- 13 hours ago
- #topchef
- #season23
- #culinarycompetition
Get ready for a whirlwind of culinary chaos in this electrifying episode of Top Chef Season 23! The heat is on as our talented chefs face their most daunting challenge yet, pushing their skills to the absolute limit.
Witness innovation and intense competition as they battle against the clock and each other to create dishes that are as visually stunning as they are delicious. Who will rise to the occasion and who will crumble under the pressure?
Prepare for chef drama, high-stakes decisions, and mouthwatering culinary creations. This episode is packed with the signature twists and turns that make Top Chef a must-watch for any food lover.
#TopChef #Season23 #CulinaryCompetition
Witness innovation and intense competition as they battle against the clock and each other to create dishes that are as visually stunning as they are delicious. Who will rise to the occasion and who will crumble under the pressure?
Prepare for chef drama, high-stakes decisions, and mouthwatering culinary creations. This episode is packed with the signature twists and turns that make Top Chef a must-watch for any food lover.
#TopChef #Season23 #CulinaryCompetition
Category
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Short filmTranscript
00:15Previously on Top Chef.
00:17Justin, please pack your knives and go.
00:20It sucks leaving Jen.
00:21Bye, guys.
00:22But I'm super proud of her and super stoked she's moving on.
00:25It's time for Restaurant Wars.
00:30You will be responsible for creating your own restaurant concept in just over 36 hours.
00:35I don't know what's going on with my face.
00:38The medic's gonna take me to the ER.
00:40Let's just hope that she's okay.
00:44We have to ask her to leave the competition because you are the last person that was eliminated.
00:48We're offering you that spot back.
00:50Well, I'm not having a stroke.
00:52We should just go home and get you better.
00:55Jen's health comes first.
00:56There's no way I'm staying in the competition.
01:00Eight chefs remain to compete in the ultimate culinary showdown.
01:05Woo!
01:06At stake for the winner, the grand prize of a quarter of a million dollars provided by Graza
01:11Olive Oil.
01:12A feature in Food & Wine Magazine, plus an appearance at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen.
01:17Their own exclusive dinner at the historic James Beard House in New York.
01:21And the title of Top Chef.
01:31Let's agree on the concept and then we can delegate like Latino food with like Southern soul.
01:36Yeah.
01:37Oh, okay.
01:37Right?
01:37Embracing what Jen does.
01:39Yeah.
01:40We're a player down right now.
01:41Obviously, we want to have Jen here.
01:43Like, I'm worried for her.
01:44But we're not stagnant.
01:46We're making some decisions.
01:47I was thinking she's the exec chef.
01:49He's super strong at Latin food.
01:50To me, the style of Latin food.
01:52Hi.
01:53Can I come in?
01:54Hey, Kristen.
01:55How you doing?
01:55It's been a very long day.
01:57Yeah.
01:58A few updates.
01:59Jen is still in the hospital.
02:01She is okay right now.
02:03We're waiting on updates on what's going on.
02:05But because of everything that has transpired, we have removed her from the competition for
02:11her own well-being and safety.
02:14Oh.
02:14That's really hard to hear.
02:16Jen is such a powerhouse.
02:18The fact that she's made it this far with just one arm is insane.
02:23Jen's gonna be missed.
02:25It was only fair that we went to the last eliminated person, Justin, and offered him
02:30a spot back.
02:32He's decided to go with Jen.
02:34We have now moved on to the last, last eliminated person.
02:40There he is.
02:42Hey, back up.
02:44I'm stoked.
02:45Skipping Last Chance Kitchen is great.
02:47I wish it wasn't at the expense of Jen leaving, but hopefully I make her proud.
02:52Seeger is now on your team.
02:53Hell yeah.
02:54And we continue on with Restaurant Wars.
02:56Welcome back.
02:57God damn.
02:57Welcome back, my boy.
02:59Damn, dude.
03:00Talk about a roller coaster, brother.
03:01What are you telling me?
03:02It's a fair trade, right?
03:03Jen's amazing.
03:05Seeger's amazing.
03:05His whole hog experience was so bittersweet.
03:08He gets the second chance.
03:10It's a hundred diners.
03:11Yeah.
03:11Plus to go.
03:13Plus to go.
03:14Yeah, so there's gonna be a phone, and they're gonna be calling in every now and then
03:16with some orders.
03:17And then it's three courses, but there's an option for each course.
03:20So a total of six dishes.
03:21Okay.
03:22We should just lean into Latin, and Oscar, he should be the GM.
03:25You know, he could be out there with Spanish and, you know, all that.
03:27Yeah.
03:27Yeah.
03:28We all have very different backgrounds.
03:30Yeah.
03:30It would be smart to do a global approach to it.
03:32I think global's too broad.
03:34The thread that goes through everything, I think that should be the Carolinas.
03:38Yeah.
03:38But I think the two threads that we have is Carolinas as location and comfort as theme.
03:44Yeah.
03:45It's endless.
03:46Let me step over here, because I can hear, like, so I don't know what you feel more comfortable
03:49with Seeger if you wanted the exec chef or if you want to be the line cook.
03:52I don't really care wherever it's fun with me.
03:54Being executive chef at Restaurant Wars, your head's on the chopping block.
03:58But I always wanted to do executive chef or front of the house.
04:02Everyone on our team has restaurants.
04:04No one's a sleeper.
04:06Cool.
04:06Zech is probably under the most pressure.
04:08He has immunity.
04:09Do you want to be executive?
04:11Yeah, I'll take care of that.
04:13Am I a little uneasy because I have somebody with immunity on my team?
04:17Yes.
04:18A thousand percent.
04:19I think I would be very good with all my organizational skills to, like, run front of house.
04:24Yeah.
04:24Good.
04:25Let's figure out a name.
04:26Yeah.
04:27Why don't we play off of Charlotte?
04:29Queen.
04:29Reina.
04:30Reina.
04:30Yeah.
04:31That's perfect.
04:32We have the two last women on this competition.
04:34I think we should, like, play on that.
04:36I like where your head's going.
04:38Queenies or something like that.
04:39Uh-huh.
04:40Terra or Reina?
04:41I like it.
04:41Tierra or Reina.
04:42Like the Queen's Earth.
04:43Yeah.
04:44Carolina Queen.
04:45I don't hate that.
04:46All right.
04:47Love it.
04:47We need to start rapping about the menu.
04:49I think it's the Agua Chile Verde.
04:51Uh-huh.
04:51So we keep it Mexican.
04:53Ceviche?
04:53Agua Chile?
04:54What would be the second option?
04:55If we bring it back to the Carolinas, too, do, like, the Carolina Ruby Sweet Potato
04:59tostada.
05:00I think logistics is going to be very important.
05:03We plan around that.
05:04To goers, you have to be very careful doing anything that requires temperature.
05:08Yeah.
05:08Yeah.
05:10I think you should do something you can prep out and we can help you prep out.
05:14What about, like, a ham and cheese Grujere?
05:16Oh, that could be really good.
05:17You know, because you can use country ham.
05:19Oh, yeah.
05:19And then desserts.
05:20What if it's, like, a peanut butter and jelly panna cotta?
05:23I love the peanut butter and jelly.
05:24What's a national?
05:25Oh, Cheerwine?
05:26Cheerwine.
05:26What they're going to be looking for?
05:28Service standards.
05:29We all have to be communicating hardcore because that's what's going to make us win.
05:32Yep.
05:44Today, we have a lot to get done picking out different rentals and dinnerware, but also
05:49we need to get all the ingredients we need to make this restaurant happen.
05:52It's definitely the most intimidating challenge so far.
05:56All right.
05:57All right, y'all.
05:57Let's lock it in.
05:59Let's do it.
06:01All right.
06:01We're going to follow me this way.
06:05It's going to be feminine, but not tacky, not Barbie.
06:08Yeah.
06:09Okay.
06:09But we're going to have, like, lighter wood colors, like Scandinavian, Japanese wood.
06:13I knew before I got here, when I make it to restaurant floors, I want to work the front
06:19of house.
06:20That's pretty.
06:20It's a role that takes a lot of organization, takes a lot of people skills.
06:26I'm ready to take that risk, and I like putting myself out there.
06:29When you said light wood in Scandinavian, this is exactly what I was thinking about.
06:33I also don't hate this one.
06:35Well, I think that feels very outdoorsy.
06:37That feels outdoorsy.
06:39That one's for the patio or the porch.
06:40I'm out for.
06:43I don't want to go too crazy with the colors, but we want to have some nice, plain colors.
06:46We want to make it feel warm in there, inviting.
06:48How much are the black matte?
06:50Do you not like these?
06:51I do like them, but I feel the colors that we're getting.
06:53Dang, this is nice, though.
06:54Look at that.
06:54That is really nice.
06:55Obviously, myself, Seeger, my brother, Oscar, we're a bunch of dudes.
06:59We are trying not to have this be a man cave situation.
07:02I think we're going to go with the brushed gold.
07:05I like the wood top and the gold bottom.
07:07Yeah, absolutely.
07:08Thank you so much.
07:09Good luck.
07:10Nice to meet you.
07:11Let's go.
07:13Okay.
07:20Jonathan and Seeger went with our master list.
07:23Oscar and I head to La Unica because this is where we'll find the base of our Mexican cuisine.
07:27Okay, thank you.
07:28Dope.
07:29$6.99 a pound.
07:31Super G, super G.
07:33The big things that Duen and Anthony are going to pick up are the proteins at Whole Foods.
07:36All right.
07:37But a lot of the other things are going to be on us.
07:39Let's go.
07:40Ooh.
07:42Can I get 100 Carolina pearls?
07:44You got it.
07:45Shrimp.
07:46These eight by 12.
07:4810 pounds, please.
07:4915, 21.
07:50Thank you, sir.
07:51I got all the panko.
07:52I cleared them out.
07:53I've never filled up an entire shopping cart before, so that was weird.
07:56But we're filling it up quick.
07:58Oh, my God.
07:59I think we're going to need, like, eight carts.
08:04Let's go right to the meats.
08:05Llamé hace ratito para lengua y cachete.
08:09Perfecto.
08:11La lengua.
08:12Oh, vámonos.
08:13So we got protein, beef cheeks, and tongue.
08:16You can check it off the list.
08:17It's just crazy to launch a restaurant in 36 hours.
08:21The food is the easy part.
08:22Let's head over to fish.
08:23Let's see what we've got.
08:24In all the seasons I've watched, I've realized that the teamwork makes the dream work.
08:28Hey, what's up, brother from the same mother?
08:30They don't have bene seed, but they have sesame.
08:32Yeah, I'm looking straight at it.
08:33I've seen restaurants get torn apart because of the front of the house first, back of the
08:37house.
08:38Oh, oh, the avocados.
08:39Oscar's on it now.
08:40I'm sending my best guy.
08:41We need to really focus on being team-oriented.
08:43So we're going to finish up.
08:44We're going to grab the avocados, and that's it.
08:45You guys are.
08:47Fish, 25 pounds, which I think we're good.
08:49Sick.
08:50Super G the rest?
08:51Yes.
08:53Goal!
08:54Sherry, I found Sherwine.
08:55Uh-huh.
08:56Okay.
08:56I don't want to add a lot of flour to my sheep crab cakes.
09:02We're all executive chefs.
09:04I think that's the biggest challenge when it comes to these team challenges.
09:08It's like leaving the ego out the door.
09:11Just doing whatever needs to be done to win the challenge.
09:14Sherry!
09:16Sherry!
09:17Ugh!
09:18My God!
09:19It's like my kid.
09:24Sherry!
09:38Let's do this.
09:39What's up, boys?
09:40Yeah!
09:40What up?
09:42Anthony!
09:43Oh, finally!
09:44Let's go!
09:45Uh-oh.
09:46Bandanas coming up.
09:47You know what time it is, I say?
09:48Five hours.
09:49Five hours.
09:51Oscar!
09:52You're in front of house?
09:53Don't let Dwayne come out.
09:55Oh, .
09:55Dwayne's back.
09:57Oscar's gonna get it.
10:00Poor Oscar.
10:02Sometimes my alter ego, Dwayne, comes out.
10:05We're both in front of the house.
10:06It kind of motivates me to get my energy going.
10:09Okay, all right, I see you.
10:12I got collards working, my roses working, I got my cherry gel working.
10:16Who's your exec?
10:17We went with the old Siegster.
10:18Hold on.
10:19He just got revived and you guys are putting him in the middle of the battlefield?
10:21Back from the dead, dude.
10:23Whoo!
10:23The first two courses are gonna be my boy Jonathan and I.
10:26For Tierra Arena, this concept is like Latin cuisine and then aspects of the Carolinas.
10:32So first course, a snapper, Agua Chile Verde.
10:35That's Jonathan.
10:36Whose idea was it to cut all these peppers?
10:38Oh, that was mine.
10:39Going with sweet potato tostada by yours truly.
10:42I had the sweet potatoes with the miso, roasting them off.
10:45That one's good to go.
10:46We're just building flavor on flavor on flavor.
10:48For the second course, Jonathan will be making a pescado a la Veracruzana using cod as his fish.
10:55I'm trying to get a nice thick filet.
10:57For the second option, I'm presenting a barbacoa wrapped in a collard green.
11:01In the barbacoa, I'm doing tongue-in-cheek.
11:03It's kind of funny.
11:05I don't know, maybe tongue-in-cheek.
11:07Right?
11:08You get it?
11:11You have three hours and 30 minutes, everybody.
11:15Hey, Lawrence, big dog.
11:16You bought chair wine?
11:17Yeah.
11:18I just need a little bit.
11:19They need some chair wine.
11:20Is it okay if we give them some?
11:21One can.
11:22Go for it.
11:23Thanks, brother.
11:24For dessert, Seeger is planning a mole cremeau with a Catalana creme and a Benecine cracker.
11:30It's a Latin take on the French cremeau, which is like a ganache.
11:36All the things kind of coming together.
11:38And finally, I am making arroz con leche with cheer wine gel.
11:42Honestly, kind of glad that you chose rice pudding, man.
11:44Yeah.
11:44Using cheer wine in place of the raisin so you have a better texture.
11:47Because you remember when we were kids, you know, our nanny made it for us all the time.
11:50Yeah.
11:50First time we tried it, it was kind of weird.
11:52And remember, I didn't like the raisins.
11:53Yeah, we hated the raisins.
11:55Rice pudding is 50% complete.
11:56I just don't want to burn the bottom.
11:58That would be my worst nightmare, so I'm going slow and slow.
11:59How are you guys feeling about your menu and having to do takeout at the same time?
12:03If we pivot, we'll make it happen, baby.
12:05All right, let's go, baby.
12:07Carolina queen.
12:08It is new southern comfort style food.
12:11The first course, Sherry is going to make a she crab cake.
12:13The Brazilian spin is adding coconut milk to the crab instead of mayonnaise.
12:19And Duen is going to make a cheese puff with pimento cheese and country ham.
12:23Duen, three hours left.
12:24How do you feel?
12:24I'm feeling pretty good.
12:26I just want to give myself enough time to be able to go out in the dining room.
12:29Okay.
12:30You looking good, Anthony?
12:31Yes.
12:32I'm about to slice and cure the okra next.
12:35For the second course, you can choose between Anthony's red rice with a seafood Bernays oyster
12:41and shrimp.
12:42I started cooking the rice dish similar to this back in Miami, and the flavors are good,
12:46so I think it's going to be a good one.
12:48Or you can have my course, which is a crispy pork belly with collards, cornbread, and pickles.
12:54Cooking some holes.
12:54This can help render the fat.
12:56And then when it renders, get it nice and crispy.
12:59We wanted to do elevated southern comfort, and I think that everybody loves PB&J.
13:05For the last course, you have dessert between a PB&J with a peanut panna cotta, some compressed fruits, and
13:12a chair wine jelly.
13:13Oil peanuts are a big thing in Carolinas.
13:16Or you can have our pecan baklava with maple bourbon syrup.
13:20Oh my god, this is taking forever.
13:23It's very cool to be working right alongside of you with, uh, for Restaurant Wars.
13:27With Restaurant Wars.
13:28Yeah, we're going to crush it.
13:29Kind of like a dream come true, you know?
13:30My brother and I, we went separate ways in our career, but our dream is to open a restaurant together.
13:35We are very much connected.
13:38This is going to be one for the books.
13:40We tend to argue a little bit about little , but, you know, we're 40 years old now, so hopefully
13:44that won't happen.
13:45Should be all good.
13:48Hey, Chef!
13:49Hey, Chef!
13:50Hey, Chef!
13:51It smells like Restaurant Wars in here, Chef.
13:53Hey, there you go.
13:54Hey, Lawrence.
13:55Chef Michael Mina.
13:56Pleasure to meet you.
13:57Likewise.
13:57To be in the presence of Chef Mina, it's a privilege.
14:00And it really makes me feel like this restaurant needs to absolutely be a success.
14:04This is Carolina Queen.
14:06Carolina Queen.
14:07Trying to do a new southern comfort restaurant for you guys.
14:11What are you doing with the filo right now?
14:12I'm doing a baklava.
14:13And that's going to come with a sweet potato, like, creme anglaise.
14:17Where'd baklava play into the concept?
14:20Yeah, I mean, we thought about kind of vessels for, um, a, um...
14:24Southern Greece.
14:25Yeah, yeah.
14:26Southern Greece.
14:26There you go.
14:27But instead of pistachios, you're using pecans.
14:28Pecans.
14:29Yeah, yeah, exactly.
14:30Yeah, it looks like a good plan.
14:31Thanks, Chef.
14:32That's good, yeah.
14:33Great.
14:34Oscar, Brandon.
14:35Hey!
14:35Chef, how are you doing?
14:36It's like a two for one here.
14:37Two for one.
14:38The name of the restaurant is Tierra Reina, Latino driven, but with a Southern appreciation as well.
14:42Is your Southern influence in the menu more, you think, in products?
14:46Like, good example, I'm on the rice pudding, the dessert.
14:49So I'm going to use the Carolina Gold rice.
14:51Are you making green rice pudding?
14:52We're thinking about it.
14:54We were very inspired.
14:55Don't take shots at me.
14:56Just asking.
14:57Hey, Dwayne, pot the shoe for 100, please?
15:00Yeah.
15:00Before you made all these, did you test one?
15:04I did not.
15:05I guess, I guess not.
15:07Tom, come on.
15:09Let's be real here.
15:10Who has time to goddamn test anything right now?
15:13Good luck.
15:14Chef, it all looks good.
15:16We'll see you at your restaurant tomorrow night.
15:17Bye, Chef.
15:18Bye, Chef.
15:18See you tomorrow.
15:19Do you know, like, when you watch a movie and they're like, the devil?
15:23I have that with Tom, and he's like, Gwen, this is not the time to R&D.
15:27And I'm like, shut up, Tom.
15:29Let me do my thing.
15:31Ugh.
15:31Not today, devil.
15:3330 minutes.
15:36Behind.
15:37We have more room here.
15:38We can do two tops across there.
15:40I like that.
15:41I'm pushing out the panna cotta.
15:42That way it's already in the container.
15:43It's going to make a welcome tea.
15:45I'm going to infuse this tonight, so it's going to be super strong.
15:50You good, Dwayne?
15:52Yeah.
15:52I'm just going to wrap my gougeres.
15:54What's time?
15:55Five minutes and 32 seconds.
15:57I'm starting to get anxious.
15:59I was just hoping I could spend a little bit of time in the dining room.
16:03What do you need?
16:04Yeah, let's go four top.
16:06Tomorrow, it's just going to be a crazy long day, and all these things are starting to weigh
16:10on me.
16:11Ugh.
16:11You know, it was a stretch, but we did it.
16:13Yeah.
16:13Yeah, la mise en place is done.
16:14Feeling good.
16:15Got everything done.
16:16I got two things I got to do.
16:17It's just with the salsa.
16:18Blitz it.
16:19Everything else is done.
16:19I got a big day tomorrow, but it'll be fine.
16:21Tierra bella!
16:23Ugh.
16:28It's fun.
16:34Ew.
16:35Blue suit.
16:42Okay, time to go.
16:51Yes.
16:51Beautiful.
16:52Oh wow.
16:54Whoa.
16:55Wow.
16:56I love it, I love it.
16:57Yeah, cool.
16:58Hoppin'.
16:58Carolina Queen.
17:00Wow.
17:00That's very cute.
17:01Look at the artwork.
17:02That's so cute.
17:02That's a nice toe stand for you.
17:03The little lamp.
17:07Love it!
17:08Let's go!
17:08Let's go!
17:11Restaurant Wars, baby!
17:12I've been waiting for this day my whole life.
17:14Ugh.
17:15Jonathan, how you looking?
17:17I'm gonna work on this ceviche first,
17:19and then I'm gonna go into getting the cod cured.
17:22Sigur, what are you gonna start working on?
17:23These are the sweet potatoes for the tostada.
17:25How we doing on those barbacoa boys?
17:27Four down, 76 to go, chef.
17:31We're in a good spot.
17:32I'm in charge in front of the house,
17:33but I don't want to leave them with anything other to do
17:36than what we agreed on,
17:37which is Brandon rolling up the barbacoa in the collards.
17:40It's not like a circle.
17:42Actually, that's not bad.
17:43That's not bad.
17:43Yeah, this will be great.
17:45And I'm doing a duo of salsas, a tomato salsa,
17:47and then I'm doing a tomatillo one, two.
17:49I'm just hammering away at these balls.
17:51Can you say that one more time?
17:55I already pickled Gwen's mustard seeds.
17:58I'm letting that sit.
17:59The line cook is responsible for executing
18:02every single dish to perfection.
18:05It's tough.
18:06I'm working on Gwen's pimento cheese.
18:08Lawrence, how you feel about that pork belly?
18:10Crispy up the skin right now.
18:12We'll see how it goes in the oven.
18:14Just under three hours before we're all open.
18:16Oh, man.
18:17Is anybody freaking out?
18:18I haven't done knife work like this in years.
18:22I got people, man, that do that for me.
18:24So I'm trying to get back in the groove.
18:26Oh, my goodness.
18:28Coming down this way.
18:30Hi, everyone.
18:31I'm Chef Dwen.
18:33Welcome to Restaurant Wars.
18:35I'll show you guys your sections,
18:36but let's get the dining room set up first
18:37and kind of just start getting into the workflow.
18:40I want us to start setting up the tables.
18:42My prep list is pretty insane.
18:45I need to get the dining room together,
18:48figure out everybody's rules, train them on those rules.
18:51And my team's doing everything they can
18:53to help me with my prep in the kitchen
18:55so I can just be out there.
18:57Two tops should be right here.
19:00I want you to take some ownership over the whole stand
19:03and tell them what their section is.
19:04You're going to run this whole station.
19:05You say you're the best.
19:06We'll hold you to it.
19:08How does it look out there?
19:10It's coming together quick.
19:11All right, see you.
19:11I'm going to get changed up, bro.
19:12Good luck.
19:1358 minutes, guys.
19:15Weather report on the pork is looking really good.
19:18We're going to throw it back in the oven
19:19with high heat and high fan.
19:21How are you guys looking over there?
19:22I'm just cutting the cherry and cheer wine
19:26gelee that's going to be in place of raisins
19:29on the rice pudding.
19:31I do know it's high risk because it's only one dish.
19:33It's super simple.
19:34It's three ingredients.
19:35But being the line cook,
19:36you have your hands in prep and in so many dishes.
19:39So I want my dessert to be easy,
19:41and I want it to be pre-plated.
19:43Here, you want to try a piece?
19:44I'll take a scrap, but you've got plenty of this.
19:45Oh, dude, it's so good.
19:46Yeah.
19:47And remember, like, we can prep during service, too,
19:49so it's not like...
19:51You know, that's a take down, right?
19:52Bro, any time a cook tells me that, I'm like, bro,
19:55what do you need?
19:55I send them home.
19:56I'm like, it's OK.
19:57I'll work your station for you.
19:59I got this.
19:59I just want to finish the agua chile verde,
20:01which should take me 20 minutes.
20:02And then slice serranos, pick herbs, slice scallions.
20:07You guys, this is Chef Anthony.
20:09Hello, everyone.
20:10He's the executive chef tonight.
20:12All righty.
20:12Ten minutes after first course,
20:14I'm already going to fire your second.
20:16So there's no need to fire anything with me.
20:17This way allows me to have control over the flow of service
20:20and just ensure that we're moving at a consistent pace.
20:23We don't want to get backed up.
20:23When we clear the first course,
20:25that's when you fire to us.
20:27Five to seven minutes is what we're thinking.
20:29Getting tickets to Chef, hand it directly to him.
20:33Food runners, we don't need all this explanation.
20:35We just want the seat number and the table number,
20:38and we run it out.
20:38We're going to be really good.
20:39We're going to go to all the right tables, right?
20:42Sick.
20:4318 minutes.
20:44How are you guys feeling?
20:45Good.
20:45Go taste your cheese sauce, please.
20:47It's done.
20:48Is it enough filling?
20:51It's a good bite.
20:52Yeah, but I feel like it's very plain.
20:55I think the pickled mustard seeds
20:57need to stay in there a little bit longer.
20:59OK.
21:00OK, guys, I need to go change for service.
21:03I know how I get stuck in somebody else's mise en place.
21:06I have one thing on everybody's dish.
21:09So if anybody's going to get scolded, it's going to be me.
21:1545 minutes for pickup.
21:16You can tell them, if you'd like to come five minutes ahead of time,
21:19we might have it ready for you beforehand.
21:20But 45 minutes, we'll have it ready.
21:22OK.
21:25We're in the south.
21:26Maybe a little southern hustle.
21:27Like, we can always, if we can, women first, you know?
21:31The dining room is absolutely beautiful.
21:33It just feels light and airy.
21:36I'm ready to pull up.
21:39Nine minutes.
21:41Hey, Brandon, I just need your help with a little bit of knife work,
21:42please.
21:43What knife work do you need?
21:43I've just got a lot of knife work that needs to be finished.
21:46What kind of knife work, Chef?
21:46You got to speak.
21:47Tell me.
21:48So right here.
21:48So I just need a cilantro chiffonade.
21:52I'm blown away.
21:53We're about to start service.
21:54And my brother comes up with a 22 quart of vegetables.
21:58This is the Garni Poo for the.
22:01Just stop talking and start working, bro.
22:02I'm working, dude.
22:03I'm working and talking.
22:04It's not, now is not the time to chat and be funny.
22:07This is my worst nightmare.
22:08Oh, my gosh.
22:10Oh, my gosh.
22:18Sherry, how are you feeling, girl?
22:19Ready for service, Chef.
22:21I wish I could say the same for my brother.
22:23Oh.
22:24He's mad as hell.
22:25How many more do you think you need, Chef?
22:26Uh, just give me a quick count.
22:28He's right.
22:29I should have my station set up.
22:31I would never let that fly in one of my restaurants.
22:33Like, same size as the peppers.
22:34You can go a little bit bigger.
22:35Well, too late.
22:36If he wasn't my brother and this was another cook,
22:38they'd be on their own.
22:40Minute and 30.
22:41Where's the phone again?
22:42The phone will be at the host stand.
22:43They're going to run back all our to-go orders.
22:45Yes, Chef.
22:46Are we finished with your mise en place, or what?
22:47Yeah, we're there.
22:49Steady, calm.
22:50Let's show everyone a good time.
22:52Good luck.
22:52Good luck.
22:53You too.
22:55Ho!
22:56Hey, you.
22:57Let's do it.
22:57Let's do it.
22:58We are open.
22:59We're open.
23:00We're open.
23:05Hello.
23:06Welcome to Carolina Queen.
23:08Nice to meet you.
23:10Welcome, everyone.
23:11Welcome, welcome.
23:12Welcome to Tierra Reina.
23:13It looks so great in here.
23:14Thank you so much.
23:15We're celebrating the South.
23:17And a lot of our personalities shine throughout the dishes.
23:19We also have a nice little welcome drink for you guys as well.
23:22Very cool.
23:22I am so deep in my element.
23:25I'm made for this.
23:26Honestly, it's a really good team.
23:27Energy.
23:29Anything y'all need from us, just let me know.
23:32Who's taking to-go calls?
23:33I'm taking the to-go calls.
23:34It's on the expo.
23:35Okay.
23:36This is exactly the doneness I wanted.
23:39You got first order.
23:40Simone.
23:41Yes.
23:42Let's do it.
23:42Let's do this.
23:43Order in.
23:44So let's fire.
23:46Agua chile tostada.
23:47One of each, please.
23:49Yes, chef.
23:50Welcome to Tierra Reina.
23:51Have you all dined with us before?
23:53That's our first time.
23:54It's our first time here, too.
23:56The dining room is looking good, dog.
23:58The joke is landing.
23:59I think we're in a good spot, ladies and gentlemen.
24:02Nice.
24:09Hi.
24:09Hey, look at you.
24:11You look lovely.
24:12I try.
24:13Do you guys want to follow me?
24:15Thank you, Tyna.
24:16Checking out the day cool.
24:17Yeah, pretty.
24:18This is great.
24:19This is pretty in here.
24:20Sort of soft and feminine.
24:21Yeah.
24:21The name Carolina Queen is really to pay an homage to the city.
24:26And to start you guys off, we have a fizzy sweet tea made with turmeric and some yuzu.
24:32Smells beautiful.
24:32Great.
24:33Thank you, Duane.
24:33You're welcome.
24:34Cheers.
24:35Thank you both so much for being with us.
24:37Such a delight.
24:38Duane, how's it going?
24:39Team Charlotte.
24:40Judges are here.
24:41I welcome them to the table.
24:42That's where we're at.
24:43Order in.
24:44Judges.
24:44Five puff, five crab.
24:46Five.
24:47So, Michael, you're opening a restaurant here in Charlotte.
24:49I am.
24:50How long is it going to take you by the time you open your doors?
24:53Ten months.
24:54Yeah.
24:54Yeah.
24:55It's not 36 hours.
24:56Not 36 hours.
24:57Okay.
24:58We're going to get the thick, crispy, juicy ones.
25:01Sauce is ready.
25:02You got three tomatoes per...
25:03Hands, please, for judges.
25:05And then one judge will get every plate of puff.
25:07The menu feels very Carolina.
25:09It does.
25:10Oh.
25:11Here we go.
25:13Hello.
25:14Hi.
25:14Welcome in.
25:16How are you?
25:17Thank you so much.
25:18As one of our first course options, we have a she crab cake with a she crab bisque.
25:23I removed the aioli from the crab cake.
25:26I replaced it with coconut milk to make it a little bit Brazilian.
25:29I'll let you take the fork.
25:31Also, for the starter is a cheese puff.
25:34The batter has been folded with country ham.
25:37And then in the center is a sauce mornay.
25:42Anthony, fire judge a table for me.
25:45Nine belly, nine rice.
25:46Nine.
25:49I really love Sherry's dish.
25:50Those pickles blended that nice sweet tang to it.
25:54I love the coconut milk that lightened it.
25:56And it spoke to her background.
25:58And it had a good bit of heat.
26:00Yeah.
26:00The flavors are very good.
26:01They're bright.
26:02Everything pops.
26:04Okay, three crab.
26:05What do you think of Gwen's first bites?
26:07The flavor's great.
26:08The liquid cheese in the center I actually like a lot.
26:11I made a mess.
26:12Yeah, loves it.
26:13It's a sign of a good meal, Gail.
26:14The flavor's great.
26:15The pimento cheese, the country ham.
26:17Good start.
26:18Great start.
26:19I always like to look at the front of house people
26:20and they're not at our table.
26:21So I made the cheese puffs.
26:23Yeah.
26:24A lot of times they just do it for us and that's it.
26:26She's going to everyone?
26:27She's on every single table, yeah.
26:28Yeah.
26:29She's doing a great job.
26:33Anthony.
26:34Yeah.
26:35We got a call.
26:37Heard.
26:38Anthony.
26:38I'm coming back, Sherry.
26:40One minute.
26:40Come on.
26:41I don't have a food runner.
26:42Are you talking about this?
26:43You got a phone call.
26:44Hello.
26:45Thank you for calling Carolina Queen.
26:46Yes, what would you like?
26:47Guys, order in.
26:49Fire one more pork belly, one more rice.
26:514-4.
26:51Guys, order in.
26:52Three more crab and a puff.
26:54We're firing tables four or five at a time.
26:56Lawrence, fire judges.
26:58And at the same time, we need to give the judges our full attention.
27:00Lawrence, I'm dragging on the two puffs for a 16 and 12.
27:03We have to knock out these tickets.
27:05Order in.
27:07Pleasure to have you.
27:08I'll be around if you need anything.
27:09Thank you all very much.
27:11First seating tickets are in.
27:12All right?
27:12Beautiful, Chef.
27:13Beautiful.
27:13Service starts.
27:14Seeger looks like he's done this before.
27:16Tostada, please.
27:17I don't feel any lag in the kitchen on my end.
27:20I feel pretty good.
27:21If Oscar's not in the kitchen, that means we're doing something right.
27:24Right.
27:24Put them thumbs.
27:29Rice for the judges ready to go.
27:31Ready?
27:31Lawrence, you ready for a pork for judges?
27:33Five plates all day, right?
27:35Five pork for judges all day, buddy.
27:37Cover, right?
27:38Yeah.
27:40Hands, please.
27:40We're going to judges.
27:42Pork plates, but I'll come back.
27:43Yep.
27:45Hello, everyone.
27:46Hello, Anthony.
27:47How are we doing today?
27:48Nice to see you.
27:49Nice to see you again.
27:50Thank you so much.
27:50Yes, my pleasure.
27:51My pleasure.
27:52So up in front of you have red rice.
27:55There's smoked oysters, a little bit of pickled okra, and a Bernays, which is on top of your
27:59rice.
28:00I'm going to let Lawrence explain his when we get back in the kitchen.
28:02Today I made for y'all a pork belly.
28:04We have three sides, collard greens, a fried scallion cornbread, and just some pickles.
28:10Amazing.
28:11Thank you, Lawrence.
28:11Thank you very much.
28:12Appreciate y'all.
28:14Very hard to cut the skin.
28:15I think we just got to pick it up.
28:16Yeah.
28:17Do what you got to do.
28:18I don't mind the skin.
28:19It's just okay.
28:20The skin was crispy, although it's chewy.
28:23Flavor-wise, the pork belly is nicely cooked.
28:25The greens are really tasty.
28:27I didn't feel like it was a risk taker of a dish, but I thought it was well executed.
28:31It's a little bit too crunchy on the outside.
28:33Yeah.
28:34Maybe I should have sliced the pork.
28:36I saw them kind of struggling a little bit.
28:38How's your rice texture on Anthony's?
28:39It's okay.
28:40It's not supposed to be mushy.
28:42No, it's horrible.
28:44I just...
28:45I'm having a hard time getting over the texture of the combination of a little too much sauce
28:50and a little too much okra.
28:52Okra and the baronese together is doing something.
28:55Looking for the red rice.
28:57I don't know if it's supposed to be like that.
28:58I don't think so.
28:59After those rice, we're going to start selling dessert.
29:03Fired tostada, agua chile.
29:05Order in one of each, please.
29:08I think you got the agua chile.
29:10Yeah.
29:11Chef, you got some food back.
29:12Sweet.
29:13Can you just put those right here for me?
29:15The worst fear in any chef's eyes is when you see food coming back to the kitchen.
29:19Secret, I need your attention.
29:2142's food got sent to 57.
29:23I need 42.
29:25I'm gonna go touch those tables and make sure they're all alright.
29:27These servers, it's their first day on a job and they're writing wrong tables.
29:30I need to pump the brakes.
29:32No, it's three Veracruz though.
29:34Yeah.
29:37It's full.
29:37It feels very calm.
29:39There's no stress or chaos.
29:41Lawrence, when's puff coming?
29:42Yep, it's coming, it's coming.
29:4490 seconds.
29:46There's not a lot of tables with food on it right now though.
29:48They're waiting.
29:49They're eating.
29:50No, they're waiting for mains still.
29:52These ones here.
29:53Lawrence, fire judges buddy.
29:55Five baklava.
29:56Hey you guys, just letting you know, entrees need to just go out a little bit more
29:59because there's a lot of empty tables.
30:01We know, we know Doreen.
30:01We got you.
30:03Is this the first time this rang?
30:05No, second time.
30:06Three, four, five.
30:07Fire five pork.
30:09Hello?
30:09Five pork.
30:10How can I help you?
30:11Hey guys, order in.
30:12Give me one second.
30:13Let me just grab a pen.
30:16Three crab cakes and a puff.
30:27Three, four, five.
30:28Fire five pork.
30:29Hello?
30:30Five pork.
30:30Carolina Queen, what can I get you?
30:33You're saying two crab cakes?
30:36Another to-go order just came in.
30:38Taking the to-go orders, it's breaking the flow a bit.
30:42We just gotta push really hard and just catch up.
30:47Judge's desserts are coming up.
30:48Yep.
30:50Judge's desserts.
30:50How's everything feeling back there?
30:52Things are a little pushed back, but you know, everyone's still very happy.
30:56We're just making sure we're taking care of you guys, like right now.
31:00Right on cue.
31:01Right on cue.
31:02Thank you so much.
31:04Hello again.
31:05Hello.
31:05Hello.
31:06We have two different desserts.
31:07On the big chalice, you have PB&J, peanut butter panna cotta with true wine and compressed fruits.
31:14And then I'll let Lawrence talk about the pie.
31:17Yeah.
31:17So today we did an ode to pie culture in the south.
31:20So this is a pecan baklava with a sweet potato creme anglaise.
31:25Thank you all.
31:26Appreciate it.
31:26Thanks, Lawrence.
31:28I like Sherry's dessert.
31:29I love the peanut butter.
31:30I love the texture.
31:31It's almost eating like frosting, which I mean that in a very complimentary way.
31:35Yeah.
31:35Of course you do.
31:36This is like fifth grade cafeteria, but like in a good way.
31:40Reminds me of something from childhood.
31:42Lawrence's dessert.
31:44Flavors are there.
31:45The idea is there.
31:46Just a little execution.
31:47A layer of sweet potato in with the pecan would have been good.
31:50I just want to put it in my handbag and take it off.
31:53From where they are first night, I think it's very successful.
31:56You think of hospitality when you think of the south, and I think the hospitality here has
31:59been great.
32:00Yeah.
32:00Good meal.
32:01Good meal.
32:01Good meal.
32:02Good service.
32:02Good meal.
32:03We do have to get to another reservation.
32:05Let's go.
32:06It's just right over there.
32:07Perfect.
32:08Who's driving?
32:09Thank you, Duane.
32:10Bye.
32:10Thank you very much.
32:14Hello.
32:15Thank you for calling Tierra Arena.
32:16How can I help you?
32:17Heads, please.
32:1941.
32:21Tostada.
32:22God damn it.
32:24What happened?
32:25Something happened?
32:25I don't have physician numbers, so I can't sell the food.
32:28We're just losing time having to correct table numbers, correct seat numbers.
32:32Oh, my God.
32:34What?
32:35It's 51.
32:36It's okay.
32:37It's 54, not 52.
32:38Oh, God.
32:39All right.
32:39The brothers are pushing out food really quickly.
32:42The focus is getting the tickets right.
32:45No, no.
32:46So just like the item and then the seat number.
32:49You know what I mean?
32:49Perfect.
32:52Should I go ahead?
32:53Yep.
32:53And now we have to-go orders just like compounding stress over stress over stress.
32:58Oh, my God.
33:00Seeker, we got the second seating coming in, so judges should be coming in a little bit, guys.
33:04Beautiful.
33:05All right?
33:05Let's tighten it all up.
33:06Let's tighten it all up.
33:07There's one critical point in a restaurant's night.
33:10It's called the turn.
33:11You have to get the first tables out and get ready for the next wave of customers that come in.
33:16Anytime a server comes up and they don't know what the table number is or they ran into the wrong
33:19table or they're firing the wrong food,
33:21it creates this monkey wrench in service.
33:24I apologize about that.
33:25I'm glad you all got your entrees.
33:27I'll come in and check on you in a little bit.
33:28The dining room fills up and it is always cost for chaos.
33:32We have a reservation for five.
33:34Yeah.
33:35I think it's under the name Kish.
33:36Thank you so much.
33:37That's good.
33:38Thank you, sir.
33:40Definitely a different vibe.
33:42Vibrant.
33:43Vibrant.
33:43Yeah.
33:44It's a nice color.
33:45Well, I like the contrast of the terracotta with the bright green.
33:48Oh, look at you.
33:49Hello.
33:49You clean up well.
33:51I appreciate it.
33:51Welcome, everyone, to Tierra Reina.
33:54My name is Oscar Diaz.
33:55I'm the GM for today.
33:56I think I was chosen because of my good looks and my killer style.
33:59Just kidding.
34:00Just kidding.
34:01So a little bit about Tierra Reina.
34:03We chose to take some humble Mexican dishes and we wanted to give a nod to the south at
34:07the same time.
34:08And then just wrinkle in our personality.
34:09Very good.
34:10By the way, is this y'all's first time visiting us?
34:12Yes.
34:13Ah, corny jokes.
34:15That was for you, chef.
34:16Thank y'all.
34:17Thank you all so much.
34:18He knows you.
34:20All right, guys.
34:21The judges are here.
34:22Let's catch up.
34:22Let's keep the energy high.
34:23Hell yeah.
34:24Got it?
34:24Let's do it.
34:25Yes, chef.
34:26Let's go, guys.
34:28I don't see people moving and I see a lot of people waiting.
34:31Because you look around, there's no empty seats.
34:32Yeah, is that going to be there for a while?
34:33And there's no food on tables either.
34:36Jammed up.
34:36Second turn's tough.
34:37The appetizers are great, but it seemed like after that, it's just been taking so long
34:42to come around.
34:43Oh, take out.
34:44Take out.
34:44That looks good.
34:45Coming through.
34:46That looks awesome.
34:48Just in time.
34:49We're going to knock out entrees and then judges.
34:50Gentlemen, yeah, we got to push.
34:52We have a lot of people at the door.
34:54They're definitely noticing that.
34:55But we got to get some people seated, y'all.
34:57Yes, chef.
34:57Let's go.
34:58Do you think there's backup happening over at Carolina Queen?
35:01I don't know.
35:02I'll walk over there to take a look real quick.
35:06There you go.
35:06Thank you so much.
35:07Thank you, guys.
35:08Have a great one.
35:10Okay.
35:10Your table is not open.
35:11Doesn't I offer you guys a welcome treat?
35:13Sure.
35:14Would you like to go?
35:14Hello.
35:15Yeah, it's me.
35:15Hey.
35:16How long have you guys been waiting?
35:17Five minutes.
35:18Oh, okay.
35:18That's not bad.
35:19How long have you guys been waiting?
35:20Probably like 15 or 20 minutes.
35:23Okay.
35:24But they got you drinks.
35:25Yeah, they're really delicious.
35:26Have fun.
35:28You guys enjoy.
35:29Have a good night.
35:36How did that go?
35:37Two tables that were waiting about five minutes,
35:39and another four top that was waiting about 15.
35:40But they all had drinks.
35:41So it's been 30 minutes since we sat down.
35:44Really?
35:44Really?
35:45Yeah.
35:45Time flies with great company.
35:51We got a to-go order.
35:52We never got the collar.
35:54We actually didn't have any silverware.
35:56Okay.
35:56I can tell them, yeah.
35:58Oh, my God.
35:59We're looking for an order.
36:01Uh, that's not great.
36:07It's so small, but details like that will make the difference of winning and losing.
36:13Can I get a pecan pie to go?
36:15Sorry, I don't know why.
36:16Pecan pie to go on the fly.
36:18Uh, I heard.
36:20Oscar.
36:21Yes.
36:22Where's our food?
36:23I will bring that out for you right now.
36:25Oh, boy.
36:27Let's get the chef's table.
36:28Yep, plating's out.
36:29We're plating right now.
36:30Perfect.
36:31Between solving out what's going on in the front of the restaurant, going back to the kitchen,
36:34getting tables flipped, I'm just not thinking about how much time has gone on.
36:38It's been 40 minutes since we sat down.
36:40This is ridiculous.
36:40Yeah.
36:41Yeah.
36:41Oh, here it is.
36:43Oh, thank you.
36:44Thank you so much.
36:46So we'll start with the tostada by Seeger.
36:48He really wanted to represent Carolina ruby sweet potato.
36:51Then he did a little cremo and salsa negra.
36:54For our second option, we have an aguachile.
36:57Jonathan chose North Carolina snapper.
36:59And then he made his aguachile with some grapes, apples, a little plantain chip on top.
37:04All right.
37:05Enjoy, y'all.
37:06I actually really enjoyed Seeger's dish.
37:08I love the sweet potato and the chili crunch.
37:12I personally want just a little bit more of like a sauce or something to bring it all together.
37:16I don't like the presentation.
37:18It just felt really messy.
37:20I feel like I need one more ingredient to like smear, maybe a bean or something to smear on this.
37:25Jonathan's aguachile was a really refreshing way to start the dinner.
37:28And I like the little plantain as the vehicle.
37:31Extremely well balanced, all around really good.
37:34Worth the 40 minute wait?
37:35Yeah.
37:37The plantain has gotten very soggy.
37:40So it's not like a crisp bite.
37:42This container spilled the juice all over the place.
37:46Probably not the best takeout dish.
37:50Excuse me?
37:51Do you know how long I'm at to go order?
37:52Let me go check.
37:53I'll be right back.
37:54Thanks.
37:54Hey, Sherry, Anthony, when you guys took out to go containers, did you see utensils?
37:59Yeah, there was some on that back table over there.
38:03Okay.
38:03I've never worked in a restaurant that had takeout.
38:06But it's just another obstacle.
38:07And now it looks like everything is under control.
38:11I have you right here.
38:12Utensils.
38:13There you go.
38:14Yeah.
38:16We're coming up with judges table.
38:17I got your hands here.
38:19First course landed with the judges.
38:20We're down to our last two reservations.
38:22We're catching up the fourth quarter.
38:24This is when we shine, all right?
38:25Yes, chef.
38:26Once we got tickets figured out, we start moving plates faster.
38:29One, two, three.
38:30Every time I'm walking by, I'm telling every server, are you guys dragging any ticket?
38:34We got to push this one.
38:35Because we don't want to be behind again.
38:37All right, guys, let's start pushing, please.
38:39And skedaddle.
38:40We need a move on everything else now.
38:42Let's go.
38:43Here's some action.
38:44Okay.
38:45Thank you so much.
38:47For our second course, Jonathan's dish is a cod pescado a la Veracruzana.
38:51And then he's stewed tomatoes, castable Toronto olives, and some capers.
38:56Second option, this is actually my dish, tongue in cheek, barbacoa, and then a duality
39:01of salsas because I feel growing up Mexican-American, it's like you're never Mexican enough, you're never
39:05American enough.
39:06I'm just curious who's doing your pickup.
39:08Brandon is doing my pickup. Brandon helped a lot with this dish.
39:11Thank you very much.
39:13Jonathan's cod was very flaky. I like the briny tomato.
39:17It's a good dish. The fish is cooked beautifully.
39:19The sauce is really good.
39:21Yeah.
39:22Oscar's dish, I would come back to this restaurant for over and over again.
39:26Worth the wait?
39:27Definitely.
39:28The barbacoa is so tender.
39:31Oscar's dish is sophisticated in ways that I don't think I've seen any of his dishes so far.
39:35Oscar home run done this one for me.
39:37I have no complaints.
39:38No complaints either.
39:39We're right back on track.
39:40You guys feeling good?
39:41Yeah, yeah, yeah.
39:41I feel good.
39:41You didn't even sweat.
39:42I'm sweating more than you.
39:43Wow, this is a plot twist.
39:45These entrees just edge out.
39:47Yes.
39:47Looking ahead, if this does turn out to be better, I don't know what we'd do with the
39:51other side.
39:52Joanne's service was fantastic.
39:53Yeah.
39:53The worst dish was Anthony's, but he's got amenity.
39:55Oh, boy.
40:05You want to plate the rice pudding for the judges, please?
40:08Yes, chef.
40:08Let's go.
40:09Let's go, Jay.
40:10Gotcha, bro.
40:11Yep.
40:11I'm going to send you five people, ten hands.
40:13All right.
40:13We got five and five.
40:15Thank you so much.
40:16And five.
40:17All right, judges' desserts are out.
40:19Wow, that was fast.
40:21First we have Seeger's dessert, the cremoso.
40:25So he took some of the chilies that are in mole and mixed it into the cremoso.
40:29Then he also made a crema catalana.
40:30In order to add something Southern, he chose to make a Bennett cracker.
40:35For the next dessert, this is Brandon's.
40:37He's like, I want to make a rice pudding, but my brother and I never liked the raisins
40:42in it.
40:42So he chose to make a Cheerwine cherry jelly, which we thought was a good nod to the South.
40:48All right, y'all, thank you.
40:49Thank you, Wendy.
40:51Seeger's dessert.
40:52I find that the cremoso itself is grainy, and I don't know, I'm not enjoying it.
40:56I mean, flavor-wise, it's okay.
40:58It's just not a dessert.
40:59I thought it was inventive.
41:00I thought the whole mole piece was good.
41:02I thought the presentation was a bit lacking.
41:05There's no elegance to the plating.
41:07Like it held up pretty well for the third course.
41:11Looks beautiful.
41:12This one was slightly more on the savory side.
41:16Brandon's rice pudding.
41:18I'm getting a lot of inconsistently cooked rice.
41:21There's like clumps of uncooked rice.
41:23Mm-hmm.
41:24You can't do anything to fix that.
41:26You have to just start over.
41:27The little pops of cherry flavor were nice, but I kept on digging into the bottom thinking
41:32there'd be some fries or something, and it's like, oh.
41:35This is a big letdown.
41:37If you want to try it, I just think the rice is not cooked.
41:40Maybe it's just meat.
41:42It's not cooked.
41:43I like the flavors, though.
41:44I like the cinnamon.
41:45We also have the takeout orders, which we're going to find out what the guests thought
41:48about their food that could come into play here.
41:53Comment cards.
41:53Yeah, we each get to do one.
41:55We should be honest.
41:57I think everything was good.
41:58The sweet Ruby's pecan from Carolina Queen.
42:02Best carryout that I've had in a very long time.
42:07All right, guys.
42:08We just got our last ticket.
42:09Last ticket's in, guys.
42:11We're almost done, buddy.
42:12Crema is one.
42:13Arroz is two.
42:15Hands, please.
42:16Food runners.
42:16Grab the baklava, guys.
42:18Whew.
42:19What a day.
42:19What a day.
42:21Our baklava for you, sir.
42:26Bring it all in.
42:27Bring it all in.
42:28There we go.
42:29There we go.
42:29There we go.
42:30The food was received very well.
42:31The pace for the judges would dip.
42:33They did ask at first, like, where's our food?
42:34But we had only been like five minutes.
42:36But it was fine.
42:36We nailed the judges' table.
42:38Do you think overall this was a successful Restaurant Wars?
42:41Oh, yeah, yeah.
42:42Better than many, many years of Restaurant Wars.
42:45Both concepts were well done.
42:48Yes.
42:49Shall we head to judges' table?
42:50Sure.
42:51Let's do it.
42:52Restaurant Wars in the book.
42:54Uh, Dwayne.
42:56Dwayne came out today.
43:07Well, in case you maybe just blacked out the last 48 hours,
43:11you just went through Restaurant Wars.
43:14How'd they do, Tom?
43:15We had very clear concepts.
43:18Food that was mostly delicious.
43:20This was tough, and you both did a really great job.
43:23How was the takeout service?
43:25Takeout service was fun.
43:26Um, I'm just gonna use that word.
43:28I don't know if I believe that.
43:30Define fun.
43:31Yeah, exactly, yeah.
43:32Were you aware that there were missing items
43:34in some of the to-go orders?
43:36Yeah, I think there were, like, two orders,
43:38that they were missing something,
43:39and then we just got it right away.
43:41Yeah, they gave it to them.
43:43And how about for you?
43:44I didn't hear anything about missed items.
43:46One note on the takeout from the guests
43:48is that the agua chili was a little bit messy.
43:51Mm.
43:52Plantain got soggy.
43:53Yeah.
43:54And that the rice pudding was noted as being not wonderful.
43:59Tierra Reyna, did you know the amount of time
44:02that we were sitting at the table
44:03before we got our first course and then second courses?
44:06Our whole thing was, like, five to seven,
44:08with ten being the max mark.
44:10You know it was 40 minutes.
44:11Yeah, 40 minutes.
44:1240 minutes until the first course came out.
44:15Brandon and Jonathan, you look very surprised.
44:17That took that long.
44:18Yeah, same.
44:20For the first course, Seeger, the tostada,
44:23it was a tasty bite, but I wish it had more sauce
44:27or something to, like, really tie it together.
44:29I would agree that it was a little dry,
44:31but concept-wise, I thought it set a great tone for the meal.
44:35Cool. Thank you.
44:37Jonathan, definitely not the first agua chili
44:39we've seen around here, but you nailed it.
44:42The knife work in there, whoever helped you,
44:44or if you did it yourself, doesn't matter.
44:46Brandon, it was perfect.
44:49The snapper was delicious.
44:51Thank you. Appreciate that.
44:53Oscar, the barbacoa.
44:55This is a dish, like, no notes. None.
44:58It was done with such refinement.
45:00The meat and the beans together were unctuous,
45:02and the respective sauces gave real dynamism.
45:05I loved it.
45:06Flavors were just spot on.
45:08Cooking was perfect.
45:10Really should be proud of this one.
45:11Thank you. Nice work.
45:13Brandon, the rice pudding.
45:14Was there any point where you thought
45:16these little Cheerwine gels on top,
45:19you're gonna polish those off in the first three bites?
45:22Our nanny used to put the raisins on top
45:24because we could pick them off.
45:26And so, for me, it was intentional.
45:28Put five pieces.
45:29You know, there just wasn't enough in each bite
45:31to really get it in contrast
45:33to the rich flavor of the rice pudding.
45:35And the rice didn't feel, like, perfectly cooked.
45:39Yeah, because I definitely got lumps.
45:41I did stir it quite a bit,
45:42so I could see how some pieces were broken.
45:45Seeger, for your dessert,
45:46why did you plate it like that?
45:48I wanted to, like, when you would scoop,
45:49you could scoop through, you get texture,
45:51you get the chocolate.
45:52But for me, where it fell a little short was the plating.
45:56The flavors were good.
45:57Two or three day down the road,
45:59as you keep tasting it,
46:00I could see it getting there.
46:03Carolina Queen.
46:04Dwen, the cheese puffs.
46:06Yeah.
46:07I actually really enjoyed the flavors.
46:09Yeah, I thought they were delicious.
46:10They were perfectly formed.
46:11I loved the pop of mustard.
46:13I also just wanted to comment real quickly
46:15on your front of house work.
46:16I thought the greeting was just really wonderful.
46:18You talked about the restaurant and left it at that.
46:20It was a really nice touch.
46:21Mm-hmm. Thank you.
46:22Actually, both of you really felt like
46:24you were the owners of your restaurant.
46:26You walked in, you knew it was yours.
46:29Sherry, your beautiful crab cake.
46:31I love the way you substituted coconut milk for aioli.
46:34What a lovely freshness to it.
46:36I thought what really made the dish was a little relish on top,
46:38because it gave a pop of the acidity that it needed.
46:41Also, I just happened to love crab, so it was delicious.
46:44Anthony, I thought the rice was unevenly cooked.
46:46And Dad said it was tasty.
46:48Okay.
46:49But there was so much goo, like a mozzarella stick, Paul.
46:55Okay.
46:55So it really took away from the red rice of the dish.
46:58Okay.
47:00Lawrence, my skin was a little tough,
47:02but the pork belly was cooked really well.
47:05Sauce was great, had a lot of flavor.
47:07I could see it on the menu.
47:09Yeah, Lawrence, I thought this was a classic dish,
47:11done really well.
47:12It was really tasty.
47:14Lawrence, baklava, flavor I thought was good.
47:16But it would've been nice to have another piece of sweet potato in that mix,
47:19because the foam didn't really eat sweet potato.
47:22I said it was good to eat.
47:25It's a very fine line between the winner and the loser.
47:28It could go any which way.
47:30We have a very big choice to make.
47:32So go rest your knees, and we'll call you back in a little bit.
47:35Thanks.
47:35Thank you so much.
47:37Good job.
47:38Good job.
47:45I mean, this is really tough.
47:47Yeah.
47:47Both teams, for me, got the same kind of scores for the first courses.
47:51Yes.
47:51Yeah, but Tiara and his entrees were better.
47:53I think we all agree on that one, right?
47:55Yeah.
47:55We had this crescendo of the barbacoa, and then with this crashing disappointment with
48:00the desserts.
48:01Yeah.
48:01Yeah.
48:01But in the takeout orders, Carolina Queen missed a few items within orders.
48:06How much do we factor that into the game?
48:08I think the orders were correct on Tiara Arena.
48:11The dishes didn't land.
48:12The agua chile came soggy.
48:14Soggy, right.
48:15So although the order got to them, right wasn't great.
48:18Shout out to Duane.
48:19Yeah.
48:20The front of the house call out, that was great.
48:22Yeah.
48:22I had a lot of fun.
48:23Duane's service was just impeccable.
48:25The restaurant felt a lot more inviting.
48:27Duane's service felt like it was her restaurant for the past 10 years.
48:32Oscar's service wasn't bad.
48:33No.
48:33The fact that we sat there for 40 minutes, they weren't aware of it.
48:36That's on Oscar.
48:37Yes.
48:37There's this bond that's happening, so it sucks to know that someone's gonna be gone.
48:41You know, it sucks to feel like you're gonna be the one.
48:46Anthony's lucky he has immunity because I don't understand this.
48:48Red rice and bernet sauce.
48:50I'm scratching my head on that one.
48:52It didn't hang together at all.
48:54If we don't win, you have immunity.
48:56You crushed it.
48:57Sherry's got the best.
48:58You know what I mean?
48:59Like, is an okay dish gonna send me home?
49:01And then you have Lawrence's pork dish, which felt uninspired and safe and quite frankly boring.
49:06It could go both ways, man.
49:08You know?
49:08I think so, for sure.
49:09So if Tiara Arena is on the bottom, who's going home?
49:13I can tell you who's not.
49:14And that would be Oscar, because his barcode dish was so good.
49:17And I gotta say, Jonathan, his agua chili and his cod dish, they were fine.
49:22They were good.
49:22Agua chili was very good.
49:23Yep.
49:23So that leaves Brandon and Cedar.
49:26Cedar and Baker and Brandon.
49:27Why would this chef take an app and a dessert and then the line cook just take a dessert?
49:33That is exactly the question, chef.
49:36I really enjoyed the rice pudding.
49:37I tried to make sure everything was dialed in, but obviously it's kind of hard when you're cooking that amount.
49:41Brandon made huge technical mistakes.
49:43The rice was uncooked.
49:45And he seemed pleased in retrospect.
49:47He's like, yeah, I'm standing by my dish.
49:48One dish and that's gonna be it.
49:50How many hours did they have to cook?
49:51I think that making sheer wine, whatever, was gonna elevate that dish.
49:55Brandon did also help with prep.
49:57He helped with a lot of things, but that is on him.
50:00Yeah.
50:00Brandon's strategy was off.
50:02I feel like after every judge's table conversation, I'm feeling very uneasy.
50:08Seeger, his dishes were both sort of mediocre.
50:11My problem is with Seeger being the chef.
50:14He should have actually got a little more involved.
50:16I would look at Brandon and go, you have pastry spears.
50:18You're taking both desserts.
50:19Right.
50:20For me, Carolina Queen in a lot of ways was more successful.
50:24I don't agree.
50:24I just think that they're equal flaws.
50:27I mean, this is a tough decision.
50:29It could be anybody at this point.
50:31Yeah.
50:32This was a close one.
50:33Let's get the chefs out here.
50:41Chefs, this was really quite close and a really tough choice to make.
50:47But ultimately, we did have one winner.
50:49Our favorite team tonight is...
50:58Carolina Queen.
51:00Congratulations.
51:01Oh my God.
51:03I'm so scared.
51:04I'm so scared.
51:05I'm so scared.
51:06I'm so scared.
51:07We did tell you that this prize was epic.
51:09And you have each just won an exclusive vacation for you and a guest to Universal Orlando Resort's
51:15four amazing theme parks, including the all-new Universal Epic Universe.
51:22And a one-of-a-kind meet and greet with the Universal Orlando Culinary Team.
51:28Claire and Michael, you have the honor of announcing our individual winner.
51:31The winning chef today is someone whose contribution really underpinned the success of the winning concept.
51:39And the winning chef is...
51:40acclaimed back on YouTube.
51:43er...
51:44women are interacting with you and then on visit the store.
51:45Dwayne Guerraco.
51:52First win and it's frigging restaurant wars.
51:57Ugh, that feels so good.
51:59Dwayne, all up in this bitch.
52:02Dwayne, from start to finish, you just set the tone.
52:04That actually felt like a restaurant.
52:06I think you did a fantastic job.
52:08Thank you so much.
52:09Unfortunately, you don't get immunity.
52:10I don't get immunity.
52:12No, no, that's all over.
52:13That's all over.
52:13You get bragging rights.
52:15I'll keep that.
52:17Unfortunately, Tierra Arena, you are our least favorite
52:20restaurant of the evening, and one of you will be eliminated.
52:24Your restaurant, I think you did a really good job.
52:26There was just one or two things that just fell flat,
52:28and one chef in particular just didn't really pull their weight.
52:37Brandon, please back your nods and go.
52:40Brandon, you're standing on one dish,
52:42and it was probably the weakest dish.
52:45Should have known to do a little bit more.
52:47Mm-hmm.
52:49You had a bad day today, but it's not over just yet.
52:54You're heading to the finale of Last Chance Kitchen that's happening right now.
52:57Oh, OK.
52:58Oh, .
52:59So you have an opportunity to return back to the competition very soon.
53:03I'm going to put the chef's coat on, and we're going to walk into Last Chance Kitchen.
53:06It sucks.
53:07You know, I have a strong pastry background,
53:09and I should have went with my gut over trying to be a good team player.
53:13Good luck.
53:14But I have a chance in Last Chance Kitchen.
53:16I'm going to come in there on fire.
53:18I'm going to crush it, but don't worry.
53:20Mm-hmm.
53:20Let it rip.
53:21This is all nice, but if she gets back in,
53:22his job is to come in here and beat all of you, so.
53:24Yeah.
53:25Seriously.
53:26Good luck to you, Brandon.
53:32Right now, Restaurant Wars sends Brandon straight to the Last Chance Kitchen finale.
53:37Oops!
53:37One final battle decides who returns to the competition.
53:40It's all or nothing.
53:42Watch now on Peacock or BravoTV.com.
53:47Next time on Top Chefs.
53:49Hi, guys.
53:50Oh!
53:52Hey!
53:52We're going to hit the road to head to Greenville, South Carolina.
53:55In honor of that, we want the ultimate dinner party.
53:57Yeah!
53:58Holy crap.
53:59You're going to have $1,200 to shop.
54:01Go!
54:02That does have to cover both quick-fire and elimination dishes for all of you.
54:06$1,299.
54:07Okay.
54:08Four lobster tails, because I'm on a budget.
54:11Gin o'clock?
54:11Cheers.
54:12Cheers to South Carolina.
54:13Cheers.
54:13Oh, wow.
54:14This looks amazing.
54:16I love this dish.
54:17It was not my favorite.
54:19Uh, it's all I can do.
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