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00:01Thank you, thank you, citizens of Flavortown.
00:04Our amazing town square,
00:06with its constantly changing lineup of eateries,
00:08has brought together chefs from across America.
00:11It's Flavortown, you know?
00:12Gotta go crazy with the flavors.
00:14People are going nuts for our amazing town.
00:18Nutty, baby.
00:19Today, we'll be showcasing the off-the-chain excitement
00:22that nuts bring to Flavortown.
00:25This is nuts.
00:26It's flat-out delicious.
00:27I hereby proudly proclaim
00:30this Totally Nuts Day in Flavortown.
00:34Let's go nuts!
00:42You know, food fights are kind of like assorted nuts.
00:45You never know what you're gonna get.
00:47And our newest chefs are in for a big surprise or two.
00:50Here they are now. Chef Hannah Hart.
00:52Oh, my goodness gracious.
00:55Look at this place. There's a whole restaurant.
00:57There's a bunch of restaurants.
00:58This is crazy.
01:00Being from Long Island,
01:01we have a little bit of an edge to us.
01:03We talk fast, we work fast, we walk fast.
01:05I've been the executive chef of many different restaurants.
01:08I was lucky enough to be chef de parti
01:10at 3 Michelin Star 11 Madison Park.
01:12And now I'm a private chef from Long Island,
01:14and when I get laser-focused,
01:16when I know that I need to lock in,
01:18get out of my way.
01:20And Chef Gustavo Romero.
01:22Oh, my God. Flavortown, baby.
01:24We're here.
01:26You've seen that car before.
01:28My God, I remember this car.
01:29When are you coming back?
01:30I met the guy when he came to do diners,
01:33drivers, and dives in Minnesota.
01:35I mean, this is like some Mexican Willy Wonka stuff right here.
01:38The first year we were nominated for a James Vita Award.
01:41Obviously, the restaurant, there's a lot of people behind me.
01:44My wife, I mean, she's running the kitchen right now,
01:46and I know people are gonna be there sharing for me,
01:49and I just hope that I can make them proud.
01:51Whoa.
01:52Chef, very nice to have you.
01:54Chef, it's been a while since we had you
01:55on Diners, Drives, and Dives.
01:56What a fantastic place, man.
01:58But here to win in Flavortown,
02:00you have to have the talent and the skills
02:02to go to the next level,
02:04because you're not just competing against one another,
02:07you're also competing against a returning Flavortown champ,
02:11Chef Martell Stone.
02:13The champ is here.
02:15This is great.
02:16There aren't many people who get to step foot in Flavortown,
02:19let alone call themselves champions of Flavortown.
02:21So I'm known for diaspora cuisine,
02:23which takes influence from the West African,
02:26Caribbean, and American South.
02:28I really like this.
02:30It certainly reads as high-end and decadent.
02:31Flavors here are so dynamic.
02:34I love this table.
02:35Coming into Flavortown as a returning champion,
02:37I get to be the one with the advantage this time.
02:40You gotta beat the champ in order to be the champ.
02:42What's up, champ?
02:43Welcome back.
02:44Martell, how much money did you win?
02:45$16,000.
02:46$16,000.
02:47Yeah, $16,000.
02:47And returning as the champ with the chance to win even more.
02:51So let's break down the laws of the competition here in Triple F.
02:54There are two rounds in this food fight.
02:56Now before each round, one chef is gonna earn the right
02:59to choose the restaurant kitchen that everybody cooks in.
03:03After each round, unfortunately one chef, their shift will be over.
03:06But the last chef standing will earn a chance to get a paycheck up to $20,000 and return to
03:14defend their title and get a chance to win more money.
03:17Wow.
03:18There's a special decree that must be followed today because, well, this is Flavortown and this is our first annual
03:24Totally Nuts Day.
03:27Woo!
03:28Today you have to make crazy, fantastic, delicious Flavortown.
03:33Level dishes featuring nuts and being nutty all day long.
03:36I was born that way, chef.
03:38Lines.
03:40I love nuts.
03:42We use a lot of nuts in Mexican cooking.
03:43I'm comfortable with that.
03:45Our current restaurant row now features seafood carts, our very own fish shacks on Main Street, serving up fast and
03:52fresh street food seafood.
03:54Of course you gotta have a neighborhood pizzeria.
03:56The only dine-in pie shop with a meat lovers and a nut lovers pizza.
04:01The corner deli, love to see donkey sauce in a sign.
04:04The deli with the best quality meats, cheeses, breads and nuts this side of New York.
04:10We have to incorporate nuts into whatever dishes we're gonna be cooking in whatever restaurant that is chosen.
04:15So I'm really thinking, what can you do with nuts at a deli?
04:18And our gleaming new steakhouse, featuring the top cuts of beef from perfectly marbled rib-eyes to ginormous porterhouse steaks
04:27and probably some nuts.
04:29Question is, who's gonna get to choose the first restaurant?
04:33And let's decide that with a little test of your nut-cracking ability.
04:38Oh my gosh.
04:39Are you good at cracking nuts?
04:40That would be fine.
04:41Maybe.
04:41Crack a few skulls.
04:42You're so tough.
04:46You must crack walnuts, placing the meat and only the meat in the bowl as you go.
04:52The chef who cracks the most ounces of nuts in one minute is gonna take control of Flavortown in the
04:59first round.
04:59Three, two, one, go.
05:05Coming from Long Island, I love cooking seafood, so I am eyeing those carts.
05:09Today's totally nuts.
05:11Of course I gotta start with something nuts.
05:13Last time I was in Flavortown, I learned that it's vitally important for me to win this contest because I
05:19need control if I'm gonna walk away with this 20 Gs.
05:22Last week I won over in the street cart, so it wouldn't be the worst place in the world to
05:26end up again.
05:27This is not as easy as it looks.
05:30Don't get your hand in there.
05:31I'm dropping nuts, I'm shaking nuts.
05:32I think Chef Gustavo's got a little method here.
05:34He cracked a bunch, now he's just picking the meat out.
05:37If I have a choice, I think I want the carts.
05:39Food carts in Mexico, you have all this different stuff that you can get out of those carts.
05:44This is nuts.
05:44Three, two, and one.
05:47That's it.
05:49I made a mess.
05:51Okay, Chef Anna, 0.9 ounces.
05:54Okay.
05:54Chef Martel, one ounce.
05:56Okay.
05:57Close.
05:57Chef Gustavo, 1.3 ounces.
06:04Congratulations, you take control of Flavortown.
06:06All right.
06:06Good job.
06:07Nicely done.
06:08Chef, let's talk about this.
06:09You get to choose the Flavortown restaurant where everybody is going to cook at in this round.
06:13So let's take a look at them.
06:15First, we have the seafood carts.
06:16Then we've got Guido's Pizzeria, named after yours truly.
06:19Then we have the Donkey Sauce Deli, near and dear to my heart.
06:22And then Sonoma Prime, our high-end steakhouse.
06:25I'm going to let you go anywhere you want.
06:26Let's go to the seafood carts.
06:28Hey, all right.
06:29You want seafood carts.
06:30Yes, I do.
06:30Let's go to the seafood carts.
06:31Okay.
06:35Now, here's the food cart manager, Hunter Fieri, to tell you all about what he's caught.
06:40Woo-hoo.
06:40I hope that he's dressed like a fisherman today.
06:42Aw.
06:42Look at that.
06:43Hello.
06:44I'm not the one who went catching the fish.
06:46We're here supplying the fish.
06:47Good talk.
06:49What's on the menu today?
06:50Chefs, welcome to our food cart corner, where we have three seafood carts here,
06:54all serving up a hearty, handheld lunch.
06:57Hearty dishes.
06:58Needs to be indulgent and over the top.
07:00Very hard to do using seafood.
07:03And they're featuring amaretti cookies.
07:07Okay.
07:08Where in the guild amaretti cookies come from?
07:10Well, I figure if you're having a hearty, handheld lunch, that's healthy.
07:13You deserve a little treat.
07:14It has granulated sugar on top.
07:16It's got almondy flavors.
07:17I love an amaretti cookie with a little bit of espresso, but definitely not with my seafood.
07:22Because this cookie is sweet.
07:24And since it's totally nuts day, don't hesitate to add any other nutty flavors you want.
07:29Remember, the dish is going to receive a ranking.
07:31Five-star dish, bring you $5,000 towards your paycheck.
07:34That's pretty nuts.
07:35And control the next cook in Flavortown.
07:37Four-star dish gets $4,000.
07:39And three-star dish, unfortunately, your shift will be over.
07:43You know what?
07:44Because I want it hearty.
07:45Yeah.
07:45I'm going to give you 30 minutes.
07:47Yeah, that's nice.
07:48You should probably start now.
07:49All aboard!
07:50All aboard.
07:51Let's get nuts.
07:53Oh, it's already nuts.
07:54First things first.
07:56Food carts.
07:57Tight, confined space.
07:58Probably the most difficult kitchens to work in.
08:01All right, let's get going.
08:02I'm originally from Long Island.
08:04Seafood runs in my veins.
08:05I think I'm going to go for the rockfish today.
08:07I'm going to be making a almond-crusted rockfish sandwich.
08:10I feel like it'll hold up well in a hearty situation.
08:13Being a private chef, a lot of the events I cook for out east
08:16are popped up out of nowhere.
08:18I could be in the middle of the woods making a fine dining meal,
08:21and it has to get done.
08:22So being in this environment with this limited amount of tools
08:26and kitchen and heating elements, not a problem.
08:28Oh, I've had these before.
08:30Cookies are very sweet.
08:31That's not typically what you want for your seafood.
08:34But having already cooked in the food carts,
08:36I know the general layout, know what I have to do.
08:38Oh, this is going to be annoying.
08:39Am I fighting with cookies right now?
08:42Today, I need to make sure that it is nuts everywhere.
08:45Okay, what do we have here?
08:47The most challenging part about being in a new kitchen
08:50is kind of figuring out what everything is.
08:53Oh, my bad.
08:55You know, people are always expecting for me to make Mexican food.
08:58I think I'm coming to Flavor Time to prove that I can cook everything.
09:02I need to try these cookies.
09:10Oh, sweet.
09:12Oh, no.
09:12Oh, my God.
09:13They're too sweet.
09:14These Amaretri cookies, they're kind of like almondy flavor,
09:18but they're sweet.
09:19They're not really nutty, so it doesn't really help you with the nuts.
09:23These cookies are definitely not something I would choose to cook.
09:27Amaretri cookies.
09:29I do not like.
09:3026 minutes.
09:32Chef Ana, what do you got for me?
09:33Something you just want to stuff into your face.
09:35I'm thinking sandwich.
09:36I'm thinking almond-crusted fish sandwich.
09:38It's something I love to eat out at Montauk.
09:40What fish is it?
09:41It's a rock fish.
09:42Rock fish.
09:42Got it.
09:43Got it.
09:43I love being at the food carts.
09:44It's like where I come from.
09:45I grew up in a carnival.
09:46I don't know if you know that, but...
09:47You were a carny kid.
09:48I'm a carny kid.
09:50What did your family do in the carnival that you were a carny kid?
09:52Well, we actually owned the carnivals,
09:54but the game that I used to do was the goldfish game
09:56where you toss the balls into the goldfish.
09:57Your family owned the carnival?
09:59That's right.
09:59You know that I worked in carnivals.
10:00You did not.
10:01Absolutely.
10:02I knew we were kindred spirits.
10:04Like I said, a sister from another mister.
10:06You learn a lot about people, you know?
10:07Let's get this going here.
10:08Let's marinate this fish.
10:10Do a little buttermilk.
10:10A little creole.
10:11Let's get some flavor going on the fish.
10:13Let's get an egg in there.
10:14I love almond flavors.
10:16I really do.
10:17And it's tricky to do nuts with seafood, honestly.
10:20Especially something like almonds.
10:21I plan to incorporate the Amoriti cookies
10:24by crushing them up and adding them to my breading for my fish.
10:27Definitely want to make it to the second round
10:29because that's where the big money starts coming in.
10:32I could really use this paycheck.
10:33That can go really far.
10:35I'm trying to buy back my childhood home.
10:37It's where I grew up.
10:38When my father passed away when I was 15,
10:40things got really hard.
10:41I was just a kid.
10:41I had no direction.
10:43I started working my way up through the kitchens.
10:45Scrapped my way up from the bottom all the way to the top.
10:48And now I would really love to have that house back
10:50so that I can start my family.
10:52So I did not come here to fall short.
10:54I have been waiting for this.
10:55I've been ready for this my whole life.
10:58Every single job I've ever had has lended to this moment.
11:00I've cooked in every kind of restaurant,
11:02every kind of kitchen you can imagine,
11:04from mom and pop pizza place to a three Michelin star,
11:07number one restaurant in the world, Eleven Madison.
11:09So, you know, I've seen it all.
11:10I've done it all.
11:11I've been a fishmonger.
11:12I've been a cheesemonger.
11:13I've been a baker.
11:14You name it, you know?
11:15So I feel like anything that they have to bring to this challenge
11:18that they want to throw me, I got it.
11:20This fish has to cook all the way through
11:22without burning my almonds on the outside.
11:24If those almonds get a little too burnt, it will taste awful.
11:30Chef Martel, how's my champ doing?
11:32Yeah, I'm doing great right now.
11:34I need to prove that that first win wasn't a fluke.
11:36I'm gonna do a little scallopincho along with a crispy bay scallop
11:41that's crusted with the amirato cookies
11:43and a little Cajun seasoning.
11:44Also, for this dish, I want to do crab gravy.
11:47Crab gravy will be right at the base
11:49because in my mind, right, indulging, I want something
11:51that you can kind of dip and eat.
11:53I'm using the amirati cookie inside of this actual crab gravy.
11:57This crab gravy is a riff on an etouffee.
12:01I'm going to New Orleans, Cajun, Creole,
12:04and it reminds me of one of the best trips I went on
12:06with my wife, Talisa, to New Orleans.
12:08She is one of the best parts of my everyday,
12:12one of the most supportive people I've ever encountered in my life.
12:15I tell myself every time I come to these competitions,
12:17I'm coming here to win for her.
12:19It doesn't hurt to come home with a couple thousand dollars in the bank.
12:23Well, that's good.
12:24And how are we serving this?
12:25That's going to be served on the cart style.
12:28I like the bamboo.
12:29Right in there, so a little crab gravy at the bottom.
12:31So no fork, though. It's handheld.
12:33Yeah, yeah, no fork at all.
12:34Is soup handheld?
12:38Oof.
12:39I'm realizing that I need a very hearty handheld dish.
12:44I need to make my skewers and my crab gravy into a sandwich.
12:48Last time I was in Flavortown,
12:49I learned that I need to have very clear intentions on that dish,
12:53and I need to execute and be tight.
12:5520 minutes left.
13:02How you doing, Chef?
13:04Doing all right, Chef. How about you?
13:05You liking your decision with the carts?
13:06No, I'm overthinking it.
13:08Well, too late now, right?
13:09Chef, what do we have in this hearty handheld?
13:12We're going to have a little sandwich, Chef.
13:14A little sandwich?
13:15A little, well, a little big sandwich.
13:16I don't want a little. I said hearty.
13:18Oh, it was big.
13:19Okay, what's on the menu?
13:20I want to do a po' boy, so I want to try to get a bread in with these cookies.
13:25I love shrimp, and they have a little sandwich.
13:26And I know a good shrimp po' boy slaps.
13:29We have this seasonal restaurant in Minneapolis.
13:32They only open for the summer, and then they have these delicious po' boys.
13:36And then, you know, every time that I go and eat one of those po' boys,
13:38like, I always imagine what I would do different.
13:41So this is my chance.
13:42And then I need something with the spice.
13:44These are very sweet.
13:45So we have a sauce in Mexico that's called encacahuatado.
13:50So I'm going to try and make a version of that.
13:52Hearty and handheld.
13:54Encacahuatado sauce is a tomato-based sauce that is spicy,
13:58and then it's pretty much sticking with peanuts.
14:00Peanuts into the sauce.
14:01We have a little bit of sriracha.
14:04I need to get a little bit of hint of Mexican food.
14:07But I really want to show where I come from,
14:09and I want to show that all these flavors can bind together.
14:14And then I feel like this sauce is the glue.
14:16Add a little bit of beer.
14:18Just everything is good with beer.
14:20Growing up very humbly in Mexico,
14:23food was so important for us.
14:24I was very lucky to have two grandmas and aunts and a mother.
14:28They were amazing cooks.
14:29Now the way that I cook is trying to get as close as I can
14:32to those memories and flavor.
14:34Talking about totally nuts,
14:35I've got two judges that fit that bill.
14:38Whoa!
14:38Chef Lianne Wong and Chef Eric Greenspan.
14:41Hi.
14:42Welcome to Flavor Time.
14:43Thank you. It's an honor to be here.
14:44I feel like I've lived here in my head forever, but now it's like alive.
14:51Oh, the mayor's here.
14:53Mayor, how are you?
14:54What, I'm getting this little handshake from you?
14:56What's up, Greeny?
14:57What's up, boss?
14:58The whole day is about nuts in Flavortown.
15:00We are going nuts.
15:01Oh, that's why we're here.
15:02Yeah, exactly.
15:04Party, handheld lunch, and they've got a feature, Amoretti cookies.
15:08The kitchens are SM all, small.
15:11They're small.
15:11But any chef should be able to come into any space and make food happen.
15:1514 minutes, guys.
15:16I'm going to, like, toast these buns in some brown butter,
15:20because I feel like that is going to add another layer of nuttiness
15:24that we definitely want.
15:26Oh, my God, that's gorgeous.
15:28Beautiful.
15:29Hey, hey, chef.
15:30Hey, guys.
15:31How's it going?
15:32So, you know, we're going hardy.
15:33I want something like a pickup and just stuff my face with it.
15:36So, I am going for a nice, hearty, almond-crusted fish sandwich.
15:41Ooh.
15:41What do you got to work with back there?
15:43I got a fryer right here.
15:45A little fryer, a little wee little griddle.
15:46I really like kitchens like this, because you got everything at hand's reach.
15:49You know, you don't have to be running around like crazy,
15:51like in a big kitchen like that.
15:52Yeah, good luck.
15:53Excited to cook for you.
15:54Better be nuts.
15:55Nutty, baby.
15:57For this dish, I want to use two different types of scallops.
15:59Season with my own Cajun spice mix.
16:02My pincho scallops are going to be skewered and seared right on the plancha.
16:05And then I'm going to put together my Amoretti fried scallops.
16:10I'm using the Amoretti cookie for the breading on my scallops.
16:15And the cookies have such a unique flavor that I think they will hold up really well to the frying.
16:19Also, in the theme of everyone going nuts, I add pine nuts.
16:24It's about layering these nuts.
16:26Not trying to go home at all.
16:28Ten minutes.
16:29You got ten to go, chefs.
16:30What up, champ?
16:32Chef, what's going on?
16:33Hi, chef.
16:33How are you?
16:34You're the guy to beat today, huh?
16:35I've been here and I've been here.
16:37So I'm going to do a scallop pincho.
16:38Sandwich.
16:39So how are you incorporating nuts?
16:41Nuts are going to be in the salad.
16:43I fried some pine nuts to add inside of my slaw.
16:47I also have some nuts grinded up into my seasoning as well as my breading for the other scallop pincho.
16:55I also have crab gravy here.
16:56This should taste a little Creole, a little bit, a little southern.
16:59All right, chef.
17:01Good luck.
17:02I'm in the building to defend my title and I want to get a bigger house.
17:06Having a bigger home for the family I think will offer us a little space to move around.
17:11The girls are 15 and 10.
17:13Living in D.C. is not cheap.
17:15And an extra $20,000 goes a long way.
17:19Oh.
17:19Hey, chef.
17:20You good?
17:21I'm good.
17:21I'm very good.
17:23This feels like not what you're used to.
17:26But, you know, when I started my business, we have a little takeout place.
17:29So I'm used to, you know, working in small places.
17:33Part of my plan is to add a little bit of spice and a little bit of freshness to kind
17:37of balance that sweetness because of the cookie.
17:39So I'm thinking I do some fresh slug with my mayo.
17:42You know, I love mayonnaise.
17:44So I'm going to make a spicy mayo to go in there.
17:47My soy cacahuatado sauce is looking good.
17:49I'm going to just blend them.
17:51Just let it simmer.
17:51Kind of let it collect all those flavors.
17:56I see these potato bones.
17:59It's not my favorite choice, but I think if I can see them enough to be able to hold the
18:04sauces, I think I will have a good sandwich.
18:06The challenge is to make something that is big and it's handheld.
18:11I think I'm going to try to make some french fries.
18:14I have these small fingerling potatoes that I think if I'm frying them enough, they're going to get crispy.
18:20As I'm cooking, I'm getting hotter.
18:22It kind of reminds me of my kitchen in Minneapolis.
18:25We have shut down the restaurant because the kitchen was too hot.
18:28You know, owning a restaurant is challenging.
18:31It's hard to make money.
18:32So if I win this, I'll be able to purchase my air conditioning.
18:36And that's really cool.
18:37My omelet cookie's in there.
18:39What can I do?
18:40Can I do like a peanut crumble?
18:43We're not being nutty enough here.
18:44I only have nuts in my writing for this fish.
18:46Let's toast some peanuts in this brown butter, maybe?
18:49That's a good idea.
18:50I got to add in some peanuts for some crunch.
18:52It smells so good.
18:54You want nuts, you got nuts.
18:56Five minutes.
18:56Let's get these cute little thingies out.
18:58Oh, they've even got little flags.
19:00I love that.
19:01I put down my toasted buns and then I throw on my fish.
19:04It's flavor town, you know?
19:06You've got to go crazy with the flavors.
19:07If it's not here, then where?
19:08Got this crazy slaw going on with a little bit of the kimchi
19:11for some heat and some flavor.
19:13And I add that quick pickle.
19:15I'm going to finish off these sandwiches with a little bit
19:17of these brown butter toasted peanuts for a little final crunch.
19:20This isn't it.
19:21I don't know what is.
19:23Three minutes to go.
19:24Whoa, whoa.
19:25I'm going to remove the bread from the flata.
19:28I'm going to add my spicy mayo.
19:30I'm going to lay down my crispy shrimp.
19:35Put a little bit of that slaw.
19:36Just make it look big and sexy.
19:38I think it's going to work pretty well.
19:40Those are almonds on top?
19:41Those are almonds, Chef.
19:43Keeping it nutty.
19:4490 seconds.
19:46All right.
19:46Done, done.
19:47Everything is starting to come together.
19:49I have my I'm-a-ready fried scallops.
19:51I have my I'm-a-ready dusted scallops
19:54with the Cajun spice.
19:56I have my slaw with the almonds
19:58and a little bit of the pine nut oil.
20:0030 seconds, Chefs.
20:01My crab gravy is smooth.
20:03I decided to pour the dip into the boat,
20:05take that whole sandwich, dip it into the actual sauce,
20:09and take a bite.
20:10Have you ever handheld the soup?
20:11Never.
20:12We have a problem.
20:14Chefs, 10 seconds.
20:15Need to be in the window.
20:16The aroma coming off of this dish,
20:19you can smell it in the center of Flavortown.
20:21Four, three, two, one.
20:25We're done.
20:26Stop.
20:27Ooh, Chef Martell right to the end.
20:29Whew.
20:30That was so much fun.
20:30Oh my gosh, let's do it again.
20:36Gustavo, you're up first.
20:37Let him have it.
20:39Being in control of Flavortown is what I need mentally
20:42to prepare myself for the next round.
20:44So I really hope that I win this challenge
20:48so I can keep the control.
20:49Hello, Chefs.
20:50Hi, Chef.
20:51Hey, Chef.
20:52I made for you today a shrimp po' boy.
20:54We got some very funny cookies.
20:57They're a little sweet and nutty.
20:58So I wanted to incorporate it into the breading for the po' boy.
21:01We did a little spicy mayo.
21:03I was trying to use the spice to balance the sweetness
21:05from the cookie.
21:06And then I also made an en cacahuatado sauce,
21:08which is a version of a short mullet.
21:11The shrimp were perfectly cooked.
21:13I think the amaretti plays a great foil
21:16with the natural sweetness of shrimp.
21:18The chipotle mayo is banging.
21:20This sauce is great.
21:22I get nuts here and stuff like that.
21:23Like, you killed it.
21:24I want this sauce on the sandwich.
21:26I love the filling to bread ratio, right?
21:29But we're talking handheld.
21:31I can't hold it.
21:33You can't pick it up.
21:33I can't pick it up without making a mess.
21:35But it's all delicious.
21:37Perfect.
21:38Thanks, Chef.
21:39Love it. Thank you.
21:40Chef Hana, you're up.
21:41All right, let's do this.
21:42Don't drop it.
21:43Don't drop it.
21:43You'll never.
21:44You'll never.
21:44Hi, Chef.
21:45What up?
21:46I made a almond crusted sandwich with our beautiful rockfish.
21:49I put into the breading for that fish the amaretti cookies and almonds.
21:54Then on top of that, we have a cabbage slaw with some cucumbers, a little bit of kimchi in there
21:58for a little bit of a kick.
21:59Cool.
21:59Nutty on the butter.
22:00Nutty on the brown butter on the buns were toasted.
22:03Nutty, nutty, nutty.
22:04Did you just say that because you used brown butter that that counts towards the nuttiness?
22:09I think it does.
22:10Because I think that that's totally true.
22:12Seriously.
22:12I love that.
22:13Very sharp, Chef.
22:15Very, very sharp.
22:22You know it's good when both of us just shut up.
22:26I would say that there is a lot of garnish going on here that makes for a great sandwich.
22:32And it's hearty and it, you know, like I could taste the amaretti and the breading.
22:37It's so delicious, but there's so much other stuff, I tend to lose the nuts.
22:44All right.
22:44Delicious, Chef.
22:45Thank you very much.
22:46I mean, it's flat out delicious.
22:49Yeah.
22:49All right.
22:50Last but not least, the champ, Chef Martel.
22:53Get him.
22:53My dish looks good.
22:55My scallops are holding together.
22:57So I'm ready.
22:58Oh.
22:59This is like an ahogato sandwich.
23:01Geez.
23:01Pour some of the gravy right on top.
23:03Yes.
23:03So this sandwich was inspired by one of the messiest times I had in New Orleans with
23:07my wife.
23:08The sandwich has pincho-style scallops.
23:11I also have fried scallops that were crusted with the almond cookies, pine nuts, as well
23:16as fresh almonds.
23:17On the side, I have a little crab gravy.
23:19The crab gravy was thickened with the almond cookies as well as the pine nuts.
23:23And am I supposed to put this on this or this on this?
23:26Oh, it is a choose your own adventure.
23:30Chef, this was delicious.
23:32I love the sweetness of the bay scallops.
23:34It's such a great choice.
23:36The breading on it, it really highlights the amaretti.
23:39I can actually taste it on the scallop.
23:41This is voodoo.
23:42Yeah.
23:43This is crazy, crazy, crazy good.
23:46What is this?
23:46What is crab gravy?
23:47It's delicious.
23:48Thank you, Chef.
23:49I want to bathe in that.
23:52Is there like a Flavortown bathhouse?
23:55Hold on.
23:55Hold on.
23:56Please, threaten me with a good time.
23:59There's some confusion in there for me.
24:01Yeah, yeah, yeah.
24:01Like, do I dip or do I pour?
24:03Fair.
24:03If I would have poured, it would have been an untenable sandwich.
24:05Because again, the bread is soft.
24:07If you're going to pour it on there like a gravy, I got to have a bread that can hold
24:11that gravy.
24:12I do not have a bread that can hold that gravy.
24:14For sure.
24:14Thank you, Chef.
24:16I don't have many concerns.
24:18Worst case scenario, I'll even be happy with the $4,000.
24:21Because that offers me another opportunity to cook for the big money.
24:25Did everybody hit the hearty handheld?
24:28For the most part, yeah, yeah.
24:31Yes.
24:32Everybody did something that was handheld.
24:34Gustavo made this peanut mole.
24:36I could taste all the nut elements.
24:38But he served it on the side, unfortunately.
24:41All right, Hana, I think that her fish was cooked perfectly.
24:43Yeah.
24:44Right.
24:44She had a lot, like I said, she had a lot of flavors going on.
24:46And Chef Martel.
24:48I ate the whole damn thing.
24:49I'm really torn about it because, like, his bread was completely the wrong choice.
24:53But that crab dip was hearty, hearty, hearty.
24:59But as a sandwich and as a handheld, I'm not successful.
25:07It's nutty day.
25:09The judges had a lot to say about your dishes.
25:11They thought they were delicious.
25:12You gave me three very unique dishes.
25:14But one chef gets the five-star dish, wins $5,000 going towards their final paycheck, and control of Flavortown.
25:22And that will go to...
25:27Chef Hana.
25:28What?
25:29Congratulations.
25:30Oh, my gosh.
25:31Congratulations.
25:32I cannot believe it.
25:34Really cool.
25:35Five-star dish.
25:36Wow.
25:36And you have banked $5,000 going to your paycheck that you only collect if you win.
25:40Okay.
25:41Now, you two.
25:43Someone gets a four-star, someone gets a three-star.
25:46One chef will stay in the competition and battle the five-star Hana.
25:49And one chef, their shift will be over.
25:52The chef with the three-star dish is...
25:59Chef Martel.
26:01Chef, you are a great champ for us.
26:04They love the crab dip where it got away from you.
26:08Sometimes the vessel in which you serve something can really confuse the judges on what's going on.
26:14But with a three-star dish, your shift's over.
26:16All right?
26:16Thank you, chef.
26:17Nice seeing you, chef.
26:18Thanks for making it, man.
26:19I'm a little disappointed.
26:21I wanted to cook better, especially coming back.
26:23I had different expectations for myself, but it's a lesson.
26:27I'm leaving with my head held high and $16,000 to stuff in whatever pocket I can find.
26:34Chef Gustavo, four-star dish, $4,000 banked to your next paycheck.
26:39But the only way you're going to get that money on your paycheck is if you win the next round.
26:43I feel disappointed.
26:44It's going to be really hard to beat Hana.
26:46Chef Hana, you got the five-star review.
26:49You have earned the right to choose the next restaurant.
26:52You have several choices here tonight.
26:54We got Guido's Pizzeria, The Neighborhood Pizza Shop, Donkey Sauce Deli, The Cozy Kitchen.
26:59Then there's Sonoma Prime, our high-end steakhouse featuring great cuts of beef begging to go nutty.
27:06So I know that Gustavo comes from a Mexican and Italian background.
27:09He spent a lot of time training in Italian restaurants.
27:12We have nuts that we're working with today.
27:14I'm going to be strategic here, and I'm really happy that it is up to me to make that choice.
27:19What are you thinking?
27:27I'm a Long Island girl, and, you know, we love our delis.
27:29So I kind of have to go with the deli.
27:33You're going deli on it?
27:34I'm going deli.
27:35Any chance I get to cook any kind of deli-style food is right up my alley.
27:40And I'm really trying to pick what would be the best to suit my cooking style and how to incorporate
27:45nuts.
27:45So the Donkey Sauce Deli is your choice?
27:47Calling my name.
27:48Let's roll.
27:52Chefs, welcome to the Donkey Sauce Deli.
27:55And the secret sauce of this deli is the deli manager himself, Hunter.
27:59I got my visor on.
28:01All right.
28:02That visor says, I like to party.
28:04And we do like to party.
28:05With sandwiches.
28:06With sandwiches we party.
28:07Fantastic.
28:08What's on the menu?
28:09Oh, Chefs.
28:09On today's menu, we have a reinvented deli favorite.
28:14Ooh.
28:15Delis, in my opinion, have everything from burgers to cheesesteaks to sandwiches.
28:19Right, to salads.
28:19You know, take something that you would normally find at a deli, but it shifts to the next level.
28:23And since it's totally nuts day, don't forget to add some nutty flavors.
28:26But we also want to impress the judges while earning bonus money on deli item upsells.
28:33What do we got?
28:33So we have three opportunities on our upsells for you.
28:35We have chocolate covered almonds for $2,000.
28:39I think the chocolate covered almonds, these ones at least have a defined flavor.
28:43I don't know how I'm going to use them.
28:45I don't know how I'm going to balance it.
28:46Bagel chips for $3,000.
28:48Bagel chips are an interesting upsell.
28:50I could just crunch them up and throw them on top, but that feels like a cheap shot for
28:54a reinvented deli favorite.
28:56And pickled herring for $5,000.
28:59Pickled herring?
29:00I mean, when's the last time you saw pickled herring on the dish?
29:03You want to use all three?
29:04You could make $10,000.
29:05But you got to win the competition to get that paycheck.
29:0830 minutes on the clock.
29:09All right.
29:09Shift starts now.
29:10Good luck.
29:10Let's do it.
29:13Even though I picked the deli, I'm walking in here with no idea what I'm about to do.
29:18Let's see.
29:18Where's our deli meat?
29:19I have no idea how I'm going to incorporate any of these upsells into this dish.
29:23They are all so wildly different.
29:24You have one crunchy, one chocolatey, and a pickled fish is definitely a new one for me.
29:31I want this.
29:33I think I'm going to go for like a French dip situation here.
29:37I think in my head I have Italian, so I think I'm going to make an Italian sandwich.
29:42Chicken parmesan sandwich.
29:44Chicken parmesan sandwich.
29:44I still have no idea what I'm going to do with a mango chips, pickle herring, and chocolate-covered almonds.
29:51Chef, what are you doing for nuts?
29:53Um, uh, oh, oh.
29:55That's a good question.
29:56Oh, hey, buddy.
29:58Well, hi there.
29:59So, tonight, here in the, uh, Donkey Sauce Deli, which I've always wanted the opportunity
30:05to say Donkey Sauce Deli, here's where they make their big money.
30:08The upsell menu.
30:09Wow.
30:10The key, though, for you judges, is going to be your ability to discern whether or not
30:15you really taste those ingredients.
30:16So, they can use all three, yeah?
30:18What we're asked, they can use all three if they want.
30:20Using the herring.
30:21Yeah.
30:21Is a risk.
30:22Oh, absolutely.
30:2424 minutes.
30:25Chef Harry.
30:26Okay, so you have some slab bacon and some onions going in.
30:29What are you making us, chef?
30:29I'm going to make a yossified French dip.
30:32So, I'm going to make, like, a really, like, sexy sauce with, like, some caramelized onions,
30:37a little bit of fat, something really nice and unctuous to dip that into.
30:40Got some nice, hearty bread, and I'm going to make a fun sauce with that pickled herring.
30:44I want to go crazy.
30:44I don't know.
30:45Fun sauce with pickled herring.
30:47I don't know how she's going to deliver on the nutty part of it.
30:50That is a nice cut of roast beef.
30:53Here we go.
30:54Let's get this slicing.
30:55I have always wanted to be in the Guy Fieri world.
30:58It is so cool to just be in Flavortown itself.
31:02It means a lot.
31:03I've worked hard since I was a kid.
31:05I can't stop now.
31:06I have to keep going for little Hannah, who, at 15, walked into the kitchen for the first
31:10time and didn't know what was ahead of her, but just dove right in and started cooking.
31:14And if I win this, I'm trying to buy back my childhood home.
31:18It's where my mother taught me how to cook.
31:19It's where all of our family happiest memories were.
31:22I'm taking it out.
31:24Taking out the hammering.
31:25So, pickled fish is pretty interesting.
31:27It loses its structural integrity, so it kind of melts away pretty well.
31:31So, I definitely wanted to use that textural component, and I think it would go well in
31:35a sauce.
31:36Horseradish.
31:38It looks like it's just pickled.
31:39It is definitely a risk, so I'm thinking it'll be a good kick punch.
31:43Call me Hannah Herring.
31:44No, I'm just kidding.
31:44Imagine.
31:45That would be.
31:46That was your mystery name.
31:48Horseradish.
31:48Let's get some donkey sauce.
31:49It is donkey world.
31:50I think that the way that she's using it is really smart.
31:54Super smart.
31:54I just think that it's also smart to show restraint that says, I know that I can make money by
32:01using
32:01this thing, but I'm not taking that bait.
32:04Right.
32:04Because it's just not good.
32:05Was that a fish joke?
32:07Not taking that bait?
32:08That was a pickled herring fish joke.
32:10I don't want to risk using this pickled herring.
32:12Chef Gustavo.
32:13What's the menu?
32:14I think I'm going to do a version of chicken parmesan sandwich.
32:18Chicken parmesan.
32:19I feel like it's a staple in a lot of delis, especially Italian delis.
32:23Well, I'm reinventing this sandwich.
32:25And I'm going to make a quick spicy tomato sauce to put on top.
32:29And I'm going to finish it with a little bit of pepper jack because, you know, I'm Mexican.
32:33So I got to put a little bit of spice.
32:36I'm going to reinvent this chicken parmesan by adding Mexican flavors intentionally.
32:40I wanted it to look like a chicken parmesan, but I wanted it to taste like a torta de milanesa.
32:45I actually worked at an Italian restaurant for many years.
32:50My mentor is Italian, so I know some Italian food, too.
32:55I finished culinary school in Italy.
32:56In Italy, food is very important for them.
33:00The appreciation for fresh produce, it really changed the way I look at food.
33:03I'm going to use these bagel chips.
33:06I'm going to add some of the breading, and that's what I'm going to use to coat my chicken.
33:11You only get the money if you win.
33:13So I know it's a lot of money in there, so I'm only going to use the bagel chips.
33:17Obviously, I want to win the money, but my son, he just turned five years old.
33:22His name is Leonardo, and he's the reason that I'm here.
33:26I want him to see me win.
33:28I want him to see me strong.
33:29I want him to see me follow my dreams and my kids.
33:32Would have loved to have my sandwich.
33:3415 to go, halfway.
33:35Has Chef Hanna used nuts yet?
33:38Because this is a nutty challenge.
33:39I have not thought once about nuts this entire time.
33:43I didn't think about it when I was coming up with the dish.
33:46I'm still not thinking about it.
33:47It being totally nuts day in Flavortown, that's a problem.
33:51The theme is nutty.
33:53I haven't seen nuts anywhere.
34:00Where's the chocolate-covered nuts?
34:02I'm going to take some of these.
34:04It is time to figure out how I'm going to incorporate nuts into this dish.
34:07All right, this might be a little crazy, but...
34:10So I decided to incorporate those chocolate-covered almonds into my jus.
34:14Because that counts for nutty, that's an upsell, too.
34:16That will give it that nice, rich mouthfeel.
34:19And it has a little bit of sweetness.
34:20I used those chocolate-covered almonds, but I know that I need more nutty flavor.
34:24I'm using this provolone, and I feel like that has, like, a nice nutty flavor.
34:27So I'm hoping that that, like, helps me out here.
34:29And hopefully that's enough cheese.
34:31These guys know what they're doing.
34:32So I need to give them a sandwich that wows.
34:36Chef, I'm going under the broiler.
34:37Oh, yeah.
34:38What are the chocolate-covered almonds?
34:41I'm going to try something.
34:42See if it works.
34:43I'm dying to know where that's going.
34:45I think I'm going to try to pick the sauce with this almond.
34:49These chocolate-covered almonds, they're going to give me some more money.
34:52Plus, I'm just going to make a little version of a mole.
34:56If there's anybody, though, between the two of them, who I trust using the combination of chocolate and nuts,
35:02it's the guy who's made a living doing Mexican food.
35:05He's going to throw this cocoa right into his tomato sauce.
35:07Which I like.
35:08It's going to be like mole.
35:09Let's go.
35:12Let's taste that cacao.
35:15Tastes good.
35:15It's nothing in Flavortown.
35:17Yes, yes, yes, yes.
35:18I'm going to pour sauce into my chicken, add the pepper jack cheese, and put it in the salamander to
35:23melt.
35:24If I win this, I'll be able to purchase my air conditioner.
35:28I think that it's also important to provide a safe and comfortable environment for your team to work,
35:33so they can perform better and give a better product to the guests.
35:37Two and a half minutes.
35:38Oh, that's so good.
35:40I grab my bowls for my au jus so I can have a nice little dipping vessel, and I just
35:43pour in my jus.
35:44Oh, yeah.
35:45Gosh, this sandwich will be the most expensive sandwich I've ever made.
35:49I put my sandwich down.
35:50I add in my herring sauce.
35:53I took a lot of risks here.
35:54I did the peanut, the chocolate-covered almonds.
35:56How's that herring sauce?
35:57I think you're going to like it.
35:59I'm not good at it.
36:00I'm herring you over here.
36:01You're hearing me?
36:02Last piece of bread on top, and I have my jus, and they are good to go.
36:0630 seconds, chef.
36:07My dish is almost done.
36:08Hurry up, chef.
36:09Hurry up.
36:10You've got to get back and forth again.
36:12Chef, 12 seconds, chef.
36:1312 more seconds.
36:14Run, run, chef.
36:15The good news, I have a delicious sandwich.
36:17The bad news is I have 10 seconds to put it into the pass.
36:21It gets me, it gets me.
36:21It would break my heart to see the chef that just worked so hard on his dish be disqualified
36:25just because he didn't get his plates on the pass in time.
36:28Four, three, two, and one.
36:31Wow.
36:31Great job, guys.
36:32Thank you, Hannah.
36:34All right, buddy.
36:35All right.
36:37I think this is a good example of a reinvented deli classic, but I'm a little bit worried
36:42about the nutty situation here.
36:44There are nuts, but I don't know if it's totally nuts.
36:48Chef's taste and menu adherence.
36:51This should be interesting.
36:52Chef Hannah, you were up first.
36:53I am so close to this $17,000 paycheck.
36:57For today, we have a French dip sandwich.
37:00So we have some really nice beautiful toasted bread, some really nice rare roast beef sliced
37:05paper thin, nutty provolone cheese.
37:07I have added in some of that pickled herring into our horseradish cream sauce on top of the sandwich.
37:12And I threw in the chocolate-covered almonds into that chute.
37:15That's delicious.
37:21This is an incredible sandwich.
37:24The use of the pickled herring with the horseradish on the sauce is perfect.
37:29I love actually how seamlessly those chocolate-covered almonds blended into your dip.
37:34It really complements the umami and the sweetness of the caramelized onions.
37:39You really captured the spirit of a reinvented deli classic, for sure.
37:46I love the idea of the dip.
37:48I think the meat-to-bread ratio is perfect.
37:51It's a great sandwich.
37:53I'm concerned.
37:55Am I getting enough nuts?
37:59I'm also going to give myself the provolone's got a little bit of a nutty profile.
38:03I'm not buying it, Chef.
38:04I'm sorry.
38:05I'm not buying it.
38:06You can walk right down the Flavortown road with that one.
38:08I'm not buying it.
38:09All right, all right.
38:09That ain't giving me any nuts.
38:11Thank you very much, guys.
38:11Appreciate it.
38:12They were still having a hard time finding the nuttiness.
38:14I only added the nuts to my jus.
38:17I think I could have done a better job of maybe incorporating it into another component
38:21in the dish.
38:21Chef Gustavo, it's all you, buddy.
38:24I'm very anxious.
38:26I feel like this can go either way.
38:28But I'm very confident in the concept.
38:30They're recreating something that people are very familiar with.
38:33And I know the flavor is there.
38:35All right.
38:35I have a chicken parmesan sandwich.
38:39I have a background in Italian food.
38:41I actually finished culinary school in Italy.
38:43So I used bagel chips in the breading.
38:46And then I used the chocolate covered almonds on the tomato sauce.
38:50You didn't take the herring bait.
38:52I did not.
38:53I will tell you that the chicken was perfectly cooked for me.
38:57Love your sauce.
38:59Good.
38:59The chilis are great.
39:00And I think you need that acid here.
39:02What I love about this sandwich is that you were true to the chicken parm paradigm,
39:08but you made it your own.
39:09Yes, sir.
39:10Right?
39:10Nuttiness, you nailed it.
39:11The chocolate almonds and the bagel chips are in here correctly.
39:15Were there challenges in making your own?
39:17Yeah.
39:17I think your sauce was too sweet.
39:18Okay.
39:19Thank you, chef.
39:20Great job.
39:21Yeah.
39:24What did you think of their comments?
39:26I think they're on point.
39:27Well, I have to show who I am.
39:28And as much as I wanted to make a classic parmesan, I need to make my own.
39:33I loved her sandwich.
39:34I loved her sandwich more than I loved his sandwich, but not that much more.
39:39I think he really did a really fantastic interpretation of a reinvented deli classic.
39:46He was nutty.
39:50You made some dishes that took nutty to the next nutty level.
39:55Unfortunately, only one of you is going to receive that big paycheck for your efforts.
40:00Chef Hannah, you have banked $5,000 in the first round.
40:03You used chocolate-covered almonds for $2,000, pickled herring for $5,000.
40:07If you were to win, you would win $17,000.
40:11Chef Gustavo, you got $4,000 in the first round.
40:14If you were to win, that'd be $9,000, and your bonus would be an extra $5,000
40:19because you used chocolate-covered almonds and you used the bagel chips.
40:22So that would give you a chance at $14,000.
40:26$14,000.
40:27The chef that gets the five-star dish and will go totally nuts
40:32along with the residents of Flavortown goes to...
40:38Congratulations.
40:41Chef Gustavo.
40:43Congratulations.
40:44Congratulations.
40:46Well done, chef.
40:52The nuts are the highlight of Flavortown, and it just edged you out the fact that it wasn't in the
40:58sandwich.
40:58But it was A, a delicious sandwich, B, a dynamite dip, and you are a fantastic competitor, and we're so
41:04happy to have you in Flavortown.
41:06Thank you so much.
41:06Thank you so much.
41:08Very nice to meet you.
41:09You too.
41:09You too.
41:10To lose out on $17,000 is kind of painful.
41:14That could have gone a long way.
41:15I came in here to fight.
41:17I did the best that I could, but I'm feeling pretty accomplished.
41:20I can't wait to come back and win it all until then.
41:24Chef Gustavo.
41:26It seems like just yesterday that we were shooting diners, drive-ins, and dives in your house, and now you're
41:33in my town.
41:35$14,000, chef, is a big win.
41:39What are you going to do with the money is the question.
41:41I say you get that air conditioner fixed in your restaurant.
41:44That's an order already.
41:45It feels great.
41:46I'm a champion of Flavortown.
41:47It feels like I belong here.
41:49Now it's just getting ready for next because I know it's people that are coming for this.
41:54Ladies and gentlemen, residents of Flavortown, let me present to you the newest champ of Flavortown food fight, Chef Gustavo.
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