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Flavortown Food Fight - Season 1 - Episode 09: Heat Day
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00:03Friends and neighbors, residents of Flavortown,
00:06it's a record-breaking heat day here in Flavortown,
00:09with temperatures hotter than a ghost pepper lollipop.
00:12They say some like it hot, but we Flavortonians,
00:16we like it even hotter.
00:18We aren't afraid to break a sweat,
00:20especially when the sweat is caused
00:21by the unmistakable kick of spicy food.
00:26Bring the heat.
00:27Whew, that is hot.
00:29We are not afraid of spice.
00:31No, it's spicy, it's cheesy.
00:33I'm sweating.
00:34So with the power invested in me,
00:36I hereby proclaim this heat day in Flavortown.
00:48It's about to get hot in here.
00:50We've got two new chefs who can't wait to compete.
00:53Chef Franklin Becker.
00:55Guy, I'm coming.
00:56I think I'm most known for fine dining,
00:59but as a bit of a veteran, I've kind of done it all.
01:0242 years of cooking, I've done a lot.
01:04I feel a sense of obligation in order to provide for my family.
01:08I have this continuous drive to be the best.
01:13I don't want to settle for second.
01:15It's amazing.
01:16And here she comes, Chef Alison Fasano.
01:19Italian, I feel like I'm at home.
01:20Perfect.
01:21I'm 35 years old, but really, I'm like 72.
01:25I pretty much cook like a Nona.
01:27It's rustic.
01:28I'm not trying to be fancy.
01:29I'm not trying to be somebody that I'm not.
01:31Yes, I've worked in fine dining, fancy restaurants.
01:34I have worked for some celebrity chefs, including Bobby Flay.
01:38Bobby does know me by name.
01:40Not to brag.
01:40Welcome to Flavortown.
01:42How are you doing?
01:44I see Alison.
01:45I see Franklin Becker.
01:47Wait a second.
01:47Do you two know each other?
01:48We do.
01:49You do know each other?
01:50I worked for Franklin.
01:52How long ago was this?
01:53Many, many years ago.
01:54How was this guy as a boss?
01:56Well, I'm going to maybe retell him his own jokes today.
01:59It's been a little minute since I worked with Franklin.
02:02I've gained so much experience.
02:04I don't think he'll see me coming.
02:06Is it time to teach him a lesson?
02:08Yeah.
02:08Is the student going to beat the teacher?
02:10We'll have to see.
02:12Chefs, I got to tell you, your off-the-hook restaurant cred
02:15has earned you the coveted invite to participate in our food fight.
02:19But to win today, not only are you going to have to outcook each other,
02:22even though you know each other, you also have to defeat our champion.
02:25The guy that's on fire, our reigning champ,
02:28give it up for Chef Gustavo Romero.
02:33I recognize Gustavo, a very talented chef.
02:36Good luck.
02:37I'm known for Mexican food.
02:38Me and my wife, we've been grinding for years,
02:41and finally we got our dream to have our own restaurant.
02:45But people, they always assume they only cook Mexican food,
02:48but I'm coming back to flavor time to prove that I'm able to cook anywhere.
02:52I know Chef Gustavo.
02:53Shot diners, driving, and dives at his restaurant in Minneapolis.
02:57That's amazing.
02:57This guy rocked the house.
02:59How much money did you win?
03:0014.
03:0114,000 bucks.
03:02To get more money, you're going to have to beat two new opponents
03:05and visit two new restaurants that you haven't cooked in yet.
03:08So let's explain the lowdown on the showdown here in Triple F.
03:13Two rounds in this food fight.
03:14The last chef standing will earn a paycheck up to 20,000 bucks
03:18and have an opportunity to return and hopefully win more money.
03:23But there's also my special decree that must be followed today.
03:27This is Flavortown's first record heat day.
03:32In both rounds, you must use spicy ingredients to make dishes that really bring the heat.
03:38Yeah.
03:39A little head bob there?
03:40Yeah, I like it hot.
03:41Let's do it.
03:42Okay, we have heat day and there's a Mexican chef,
03:46especially a James Beard-nominated one.
03:49That's going to be pretty tough to top.
03:51Our new lineup of eateries feature, our sandwich carts,
03:55where the pantries have all the spiciest cheeses, spreads, and condiments
03:59you need to make a hot sandwich.
04:01Then we've got Guido's Pizzeria, named after me.
04:04My nickname's Guido.
04:05The neighborhood pizza place with a nicely equipped kitchen.
04:08Then there's my favorite, a dumpling house,
04:11whose short order kitchen is perfect for preparing flavor-packed pockets
04:15of wrapped goodness from around the world.
04:18And finally, Sonoma Prime Steakhouse, our high-end steakhouse,
04:21that is always ready for prime time with your choicest cuts of beef
04:24and an elegant dining area.
04:27If I can get a fine dining restaurant, I am home free.
04:32Okay, the question is, who gets to choose the first restaurant?
04:37We're going to decide with a little temperature check.
04:40Oh, boy.
04:44In the table in front of you, each one of you has a pile of five chilies.
04:48You're going to have 30 seconds to organize those chilies left to right
04:54in order of hot to hottest.
04:56We all know the Scoville scale, right?
04:58Yep.
04:58The first chef to finish with the most correct answers in order
05:02is going to win control of Flavortown and pick the first kitchen.
05:06Great.
05:07At least we don't have to eat them.
05:08You can buy them if you want.
05:09I mean, that's how I would test them.
05:11Or rub one in your eye.
05:12As soon as you're done, you ring your bell.
05:15Okay?
05:15Yep.
05:1630 seconds.
05:17Starts now.
05:19Oh, boy.
05:21I've been a chef for 40 years.
05:23I know one of the chilies on the board,
05:25but I don't necessarily know the others.
05:28People think about me as a Mexican chef,
05:30but I actually have a lot of experience on Italian food.
05:32I would have really liked to be in the pizzeria,
05:34but I know a lot about Mexican chilies.
05:36I don't know a lot about the chilies.
05:38I want the pizzeria, but I won't lie to you.
05:41I have no idea.
05:42I just put peppers how I thought they looked pretty.
05:46Five, four, three, two, one.
05:51Okay.
05:52So the correct order was apple pepper,
05:54habanero pepper, ghost pepper, scorpion pepper,
05:58and finally, the Carolina Reaper.
06:00Chef Gustavo, apple is correct,
06:02ghost pepper is correct,
06:04and Carolina Reaper is correct.
06:06That's three.
06:08Chef Allison, nada.
06:11Chef Franklin, apple is correct, and that's it.
06:15Hey, champ, you're back to controlling Flavortown again.
06:19The question is,
06:20which joint are you most likely to beat the competition in
06:23in a spicy dish contest?
06:25Let's review your choices.
06:26Now, first, we have the sandwich food carts,
06:28the fantastic neighborhood pizzeria.
06:30Then there's rolling out dumplings,
06:32and, of course, our fine dining steakhouse.
06:36Chef Gustavo?
06:39I want Guido's.
06:40You want to go to Guido's?
06:42Right?
06:43My mentor is Italian.
06:44So you studied in Italy?
06:46Yeah.
06:46And I worked in the southern part of Italy.
06:49And?
06:50I went to culinary school in Italy.
06:52Huh.
06:53Oh, my God.
06:54You know, I almost wish I would choose the carts.
06:56I shouldn't go back to the carts.
06:58I'm kind of regretting the choice.
07:00Chefs, over to Guido's Pizza.
07:04Well, chefs, we are living extra large
07:07here at Guido's Pizzeria.
07:09Here's our head waiter, Hunter,
07:10to tell us about what's on the menu.
07:12For today's ditch, we have an Italian classic,
07:15a meatless supreme pizza.
07:18We have an overabundance of vegetables,
07:20but the meat we're out of stock on right now.
07:22They're not a lot of supreme pizzas.
07:24Right.
07:24You get, like, the guisa.
07:25You get pepperoni.
07:27You get some sausage.
07:27You get some sausage.
07:28But this, you get nothing.
07:31There's no meat to be used.
07:33How do I make it supreme?
07:35What do they get?
07:35This meatless supreme pizza will be featuring
07:39canned sweet potato.
07:41What Italian restaurant, pizzeria,
07:44has canned sweet potato?
07:45Did you get a deal on this?
07:46That's correct.
07:47They're not good.
07:48They're overcooked, sweet, almost mushy.
07:52It's definitely not a good ingredient for a pizza.
07:55I'm sorry.
07:56It is heat day in Flavortown,
07:58so give the judges some serious heat.
08:01Five-star gets $5,000 towards their paycheck
08:03and control of Flavortown for the next kitchen cook.
08:06Four-star makes $4,000 going to the paycheck,
08:09and three-star, unfortunately, your shift will be over.
08:1235 minutes to make your meatless supreme pizza.
08:16Any questions?
08:16Featuring canned sweet potato.
08:18Canned sweet potato.
08:19Chefs, your shift starts now.
08:23Since it's meatless,
08:24there's a whole side of the refrigerator
08:26that's stocked with all the ingredients I can't use.
08:29So, you know, I have to immediately shift my vision
08:33and put myself into vegetarian land.
08:36I'm very, very comfortable in Italian.
08:39I've won two stars in the New York Times doing Italian food,
08:42and I've got to bring heat in every single bite.
08:44Calabrian chili.
08:45I'm here to take down the champ,
08:47and that's what I intend to do.
08:48That sounds cocky and arrogant.
08:51Can I take that back and not use that, please?
08:55Being Italian, I've made pizza a lot.
08:57You can make it as hot as you want it.
08:59Is there salt and peppers on the station?
09:00But I know Franklin very well,
09:04so I know what's under his belt.
09:06And then we also have Gustavo, who just won.
09:10And they've been cooking both of them a lot longer than I.
09:14And I feel like I am the underdog,
09:17but I'm a fighter.
09:18Oh, my God.
09:20I want to see the heat level that we're working with.
09:23I feel great about spicy food.
09:24I can't sweet potatoes.
09:25But I have to use these sweet potatoes.
09:27I don't know how I'm going to use them.
09:29I don't know how I'm going to balance it.
09:31But I want to have some textures.
09:35Camp, the camp sweet potato.
09:36Trying to do a little bit of roasted.
09:38I'm kind of winging it a little.
09:40These sweet potatoes, as I touch them,
09:43they're just kind of mushy.
09:44And when I taste them, they have this sweetness.
09:47So I'm going to coat them with a little bit of chili crisps.
09:49We got good spice on this?
09:50I think so.
09:51Give them a quick roast,
09:52and hopefully they get a better texture.
09:54All right, 30 minutes.
09:56Chef Allison, what's on this pizza we got?
09:58For my pizza, I'm making a puttanesca.
10:01We love puttanesca.
10:03It's a pasta.
10:03What makes a puttanesca on a pizza?
10:05Puttanesca is naturally very spicy.
10:06I'm definitely going to kick it up a little bit.
10:08Fantastic.
10:09I don't know if this is going to be spicy enough.
10:12I went to Connery's school in Calabria.
10:15That's where I first discovered these Calabrian peppers.
10:17I think they're the perfect balance between sweet and heat.
10:21Olives.
10:22Anchovies.
10:23These ingredients right now are really from my own heart.
10:27I mean, like, anchovies.
10:28If I'm having a bad day and I eat an anchovy,
10:31my day's better.
10:37Meatless means no meat, so no flesh at all.
10:40Have Hunter just pop in.
10:41Copy that.
10:43Chef Allison, we'll remind you that today is a meatless supreme.
10:48Anchovies are not meatless.
10:50All right.
10:51Thank you, Chef.
10:52I need to pivot and restart my sauce.
10:55I feel a little thrown off when I have to take my anchovies out.
10:59I'm very cool and calm,
11:01and you don't really know what's actually going inside my brain.
11:04Sometimes I'm screaming and freaking out.
11:06My father has inspired a lot of my career.
11:09He was actually a first responder down at Ground Zero after 9-11.
11:13One thing in particular I remember he said was,
11:16I was just doing my job, and he worked so hard.
11:19He encouraged me to start saying yes to opportunities,
11:22and he always told me that someday I would be on the food network,
11:25and he was always right.
11:26You've got 25 minutes left, guys.
11:28Per 25 minutes.
11:30Jeez.
11:31Most of my career has been spent working at Italian restaurants.
11:35Would be bad if I didn't do very well today.
11:39I think the most spicy knowledge has got to go to you, Gustavo.
11:42What do you think?
11:42I think people think that we have, we eat everything hot.
11:45We really don't.
11:47All of the two chefs are right next to me.
11:49They're experts in Italian food.
11:52And if I'm going to beat them, I want to beat them in their best game.
11:55So I'm making individual supreme vegetables, pizzas,
11:59and I know that I have to look for as many vegetables as I can
12:03to try to make this supreme.
12:05My idea is to add the spice to all the items,
12:08so in the end, you kind of have layers of spice.
12:11Kind of trying to make it colorful and vibrant.
12:15My paycheck last time was $14,000.
12:18I want to at least double that.
12:19Money is always important.
12:20Owning a restaurant is challenging.
12:22If I went, I would love to take a vacation
12:25with my wife and my kid.
12:26He just turned five years old.
12:28He's the reason that I'm here.
12:29I want him to see me, follow my dreams.
12:33I check the sweet potatoes.
12:35Well, you know, I really wanted something different out of this.
12:39They just keep getting mushier and mushier.
12:41These sweet potatoes are not good at all.
12:43You have 19 minutes to cook.
12:46If these potatoes don't get the texture that I want
12:48and I can't put them in this pizza properly,
12:51I'm going to go home.
12:5419 minutes.
13:03Change plans.
13:05I didn't get the consistency that I wanted in the sweet potatoes.
13:07I think I'm going to incorporate a little bit into the sauce.
13:10The acidity on the sauce is going to help me balance the sweetness.
13:17That's it.
13:17But also, one of the pieces is supreme pizza.
13:20So I'm just going to throw them on the flat top
13:21and try to get some crispiness.
13:23I'm a champion of flavor town.
13:25And now that I'm here, I don't want to leave.
13:26I'm hoping they let me move in into one of those apartments.
13:30Judges.
13:30Hi.
13:31How are you?
13:31Thanks for having us.
13:33Claudette Cepeda and Dale Talday.
13:35What do you think, by the way?
13:36It's incredible.
13:37I want to eat here.
13:38I want to live in this town.
13:39We get a glimpse now of what's in your brain.
13:42Well, that's the scary part.
13:43Don't go down that alley.
13:45It's a hot day in flavor town, so we're looking for spicy food.
13:48They're over into Guido's Pizzeria.
13:50That was picked by Chef Gustavo, who is our returning champ, by the way.
13:53So in this first round, they have to make a meatless supreme pizza.
13:56And they have to use the canned sweet potato.
13:59I love a chef that can flex vegetables and be vegetable forward.
14:03Well, you don't miss it.
14:03My point.
14:04Yeah.
14:04It's the beauty of we're seeing chefs that are stepping out to what vegetarian and veganism
14:09was and really starting to expand the talent of these three chefs.
14:14I think you're going to find not just a plain veggie pizza.
14:20Chef Franklin, how are we looking?
14:21I'm making New York style pizza.
14:23I'm going to make the sweet potato into my sauce with a little bit of Calabrian chili
14:27with capers, black garlic.
14:30Fantastic.
14:30Since it's meatless, I've got to mimic umami as best as I can.
14:35And that's why I went with black garlic.
14:37Black garlic is fermented garlic.
14:39Kind of almost tastes like candied soy sauce.
14:41I make a lot of pizzas.
14:43I used to own a pizzeria.
14:45Love making pizzas with my children, too.
14:47I think my family is my biggest cheerleader.
14:49And my son was diagnosed with autism when he was 21 months.
14:52He wants to express himself fully, but he can't always do so.
14:57So it's important for me as a parent to be the voice.
15:00He's my light.
15:01He's my driving force.
15:02And I will continue to raise awareness in his honor.
15:07Definitely not hot enough.
15:09This is heat day.
15:10And Calabrian chilies definitely are punchy.
15:12I want to have balance.
15:145,000 bucks is 5,000 bucks.
15:16But control of the game is super important because you get to pick where you're going.
15:20Hi, Allison.
15:21How are you over there in the corner?
15:22They put baby in the corner today.
15:24They put baby in the corner.
15:25No.
15:25Hey, no one puts baby in the corner.
15:27No, she used to work for me.
15:28Yes, that is true.
15:29I get to mentor so many different people and to see them come and be on stage with me in
15:35Flavortown.
15:35I'm really, really proud of Allison.
15:38I feel like I could have to compete a little harder today.
15:40It's been a little minute since I work with Franklin, but I feel like he still moves the
15:45same.
15:45I hope I could pull out a one.
15:47How are you incorporating the sweet potato?
15:49I'm actually going to add the sweet potatoes with some ricotta.
15:54Especially if we're doing something spicy, it could handle a nice cooled component.
15:58Oh, very smart.
15:59And then I added some chilies to it.
16:02So it kind of balanced it out.
16:03So it's not overwhelmingly sweet.
16:09She's spicy.
16:10I'm sweating.
16:11All right, chefs.
16:11We'll let you keep cooking, and I can't wait to try your food.
16:14And guys, remember, bring the heat.
16:16We got the heat.
16:1715 minutes, 15 to go.
16:19Well, the stew's sticking.
16:22I would like to see some of these doughs started now.
16:25I think I am a little concerned.
16:29Okay, dough.
16:31I want to give him an individual pizza.
16:34Let's see if I remember how to do this, chef.
16:36I haven't made pizza in a long time.
16:38By studying in Italy, it changed my life dramatically.
16:41Growing up very humbly in Mexico, Italian food was like the first lens that I have into
16:46the world cuisine.
16:47Look at my pizza.
16:48It looks like I've never done pizza before.
16:52So I'm just trying to make sure that I have the most surface area.
16:55I decided to go rectangular with my pizza.
16:58And because I decided to be chunky, I know that I've got to get into the oven as soon as
17:02possible.
17:03And I top it with some spicy sweet potato sauce.
17:07I roasted some mushrooms, some Manesco cauliflower, along with some fennel, more Calabrian chilies
17:13in both of those.
17:15Franklin's going into the oven right now.
17:17He's the first one in the oven with a pie.
17:20Ten minutes, ten to go!
17:22Heard, ten minutes.
17:25I layer my spicy puttanesca sauce on the bottom, mozzarella, and a little dollop of the sweet
17:32potato delicious cream sauce.
17:35It's spicy, it's cheesy, it's supreme.
17:41Oh, there goes Allison's pizza.
17:46Eight minutes!
17:48Oh, crap, I need to get these things out.
17:50Smothered with spicy sweet potato sauce.
17:53My veggies look great.
17:55I'm going to add some of the roasted sweet potato.
17:57They seem crispy, they seem cooked.
18:01Nice supreme pizza.
18:03Oh, so Gustavo's going in.
18:05Oh, he's giving you little individual pies.
18:07Yeah.
18:10You're doing good?
18:10Well, I'll put it in the oven.
18:12It's a little thick.
18:13It's definitely thick.
18:14I don't know if it's going to happen.
18:15It's a prayer right now for all of our pizzas.
18:18It really, really is.
18:27Three and a half minutes, three and a half!
18:29Now they're waiting.
18:30You have all your eggs in that one basket.
18:34This is pacing.
18:36She looks good.
18:38Booyah!
18:39Topped the pizza with some barbecue.
18:41It's a little spicy.
18:42Beautiful.
18:45Well, that looks sexy, chef.
18:48Not as sexy as I wanted to look.
18:50It doesn't have enough color on the surface.
18:52I got one more minute.
18:53I'll throw it in there a little.
18:55And so I decide to go under the broiler.
18:57Now they're making sure to make the top of that nice and brown and the cheese gooey.
19:03You want the caramelization.
19:06Chef Gustavo, how are we looking?
19:07I don't know.
19:09The bottom is cooked.
19:10It's starting to get crispy, but it's not going to be enough.
19:12I'm in big trouble right now.
19:13You have 90 seconds.
19:15So I'm going to try to put it in the salamander and try to get a little more crispy.
19:19It's a scary game to play, man.
19:21I know what they say.
19:22It's a scary game.
19:23It's heat day, and these judges are expecting spice.
19:26So I decide to add chili crunch.
19:28It's got chili oil, garlic, making sure that that heat is there.
19:3245 seconds.
19:34I pulled the pizza.
19:35They seem crispy.
19:37I hope I put enough spice in there for them.
19:40Come on, chef.
19:40You have 15 seconds.
19:469, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
19:54We're done.
19:55Wow.
19:5835 goes fast.
20:00No, but they look good.
20:03Chef Allison, you're up first.
20:05Hello.
20:06How are you doing?
20:07How are you?
20:07Good.
20:08Lucky for me, I come from the pizza capital of the world, which is Brooklyn.
20:12So my favorite Italian sauce is actually a puttanesca.
20:16Of course, I made it spicy.
20:17There's Calabrian chilis in there.
20:19For the canned sweet potatoes, I mixed it with some ricotta and burrata.
20:23I added the Calabrian chilis, some fresh radicchio over the top.
20:34Sorry, it's spicy.
20:36I like it spicy.
20:37Okay, chef.
20:39The heat is there 100%.
20:41The undercarriage is looking right.
20:43Nice and crispy.
20:44I think the smartest thing you did here is take those canned sweet potatoes and mix it
20:47with the burrata and the ricotta to make this almost like really decadent topping to this.
20:52All my tongue is on fire.
20:54In the good way, the puttanesca is there.
20:57Would I order this?
20:58100%.
20:59Thank you, chef.
20:59Yeah.
21:00But I don't know if it's supreme.
21:03Now, when I think supreme, I think a little bit more.
21:06It doesn't evoke that supreme-ness.
21:09I appreciate that.
21:10Thank you so much.
21:11Next time, I'll go a little extra supreme.
21:13Thank you very much.
21:15All right, chef Gustavo, you ready to rock and roll?
21:17Let's go.
21:18You've done this before, chef.
21:21Hello, chefs.
21:22Hello.
21:23How are you?
21:24Thank you, chef.
21:24So, what I made today for you is a supreme pizza.
21:28Vegetarian.
21:29I used the sweet potato and the sauce, the broccoli, cauliflower, onions, peppers, and mushrooms.
21:37For the spice, I used some chili crisps to season all the vegetables.
21:48This tastes like a supreme pizza.
21:51Now, the dough, I think that's where we're running into issues.
21:54It's half-baked a little.
21:56Okay.
21:56I think the sweet potato addition, then it's beautiful.
21:59The sweet potato was very, very prominent, so I didn't get as much heat.
22:03Okay.
22:04But overall, really good pizza.
22:06Yeah, real flavor-forward.
22:08Thank you so much.
22:09Cheers.
22:10Chef, you are last up, Franklin.
22:11Go get him.
22:13Hey, chef.
22:14Chef.
22:15Buongiorno.
22:16I actually worked in southern Italy when I was younger, so I used the sweet potato as
22:21a sauce and then roasted various vegetables.
22:24I brought heat in Calabrian chilies, a little bit of fresh chili.
22:31It's a fantastic cookery on the crust.
22:34I mean, your pie's got integrity, which is great.
22:37No flop.
22:37Yeah.
22:38No flop.
22:38Good.
22:39The heat's there.
22:40The utilization of the different chili components has tasted throughout the whole thing.
22:44Great.
22:44I think a little bit of acidity to kind of mimic the tomato.
22:47Sure.
22:47And it would have probably brightened up some of the vegetables that you did, but you cooked
22:51your dough the best out of the three.
22:54Yeah.
22:54Thank you very much.
22:57I didn't get sweet potato on all of you.
22:59Yeah.
23:00Sometimes it's good to hide.
23:02All right.
23:02I got to go talk with the judges.
23:03Hang tight.
23:06Okay.
23:07Let's just talk about Allison.
23:08The flavor was delicious.
23:10She had heat and balance.
23:11Chef Gustavo.
23:12We got that.
23:13It was a supreme pie.
23:14The sweet potato was very, very prominent.
23:16And last but not least, Franklin.
23:18He brought the heat.
23:19The best of all three of the doughs, it was the best cooked dough.
23:22So I need the three-star dish.
23:24Yeah.
23:24I need the four-star dish.
23:26Yeah.
23:27And I need the five-star dish.
23:30Well, chefs, the judges all agree, delicious pizza, but there can only be one five-star
23:36dish.
23:37The five-star dish will not only win $5,000, it'll be banked to the future paycheck should
23:43you win the competition, but also gives you control of Flavortown in which kitchen you
23:47all cook in next.
23:48Next, the five-star dish goes to...
24:00Congratulations, Chef Allison.
24:02Oh, my God.
24:03Well done.
24:03Well done.
24:04Oh, my God.
24:06Wow.
24:06Congratulations.
24:08Why are you so shocked?
24:09I don't know.
24:10I mean, I'm with two extremely talented chefs, and pizza, I've made it a million times before,
24:16so it means a lot to me.
24:18It's near and dear.
24:19So, the chef will be ending their shift is going to be, unfortunately, Chef Gustavo.
24:31Champ, the spice, I think because you were so forward with your canned sweet potato, was
24:36dulled a little bit by that.
24:38Nonetheless, you were the champ, and hope we see you again soon.
24:42Thank you, Chef.
24:43Chef Gustavo.
24:44I'm not very happy with what I put out.
24:46I should have done better.
24:47I feel disappointed not to get more money and losing my championship.
24:57Congratulations.
24:58Five stars, $5,000 going towards your paycheck.
25:03Chef Franklin, your four-star dish got you $4,000.
25:06I know she worked with you, but...
25:08Student, teacher, let's see where it goes.
25:10She's got a one-up on me, but I have to win this round to cash my paycheck.
25:14I never take my eye off the prize.
25:18Chef Allison, you get to pick which restaurant you want to go to next.
25:21So we have the sandwich carts, where you can make super subs, grilled cheese, or open-faced sandwiches.
25:26Then there's rolling out dumplings, where it's anything spicy and fantastic you can put in dough.
25:32And finally, the Sonoma Prime, our high-end steakhouse, where every steak on the menu is a cut above the
25:39rest.
25:40Let me ask you this, Chef Franklin.
25:41If you had won, where would you pick?
25:44I would have asked her where she wants to go.
25:45And then you would go the other direction.
25:46Absolutely.
25:47Fantastic.
25:48That's what I thought was happening.
25:49Your girl's not doing dumplings.
25:51Like, I know who I am.
25:53Really consider doing the steakhouse, because I was a chef at a steakhouse.
25:57But I know what Franklin is capable of, and I know what his cooking style is.
26:02I want that full paycheck at the end of the shift.
26:05Where are you going to take down the teacher?
26:10Um.
26:17Where can you bring the heat?
26:21Franklin was going over here, so I know he could do steakhouse fine dining, and I know he also could
26:26do dumplings.
26:27But I do love some sandwiches.
26:30So, that's where we're going, into the sandwich cart.
26:34You're taking us to sandwich cart.
26:37I feel like it almost puts me and Franklin at an even playing field.
26:41Plus, you could make a sandwich very spicy.
26:45What do you think of sandwiches?
26:46You good?
26:46I'm ready.
26:47I have no choice but to win this round to show the student that the master's still got it.
26:52Let's roll.
26:55All right.
26:56Chef, welcome to our food cart corner.
26:59And today, they're all serving up their signature spicy sandwich.
27:03I think signature is we've done it before.
27:05We know it.
27:06We love it.
27:07And it comes with a great story.
27:09With these food carts, they provide you an opportunity to add some more money to your paycheck by using our
27:15three upsell items in your dish.
27:17We have fruit cereal.
27:19Then I'll give you an extra $2,000.
27:22It's a little too sweet, and sometimes it tastes a little too artificial.
27:26Cauliflower, an extra $3,000.
27:29I mean, cauliflower's a very strange thing to put into a sandwich.
27:33It needs to cook a little bit so that it's not chunky.
27:36And Carolina Reaper's for an extra $5,000.
27:40Carolina Reaper is this way next level.
27:43Are you fans of Carolina Reaper?
27:45It is so hot, it'll wake you right up.
27:47Big money on the table.
27:48A total of $10,000 bonus could be making it to your paycheck.
27:52But remember, you got to win to collect the paycheck.
27:5630 minutes.
27:57Any questions?
27:58Great.
27:58Then start now.
27:59Go!
28:00Let's start the circus.
28:02Oh, jeez.
28:03Working in a food cart definitely has its challenges.
28:08It's very tiny.
28:10All right, let's see what we have in here.
28:11But I'm just so proud of myself.
28:14I never thought I would make it here.
28:17I think that pretty much sums up my career.
28:19I always think I can't do something, and then I can.
28:22If I win today, that's going to be a whole other story.
28:26I just don't want to overthink it.
28:27I'm doing a steak sandwich.
28:29That's my signature.
28:30Because I've worked in a lot of steakhouses in my life,
28:34the more I can incorporate these upsells,
28:37add it to the four that I earned,
28:38and then I get another five for winning this round,
28:41that's $19,000.
28:43It's mine.
28:44My student beat me on the first round.
28:46I got to make sure I beat my student on the second round.
28:49I'm going to kick some ass and bring some flavor.
28:52I think it's a very interesting dynamic of, like,
28:54cooking against your former boss.
28:56How hot is that furnace under your butt?
28:59Yeah, I'm going to show you.
29:00Remember when you made me work, like, you know,
29:0214 days in a row?
29:05Take that.
29:05Take that.
29:06I just won 20 grand.
29:08Adding all the bacon.
29:09Why not?
29:10I'm going to make the sky high.
29:12Well, Chef Allison, Flavortown Sandwich Carts,
29:15you must either have a really dynamite plan
29:17or think that he doesn't.
29:19Well, this one time I was on this other show
29:22and I won it on the sandwich round.
29:25I actually made a sky high breakfast sandwich.
29:27Made, like, a French toast for my bread.
29:29Chef Allison.
29:32It really signifies winning.
29:35Since then, it really has been a signature for me.
29:37Okay, what's on the menu?
29:38I'm making a Montecrisco-inspired sandwich,
29:41which I do love making.
29:44It's sweet, it's savory.
29:46A spicy Montecristo.
29:47I'm adding a little bit of cayenne
29:49into my egg mixture over here.
29:52So the bread's spicy,
29:53but I'm also going to make a spicy aioli.
29:56No Carolina Reaper, though?
29:58No, definitely not.
29:59I think that's too spicy.
30:01Okay, well, good luck to you, Chef.
30:02Thanks, Chef.
30:03Carolina Reapers are just spicy as hell,
30:06and you're not going to be able to taste
30:07anything else in the food.
30:09Yes, I do like a lot of food really spicy,
30:11so I feel like qualified.
30:13But we always think we're qualified
30:15or not qualified or not good enough.
30:17I am the underdog,
30:19but we tend to put our heads down
30:20and work even harder.
30:21Especially being a female chef
30:23in this industry that is very male-driven,
30:26you have to work even harder
30:27to earn the title.
30:29So if I could get that money,
30:31I need to go on a me vacation.
30:34I deserve it.
30:35I think I might need to sit in some sand
30:37and drink some tequila.
30:40I know I can nail one of the upsells perfectly
30:44to take down Franklin,
30:45but let me not use every single one
30:47of these ingredients.
30:49Fruit cereal, I thought it was too sweet.
30:52I don't really need this,
30:54but I think this cauliflower seems like an easy $3,000.
30:58I'm going to box grate some of this.
31:0022 minutes!
31:01Chef, what's on the menu?
31:02What are you thinking?
31:03I am doing a steak sandwich.
31:05I'm using a ribeye,
31:06and I've got it on the flat top already.
31:08All right.
31:09And I'm actually going to use all three ingredients.
31:13Really?
31:14Yeah.
31:14Where are you going to put this cereal at?
31:16I'm going to make a sauce.
31:19I'm going to use cauliflower two different ways.
31:21Sounds like a daunting menu.
31:23Yeah, you know what?
31:23We'll see how much gets on the plate.
31:25Okay.
31:26Way off the rails thinking.
31:28I want that $10,000 for Autism Speaks.
31:32Cauliflower's immediately in my head.
31:34I'm thinking jardinier.
31:35So normally you have vinegar and sugar to make a pickle.
31:39I'm going to use the fruit cereal as my sugar.
31:41This will be the pickled cauliflower element.
31:44I think I was raised to push myself.
31:47My mom had a stroke when I was seven,
31:49and when my mother was getting better,
31:51I was her hands in the kitchen.
31:53And then at 14, I stepped into my first restaurant kitchen.
31:56You never quit.
31:57And that's what I teach my children.
31:59I want to make sure that I get good caramelization on that steak.
32:0315 minutes, 15 to go.
32:05Oh, no, I get that one a little too crispy.
32:07Chef Allison, how we doing?
32:10Right now I'm doing a take on a Monte Crisco.
32:13How is it signature to you?
32:14I like to eat like a gavon sometimes.
32:17A gavon in Brooklyn, it's the person who overindulges.
32:22Yes.
32:23The reaper, are you staying away from it because you're worried about it?
32:26I think it's too spicy.
32:28You think it's too spicy?
32:29Depends on how you use it, right?
32:31Oh, there it is.
32:32There are other spicy elements for me to use.
32:36I'm going to make a little Calabrian chili aioli.
32:39Calabrian chilis, as we see from the first challenge,
32:41are kind of my signature.
32:43So this is where I could add majority of my spicy.
32:47I'm going to put the sandwiches together and griddle them.
32:50I definitely have the heat in the sandwich.
32:53Some nice big fat tomatoes.
32:56What's the upsell ingredient in there?
32:58The cauliflower.
32:59So it's raw cauliflower?
33:00It's raw cauliflower.
33:02I wanted some texture to it.
33:04I am a little worried about the sandwich getting a little too soggy.
33:07People love crispy sandwiches.
33:09I wish we had a weight.
33:12This.
33:15I improvised.
33:16How much time is left?
33:17We got eight minutes.
33:18Eight minutes left.
33:19Some bacon for my worries.
33:22Hey, chef.
33:23You ready for some heat?
33:24I'm going to bring you some reaper.
33:26I'm going for all three.
33:28No risk it, no biscuit.
33:30That's it, baby.
33:30I like it.
33:31Good luck, chef.
33:32Good luck, chef.
33:34I've got to bring heat in every single bite.
33:36So I'm going to create a cauliflower aioli.
33:39To make the sauce, I'm going to actually drop some cauliflower into the fryer to cook it really quick.
33:43And then I throw a whole bunch of fruity cereal.
33:46It's a crazy idea, but salty sweet is not a foreign idea.
33:50Getting a little chipotle chili to bring a little smoke.
33:53I think smoke and steak go really well together.
33:59I'm going to add the Carolina Reaper.
34:02They are, like, blow your top off your head hot.
34:08I do work with a decent amount of spice, and so I know how to bring the spice.
34:18Look at Franklin's face, because that has the reaper in it.
34:22You have to know how much to use in order to make sure that you don't blow their tops off.
34:28It needs a little bit more salt and a little bit more vinegar to really round itself out.
34:35All three upsells, $10,000 in this blender.
34:40I want to know how far Franklin's taken this.
34:45Yeah.
34:45Because that is a...
34:46I don't want to be offensive.
34:51That is hot.
34:57Five minutes.
34:58Five minutes left, chef.
34:59What is happening here?
35:01It is heat day.
35:02I saw clobber and chilies on Allison's food cart, and Carolina Reaper's on Franklin's side.
35:06So you see Franklin, that's going for it.
35:08He wants all the money.
35:09Yeah.
35:11Oh, my God.
35:13I have this beautiful steak that's cooked perfectly medium rare.
35:17There's a little bit of minster cheese, which is kind of neutral.
35:20I add some crushed up fruited cereal.
35:23Sugar kind of reacts to the salt, and it's just enough to catapult it.
35:26Pickled cauliflower to cut the richness of the steak.
35:29The Carolina Reaper cauliflower aioli.
35:32I'm going to flip this over, and I'm going to make sure it's everywhere.
35:35One to ten.
35:36Where's your heat level, chef?
35:37By the time I'm done, ten.
35:40Eh, eight.
35:41I don't want to kill anybody.
35:44Three minutes, chefs.
35:46I see the fruity cereal.
35:48I see some chips.
35:49I decide to make fruity potato chips.
35:53I want to win this.
35:54I'm on the National Board of Autism Speaks, and I'm wearing these Autism Speaks sneakers.
36:00I don't know if you could see them.
36:01I want to raise awareness and raise hope and keep on fighting the fight.
36:0690 seconds.
36:09Okay.
36:10I'll toast my sandwiches to their nice and golden.
36:13My cheese is melted.
36:14My sandwich is spicy.
36:15It would be incredible if the underdog won this whole show today.
36:21This side got a little toasted.
36:22It's okay.
36:23The sandwich, she's still delicious.
36:25Ten seconds, chefs.
36:31Five, four, three, two, one.
36:35We're done.
36:36Sandwich battle's over.
36:41All right, chef.
36:43Hit it.
36:43Gotcha.
36:47Hello.
36:48Hello.
36:49How are you doing?
36:49Good.
36:50How are you?
36:50I do love making a breakfast sandwich.
36:52It's a Monte Cristo.
36:54It's savory.
36:55It's sweet.
36:56Munster cheese, tomatoes, some crispy bacon, and a Calabrian chili aioli on the sandwich.
37:01And when I made the dredge, I added a little bit of cayenne to it.
37:04And the cauliflower, I just wanted to do raw.
37:07I think it adds such great texture.
37:12Amazing.
37:13Loved your uni take on a Monte Cristo.
37:16Loved the bacon in it.
37:17The bacon's well cooked.
37:18I like the amount of bacon put into it.
37:20I can appreciate also the evenness on the outside of the sandwich breads.
37:24This is like perfect browning.
37:26I'm a fan of it.
37:28I mean, I taste the Calabrian chilies, but I don't.
37:30I don't.
37:31It's not too much heat.
37:32I thought that the cauliflower was a little under seasoned.
37:34You know, I think there was a missed opportunity of something like pickled there.
37:37Like that would have been the opportunity to bring some heat.
37:41Thank you, chef.
37:44All right, chef Franklin, you're up.
37:49Fruit cereal on the sandwich.
37:51What, are we like table side service too with the...
37:54Yeah, you know what?
37:56What we have here is a steak sandwich, and I decided to use all the ingredients.
38:01So I made a cauliflower aioli with the reaper chili and the fruit cereal, pickled the cauliflower.
38:07So you pretty much got every upsell in there.
38:10Wow.
38:10Really swung for those fences.
38:17You're a gambling man.
38:19Right up my alley.
38:19He said he was a gambling man.
38:20Let's go to the casino.
38:21I want to go.
38:22I will say, this is one of the weirdest things I've ever eaten.
38:27But really, really good.
38:28You're using great steak.
38:30You have a nice toasted bun.
38:31But I keep going back to the potato chip with the fruit cereal dust on top.
38:35They're delicious.
38:36For better or worse, cannot tell that there's fruit cereal in the sandwich, which it could
38:41be a good thing.
38:42Could be.
38:43Hiding it's a good thing.
38:44I can see it, but I can't taste it.
38:45You have a deft hand with that chili.
38:46That could have gone off the rails real fast.
38:49So, I mean, I have gone off the rails with it.
38:51It's there.
38:52Your sandwich is seasoned perfectly.
38:53Yeah.
38:54Kudos on the cauliflower.
38:55It was pickled beautifully.
38:56It fell off.
38:57I ate it.
38:58Amazing.
38:58For me, the slice on a steak for a steak sandwich is really important.
39:04Especially when you have a really soft bun and you have a really big chunk of meat.
39:08Every time I took a bite, the chunk slid out.
39:10I saw that.
39:11I didn't know it should be chopped.
39:12I love something that every bite is the same and uniform, but beautiful.
39:16Appreciate it, man.
39:16Damn it.
39:17But I used every single item in the upsell.
39:21I'm hopeful that big chance that I took pays off.
39:25$19,000.
39:25It's a lot of money for Autism Speaks.
39:29How signature was the sandwich?
39:31Let's talk about Allison.
39:32I like the fact that someone is taking something that, hey, here's a Monte Cristo, and I'm going
39:37to flip it on your head for you.
39:38Right.
39:39I love that.
39:39So, there was these sweet heat notes to it, and you just wanted more of it.
39:43The raw cauliflower tastes like...
39:45Raw cauliflower.
39:46Let's talk about Chef Franklin.
39:48If you tell somebody that you meet on the street, that somebody would incorporate it into a steak
39:52sandwich, fruit cereal...
39:53They would question our sanity, for sure.
39:55He went for it.
39:56It's the slice on the steak is not right.
39:58Here's what I need, judges.
39:59Who is the new champ getting the five-star dish?
40:06Quite a hot day here in Flavortown.
40:08Chef, you used the cauliflower in your Monte Cristo, correct?
40:12Yes.
40:13You received $5,000 in the first round.
40:15If you win, you would receive $5,000 in the second round.
40:19That would give you an opportunity of $13,000.
40:22Chef, you were $4,000 in the first round.
40:24If you win, you would receive $5,000 in the second round.
40:27You used the fruit cereal, the cauliflower, and the Carolina Reaper in your steak sandwich.
40:33Yep.
40:34That would give you an opportunity at $19,000.
40:38One chef will be the new Flavortown Food Fight Champion.
40:41And the new Flavortown Food Fight Champ is...
40:53Congratulations, Chef Franklin.
40:54Yes!
40:55Well done.
41:00Chef Allison, you did a lot of things that were really smart and really on point.
41:03Nonetheless, this is not your night, but you know what?
41:06It's been an honor and a pleasure to have you.
41:08It's been such a huge honor for me to cook well with Franklin and meet all of you guys.
41:12And I don't think this is my last time in a competition.
41:16All right.
41:17Thank you very much, Chef Allison.
41:19Good night.
41:20My old boss beat me, but I love Franklin so much and he's so talented.
41:26Sometimes we all think we do great and then it's like, surprise, you didn't.
41:31So, Chef Franklin with $19,000, the new reigning champ of Flavortown.
41:36What are you going to do with the money?
41:38It's going to Autism Speaks.
41:39My eldest son is autistic.
41:42We've got to raise more awareness for autism in this world.
41:45We've got to do a lot more.
41:48Congratulations.
41:50Woo!
41:51You're now the champ.
41:53This has been a hot day, but you know what's going to be hotter?
41:55Is that target on your back.
41:57I know it.
41:57Now I get to defend my title next week.
42:00Cannot wait to come back to Flavortown.
42:02Adios.
42:03Woo!
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