- 19 hours ago
Wildcard Kitchen - Season 3 - Episode 02: Asian Night Market
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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.
00:18I 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?
00:27You cannot do that.
00:28And the cards are wilder.
00:29Oh, my.
00:30This guy's instigating me.
00:32All bets are off.
00:34I hope we're all still friends.
00:36This is going to be fun.
00:37When it's all to nothing, put it all on the line.
00:41I am looking forward to tonight's game.
00:44I've got three masters of Asian cuisine
00:45who cook from the heart and from the roots.
00:47But they're also cooking to win.
00:50You're expecting big bets and big flavor.
00:53This is going to be good.
00:58This first chef coming down started off as a pastry chef,
01:01but now is known as a fierce culinary competitor.
01:04Hi, Nini.
01:06What's going on?
01:06Nini has combined Vietnamese flavors with skills learned
01:09in New Orleans pastry shops and a three Michelin star kitchen
01:12to make her mark on Tournament of Champions
01:14and Last Bite Hotel.
01:16You've been on a tear recently.
01:19Pop-ups, books, like what else aren't you doing?
01:21I went to Vegas this week and I got my nails done.
01:24That's perfect.
01:25Mommy needs a new pair of shoes.
01:26Do me a favor, grab yourself a drink.
01:27So this next chef is also a Top Chef alum.
01:30Wait, who?
01:31It's really only one of one.
01:33This next chef is someone you know from Tournament of Champions
01:36and is a James Beard nominee for Best Chef New York.
01:39Oh.
01:40What's going on, Dale?
01:41Don't let anybody in here now.
01:43Dale's heritage is Filipino,
01:44but his restaurants have featured every Asian cuisine imaginable.
01:47And his acclaimed eatery, Bruce Feather,
01:48was named Best New Restaurant in America by Esquire.
01:51Looking good, as always.
01:53Thanks for having me, brother.
01:54Hi, Dale.
01:55NeNe and I go way back.
01:57We've had countless dinners together.
01:58She's just an amazing person and a talented cook.
02:01Two chefs, first time.
02:03Dale likes to gamble, NeNe likes to gamble.
02:05I mean, if you bring two Asians together.
02:08So, chefs, this next chef has opened 20 restaurants
02:11and a culinary ambassador for Thai cuisine.
02:14Really a man that needs no time.
02:16Oh, my gosh.
02:17Come on, Chef Chantila.
02:19In with the casket.
02:20Jet is a titan of Thai.
02:22He was named culinary ambassador of Thai cuisine
02:24by the Royal Thai Consul General
02:25and reached the final four of Tournament of Champions
02:27four years in a row.
02:29Uncle Jet is here.
02:31Oh, my God.
02:31It's the other Jet Chantila.
02:33What up?
02:34Hi, Ne.
02:35I don't like this.
02:36This is a battle.
02:37I don't like gambling with my uncles.
02:39I don't like this.
02:39Jet is a legend.
02:41He's been around for quite some time.
02:43Not trying to say he's old.
02:45Jet old.
02:46But as a Asian-American chef, he's such a mentor to a lot of us.
02:50But he can still lose.
02:52And I will still try to beat him.
02:53I got big racks in this suitcase.
02:55I'm going to use a little today to teach these kids a lesson.
02:58Ooh.
02:58But I'm looking forward to adding to the pile.
03:01Let's go ahead and grab a seat.
03:04Welcome to the table, chefs.
03:06Playing culinary poker, you three will be betting cash
03:08based on the cards you dealt.
03:10And then all you have to do is just back the bet up in the kitchen.
03:14Three hands, three rounds of cooking.
03:16Every hand, winner take all.
03:17And we have a guest judge.
03:18World renowned, you won't be able to say anything to them.
03:21So your poker face needs to be just as stern as it is right now.
03:24All right, chefs, first round is the speed round.
03:2720 minutes on the clock.
03:28The buy-in for this hand, $500.
03:31I can't lose this money.
03:32I just renovated my kitchen.
03:33And I just need a couple more things for my house.
03:36So Dale's 5K looks like a new countertop then to you.
03:39Yeah.
03:39Tomorrow's my anniversary.
03:40We're going to do a crazy anniversary.
03:43Dale, what are you doing with 15K potentially?
03:45Adding to the collection, brother.
03:46Real ignorant drip.
03:49Reckless abandon.
03:50Oh, I love that.
03:51All right, chefs, $1,500 in the pot.
03:53The game is started.
03:54So chefs, first up, the community card.
03:56This is the card that you all have to adhere to.
03:59All right, the community dish is elevated fast food.
04:05Boo.
04:05Listen, this body built by drive-thru.
04:10You see the BMI here?
04:12It's not great.
04:14All right, chefs, here's where the game changes with the wild card.
04:18These are your wild cards.
04:19They apply to you and you alone.
04:24Know the judge, huge advantage knowing the judge, huge.
04:27This could be a really big benefit to how I shop and how I cook.
04:32This kind of throws me in a loop.
04:34What?
04:34Fast food things come on a skewer.
04:38I basically want to fold, like, right this second.
04:41Because I'm the knife guy.
04:43Like, I use my knives for everything.
04:44So I'm going to have to pretend like it's a stronger card than it is.
04:49Oh, man, you're all in trouble, man.
04:51You're all in trouble.
04:52So the action starts to you, Dale.
04:55I have a feeling Jett's bluffing.
05:00Ooh.
05:01Damn.
05:02Ooh.
05:02My card is a huge advantage.
05:04But I'm trying to read the face of Jett and NeNe.
05:08Their faces told me a lot.
05:10I'm going to check.
05:11Oh!
05:11Oh!
05:13You just bluffed me already.
05:15I want to see some facial expressions.
05:16I want to see some eyes.
05:17I love the action, baby.
05:18I love the action.
05:19NeNe, the action is yours.
05:21You want to go on in?
05:23$1,000.
05:24I would say this is not that bad of a card.
05:29I'm going to read $500.
05:30OK.
05:31I like that.
05:32$2,000 in the pot.
05:33Jett, the action is yours, my friend.
05:34I think Dale has a weak card.
05:37Ooh.
05:38I think NeNe has a so-so card.
05:41Ooh.
05:41My wild card sucks.
05:43I live and breathe knives.
05:44So I want to try to push them out of the way.
05:46I'm going to look at you while I peel these off.
05:48And I think one of them is going to fold.
05:50Dale, either get out of the way or join us.
05:55Wow.
05:56That's a $1,000 bet.
05:57We have $3,000 just like that.
06:00That's nervous right there.
06:01Look at that face.
06:02Look at that face, y'all.
06:03So what's the word?
06:04Uncle doesn't scare me.
06:06Absolutely no way that they have a better card than me.
06:08I call.
06:09Oh.
06:10$4,000.
06:11I can't just give $1,000 away just on the first round.
06:15Well, I'm definitely going to be in.
06:17I got to see what happens.
06:18$4,500.
06:20Ooh.
06:21That's a lot of money.
06:21It's time to see some wild cards.
06:23NeNe, ladies first.
06:27Put it on a skewer.
06:28All right.
06:29All right.
06:29How do you feel about it?
06:31OK.
06:31Jett, you bet $1,000.
06:34You use a knife for only three minutes.
06:36Three minutes.
06:36Trying to bluff Dale on me.
06:38Oh, my gosh.
06:38I have the worst card.
06:40What did I say?
06:41What did I say?
06:42I have the worst card.
06:42Song space.
06:43And I don't know what Dale's hand is.
06:45OK.
06:46Yeah.
06:46I like this card, P.
06:47I like that card.
06:48Know the job.
06:50Oh, no.
06:53That's so smart, man.
06:54I knew I was going all in.
06:56That's crazy.
06:58Dale, welcome me over to the side.
07:00Oh.
07:07Got it?
07:08Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
07:09I got it.
07:10You got it?
07:10Huge advantage knowing the judge.
07:12I know the judge is Korean-American,
07:14and I think do not do anything Korean.
07:16She is going to shoot it down.
07:18She is going to, I mean, ah.
07:22I'm in a good place.
07:23I like it.
07:23All right, chefs, $4,500 in the pot.
07:2620 minutes on the clock.
07:27Elevated fast food is the dish.
07:29Time starts now.
07:31Wow, he's so fast.
07:32I am fast.
07:34Damn you, Jett.
07:35I'm so sorry.
07:35Damn you, Jett.
07:36I'm going to need to pick an elevated fast food dish
07:39that requires very little knife work.
07:41Don't overthink this.
07:42And to me, it's a burger.
07:45Don't overthink it.
07:46The only thing I could think of that is on a skewer
07:49that's fast food is a corn dog.
07:51But I'm going to have to elevate it.
07:53And so I'm going to make a fish corn dog.
07:58Dale.
07:58Yes, sir.
07:59Talk to me, man.
07:59What are you thinking?
08:00Tacos are always my late night thing,
08:01so we're doing hamachi tartare and a hard shell taco.
08:05So nice to know who this judge is.
08:07Stop talking , Dale.
08:08The judge is going to lean into these types of flavors,
08:10and I know she loves hard shell tacos.
08:13Now, you know our guest judge.
08:15How do you know that this judge is going to enjoy this?
08:17How do I know she's going to enjoy it?
08:19She?
08:19She?
08:20Jett and Nini are trying to get that information,
08:22so I'm trying to give them a little misdirection
08:25to kind of throw them off a little bit.
08:27Chef Nini, how do you make a really good corn dog
08:29for the folks at home?
08:30I feel like you need to have a nice, crunchy exterior,
08:34juicy inside, flavorful.
08:36But then I like fun toppings.
08:37What's in the batter?
08:38It's a classic, classic batter.
08:42Can't skip on the corn meal.
08:44And right now, she is battering that halibut.
08:48I bought an old house in New Orleans.
08:50It's my first house, so I kind of want to make it my dream house.
08:53But things cost a lot of money, so mama's got to cook.
08:5715 minutes left.
08:59Can I do this without a knife?
09:00Chef Jeff.
09:04You know where I'm going, bro.
09:06You know where I'm going.
09:08Hell yeah, bro.
09:09You know what?
09:10I'm not mad.
09:11It's not a knife.
09:11Wow.
09:12What are we working on, Chef?
09:13I'm going to do a Wagyu burger,
09:16because what do I not need a knife much for?
09:19A burger.
09:20Allie and I got married 14 years ago tomorrow.
09:24I'm here to take Allie on a giant anniversary weekend.
09:28This is going to suck.
09:29Hopefully, the judge gets it, though.
09:31So I'm going to throw some truffles in here.
09:33Do you mind need a knife, maybe?
09:35Not yet.
09:35Not yet.
09:37Stand back!
09:38Oh, my gosh.
09:41Come out!
09:42Luckily, that is only getting ground up.
09:44There we go.
09:44To elevate this, I need to grind the most expensive beef
09:49in the world, which I've never done before.
09:50Doing this whole three-minute knife thing was stupid.
09:53I'm going to need a real knife eventually for detail cuts.
09:56Wait, you need a knife for the french fries, don't you?
09:58It's got to look clean.
09:59You know what I mean?
10:00I've been practicing this craft for over 30 years.
10:04There's just no way I'm going to have enough time.
10:06We have 11 minutes and 50 seconds left, just like that.
10:10Are you kidding me?
10:11Yes, sir.
10:11Yes, sir.
10:12I'm going to need more time to fry them.
10:14Oh, dude, I'm not going to get this done.
10:15This is a terrible card.
10:16I should have folded.
10:17I am not going to get this done.
10:22You might need a knife, maybe?
10:23This is not working, dawg.
10:25No, it's not, clearly.
10:27Oh, dude, I'm not going to get this done.
10:28It sucks not being able to use knives,
10:30but they called my bluff, so I need to survive this round.
10:34We have 10 minutes left.
10:36All right, I need a knife.
10:37Jet is going in with a knife right now,
10:39and we are dicing up the potatoes for the french fries.
10:42I can't fake this.
10:43I got to make it right.
10:44I need really, really tight french fries.
10:47I mean, if we're talking about elevated,
10:49it's got to look clean.
10:50What do I really need a knife for?
10:52I really need a knife for this.
10:53I got to get a tight slice of the tomato.
10:56130 left on that knife.
10:57Goes by fast, doesn't it, Chad?
10:58Oh, my God.
10:59What happened, dawg?
11:00It goes by so fast.
11:03Doing this whole three-minute knife thing was stupid.
11:05Trying to bluff these guys was stupid.
11:08Time is up on that knife.
11:10Oh, my goodness.
11:11How's it going over here, Chef?
11:12Really good.
11:13Yeah?
11:13A little wagyu fat.
11:14Don't want to cook it, but I want to get it in here.
11:17I like that.
11:17Making the tartare over ice.
11:19Are we throwing truffles on that tartare?
11:21Come on, man. You already know.
11:22Jeez.
11:23Well, the budget's blown round one, but it's all good.
11:25These chefs are killing it right now.
11:27Five minutes left.
11:28Dani, how's it going over here?
11:29I'm going to make a nice tartar sauce with caviar.
11:33Elevated fast food.
11:33Yeah.
11:34It's going to give it a little brightness.
11:35I'm going against two very seasoned chefs,
11:38so I need to make sure the fish is cooked perfectly.
11:41But the skewer is not going to hold up.
11:44The skewers are just coming out.
11:46It is way too long and thin.
11:49Go, go, go, go, go.
11:51I think I like this one better.
11:54What's the time?
11:55Three and a half minutes left.
11:56Chef Jet, we're going egg?
11:57Woo!
11:58You got to do a duck egg because it's fancy.
12:00I take out my fries.
12:02They are sad, and they are not crispy.
12:04I need more time to fry them again, but I don't have it.
12:07Two-minute warning on an elevated fast food chef.
12:09I'm going to plate it straight old school.
12:11Bun, wagyu, patty, tomato, arugula, fried egg,
12:15and then my nori fries.
12:16Let's just hope the judge likes soggy fries.
12:1930 seconds left.
12:2030 seconds.
12:21I put it on a plate with my tartar sauce,
12:23some caviar, parsley leaves, and I finish it with lemon zest.
12:27I'm piping tartare into my tortilla shell.
12:29I put a couple lime wedges down to hold my taco up.
12:32For some color, I sprinkle on watermelon radish.
12:35I know the judge is going to love the caviar and the black truffle
12:38that I'm just crushing this taco with.
12:39Three, two, one.
12:42That is about it, chefs.
12:43Well done.
12:44What happened?
12:46That is not a good amount of time.
12:48I definitely used my advantage to the max,
12:50but I also just tried to cook really good food,
12:52and hopefully this person picks out what I'm putting down.
12:54Damn, you did all that in 20 minutes?
12:57That's right.
12:57With no knives.
12:58No knives.
13:00So our guest judge, they're on their way right now.
13:02Grab one of your plates.
13:03Let's head over to the table.
13:06Before our judge comes down, poker face.
13:08OK.
13:09Do remember, this is a blind tasting.
13:10So you obviously know who we're talking about.
13:13Any ideas, Chet, Mimi?
13:16I have no idea.
13:18Tonight's judge is a culinary warrior
13:20who outcooked Marcus Samuelson, Bobby Flay,
13:22and fellow 24 and 24 host Michael Simon.
13:26Wow.
13:26Chef's helped me welcome the one and only Chef Esther Choi.
13:33What's going on, Esther?
13:34Good.
13:34Thank you so much for having me.
13:36Absolutely.
13:37Look at this Asian sensation.
13:40Great chef has beaten some mega titans in the world,
13:43but I think our palates are a little different from each other.
13:46And let me just lay it on thick for you.
13:49$4,500 in the pot, elevated fast food.
13:52OK, I'm going to start with the burger.
13:53I mean, this looks elevated.
13:56Beautiful fried egg, runny yolk.
14:02Wow.
14:03That's yummy.
14:04It's good.
14:05Mmm.
14:06It's really freaking good.
14:07It's like greasy, messy, elevated.
14:10It's not like your classic fast food.
14:12Delicious.
14:13But the fries could have been fried once more, maybe.
14:17Like a double fry.
14:18When a fry does that, it's like a little sad.
14:20I get it.
14:21OK.
14:21Let's not talk about the fries.
14:23I guess I'll go with this one.
14:25Is this a corn dog?
14:27We're going to go in and when something's on a stick,
14:32you want to be able to hold it and kind of eat it on the stick,
14:35right?
14:35That's the whole point of being on a stick.
14:38And this doesn't really do that.
14:40So, you know.
14:43Oh, and the stick goes all the way down here.
14:45It's a really long stick.
14:48I'm so sorry.
14:50I'm so sorry.
14:50Yo, you cannot do that.
14:51You can't hold it like that.
14:53And not a stick that's a laugh.
14:56I'm so sorry.
14:57I'm sorry.
14:58I didn't mean to.
15:00I didn't mean to.
15:02Yeah, I'm going to do a knife and fork because, like, obviously,
15:05the stick really didn't work out for this person.
15:09I'm assuming that their wild card was, like, use a stick or something.
15:13I'm going to taste it.
15:17Really moist.
15:18The flavors are delicious.
15:20I love the caviar.
15:21The sauce is delicious.
15:22The fish is very flaky.
15:24But I just wish that it was crispier.
15:27Last but not least, taco.
15:31That reminds me of fast food and what I love.
15:34So this person really knew, well, they didn't know that it was me.
15:38But it was a good choice.
15:47Wow.
15:49So good.
15:50It's light, super fresh.
15:53It's, like, absolutely delicious.
15:56But maybe some, like, creamy sauce would have been nice.
16:00Oh, I could have put some crème fraîche in there.
16:02That would have been delicious.
16:03All right, Chef, $4,500 in the middle of that pot.
16:06One of these chefs is going into the next round
16:08with a serious advantage.
16:12Chefs, really, really impressive cooking.
16:15Tough decision.
16:16But I think the winner is...
16:22Really impressive cooking.
16:24A lot was done in 20 minutes.
16:27But I think the winner is...
16:34the taco.
16:35The taco.
16:37The taco.
16:38Boo!
16:39Boo!
16:40Boo!
16:42I could eat 10 of these.
16:43So good.
16:44I had the advantage.
16:45I knew it was you.
16:46His wild card was he gets to know who the judge is.
16:49What?
16:49That was a very big advantage.
16:51Huge advantage.
16:51Yeah, I would say it's a big advantage.
16:52Guess what my wild card was.
16:55Was it, like, no fryer or something like that?
17:01Oh!
17:02Just turn the knife.
17:04It's already in.
17:05Just keep turning it.
17:06Yeah!
17:07Why you gotta hurt me like that?
17:09Honestly, because if the fries were crispy,
17:11I probably would've picked this.
17:12It's all right.
17:12We still got two rounds.
17:13Chef Esther, you're gonna be here for the rest of the night?
17:15I'm excited.
17:17Woo!
17:18Thank you so much, Chef.
17:20Deal, $8,000.
17:22Wow, wow, wow.
17:23Chef Mimi has $3,500.
17:25That money is supposed to go to my house,
17:27but I feel warmed up.
17:29Chad, you also have $3,500 to your disposal.
17:31I'm tired of losing money here.
17:33Next round really is pivotal.
17:35They're little kids.
17:36I gotta send them home.
17:40Welcome to the make or break hand.
17:43The whole night can pivot here.
17:44This round can literally make or break your bank.
17:47This is a 30-minute cook.
17:49The buy-in for this hand is $1,000.
17:52Wow.
17:52Let's see the cash.
17:54I'm feeling lucky.
17:56I'm gonna bet big to win big
17:57and make sure I'm holding the bag at the end of this.
17:59$3,000 just like that.
18:02Let's see these community cards.
18:05Communal Dish is...
18:09New Year's celebration.
18:11Hmm.
18:12So secondhand, we're gonna make a little bit harder for you.
18:14We're adding in another communal card.
18:16The ingredient card.
18:18Come on.
18:19Give me something to work with.
18:20Pine berries.
18:21What's a pine berry?
18:22They're like the white strawberries.
18:23They're like a white strawberry.
18:25Oh, okay.
18:25Actually very luxurious themselves.
18:27So I see some ideas sort of percolating in your head right now.
18:31But chefs, all of that is going to change with the wild card.
18:37For you, for you, and for you.
18:40Great.
18:41I have to make Eric, His Highness, a sandwich so it's a time suck.
18:45Who's stealing these cards?
18:47What pizza would you eat on a New Year's celebration?
18:53Using ingredient three ways, meh, I'm fine with that.
18:56I can use anything three ways.
18:57All right.
18:59Nene, the action is yours.
19:00Now remember, before you put in any money, you need at least $1,500 to make it to the
19:05last round.
19:06And according to my calculation, chef, you have $2,500 left.
19:11Um...
19:12New Year's Eve celebration.
19:13Pine berries, pizza, and I lost money.
19:16Like, this is bad.
19:17I'm going to check.
19:18All right.
19:18I want to see what everyone else does.
19:20I like it.
19:20Chad, you also have $2,500 left.
19:24Nene checking makes me think she's weak.
19:26So I'm going to just tease into the pot so I don't get caught in case he goes big.
19:32So I will start with a modest $500 bet.
19:35$3,500 in the pot.
19:36Dale, $500 to you.
19:38I think he has a card that he really wants to play and he wants us to bet into him
19:41so
19:41he can get some more money out of us.
19:43What he doesn't know is I'm holding an easy card.
19:46So I'll go $2,000.
19:49Wow.
19:50Nene, it's $2,000 to you.
19:52I mean, I'm not saying that I will never win with these cards, but it is really hard
19:56to win against these two on top of making a pizza.
20:00So I'm going to fold.
20:01Wow.
20:02I'm going to fold.
20:03I want to cook in the third round.
20:05I hear you.
20:06Jet.
20:07Um...
20:08Still don't know Dale.
20:09I think Dale has three personalities.
20:11You don't like this card.
20:11So I don't know which Dale's betting or checking.
20:14But I definitely think I have the best wild card in this round.
20:17I'm 15 in right now.
20:19I'm almost half my pot.
20:19So you're already 1500 in.
20:20Yeah.
20:21So what's another 15?
20:22I agree.
20:23Let's go.
20:23Oh!
20:25Mano y mano.
20:26And now I beat this guy.
20:28If you win, you're into the next round.
20:30But if you lose, this is your last cook.
20:32That's right.
20:33Go big, go home.
20:34I can't wait to see these cards.
20:36All right.
20:37Jet, what's your card?
20:38Let's go.
20:39Use an ingredient three ways.
20:41But hey, look.
20:42You get to use your knives.
20:43That's right.
20:44Now you're dead, bro.
20:45Always seeing the positive.
20:46All right.
20:47Dale.
20:47I hope you like syrup sandwiches.
20:49Oh, yeah.
20:50Make Eric a sandwich.
20:52I grew up eating syrup sandwiches.
20:53That ain't no sandwich, Eric.
20:54I love this card.
20:56Meat cheese.
20:57I'm the judge here.
20:58And I'll make the decision.
20:59But I do want a nice sandwich.
21:02There's a lot on the line right now.
21:03But Jet, for you, a little bit more stakes.
21:06If you lose this one, you'll go broke.
21:08This round is my most important round.
21:10If I lose, I don't have the minimum amount
21:12to play the third hand.
21:14It's not going to happen.
21:15We're doing New Year celebration
21:17with the use of pine berries.
21:18$7,000 in that pot.
21:20Do you want to let them go?
21:21Three, two, one.
21:22You want to do it?
21:22Three, two, one.
21:29Are you going American New Year or Asian New Year?
21:31Asian New Year.
21:32No, you too?
21:33No!
21:34I know Esther, being Korean-American,
21:37practices a lot of Korean traditions
21:38going into Lunar New Year.
21:39So I'm going to make Esther duck-ook.
21:41But it's risky going Korean.
21:43I'm going to go fish.
21:44Can I go fish?
21:44Go fish, brother.
21:45I'm excited to see what these chefs do head-to-head.
21:47Do a dog for Jet.
21:49Whoa!
21:50Chef Jet.
21:50What up, dog?
21:51Tell me what you have in mind, Chef.
21:52Lunar New Year, for us, is always a whole fish.
21:54It represents, like, prosperity and family togetherness.
21:57Nice.
21:57So I'm going to fry it, though, this time.
21:59You're going to fry a whole fish?
22:00Yeah.
22:01And then I'm going to make a Pineberry XO sauce.
22:03I'm going to crush our judge with flavor.
22:05I mean, you need to, especially do or die right now, man.
22:07Yeah, yeah.
22:08This is probably the highest stakes I've had in the kitchen.
22:11I'm going to win this, and then I'm going to come back and make Dale go home busted.
22:15Does it feel good to be able to use your knife?
22:17Oh, it's amazing.
22:18And I get to cook my food on top of that.
22:21My fries are soggy.
22:22My fish will not be soggy.
22:24I'm rooting for you.
22:26I appreciate you.
22:27Dale, talk to me.
22:28I'm going to do a very Korean-inspired New Year's.
22:32My wife is Korean, and this is a dish inspired by the food that we have on Lunar New Year's
22:36Day every year.
22:37So it's a Korean rice cake soup.
22:40That sounds delicious.
22:41It also sounds very intricate for 30 minutes.
22:43You think you got the time?
22:44Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
22:44Speaking of that, man, what are we thinking about that sandwich?
22:47So I know I was teasing you about a syrup sandwich, but I think I'm going to elevate it.
22:51I think, Eric, you deserve a little sour cream.
22:53More opulence.
22:54A little caviar.
22:55A little scallion.
22:56Ooh.
22:56I'm trying to class this thing up, but I'm also not trying to make this thing like a project.
23:00Yo, Big E, here you go.
23:01Oh, that's me.
23:03Oh, a real truck?
23:04Already?
23:04Is that really a sandwich, though?
23:05Oh, yeah, it's a sandwich.
23:08That's a question.
23:09All right, let's see.
23:11Do you like it?
23:13I'm not mad at it.
23:14I'm out.
23:15Some earthiness from the shaved truffle.
23:16Pineberries, which are delicious.
23:18Chef, thank you, Dale.
23:1920 minutes.
23:20Tell me a little bit about exo sauce, Chef.
23:22Exo sauce, Chinese, condiment, a lot of seafood like crab meat.
23:26Yep.
23:26I got chilies, a little bit of Chinese sausage.
23:29It is the king of condiments.
23:30It's my anniversary tomorrow.
23:32Dale's not going to ruin it.
23:33I'm going to take at least 7,000 bucks into my anniversary.
23:36And then pineberries are going to be the sweet and the exo sauce.
23:40I like pineberries, especially with a lot of Asian cuisine.
23:42You want something kind of sweet, sour.
23:45Yeah, yeah, yeah.
23:45Chef, this is your 15-minute time warning.
23:47No!
23:48How is this possible?
23:49How long do you think you're going to need to fry your fish?
23:52I'm worried about the crispiness of my exo.
23:54That's what I'm really worried about.
23:55None of my exo ingredients were getting crispy enough.
23:57The scallops, the crab, the bacon, none of it was getting crispy enough.
24:02Nene, can I use your fryer?
24:03Yes, you can.
24:04All right.
24:05If I lose, I'm probably sleeping in the doghouse.
24:08I'm not taking Ali to a fancy dinner.
24:10I'm just going to walk out of here with my tail between my legs.
24:13Ah!
24:15I think I'm in trouble.
24:20Come and get it.
24:22There is $7,000 here.
24:25It's do a doctor check.
24:26Bro, I can't let you steal this dough.
24:28I cannot.
24:29It's not stealing if you win.
24:31Sorry about this fryer, guys.
24:33I really needed it.
24:35Sorry I owe you a new fryer and maybe owe you a new countertop.
24:38Dale just won a ton of money.
24:39Charge Dale.
24:41How's that pineberry exo sauce?
24:42Everything is looking great.
24:44Get to a chef.
24:44We have 10 minutes left.
24:46Uncle Jet's bringing the heat.
24:47When you're in these types of situations, 30 minutes to cook and you're cooking Korean for
24:51someone like Esther Choi, the devil is in these details.
24:53Making sure that your egg is not cooked too hard because it's really just the broth,
24:57rice cakes, mushrooms, and then all these accoutrements.
25:00With this soup, you always have kimchi on the side.
25:02So I'm going to do a pineberry kimchi.
25:04It's really risky to do food that the judge makes because they already have a mentality of
25:09how it should be.
25:10And if it doesn't live up to those standards, it's going to fall short.
25:13It's really brave or really dumb.
25:15That's five more minutes.
25:16So your wild card, you have to use an ingredient three different ways.
25:19I'm going to make a scallion oil.
25:20Nice.
25:20I make a scallion oil by blending a ton of scallions in oil.
25:24Green oil.
25:25Doesn't get greener.
25:26I'm going to make a scallion garnish and then in the exo sauce.
25:29Perfect.
25:29Okay.
25:30That wild card is satisfied.
25:31Three minutes left in the cook.
25:32Man.
25:33Wow.
25:33So now that my broth is seasoned looking beautiful, I pour it into these ceramic bowls.
25:38The whole night pivots right here.
25:39I'm adding mushrooms, my rice cakes.
25:42I microplane some black truffles into this.
25:43Tons of scallion, shredded egg, and sliced nori.
25:47It smells so good.
25:48It's really starting to smell good right now.
25:50So I get this pineberry kimchi into a little side dish because traditionally, that's how
25:54it's going to get served.
25:55One and a half minutes, guys.
25:56First, I lay down my crispy fish and then exo sauce onto the fish and it looks delicious.
26:01Then I'm going to lay down pineberry and then I'll top that with the crispy scallion.
26:07And I'm going to finish with a little drizzle of scallion oil.
26:10Three, two, one.
26:13Happy New Year!
26:14Happy New Year!
26:16I think I killed it.
26:17I mean, I feel really good about this dish.
26:19I'm always concerned about facing Uncle Jet.
26:21I mean, Uncle Jet's a vet, but there's a real opportunity to knock Jet right out the game.
26:25You're brave, dude.
26:26Making Korean for Esther.
26:27I know.
26:28You're crazy.
26:30I like that.
26:34Hi, guys.
26:35Hi, guys.
26:36Yeah, it smells good.
26:38As you can see, there's a lot of money in the pot.
26:42$7,000 to be exact.
26:43And only two dishes.
26:45Correct.
26:45How disappointing.
26:46Who folded?
26:47Mmm.
26:49The dish is New Year's celebration.
26:51Mmm.
26:52The ingredient is pineberries.
26:55Pineberries.
26:56Pineberries.
26:57Pineberries.
26:57Okay.
26:58I'm going with this one.
26:59This just looks so elaborate and beautiful, which screams New Year's.
27:06Adley deserves the win and more because she's put up with my ass for 14 years.
27:10So, I got to win.
27:15The fish is, like, perfectly fried.
27:17Oh, my God.
27:18It's so stunning.
27:19And I love the fact that the chef fried all the herbs, too.
27:24Sauce is super good.
27:25Like, super, like, garlicky.
27:26I can eat this, like, all day.
27:29But the pineberries, the odd ingredient in the dish, right?
27:33It kind of doesn't belong.
27:36It's definitely, like, not incorporated into the dish.
27:39What is your problem, Esther?
27:41You love this dish.
27:43Just stop overthinking it.
27:45But all in all, freaking beautiful dish.
27:47Flavors are wonderful.
27:48And it screams New Year's celebration.
27:53I love a nice Don Abe presentation.
27:57Feels special.
27:58It's like you're getting, like, a little present.
28:01Beautiful.
28:03I'm so happy.
28:04All right.
28:05Oh, rice cakes.
28:06ë–¡êµ.
28:08ë–¡êµ is the quintessential New Year's celebration dish of Korea.
28:20It's very good.
28:21It's surprising and interesting.
28:23I really like this.
28:25I love the mushrooms.
28:26I love the way that the egg ribbons are cut, like it's noodle.
28:31And I'm hoping that this is some version of kimchi.
28:36Mmm.
28:38Love that.
28:39It's, like, so perfectly balanced with this dish.
28:43The one thing I would say is it doesn't taste like any traditional ë–¡êµs that I grew up eating.
28:50A very unique take on it.
28:53But it makes it feel elevated.
28:56I'm nervous.
28:57I know it doesn't taste exactly like the way this soup is supposed to taste, but hopefully it tastes delicious.
29:03I'm a fan.
29:04Oh, my God.
29:04This one's so tough.
29:05I don't know.
29:07So, $7,000 in the pot.
29:09New Year's celebration.
29:11Pine berries as the ingredient.
29:15No pressure.
29:16But the whole night hinges on your decision right now.
29:19What?
29:20Soup, whole fish.
29:22One takes a lot of skill and work.
29:25I don't know.
29:28But if I have to pick one...
29:36So, it has to be this dish.
29:39Come to power.
29:41Oh, my God.
29:43Yeah.
29:44Let me go face these bills again.
29:46Two out of two.
29:47Two out of two for Gail.
29:49Garson, can you...
29:50Yeah.
29:50Do you have something for me to carry this away with?
29:53Well done, bro.
29:53Well done.
29:54So, Chef, well done.
29:56Thank you so much.
29:57Good luck, Chefs.
29:58Thank you, thank you.
29:59See you in a bit.
30:00Jet, I can't believe it.
30:01You are literally an icon.
30:02But, unfortunately, Jet, you have $500.
30:05That means you cannot enter into the next round.
30:08I am very bummed.
30:09I've never lost ever in the second round.
30:12I need NeNe to win now.
30:13I need NeNe to take Dale out and give him some humble pie.
30:17NeNe, you have $2,500.
30:18Dale is sweeping so far, but it's not over.
30:21I can win my money back.
30:24Dale, you have a very commandingly $12,000 to you, my friend.
30:28I'm feeling great.
30:29Pockets are a little bit fatter.
30:31A little bit fatter, but, you know, not fat enough.
30:34Yes!
30:35Welcome to the all-in hand.
30:38Since NeNe has a small stack, you're going to go all-in.
30:41With $2,500, just like that.
30:44$25,25 makes a cool $5,000.
30:48All right.
30:48The communal card for the last cook is...
30:55Cali Fresh.
30:56West Coast style, fresh produce.
30:59The complete opposite of how I cook.
31:01Yes!
31:02And exactly how NeNe cooks.
31:04Yeah.
31:04And for our Cali Fresh dish, we have to use tater tots.
31:10Now the ball's back in my court, boy.
31:12So you're comfortable with tater tots?
31:14Oh.
31:14Yes, I am comfortable with a tater tots.
31:16Let's see how comfortable you are after we deal this last hand.
31:19Since it's the last cook, I got to just step things up to the max.
31:23Over the past couple of years, I've been taking the best of the best,
31:26and honestly, the worst of the worst cards, and sort of just compiling them up.
31:30I like to call it the diamond deck.
31:32I'm gonna go ahead.
31:33I'm gonna deal out these cards.
31:35Use a full bag of marshmallows.
31:38Whose sick mind thinks of these weird cards?
31:42Because I hate them.
31:45Break down and use a whole chicken?
31:47Not what I wanted to see.
31:48Breaking down a chicken, not a problem.
31:49Using it is the problem.
31:51Just to keep things interesting, chefs,
31:53I'm gonna give you an option that I didn't give you in the first two hands.
31:56I'm gonna give you a choice.
31:57Do you want to keep the diamond card that you have,
32:00or I can deal another card, but you have to play it.
32:06So, Dale, the option is yours, man.
32:08Do you want to keep your card,
32:10or do you want to swap it for a new diamond deck card?
32:14I'd rather be comfortable with the devil that I know
32:16than the devil I don't know.
32:18I'm gonna keep my card.
32:19You're keeping the card?
32:20I'm gonna keep my card.
32:21Oh, wow. Feeling good?
32:22Yeah.
32:22Nini, what do you think?
32:24I definitely don't want to use a full bag of marshmallows.
32:27I will switch mine.
32:29Switching!
32:30The devil you know might be better than the one you don't know.
32:33I know, I know, but it's...
32:34Use a full bag of marshmallows.
32:37No way!
32:39That's tough. All right.
32:40Yeah.
32:42Oh, God.
32:43Now, Nini, I'm so curious.
32:45What's that card that you have right now?
32:48No bottled sauces.
32:50Ooh, wow.
32:51I'm thinking about soy, fish sauce.
32:54Fish sauce.
32:55I know.
32:55I know.
32:56Koshu.
32:57Yeah.
32:57Do you think that's trickier than a bag of marshmallows?
33:00No.
33:00No. Okay.
33:02Deal.
33:03Break down and use a whole bag.
33:05Okay.
33:06That is a time suck and a protein requirement.
33:08Yeah.
33:09Nini, if you win, you can be made whole and leave with $5,000.
33:12But Chef Nini, if you lose three victories and $14,500.
33:18We can't have that.
33:20You're the only hope.
33:21I know.
33:22I will do all in my power to help you, Chef Nini.
33:25I love that this has become us against Dale.
33:28Well, you know, they hate us because they ain't us.
33:32Cali freshes the dish.
33:33Tater tots as the ingredient.
33:35$5,000.
33:36Please, Jet, you have the honors.
33:38On your marks, Nini, go.
33:40Go, go, Nini, not you.
33:44Oh, man.
33:45Jet, I don't feel like you'll ever see tater tots on a Cali fresh menu.
33:48What do you do?
33:48Very difficult, right?
33:50Because Cali fresh is not a deep fried hunk of potato.
33:54Right, right.
33:55Oh, must be nice with all those bottles.
33:57Oh, my God.
33:57I love, oh, my God.
33:58All these chilies and all this beautiful stuff.
34:00Yeah, this is gonna suck.
34:02I want to make smashed tater tot salad.
34:05I want to make sure that my tater tots are going to be a focal point of my dish.
34:12Looks like Dale's breaking down that chicken.
34:14You wanna go check it out?
34:14Let's go.
34:14Let's do it.
34:16I heard a great chef can break down a chicken in a matter of a minute.
34:19In one minute.
34:20One minute.
34:21It's a chip in.
34:22What are you thinking about using that chicken for?
34:23Thighs, legs, wings go right into the fryer.
34:26Gonna use some of the bones to make a quick broth.
34:28Okay.
34:29And then I'm gonna roast the breast.
34:31We said the whole chicken, chef.
34:33You can't throw that away.
34:34No, no, no, man.
34:34That's not getting thrown away.
34:35No, all right.
34:36That's gonna go right into a broth.
34:37Hey, what's the overall dish called?
34:39Yeah, what are you doing?
34:39What's the dish plan?
34:40It's going to be a...
34:41You don't know.
34:42Fresh and clean.
34:44Here come the words.
34:46Fresh and clean.
34:47Adjective, adjective.
34:48Cali all day.
34:49West Side Connect salad.
34:51Who are you, bro?
34:52I think a clean sweep is important because I wanna make sure that NeNe and Jet and Eric,
34:58they see me in another competition.
34:59They're like, Dale's a bad man.
35:01They do can cook.
35:02I see a lot of freshness, but I'm not hearing much of a cohesive dish, man.
35:05You got me worried.
35:06What are we doing?
35:07I'm almost making a ceviche of summer fruits and vegetables.
35:10Okay.
35:10A fruit salad?
35:11Kind of, but it's in a savory world.
35:13I think with Dale, you just have a bunch of concepts.
35:16Fruit ceviche.
35:17I've never heard that in my life.
35:20Innovation oftentimes gets mocked.
35:22That's true.
35:2315 minutes left.
35:24NeNe.
35:25What are you thinking about doing?
35:26I'm making a salad with some tater tots.
35:29Okay.
35:30I don't have fish sauce, but I'm using anchovies to get some nice umami flavor.
35:34That's a great workaround.
35:35But I'm going more like Caesar salad vibes.
35:39Smart.
35:39Very smart.
35:40Jet's out now, so I only have to beat Dale.
35:43We're one on one, and I think I have a fighting chance.
35:47Deep fryer.
35:48I just wanna smash it and dry it out.
35:50I put my tater tots in the oven to bake them so that they're really crispy without being greasy.
35:54Tater tots, when, like, room temp, they, like, fall apart.
35:58That's true.
35:58Just FYI.
35:59That's true.
36:0012 minutes left, chefs.
36:01All in.
36:02Look at this broth I'm putting into my vinaigrette.
36:04This rich chicken stock I'm putting in my vinaigrette.
36:06This is not the round I wanna fail on.
36:08I am so close to making a clean sweep.
36:11I can taste it.
36:12Seven and a half.
36:13Seven and a half minutes, chefs.
36:14That needs a little more time.
36:15I need a win, cause I bought a house and I'm renovating it.
36:19Hopefully it'll be my forever home, but everything adds up and I need to get some money.
36:24I go to check my tater tots, but they're not crispy yet.
36:28Ah!
36:28We have, like, five minutes.
36:30I don't think this oven's gonna crisp this up as I want them to.
36:36I'm a little scared.
36:40Chef Nini, Chef Dale battling out in our Asian night market showdown.
36:43Really do or die for Chef Nini.
36:44If she wins, she's going back cold.
36:46If she loses, school sex for her.
36:49Ah!
36:50I don't think this oven's gonna crisp up my tater tots as much as I want them to.
36:55And so I'm gonna deep fry them.
36:57Four minutes, 30 seconds, chefs.
37:00Dale, what's going on with the tots?
37:01So they're getting fried and they're gonna be, like, croutons.
37:03Oh, okay.
37:04And the rest of the chicken?
37:05Skin here.
37:06I have the broth in my vinaigrette right here to marinate all my fruits and vegetables.
37:09So we're doing a chicken salad.
37:11Yes, sir.
37:12Okay.
37:12I think I just came up with a dish for Dale.
37:14You named it for him.
37:16Listen.
37:18You guys are killing me.
37:19Closing in on three minutes left in the cook.
37:22Nini, so you got the tots as a crunch.
37:25Is that smoked salmon?
37:26Yeah.
37:27We will toss it in a very, like, tangy dressing.
37:31I could win my money back.
37:33And I wanna leave unscathed, cause mama's got some bills to pay.
37:38We're gonna have some dill, some parsley, some mint.
37:40That's actually really yummy.
37:42Yeah.
37:42But I feel like it's missing something bottled.
37:44Nah.
37:45No.
37:46I don't.
37:46I don't need it.
37:47Get lost in the bottled sauce?
37:48Shut up, Dale!
37:50Two minutes left, chefs.
37:52On the bottom, avocado puree.
37:54And then next to that, chicken.
37:55And then dressed Napa cabbage.
37:56Then tater tots.
37:57And then finally, that beautiful ceviche.
37:59I don't know how you do it, Dale.
38:00You come with no plan, and it all comes together, bro.
38:02One minute left, chef.
38:03One minute left.
38:04I pull the tater tots out.
38:06I'm like, whew.
38:07This is what I wanted.
38:09I have also dressed my greens, adding in the pickles, carrots,
38:13the tomatoes, the herbs, and the salmon, topping it off with that perfectly cooked cake.
38:19Three, two, one.
38:21That's it, chef.
38:22That's it.
38:22Place down.
38:23Heads up.
38:24Very nice.
38:25Very Chinese chicken salad vibes.
38:27Very Cali.
38:28Oh, yeah?
38:29Very, very...
38:29That's kind of what I was going for.
38:32His head's already so big, I can't let him leave with a sweep.
38:38And for the very last time tonight, chef Esther Choi.
38:41Woo!
38:42Yay!
38:43Choi, Choi, Choi, Choi.
38:45Only two dishes?
38:47Yeah.
38:48$5,000 in the middle of that pot.
38:50Cali fresh as the dish.
38:51And tater tots as the ingredients.
38:53All right, I'm going to start with this one here.
38:55Beautifully presented.
38:57Really reminds me of being in California.
38:59And I love that I smell the freshness of all the herbs.
39:06Mmm.
39:07Yum.
39:08This one is dressed perfectly.
39:11Like, I love that whoever made this didn't dress the tater tots.
39:15It was kind of more, like, topped.
39:17The smokiness of the salmon pairs very well with everything.
39:20But I wish there was more, like, salad leaves.
39:23Because when I do eat a salad, I want it to be, like, pretty green.
39:27And this is very crouton heavy.
39:30But overall, very delicious, very Cali fresh.
39:33Definitely the chef who made this knows a good salad.
39:37Oh, my God.
39:38Maybe I have a chance of winning.
39:39Moving on to the last dish of the evening.
39:42Beautiful.
39:43It screams fresh and very California.
39:51Mmm. Yummy.
39:53Love the flavors here.
39:54So zingy.
39:55The fish sauce is my jam.
39:57I love fish sauce.
39:59Sucks to be you, Nini.
40:00You can't use bottled fish sauce.
40:02Chicken.
40:02Perfectly cooked.
40:04Love, love, love the rice noodles.
40:06It's like the crispy chicken skin on top.
40:09Wow.
40:09A lot of work put into this dish.
40:11But the tater tots are a little random in here.
40:15It just feels like an afterthought.
40:17Like, it was just placed in here because it was part of the assignment.
40:22But all in all, I really enjoyed it.
40:26Another hard one.
40:28Another hard one.
40:29What's your decision, chef?
40:30I don't like this at all.
40:32Yes, she likes this dish, but I think my use of tater tots is a little bit better.
40:37And I hope that that's enough for the win.
40:39100% this is a random dish, but hopefully it's a tasty random dish.
40:42And it's better than Nini's.
40:44What salad would I order and eat again and again?
40:51I think I'm gonna go with the chicken salad.
40:54Give me the loop!
40:55Oh, boy!
40:57Give me that dough, boy!
40:58Clean sweep!
41:00Everybody making fun of the fruit salad!
41:02I love the fruit salad!
41:04I love how much texture and work put into this salad!
41:09Oh, boy!
41:11First newcomer that came in and swept all three rounds, Dale.
41:15That's really elite territory right there.
41:17Is that your broom?
41:18Well, I need to get a broom and sweep some people up out of here.
41:20$14,500 goes to Chef Dale.
41:25Chef Nini, thank you so much for coming and cooking with us.
41:27That was a lot of fun.
41:29$500 to Chef Jet.
41:30Well, you walked out with something.
41:32And you did not?
41:33I did not.
41:34Oh!
41:35I hate that.
41:37Damn!
41:38I hate Dale.
41:39Dale's my number one enemy now.
41:41I'm going to pin a picture of Dale in my bedroom, and I'm gonna throw darts at him.
41:46I don't know about you, but I'm ready to head out.
41:48Chefs, you ready?
41:49Yeah.
41:49Let's get out of here.
41:50I was tired, man.
41:51Carrying all this money around.
41:53We're going to Casino.
41:54I'm walking out of here at $14,500.
41:56And more importantly, the clean sweep.
41:58Definitely worth it.
41:59A lot of cash, man.
42:00Well done.
42:00Thank you, sir.
42:02And that's it for me.
42:03Peace out, y'all.
42:04See you later, Eric.
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