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Americas Culinary Cup - Season 1 - Episode 03: Nice Big Squash
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00:02I'm Padma Lakshmi and we've scoured the nation to bring together the most elite chefs and the most
00:09renowned judges into the ultimate culinary battleground this is a test of our 10 culinary
00:16Commandments master them and you win 1 million dollars brought to you by our official cleanup
00:23partners Don Powerwash eleven of you have now survived the first commandment oh my god how
00:39are you feeling Keith take a moment to celebrate through my end zone dance and get right back to
00:43practice unfortunately there's no time to celebrate because your next culinary commandment starts
01:00now
01:01these are sexy wait what's going on they're kidnapping us your second commandment is
01:14sustainability I personally am very excited about sustainability commandment I am very proud to be
01:21the only Mexican chef in the United States what the Michelin green star for sustainability sustainability
01:26is about preventing food waste by making ingredients last sourcing locally and eating foods that require
01:33fewer natural resources chef my mind this next commandment might be the most important of the 10
01:39true mastery begins with sourcing and that means selecting ingredients that are local and sustainable for your next cook you'll
01:47have one hour to create a dish using hyper sustainable ingredients these all electric Rivian vehicles are going to take
01:55you around the farm to gather produce directly from the source you'll be pairing those vegetables with additional
02:02natural sustainable ingredients and we'll meet you back at the penthouse happy picking all right I got shotgun
02:09can we tell about how beautiful scores are like the wood grain vegan leather sexy
02:17okay congratulations we're already on to the next challenge so I don't have enough time to soak in the glory
02:24of the wind congratulations Matt you are the winner of the carnivore classic but now with the sustainability commandment I'm
02:32going to continue to push myself
02:34all right don't you stand there and be like waving homecoming queens
02:38bye chefs
02:43you made it
02:45it's been a long hot day I didn't go home but it always sucks being on the bottom it may
02:50just not meet my expectation
02:52you just have to pick yourself back up and go for it again and keep going keep going
02:58oh my gosh this is amazing
03:01oh thank you caballero
03:02I'm excited to run through the fields and let the ingredients speak to me and be like what leek
03:08que pasa calabaza
03:10oh wow you're taking on your shoes
03:11I gotta run hope I clip my toenails
03:14let's go
03:14okay let's go
03:18I'm a runner I've been running for years and years
03:21running is my like zen time to formulate ideas and clear my head having that mental break has been arguably
03:29the most important part of my success outside of my support with my family
03:34go daddy
03:35this year has been the hardest year of my life my mom passed away in January I have been a
03:41mama's boy since day one because I wanted to spend more time with her I was naturally hanging out with
03:46her in the kitchen all the time
03:47I'm more eight things than I did help but you know I didn't know it at the time and I
03:51think that's when I started to fall in love with food
03:54hi
03:54oh hi chef
03:56I've been thinking about my mom every second of this competition I'm 100% doing it for her I'm just
04:02hoping I get to the finish line
04:04alright I think I got what I needed
04:12that was fun
04:13yeah I got a good tan
04:23oh
04:24oh back in rainy New York
04:25uh huh
04:36hi chefs
04:37hi
04:38hi
04:39welcome back to the city
04:40I see you have all your produce from the farm
04:43yes
04:44what'd you get
04:45some beautiful leeks
04:46I love leeks
04:47Katie looks like she has nothing in her basket
04:48I know
04:49I got exactly what I need
04:51very sustainable of you
04:53as you know today's culinary commandment is sustainability and mastering this commandment will get you one step closer to the
05:02prestigious honor of being the winner of America's Culinary Cup and walking out of here with one million dollars thanks
05:11to our friends at Don Power Wash
05:14Michael
05:14Michael you have a green Michelin star right
05:17yeah I was awarded a green Michelin star in 2023 for my work at my restaurant
05:21so maybe that makes Michael the chef to be
05:23we coming Michael
05:24uh Matt won
05:27the meat commandment
05:28the meat commandment
05:29it feels really good to be acknowledged for the things that you've done in your work
05:33but it kind of makes you go into this frenzy of like don't this up
05:39chefs you'll have one hour to create a dish featuring both the produce you've harvested from the farm in addition
05:47to the hyper sustainable ingredients in our pantry like mussels ants and quail
05:53the two chefs who received the lowest scores in this commandment will battle it out in a head-to-head
05:59cook-off where the loser will be forced to go home
06:02cooking head-to-head I've been there before and I don't want to do it again
06:06the further away I'm from the bottom the closer I am to getting that million dollars
06:11we're cooking on a stagger
06:12Buddha you're first
06:13you have one hour on the clock
06:15your time starts now
06:17go Buddha
06:18go Buddha
06:20for this commandment chefs will be scored on four judging criteria
06:24come on Buddha you can do it
06:25taste creativity presentation and mastery of the commandment
06:29each category is worth five points for a total of 20 points from each judge with a possible perfect score
06:36of 60
06:37is Beverly cooking with her mind right now
06:39totally she's going through the steps in her head
06:42yeah it looks like it
06:43today I'm making all parts of the leeks
06:45I'm going to serve them with the razor clams
06:48Buddha how many ways are you doing leeks?
06:50five ways
06:51five ways
06:52I like five maybe I want five kids later on
06:55I don't do minimum requirements
06:56I go for the moon and if I don't hit the moon I'll end up in the stars
06:59Michael's off
07:04hey Michael
07:05Chef
07:05Batman says you're the only one to beat huh?
07:07damn it Buddha
07:08yes
07:09I think so
07:10my stability journey started with this idea of being able to take quote unquote garbage
07:16and turn it into another layer of flavor
07:18here you go my love
07:19hi daddy
07:20hi baby
07:20I am here for my community for my culture my family
07:23my wife Ryan has been the biggest supporter of my career
07:27I couldn't have done it without her honestly
07:28and her also just kind of helping me through my transition when I left the church
07:32I grew up in a cult and walking away was not easy
07:35so I want to win this million dollars for her
07:38and I'm gonna cook my ass off
07:39Michael what are you doing with everything from the farm?
07:41I'm making an agriculture chef
07:43I'm gonna make a little squash puree
07:45and then I'm gonna roast a little bit of quail
07:47I've cooked quail before
07:48and it's super sustainable
07:50and also I can make like an ant and nori like rub
07:54ants are nutty, earthy, fun
07:56and some good times
07:59Keith
08:00start
08:00let's go Keith
08:02let's go
08:03my strategy
08:04uses as few ingredients as possible
08:06very sustainable
08:07leeks will be the starter dish
08:09I will do a leek and potato balutte
08:12leek and potato soup
08:13that's it
08:14Buddha, Keith
08:16is this the battle of the leeks?
08:17battle of the leeks
08:18yeah it's the battle of the leeks
08:19can't wait
08:20Keith looks like he's cooking Wednesday supper
08:22yeah he does
08:23he looks very chill
08:24I am someone who grew up with less than other people
08:27I am someone who thrives under pressure
08:30I've been to prison
08:31I did it all
08:32and so sustainability
08:33I got this
08:35okay what's next
08:36start Gianna
08:39I want my dish to be the best
08:40I see lobster
08:42and the sea urchin
08:43and those are like just things that I love to eat
08:45nice and fatty
08:47I just came from the land
08:48let's take it to the sea now
08:50Katie time's on
08:52Katie
08:53I go in the pantry and I get exactly what I want
08:55mussels
08:56hey
08:57mussels are incredibly sustainable
09:00Melina get going
09:05my strategy for this cook is to cook as if I'm cooking a dish for my wife
09:10she's the only person that I know that's more chill than me
09:13my wife would be vegan if she weren't married to me
09:16so I'm making a completely vegan dish
09:18that is the ultimate example of sustainability
09:26whoa
09:26whoa
09:27whoa
09:27whoa
09:28oh no
09:29oh no
09:31I mean at least she didn't have the beard
09:33that's why mine's so much shorter now
09:37what's Michael up to?
09:38I think he's got quail over there
09:40this is the ant rub that I made for the little quails
09:43little quail
09:44I gotta say I think quail's like a risky choice
09:47why
09:47the birds are so small and they have to be cooked just so
09:50because if they're not then they're gonna be dry
09:52make it tough really easy
09:53gotta go
09:55please start Emily
09:57Emily get going
10:00what I got on farm is carrots
10:02so I'm featuring seaweed and carrots
10:06whoo
10:09missed one
10:13Emily's working away
10:17Matt your time starts now
10:21let's go Matt
10:22start cooking
10:23I just won the meat commandment challenge
10:24so this kind of helps bring a little bit of confidence for the rest of the competition
10:31Beverly looks ready
10:33I'm sorry my body's like a bolting like
10:36I know you're ready Beverly
10:37I've been ready
10:40Beverly go
10:47you got clams?
10:49wheat
10:55that kalabasa is gonna take a minute
10:57yeah that's gonna take time just to peel that thing
11:00ooh Chris has a nice big squash too
11:07oh god
11:08Kara your time starts now
11:13I would say that I'm one of the more sustainable chefs here
11:17my strategy is to go vegan
11:19I know how to use everything from the roots to the sheets
11:22I mean mushrooms are sustainable they like they come from death
11:24you know some kind of a beautiful thing
11:26ooh wee
11:29ooh wee
11:31baby
11:32it's gonna be hard to beat
11:35Chris
11:35your time starts now
11:39so I'm gonna do a roasted lime squash with ricotta and blackberries
11:44Buddha you have five minutes left
11:46five minutes Buddha
11:47Michael fifteen minutes you are up
11:50this quail is kind of like starting to become a problem for me
11:54I'm not getting the color that I want the browning
11:57we're like getting to the wire
11:59so at this point I start to worry right
12:01like my sauces are tasting really good
12:03everything's really great
12:04but then I cut into one
12:06and it's still not all the way there
12:08I put it in the oven
12:11and I'm just praying that hopefully the universe like
12:13sends me a Hail Mary and it's not raw
12:29I want a medium cook on that quail
12:31time is of the essence
12:32and hopefully I can get it up to at least temperature
12:37flowers from the farm
12:38Buddha
12:40five
12:41four
12:42three
12:42two
12:44one
12:44time's up Buddha
12:46I feel confident with my dish
12:47I think it's delivering the right message of sustainability
12:51what did you make for us Buddha
12:53I'm trying to utilize the whole leek
12:54so I braved the leeks
12:56a little bit of bacon
12:56they're served with clams
12:58focusing on a vegetable
12:59as the main component
13:01you did develop really good flavor of the leek
13:03good job also of like sticking to the commandment here
13:06shellfish are very sustainable
13:08I think the soup is great
13:09I think that the razor clams are nice and tender
13:11I think you could have used the opportunity to give it a little bit more crunch
13:15maybe fried some leek
13:17but some dishes are just soft and it's okay
13:20yeah
13:21taking a humble vegetable and a few razor clams
13:24and making something so luxurious and special feeling
13:28is exactly what we want to do with this commandment
13:31yes thank you
13:31thank you
13:32all right let's score
13:39silky smooth baby
13:42I am killing the muscles right now
13:45the cold muscle dick
13:46pisto manchego takes a while to make
13:49the risk I'm taking is I'm making a quick version
13:53not cold yet
13:55Michael 30 seconds
13:5730 seconds Padma
13:58I'm stressing about the quail
14:00hopefully my sauces will like save me
14:03Michael five seconds
14:04five
14:05four
14:05three
14:06two
14:07one
14:08time's up Michael
14:16Chef would you make for us?
14:18pan roasted quail
14:19with a rub made from ants
14:21a plum sauce
14:22then the squash puree was made with all the beautiful vegetables from the farm
14:27you can build these complex sauces flavors that are very rich
14:32this puree in the middle of a plate is really cool
14:34and the legs of my quail are great
14:36you know the rub is really fun
14:38unfortunately I think the breast on my bird is a little bit rare
14:42unfortunately mine is like very rare
14:44however the rest of the plate as Wiley said absolutely delicious
14:48maybe you should have gone vegetarian
14:50yeah thank you
14:51this is really raw
14:52you did yourself a real disservice because that puree is excellent
14:56I appreciate it
14:57thank you so much
14:58thank you guys
14:59thanks Michael
15:00the reason why I picked up the quail in the first place was because I wanted to highlight a protein
15:04and now this is the thing that's going to potentially be bringing me down
15:09I'm not sure how to rate the taste or creativity because like
15:14it's so raw
15:15fair enough
15:20who's up babies
15:22that's all you got
15:24go big or go home
15:25I got some air bloom carrots here
15:27I'm making like um
15:29kind of a take on like tandoori carrots
15:30with um yogurt but with tofu
15:32I'm gonna toss the carrots in a lime miso sauce
15:37I'm gonna toss the carrots in a lime miso sauce
15:38as big as your friend
15:40okay
15:43he's plating
15:44he's plating
15:45three
15:46two
15:48one
15:49time's up Keith
15:54it's a beautiful dish
15:55everything I create I believe is going to be delicious
15:59hi Keith
15:59hello
16:01right here we have a leek and potato veluthe
16:04shive oil truffle oil and crispy potato skins
16:08texture of your soup is great
16:10I do think that with leek as your vegetable
16:13there's not a lot of leek shining through
16:15it feels like it was about potato and that you got out of the pantry
16:19you can't really taste the truffle oil which is a good thing
16:22because I think truffle oil is probably one of the least sustainable things
16:26that we've ever created
16:28I love the consistency of your soup
16:31it ain't like a veluthe
16:33a beautiful example of one
16:35the soup to me
16:36it just tastes a little too oily if that makes sense
16:40okay
16:40thank you
16:41thank you
16:42thanks Keith
16:43I can't believe it
16:44I use one of the most sustainable ingredients
16:47paired with the least sustainable ingredient in the truffle oil
16:52ah
16:53damn
16:54not trying to cook again tonight
16:57ah
16:58so here we're kind of torch off the skins
17:00from there we're going to stew this down
17:02kind of really showcasing the beautiful flavors of the tomato
17:06kind of like a prattatouille if you will
17:11Deanna you have 90 seconds
17:13flowers flowers flowers flowers flowers
17:15have them over here
17:16my flowers
17:17my flowers
17:18right here
17:18time is difficult for me
17:22time's up Deanna
17:25what did you make for us
17:27mar y tierra
17:28stuffed eggplant
17:29with lobster
17:31salsa ranchera
17:32made with calabaza
17:33tons of chile
17:34and leeks
17:36everything that was in my basket is in here
17:38I commend you for using the entire basket
17:41but you could have maybe left a few of those ingredients out
17:44Deanna I have to respectfully disagree with Wiley
17:47yeah so do I
17:47I
17:49I think that you brought all these ingredients together in a really compelling way
17:54this dish is a beautiful dish it's a creative idea
17:57but I think the ratio is a little off
17:59it needed more lobster
18:01thank you
18:01thank you
18:02I feel good about my dish but I have no idea like how it's going to be scored
18:06I don't want to cook again
18:09love going to farms
18:10so it felt really good to like get in that element again today
18:13at curate bar de tapas
18:15we use the influence of the ingredients and the producers in our area
18:21it's got like this sense of place
18:23Spanish tapas via Asheville, North Carolina
18:26and you can only get that food there because it's our identity
18:31I have a master's degree in biomedical engineering
18:34but honestly it was not filling my soul
18:38I wanted to cook
18:39oh I can't stop shaking it's so crazy
18:41right as I was switching careers
18:43I started cooking Spanish food and then never looked back
18:47ooh
18:48what'd you make Katie?
18:50this is a version of mechiones and escoveche
18:52which are pickled mussels
18:54I made ratatouille
18:55and then I blended that into the sauce
18:58to try to capture all of the flavors from all of the vegetables that I gathered
19:02I think the sauce is beautiful
19:04so is the knife work
19:05these mussels are plump, juicy, lovely
19:09they're not rubbery
19:10they're cooked exactly as they should be
19:12this is a very delightful dish
19:15thank you
19:15I loved it
19:16I thought it was delicious
19:16the mussels were tender
19:17you came in with very few ingredients
19:20seemed like you had a plan
19:21which is great
19:22and I think you definitely executed the plan
19:25this was great
19:26thank you
19:27Katie probably used the most sustainable ingredient of everyone that we've tasted from so far
19:33mussels are a highly sustainable ingredient
19:35she's going to be tough to beat
19:37never worked with this varietal squash before
19:39so just try to make sure I can treat it properly and pay respect to it
19:42I'm looking good for one so I don't even know
19:45you never know
19:46I'm going to start plating here in a second
19:48a little mint here
19:49I love mint and eggplant together
19:51now I'm going to add on the sea beans
19:53three
19:54two
19:55one
19:56Lalina times up
20:01hello judges
20:02it's kind of like a take on the nasu dengaku
20:05which is the Japanese dish
20:07I use a red miso, red raspberries and red beets
20:11that green sauce is delicious
20:13so good
20:13thank you
20:14you treated that eggplant like a steak
20:16it was cooked to perfection
20:19thank you
20:19and seasoned well
20:21thank you Melina
20:22thank you
20:22hello chef
20:23hi
20:24I made carrots and seaweed
20:26super excited to use seaweed in all different types of ways
20:32it's delicious
20:33and I'm sorry that I don't have anything negative to tell you about this dish
20:36I wish I did but it's just too damn good
20:39stop
20:40all right
20:40I'll stop
20:41okay
20:42I can breathe again for a few seconds
20:46hi
20:46hi Kira
20:47mushroom wontons with mushroom broth
20:49you said sustainable
20:50like if you really want to like nitpick it
20:53you've got to go vegan in my mind
20:55great thank you
20:56these are big for one biter
20:59no
20:59but I'm gonna do my best
21:01listen if I gave you a small dumpling my mother would shame me
21:04like total shame
21:06this was great
21:07it was very simple in its presentation but it delivered on a whole nother level
21:14the broth is luscious and light full of flavor and the dough is made by your expert hands and it
21:21shows
21:22so thank you thank you for a job well done
21:24thank you
21:25thank you
21:26I mean if Kara keeps cooking like this she's gonna have her baby here in the kitchen
21:29yeah
21:30you know
21:40what did you make for us Matt?
21:42farm ratatouille with seared scallops and saffron clam sauce
21:47Matt I think you took a bunch of seemingly simple ingredients put it together made a beautiful elegant dish
21:53unfortunately I did get a little bit of sand in my scallop
21:59that would be sort of my big pet peeve
22:03same
22:03I know that's just like the biggest no no that you can do is have a sandy scallop
22:08I could actually go home today
22:20for me Matt I really prefer to have scallops seared on both sides
22:24it's just a pet peeve of mine
22:26everything about this dish is so beautiful
22:28I love the tiny leaves of basil on the tomato
22:33it gave the dish such brightness
22:36but my scallop had a touch of sand in it too in that first bite
22:41thank you Matt you can go back to your station
22:43I feel super deflated right now
22:44we're here to take risks and unfortunately this one bit me
22:49three
22:49two
22:51one
22:52Beverly
22:52time's up
22:53I'm a little nervous because it is very simple
22:59it's just carrot sauce and the garnishes
23:02hi Beverly
23:02hello
23:04what did you make for us
23:05Razzle Hanout grilled carrots with tofu yogurt
23:08I used the whole vegetable which I thought was also the sustainable factor
23:14Beverly I gotta say everything was really well balanced really delicious
23:19I love the almonds at the end to give it a little bit of crunch
23:22thank you
23:23I love the texture of that tofu yogurt that you created
23:26very smooth on the palate carries just the right amount of flavor of saffron
23:30I love the tartness on the tofu
23:33I'm gonna call it a cream because it was so whipped so luscious
23:36and I'm gonna steal that tofu yogurt
23:38the next time someone comes over my house and doesn't eat dairy
23:41I have nothing bad to say about this dish
23:44I really can't find anything
23:45oh my god really?
23:46thank you Beverly
23:47oh my god
23:48it is a very sustainable dish
23:51yeah
23:51she understood the commandment really well
23:54all right Chris time's up you're the last
24:00hello
24:00good to see you
24:01whoa
24:02what did you make for us Chris?
24:04I got really excited when I saw the fall and winter squash for idols at the farm
24:07so I did a roasted squash used it two ways
24:10I juiced half of it roasted half of it
24:12I made a vinaigrette out of the squash itself
24:16then I made a fresh ricotta
24:18folded a little bit of lemon zest into that
24:20then I pureed blackberries into that
24:22and then there is chapulines
24:24and kind of like a chili crunch with coriander
24:26and a little bit of cumin
24:27and toasted garlic with olive oil
24:30yeah that's it
24:31sorry that was a very verbose explanation
24:34there's a lot of delicious components on this plate
24:37I mean a lot
24:38I think you could have left a few of those ingredients out
24:42Wiley's right
24:42like a little more focus
24:43like dial it back a little bit
24:45save a little something for tomorrow
24:46my biggest problem is the roasting
24:49and the lack of seasoning on the squash
24:51okay
24:52thanks Chris
24:54I know that I didn't put up the best dish
24:55so for all I know
24:56I'm gonna have to battle it out
24:57it's drowning in condiments
24:59he's like the Jackson Pollock of his kitchen
25:09chefs gather around the scores you're in
25:16today's commandment was about mastering the art of sustainability
25:21the two chefs with the lowest scores will battle it out in head-to-head cook-off
25:26where the loser will be forced to go home
25:29let's see how you did
25:31I feel like I just want to close my eyes and open them when it's over
25:37the sound of the board is incredibly traumatizing
25:40like more than a ticket printer
25:41more than the elevator ding
25:43like I just feel like my heart is racing whenever I hear that sound
25:53yes Beverly
25:56you were one point away
25:59oh my god
26:00oh my god
26:0559 out of a possible 60 points
26:08how are you feeling?
26:11a little out of body
26:13out of body
26:14yes
26:15that's a good answer
26:16are you kidding me is this a dream
26:18love is pouring into me and all I want to do is just like pour out more love
26:21and it's so beautiful because I think it's empowering me to be even bigger
26:26and Katie right behind her
26:28I'm now out of my body
26:31two from perfect which is like wow
26:35I I yeah I mean I feel incredible
26:39I'm very proud of both of you
26:41yeah
26:43crushed it
26:45the women crushed it
26:48alright chefs
26:49if you see your name on this board
26:52that means you're safe
26:54I knew that I wasn't going to win with the sandy scallop
26:57but at least I didn't lose
27:00Michael, Keith and Chris
27:03you three are on the bottom
27:06how are you feeling Chris?
27:08not extremely happy to be on the bottom
27:10but I feel like it feels better to be on the bottom knowing where I went wrong
27:15Michael
27:16I know what I did wrong
27:17no excuses
27:18I'm going to fight back
27:19Keith?
27:21pressure
27:21how do you perform under pressure?
27:23I've been performing under pressure my whole life
27:25and I've made it this far
27:27so I would say that I performed pretty damn good under pressure
27:30well one of you will be safe
27:32and two of you will be doing a head-to-head cook-off
27:37where the loser leaves this kitchen for good
27:41are you guys ready to see the scores?
27:43yeah
27:44bring it on
28:04Chris you look really relieved
28:07yeah
28:07very
28:08I have never been so happy to see my name falling into ninth place
28:12I don't want to leave on a dish where I didn't feel excellent
28:15you know what I mean?
28:15I want to feel like I gave it my all and I would make that again
28:19Keith and Michael
28:21you're going to have to cook for your life
28:23I've been fighting my way up from the bottom
28:26I started as a dishwasher
28:28I got a Michelin star two years ago and I'm going to fight back
28:31I love and respect Keith but I don't want to go home
28:34so I'm going to cook my ass off
28:36Keith you said you cook well under pressure
28:39funny how things come back and bite you in the butt
28:43oh yeah
28:43Chef Michael is a green star and one star Michelin chef
28:47right? like he knows what he's doing in the kitchen
28:50but I know I can cook as well
28:53Michael and Keith please step forward
28:59since this commandment is all about sustainability
29:03in this final cook off
29:05you'll have to use some of the most commonly wasted foods in America
29:10foods like onion skins, carrot peelings, celery tops and stale bread
29:16each of you will have to create something beautiful
29:20out of these scraps and whoever loses is going home
29:25you'll have one hour
29:27your time starts now
29:30good luck to both of you
29:32you got it
29:38I don't know what I'm making
29:40I'm just letting the scraps speak to me
29:44all right
29:45I'm nervous
29:47it's a high anxiety environment
29:49yes
29:50I think that's a fun challenge because using the scraps
29:53it's the other side of your brain
29:54yeah 100%
29:55just really unlocks your creativity
29:57I would imagine that Michael is a bit gun shy
30:02because of how raw that quail was
30:06yeah
30:06so I would guess he's just doing a vegetarian dish
30:10Keith knows his way around using what's available
30:14so I expect he might reach for some of the proteins
30:18there's some fish heads, fish collar
30:21I would do the fish collar
30:22sure
30:24let's go boys
30:26let's go
30:30I just have to fight for my life
30:32I know that if I just start cooking
30:35it's getting the flow
30:37like a musician
30:38just start playing music
30:40strange as it may sound
30:42the dish begins to develop
30:44Keith, what are you doing?
30:46I am going to do a
30:49saffron and fish collar
30:51with some form of sambal
30:54that sounds delicious
30:55it wasn't that I decided to become a chef
30:58I came home from prison and got a job in the kitchen
31:00I decided to change my life around
31:03that was the decision I made
31:04and the kitchen opened up that opportunity for me
31:07and it led to me becoming a chef and a restaurateur
31:12I got my first job in the kitchen in 2016
31:16and I opened my own restaurant in 2018
31:18and what I was able to do
31:21got recognized really fast
31:23people loved it
31:24it became a national sensation
31:26it tells you that where I come from
31:28there's talent if given the opportunity to showcase it
31:32that's why I hire formerly incarcerated
31:35I love providing opportunity
31:37it's my sole purpose
31:39dear chef, congratulations
31:41we ask that you join us at America's Culinary Cup
31:45for a chance to win
31:48one million dollars
31:52yes, I'm here to win a million dollars
31:55but I'm also here for my little community of Watts
31:58knowing my story and what my life was like
32:01to see me on TV competing for a million dollars
32:05that next generation like
32:06they can believe they can do it
32:09this cook against Chef Michael
32:11I have to just remember
32:13to stay true to who I am
32:15Mike, how you looking?
32:16I'm looking great chef, thank you so much
32:18Michael, what do you have going on there?
32:20I have a vegetable stock with all the trim
32:21where I'm going to blanch all my vegetables in
32:23and I'm going to make a little puree of carrot, beets
32:26some crema
32:27that's clever
32:28I'm not using any protein, that's what I should have done earlier today
32:31it's time to redeem myself
32:34Growing up in a cult, it's almost like you're living two lives
32:36there were services seven days a week, 365 days a year
32:40and then you have public school
32:42as I got older, I left the church
32:46it was very hard
32:47because my family is still very much involved in it
32:51that caused some rips in the family
33:06during that transition, food was always the constant
33:09the kitchen was always there for me
33:12and I had a chef very early on
33:14and he would say, Michael, like in these four walls
33:18nobody can touch you, so just cook
33:20and I could never get that out of my mind
33:23so, when I step in the kitchen, it's my safe space
33:28anything short of a wind here, it's just a non-negotiable for me
33:32I learned this one from my friend, Matt
33:37yes
33:40it's a good technique, no?
33:42yeah
33:43I take old plums and peaches and I get them blistered
33:46really nice and charred
33:47and I throw those into the blender
33:49with the natural oils from the lemon peel and the orange peel
33:52then I season it and it's like this beautiful dressing
33:54for like a summer salad
33:56oh, I'm almost
33:57gosh, I feel like I'm watching my kid at the cross-country meet
34:02I'm like, keep going
34:03I know
34:04yeah, they're both moving quick
34:0630 minutes, Mike
34:0730, chef
34:08oh, what do you think is happening over here?
34:11he said he's making a sambal
34:12sambal?
34:13yeah
34:13yeah
34:14sambal is a spicy condiment
34:17and it's a great place to hide another sustainable ingredient
34:21so, I take the pulp from kale and the pulp from carrots
34:27and just fold it into the sambal
34:29and they gave it a beautiful texture
34:33I love a good sambal
34:35Michael, what are you going to do with the Swiss chard?
34:37Chef, I'm going to make a salsa
34:38because Mexicans make salsa
34:43yes, they do
34:4450 minutes out
34:45when are you going to cook your fish?
34:47in 10
34:4810?
34:51is that too late?
34:53make it happen
34:53Katie, I just filter energy
34:56and so in my mind, I'm like
34:57if the chef that got 58 points
35:00concerned about me putting the collar on
35:02well, maybe I'll put it on now
35:06Katie, you okay?
35:08is this stressing you out?
35:09it is
35:11immensely
35:13one minute left
35:16hope my fish collar's done
35:17oh, Michael's already plating
35:21I am going to put up something
35:24that I can totally stand behind
35:27go 30 seconds
35:2830 seconds
35:2930 seconds heard
35:30if there was something else that was supposed to be on this plate
35:33it would have came when I was playing the music
35:375, 4, 3, 2, 1
35:42good job, guys
35:43good job, Josh
35:44good job, Josh
35:44good job, Josh
35:44good job, Josh
35:45good job, Josh
35:53one of these guys are going to go home
35:56and you're not going to see them
35:57it's scary
36:00I'm feeling really confident
36:01everything's done beautifully
36:03and my dish speaks to the sustainability challenge
36:06this is roasted beets and carrots
36:08with a stone fruit vinaigrette
36:10over a crema made from the byproducts of beets and carrots as well
36:14and salsa verde
36:17that puree was really interesting
36:19it was crunchy, creamy
36:21I love the salsa verde
36:22I guess for me at the end of the day
36:25it's supposed to start with the carrots
36:27and the beets
36:28and the carrots and the beets are not really singing
36:31the way the rest of the things around them are
36:34that being said, everything around the carrots and the beets
36:37is super tasty
36:39Michael
36:40I like the cook that you put on the beets and the carrots
36:42and I like the fact that you roasted them in that oven
36:44and got real deep caramelization to bring out their flavor
36:47and I also like the fact that you spoke to this sustainability commandment
36:51you kept the dish vegetarian
36:53really allowed the vegetables to speak
36:56nice dish
36:57thank you, thank you chef
36:58Michael, I love that puree
37:01it was really luscious
37:02and creamy
37:04there's a little bit of bitterness in the salsa verde from the carrot tops
37:07which I love because of these vegetables having so much natural sugar
37:12I just think the vinaigrette was lost a little bit
37:15it was kind of obscured
37:17thank you
37:19Keith, tell us about your dish
37:21so I put together
37:22grilled fish collar
37:24with saffron fish cream
37:26and a sambal
37:27I used peppers and fish sauce and vinegar
37:30and the pulp from the kale
37:32and the pulp from the carrots
37:33and infused it in the sauce as well
37:36when you say pulp, what is it?
37:39so when you juice the carrots
37:41the pulp from the carrots
37:42after you juice it
37:43when you juice kale, the pulp from the kale
37:46I made that
37:47very cool
37:48I'm a sucker for a fish collar
37:50and so there's a lot of things that I appreciate about this dish
37:52I like the finesse that you put into the sauce
37:55so that was really quite nice
37:56thank you
37:57I too, love fish collar
38:00this was delicious
38:01really well cooked
38:04you had a really powerful sambal
38:07I love that you used what was left at the bottom of the juicer
38:12from kale and from carrots
38:15but when you call something a saffron sauce
38:19you create an expectation
38:21I respect your restraint
38:23it can be overpowering
38:25but I think here
38:26I just would have liked to see
38:28more saffron
38:29right, exactly
38:30thank you
38:33Matt, you're like locked in on the door
38:35I just...
38:37it's been a long time
38:39who do we think is going to walk out?
38:41million dollar question there
38:44Michael and Keith
38:45you're both inventive, creative
38:48top-notch chefs
38:50but unfortunately
38:53one of you
38:54will stay in this competition
38:57and one of you won't
38:58okay
39:00Michael, which dish is better?
39:05for me today it was Keith's dish
39:07thank you
39:09Wiley
39:11for me today
39:17was Keith
39:19thank you
39:21Michael, I'm so sorry
39:23but you've served your final dish
39:25it was unanimous
39:28I'm very disappointed that I'm going home
39:31on sustainability
39:32I was really proud of that dish
39:34I executed it really well
39:35and the flavors were good
39:36thank you so much
39:38thank you guys
39:39I hope that this experience
39:42can be of inspiration
39:44to all the young
39:45Latino chefs out there
39:55I lost to a fish collar
39:59Keith
40:00you gave us a beautiful
40:02complete dish
40:03that could go on any menu
40:06that didn't feel like a dish
40:08made of meager leftovers
40:09thank you chef
40:12congratulations
40:13thank you
40:14thank you
40:20thank you
40:27thank you
40:31thank you
40:32be careful
40:32be careful
40:32be careful
40:33oh
40:38yeah I can take a hug
40:40I can take a hug
40:41man
40:44pressure
40:45talking about pressure
40:46I haven't felt that much pressure
40:48in a long time
40:49and
40:51it's not to say that I succeed
40:52under pressure all the time
40:54but I succeed enough to
40:56I'm here today
40:58you know in life and in this moment
41:00here
41:01they enjoy both dishes
41:02and for Matt's
41:04he had a lot of delicious things going on
41:06Mike
41:07I mean Mike sorry
41:08don't throw me out of here
41:12Chefs
41:13I hope you gathered yourself
41:14that was an intense one
41:17ten of you remain now
41:20it's just going to get harder from here
41:22please get some rest
41:24the next one's going to be tough
41:27soon
41:29in this competition
41:30you don't have a second chance here
41:31you don't have an opportunity to
41:33rework a dish and say
41:34oh I got your feedback
41:36but I did survive and I'm going to be ready next time
41:39now there's ten of us and this competition is intense
41:44what is going to be the next commandment
41:48we just have to wait and see
41:53next time on America's Culinary Cup
41:56oh my gosh
41:57today you'll be tested on the third culinary commandment
42:01the art of the sauce
42:05wait she gets to say that?
42:07that's right
42:07I said it
42:08I'm worried about that chicken
42:10I'm worried about that chicken
42:11damn
42:12damn
42:13there's going to be a lot of bleeping in this episode
42:15good job
42:19delicious
42:35thank you
42:37thank you
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