:22:45and a legend to our industry.

01:22:47It was a pleasure

01:22:47to have you in TOC.

01:22:49Chef Lorena Garcia.

01:22:51Thank you so much.

01:22:55It was tough.

01:22:56It was tough.

01:22:57I probably would have judged

01:22:58that exactly the same way.

01:23:00But the good things,

01:23:00I'm going back to my son.

01:23:02I had a fantastic time.

01:23:04I competed again.

01:23:05and I'm happy.

01:23:06Let's take a look, my friend.

01:23:07Oh, man.

01:23:09This is what makes me nervous.

01:23:10Joe Sasto and Kevin Lee.

01:23:14Joe Sasto,

01:23:15you're in the quarterfinals, man.

01:23:17Yep, baby!

01:23:19Hard draw battle.

01:23:21Two big wins under his belt.

01:23:25Yeah.

01:23:29Oh, that was so close.

01:23:31That was scary,

01:23:32but I feel good.

01:23:33Join us next time

01:23:34win the second half

01:23:35of the Super 16 battle

01:23:37for the last four spots

01:23:39in the quarterfinals.

01:23:40You can hear a pin drop

01:23:41in here, you guys.

01:23:42Ha!

01:23:42They are the great eight.

01:23:44You fall down seven times,

01:23:45you get up eight.

01:23:46I'm fired up.

01:23:48As they compete

01:23:49for the title.

01:23:50Hell yeah, let's go.

01:23:51The belt

01:23:51and the $150,000 grand prize.

01:23:55To be a winner

01:23:55is something I need

01:23:56on my mantle.

01:23:59See you next week.

01:24:00Adios.

01:24:01Adios.

01:24:01you have to build it in air.

01:24:02you have to wait for it.

Tournament of Champions - Season 7 - Episode 05: The Super 16 Show Out

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