- 6 hours ago
Wildcard Kitchen - Season 3 - Episode 01: Alex vs America's Champs
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Short filmTranscript
00:00Get that money.
00:01Come on with these cards.
00:02This is so mean of you.
00:04If you got the hustle, I've got the game.
00:07Let's go.
00:07Each night, I invite the country's most elite chefs
00:09to put their money and reputations on the line.
00:12This is warm from my pocket.
00:13What the hell?
00:14I need my money back.
00:15Come and get it, daddy.
00:16In my late night culinary poker game.
00:17I can't wait to see these cards.
00:19Stand back.
00:20You're a mad man.
00:21But now, the stakes are higher.
00:23I've never seen this much cash.
00:25The twists are bolder.
00:26What are you?
00:26You cannot do that.
00:28And the cards are wilder.
00:29Oh, my.
00:30This guy's instigating me.
00:32All bets are off.
00:36This is going to be fun.
00:37When it's all and nothing, put it all on the line.
00:42I could not be more excited about tonight.
00:45My dear friend, the legend, Alex Cornichelli,
00:47is coming to play.
00:48She is the most feared competition chef out there.
00:51It's almost impossible to find a chef that can beat her.
00:53But I happen to know, too.
00:55And guess what?
00:56I'm in charge of the guest list.
00:58Here she comes, the queen, the culinary icon, my friend, Alex Cornichelli.
01:03Alex is an Iron Chef, James Beard-nominated chef, and culinary host.
01:08She's outcooked over 100 chefs on Alex vs. America.
01:11For the past five years on Alex vs. America, Eric has challenged me time and time again.
01:15Eric, what are you doing to me?
01:17Themes, ingredients, stellar chefs.
01:20But we genuinely like each other.
01:22I love you, but you know what else I love more than you?
01:25Getting under your skin, just a little bit.
01:26Yeah, I never know with you.
01:28There's always a, but.
01:30You know me so well.
01:31I cannot wait for tonight.
01:35Do you have any idea who else is coming?
01:36No, but I love fresh victims.
01:38I love competing against people I don't know.
01:41Well, I gotta tell you, chef, you actually do know these chefs.
01:44Okay.
01:46I see what's happening here.
01:47This very next chef has beaten you at your own game.
01:51He's a James Beard nominee for Best Chef Southeast.
01:53He's a master of Asian cuisine.
01:56Footsteps.
01:58It's Arnold.
01:59Looking very dapper as well.
02:01Arnold made the New York Times list for the top 25 restaurants in Nashville
02:05and defeated the legend on the only episode on Alex vs. America,
02:09in which Alex went home first.
02:10I cannot believe I'm saying this.
02:12Chef Alex, you are eliminated.
02:14Oh, my God.
02:15I need a minute.
02:16Can I have a minute?
02:17Yep.
02:18How are you?
02:20This isn't just somebody I lost to.
02:22This is someone that was on the only time I ever lost in the first round.
02:26We didn't even get to cook against each other that much.
02:28Yes, we did, and I'm just so pleased we're going to have that opportunity this evening, Eric.
02:33If this is how the line of thinking is going with your first person,
02:37honestly, there's only one other chef that lives with my nightmares
02:40for a very specific reason, Eric.
02:42And I can't believe that you would just go there.
02:45I actually did.
02:46I went there.
02:47This chef has not only beaten you once, but twice.
02:50There's only one chef that has that very distinct honor.
02:52This is so mean of you.
02:54The only two-time winner of Alex vs. America,
02:57Chef Kevin Lee.
02:59What's going on, Chef?
03:00Kevin is a machine.
03:02He's a James Beard finalist for Best Chef Southeast,
03:04and is the only chef to beat Alex twice on Alex vs. America.
03:08Oh, hey.
03:09Fancy meeting you here.
03:11Oh, hey.
03:11It's not very often where we see Chef Alex defeated in her own arena.
03:15You two chefs have that very distinct honor.
03:17Yeah, thanks.
03:17Thanks for coming here tonight.
03:18Is there a formula?
03:19Is there like a rubric?
03:20Is there a one, two, three on how to do it?
03:21Would you like me to go?
03:22I'll see myself out.
03:24I say, let's just get to the table and have some fun.
03:26Why don't we there, Eric?
03:26You love this part, right?
03:27Where you just lead the lambs to the slaughter.
03:33Chefs, the game is very simple.
03:35We're playing culinary poker.
03:36You chefs will bet cash based on the cards that you're dealt.
03:39All you got to do is just back that bet up in the kitchen behind me.
03:42Three hands, three rounds of cooking.
03:44Every hand, winner take all.
03:45It is possible for one of you chefs to leave here with $15,000.
03:49You know, today's actually my daughter's birthday.
03:51Happy birthday.
03:52I love that.
03:53Do you want daddy to be here on your birthday?
03:55Do you want $15,000?
03:57She said, I want $15,000.
04:00Of course.
04:00So, welcome to the Speed Ham.
04:02You only have 20 minutes to prepare your dish.
04:05That first lightning round, it's like, ba-boom.
04:08You got to make sure, yeah, yeah.
04:09I get the jitters out.
04:09You got to get the jitters out, absolutely.
04:11So, chefs, in order to see some cards, I got to see some cash.
04:15$500 to buy it.
04:16Okay.
04:16It's really different when you go get money and you bring it.
04:20This is warm from my pocket.
04:22My ATM was so confused.
04:24They're like, this can't be you.
04:25This can't be right.
04:28$1,500 in the pot.
04:29So, I have two decks right here.
04:31I have a communal card, and I also have the wild card.
04:33Communal card is for all three of you.
04:35You all have to make whatever this dish says.
04:37Your warm and fuzzy tone that I'm so used to at the office is very different after hours.
04:41It changes a little bit after hours, doesn't it?
04:44The dish that we've been making for the Speed Round is hot and spicy.
04:52Not my style of cuisine.
04:53You don't really cook with a lot of spice.
04:55Don't you worry, my pretty.
04:58Kind of matches the mood right now, too.
04:59Hot, spicy.
05:02Sassy.
05:03Well, the game might change right now.
05:05I'll deal out this wild card.
05:07I'll pass that to you.
05:08To you.
05:08And to you.
05:11Vegetarian.
05:12It's going to mess with me a little bit, so I got to do some trickery here.
05:19No onions or garlic.
05:20That's a tough food family for me not to be allowed to use.
05:25I'm feeling great about this wild card.
05:27I cook a lot of Mexican food.
05:29So the action starts with you, Chef.
05:31Now, you can bet, or you can check to see what Chef Alex and Kevin do.
05:34Um, playing safe is obviously not the name of this game, and I got to cook.
05:38You know what?
05:39I'm here to play, but I'm going to make sure I can play all night.
05:42I'm going to do five.
05:43All right, perfect.
05:43$2,000 in the pot.
05:44And the action is yours, Chef Alex.
05:46That's a lot of Benjamins.
05:48You know, it is my own money.
05:50And not only have these two guys beaten me before, but they're both spicy chefs.
05:53And I'm just not.
05:55$500.
05:56I'm just calling.
05:57Oh, keep it in modest.
05:58She's in.
06:00Kev, action's yours.
06:01I'm sitting with pocket aces.
06:04You cannot go wrong with this hand.
06:06And we're going past $500.
06:08I mean, we got to make this a little interesting, you know?
06:10I'm raising it to $1,000.
06:12Oh!
06:14Okay.
06:15So the pot right now stands at $3,500.
06:17I'm here to play.
06:18You're here to play?
06:19I don't want to sit at all.
06:20Let's go.
06:21Wow.
06:22Okay.
06:22Is that bad?
06:23No, I'm late.
06:25And before I even get there, Chef Alex is already in with $500.
06:29Wow.
06:29Let's see some wild cards.
06:31Chef Arnold, where you at?
06:32Make it vegetarian.
06:34Oh.
06:35I mean, I'm from Tennessee.
06:36Pigs are grass-fed.
06:38Does that count?
06:39I don't.
06:40Chef Alex.
06:46No onion, no garlic.
06:48That card is so bad.
06:50Oh, my God.
06:52Hot and spicy might be harder for you with no onions and garlic.
06:55Don't you think?
06:56I don't, I know.
06:57Not being able to use onions and garlic, it's not good.
07:00But I am not going to give in, Eric.
07:03Chef Kevin.
07:04I feel like I got the rockets right now.
07:08Mexican flavor.
07:09Whoa.
07:10Wow.
07:10I don't see how that's going to go together at all.
07:12I mean, hot and spicy Mexican flavors.
07:14You know, I run a pop-up called Comex every once in a while.
07:18Oh, my goodness.
07:19Korean Mexican.
07:20Okay.
07:21We have $4,500 in the pot.
07:22Hot and spicy is the dish.
07:24Your time starts now.
07:25Let's go.
07:25All right.
07:26Well, hold on a second.
07:29Here we go.
07:30Hot and spicy.
07:31Hot and spicy.
07:33I'm going to make carne asada tacos.
07:35I'm going to come in hot.
07:36I need to make Alice nervous.
07:37I want to show her, here I am again, to take that money.
07:41I'm definitely at the biggest disadvantage out of the three of us.
07:44So I'm thinking, like, I want to blend in.
07:46I know Kevin has to make Mexican food, and I'm thinking,
07:48I'm going to make Mexican food, too, to just confuse.
07:52Chili flakes, chili flakes, chili flakes.
07:54One good thing about having a restaurant is that I cook vegetarian quite often.
07:58So there's a traditional dish in Thailand called kong chan nam pha,
08:01which is essentially ceviche with a spicy seafood sauce.
08:04So I can do a plant-based version to beat Alice.
08:06Dagger's out, right?
08:08All right.
08:11Chef Kev.
08:12Yo.
08:13You're going Mexican flavors.
08:14Mexican flavors.
08:15Talk to me.
08:16What are you thinking, man?
08:16Found a beautiful ribeye in the cooler,
08:19marinated with some cayenne, cumin, paprika, onions, garlic.
08:24You know, meat.
08:24Meat, you know.
08:25Oh, man.
08:26Arnold, how's your vegetarian going?
08:28I'll let you know after I buy you a steak dinner for my win tonight.
08:31All the fighting wars over here.
08:33I'm in the Food Network kitchen late night, cooking next to one of my idols.
08:38I don't want to say that I'm nervous yet.
08:41The night is young.
08:42Chef Alex.
08:43Oh, my gosh.
08:44What's going on, chef?
08:45A little tostada with shrimp.
08:47Just going to Mexico.
08:49Okay.
08:49Joining me in Mexico, chef?
08:50Joining me in Mexico.
08:51A little bit of a marinade on the shrimp, chef?
08:53Tell me about it.
08:54Yeah.
08:54Just literally straight chili paste on there.
08:56Oh, nice.
08:57But if I can remember, Mexican food uses a lot of garlic and onions.
09:01It does, but what cuisine doesn't?
09:03True.
09:04Honestly, I feel distracted by who I'm cooking against.
09:07This is a tough one, chef.
09:08Thanks.
09:09Cooking with these two guys and having them look at me and think I already beat her,
09:13and all I have to do is beat her again, it's not good.
09:15Yeah, I got that garlic.
09:19Because if they win again, then I have to say, are they better than I am?
09:24And what does that look like?
09:26To me, that's a catastrophe.
09:34You're in trouble now.
09:35Better knuckle down and get the shoulders out.
09:37$4,500 in a pot.
09:39The queen of competition, chef Alex Guarnaschelli is battling two chefs that have defeated her
09:44in Alex vs. America.
09:45So talk to me about chef Alex.
09:46I don't know if she was your first instructor in culinary school.
09:48Yeah, you remember that, chef?
09:50No.
09:50Chef Alex.
09:51I was that memorable.
09:52So my relationship with Alex dates back over 20 years when she was my culinary instructor.
09:57And when I beat Alex on her show, that particular episode was based on Thai food.
10:04I predominantly make Thai food, so I knew I was going to do pretty okay.
10:07But this time around, I get a chance to see if I have what it takes to go against the
10:11master.
10:11As her equal, dare I say?
10:13Chef Arnold, we're going vegetarian.
10:15I'm going to do it with mushroom scallops.
10:17King oyster mushrooms to sort of mimic the scallop.
10:20And the texture.
10:21You know, the texture.
10:21How are we making it hot and spicy?
10:23What are you doing?
10:23I'm going to do it with a little spicy Thai seafood sauce.
10:26I have Thai chilies.
10:27I have a little bit of wasabi for a back heat.
10:30I have some serrano.
10:31What sucks for me, though, right now, is that I don't have fish sauce.
10:36Oh, that's right.
10:37If you know me, I bleed fish sauce.
10:40But, like, I can't use that either.
10:42You need to develop umami.
10:44How do you do that in 20 minutes?
10:45That's going to be the challenge for Arnold.
10:47How much time's left?
10:47Nine minutes and 45 seconds.
10:50Chef Kevin, you're getting spice from where?
10:52I'm going to make an avocado salsa verde.
10:55Nice.
10:56I got, like, all the peppers, like habanero, serranos, jalapenos.
11:00You really make sure I hit the spicy notes.
11:02So I'm going to make sure I get this hot and spicy.
11:05But it's also still got to be edible.
11:07Chef Alex, how are you getting spice into this dish?
11:09Chili paste, some fresh chilies that I associate with Mexican cooking.
11:13Yes, Chef.
11:14And I'm going to use my attitude.
11:15That's spicy, too, Eric.
11:17So not only have these two guys beaten me before,
11:19but they're both spicy chefs.
11:20And I'm just not.
11:21I have to pump up the heat factor in my tostada.
11:24Chef Alex, no onions or no garlic.
11:26What's the workaround?
11:27What are you using?
11:28I'm just cooking without it.
11:30Kind of like when you get divorced.
11:31You know, it's over.
11:33I'm not trying to sub in what I don't have.
11:35I'm thinking about all the other things I love about a really good tostada.
11:38So I quickly make this little, like, kind of like a crema.
11:41I go to lime.
11:42I go to jalapenos.
11:44Creaminess of avocado.
11:45Things that are going to play off the spice.
11:47Chef Arnold, so you mentioned not being able to use fish sauce, right?
11:51I've got to get creative.
11:52And I think that I have a little bit of time to be able to pull this off.
11:54So I run back to the pantry.
11:55Oh, my goodness.
11:56I have this fermented soybean sauce.
11:59It's kind of like Thai version of soy sauce that I use in a lot of my plant-based stuff.
12:04I got this.
12:05I grab some wonton skins, cut them out for a little bit extra crunch and bite and depth on the
12:10dish.
12:11And I see some garlic as well.
12:12Chef Alex, oh, my gosh.
12:14He's just never going to let this go.
12:16Two minutes left in the cook, chef.
12:17I'm very delicately placing this down.
12:20Like, it's almost like a canvas.
12:21I put my scallops down.
12:23I drizzle a little bit of sauce.
12:24I do my herb flourishes.
12:26I just put the shrimp and the little bits of avocado.
12:29So every bite has a little bit of all these different things.
12:3230 seconds.
12:33So I'm slicing the ribeye very thin.
12:35Then adding my avocado salsa verde with the pico de gallo.
12:39Beautiful.
12:39Five, four, three, two, one.
12:45That is about it.
12:46Well done, chef.
12:50Pretty.
12:52Likewise, chef.
12:53I'm totally hoping to win.
12:54Garlic, onions, doesn't matter what I don't have, I never not want to win.
12:58My flavors are there.
12:59This dish can take Alex down.
13:05All right.
13:0620 minutes.
13:06That was pretty fast.
13:07So, before we bring in our guest judge, we'll let you know this.
13:10It is a judge that also fits into Alex's worst nightmare.
13:13Oh, no.
13:14Chances are, whatever story there is between me and this judge, I've been on the wrong end of the story.
13:20She also beat you in Alex vs. America.
13:22Cheers.
13:24Who is it?
13:26It's the one and only chef, Tiffany Peson.
13:29Of course, here's Tiffany.
13:31She's really tough.
13:32Chef, how are you?
13:32I'm so good.
13:34Nothing's going to get by Tiffany.
13:35So, you've got to make sure you nail your dish or you have no chance of winning.
13:39How many drinks in are we?
13:40Not enough.
13:41Not enough.
13:42So, chef Tiffany, the last time you saw Alex, you also beat her.
13:46Malice vs. America.
13:47And now the power is mine.
13:50No, I am double booked my therapist.
13:53So, there's $4,500 in the pot.
13:56Okay.
13:56Three dishes, three chefs.
13:58And hot and spicy is the challenge.
14:00All right.
14:01I'm just going to start with the one that's right in front of me.
14:04Taco's such a great choice for 20 minutes.
14:14This is really, really delicious.
14:16The cook on the steak is great.
14:18The salsa is super fresh.
14:19It's very traditional to me.
14:21Makes me wonder if this chef's card is like, say, very traditionally Mexican.
14:25But I don't know that this would be in the category of hot and spicy.
14:30Cooking spicy food in competitions is very hard to know how aggressive you need to get.
14:35I should be reaching for that water.
14:37I am not.
14:38That is tequila.
14:40Then, just kidding.
14:42Hold on.
14:44All right.
14:44Moving on to the next.
14:45I'm going to choose this one.
14:47Oh, these are oyster mushrooms.
14:49This is really gorgeous.
14:51I'm guessing this is probably in the no meat category.
15:00This is delicious.
15:01This is really nicely done.
15:02There's a meatiness to the mushrooms.
15:04It gives you all the qualities that you want with, like, a protein.
15:07There's a ton of, like, umami in here.
15:11Okay.
15:13Hello, chilies.
15:14Hello.
15:15Nose is starting to run.
15:16That's a good sign.
15:17That's a good sign.
15:19Is this cereal?
15:22It's not particularly meaningful on this dish.
15:26I think a little tiny bit more acid here, but all in all, delicious dish.
15:30She said it needed a touch more acid, which makes sense.
15:33Last but not least, tostada.
15:37This is very pretty.
15:38I think it's really nicely balanced.
15:45Okay.
15:47There's shrimp here.
15:48Shrimp is cooked really nicely.
15:50Seeing Fresnos and banana peppers.
15:52Whoever made this wasn't given maybe everything that they needed.
15:57You can't make up for the loss of some things.
15:59People say, what can I use in place of this?
16:01What are you going to use in place of garlic?
16:03Zero things.
16:03It's spicy, but it's not as spicy as it should be.
16:07This is wild.
16:08Just eating on my own.
16:11I don't typically talk to myself this much without interaction of other people, but...
16:15The decision is your, chef.
16:16It's so nuts.
16:17That first round is so important.
16:19I've been here.
16:21Okay.
16:23I don't want to lose two guys that already beat me.
16:27No.
16:28That doesn't work.
16:33Um...
16:35$4,500 in that pot.
16:37Hot and spicy is the dish.
16:39Who's going to the next round with $8,000?
16:42Okay.
16:46Um...
16:47This wins the hot and spicy round.
16:49It's the mushroom dish.
16:50Chef Arnold.
16:52Oh, my goodness.
16:53Chef Arnold.
16:54Wow.
16:54This is the beginning of the night.
16:56I'm going to have another drink now.
16:57Delicious.
16:58I think this is a nice choice for 20 minutes as well.
17:00Okay.
17:00Round of applause for Chef Tiffany.
17:02We can drop the guests now.
17:03You guys in a minute.
17:04Not being able to have any protein actually worked to his advantage, because I think he
17:08had to play a little bit with different spices and textures.
17:11Chef Arnold, you're coming in to the next hand with $8,000.
17:15Yeah, baby.
17:16It's on.
17:17Chef Kevin, $3,500 to you.
17:19Chef Alex, $3,500 to you as well.
17:25Welcome to the make or break hand.
17:27I've seen this round make or break a lot of these chefs' banks right here.
17:31But I'm going to help you out just a little bit.
17:33I'm going to give you an extra 10 minutes.
17:34It's a 30-minute cook.
17:36What?
17:36We're going to up the ante just a little bit.
17:38$1,000 is the buy-in this time.
17:40Let's see some cash.
17:41So $8,000 minus one, $8,000 minus two.
17:46Keep it warm over there for me.
17:47Yeah, you know.
17:48All right.
17:49Let's talk about the community cards.
17:51The dish card for this round is...
17:59Steakhouse dinner.
18:00Oh, man.
18:02You know, I mean, I have a steakhouse.
18:04You also had a Mexican pop-up.
18:06All right.
18:07Oh, damn.
18:08I love it.
18:10Oh, my God.
18:11Oh, chefs.
18:12I love it.
18:13So, because this is the second hand, and I love making things just a little bit more difficult for you,
18:18I'm going to introduce the ingredient card.
18:20You'll have to cook this steakhouse dinner with tamarillo.
18:26Tamarillos, they're not tart.
18:28They're not sweet.
18:29They're just...
18:30It's a very interesting tree fruit.
18:32It's a mix between, let's say, a tomato and persimmon.
18:36Trying to incorporate this ingredient as one of the highlights of this dish is going to be very,
18:42very hard.
18:43Now, the game gets interesting.
18:45I have these wild cards, chef.
18:46I'm going to pass one to you, to you, and to you.
18:51I know steakhouse dinner very, very well, but wrapped is a challenge.
18:58All right.
18:59I'm down.
19:00Let's use a juicer.
19:01My life revolves around juice.
19:02Champagne's a juice.
19:09Yeah, I need a new wild card.
19:12Really?
19:12Mm-hmm.
19:13What's your card?
19:14Bet blind and get a new wild card, but don't look.
19:17What is that?
19:18It's the no garlic and onions of the poker world.
19:22All right.
19:23So your new wild card is here.
19:25You can't look at it.
19:27And, chef, the bet starts with you.
19:28The power move here is to fold.
19:30You know, you're at the beach.
19:32You see a big wave coming.
19:33You know, you just duck, and it goes,
19:34goop, right over you, and you're like, yeah.
19:38But then usually another big wave just slaps you in the face.
19:41I'm going to check.
19:42That is a smart move.
19:43You don't know what the card is.
19:44So it is smart to sort of see how the other chefs
19:47sort of play this hand.
19:48Chef Kevin, the action is to you.
19:50You can't check and see what Arnold does.
19:52Do remember, you're passing a lot of power
19:54to someone who has already a lot of money in his hand.
19:57Let me check and see what Chef does over there.
20:00Oh, man.
20:06Is that $1,000?
20:07That is $1,000.
20:07Now, remember, this is a blind card on Chef Alex's side.
20:10It could be something really bad for you, too.
20:13Ooh.
20:14Ooh.
20:15So that's two stacks of $1,000, right?
20:18Yes, it is.
20:18You're willing to bet that much money?
20:20Sure.
20:20It's late.
20:21I got a buzz going on.
20:21It's feeling good.
20:22I'm feeling good.
20:23It's $5,000 in the pot.
20:24Chef Alex, you're going to have to put in $2,000.
20:27to call Chef Arnold's bet.
20:29I'm going to play.
20:30Let's roll.
20:31You're calling Chef Arnold's raise at $2,000.
20:33Mm-hmm.
20:34Chef, it's do or die.
20:35Mm-hmm.
20:36If you lose, you only have $500,
20:38not enough to make it into the last round.
20:41Chef Kevin, the action is yours.
20:45Now, you can fold
20:46and definitely secure your spot in the last round.
20:49But if you call the bet,
20:51you're going to have to win this round to make it in.
20:54It's a lot of money on the line.
20:55My wild card is a tough one.
20:57But I know steak.
20:59So I'm hoping I can deliver.
21:02Oh!
21:03Let's go.
21:04$2,000.
21:05Let's go.
21:06We're here to play.
21:07If I win, I add another $9,000
21:10and the other two chefs
21:12don't have enough money to play in the next round.
21:14And on top of that,
21:15I'll be able to give my daughter
21:17a couple extra gifts and bonuses.
21:19There's a lot riding on this.
21:20Let's go ahead and see some wild cards.
21:22Let's start with Kevin.
21:24Rat.
21:25Rat.
21:25Ooh.
21:26Ooh.
21:27Whoa.
21:28Wait, Tamarillo and Wrapped?
21:30Oh, I have a trick up my sleeve
21:32that you guys aren't thinking of right now.
21:34Okay.
21:34Chef Arnold, what's your card?
21:37Use a juicer.
21:38Use a juicer.
21:39All right.
21:41This is the big one right here.
21:43So you went in blind.
21:44It's the first time we get to see your card, Chef.
21:46Here we go.
21:48Swap two ingredients with another player.
21:51Whoa.
21:53Whoa.
21:54So I use the two ingredients I take from them.
21:57Correct.
21:57They use the two ingredients I give them.
22:00100%.
22:00So I know I'm giving the two ingredients to Arnold.
22:03The question is, what ingredients?
22:06Here's the thing.
22:07Chef Arnold can take this and sweep it,
22:08or you might have the tables turned in a very drastic way,
22:12and one of you two chefs could be going in
22:13with a big advantage into next round.
22:15What is guaranteed, though?
22:17Chef Alex, Chef Kevin,
22:18one of you will be cooking your last round right now.
22:20All or nothing.
22:22All or nothing's right here.
22:23That's what I live for.
22:24It's $9,000 on the pot.
22:26You have 30 minutes, chefs.
22:27Your time starts now.
22:30Here we go.
22:31For me, a steakhouse,
22:33I just think steak with a little sauce,
22:34some onion rings,
22:35and then salad with the tamarillo on top
22:38and some crumbled blue cheese.
22:40You going in here?
22:41But what I'm worried about
22:42is that Arnold can't win this round,
22:44or there's no third round.
22:45What I'm thinking about doing
22:46is a New York strip steak
22:47in the vein of a steak au plov,
22:50which is a crusted peppercorn steak.
22:52I want to do kind of a tie twist
22:54in terms of a steak sauce
22:55and a side of heirloom tomato salad.
22:57But Alex is coming for me.
23:00Chef Kevin,
23:00you got to make it wrapped, my friend.
23:02What are we thinking, man?
23:03No, I got bacon wrapped filets
23:04over here, chef.
23:07You know?
23:09Oh, you know, I'm from Oklahoma.
23:10That's good.
23:11That's a thing over there.
23:12That's a good one.
23:13Now we got a wrapped steak.
23:14So remind me,
23:15the first time you beat Alex,
23:16what kind of challenge was it?
23:18Beef.
23:18The beef king of Oklahoma City
23:20with a wagyu, huh?
23:21I won a lot of cooking competitions
23:23with beef.
23:24It was beef.
23:25Oh, quit talking about me
23:26over there, Eric.
23:27Sweet nothings about you, chef.
23:29You know me.
23:29Nothing but nothing.
23:30Chef Kevin,
23:31why cast iron for you and the steak?
23:32Get that good crust on there, chef.
23:34Got to get that crust.
23:35How are you using that tamarillo?
23:36I got some shallots
23:37and the tamarillo
23:39reducing in some red wine vinegar
23:40with some tarragon.
23:41Tarragon, yep.
23:41I'm going to take that
23:42and fold it into the sauce.
23:44You think that's going to be enough, though,
23:45to sort of discern the tamarillo?
23:47I think we'll get there.
23:50All right, Eric,
23:51I'm ready to do my swap.
23:52What are you using, chef?
23:54Is that a Vienna sausage
23:55and red salmon?
23:57Oh, my gosh.
23:58Ooh.
23:58Oh, yum.
24:00Delicious.
24:01Vienna sausage
24:02Dang.
24:03And canned salmon.
24:04Honestly, ew.
24:07You're taking what ingredients, chef?
24:09Onions.
24:09Onions?
24:10I wonder why.
24:12I did a round without onions.
24:13I think Arnold's going to love it.
24:15It's going to be very freeing.
24:16And what else?
24:17Black peppercorns.
24:18Oh, man.
24:20That sucks.
24:21You can't make a steak au poivre
24:22without black pepper.
24:24Oh, f***.
24:25And I think that's really, like,
24:27pretty fair and even, don't you?
24:28Like, I get onions and pepper
24:29and he gets canned salmon and sausages.
24:32Perfect.
24:33Tell me why peppercorns
24:34and tell me why onions.
24:35They fit into the dish I'm making.
24:36Sure, sure.
24:37I take Arnold's black peppercorns
24:39and I crush them
24:40and then I sear the steak
24:41in the cast iron skillet.
24:43In the meantime,
24:44I start doing the onion rings in batches.
24:46I'm not going to lose again.
24:47Wow, I love onion rings.
24:49So normally my approach
24:51for this New York strip
24:52is to crust it in black peppercorns,
24:54Szechuan peppercorns,
24:55but I don't have pepper to work with.
24:56Just the coriander.
24:57So fingers crossed
24:58it's going to do the same thing.
25:00Watch this.
25:02Are we combining
25:03both the Vienna sausage
25:04and the salmon together?
25:05We're going to make
25:06a little sauce for this thing.
25:08Sausage sauce.
25:09Gross.
25:10Sausage sauce.
25:11Don't ever say that.
25:12Ever.
25:14So, Chef Arnold,
25:15using that juicer,
25:16so check.
25:16Just throwing everything
25:17into the blender
25:18until it tastes good
25:19is kind of where I'm at
25:20at this point.
25:21This is a very interesting sauce
25:22being made on Chef Arnold's side.
25:24So, it started with
25:24the Vienna sausage,
25:25the canned salmon,
25:26tomato juice,
25:27tamarind,
25:28red wine vinegar,
25:29garlic,
25:30fresno,
25:31sriracha,
25:32oyster sauce,
25:33lime juice,
25:34sugar,
25:35and a hint of cilantro.
25:37I can't imagine
25:38what it tastes like.
25:40Step away
25:41from the sausage sauce.
25:54It's the make-or-break round.
25:56Steakhouse dinner
25:56is the dish.
25:57Tamarillo
25:58is the ingredient.
25:59There's $9,000 in a pot,
26:00a lot of steak right now.
26:01How's that sauce, Chef?
26:03It's interesting.
26:04Let's try it.
26:11Is it weird?
26:12I've never had it before,
26:14but it also isn't bad.
26:15I invented it today.
26:16It's also not bad.
26:18Calling it a wild card sauce.
26:20It is a wild card sauce.
26:21I think that's what
26:22we're going to call it.
26:23Nice try, Alex.
26:24You gave me two horrible
26:24ingredients that wasn't so bad.
26:26How are you including
26:27the tamarillo?
26:28I'm just going to make
26:28a nice little salad,
26:30almost like it was
26:30a tomato salad.
26:31Okay.
26:32All right.
26:33Tamarillos need to be
26:34front and center
26:34for me to win this challenge.
26:36So, Chef, any thoughts
26:37on the tamarillo?
26:38Amazing.
26:38I love it.
26:39How are you using it?
26:40It's in my sauce.
26:41I scoop out the middles
26:42of the tamarillos
26:43to use as a sauce,
26:44and I also make a salad.
26:45It feels like something
26:46straight out of a steakhouse.
26:48This could be Chef Alex's
26:49chance to beat
26:50these two chefs.
26:51She's pulling no
26:51portions right now.
26:52There's four more minutes left.
26:54The steak is cooked perfectly.
26:56I'm feeling great.
26:58Steakhouse dinner
26:59usually has some sides, right?
27:01Nice, silky potato puree
27:03will really elevate
27:04my dish,
27:05but there's not a lot
27:06of texture,
27:07so I'll make some
27:08crispy potatoes,
27:09and I'll have a chance
27:10to win this round.
27:11I don't know what it's like
27:11to lose to Alex,
27:13but I don't want to know.
27:14Two minutes left
27:15in the Coke, Chefs.
27:15I just make a stack
27:17of onion rings.
27:18I slice my steak,
27:19and then the tamarillo salad
27:21top and some
27:22crumbled blue cheese.
27:24Potato puree,
27:25bacon wrap filet
27:26with the potato nest
27:27and with a little bit
27:28of bernet stripping
27:29on the side,
27:30finishing with a little
27:31tamarillo relish.
27:3230 seconds.
27:33This 70-ingredient sauce
27:35on the bottom,
27:37steak right on top,
27:38and I top it off
27:39and a side of my
27:40tamarillo stone fruit
27:42heirloom tomato salad.
27:43It's a stunner.
27:44Five, four, three,
27:47and I just get some
27:48of that sauce
27:48right on the steak.
27:50One.
27:51That's about it, Chefs.
27:53Want to bite?
27:55I did not get done
27:56what I thought
27:57I was going to get done.
27:58Eric set up
27:59the entire place
28:00with everybody
28:01I've ever lost to,
28:02so my goal is to get
28:03into the final round
28:04and cook.
28:06Welcome back, Tiffany.
28:07Hi.
28:08$9,000 in that pot.
28:10Okay.
28:12Oh, we are...
28:12The max.
28:13All right.
28:13We have steakhouse dinner.
28:15We have tamarillos.
28:16I love tamarillos.
28:17And we have three plates.
28:18Okay.
28:19Let's start here.
28:22Beautiful plates, right?
28:23This is very sculptural.
28:24This looks like
28:25a New York cut.
28:31The cook on the steak
28:32is spectacular.
28:33Tamarillo on the top
28:34with the chives.
28:35Nice touch,
28:36and the sauce on here
28:37is fantastic.
28:38It's buttery.
28:39We love an onion
28:40drinking steakhouse.
28:43Red onion.
28:44That's a nice touch,
28:45not like a traditional
28:46onion ring.
28:46I see my tamarillo in here,
28:48and then we have
28:48some blue cheese here.
28:50It's like a little
28:50tomato wedge salad.
28:53I don't know
28:53if the blue cheese
28:54is vibing
28:55with the tamarillo.
28:58Even if a judge said,
28:59hey,
28:59you have 10 minutes
29:00to change this part
29:01of your dish,
29:02what are you going to do?
29:03I think I would have
29:03left it.
29:04But,
29:05love,
29:06I'm obsessed with this steak.
29:07Delicious and stunning.
29:08Okay.
29:09I'm going to go here.
29:10Next.
29:11Filet with bacon.
29:12More crispy fried things
29:14that we love.
29:20Cook on the steak
29:21is really,
29:22really beautiful.
29:23Just perfect,
29:25medium-round filet.
29:26I love the Bernays.
29:28I really like
29:28the potato puree,
29:29but I don't know
29:30that we need
29:31the bacon here.
29:32It seems like a lot
29:33with the filet.
29:34I don't know,
29:34like maybe just
29:35unnecessary.
29:37I had to wrap something.
29:38And the filet
29:39was what I had.
29:41Check tamarillo,
29:42check steakhouse dinner.
29:42So,
29:44similarly,
29:44we sort of have like
29:46a full steakhouse dinner.
29:47I love it in New York.
29:53The steak is cooked perfectly.
29:55Love the explosion
29:56of coriander in my mouth
29:57when I'm eating.
29:57Like,
29:58when you crust something,
29:59crust it.
30:00And this is so perfectly crusted.
30:01I love that.
30:01So,
30:02I do like the almost papaya quality
30:03of the tamarillo,
30:04but I'm missing
30:05a little salt here.
30:07Like,
30:07the tomatoes just are,
30:08like,
30:09wanting for salt.
30:10Drag them through
30:11the sauce a little bit more.
30:12She's about to try
30:15this sauce.
30:17Ha!
30:21What is this sauce?
30:23Is there like
30:23tamarillo puree?
30:24And in the sauce,
30:25it's got like
30:25tomato vibes.
30:26Maybe some shrimp paste
30:27in here?
30:29How am I doing?
30:30I don't think anybody
30:31could think to even
30:32start to name this sauce.
30:33It's so extra.
30:35I do like the sauce.
30:36It's not a traditional
30:37steakhouse sauce
30:37by any stretch,
30:38but,
30:38um,
30:39I can buy that this
30:40as a steakhouse dinner,
30:41but it feels like
30:41summer steak
30:43in my backyard.
30:44I don't know.
30:44I like this.
30:45I think it's a really
30:45successful dish.
30:48So,
30:48$9,000 in the pot.
30:50One of these chefs
30:51will not be moving
30:52on to the next round,
30:53or it could be
30:54a two-round sweep
30:56if you choose
30:57Arnold's dish.
30:59Okay.
30:59The winner
31:00for this round
31:01for me
31:05is this one.
31:07Chef Dallas
31:08for the salad.
31:09I love this.
31:10It feels a little
31:10old-school steakhouse
31:11to me,
31:12which I love.
31:12Stephanie,
31:13thank you so much.
31:14We'll call you back
31:14after the all-in-hand,
31:16Chef.
31:16Well done.
31:17I just won
31:18nine grand,
31:19and I'm gonna
31:19walk out of here
31:20with this, Eric.
31:21All right, chefs,
31:22we're headed
31:22into the all-in-hand.
31:24Kev,
31:24we have $500.
31:25Unfortunately,
31:26you cannot make it
31:26to the final round.
31:28Maybe I should have
31:29saved a little bit
31:29of money
31:30and just went for it
31:31in the third round,
31:31but, you know,
31:32I gotta live
31:33with my decisions.
31:34Chef Arnold,
31:35the game is not over.
31:36You can definitely
31:36win the next round
31:37and double
31:37what you came in with.
31:38I'm still in the game.
31:39I'm back to where I started,
31:41and now it's very nostalgic,
31:42huh?
31:43Alex versus Arnold.
31:44Hmm.
31:47Welcome to
31:48the all-in-hand.
31:50Arnold.
31:50Yes.
31:51You, my friend,
31:52are my only hope
31:53to defeat Alex.
31:54My only hope,
31:56and it's not over.
31:57Do you agree
31:58that this is a little
31:59uncalled for?
32:00You know I love you,
32:01but I gotta mess with you.
32:02Arnold,
32:03because you are
32:03the small stack
32:04with $5,000.
32:05You, my friend,
32:06are going all in.
32:07$10,000 up for grabs.
32:09Let's see the cash.
32:10Dude, seriously?
32:12So first,
32:13the dish card.
32:14The communal dish
32:16is
32:19smoked eats.
32:20The thing about smoked eats,
32:22it's like low and slow,
32:23not a 30-minute moment
32:24for me.
32:25And the ingredient
32:27is
32:30figs.
32:31What?
32:33Smoked eats and figs.
32:35Putting them together,
32:36tough.
32:37All right, chefs.
32:38For your final hand,
32:39I'm gonna give you each
32:40a card for the most
32:41dreaded deck
32:42in my arsenal.
32:44Over the past
32:45couple of years,
32:45I've been collecting
32:46some of the most
32:48diabolical cards
32:49and putting them together
32:50in the diamond deck.
32:51I mean,
32:51that sounds like
32:52a good time.
32:52How do you live
32:53with yourself at night?
32:56So,
32:56I'm gonna go ahead
32:57and pass that to you,
32:58Arnold.
32:58I'm gonna pass that to you.
32:59Do me a favor,
33:00take a look at your card.
33:06Nutritional yeast.
33:08Flavor-wise,
33:09it's quite complex,
33:10so it can be tricky.
33:14Incorporate matcha.
33:15It can be, like,
33:16tanniny
33:17and kind of bitter
33:18and metallic,
33:18and that's what makes
33:20an ingredient like that
33:21tough.
33:21Since I'm such a nice guy,
33:23I'm gonna offer you
33:24an opportunity.
33:25I wanna give
33:26both of you
33:27the chance
33:28to swap out
33:29your diamond deck card.
33:31It's sort of like
33:32dancing with the devil
33:33you know
33:33versus maybe
33:34taking up another partner.
33:36I'm so afraid
33:36of getting something worse.
33:38That's true,
33:38but you could get
33:39something a lot better.
33:41So, Arnold,
33:42what say you,
33:43my friend?
33:46I'm okay with this.
33:47Really?
33:47Yeah.
33:48I don't like it,
33:49but I'm okay with it.
33:51I'm gonna hang.
33:52Yeah, I'm good.
33:53Okay.
33:53Let's go ahead
33:54and see some cards.
33:57Incorporate
33:57nutritional yeast.
33:59Ooh.
34:00All right, Chef Alex,
34:01incorporate matcha.
34:02Wow.
34:03What would you rather have?
34:04They both suck.
34:06I've never cooked
34:08with matcha in my life
34:08other than to drink it
34:10in a beverage.
34:10All right.
34:11Arnold,
34:12you have an opportunity
34:13to double your money
34:15or go home
34:16with nothing at all.
34:18Chef Alex,
34:19an almost sweep.
34:20You have the potential
34:21to win $14,500.
34:25Phew.
34:26You have 30 minutes,
34:27chefs.
34:27That time starts now.
34:29All right.
34:30I see matcha.
34:31I see figs.
34:32My brain says
34:33you're making dessert.
34:34I want to make shortbread
34:35and coconut ice cream.
34:37We got sweet.
34:38We got savory.
34:39We got matcha.
34:40We got nutritional yeast.
34:41Check on that.
34:42What's up, Alex?
34:43I can't hear you.
34:46I love when
34:47Chef Alex talks like this.
34:48It gets me going.
34:50We got an ice cream
34:51going over here.
34:52What's the base
34:53of the ice cream, Chef?
34:53Coconut milk.
34:54So that maybe a judge
34:55thinks a Thai-based chef
34:57made it.
35:00She's playing the game.
35:01Chef Ronald,
35:02what are you doing, man?
35:02I'm going to do a bunseo.
35:04Basically, a coconut crepe
35:05that I will stuff
35:06with a whole bunch
35:07of smoky goodness.
35:08Is this going to be
35:09the filling for the crepe?
35:10It's going to be
35:10the filling for the crepe.
35:11That is a smoky profile
35:12for sure.
35:13So you've got to develop
35:14these smoky flavors
35:15in a really fast way.
35:16One way to do it
35:17is incorporate smoked ingredients.
35:18I like this direction.
35:19Oh, you like Arnold's direction?
35:21Oh, Arnold,
35:21it's so great.
35:22I love it.
35:24All right,
35:25so now let's make this
35:26batter.
35:27When you think crepe,
35:29it might be daunting
35:29in the French sense.
35:30You know,
35:31you have to get
35:31the perfect texture
35:32of batter.
35:33In Asian cooking,
35:34we're a bit more like,
35:35it's okay to have char
35:36and crunchiness.
35:37I'm so glad I'm Asian.
35:39Boom, look at that.
35:40Chef Alex,
35:41are you doing pastry?
35:45Yeah.
35:45So I have a shortbread here
35:46with some matcha
35:47in here, Eric.
35:49Uh, so check on that.
35:50I didn't say
35:50it was going to work.
35:51I said it's in there.
35:53This is intense.
35:54It's down to me and Arnold.
35:55All I can think about is
35:57I don't want a repeat story.
35:5919 minutes, 30 seconds.
36:00Let's see how this
36:01ice cream machine is doing.
36:06Oh,
36:06is this on right?
36:13What is wrong with this?
36:14I press down to cover it
36:16and I think we're okay.
36:17You want to keep your eye
36:18on that, don't you?
36:19I genuinely think
36:20Eric's enjoying himself.
36:21Wouldn't you be?
36:22It's like,
36:22who is this guy?
36:27It's going down
36:27in a major way.
36:2815 minutes left.
36:29$10,000 on the line.
36:31Chef Arnold must include
36:32nutritional yeast.
36:33Chef Alex has to include
36:35matcha.
36:35What are the next steps
36:36for you, chef?
36:37I'm just going to build
36:37the sauce with hopefully
36:39enough smoke.
36:40You're throwing the fig
36:40in that gojujang.
36:41I am.
36:42Complimentary profiles.
36:43Yeah.
36:44Nutritional yeast,
36:44how are you getting around that?
36:45I'm going to incorporate
36:46it into the sauce.
36:47Check on that.
36:48Seven minutes left
36:49in this cook.
36:50Chef Alex,
36:51what smoky elements
36:52are you using?
36:52The smoked figs.
36:53Nice.
36:55A little smoky smoke.
36:56Two different techniques,
36:58getting smoke from a smoke gun
36:59and then using smoked products.
37:01What do you think
37:02can translate better?
37:03We'll find out.
37:04Okay.
37:05My ice cream's done.
37:07I'm here to tell you
37:08that that ice cream machine
37:08has been a problem
37:09for many of chefs.
37:14That's fantastic.
37:16That is perfect.
37:17Perfect ice cream right now.
37:19Two minutes left
37:20in the cook, chefs.
37:21I plate it
37:21with a little side of lettuce.
37:23I have a ramekin of sauce.
37:25Put a little slaw
37:25right into the cup.
37:26I stuffed that crepe
37:27with my pork goodness.
37:2930 seconds.
37:29I pull the shortbread,
37:31drop them on the plate.
37:32I put those smoked figs
37:33right over the shortbread.
37:35Coconut ice cream.
37:36And then at the last minute,
37:37I have those cloches
37:38because I want to do
37:39like a smoked presentation.
37:42Three, two, one.
37:44That is about it, chefs.
37:45Well done.
37:46Wow.
37:47Good job, chefs.
37:49Damn.
37:51Looks amazing, chef.
37:53I was trapped
37:54into doing dessert.
37:55I didn't decide to make it.
37:57The cards trapped me.
37:57I don't know.
37:58I want to win
37:58this whole thing.
37:59I want to school
38:00the students.
38:01I want the teacher
38:02to say class dismissed.
38:04Yeah.
38:04Why am I carrying
38:05this weird thing?
38:09We have $10,000
38:10in the middle
38:10of that pot right there.
38:12We have smoke eats
38:14as the dish
38:15and the use of figs
38:16as the ingredient.
38:17You can start
38:18wherever you like.
38:18Okay.
38:19I'm going to do the thing.
38:20I see this on the Instagram.
38:22Ooh.
38:25Yes.
38:26Okay.
38:27We have my ice cream
38:28and we have like
38:29a little cakey cake.
38:37Mmm.
38:38It's a little crunchy cake.
38:40Mmm.
38:40It's so like
38:40crunchy and delicious.
38:44Coconut ice cream.
38:45A little smoky-coky.
38:47Mmm.
38:48The figs are delicious.
38:50There are some that are raw.
38:51Some that are,
38:52I think, smoked
38:53with sugar on top.
38:54It's interesting.
38:55I can't.
38:56Let's work out
38:58this cake.
39:01Texturally,
39:01it's really great, right?
39:02But there's something
39:03I can't place with it.
39:05It's like,
39:06I'm like screaming,
39:07it's matcha,
39:08it's matcha,
39:08it's matcha,
39:09it's matcha.
39:10All around,
39:10this is really nicely balanced.
39:12I almost want like
39:13a little splash of acid,
39:15but really nice dish.
39:17All right.
39:17Moving on to the next.
39:19This is a bon sal.
39:24Okay.
39:25Got some bacon in here.
39:26The bacon is smart
39:27for the smoke.
39:28Check, right?
39:29Is this sauce,
39:30the sauce on top?
39:34Oh, hey,
39:35what's up?
39:36Smoky fig sauce.
39:37There's clear umami flavor
39:38here.
39:38That base note
39:39is like very clear.
39:40She can taste the umami
39:42and that's the nutritional yeast.
39:43So, Eric,
39:45check, check.
39:46It's very balanced,
39:47but it's, um,
39:50it's a little acrid.
39:51It has that flavor
39:53where the smoke
39:53hasn't fully burned off yet.
39:55All in all together,
39:56I think the chef
39:57has done a really great job
39:58of balancing like acid
40:00and herbs and heat.
40:01It works really,
40:02really nicely together.
40:04Um,
40:06this is impossible.
40:08I hate this.
40:09But there can only be one.
40:10There can only be one.
40:11Okay.
40:12For me,
40:13the dish that embraced
40:14both the smoked eats
40:16and the figs
40:17in the most delicious
40:19and creative way.
40:20This is the part
40:21of Wild Park Kitchen
40:22that is tough.
40:24I am literally
40:25not breathing.
40:27Mmm.
40:28I think it's the bonso.
40:30Chef Arnold,
40:32that is $10,000 to you.
40:34Got the crispy crunchiness
40:35around it
40:36and turmeric in there.
40:37It's pretty
40:37stinking delicious.
40:39Oh, my goodness.
40:41This is now
40:42my second time
40:43beating Alex.
40:44This kind of proves
40:45that I've got what it takes.
40:47Alex has $4,500.
40:49Okay.
40:49It's not great to lose,
40:50but it's nice
40:51when whoever does win
40:53cooked really well.
40:54And Chef Kevin,
40:55you're going home
40:55with $500.
40:57You know,
40:58after tonight,
40:58my worst nightmare,
40:59I just want to say
41:01that I feel,
41:01as a loser here,
41:03that I deserve
41:04a little something
41:05for my time.
41:07So I think,
41:08you know,
41:08after all these years
41:09of you messing with me,
41:10I think it would be
41:10so lovely
41:11if I jumped
41:13into your suit.
41:14I can get a little beard going.
41:17And you can come
41:18on this side
41:19and join us commoners.
41:22So you want me
41:23to play the game
41:24and you host one night?
41:25There you go.
41:26Just do it.
41:27You're no fun.
41:30I'm happy to put my money
41:31where my mouth is.
41:32Absolutely.
41:32Wait, wait, wait.
41:33You're going to compete?
41:34I'll compete.
41:35And I'll give my host
41:36and I'll give my host
41:37seat to Chef Alex.
41:38Absolutely.
41:39What the fuck?
41:39All right.
41:40This is a twisty
41:41common winning core.
41:43Let's get out of here.
41:44All right.
41:45Nice job, guys.
41:46Eric, I'm going to cackle
41:48with glee
41:49while sweat pours
41:50down your spine
41:51while you try
41:52to make something
41:53without salt
41:54and without pots
41:55and pans or food.
41:56Are we really going
41:57to do this?
41:57Oh, yeah.
41:58All right, all right.
41:59All right.
42:00You know what it's going
42:01to be?
42:01It's going to be
42:02life out.
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