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00:01Thank you, thank you.
00:04Friends, neighbors, and fellow citizens of Flavortown,
00:07I've invited the best chefs to see
00:09who can cook any cuisine in our off-the-hook restaurants.
00:13From the food carts to the fine dining.
00:15New restaurant every day.
00:17We get a glimpse now of what's in your brain.
00:20Oh, my God.
00:22Now, when I say Flavortown,
00:25I think of huge and massive dishes.
00:27Oh, we working hard.
00:28Bigger, badder, bolder food.
00:30I'm going big. I'm trying all the meats.
00:32That's brave.
00:32And in-your-face flavor.
00:34Ask and you shall receive, gentlemen.
00:37I hereby proclaim this over-the-top day in Flavortown.
00:52We've got two acclaimed chefs who have arrived to shake things up.
00:56Chef Michelle Wallace.
00:57Oh, my God.
00:59Flavortown, here we come.
01:00I live in Houston, Texas.
01:02H-Town, baby.
01:03I do not own a brick-and-mortar, but I'm a classically trained chef.
01:07I'm a pit master.
01:08I was fan-favored on Top Chef,
01:09and I took down the titans on Bobby's triple threat.
01:13So I'm going to win today, and I'm going to win tomorrow,
01:15and I'm going to win the next day.
01:17Let's get it.
01:18And Chef Adam Greenberg.
01:19What's up? What's up?
01:21Guy's like the Willy Wonka of the Food Network.
01:24Oh, they even let Guy illegally park in Flavortown, of course.
01:28I have a ton of experience in competition, whether it's beat Bobby Flay or a chopped grand champion, four-time
01:33winner.
01:34But, man, I haven't really won in a while.
01:35And COVID hit, closed in my restaurant.
01:37So I've had a lot of doubt in my career for Guy himself to invite me to Flavortown.
01:42You know, I do feel this honor and this pride.
01:47You know, your baller reputations have earned you a shot at winning a big paycheck and becoming our next Food
01:53Fight champion.
01:54Yeah.
01:54But first, you have to outcook each other.
01:57And one other chef, our current champion, and the competition's very first $20,000 prize winner, Chef Sabah Duffy.
02:08I'm back.
02:09Oh, ho, ho.
02:11You guys ready for it?
02:13Let's go.
02:13Last week, I won $20,000, and I'm definitely going to reinvest it into my restaurant.
02:19I want to be here for as long as possible and take as much cash as I can.
02:25Welcome to have you back, champ.
02:26Good to be back.
02:28Thank you, thank you.
02:28Knife rolling hand.
02:29Yep.
02:30Shop champion, had a cooking show in Dubai, a culinary teacher.
02:34She's cooked in Flavortown before.
02:36She's the champion.
02:37I'm sure she feels great.
02:38And that's scaring me a lot.
02:42Sabah and Adam really are just amazing chefs.
02:45I can't take that lightly.
02:46Let's lay down the laws of Triple F.
02:49There are two rounds of competition in this food fight, and before each round, one chef
02:55will earn the right to choose which kitchen all the chefs are going to cook in.
02:59After each round, unfortunately, one chef's shift will be over.
03:03The last chef standing will earn a paycheck up to $20,000, which you know how that feels,
03:09and return to Flavortown to defend their title and hopefully win even more money.
03:15Now, there is a very special decree that must be followed today, because this is Flavortown's
03:21first annual over-the-top day.
03:25Okay?
03:25Wow.
03:26And Flavortown over-the-top means way over-the-top.
03:31Wearing Flavortown?
03:32It's got to be out of bounds.
03:33It's wearing a headband to the game.
03:35Out of bounds.
03:36Over-the-top.
03:37Nice and shiny.
03:38Over-the-top headband.
03:39That's right, baby.
03:40Now, only the culinary rebel who makes the biggest, baddest, boldest, most show-stopping
03:46plates, featuring the most full-throttled flavors, will have a shot at becoming today's champion.
03:51Whatever you think belongs in Flavortown, go about 100 times harder than that.
03:56Just get gluttonous.
03:58Get crazy.
03:59Get over-the-top.
04:00And just to make it really over-the-top, we've opened all four restaurants for you.
04:05That's right.
04:06We have the sausage and hot dog carts with small but mighty pantries filled with bodacious
04:10brats, delicious dogs, and all the over-the-top toppings you can desire.
04:15Then we've got Ryder's Roadhouse, the local Tex-Mex stop where the food is always borderline
04:20over-the-top.
04:21Then we have the hunch burger, the fast casual joint that makes burgers so stacked and jacked
04:26and fully packed that you have to meet them halfway by assuming my patented hunch position.
04:32And finally, Chez Penny, the restaurant that takes high-end French cooking to new heights.
04:38All right, let's decide who's going to choose the restaurant we're going to cook at first
04:43with a little culinary challenge.
04:49So for your culinary challenge, be the first chef to whip enough fresh whipping cream to
04:54fill that pipe container over the top.
04:57Whoever finishes this first will get to pick the first restaurant you cook in.
05:02Go.
05:03Oh, okay.
05:06I come from Houston, Texas.
05:08I cook Tex-Mex all the time for my boo at home.
05:10Hey, John.
05:11So I'm definitely eyeing Ryder's Roadhouse.
05:14Did you put enough in there to make it work?
05:17Or did you put too much that it's going to take forever?
05:20It's over-the-top day.
05:21So an over-the-top huge burger is calling my name big time.
05:26Woo!
05:26Or did you forget to put your apron on?
05:28I didn't, I should have put the apron on.
05:30Last week, picking the kitchen was a huge advantage.
05:34Question is, who's going over the top?
05:36I know exactly where I'm going to set myself up for success.
05:41Oh, my God.
05:45Ah!
05:46All right.
05:47Over-the-top, yes.
05:49Chef Saba, we're done.
05:51Woo!
05:52Yes!
05:52You were so close, Michelle.
05:54You were right there.
05:55No!
05:56Congratulations, Chef Saba.
05:58You get to choose which Flavortown restaurant everyone will cook at in the first round.
06:02We've got sausage and hot dog food carts.
06:05A Tex-Mex spot.
06:08Hunchburgers.
06:08And of course, Shea Penny.
06:10Chef Saba, where are you taking everybody?
06:14Ah, this is a tricky one.
06:17Over-the-top could work in so many of these restaurants.
06:21I agree.
06:22I love high-end fine dining.
06:24But also, I grew up in a Pakistani Muslim household.
06:27And Tex-Mex is a really easy pivot for me because there's a lot of warming spices that are used
06:34in Tex-Mex that are also used in South Asian flavor profiles.
06:39So...
06:39Come on, Chef Saba.
06:41I think we're going to go over to...
06:47Ryder's Roadhouse.
06:48Ryder's Roadhouse?
06:50Mm-hmm.
06:51Amazing.
06:51I'm happy with that.
06:52Chef, you're from Boston?
06:53Boston.
06:54And Chef Greenberg, where are you from?
06:55Connecticut.
06:56And Chef, let me hang on a second.
07:00You're from...
07:01Texas.
07:02That's right.
07:03Did you know she was from Texas?
07:04All right, I'm out.
07:05That's it.
07:07I got a couple tricks up my sleeve.
07:08You do?
07:09I do.
07:09You have chosen Ryder's Roadhouse.
07:12Let's take it to the restaurant.
07:13Follow me.
07:16So here comes the head waiter, Ryder's brother, Hunter Fieri.
07:20I don't know why Ryder's not working, but he's going to tell you about the menu.
07:23Oh, he's got the bolo on.
07:25Yeah.
07:25Nice looks.
07:27I never know what looks coming out.
07:29Nice.
07:30Chefs, welcome to Ryder's Roadhouse.
07:33Tonight, we'll be doing a over-the-top beef special.
07:36And you've got beef, ribeyes, and ginormous porterhouse steaks in this kitchen.
07:41But they've got a feature...
07:43French onion dip.
07:45I love French onion dip, but I don't see French onion dip being used for Tex-Mex.
07:50So I am nervous.
07:52Okay.
07:53The finished dishes are going to be judged on taste and adherence to the menu here at Ryder's Roadhouse.
07:59Five-star, you not only get $5,000 going towards your paycheck, but you get the chance to pick the
08:05next restaurant you'll cook in.
08:06Four-star dish, $4,000.
08:08And the three-star dish, unfortunately, will mean your shift is over.
08:11You have 30 minutes to make your over-the-top beef special featuring French onion dip.
08:17Your shift starts now.
08:18Go!
08:18Oh, gosh.
08:20What are you grabbing, Chef?
08:21I got ground beef and a steak.
08:22I got ground beef and a steak.
08:22I'm cutting horns under the table here if you need.
08:24Michelle is from Houston.
08:26That gives her leg up.
08:27I'm from Connecticut.
08:27My family is Jewish, so I've done a lot of old-school Jewish food.
08:30So they're going to kind of have to wing it and figure it out.
08:33Behind, behind, behind.
08:34The biggest challenge here is going to be making this dish over-the-top.
08:40So I'm going to do over-the-top sauce, over-the-top flavors, and over-the-top plating.
08:4630 minutes is not a long time, y'all.
08:49I own and run a pop-up in the city of Houston, which is, like, I almost want to say
08:54home of Tex-Mex.
08:55So I'm going to reach in my bag of tricks and take down whoever's in my way.
09:00The Flavortown bus has dropped off two very distinguished judges.
09:04We have Chef Jonathan Sawyer and we have the one and only Chef Jet Tila.
09:07There they are.
09:08What is happening, Chef?
09:10How are you, brother?
09:12Chef, good to see you.
09:13How are you guys?
09:14Welcome.
09:15We're still glad here.
09:16Dude, I just need a second.
09:19This is insane.
09:21It is a true city.
09:23I mean, it's Flavortown.
09:23It is Flavortown.
09:24It is Flavortown.
09:25And then here's the man himself.
09:26This is amazing.
09:27What do you think of that?
09:28What's up, boss?
09:29Gentlemen?
09:29Mayor?
09:30You might have overdressed for Flavortown, by the way.
09:32Yeah, seriously.
09:32I was ready for Shea Penny, but I heard we're starting at the Roadhouse.
09:36So I can just take the jacket off.
09:36Have a seat, Chef.
09:39Over the top.
09:39Over the top.
09:39What do you want us to see over the top?
09:40I think ooey, gooey, cheesy, spicy.
09:43And over the top isn't just flavor, right?
09:44It's how we perceive it when it lands on the table.
09:47Is its enormity, is the height of it.
09:50I totally agree.
09:51Over the top.
09:52Over the top.
09:53Over the top.
09:53Over the top.
09:54Chef, what do you got?
09:55I'm gonna do a play on over the top breakfast tostada.
09:59Topped with this French onion refired bean.
10:01And a ribeye.
10:02I cook food with big, bold flavors.
10:04Definitely gonna try to do that here today in the next 30 minutes.
10:08There's over the top as in big, but also over the top meaning in flavor.
10:12And for me, I'm thinking that I really wanna be over the top with heat and flavor.
10:17I'm putting the whole pepper in there.
10:19This $20,000 would definitely help my pop-up restaurant.
10:22I could buy new equipment, put together new events, work with new chefs.
10:27It would help my business so much.
10:29This is your chance to shine.
10:30Yeah.
10:31All right, Chef Saba, what are you making a chef?
10:33I'm gonna do a sweet potato hash with some guano peppers, some grilled skirt steak, and fried tortilla strips.
10:42Smells fantastic in here.
10:43I know that Michelle is from Texas, but I feel pretty confident with my Tex-Mex flavors, too.
10:49And what about the French onion?
10:50I'm gonna make a spicy French onion dip sauce.
10:54But the onion flavor is prominent, and it could really destroy the dish.
10:59So I add in a ton of hot sauce, which is gonna bring some acid to it.
11:03Definitely looking for a great use of French onion dip here, because it's super versatile.
11:07Yeah.
11:07I wanna see it.
11:08Yeah.
11:08I wanna taste it, and they're gonna maximize the point.
11:11Yeah.
11:11There's a lot of stuff going on here.
11:14I'm seeing how Adam and Michelle cook right now.
11:16I have to make sure my dish is better than theirs.
11:19I need to win again this week.
11:21I have a brand new restaurant.
11:22So that money will make a huge difference.
11:26Whew.
11:26Maybe Tex-Mex was not the best choice.
11:29I've been in Houston for over 20 years now.
11:32I know Tex-Mex like the back of my hand.
11:34She may be from Texas, but you know, I got a couple of tricks up my sleeve, too.
11:39Oh, yeah?
11:40Yep, yep.
11:40Got a couple of tricks.
11:4315 minutes.
11:44We're at the halfway point, guys.
11:45Yes, chef.
11:46Heard.
11:47Chef Greenberg, what's on the menu?
11:48We're going beefy quesadilla.
11:50Almost like you're eating a French dip sandwich, but we're gonna make it a quesadilla.
11:53They're gonna be huge, and just over, over, over the top.
11:56What meats are you using?
11:57Ribeye.
11:58Fantastic.
11:59Being invited to Flavortown is a badge of honor.
12:01He's given me an opportunity at a time when I really needed it, and I really doubted myself,
12:06and I closed my restaurant.
12:07My uncle was from San Antonio, so we used to do a little Tex-Mex back in the day,
12:11but I gotta admit, this will be a little bit of a change for me.
12:14You know, I've taken some L's recently, and you know, I can doubt myself.
12:18Like, is my food really that good?
12:20Do I really belong here?
12:21So, I feel the pressure to show my family that I belong,
12:24and to show Guy that inviting me to Flavortown was the right move.
12:28Remember, we're Flavortown.
12:29Seasoned town.
12:30Spiced up town.
12:30Yes, chef.
12:31I personally don't love super spicy, so I don't want to kill the flavor with too much spice,
12:35but we're gonna get steaks, poblanos, chicharrones, and caramelized onions.
12:40All that's gonna be super over the top.
12:42French onion dip in place?
12:44Um, French onion dip is a great snacking dip.
12:47People love French onion. You love French onion soup.
12:50I want to create something creamy and something memorable.
12:52French onion dip I have in a cheese sauce going with this quesadilla.
12:55French onion queso dip, that's my middle name.
12:57We got video consomme in there, chef? What do you got?
13:00Yeah, baby.
13:01I've got the beef demi-gloss,
13:02because I want the queso dip to have an over-the-top beefy kind of flavor in there as well.
13:06I have an opportunity to win money. I have an opportunity for pride.
13:09So, I want to really put it all out there.
13:11Good luck, buddy.
13:12Thanks, chef.
13:13How you doing, chef? All right?
13:15I'm good. How you doing?
13:16You know.
13:18Conflage.
13:18Always.
13:19Right now, I want to get started on my ribeye.
13:23But I see Saba and Adam, they're both using steak.
13:26If I'm gonna win today, I need to stand out.
13:30So, do I want to use steak or do something different?
13:33Take a minute, Chelle. Pull it together.
13:35Being one and done would suck,
13:36because I have a 2013 Honda Accord
13:39that I load up with tents and tables.
13:42So, I need the new car that can fit my pop-up setup.
13:47So, I really have to decide what cut of beef that I want to use today.
13:51I'm switching the game up.
13:52I'm switching the game up.
13:53What are you thinking?
13:54I think I can get done with my over-the-top breakfast tostada
13:57using ground beef instead of a steak.
13:59Tex-Mex really is about chilies and cumin and paprika,
14:02and they all have to come through here today,
14:04because I want to be the one to choose which restaurant we cook in next.
14:08Okay.
14:08Tex-Mex flavors work really well with coffee and stout,
14:12and it will help me to go over the top with flavor.
14:15As fast as possible.
14:18That's delicious.
14:19Give me some chips right now and a football game.
14:22I'm in heaven.
14:23Michelle really knows Tex-Mex.
14:25Yeah, if you grow up in Houston,
14:26you have most certainly a proximity of Tex-Mex
14:29that maybe you don't have in Hartford, Connecticut.
14:32Right?
14:33I don't see French onion dip being used for Tex-Mex ever in Texas,
14:36but it is very similar to sour cream,
14:39and so I add the French onion dip to my beans
14:42and put that in a blender to have a more refried consistency.
14:46Coming together.
14:47Next, I'm going to get my eggs working for my breakfast tostada.
14:50I think the challenge is going to be,
14:52if you don't cook over the top,
14:54if you cook tightened butted up kind of like I do,
14:57sometimes I have problems trying to make these over the top.
14:59Yeah, I agree.
15:00Chef Saba, what are you working on over here?
15:02Some skirt steak.
15:03I like it.
15:04Tex-Mex means really bringing the spice.
15:06Some hot paprika, cumin,
15:09very similar to Pakistani-style cooking.
15:12Yes.
15:13All right, Chef, five minutes.
15:14Heard!
15:15I check on my hash.
15:16It is drying up a bit,
15:18so I ladle water into the hash.
15:21Ooh, right behind.
15:21And I cover it so that it allows the steam
15:24to cook the potatoes through.
15:26I'm just trying to get the best dish out there
15:29because I really need that money.
15:31I mean, I have invested so much into my restaurant,
15:35so every single penny, every single dollar counts.
15:39I'm not messing around.
15:41All right, this is going to be fun.
15:42Ready?
15:43I'm thinking texturally.
15:45This is an over-the-top quesadilla,
15:46and what can make this go over the top?
15:48You can cheat your own crumble.
15:50It's going to give you texture.
15:51It's going to take it over the top
15:52and make it out of bounds.
15:54My fists aren't strong enough.
15:55I've got to cut it down.
15:56That's what this game plays about.
15:58It's got to go over the top.
15:59That's pretty good.
16:00My ribeye is cooked perfectly.
16:02All right, so we're getting cheese in.
16:03Financially, it's been tough.
16:05So to be able to maybe take some money home
16:07for my wife and for my son,
16:09it would just mean the world to me.
16:1060 seconds, chefs.
16:13Time to finish French onion dip beans.
16:16My beef is spilling over the top of my postadas.
16:19Then I top it with my egg.
16:21Crunch time, y'all.
16:22Crunch time.
16:23A schmear of French onion dip.
16:25Come on, let's go.
16:26Oh, my God.
16:27Time to get it on the plate.
16:29Hash on the bottom.
16:31Hot pan.
16:31Hot pan.
16:32Over the top.
16:33Top it with the skirt steak.
16:35French onion dip in place.
16:37Yes, sir.
16:38And then tortilla strips.
16:40On top of the dish, we'll make this over the top.
16:43I am really cutting it close right now.
16:45The French onion queso.
16:46This is when you make that last-minute mistake.
16:49Yeah.
16:50They got to get in that window.
16:5120 seconds, chefs.
16:53Chef Greenberg, good.
16:54Plating quesadillas and some more French onion dip.
16:5710 seconds.
16:57Chef Saba, you're in the window first.
16:59You'll be serving first.
17:00Come on, chefs.
17:01You got to get food.
17:01Let's go.
17:02You got to get in the window.
17:02There you go.
17:04Three.
17:05He's not going to make it.
17:06Two.
17:12Chef, you just made that.
17:15Oh, my God.
17:16You just made it.
17:17That was Jack Bauer style.
17:22Chefs, you're going to be judged on taste and menu adherence.
17:26All right, Chef Saba, you're first.
17:28Let him have it.
17:29Good luck, Chef.
17:31Having judges of this caliber is so, so intimidating.
17:36We have a robust sweet potato hash with a grilled skirt steak topped with a French onion spicy sauce.
17:46It's over the top with flavor and over the top plating with the steak on top.
17:56Chef, everything here is seasoned well.
17:58I really like the cook on the beef.
18:00I think if you had a different opportunity to plate, you could showcase everything that's already in here in maybe
18:06a more meaningful way.
18:07Okay.
18:08Heard.
18:09I'm struggling with over the top.
18:10Over the top sometimes means messy and guilty.
18:13Yeah.
18:13I want way more beef and put a ton of fried eggs and a crazy spicy salsa and cheese.
18:19That would have brought it over the top.
18:21But I like your use of the French onion dip here.
18:23It feels like you added chipotle creme and some other spices to it.
18:26Yeah.
18:26That's a really smart use.
18:28Yeah.
18:30On the outside, I'm keeping it cool, calm, and collected.
18:34Hi, chefs.
18:35How are you?
18:36However, on the inside, I'm like, oh, Lord, I don't think I did enough.
18:41I want to welcome you to Houston on a Sunday morning.
18:43You have a breakfast tostada with refried beans, ground beef on top, and a cilantro French onion dip to cool
18:50things down.
18:57The tang of the French onion dip helps this dish a lot.
19:00Yeah.
19:00It's actually an acidic place to balance out all the richness in the plate.
19:04But it feels like an appetizer, and over the top to me might mean more abundance.
19:09Yeah.
19:11I think this is a really smart plate in terms of the contrast of textures, right?
19:14You have the soft, unctuous beans, you have the crispy costada, and that runny, jammy egg.
19:19Mm-hmm.
19:20All of that, though, may work a little bit against the ground beef.
19:24Understood.
19:24Thank you, chef.
19:25Thank you, chef.
19:28I'm going to be the last one tasted here, and I hope that the last is the most memorable.
19:32We're doing Over the Top.
19:34Okay.
19:351980s movie, Over the Top.
19:37Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
19:38No, no, no, no.
19:39Over the Top.
19:40You got to get the grip right, bro.
19:42You got to go.
19:42Oh, you're right.
19:43You're right.
19:43You're so right.
19:45You have a beef special quesadilla.
19:47Over the top, literally, cheese on top.
19:50Cablanos in there, caramelized onions, French onion dip all over the place.
19:54On the bottom, also in the queso dip.
19:56The beef is a ribeye with chili seasoning.
20:03Chef, the dish where you use the French onion on the bottom, on top, in the queso,
20:09really shows that you paid attention to what the challenge is.
20:12And when you think about all of the cuts of the cow, nothing says Over the Top more than a
20:17ribeye.
20:17That's right.
20:18Thank you, chef.
20:18But for us homies that eat heat, this is like a one on a ten scale.
20:23So, like, you hit all of these home runs, and then you fouled out on the seasoning, unfortunately.
20:29Yeah.
20:30Thank you both.
20:31Hopefully what I left off the table isn't as egregious as somebody else, but I could be going home first.
20:36So, my question is, was everybody Over the Top?
20:40And was it beefy?
20:41And did they incorporate the French onion dip?
20:44I think Saba and Michelle were really focused on cooking good food, but I think that there are some points
20:51left for Over the Top.
20:52And Adam was the only chef that was truly Over the Top.
20:55But he didn't bring the heat.
20:57I need a five-star dish, a four-star dish, and unfortunately someone's shift will be over with their three
21:02-star dish.
21:02Yes, chef.
21:03Okay?
21:03Yes, chef.
21:04Okay.
21:04All right.
21:11Chefs, the judges ranked your dishes from three-star dish to four-star dish to a five-star dish.
21:17Unfortunately, the chef with the three-star dish, your shift will be over.
21:22These chefs are pros.
21:23My hands are a little sweaty, and I just am a ball of nerves.
21:27The only chef that really grabbed the judges' attention for Over the Top and gets the five-star review with
21:33the chance to pick the next cooking location will be...
21:36In retrospect, yeah, I should have put more sauce.
21:39I should have put more steak.
21:41I'm nervous.
21:41I'm nervous.
21:42Michelle and Saba put out some amazing dishes.
21:44I could be going home first.
21:46Like, I have no idea.
21:53Chef Adam.
21:55Congratulations.
21:56He will take control of Flavortown for the next cook.
21:59Wow.
21:59Well done.
21:59And $5,000 going towards your paycheck.
22:02You only get to collect your paycheck if you win the next round of competition.
22:06I needed this feeling again, but I've lost a bunch recently.
22:09I wasn't making enough money.
22:10I tried selling paint last year.
22:12I tried doing other things because I wasn't financially doing enough.
22:17I've continued to follow my passion and do this.
22:19So, I'm super pumped.
22:21Thank you, as always.
22:22I kind of forgot what it feels like to win.
22:24I want to stay in Flavortown as long as I can.
22:27I want to be here for weeks on weeks on weeks.
22:31Saba Michelle.
22:33Unfortunately, one of you receives a three-star review and your ship ends now.
22:37As the returning champ in Flavortown, my stomach is in knots right now.
22:42Our versions of over-the-top are very, very different.
22:46I'm really praying that I've done enough.
22:50And that chef is...
22:57Chef Michelle.
23:00It was a beautiful plate.
23:02But it was dainty.
23:04Yeah.
23:05It was great to have you in Flavortown, chef.
23:07I'm going home for Tex-Mex.
23:09Unbelievable.
23:10I should have made a tostada burger.
23:13Chef Saba, your four-star dish got you $4,000.
23:16But the only way you're going to get that money on your paycheck is if you win the next round.
23:20I am so, so, so disappointed.
23:24Now I really need to bring it over the top.
23:26And here's the lowdown.
23:28Chef Adam, you got the five-star review.
23:31You get to pick the next location we're going to cook in.
23:35We have our sausage and dogs food carts.
23:38We have hunch burgers, our small, fast, casual concept.
23:43And then we have fine dining, high-end, Shea Penny.
23:47I'm going up against a champion, so I got to pick one that I'm comfortable with.
23:51Not worried about, like, what she can or can't do.
23:54I'm really hoping he's going to pick fine dining.
23:57That's where I can really show off my skills.
24:00What are you thinking?
24:08I want to go to hunch burgers.
24:10That's me, man.
24:11Just like that.
24:12Of course.
24:14He seems like a burger kind of guy.
24:16Let's go to hunch burgers.
24:17Let's have some fun.
24:18Let's go over the top.
24:19If there's a place to go over the top in Flavortown, it's definitely going to be at Hunchburger.
24:23Yeah.
24:24Over the top means next level.
24:26Yes.
24:26I don't know what Hunter has on the menu, but being that he's the assistant to the assistant fry cook,
24:32let's go to Hunchburger and figure it out.
24:34Let's go.
24:35Ready?
24:38You know, I have a hunch you are going to love Hunchburger.
24:43And here's the head Huncho.
24:46Today is over the top day here in Flavortown, so we want you to make over the top burgers.
24:52Now chefs, we have an opportunity for you guys to make some more money on your paycheck with our upsell
24:58items.
24:59We have ground turkey for a $2,000 bonus.
25:02Ground turkey usually is very lean.
25:04They tend to really dry out.
25:06Ground bison for a $3,000 bonus.
25:08Bison has a gamey feel.
25:11That just makes it so difficult.
25:13And last but not least, ground meat substitute for a $5,000 bonus.
25:19One of those soy-based protein meats.
25:22Exactly.
25:22Substitute meat I've had once in my life.
25:24It's fine.
25:25I don't love it.
25:26Use all three of them.
25:28You'd make $10,000.
25:29Now, Chef Saba, using all the upsell ingredients, would give you a shot at $19,000.
25:36And Chef Adam, you would be walking with $20,000.
25:40Okay, 30 minutes to make your over-the-top burger, and your shift starts now.
25:47Okay.
25:48It's tight quarters.
25:50I mean, you turn and you're at the pantry.
25:52You turn, you're at the grill.
25:53You turn, you're at the dish station.
25:54I mean, it's nuts.
25:58Burgers, it's not the style of cooking that I do.
26:01So I have to figure that out on the go.
26:03We're in Flavortown.
26:04We should use some Flavortown sauce right now.
26:06We are in Flavortown, baby.
26:07That's right.
26:08I feel great about this kitchen.
26:09We've got our workspace on one side.
26:11We've got our flat top and grill on the other side.
26:13I'm going big or going home here.
26:15After winning the first round, this huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders.
26:18So watch out.
26:21Gentlemen.
26:21We're here, sir.
26:22Hello.
26:22So these are three very particular upsells.
26:26If you homogenize all the meats together, how are you going to tell?
26:30Exactly right.
26:30So my thing would be, it has to be identifiable.
26:34Right.
26:34The upsells are a bonus, but it's pointless if you have to go home.
26:37Right?
26:37And we're the arbiter of whether they get paid or not, if we can taste it.
26:41So if it's a...
26:42The arbiter.
26:42Arbiter.
26:43Who are you today?
26:44What is...
26:46You know, you could get a fine in Flavortown for using big words.
26:49I'm just taking over this whole side of the kitchen here.
26:52What are you doing, chef?
26:53What's on the menu?
26:54I have a modern Mediterranean point of view.
26:58So I'm going to do a lamb burger with a fried egg.
27:02I'm going to pickle some shallots.
27:04I'm going to do some whipped feta in there.
27:06Don't forget of the feta.
27:07They love me some whipped feta.
27:09And I'm going to fry some tomatoes.
27:13It's going to add a textural component and it's going to make it over the top.
27:16Opening a restaurant as a first generation immigrant has been challenging.
27:22My family was pretty rigid about what their expectations were for a successful future.
27:28Like a doctor or a lawyer.
27:29And so to win again would just validate opening a restaurant and all my life choices in choosing this career.
27:37What meats are you using for the upsell?
27:38The bison.
27:39Lamb and bison.
27:40Lamb and bison.
27:41Sounds fantastic.
27:42Last week, I used every upsell item.
27:45But this week, I want to be strategic about how I want this burger to present.
27:51If you're trying to take advantage of the upsells, then I think it needs to be focused.
27:55I think the lamb and the bison will complement each other really well with cumin, red chili flakes, and za
28:02'atar.
28:03It's more flavor than Connecticut.
28:06Chef Adam, what's on the menu, bud?
28:07I'm going big.
28:08I'm trying all the meats.
28:10That's brave.
28:11Like, I'm not here for 10 grand.
28:13I'm here for the full 20.
28:14This is about showing my son, don't give up.
28:17Life is always going to bring adversity.
28:19Like, life is hard, right?
28:20Like, adulting sucks.
28:21But, hey, my dad didn't give up.
28:23He didn't say he didn't want to do it.
28:24He didn't cry like a baby because he lost.
28:26He got back out there.
28:27He's pushing his chips all in for the finale, man.
28:30This is wild.
28:31And are you making them individual patties or mixing them together?
28:34We're going to go individual so you can kind of taste each.
28:37And hopefully one doesn't overpower the next.
28:40No.
28:40So it's a four by four.
28:42Four by four is a great way to put it.
28:44Hopefully it's nice and messy and over the top.
28:46Ground turkey and ground bison, they have a tendency to dry out.
28:50Right.
28:51Ground beef is great because all that fat will help as they're biting through with the other lean meats.
28:56Meat substitute, we're going to make it delicious.
28:58Substitute meat doesn't have a lot of flavor.
29:00So I'm jazzing it up, adding some fish sauce to add some umami.
29:04See how that works.
29:05That's complicated to cook well.
29:07And that's a 36-inch griddle.
29:09That's not a 48-incher.
29:10Is this too much of a risk?
29:12It might be, but this is flavor town.
29:14This isn't boring town.
29:17Excuse me, excuse me.
29:18Behind, behind.
29:19All right, chef, behind you.
29:21It's crazy.
29:22Adam's in the way.
29:23Then there's camera guys in the way.
29:25I mean, Chef Saba's a real chef.
29:27You can see right here, she's got her test patty.
29:29Yeah.
29:29I want over the top like climbing Kilimanjaro, not over the top like going over Blueberry Hill.
29:34Oh.
29:35I have to just make my presence known.
29:38I have to defend my title.
29:40So I'm going to make a giant, ginormous burger patty.
29:45These are like one pound patties.
29:47They are over the top.
29:49Ask and you shall receive, gentlemen.
29:51Twelve minutes to go, guys.
29:53Twelve to go.
29:54Yes, chef.
29:56So Chef Adam's going for the smash.
29:57In competition, a smash burger is great.
30:00They cook fast.
30:02I'm going up against a champion, but this gives me kind of a leg up in making sure that I'm
30:07not running to the past like I did last time.
30:09I mean, it all comes down to execution on whether the over the top dream is the over the top
30:14plate of food.
30:16I got my burgers on the flat top and I want to make it classic.
30:20Gonna give you a little bit of shredders, onion.
30:23I got some crumbled up chips.
30:24That's kind of a move I like at home.
30:26And then got to have that special sauce with a burger, just mayo, some sriracha in there to make it
30:31a little spicy.
30:34Oh yeah, out of bounds.
30:37In all my years, this is the biggest swing for the fences.
30:42Behind.
30:43I love it.
30:43He wants to dethrone the champ, right?
30:46He wants to take out the head honcho here.
30:49Right.
30:49New school American cheese today.
30:51Oh, that's some of my favorite American cheese I've ever had.
30:54It is the best.
30:54So good.
30:55Great salt content in it.
30:56Chef, you are fast, my friend.
30:58Uh, smash burgers are quick, but that doesn't mean it tastes better.
31:02Seven and a half minutes.
31:03Whew.
31:04All right.
31:04Yogurt.
31:05Did you see the yogurt anywhere?
31:07While my burgers are cooking, I need to make the sauce.
31:10I don't see yogurt.
31:13Working in new kitchens is a challenge.
31:16Right there, chef.
31:18It's five snakes that was gonna bite you.
31:22Adam's using a mayonnaise-based sauce, but I make everything from scratch.
31:26I mix the yogurt, some chili paste, whipped feta.
31:32It's a flavor bomb.
31:35All right.
31:36My fried tomatoes looking great.
31:39Oh, what a great fry Saba guy.
31:41Wow.
31:42Beautiful golden brownish.
31:42She's clearly a technical chef.
31:44Chef Saba, are you gonna fry some eggs?
31:46I sure am.
31:47Wow.
31:48I love you.
31:49That's very over the top.
31:51Plates of the pass-through in five minutes.
31:53Oh, my God.
31:54Chef Saba, what's happening?
31:56I might have bitten off more than I can chew.
31:58These burgers are too thick.
32:00So while there's char on the outside, they are undercooked in the middle.
32:05Ooh, yeah, that's rough.
32:06Oh, that's the risk of a big patty.
32:09If it's rare, it DQs you.
32:11Live by the sword, die by the sword.
32:13I've gotta make this work.
32:15Honestly, every successful restaurant just wants butts in seats.
32:19And having another win under my belt will really put me on the map.
32:24And definitely get some butts in those seats for us.
32:28Ooh.
32:28All right.
32:29So I pivot and I transfer them to the cast iron pan.
32:33Okay, we're going for it.
32:35We are committed to this dish and it's happening.
32:38I don't know if Saba's got the time to finish these burgers through.
32:51Two and a half minutes!
32:53Oh, my God.
32:54Can anybody convert Celsius?
32:56You want it to be 130-ish?
32:57Yeah.
32:58I'm really hoping that these burgers cooked all the way through.
33:02Let's see.
33:0354.4.
33:06Yes, yes, yes.
33:08Okay, folks.
33:09Got a lot of components here.
33:11Mayo, sriracha, special sauce.
33:12And then the bison with a lot of shredders, onion.
33:15Then I go turkey patty, beef patty.
33:17He's inside of the burger matrix.
33:19And then crumbled chips for texture.
33:21And gonna top it off with the substitute meat.
33:24And the last step, some more sauce, more shredders, end-to-end flavor.
33:28Chef, you've got 90 seconds till you're in the pass-through.
33:31Whipped feta on the buns.
33:33Pickled shallots.
33:34I'm thinking tomato under the patty.
33:37Can't go wrong with donkey sauce.
33:40Wow.
33:41That inhibits my ability to grab the burger.
33:44Did he just DQ himself?
33:4630 seconds.
33:47Right behind you, Chef.
33:48Chef, you're done?
33:49You're an animal.
33:50Chef Saba, you need to be plated and in the pass-through window.
33:54Ah!
33:55She poked right through her egg by using the stick.
33:58Fog of war.
33:59I can carry a plate for you.
34:00Okay, carry a plate for me.
34:02Five seconds.
34:03I don't think she's gonna finish here.
34:04Ah!
34:07Time is up.
34:08All right, Chef's great job in the pass-through window.
34:11Thank you for your help.
34:13I think my burger is over the top.
34:16And looking at Adam's dish, I think mine was more creative.
34:21Who thought burgers would be so hard?
34:23Saba's burger could be undercooked.
34:25But my burger, I don't know how they're gonna eat it.
34:27I'm definitely nervous about that.
34:28Chef Adam, you were in the window first.
34:30Take it away.
34:33Gentlemen, judges.
34:35Great to see you.
34:36Shabam.
34:37Here you go.
34:39Wow.
34:39All right, Chef's, we're calling this the 4x4.
34:42We've got ground beef, ground turkey, ground meat substitute.
34:46And we've got the bison.
34:48Smart move with the gloves, sir.
34:49And then we've got some special sauce.
34:51We've got the donkey sauce.
34:53Everything is doused over the top.
34:54This burger is meant to be over the top, eaten with gloves on.
34:57And the thermometer is the skewer.
34:59It's meant to show you how hot it is in this kitchen.
35:01Nice.
35:01And you picked this kitchen.
35:02Yes, sir.
35:03I picked this kitchen.
35:04This was your choice because you were the five star from round one.
35:06That is right, sir.
35:07Okay, cool.
35:07I'm going for it.
35:09I'm definitely nervous that it's so over the top.
35:12The meat itself might get lost.
35:16Whoa.
35:18Chef, as a restaurateur and a chef, I love this burger.
35:21Because it is the thing that people will talk about.
35:24It is the thing that makes it over the top.
35:26Like, you knock that out of the park.
35:27And all the different meats, when you eat them together, they go great.
35:32And I have to say, it maintains its integrity.
35:34But I really have a problem with the sauces being two that don't necessarily complement each other and one being
35:42over top of the bun.
35:43And while I see as a marketable item, I see it.
35:46But as someone who had to put on gloves, it did make the enjoyment of the burger difficult.
35:50Understood.
35:50But four burgers, four slices of cheese, two sauces, meat thermometer inside.
35:56I think you nailed the over the top theme.
35:58Thank you both so much, chef.
35:59Thank you, chef.
36:00Maybe I should have done this differently.
36:02But again, we're in flavor town.
36:04Like, there is no such thing as too much over the top.
36:06Chef Saba, champ, you're up.
36:08All right, let's do it.
36:09Go enjoy, chef.
36:09Have a blast.
36:13Hello, chef.
36:13All right, judges.
36:15So what you have here is a combination of bison and lamb.
36:20And you have a fried tomato there, which plays really well with that lamb and the bison, plus the whipped
36:27feta on top.
36:28So lots of flavor.
36:30And it is a true representation of my modern Mediterranean style of cooking.
36:35I want to see the temperature.
36:39I'm just praying that these burgers are cooked all the way through.
36:45Chef Jonathan, we have two different temperatures here.
36:47Did you see that?
36:49I was just going to say that.
36:49Mine is medium to medium well.
36:54I don't have a warm pink center, as they would say, in the steak.
36:56And what's yours?
36:56I have a perfect medium burger.
36:59Wow.
37:00This is at least a 12-ounce patty.
37:02Which is gargantuan.
37:07Chef, your burger is over the top in its size.
37:11And in its strategy.
37:13And between the two burgers, your construction was better.
37:17I could actually eat it and pick it up.
37:19Okay.
37:19So big win there.
37:21Okay.
37:21But bison is so lean.
37:22You actually need to over season.
37:25Yeah.
37:25And I wonder what it would taste like with another upsell.
37:28Yep.
37:29But I love the way you cook.
37:31And I love how you play the game.
37:33Thank you so much.
37:33Thank you so much.
37:35Bro, this is tough.
37:36Yeah.
37:37I'm nervous.
37:38I'm nervous.
37:39Because this is the make or break moment.
37:41Let's talk about this.
37:42Chef Saba, what was the best part of her burger?
37:44The feta part was the feta.
37:46The whipped feta.
37:47She is a sauce and cheese queen.
37:50She is.
37:51And I love Adam's overall flavor.
37:53But if he didn't put that sauce on top, it would have ate gorgeous.
37:58How were the four different patties cooked?
38:00I thought all four patties were cooked well.
38:02That's tough.
38:03But I do agree that sometimes less is more.
38:06Yeah.
38:07Okay.
38:07Find me the champ.
38:08Is it the returning champ?
38:09All the flavors and all the food that I cooked are all true to who I am.
38:14So I'm hoping that it's a winning dish.
38:17Is it a new champ?
38:17It's been an exciting run.
38:19A lot of hard work.
38:20Try to represent myself with honor, dignity, humility.
38:23And I want this so badly.
38:29Does your grandma know that you stole the curtain out of her house and made that knife roll?
38:35She does.
38:36She's aware.
38:37Looks like you have worked that thing.
38:40Yeah.
38:40Oh, it's 20 years old at this point, I think.
38:43Yeah.
38:43Well done.
38:44Chefs, I got to tell you.
38:45You topped yourself on an over-the-top experience here in Flavortown.
38:49I mean, the motto is go big or go home.
38:52You definitely went big.
38:53Maybe in some situations too big.
38:56Unfortunately, only one of you can get the five-star review and the paycheck.
39:01Chef Saba, you used the bison.
39:02The bison.
39:03Okay.
39:03For $3,000.
39:04Plus $4,000 for your first round.
39:07Plus if you win $5,000 in the second round.
39:10So you could have yourself $12,000 bucks.
39:13And last time you won $20,000 bucks.
39:16Nice.
39:16Are you nervous?
39:17Have you got sweaty palms?
39:18Well, I have sweaty everything right now.
39:21I'm super nervous.
39:22Chef Adam.
39:24Yes, sir.
39:24If you were to win this, you would win $5,000 in your first round, $5,000 in the second
39:30round,
39:30and also $10,000 for using all of your upsell ingredients, which give you a shot at $20,000 to
39:37your paycheck.
39:38Sounds great.
39:39The chef that gets the five-star review on their dish in over-the-top day in Flavortown is...
39:51Chef Adam.
39:53Well done.
39:55Well done.
39:56Well done.
39:57Thank you so much.
39:58Congratulations.
39:59Thank you, Adam.
39:59Thank you, son.
40:01Good job.
40:02I want to keep going.
40:03I'm so excited.
40:05This feeling right now is like the world, the weight of the world has just come off my shoulders.
40:10Chef Saba, you were a fantastic champion for us.
40:14I love the way you cook, and I love the way you battle.
40:16You were the first $20,000 winner in Flavortown.
40:20Wow.
40:21This will be the end of your shift.
40:23And we thank you for coming to Flavortown.
40:25Thank you so much.
40:25Ladies and gentlemen, Chef Saba.
40:27Thank you very much.
40:29I tried my best.
40:31I put my heart on the plate, and I'm really proud of the dish that I made today.
40:35And I still have a big paycheck that I'm bringing home for my family.
40:40Oh, well.
40:43Chef Adam, you've come into Flavortown.
40:46You battled a champion.
40:48And tonight, your total paycheck is $20,000.
40:54What a win!
41:00Everything's about my son.
41:01There's almost three.
41:03Like I said before, I wasn't making enough money.
41:05I tried selling paint last year, but I've continued to follow my passion and do this.
41:09And that's why I'm here today, to continue in that path.
41:13You know, there's some things that I've showed my kids that once they got older,
41:16they kind of looked at and said, wow, you know, you were doing all that for us.
41:20And your son, Abraham.
41:22It's going to take you a while before you really understand what your dad achieved.
41:27So when you watch this, when you're five or ten or fifteen, or maybe you're going off to college,
41:33you can hear from your dad, in the middle of a very difficult battle, what advice he has for you,
41:39when you face battles in life.
41:40Take it away.
41:42Your dad loves you, and don't give up on your dreams, man.
41:46I love you to death, kid.
41:48And this is for you.
41:49And you are the champ!
41:54Well, Chef, we are going to see you next time when you come back to defend your title against two
42:00new chefs.
42:01Whoo!
42:03Whoo!
42:03Whoo!
42:03Yeah!
42:04You have faith and judgment is.
42:05You have faith and judgment is.
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