1
00:00:07,485 --> 00:00:09,748
EVELYN: People think it's
very glamorous to be a chef,

2
00:00:09,792 --> 00:00:12,403
but it's not all pretty
all the time.

3
00:00:12,447 --> 00:00:15,189
ROBERT: I think for
a long time we, kind of,

4
00:00:15,232 --> 00:00:16,668
undervalued our cooks.

5
00:00:16,712 --> 00:00:18,670
We still have
a lot of work to do

6
00:00:18,714 --> 00:00:21,412
but I think we'll get there.

7
00:00:21,456 --> 00:00:23,327
SARAH: I'd like to
see the tides changing

8
00:00:23,371 --> 00:00:25,286
and I think that
they are in large part

9
00:00:25,329 --> 00:00:26,852
because of the younger
generation of chefs

10
00:00:26,896 --> 00:00:29,725
just putting their foot down.

11
00:00:29,768 --> 00:00:32,815
LEIA: I'm bringing my grit
and I'm bringing my drive.

12
00:00:32,858 --> 00:00:35,513
I feel like I'm unstoppable.

13
00:00:35,557 --> 00:00:37,820
NICK: I'm about to take over.

14
00:00:40,214 --> 00:00:41,867
[squealing]

15
00:00:41,911 --> 00:00:43,782
<i>Top Chef</i> is back.

16
00:00:43,826 --> 00:00:47,351
15 of the country's
most talented chefs

17
00:00:47,395 --> 00:00:49,266
have traveled to
Houston to compete

18
00:00:49,310 --> 00:00:51,181
in one of the most
diverse cities in the nation.

19
00:00:51,225 --> 00:00:52,704
Hot stuff!

20
00:00:52,748 --> 00:00:55,577
MONIQUE:
It's a hot kitchen in here!

21
00:00:55,620 --> 00:00:58,406
I worked in
Paris at the Ledoyen,

22
00:00:58,449 --> 00:01:00,103
which is a three
Michelin star restaurant.

23
00:01:00,147 --> 00:01:01,626
Come on, come
on, come on, come on.

24
00:01:01,670 --> 00:01:03,541
I was working at
a five star restaurant at 14.

25
00:01:03,585 --> 00:01:06,370
I ended up becoming
head chef at 19-years-old.

26
00:01:06,414 --> 00:01:09,199
I worked with Pierre
and chef Daniel Bouloud.

27
00:01:09,243 --> 00:01:12,202
They helped me
get my green card.

28
00:01:12,246 --> 00:01:15,162
STEPHANIE: These chefs
are the cream of the crop.

29
00:01:15,205 --> 00:01:17,729
May the best team win.

30
00:01:17,773 --> 00:01:19,209
- Good luck.
- Good luck to you.

31
00:01:19,253 --> 00:01:20,819
Each week, we'll be joined by

32
00:01:20,863 --> 00:01:22,734
a <i>Top Chef</i> all
star guest judge...

33
00:01:22,778 --> 00:01:24,606
Any time that
you tilt your bowl,

34
00:01:24,649 --> 00:01:26,695
you got a good dish.

35
00:01:26,738 --> 00:01:28,914
PADMA: Along with a local
or national culinary icon.

36
00:01:28,958 --> 00:01:31,134
The brisket was
the star of the plate.

37
00:01:31,178 --> 00:01:33,267
- I was like, "Whoa."
- We love <i>queso.</i>

38
00:01:33,310 --> 00:01:36,139
- I'm gonna aerate it.
- Aren't you fancy?

39
00:01:36,183 --> 00:01:38,141
- JAE: One minute!
- That clock is not your friend.

40
00:01:38,185 --> 00:01:39,273
Oh, my God!

41
00:01:39,316 --> 00:01:41,710
♪

42
00:01:41,753 --> 00:01:43,407
EVELYN:
Welcome to Houston!

43
00:01:43,451 --> 00:01:48,238
♪

44
00:01:48,282 --> 00:01:49,805
At stake for the winner,

45
00:01:49,848 --> 00:01:51,633
a feature in <i>Food</i> <i>
and Wine</i> magazine,

46
00:01:51,676 --> 00:01:54,592
an appearance at the Food
and Wine Classic in Aspen.

47
00:01:54,636 --> 00:01:58,770
$250,000
furnished by San Pellegrino

48
00:01:58,814 --> 00:02:02,165
and the coveted
title of Top Chef.

49
00:02:02,209 --> 00:02:07,823
♪

50
00:02:07,866 --> 00:02:10,826
[luxurious hip hop plays]

51
00:02:18,529 --> 00:02:19,791
Hello, chefs!

52
00:02:19,835 --> 00:02:21,228
STEPHANIE: Oh, my God...

53
00:02:21,271 --> 00:02:23,186
MONIQUE: This is crazy!

54
00:02:23,230 --> 00:02:26,755
Welcome to Houston
and to season 19 of Top Chef.

55
00:02:28,713 --> 00:02:32,326
Walking into the Top Chef
kitchen, I'm in a dream.

56
00:02:32,369 --> 00:02:36,852
I am having
an outer body experience.

57
00:02:39,463 --> 00:02:41,596
We've been everywhere,
from New York

58
00:02:41,639 --> 00:02:43,772
to Chicago, to L.A.,
to Portland...

59
00:02:43,815 --> 00:02:45,774
but we've never been to Houston

60
00:02:45,817 --> 00:02:48,994
and it's the fourth
largest city in the country.

61
00:02:49,038 --> 00:02:52,476
And Houston is also
home to Top Chef finalist

62
00:02:52,520 --> 00:02:55,349
and your guest judge,
Dawn Burrell.

63
00:02:55,392 --> 00:02:58,395
I am so excited for
you guys to be in my city.

64
00:02:58,439 --> 00:03:00,484
Houston is a true melting pot.

65
00:03:00,528 --> 00:03:02,530
Every culture
is represented here.

66
00:03:02,573 --> 00:03:04,358
The food is really delicious

67
00:03:04,401 --> 00:03:07,448
and it is the reason
why I love living here.

68
00:03:07,491 --> 00:03:11,234
Take a look around.
Standing amongst you

69
00:03:11,278 --> 00:03:14,542
is an incredible
collection of talented chefs

70
00:03:14,585 --> 00:03:17,675
all here to
compete for the grand prize

71
00:03:17,719 --> 00:03:22,898
of $250,000
furnished by San Pellegrino.

72
00:03:22,941 --> 00:03:26,945
And that title of Top Chef.

73
00:03:26,989 --> 00:03:30,558
[cheering]

74
00:03:30,601 --> 00:03:34,475
I hear Padma but what
I see is that knife block.

75
00:03:34,518 --> 00:03:37,869
My mind immediately goes to

76
00:03:37,913 --> 00:03:40,307
this is looking
like a team challenge.

77
00:03:40,350 --> 00:03:43,527
Being from Houston is
definitely an advantage

78
00:03:43,571 --> 00:03:45,703
in the competition
but team challenges,

79
00:03:45,747 --> 00:03:47,879
those are
the hardest ones on <i>Top Chef.</i>

80
00:03:47,923 --> 00:03:53,624
PADMA: The 15 of you represent
an incredible range of cuisines,

81
00:03:53,668 --> 00:03:57,715
from Asian to
French to Afro-lachian.

82
00:03:57,759 --> 00:04:00,675
That would be me.

83
00:04:00,718 --> 00:04:02,764
A lot of Southern
Appalachian cuisine

84
00:04:02,807 --> 00:04:04,809
has to do with
cooking out of sustenance.

85
00:04:04,853 --> 00:04:06,811
True living off the land.

86
00:04:06,855 --> 00:04:08,900
I think we have
some James Beard nominees

87
00:04:08,944 --> 00:04:10,337
in the kitchen, right?

88
00:04:10,380 --> 00:04:12,600
- Ashleigh, Sarah.
- Wow.

89
00:04:12,643 --> 00:04:14,558
Raise your hand
if you've ever worked

90
00:04:14,602 --> 00:04:16,560
in a Michelin starred kitchen.

91
00:04:16,604 --> 00:04:20,521
One, two, three, four,
five, six, seven, eight.

92
00:04:20,564 --> 00:04:22,827
DAWN: Wow. It's a big group.

93
00:04:22,871 --> 00:04:24,742
DAMARR: I've worked in
some really good restaurants

94
00:04:24,786 --> 00:04:27,049
but I haven't worked in
three Michelin star kitchens.

95
00:04:27,092 --> 00:04:29,312
I came on this competition

96
00:04:29,356 --> 00:04:31,749
to show that
my collard greens deserve to be

97
00:04:31,793 --> 00:04:34,404
in the same room
as someone else's cassoulet.

98
00:04:34,448 --> 00:04:36,450
There's somebody
here who's worked

99
00:04:36,493 --> 00:04:38,974
in the number one restaurant
in the world. Who is that?

100
00:04:39,017 --> 00:04:41,846
Yes, I worked at
restaurant Noma, Copenhagen

101
00:04:41,890 --> 00:04:44,109
for eight and a half years.

102
00:04:44,153 --> 00:04:46,068
Looks like we have some
competition in the kitchen.

103
00:04:46,111 --> 00:04:47,852
I hope you're ready

104
00:04:47,896 --> 00:04:50,942
because this first
challenge is a silent killer.

105
00:04:50,986 --> 00:04:55,643
♪

106
00:04:55,686 --> 00:04:58,559
Chefs, it's time to draw knives.

107
00:05:05,566 --> 00:05:07,350
This is a team challenge.

108
00:05:07,394 --> 00:05:12,442
Each team must have
a chef holding the number one,

109
00:05:12,486 --> 00:05:14,879
a number two and a number three.

110
00:05:14,923 --> 00:05:16,794
Now, find your teammates.

111
00:05:16,838 --> 00:05:18,448
- SAM: You got a one?
- ROBERT: Two anybody?

112
00:05:18,492 --> 00:05:20,494
- I've got a two.
- LUKE: Two? Three?

113
00:05:20,537 --> 00:05:21,930
- MONIQUE: Two?
- DAMARR: I got a three.

114
00:05:21,973 --> 00:05:23,018
I'm Sarah.

115
00:05:23,061 --> 00:05:24,498
- Jackson.
- Robert.

116
00:05:24,541 --> 00:05:26,369
Sarah, Jackson.

117
00:05:26,413 --> 00:05:27,762
I just was not
expecting a team challenge

118
00:05:27,805 --> 00:05:29,938
so quickly, which sucks.

119
00:05:29,981 --> 00:05:31,853
I had COVID a month ago.

120
00:05:31,896 --> 00:05:33,463
Everything was fine,

121
00:05:33,507 --> 00:05:35,509
but I lost
my sense of smell and taste.

122
00:05:35,552 --> 00:05:38,381
But for now, I don't
see a need to tell anyone.

123
00:05:38,425 --> 00:05:40,514
God, does that make me a dick?

124
00:05:41,819 --> 00:05:44,518
So, today's challenge
is just like a trust fall.

125
00:05:44,561 --> 00:05:46,389
Great.

126
00:05:46,433 --> 00:05:48,826
You'll have 30 minutes on
the clock to incorporate

127
00:05:48,870 --> 00:05:52,395
all of your cooking styles
into one cohesive dish.

128
00:05:52,439 --> 00:05:56,138
Each team member
will only have 10 minutes

129
00:05:56,181 --> 00:06:00,447
to contribute to the dish
before the next team member

130
00:06:00,490 --> 00:06:02,405
takes their place.

131
00:06:04,538 --> 00:06:07,541
And, here's where
the trust really comes in, guys.

132
00:06:07,584 --> 00:06:11,936
You will not be allowed
to speak to your teammates.

133
00:06:13,460 --> 00:06:14,852
Am I hearing this right?

134
00:06:14,896 --> 00:06:17,551
- I don't know these people.
- Wow.

135
00:06:17,594 --> 00:06:19,683
Make sure that each
of you add something to the dish

136
00:06:19,727 --> 00:06:21,729
that speaks to
who you are as a chef.

137
00:06:21,772 --> 00:06:23,905
And you're
definitely gonna want to win

138
00:06:23,948 --> 00:06:25,863
this first quickfire
because every chef

139
00:06:25,907 --> 00:06:28,518
on the winning
team gets immunity

140
00:06:28,562 --> 00:06:30,651
in the first
elimination challenge.

141
00:06:31,913 --> 00:06:33,828
When time starts,

142
00:06:33,871 --> 00:06:36,178
everyone with a one can
start cooking immediately.

143
00:06:36,221 --> 00:06:38,485
Everyone with
a two, over here.

144
00:06:38,528 --> 00:06:41,226
Everyone with a three,
you'll be over here.

145
00:06:41,270 --> 00:06:43,707
You'll have
30 minutes on the clock.

146
00:06:45,579 --> 00:06:49,060
Your time starts now!
Good luck!

147
00:06:52,107 --> 00:06:54,762
STEPHANIE: Go, go, go, go.

148
00:06:54,805 --> 00:06:56,459
Push him off, push him off.

149
00:06:56,503 --> 00:06:58,200
Please, get something!

150
00:06:58,243 --> 00:07:00,507
I'm a little bit scared

151
00:07:00,550 --> 00:07:03,945
because my style of cooking
is Korean and New Orleans.

152
00:07:03,988 --> 00:07:07,470
It has its own
character and it's very unique.

153
00:07:07,514 --> 00:07:12,083
But I have to rely
on other two partners.

154
00:07:12,127 --> 00:07:13,955
I don't want them to mess up.

155
00:07:13,998 --> 00:07:15,565
BUDDHA: She got it, she got it.

156
00:07:15,609 --> 00:07:18,089
LEIA: Sugar, sugar, sugar.

157
00:07:18,133 --> 00:07:19,961
You guys have any
idea what's going on?

158
00:07:20,004 --> 00:07:22,703
- I don't think--
- [speaking over each other]

159
00:07:22,746 --> 00:07:25,793
My intention is to
build this blank canvas

160
00:07:25,836 --> 00:07:29,492
so that my team
can build on that.

161
00:07:29,536 --> 00:07:31,233
What do you have
going on over there?

162
00:07:31,276 --> 00:07:33,104
How are you
spending these 10 minutes?

163
00:07:33,148 --> 00:07:35,716
Ha! I'm supposed to
know what I'm doing right now?

164
00:07:35,759 --> 00:07:37,674
I have proteins on.

165
00:07:37,718 --> 00:07:39,676
I cook very much on the fly

166
00:07:39,720 --> 00:07:41,939
and I'm also
a very collaborative chef.

167
00:07:41,983 --> 00:07:44,072
So I approached
the entire challenge like a big,

168
00:07:44,115 --> 00:07:45,900
"Choose Your Own Adventure"

169
00:07:45,943 --> 00:07:49,207
and I am the game master.
Did anybody find garlic?

170
00:07:49,251 --> 00:07:51,209
ASHLEIGH: It's to the right
of the watermelon, I think?

171
00:07:51,253 --> 00:07:52,863
SARAH: Cool!

172
00:07:52,907 --> 00:07:54,952
I choose two proteins:
scallops and pork.

173
00:07:54,996 --> 00:07:57,738
And I decide to
do a romesco sauce

174
00:07:57,781 --> 00:08:01,089
because it can be changed
into many different things.

175
00:08:01,132 --> 00:08:03,526
How do you feel about sharing
your black pepper with me?

176
00:08:03,570 --> 00:08:05,789
Uh, sure. I'll leave it
on my station, you can use it.

177
00:08:05,833 --> 00:08:07,530
I'm upset that I have number one

178
00:08:07,574 --> 00:08:09,053
because I have
nothing to do with

179
00:08:09,097 --> 00:08:10,881
what the final dish
really comes out to be.

180
00:08:10,925 --> 00:08:12,709
I'm trying to
get my guys set up,

181
00:08:12,753 --> 00:08:14,798
things that make sense.

182
00:08:14,842 --> 00:08:17,235
I'm really thinking that we can
sear a steak, make creamed corn.

183
00:08:17,279 --> 00:08:18,976
Really hoping that
the creamed corn makes it

184
00:08:19,020 --> 00:08:21,283
because that's
something I grew up eating.

185
00:08:23,851 --> 00:08:25,809
I want my team
to run to the pantry

186
00:08:25,853 --> 00:08:27,245
as little as possible,

187
00:08:27,289 --> 00:08:29,813
so I spend time
gathering everything

188
00:08:29,857 --> 00:08:31,728
that I think we will need.

189
00:08:31,772 --> 00:08:35,645
I think Leia is just
trying to get everyone set up.

190
00:08:35,689 --> 00:08:38,866
I know that Vietnamese
food has a big imprint

191
00:08:38,909 --> 00:08:40,607
here in Houston,
so I'm trying to give them

192
00:08:40,650 --> 00:08:41,869
a really specific direction.

193
00:08:41,912 --> 00:08:43,087
What is your dish?

194
00:08:43,131 --> 00:08:44,915
JO: Uh, I don't know right now.

195
00:08:44,959 --> 00:08:46,961
I think I'm just trying
to make a base vinaigrette

196
00:08:47,004 --> 00:08:48,745
for these guys.

197
00:08:48,789 --> 00:08:51,226
I grabbed T-Bone
and flank steak, so I'm like,

198
00:08:51,269 --> 00:08:52,575
"I'm gonna make salsa verde".

199
00:08:52,619 --> 00:08:54,577
I made it for so many years

200
00:08:54,621 --> 00:08:56,274
when I worked
for Jonathan Waxman.

201
00:08:56,318 --> 00:08:59,321
That's the old tried and true.
It's always good.

202
00:08:59,364 --> 00:09:02,019
Three minutes left!

203
00:09:02,063 --> 00:09:05,849
MONIQUE: So she's making,
like, a salsa verde, I think.

204
00:09:05,893 --> 00:09:07,590
You know what you've got?

205
00:09:07,634 --> 00:09:09,636
You have any idea
of what their doin'?

206
00:09:09,679 --> 00:09:11,202
STEPHANIE:
Not much has happened yet.

207
00:09:11,246 --> 00:09:13,074
- Nope.
- I'm a little confused.

208
00:09:14,728 --> 00:09:16,294
Come on, already.

209
00:09:16,338 --> 00:09:20,255
Time to switch.
Twos go in, ones come out!

210
00:09:21,778 --> 00:09:23,867
JO: Good luck!

211
00:09:23,911 --> 00:09:27,044
LEIA: Woo!

212
00:09:27,088 --> 00:09:28,568
Now they're hustlin'.

213
00:09:30,918 --> 00:09:33,137
SARAH: That was an
intense 15 minutes of my life.

214
00:09:33,181 --> 00:09:36,010
I don't understand the corn.

215
00:09:36,053 --> 00:09:38,665
Definitely don't know
what Damarr was going for

216
00:09:38,708 --> 00:09:40,710
but I do see that corn,

217
00:09:40,754 --> 00:09:43,234
so I put it to the stove
top with a bit of butter.

218
00:09:43,278 --> 00:09:44,714
I see the steak.

219
00:09:44,758 --> 00:09:46,281
Hope he already
salted it. Herbs.

220
00:09:46,324 --> 00:09:48,152
I think that our
dish is missing something

221
00:09:48,196 --> 00:09:51,329
that's gonna add some
sort of bitterness to it.

222
00:09:51,373 --> 00:09:53,375
Evelyn, what kind
of food do you make?

223
00:09:53,418 --> 00:09:55,333
I specialize in
a little bit of Southeast Asian

224
00:09:55,377 --> 00:09:56,944
but I am
Mexican and Salvadorian,

225
00:09:56,987 --> 00:09:58,728
so there's
a little influence of that--

226
00:09:58,772 --> 00:10:00,251
- ROBERT: Oh, me too!
- You're Mexican-Salvadorian?

227
00:10:00,295 --> 00:10:02,123
- ROBERT: Yeah.
- EVELYN: Oh, wow!

228
00:10:02,166 --> 00:10:03,994
Do you know what
your team mate had in mind?

229
00:10:04,038 --> 00:10:05,779
Like, a romesco...

230
00:10:05,822 --> 00:10:07,650
The last time that I worked
in a restaurant kitchen,

231
00:10:07,694 --> 00:10:11,175
I think it was October 2019.

232
00:10:11,219 --> 00:10:13,047
I'm very afraid
that I might be rusty

233
00:10:13,090 --> 00:10:14,265
but I've always
been really fast.

234
00:10:14,309 --> 00:10:16,441
JO: Guys, six minutes left!

235
00:10:16,485 --> 00:10:18,748
What do you have?

236
00:10:18,792 --> 00:10:22,273
A T-Bone steak. I have,
like, a salsa verde, I think.

237
00:10:22,317 --> 00:10:24,275
What I think
Jo's trying to tell me

238
00:10:24,319 --> 00:10:26,887
is that she wants
me to cook this steak

239
00:10:26,930 --> 00:10:28,758
along with this chimichurri.

240
00:10:28,802 --> 00:10:30,281
What does she have over there?

241
00:10:30,325 --> 00:10:31,848
Uh, there were some pork chop

242
00:10:31,892 --> 00:10:34,198
and uh, some sort
of, like, a marinade.

243
00:10:34,242 --> 00:10:36,157
She's got it.
She knows what's up.

244
00:10:41,728 --> 00:10:42,772
Sam looks pretty calm.

245
00:10:42,816 --> 00:10:44,034
He's got a lot of stuff forming.

246
00:10:44,078 --> 00:10:45,949
NICK: Still going to get more.

247
00:10:45,993 --> 00:10:48,125
As the third chef,
it's giving me a little anxiety

248
00:10:48,169 --> 00:10:50,954
seeing my teammate
stroll through the kitchen

249
00:10:50,998 --> 00:10:52,956
versus run like
all the other chefs.

250
00:10:53,000 --> 00:10:55,219
You can taste crazy in food.

251
00:10:56,830 --> 00:10:58,440
Three minutes, you guys!

252
00:10:58,483 --> 00:11:02,009
Ten minutes goes by so
quickly, there's just panic.

253
00:11:02,052 --> 00:11:03,924
We need to put food on a plate.

254
00:11:04,925 --> 00:11:06,753
[bleep]

255
00:11:08,276 --> 00:11:10,800
Oh, no.

256
00:11:10,844 --> 00:11:12,106
[bleep]

257
00:11:12,149 --> 00:11:13,934
♪

258
00:11:17,807 --> 00:11:21,768
My succotash
fell onto the floor.

259
00:11:21,811 --> 00:11:25,467
I want to make sure, at least,
we have a protein on the plate.

260
00:11:25,510 --> 00:11:28,644
I grab the pork and I put
it right underneath the grill

261
00:11:28,688 --> 00:11:30,646
so they kind of stay warm.

262
00:11:30,690 --> 00:11:33,518
Time to switch!

263
00:11:33,562 --> 00:11:35,564
BUDDHA: Let's do it.

264
00:11:35,607 --> 00:11:37,609
PADMA: Threes go in,
Twos come out, please.

265
00:11:37,653 --> 00:11:39,220
JO: Plates, yeah!
Get them plates!

266
00:11:41,657 --> 00:11:44,225
LUKE: All right,
well, what do we got here?

267
00:11:44,268 --> 00:11:47,619
Didn't you have
something on the grill?

268
00:11:47,663 --> 00:11:49,273
JACKSON: Is this yours?

269
00:11:49,317 --> 00:11:51,188
- Yeah, thank you.
- JACKSON: Sorry, I don't--

270
00:11:51,232 --> 00:11:53,800
He's on the wrong station.
The pork is over there.

271
00:11:53,843 --> 00:11:55,279
Anyone's steak, guys?

272
00:11:55,323 --> 00:11:57,455
BUDDHA: Yeah, that's mine.

273
00:11:57,499 --> 00:12:00,284
I just want to yell. I'm just,
like, intently staring at him,

274
00:12:00,328 --> 00:12:03,374
trying to see if he
can gaze into my eyes.

275
00:12:03,418 --> 00:12:06,508
<i>The pork is</i> <i>
underneath the grill.</i>

276
00:12:06,551 --> 00:12:09,816
I'm so scared for my life.

277
00:12:09,859 --> 00:12:12,775
All right.
I'll make ----ing eggplant then.

278
00:12:12,819 --> 00:12:14,908
You know, sorry,
I couldn't find it.

279
00:12:14,951 --> 00:12:16,823
I love wood roasted vegetables.

280
00:12:16,866 --> 00:12:19,739
I plan on making
roasted eggplants.

281
00:12:19,782 --> 00:12:22,350
I'm just trying to get cooked
off as quickly as possible.

282
00:12:22,393 --> 00:12:23,873
SARAH: We're making
a veg dish today

283
00:12:23,917 --> 00:12:25,962
and just,
you and I don't know it yet.

284
00:12:26,006 --> 00:12:28,269
JACKSON: Luke,
what're you makin'?

285
00:12:28,312 --> 00:12:30,227
I think
I'm making some stir fry.

286
00:12:30,271 --> 00:12:32,534
As the third chef coming in,
you don't want to add too much

287
00:12:32,577 --> 00:12:34,405
because that could
change the whole direction

288
00:12:34,449 --> 00:12:36,581
of the dish. But you
don't want to add too little

289
00:12:36,625 --> 00:12:39,367
because all you
did was just plate it.

290
00:12:39,410 --> 00:12:41,412
Being able to translate food

291
00:12:41,456 --> 00:12:43,414
that I've learned in
the last eight years at Noma

292
00:12:43,458 --> 00:12:45,373
is quite difficult
to try to translate that

293
00:12:45,416 --> 00:12:47,854
in only ten minutes
that's on the clock.

294
00:12:47,897 --> 00:12:50,334
Protein's still behind.
I gotta get that cooked.

295
00:12:51,814 --> 00:12:53,294
What have you got cooking?

296
00:12:53,337 --> 00:12:55,731
I got some pork
chops right now.

297
00:12:55,775 --> 00:12:57,472
Marinated and I think
some Asian flavors.

298
00:12:57,515 --> 00:12:58,865
BUDDHA: Oh yeah,
I'm working with a T-Bone,

299
00:12:58,908 --> 00:13:00,736
get some Thai flavors going.

300
00:13:00,780 --> 00:13:02,390
- STEPHANIE: Nice.
- BUDDHA: Gotta rest soon.

301
00:13:02,433 --> 00:13:04,261
I worked in France
and I was 17-years-old

302
00:13:04,305 --> 00:13:05,959
and I couldn't
speak any French at all.

303
00:13:06,002 --> 00:13:07,699
What type of flavors
do you normally work with?

304
00:13:07,743 --> 00:13:09,440
Usually French, but I use a lot

305
00:13:09,484 --> 00:13:10,964
of different cultures into it.

306
00:13:11,007 --> 00:13:13,401
Sometimes the best
form of communication

307
00:13:13,444 --> 00:13:15,490
is not communicating.
If you see something diced,

308
00:13:15,533 --> 00:13:18,885
you understand that this
needs to be diced like this.

309
00:13:18,928 --> 00:13:21,409
EVELYN: I don't know
what this is going to look like.

310
00:13:21,452 --> 00:13:23,628
Like, what is it
going to end up being?

311
00:13:23,672 --> 00:13:26,327
I see creamed corn
that's on the stove.

312
00:13:26,370 --> 00:13:28,633
What I'm thinking is,
this is like, a Southern thing.

313
00:13:28,677 --> 00:13:30,897
You know, I'm from
Mississippi, so I got that.

314
00:13:30,940 --> 00:13:32,855
My team did very well.

315
00:13:32,899 --> 00:13:36,032
So now, I need another component
that's about me on the plate.

316
00:13:36,076 --> 00:13:39,819
I see shallots and I
see Brussel sprouts.

317
00:13:41,124 --> 00:13:42,996
Mississippi is bold.
Mississippi is flavorful.

318
00:13:43,039 --> 00:13:44,127
Now, I gotta deliver.

319
00:13:46,390 --> 00:13:49,393
STEPHANIE: Three and a half,
guys, three and a half!

320
00:13:51,439 --> 00:13:53,006
Woo!

321
00:13:53,049 --> 00:13:56,096
- I mean, he cooked something.
- Oh, plate, plate!

322
00:13:56,139 --> 00:13:58,359
Ten minutes. I'm plating,
there's not a lot of time.

323
00:13:58,402 --> 00:14:00,796
JO: One minute! Plate!

324
00:14:00,840 --> 00:14:02,058
[whistling]

325
00:14:03,973 --> 00:14:06,933
MONIQUE: Yeah, warm plates.
He's a chef, he knows it.

326
00:14:06,976 --> 00:14:12,460
DAMARR: Oh, my God,
Oh, God. Oh, God.

327
00:14:19,467 --> 00:14:20,381
SAM: Ten seconds.

328
00:14:22,035 --> 00:14:28,780
PADMA: Five, four,
three, two, one. Time's up!

329
00:14:28,824 --> 00:14:31,696
Jesus. [bleep] me.

330
00:14:33,133 --> 00:14:36,658
First challenge, and I ----ed
it all up. [bleep].

331
00:14:36,701 --> 00:14:38,442
[clapping]

332
00:14:38,486 --> 00:14:40,444
Brown team, please come up.

333
00:14:43,795 --> 00:14:47,495
Thank you. Tell me
about this dish, Jackson.

334
00:14:47,538 --> 00:14:50,367
I made coal roasted
eggplants with, I believe,

335
00:14:50,411 --> 00:14:53,980
macadamia romesco
and a serrano <i>creme fraiche.</i>

336
00:14:54,023 --> 00:14:56,504
Let's start with you, Sarah.

337
00:14:56,547 --> 00:14:59,159
I created a macadamia nut sauce

338
00:14:59,202 --> 00:15:03,946
and some peppers and corn
in the oven to serve as,

339
00:15:03,990 --> 00:15:06,862
like, a succotash for the
pork and scallops that I pulled.

340
00:15:06,906 --> 00:15:08,559
There are no scallops here.

341
00:15:08,603 --> 00:15:09,909
SARAH: Oh, I know. Yeah.

342
00:15:09,952 --> 00:15:11,998
- Or pork.
- I know.

343
00:15:12,041 --> 00:15:14,000
And then, Robert?

344
00:15:14,043 --> 00:15:16,132
I noticed she had corn,
so I started a succotash.

345
00:15:16,176 --> 00:15:19,527
I also saw that she had some
pork, so I grilled the pork.

346
00:15:19,570 --> 00:15:21,616
I was unable to get
anything on the plate I made

347
00:15:21,659 --> 00:15:23,009
SARAH: We're so sorry.

348
00:15:23,052 --> 00:15:24,967
- It's okay.
- You didn't see the pork?

349
00:15:25,011 --> 00:15:26,708
I saw you grilling something.

350
00:15:26,751 --> 00:15:28,666
So, I looked for that.
Couldn't find it.

351
00:15:28,710 --> 00:15:30,668
So, I threw some
eggplant in the oven.

352
00:15:30,712 --> 00:15:33,410
Okay, thank you.

353
00:15:34,237 --> 00:15:35,978
It was under the grill

354
00:15:36,022 --> 00:15:38,154
but he was
cooking at your station.

355
00:15:38,198 --> 00:15:39,982
I didn't even see it.

356
00:15:40,026 --> 00:15:41,723
PADMA: Red team. Come up.

357
00:15:41,766 --> 00:15:42,811
Thank you.

358
00:15:43,855 --> 00:15:47,511
What we have for you
is a thinly cut pork chop,

359
00:15:47,555 --> 00:15:49,122
marinated in
a little bit of Asian spices.

360
00:15:49,165 --> 00:15:51,776
On the bottom is
a grilled corn salad.

361
00:15:51,820 --> 00:15:53,735
And then the sauce, I believe,

362
00:15:53,778 --> 00:15:56,564
is pureed tomato
and a little bit of fish sauce.

363
00:15:56,607 --> 00:15:58,131
Who made the sauce?

364
00:15:58,174 --> 00:15:59,959
- I started it.
- And I finished it.

365
00:16:00,002 --> 00:16:02,831
- PADMA: Who cooked the pork?
- I did.

366
00:16:02,874 --> 00:16:05,225
DAWN: Did you use oil
while you were cooking the pork?

367
00:16:05,268 --> 00:16:07,531
I believe there
was a little bit of oil

368
00:16:07,575 --> 00:16:08,880
tossed in with the marinade.

369
00:16:08,924 --> 00:16:10,447
Was there oil in the marinade?

370
00:16:10,491 --> 00:16:11,840
I didn't put any
oil in the marinade.

371
00:16:11,883 --> 00:16:13,973
Thank you, all.

372
00:16:17,715 --> 00:16:19,979
Green team, come on up.

373
00:16:20,022 --> 00:16:22,242
- NICK: Hello, judges.
- Hi, Nick.

374
00:16:22,285 --> 00:16:24,113
Thank you.
- DAWN: Thank you.

375
00:16:24,157 --> 00:16:26,028
So, we have
a seared New York strip

376
00:16:26,072 --> 00:16:29,075
with some creamed corn
and charred Brussel sprouts.

377
00:16:29,118 --> 00:16:30,902
- PADMA: Thank you.
- DAWN: Thank you, chefs.

378
00:16:30,946 --> 00:16:33,122
PADMA: Yellow team,
please come up.

379
00:16:36,778 --> 00:16:38,780
It's okay.

380
00:16:38,823 --> 00:16:40,782
Buddha, tell us about this dish.

381
00:16:40,825 --> 00:16:42,784
So we've done a barbecued beef.

382
00:16:42,827 --> 00:16:46,614
It's served with a Thai inspired
som tam salsa verde salad.

383
00:16:46,657 --> 00:16:48,181
We've incorporated
the butter sauce,

384
00:16:48,224 --> 00:16:50,009
which is
a classical French technique

385
00:16:50,052 --> 00:16:52,141
using the umami
of the fish sauce.

386
00:16:52,185 --> 00:16:54,230
DAWN: There's a lot
of brightness in this dish.

387
00:16:54,274 --> 00:16:57,581
I'm a Texas chef, so
it's a great time for produce.

388
00:16:57,625 --> 00:16:58,713
Okay, thank you, all.

389
00:16:58,756 --> 00:17:00,932
MONIQUE: Thank you.

390
00:17:00,976 --> 00:17:03,631
Blue team, please come up.

391
00:17:03,674 --> 00:17:05,024
LUKE: Sorry, guys.

392
00:17:05,067 --> 00:17:07,026
DAWN: Oh.

393
00:17:07,069 --> 00:17:10,029
- Oh, no. What happened?
- I lost track of time.

394
00:17:10,072 --> 00:17:11,508
I was just
about to start plating.

395
00:17:11,552 --> 00:17:13,075
It was way too late.

396
00:17:13,119 --> 00:17:15,773
Okay, so I had
the idea to do something simple.

397
00:17:15,817 --> 00:17:18,994
I did a fried
cabbage with vinaigrette.

398
00:17:19,038 --> 00:17:21,257
I'm like, "All right, I can
make a stir fry right now".

399
00:17:21,301 --> 00:17:22,998
You know? "This will be over!"

400
00:17:23,042 --> 00:17:25,740
PADMA: Okay,
so then, you, Luke, clock in.

401
00:17:25,783 --> 00:17:27,220
- Yup.
- What happened?

402
00:17:27,263 --> 00:17:28,917
I focused, maybe,

403
00:17:28,960 --> 00:17:31,006
too much on trying
to put my own spin on it.

404
00:17:31,050 --> 00:17:32,703
Okay, thank you all.

405
00:17:32,747 --> 00:17:34,183
ASHLEIGH: Thank you.

406
00:17:37,969 --> 00:17:39,754
DAWN: This was
a very difficult challenge

407
00:17:39,797 --> 00:17:41,756
and I think that
you guys should be happy

408
00:17:41,799 --> 00:17:43,627
that you've made it through.

409
00:17:43,671 --> 00:17:45,194
Which team fell a little short

410
00:17:45,238 --> 00:17:47,718
of blending all three
styles into their dish?

411
00:17:47,762 --> 00:17:49,894
The blue team.

412
00:17:49,938 --> 00:17:52,071
Chefs, I understand
what it feels like

413
00:17:52,114 --> 00:17:54,203
to lose track
of time in the kitchen,

414
00:17:54,247 --> 00:17:56,640
but please let that be
a period, new paragraph moment

415
00:17:56,684 --> 00:17:59,121
and pick yourselves
up for the next challenge.

416
00:17:59,165 --> 00:18:01,167
The red team.

417
00:18:01,210 --> 00:18:04,996
Unfortunately,
the pork was really dry,

418
00:18:05,040 --> 00:18:07,695
lacked a lot
of seasoning and flavor.

419
00:18:07,738 --> 00:18:10,219
That pork was so overcooked.

420
00:18:11,307 --> 00:18:13,570
All right,
now for some good news.

421
00:18:15,181 --> 00:18:16,704
The yellow team.

422
00:18:16,747 --> 00:18:19,141
We really
enjoyed the salsa verde.

423
00:18:19,185 --> 00:18:21,230
And I thought
the steak was beautiful.

424
00:18:21,274 --> 00:18:23,319
PADMA: It had a lot
of flavor and brightness.

425
00:18:24,277 --> 00:18:28,716
Brown team.
The romesco was really beautiful

426
00:18:28,759 --> 00:18:30,718
and the eggplant was delicious.

427
00:18:30,761 --> 00:18:33,634
I didn't mind that it
was just a vegetarian dish.

428
00:18:33,677 --> 00:18:35,810
It felt really
robust and complete.

429
00:18:35,853 --> 00:18:37,594
SARAH: Thank you.

430
00:18:37,638 --> 00:18:39,770
So out of these teams,

431
00:18:39,814 --> 00:18:43,034
which team will receive immunity
in the elimination challenge?

432
00:18:43,078 --> 00:18:46,777
♪

433
00:18:52,696 --> 00:18:55,090
and we were able to
see each chef's style.

434
00:18:59,834 --> 00:19:01,270
The yellow team.

435
00:19:01,314 --> 00:19:04,186
[laughter]

436
00:19:04,230 --> 00:19:07,233
Yeah! I knew it,
I knew it, I knew it.

437
00:19:07,276 --> 00:19:08,843
I'm thrilled we won!

438
00:19:08,886 --> 00:19:10,540
It's like a punctuation
mark to everybody else

439
00:19:10,584 --> 00:19:12,412
as to where we're at.

440
00:19:12,455 --> 00:19:14,718
We never met
each other and we won.

441
00:19:14,762 --> 00:19:16,329
Congratulations, yellow team.

442
00:19:16,372 --> 00:19:18,505
All three
of you now have immunity

443
00:19:18,548 --> 00:19:20,463
in the first
elimination challenge.

444
00:19:20,507 --> 00:19:23,858
I think that the other
chefs can now look at us

445
00:19:23,901 --> 00:19:26,687
and say, "Okay, we're
the people to look out for."

446
00:19:28,732 --> 00:19:31,387
Who's ready to get to
the meat of the challenge?

447
00:19:31,431 --> 00:19:38,220
♪

448
00:19:38,264 --> 00:19:40,440
- Hi, guys.
- TOM: Hello.

449
00:19:41,528 --> 00:19:43,834
PADMA: Chefs, please
welcome all-star guest judge

450
00:19:43,878 --> 00:19:47,534
and Seattle <i>Top Chef</i>
winner, Kristen Kish.

451
00:19:47,577 --> 00:19:49,536
And our head
judge, Tom Colicchio.

452
00:19:49,579 --> 00:19:51,320
- Hey, chefs!
- Hi!

453
00:19:51,364 --> 00:19:53,409
- Hey, chef.
- Welcome to Houston, chefs.

454
00:19:53,453 --> 00:19:57,239
I have watched these people
on <i>Top Chef</i> for many years.

455
00:19:57,283 --> 00:20:00,242
It's a moment.
But you know, when you feel

456
00:20:00,286 --> 00:20:02,766
like you're about
to get punched and you,

457
00:20:02,810 --> 00:20:04,855
like, brace yourself?

458
00:20:04,899 --> 00:20:07,597
- Yeah.
- Chefs, this is season 19.

459
00:20:07,641 --> 00:20:10,383
I know you put a lot
of hard work in to get here,

460
00:20:10,426 --> 00:20:12,776
but this will test your limits.

461
00:20:12,820 --> 00:20:14,952
When you get through this,
you'll be a better chef for it.

462
00:20:14,996 --> 00:20:17,390
Good luck.

463
00:20:17,433 --> 00:20:18,782
For this elimination challenge,

464
00:20:18,826 --> 00:20:20,784
you'll be
working in the same teams

465
00:20:20,828 --> 00:20:24,266
you had as the Quickfire.

466
00:20:24,310 --> 00:20:26,616
We're going to
be teammates again.

467
00:20:26,660 --> 00:20:28,227
And the first thing

468
00:20:28,270 --> 00:20:30,185
that comes to
my mind is the comeback.

469
00:20:30,229 --> 00:20:34,276
As a team, you have to
create three cohesive dishes,

470
00:20:34,320 --> 00:20:36,626
all highlighting... beef.

471
00:20:36,670 --> 00:20:39,325
Each of you will be responsible
for one of those dishes.

472
00:20:39,368 --> 00:20:41,501
After you
select your primal cut,

473
00:20:41,544 --> 00:20:43,198
you'll have to break it down.

474
00:20:43,242 --> 00:20:45,722
That's scary.
Butchery is an art.

475
00:20:45,766 --> 00:20:48,943
People study butchery
the way they study pastry.

476
00:20:48,986 --> 00:20:53,295
You'll have $600 to
shop from Whole Foods Market.

477
00:20:53,339 --> 00:20:55,950
Tomorrow,
you'll have two and a half hours

478
00:20:55,993 --> 00:20:59,954
to prep and cook at the Annie
Café before service begins.

479
00:20:59,997 --> 00:21:01,869
Each team can only use

480
00:21:01,912 --> 00:21:04,480
one of these
primal cuts of beef.

481
00:21:04,524 --> 00:21:07,396
Yellow team,
you won the quickfire,

482
00:21:07,440 --> 00:21:09,572
so you get first pick.

483
00:21:09,616 --> 00:21:12,923
You'll also get to pick
which team chooses after you.

484
00:21:14,360 --> 00:21:17,667
And then so on. Get it? Good.

485
00:21:17,711 --> 00:21:19,234
Okay, yellow team.

486
00:21:24,021 --> 00:21:26,981
I say ribs.
We're going to pick the ribs.

487
00:21:27,024 --> 00:21:29,375
Okay. And, who would
you like to go next after you?

488
00:21:30,376 --> 00:21:32,334
To make this cohesive,
can I be first?

489
00:21:32,378 --> 00:21:34,336
The blue team.

490
00:21:34,380 --> 00:21:36,556
- Oh, thank you. Thank you.
- That's nice.

491
00:21:39,646 --> 00:21:43,040
The last restaurant
I worked at was Momofuku Wayo

492
00:21:43,084 --> 00:21:44,912
and we specialized in beef.

493
00:21:44,955 --> 00:21:48,307
I would like to think
that I am the king of the beef.

494
00:21:48,350 --> 00:21:49,917
The blue team
will choose the loin.

495
00:21:49,960 --> 00:21:52,789
Okay, who would you
like to go next, blue team?

496
00:21:52,833 --> 00:21:54,400
Brown team.

497
00:21:59,405 --> 00:22:01,972
There's a lot of steaks
in the chuck that we could do.

498
00:22:02,016 --> 00:22:03,757
We're going to
go with the chuck.

499
00:22:03,800 --> 00:22:05,454
PADMA: Who would
you like to follow you?

500
00:22:05,498 --> 00:22:07,326
- The green.
- PADMA: Okay.

501
00:22:07,369 --> 00:22:09,676
Thank you.
What's left on the board

502
00:22:09,719 --> 00:22:11,765
is the sirloin cut or the round.

503
00:22:14,071 --> 00:22:17,814
The round, the back of the leg,
so they're tougher cuts of meat.

504
00:22:17,858 --> 00:22:19,599
Green team will do the sirloin.

505
00:22:19,642 --> 00:22:22,602
Okay. Red team,
that leaves you with the round.

506
00:22:22,645 --> 00:22:25,648
- Awesome. I love the round.
- Good.

507
00:22:25,692 --> 00:22:27,084
I remember our first
challenge on my season

508
00:22:27,128 --> 00:22:28,738
where we were in teams,
but we all

509
00:22:28,782 --> 00:22:30,566
had to collaborate
to make one dish.

510
00:22:30,610 --> 00:22:32,307
So I feel like
this is quite a luxury

511
00:22:32,351 --> 00:22:33,917
to all be able to
create your own dishes,

512
00:22:33,961 --> 00:22:36,398
tying them all
together to tell a full story.

513
00:22:36,442 --> 00:22:38,748
Okay, chefs, good luck.

514
00:22:38,792 --> 00:22:41,055
- Thank you.
- PADMA: We'll see you tomorrow.

515
00:22:41,098 --> 00:22:42,752
SAM: Thank you.

516
00:22:42,796 --> 00:22:46,321
So I'm trying to
do a take on <i>au poivre.</i>

517
00:22:46,365 --> 00:22:49,585
Like, just a peppercorn sauce,
perfectly cooked steak.

518
00:22:49,629 --> 00:22:52,371
- Super simple.
- What would be a flavor

519
00:22:52,414 --> 00:22:54,024
that we could take
through whole thing?

520
00:22:54,068 --> 00:22:55,852
Peppercorn. We could
do a peppercorn tasting.

521
00:22:55,896 --> 00:22:57,550
- ASHLEIGH: I love it.
- That's something that could be,

522
00:22:57,593 --> 00:22:59,465
like, a really nice oil finish.

523
00:22:59,508 --> 00:23:01,380
My last challenge wasn't
the best, but getting

524
00:23:01,423 --> 00:23:03,425
a good piece of meat where
I could have a little

525
00:23:03,469 --> 00:23:04,948
more clarity to think,
a little bit more time,

526
00:23:04,992 --> 00:23:07,342
I know I can
organize myself better.

527
00:23:07,386 --> 00:23:08,735
My dish is going to be a kitfo,

528
00:23:08,778 --> 00:23:10,432
so that's
essentially like a beef tartare.

529
00:23:10,476 --> 00:23:12,129
SAM: Lebanese?

530
00:23:12,173 --> 00:23:14,480
- It's West African.
- SAM: That's cool.

531
00:23:14,523 --> 00:23:16,046
ROBERT: What were
you thinking of making?

532
00:23:16,090 --> 00:23:17,352
JACKSON: Italian.

533
00:23:17,396 --> 00:23:18,875
I can cook Italian food.

534
00:23:18,919 --> 00:23:21,443
BUDDHA: So we got ribs.
Maybe we do a roll.

535
00:23:21,487 --> 00:23:23,445
I'll do the tartare,
I can make a tartare.

536
00:23:23,489 --> 00:23:24,968
I'm gonna do that.

537
00:23:25,012 --> 00:23:26,883
And then,
I might be crazy but in England,

538
00:23:26,927 --> 00:23:28,972
there's a dessert
called spotted dick.

539
00:23:29,016 --> 00:23:30,974
How do you spell that?

540
00:23:31,018 --> 00:23:32,802
All right, look at this guy

541
00:23:32,846 --> 00:23:34,456
riding on
the wild side with immunity.

542
00:23:34,500 --> 00:23:36,110
Usually, like fruit's in there.

543
00:23:36,153 --> 00:23:38,460
Like, we can use beef fat
and you know, it makes sense--

544
00:23:38,504 --> 00:23:40,157
We're just going to
say it over and over again--

545
00:23:40,201 --> 00:23:41,985
Whenever I've been an
executive chef or a head chef,

546
00:23:42,029 --> 00:23:43,857
I've always always
done the pastry menu.

547
00:23:43,900 --> 00:23:45,815
It's the most
creative part of cooking.

548
00:23:45,859 --> 00:23:47,991
You want to take a risk.
Now's the time.

549
00:23:48,035 --> 00:23:50,516
Everyone knows what
you wanted to cook, or?

550
00:23:50,559 --> 00:23:54,520
I can do, like, a quick marinade
on the top round steak,

551
00:23:54,563 --> 00:23:56,478
slice it really thin
and do spring rolls.

552
00:23:56,522 --> 00:23:58,959
I wanted to do, like,
a rice dish, kind of soup--

553
00:23:59,002 --> 00:24:00,395
LEIA: Soup with--

554
00:24:00,439 --> 00:24:01,657
- Rice.
- LEIA: With rice.

555
00:24:01,701 --> 00:24:03,180
More like an Asian flavor.

556
00:24:03,224 --> 00:24:04,834
- All right, let's do it, then.
- JAE: Yeah.

557
00:24:04,878 --> 00:24:06,183
I am concerned

558
00:24:06,227 --> 00:24:08,098
that our cooking
styles are so different.

559
00:24:08,142 --> 00:24:10,753
I would really like to do
a pasta for a second course.

560
00:24:10,797 --> 00:24:12,842
Is it going to be
more like a wonton?

561
00:24:12,886 --> 00:24:14,670
More like a pasta.

562
00:24:14,714 --> 00:24:16,672
It will be filled,
but it will be Asian flavors.

563
00:24:16,716 --> 00:24:19,022
I feel like it feels separated.

564
00:24:19,066 --> 00:24:21,155
I can definitely use some, like,
Napa cabbage or some bok choy,

565
00:24:21,198 --> 00:24:23,505
or something
fresh to put in my pasta.

566
00:24:23,549 --> 00:24:26,116
Growing up in North Dakota
was incredibly rural.

567
00:24:26,160 --> 00:24:28,118
Everyone has a farm.
Everyone has a ranch.

568
00:24:28,162 --> 00:24:30,686
We had steak
multiple times a week

569
00:24:30,730 --> 00:24:32,862
and it's served
with a baked potato.

570
00:24:32,906 --> 00:24:34,690
And so,
I want to represent that.

571
00:24:34,734 --> 00:24:36,692
But I also need
to put a spin on it

572
00:24:36,736 --> 00:24:38,520
with this Asian flair

573
00:24:38,564 --> 00:24:40,435
that the other two team
members are excited about.

574
00:24:40,479 --> 00:24:41,915
LEIA: All right, guys. Let's go.

575
00:24:41,958 --> 00:24:44,831
♪

576
00:24:48,922 --> 00:24:50,314
MONIQUE: Sorry, sorry.

577
00:24:50,358 --> 00:24:52,403
JO: I'll start grabbing herbs.

578
00:24:54,057 --> 00:24:56,973
SAM: Is it
possible to try this cheese?

579
00:24:57,017 --> 00:24:58,540
SARAH: Tuna done.
Carrots. Did you get--

580
00:24:58,584 --> 00:25:00,368
ROBERT: I got my carrots.

581
00:25:00,411 --> 00:25:02,544
My culinary style is
very simple. It's very rustic.

582
00:25:02,588 --> 00:25:04,894
So, I've decided that
I'm going to make gnocchi.

583
00:25:04,938 --> 00:25:06,417
Hey, where's your flour?

584
00:25:06,461 --> 00:25:07,680
When I was working at Octavia,

585
00:25:07,723 --> 00:25:09,333
we got a Michelin star,

586
00:25:09,377 --> 00:25:10,639
but it wasn't my restaurant.

587
00:25:10,683 --> 00:25:12,206
Working for
someone highly acclaimed

588
00:25:12,249 --> 00:25:14,034
puts you in this
place where you know,

589
00:25:14,077 --> 00:25:15,383
you kind of live
behind their shadow.

590
00:25:15,426 --> 00:25:17,037
There are usually, like,

591
00:25:17,080 --> 00:25:18,691
really small
packages of mustard seeds.

592
00:25:18,734 --> 00:25:21,520
I just want people to
know who I am through my food.

593
00:25:21,563 --> 00:25:23,565
SARAH: 19 minutes!

594
00:25:23,609 --> 00:25:26,394
STEPHANIE: Um, olive
oil, onion, carrot, celery,

595
00:25:26,437 --> 00:25:28,701
bok choy, 00 semolina.

596
00:25:28,744 --> 00:25:31,225
I want to bring out
my love for Italian food

597
00:25:31,268 --> 00:25:35,011
but my team really
want to go an Asian route.

598
00:25:35,055 --> 00:25:37,579
EVELYN: Jae, Jae and Stephanie,
you guys got scallions?

599
00:25:37,623 --> 00:25:41,061
STEPHANIE: So I'm
making seared top round roast

600
00:25:41,104 --> 00:25:44,630
with sweet potato
purée and braised bok choy.

601
00:25:44,673 --> 00:25:46,240
MONIQUE:
Need to get a good olive oil.

602
00:25:46,283 --> 00:25:47,981
It's not our money.

603
00:25:48,024 --> 00:25:49,591
DAMARR: We're going
to try to treat it

604
00:25:49,635 --> 00:25:51,114
as courses so I'm going to do,

605
00:25:51,158 --> 00:25:52,986
like, the first,
little small course.

606
00:25:53,029 --> 00:25:54,596
Then, she's gonna
bump it up to salad

607
00:25:54,640 --> 00:25:56,555
and then he's
going to make a braise,

608
00:25:56,598 --> 00:25:58,208
something really
filling at the end.

609
00:25:58,252 --> 00:25:59,688
NICK: Anybody
see garlic anywhere?

610
00:25:59,732 --> 00:26:01,298
I'm a little worried
because the only thing

611
00:26:01,342 --> 00:26:03,649
that we have all agreed upon

612
00:26:03,692 --> 00:26:06,521
is three different
preparations of the steak:

613
00:26:06,565 --> 00:26:09,437
Seared, char grill and braised.

614
00:26:09,480 --> 00:26:11,265
So you got your salads

615
00:26:11,308 --> 00:26:14,094
Is it really cohesive?
I don't know.

616
00:26:14,137 --> 00:26:16,052
- ASHLEIGH: Anything else?
- DAMARR: I'm good.

617
00:26:16,096 --> 00:26:18,098
Excuse me, sorry, sorry, sorry.

618
00:26:18,141 --> 00:26:20,448
JACKSON: Make sure you
keep an eye on the time.

619
00:26:20,491 --> 00:26:24,060
I'm not really feeling great.

620
00:26:24,713 --> 00:26:28,195
I think that I have
a very bad bladder infection.

621
00:26:28,238 --> 00:26:29,631
That's enough for 12.

622
00:26:29,675 --> 00:26:31,241
JAE: How many of micros?

623
00:26:31,285 --> 00:26:33,679
I'm not gonna let
this get in the way

624
00:26:33,722 --> 00:26:36,464
but I just want to
go, lay down and rest.

625
00:26:36,507 --> 00:26:38,771
JACKSON:
All right, guys, we good?

626
00:26:38,814 --> 00:26:40,294
ROBERT: I think so.

627
00:26:40,337 --> 00:26:42,078
LEIA: Thank you very much.

628
00:26:45,473 --> 00:26:47,518
Here it is, here it is.

629
00:26:47,562 --> 00:26:49,520
It's right here, right?

630
00:26:50,652 --> 00:26:53,133
- Ooh, so cute.
- LEIA: I love it.

631
00:26:53,176 --> 00:26:55,135
STEPHANIE:
There's a pool table, guys.

632
00:26:55,178 --> 00:26:59,052
I'm excited because I get
to actually talk to the chefs.

633
00:26:59,095 --> 00:27:03,404
Yes, it is a competition.
But we also do have feelings.

634
00:27:03,447 --> 00:27:05,058
Are you guys talking menu

635
00:27:05,101 --> 00:27:06,625
or are you guys
just chit chattin'?

636
00:27:06,668 --> 00:27:09,192
I'm definitely
excited to showcase you soon.

637
00:27:12,326 --> 00:27:14,154
JACKSON:
Can I take some of the fat off

638
00:27:14,197 --> 00:27:16,112
of your short rib or
are you gonna need it?

639
00:27:16,156 --> 00:27:18,201
SARAH: There's also a lot
at the bottom of the chuck.

640
00:27:18,245 --> 00:27:20,116
We're kind
of the nerds in school,

641
00:27:20,160 --> 00:27:21,683
just sitting in
the corner doing our homework

642
00:27:21,727 --> 00:27:23,642
while everyone's hanging out.

643
00:27:23,685 --> 00:27:25,687
If it's delicious,
they're not going to be,

644
00:27:25,731 --> 00:27:27,167
- like, "It's too simple".
- I don't mind.

645
00:27:27,210 --> 00:27:28,516
So Leia is not here right now.

646
00:27:28,559 --> 00:27:29,604
Yeah, she's feeling--

647
00:27:29,648 --> 00:27:31,127
She's not feeling well

648
00:27:31,171 --> 00:27:33,042
and she's taking a little rest.

649
00:27:33,086 --> 00:27:35,044
I think, physically,
yeah, something's going on, so.

650
00:27:35,088 --> 00:27:36,785
Hopefully she gets
some good rest.

651
00:27:36,829 --> 00:27:38,569
She's back tomorrow.

652
00:27:41,224 --> 00:27:46,577
♪

653
00:27:48,405 --> 00:27:50,190
LEIA: Morning. How are you?

654
00:27:50,233 --> 00:27:52,105
- MONIQUE: Good to see you.
- Good to see you, too.

655
00:27:52,148 --> 00:27:54,150
Hi, guys.

656
00:27:54,194 --> 00:27:55,586
Okay.

657
00:27:59,242 --> 00:28:01,331
I still don't feel great

658
00:28:01,375 --> 00:28:03,116
but I know how to
be strong in moments

659
00:28:03,159 --> 00:28:04,726
where I need to be strong.

660
00:28:04,770 --> 00:28:07,468
I just want to cook
and it's going to be great.

661
00:28:07,511 --> 00:28:10,340
This is a once in
a lifetime opportunity.

662
00:28:10,384 --> 00:28:13,735
And like,
I don't want to [bleep] this up.

663
00:28:13,779 --> 00:28:16,477
Yeah. We got this.

664
00:28:16,520 --> 00:28:20,655
♪

665
00:28:23,136 --> 00:28:24,833
- ASHLEIGH: Hi, guys!
- JACKSON: How's it goin'?

666
00:28:24,877 --> 00:28:26,748
SARAH: The priority
is the steak, guys.

667
00:28:26,792 --> 00:28:27,880
ROBERT: Yeah. Gotta get on.

668
00:28:27,923 --> 00:28:29,229
Oh, my God.

669
00:28:29,272 --> 00:28:30,534
Isn't it really nice to talk

670
00:28:30,578 --> 00:28:32,275
to you guys, now? Finally.

671
00:28:33,494 --> 00:28:35,888
MONIQUE: I'm glad
we chose rib, you guys.

672
00:28:35,931 --> 00:28:37,585
I mean, everything's tender.

673
00:28:37,628 --> 00:28:39,413
Buddha, you're
rendering the fat, right?

674
00:28:39,456 --> 00:28:41,328
I'm steaming the fat right now.

675
00:28:41,371 --> 00:28:44,200
This dish is a traditional
great British style dessert.

676
00:28:44,244 --> 00:28:46,681
It's pudding that's
steamed together with beef fat.

677
00:28:46,725 --> 00:28:48,509
JO: If you nail this,

678
00:28:48,552 --> 00:28:50,337
it's gonna be ----ing
killer with the judges.

679
00:28:50,380 --> 00:28:51,860
MONIQUE: You're gonna
put yourself on the map.

680
00:28:53,688 --> 00:28:56,778
SAM: So as soon as we
have the loin and the strip,

681
00:28:56,822 --> 00:28:58,824
should I give you one
piece of cut so you're,

682
00:28:58,867 --> 00:29:00,695
you can specialize in it?

683
00:29:00,739 --> 00:29:02,828
It depends on how
much you get off of it.

684
00:29:02,871 --> 00:29:04,830
While kitfo isn't mainstream,

685
00:29:04,873 --> 00:29:07,223
it's incredibly
comparable to beef tartare.

686
00:29:07,267 --> 00:29:11,793
Most teams are going to
start with a raw beef course.

687
00:29:11,837 --> 00:29:15,362
So I pull out my shito
because that is special to me

688
00:29:15,405 --> 00:29:16,755
and I think that's
really what's going to

689
00:29:16,798 --> 00:29:18,321
make this dish stand out.

690
00:29:18,365 --> 00:29:19,932
Taste this for me.

691
00:29:19,975 --> 00:29:21,629
It's actually not
as crazy as I thought.

692
00:29:21,672 --> 00:29:23,587
SAM: Delicious, though.

693
00:29:23,631 --> 00:29:26,155
DAMARR: Hey, Evelyn,
you live in Texas.

694
00:29:26,199 --> 00:29:28,810
- Do you cook with beef a lot?
- My dad has a ranch,

695
00:29:28,854 --> 00:29:31,770
so I'm definitely used
to breaking down some beef.

696
00:29:31,813 --> 00:29:33,510
DAMARR: Oh, wow.

697
00:29:33,554 --> 00:29:36,165
I just normally have
a lot more time, you know?

698
00:29:38,385 --> 00:29:39,734
JACKSON:
Robert, you're gonna want

699
00:29:39,778 --> 00:29:41,736
to braise this
chuck down, right?

700
00:29:41,780 --> 00:29:44,652
Yeah, I'll take it.
I'm gonna put it in water.

701
00:29:44,695 --> 00:29:46,480
To stick with the Italian theme,

702
00:29:46,523 --> 00:29:48,656
I want to do
a play on vitello tonnato,

703
00:29:48,699 --> 00:29:50,963
so I'm making a beef
tartare with a tuna aioli.

704
00:29:51,006 --> 00:29:54,314
I know it sounds gross
but I promise you, it's not.

705
00:29:54,357 --> 00:29:57,752
Potato coming.
But I can't really taste much.

706
00:29:57,796 --> 00:30:00,363
Maybe, like, if you hit
it with a little bit of acid.

707
00:30:00,407 --> 00:30:02,452
- Hey, Jae!
- JAE: Yeah!

708
00:30:02,496 --> 00:30:03,932
STEPHANIE: Remember that
one time we were on <i>Top Chef?</i>

709
00:30:06,369 --> 00:30:08,328
was watching <i>Top Chef</i>

710
00:30:08,371 --> 00:30:11,635
and saying to myself, one
day I want to be on <i>Top Chef.</i>

711
00:30:11,679 --> 00:30:13,812
My parents are
very, very proud of me.

712
00:30:13,855 --> 00:30:15,596
Robert, are you making gnocchi?

713
00:30:15,639 --> 00:30:17,859
ROBERT: I am. We'll
see what it turns out like.

714
00:30:17,903 --> 00:30:20,340
There's a lot
of elements with my dish.

715
00:30:20,383 --> 00:30:21,907
How's time? How's the gnocchi?

716
00:30:21,950 --> 00:30:23,865
ROBERT: I might
need a little bit of help.

717
00:30:23,909 --> 00:30:25,432
Heard.

718
00:30:25,475 --> 00:30:27,303
I still have to make gnocchi

719
00:30:27,347 --> 00:30:29,479
and my pressure cooker
still hasn't started to steam.

720
00:30:29,523 --> 00:30:31,351
You can get on
my burner. I'll swap.

721
00:30:31,394 --> 00:30:33,222
Right now,
I just have to put my head down

722
00:30:33,266 --> 00:30:35,311
and push to get food on a plate.

723
00:30:35,355 --> 00:30:36,878
Here, I'll feed you like a baby?

724
00:30:36,922 --> 00:30:39,011
- JAE: Stephanie!
- Yeah!

725
00:30:39,054 --> 00:30:40,882
JAE: Maybe you're
going to be in the middle

726
00:30:40,926 --> 00:30:43,276
and as the course goes,
it gets more Asian, Asian.

727
00:30:43,319 --> 00:30:46,801
I just wanted to do a beautiful,
simple meat and potato dish.

728
00:30:46,845 --> 00:30:49,543
But I think
adding bok choy is enough

729
00:30:49,586 --> 00:30:51,414
to tie the dishes together.

730
00:30:51,458 --> 00:30:52,807
Are you searing right now--
Grillin' right now?

731
00:30:52,851 --> 00:30:54,548
Yeah, I'm gonna
go grill the meat

732
00:30:54,591 --> 00:30:56,376
and then I'm gonna
grill the radicchio.

733
00:30:56,419 --> 00:30:58,900
I'm going to do this
grilled top round summer roll

734
00:30:58,944 --> 00:31:00,946
with this yuzu tahini sauce.

735
00:31:00,989 --> 00:31:02,904
I'm going to start to assemble.

736
00:31:02,948 --> 00:31:05,559
I try to cut
the steak as thinly as possible.

737
00:31:05,602 --> 00:31:07,387
It's a little chewy.

738
00:31:07,430 --> 00:31:09,041
I can't turn the top
round into a filet mignon.

739
00:31:09,084 --> 00:31:10,738
It is what it is.

740
00:31:10,781 --> 00:31:12,392
I think it's delicious.
Guys, like this:

741
00:31:12,435 --> 00:31:13,567
Standing up.

742
00:31:13,610 --> 00:31:14,829
JAE: It's pretty.

743
00:31:14,873 --> 00:31:16,265
STEPHANIE: It's a little messy.

744
00:31:19,965 --> 00:31:21,880
Yes.

745
00:31:21,923 --> 00:31:24,795
This is the black
garlic miso water reduction.

746
00:31:24,839 --> 00:31:26,928
That's what's going to
get brushed onto the steak.

747
00:31:26,972 --> 00:31:28,930
That sounds good.

748
00:31:28,974 --> 00:31:31,063
I'll be feeling better
once these mushrooms are back

749
00:31:31,106 --> 00:31:32,803
so they can sit
for a little while.

750
00:31:32,847 --> 00:31:34,936
Tom's always talking
about using the entirety

751
00:31:34,980 --> 00:31:36,938
of the product,

752
00:31:36,982 --> 00:31:39,767
so I am going to cut some
nice steaks, sear them rare.

753
00:31:39,810 --> 00:31:41,725
And then, I'm going
to render all that fat,

754
00:31:41,769 --> 00:31:44,815
make a vinaigrette and coat
my mushrooms in that fat.

755
00:31:44,859 --> 00:31:47,470
- I got two eyes, chef.
- EVELYN: Thank you.

756
00:31:50,996 --> 00:31:52,736
It's a little dry.

757
00:31:52,780 --> 00:31:54,738
I don't want the judges
looking at me and saying,

758
00:31:54,782 --> 00:31:56,784
"Hey, he's got
this braised piece of meat

759
00:31:56,827 --> 00:31:58,351
"and he couldn't get it right."

760
00:31:58,394 --> 00:31:59,700
I think it
needs to stop cooking.

761
00:31:59,743 --> 00:32:01,571
It needs to stop cooking? Okay.

762
00:32:01,615 --> 00:32:05,967
We have 38 minutes.
So I have my pot roast here.

763
00:32:06,011 --> 00:32:07,708
A little scared

764
00:32:07,751 --> 00:32:09,579
that the pressure
cooker took a little while.

765
00:32:09,623 --> 00:32:11,842
A couple of pieces are
still a little bit tough.

766
00:32:11,886 --> 00:32:13,844
It's a big challenge.

767
00:32:13,888 --> 00:32:15,759
This is the most
important part of the plate.

768
00:32:15,803 --> 00:32:18,414
And I haven't cooked my gnocchi.

769
00:32:18,458 --> 00:32:20,982
Are we gonna be
ready in, like, 30 minutes?

770
00:32:21,026 --> 00:32:22,636
Talk to me.

771
00:32:22,679 --> 00:32:25,378
♪

772
00:32:25,900 --> 00:32:30,949
♪

773
00:32:32,037 --> 00:32:33,995
TOM: Beautiful place settings.

774
00:32:34,039 --> 00:32:36,171
PADMA: This is a very
exciting table of humans.

775
00:32:37,172 --> 00:32:39,087
TRONG: It's an honor
to sit next to you.

776
00:32:39,131 --> 00:32:41,046
Oh, thank you,
chef for being with us.

777
00:32:41,089 --> 00:32:43,396
We are excited to have you here.

778
00:32:43,439 --> 00:32:46,965
I want to welcome
everyone to <i>Top Chef Houston.</i>

779
00:32:47,008 --> 00:32:49,358
The chefs are very
excited to cook for you all.

780
00:32:49,402 --> 00:32:51,621
Your restaurant is beautiful.

781
00:32:51,665 --> 00:32:55,364
They were asked to
do three cohesive dishes

782
00:32:55,408 --> 00:32:59,020
from a primal cut
and work as a team.

783
00:32:59,064 --> 00:33:01,501
SARAH: I'm about
to start plating.

784
00:33:01,544 --> 00:33:05,026
ROBERT: I wish my pot roast
was a little bit more tender.

785
00:33:05,070 --> 00:33:07,072
JACKSON: Guys,
let me help you. What can I do?

786
00:33:07,115 --> 00:33:08,247
ROBERT:
Finish playing these guys.

787
00:33:08,290 --> 00:33:09,857
SARAH: Don't slow down.

788
00:33:09,900 --> 00:33:12,207
- [alarm beeping]
- We got it on the plate!

789
00:33:13,382 --> 00:33:15,341
TOM: Well, I'm in
love with the way it looks.

790
00:33:15,384 --> 00:33:17,430
I'm not waiting,
I'm eating this hot.

791
00:33:17,473 --> 00:33:19,475
GAIL: It's gonna get cold.

792
00:33:19,519 --> 00:33:22,000
Mm. Damn,
I'm really enjoying this.

793
00:33:22,043 --> 00:33:23,479
Hi, Brown team.

794
00:33:23,523 --> 00:33:25,046
- Hi.
- Hi.

795
00:33:25,090 --> 00:33:26,308
Let's start with you, Jackson.

796
00:33:26,352 --> 00:33:28,136
I did a take on vitello tonnato.

797
00:33:28,180 --> 00:33:30,095
The tonnato has
a lot of punch and acid,

798
00:33:30,138 --> 00:33:32,532
not a traditional tonnato,
which is very heavy.

799
00:33:32,575 --> 00:33:34,969
PADMA: Robert,
what did you make?

800
00:33:35,013 --> 00:33:37,319
I did a pot roast braised
with a little bit of white wine,

801
00:33:37,363 --> 00:33:40,148
a little bit of potato
gnocchi, some parm cream

802
00:33:40,192 --> 00:33:42,629
and a castelvetrano tapenade.

803
00:33:42,672 --> 00:33:44,196
I love how light the gnocchi is.

804
00:33:44,239 --> 00:33:46,894
- Oh, well, thank you.
- PADMA: Sarah.

805
00:33:46,937 --> 00:33:50,071
I made tallow seared
beef on an eggplant purée

806
00:33:50,115 --> 00:33:52,247
with agrodolce shallots
and a caperberry relish.

807
00:33:52,291 --> 00:33:54,162
PADMA: Thank you so much.

808
00:33:54,206 --> 00:33:57,470
- ROBERT: Thank you.
- PADMA: I'll see you later.

809
00:33:57,513 --> 00:33:59,907
I'm into this team,
I gotta tell you.

810
00:33:59,950 --> 00:34:01,648
All of their
dishes are delicious

811
00:34:01,691 --> 00:34:04,085
and they go
really well together.

812
00:34:04,129 --> 00:34:07,132
Jackson's tartare,
I actually love the fact

813
00:34:07,175 --> 00:34:09,177
- that it's ice cold.
- PADMA: Yeah.

814
00:34:09,221 --> 00:34:10,918
I think the tuna
sauce is really good.

815
00:34:10,961 --> 00:34:12,659
It's something different.

816
00:34:12,702 --> 00:34:15,662
The star of this meal is
Robert's braised short rib.

817
00:34:15,705 --> 00:34:18,621
The gnocchi is like
a pillow, as it should be.

818
00:34:18,665 --> 00:34:20,580
He made pasta, he
pressure cooked. He had sauces.

819
00:34:20,623 --> 00:34:23,061
He had a lot of things going on
that could have gone wrong

820
00:34:23,104 --> 00:34:25,019
but he actually
did it really well.

821
00:34:25,063 --> 00:34:26,542
I think the gnocchi
turned out well.

822
00:34:26,586 --> 00:34:27,978
You think so?

823
00:34:28,022 --> 00:34:29,371
JACKSON: I really do.

824
00:34:29,415 --> 00:34:31,460
Sarah's seared flat iron steak

825
00:34:31,504 --> 00:34:34,681
is my most
favorite just because I felt

826
00:34:34,724 --> 00:34:37,553
like every
component was so well-balanced.

827
00:34:37,597 --> 00:34:40,121
It just pops with
acid and texture and crunch.

828
00:34:40,165 --> 00:34:42,210
They don't show anything.

829
00:34:42,254 --> 00:34:43,733
- TOM: Good start.
- Yeah.

830
00:34:43,777 --> 00:34:45,561
EVELYN: Eight minutes.

831
00:34:45,605 --> 00:34:48,260
DAMARR: Eight minutes.
Oh, Lord. All right.

832
00:34:48,303 --> 00:34:50,392
I do not want to be
on the chopping block.

833
00:34:50,436 --> 00:34:52,568
EVELYN: We're so close.

834
00:34:52,612 --> 00:34:54,483
My head feels
like it's gonna explode.

835
00:34:54,527 --> 00:34:56,659
DAMARR: Ah, man. My mushrooms
are starting to congeal,

836
00:34:56,703 --> 00:34:58,270
a little bit.

837
00:34:58,313 --> 00:35:02,491
EVELYN: Five, four,
three, two, one.

838
00:35:02,535 --> 00:35:04,580
- [alarm beeping]
- Nice job, chefs.

839
00:35:04,624 --> 00:35:06,234
Hell yeah.

840
00:35:06,278 --> 00:35:08,584
- GAIL: Oh, wow.
- CHRIS: Thank you.

841
00:35:08,628 --> 00:35:10,456
DEL GRANDE:
Thank you. How are you today?

842
00:35:10,499 --> 00:35:12,022
EVELYN: Good, how are you?

843
00:35:12,066 --> 00:35:13,285
DEL GRANDE:
I'm good. Very good.

844
00:35:13,328 --> 00:35:15,025
Damarr, what did you make today?

845
00:35:15,069 --> 00:35:16,766
The roasted rare sirloin.

846
00:35:16,810 --> 00:35:20,161
Just mushrooms marinated
in a beef fat vinaigrette.

847
00:35:20,205 --> 00:35:21,597
There's a mixed herb oil

848
00:35:21,641 --> 00:35:23,773
and some little,
petite, sunchoke chips.

849
00:35:23,817 --> 00:35:25,297
Evelyn, tell us about your dish.

850
00:35:25,340 --> 00:35:27,255
I did for you guys,

851
00:35:27,299 --> 00:35:29,301
a spiced
and grilled tri-tip steak

852
00:35:29,344 --> 00:35:33,174
with a charred
eggplant salad and chili jam.

853
00:35:33,218 --> 00:35:35,176
And Nick,
tell us what your dish.

854
00:35:35,220 --> 00:35:37,135
This dish is
dedicated after my grandmother.

855
00:35:37,178 --> 00:35:39,267
This sirloin is stewed

856
00:35:39,311 --> 00:35:42,314
with a lot of fennel,
apples, oranges.

857
00:35:42,357 --> 00:35:44,446
I also made
a sweet potato dumpling.

858
00:35:44,490 --> 00:35:47,014
How do you feel
this is cohesive?

859
00:35:47,057 --> 00:35:48,494
So mine, should have
gone a little bit lighter,

860
00:35:48,537 --> 00:35:50,713
brighter in acid.
And then, you start getting

861
00:35:50,757 --> 00:35:53,194
into her grilled meat
and he has stewed meat,

862
00:35:53,238 --> 00:35:55,327
so, it should go
light to heavy, kind of.

863
00:35:55,370 --> 00:35:58,112
PADMA: Okay, thank you so much.
We'll see you in a bit.

864
00:35:58,156 --> 00:36:00,375
- Thanks you guys.
- Thank you.

865
00:36:00,419 --> 00:36:03,161
EVELYN: Holy cow.

866
00:36:03,204 --> 00:36:06,207
Damarr's dish is very
simple, very straightforward.

867
00:36:06,251 --> 00:36:08,731
His protein is very tender.
Is it risky at all?

868
00:36:08,775 --> 00:36:10,777
No, it isn't.

869
00:36:10,820 --> 00:36:13,562
Damarr's mushrooms
really threw me off.

870
00:36:13,606 --> 00:36:17,697
They were cold
and slick with congealed fat.

871
00:36:17,740 --> 00:36:21,701
I loved the eggplant in
Evelyn's dish. So flavorful.

872
00:36:21,744 --> 00:36:25,052
Delicious but
the cookery of the beef,

873
00:36:25,095 --> 00:36:28,186
go a little bit more medium rare
would make these better.

874
00:36:28,229 --> 00:36:29,448
I'm proud about what I put out.

875
00:36:29,491 --> 00:36:31,493
Yeah.

876
00:36:31,537 --> 00:36:36,324
Nick's dish, it's very
homey and familiar but it's dry.

877
00:36:36,368 --> 00:36:38,457
Great dish with the wrong cut

878
00:36:38,500 --> 00:36:41,503
because his grandmother
probably used oxtails, you know?

879
00:36:41,547 --> 00:36:43,723
Use something you can
really cook and shred out.

880
00:36:43,766 --> 00:36:45,594
ASHLEIGH:
How can I help you with plating?

881
00:36:45,638 --> 00:36:47,770
LUKE: I'm gonna have
you start putting mushrooms

882
00:36:47,814 --> 00:36:49,381
- on the plate.
- ASHLEIGH: Mushrooms on plate.

883
00:36:49,424 --> 00:36:50,817
LUKE: We have two
minutes and 40 seconds!

884
00:36:50,860 --> 00:36:52,514
I would have
liked to have plated it

885
00:36:52,558 --> 00:36:54,212
a little bit differently.

886
00:36:54,603 --> 00:36:56,692
- The dish is still very tasty.
- We need to get it on.

887
00:36:56,736 --> 00:36:57,737
We have a minute now, minute.

888
00:36:58,738 --> 00:37:00,130
I don't feel we're gonna
be on the bottom.

889
00:37:00,174 --> 00:37:01,480
ASHLEIGH: You gonna finish, Sam?

890
00:37:01,523 --> 00:37:02,655
SAM: Yes!

891
00:37:03,525 --> 00:37:05,440
[alarm beeping]

892
00:37:05,484 --> 00:37:07,660
LUKE: Whoa!

893
00:37:08,748 --> 00:37:11,272
KRISTIN: Thank you. Thank you.

894
00:37:11,316 --> 00:37:12,708
Wow, this is really rare.

895
00:37:12,752 --> 00:37:14,275
TOM: It is.

896
00:37:14,319 --> 00:37:16,277
KIRAN: Love the chili oil.

897
00:37:16,321 --> 00:37:17,626
PADMA: Yeah, it's good.

898
00:37:17,670 --> 00:37:19,237
DEL GRANDE:
Thanks, chef.

899
00:37:19,715 --> 00:37:21,369
So Ashleigh,
tell us about what you made.

900
00:37:21,413 --> 00:37:24,590
I prepared kitfo,
which is a raw beef dish.

901
00:37:24,633 --> 00:37:26,679
And along with that,
I've got an egg yolk sauce

902
00:37:26,722 --> 00:37:28,550
and some red rice
crumble for texture.

903
00:37:28,594 --> 00:37:30,509
PADMA: Sam?

904
00:37:30,552 --> 00:37:34,469
I made a roasted striploin
grilled with kompot peppercorns

905
00:37:34,513 --> 00:37:36,906
and it's served
with a bread salad.

906
00:37:36,950 --> 00:37:38,604
PADMA: Luke, what did you make?

907
00:37:38,647 --> 00:37:40,606
New York steak
that's been cured in seaweed,

908
00:37:40,649 --> 00:37:42,303
charred on the grill

909
00:37:42,347 --> 00:37:43,696
and then
I brushed it with a sauce

910
00:37:43,739 --> 00:37:45,306
of seaweed and mushroom.

911
00:37:45,350 --> 00:37:47,265
Below it is
a puree of black garlic

912
00:37:47,308 --> 00:37:48,918
and shiitake mushrooms.

913
00:37:48,962 --> 00:37:50,311
Thank you, blue team.

914
00:37:50,355 --> 00:37:52,531
TOM: Thank you.

915
00:37:53,619 --> 00:37:56,274
Ashley's kitfo, her bringing all

916
00:37:56,317 --> 00:37:59,277
of her African
experience into it,

917
00:37:59,320 --> 00:38:02,192
could go down
in tartare history.

918
00:38:02,236 --> 00:38:04,804
Ashleigh's kitfo
makes me happy as can be.

919
00:38:04,847 --> 00:38:06,632
It has a ton of flavor,

920
00:38:06,675 --> 00:38:10,288
it has great texture
and you know, it's not timid.

921
00:38:10,331 --> 00:38:15,597
My thing about Sam's,
it totally blew out my palate

922
00:38:15,641 --> 00:38:17,425
but I couldn't stop eating it.

923
00:38:17,469 --> 00:38:19,732
It seems to me,
like, Luke got lost

924
00:38:19,775 --> 00:38:23,475
in how to put together
the flavors in his dish.

925
00:38:23,518 --> 00:38:26,434
He used roasted mushrooms,
pickled mushrooms,

926
00:38:26,478 --> 00:38:28,741
he cured stuff in seaweed.
There was no umami.

927
00:38:28,784 --> 00:38:30,308
There was no salinity.

928
00:38:30,351 --> 00:38:32,310
There was no
depth of any flavors.

929
00:38:32,353 --> 00:38:34,312
On the plate!

930
00:38:34,355 --> 00:38:36,792
- Hey, we got it on the plate.
- We got it on the plate, yeah.

931
00:38:36,836 --> 00:38:38,446
Nine, 13.

932
00:38:38,490 --> 00:38:40,970
One minute!

933
00:38:41,014 --> 00:38:43,451
STEPHANIE: Come on,
come on, come on, come on.

934
00:38:43,495 --> 00:38:45,584
Go, go, go.

935
00:38:45,627 --> 00:38:47,629
LEIA: I'm just really trying
to get through this right now.

936
00:38:47,673 --> 00:38:51,241
JAE: Ah, my hands are
so shaking. 10 seconds.

937
00:38:55,898 --> 00:38:57,335
[alarm beeping]

938
00:38:58,858 --> 00:39:01,643
Oh, sh--.

939
00:39:01,687 --> 00:39:03,776
I did not get
the bok choy on the plate.

940
00:39:03,819 --> 00:39:06,344
DEL GRANDE:
Beautiful, thank you.

941
00:39:06,387 --> 00:39:08,346
PADMA: Look at
how pretty that is.

942
00:39:09,999 --> 00:39:11,784
LEIA: Good evening, everyone.

943
00:39:11,827 --> 00:39:14,264
I had the top round steak.

944
00:39:14,308 --> 00:39:17,964
And I made it into a summer roll
with some local peaches,

945
00:39:18,007 --> 00:39:20,706
tahini and lime sauce
and a little basil oil.

946
00:39:20,749 --> 00:39:22,969
Stephanie,
tell us about your dish.

947
00:39:23,012 --> 00:39:24,840
I have the seared top
round with a little bit

948
00:39:24,884 --> 00:39:27,321
of kimchi paste
and some sweet potato puree

949
00:39:27,365 --> 00:39:29,497
and oxtail demi.

950
00:39:29,541 --> 00:39:31,630
Was there braised
bok choy in your dish.

951
00:39:32,413 --> 00:39:35,024
No, there is not.
That's the one thing I forgot.

952
00:39:35,068 --> 00:39:37,505
Jae, what did you make for us?

953
00:39:37,549 --> 00:39:39,420
I never been to North Korea,

954
00:39:39,464 --> 00:39:44,338
and this is my imaginary
North Korean bibimbap.

955
00:39:44,382 --> 00:39:46,949
I use the eyeround
with vegetables.

956
00:39:46,993 --> 00:39:51,258
Then I seasoned it with
the soy sauce and sesame oil.

957
00:39:51,301 --> 00:39:54,043
And on top,
it has a soy marinade egg yolk.

958
00:39:54,087 --> 00:39:56,263
How did you come
up with your menu?

959
00:39:56,306 --> 00:39:58,526
Did you compare notes?

960
00:39:58,570 --> 00:40:03,401
We, kind of, all were
inspired by these Asian flavors

961
00:40:03,444 --> 00:40:05,054
and so we, kind of,

962
00:40:05,098 --> 00:40:06,795
each did our own
personal take on that.

963
00:40:06,839 --> 00:40:08,580
Thank you very much, ladies.

964
00:40:08,623 --> 00:40:10,930
- Thank you.
- Thank you.

965
00:40:11,974 --> 00:40:13,976
I think there were
some really interesting ideas

966
00:40:14,020 --> 00:40:16,457
but each
of the dishes didn't, like,

967
00:40:16,501 --> 00:40:18,416
really come together for me.

968
00:40:18,459 --> 00:40:21,723
Uh, Leia's summer roll?
I mean, restrained.

969
00:40:21,767 --> 00:40:24,596
The leek sauce, just,
that didn't do anything.

970
00:40:24,639 --> 00:40:26,815
The tahini was
overpowering for everything.

971
00:40:26,859 --> 00:40:31,603
I'd rather do a little
bit smaller wrap, tighter,

972
00:40:31,646 --> 00:40:35,433
because you want to
have a perfect bite on it.

973
00:40:35,476 --> 00:40:36,651
LEIA: Is it good?

974
00:40:36,695 --> 00:40:38,566
Jae's dish was interesting.

975
00:40:38,610 --> 00:40:42,614
I liked the egg yolk and I am
not completely familiar,

976
00:40:42,657 --> 00:40:46,052
nor maybe is she with
the dish she was inspired by.

977
00:40:46,095 --> 00:40:48,054
I just wanted
the beef to be there

978
00:40:48,097 --> 00:40:49,969
and I just wasn't getting it.

979
00:40:50,012 --> 00:40:52,798
She could have seared
the meat a little bit, you know,

980
00:40:52,841 --> 00:40:55,322
to give it a better taste
and texture.

981
00:40:55,365 --> 00:40:57,585
Stephanie's
beef and sweet potato?

982
00:40:57,629 --> 00:41:00,588
I don't-- I have no
idea what that has to do

983
00:41:00,632 --> 00:41:02,111
with the rest
of the other two dishes.

984
00:41:02,155 --> 00:41:03,548
She admitted she
forgot the bok choy.

985
00:41:03,591 --> 00:41:05,593
That's a big miss.

986
00:41:05,637 --> 00:41:07,943
I'm like sick to my stomach
that I forgot that bok choy.

987
00:41:07,987 --> 00:41:11,730
♪

988
00:41:14,602 --> 00:41:16,082
JO: Three minutes, 50 seconds.

989
00:41:16,125 --> 00:41:17,431
That's cooled all the way, yeah?

990
00:41:17,475 --> 00:41:18,519
- It's cooled all the way.
- Perfect.

991
00:41:18,563 --> 00:41:20,129
With this dessert,

992
00:41:20,173 --> 00:41:21,870
I'm trying to show
myself on the plate.

993
00:41:21,914 --> 00:41:24,090
This is a style
of food that I like to cook.

994
00:41:24,133 --> 00:41:25,787
If I pull it off,

995
00:41:25,831 --> 00:41:27,833
I think I can
really make an impression.

996
00:41:27,876 --> 00:41:29,443
10 seconds.

997
00:41:29,487 --> 00:41:31,097
MONIQUE: Time's up!

998
00:41:34,230 --> 00:41:36,406
- DAWN: Pretty food.
- CHRIS W: Smells good.

999
00:41:36,450 --> 00:41:38,104
CHRIS S: That looks great.

1000
00:41:38,147 --> 00:41:39,453
DAWN: Beef is
what's for dessert?

1001
00:41:39,497 --> 00:41:40,846
TOM: Yeah.

1002
00:41:40,889 --> 00:41:43,109
- Yeah.
- JO: Hello.

1003
00:41:43,152 --> 00:41:45,546
Hello, yellow team.
Monique, what did you make?

1004
00:41:45,590 --> 00:41:47,853
I prepared for
you a beef tartare.

1005
00:41:47,896 --> 00:41:51,900
It's marinated in a nori
seaweed paste and tamari

1006
00:41:51,944 --> 00:41:54,294
and cured some egg yolk
and then, grated that on top.

1007
00:41:54,337 --> 00:41:56,426
PADMA: Jo?

1008
00:41:56,470 --> 00:41:58,428
I prepared a ribeye rub
with a bit of black garlic

1009
00:41:58,472 --> 00:42:00,518
with a kare-kare
sauce to go underneath.

1010
00:42:00,561 --> 00:42:03,172
- And Buddha.
- I prepared dessert today.

1011
00:42:03,216 --> 00:42:06,567
We have a beef fat-inspired
cake, miso ice cream,

1012
00:42:06,611 --> 00:42:08,569
a beef fat caramel.

1013
00:42:08,613 --> 00:42:10,484
Have you made
a dessert with beef before?

1014
00:42:10,528 --> 00:42:12,094
This is my first time.

1015
00:42:12,138 --> 00:42:15,402
Thank you so much.

1016
00:42:15,445 --> 00:42:19,232
Wow. Monique's tartare.
What did you think?

1017
00:42:19,275 --> 00:42:20,581
The balance of the textures

1018
00:42:20,625 --> 00:42:22,235
and the flavor
and the creativity?

1019
00:42:22,278 --> 00:42:23,497
I mean, I think
it's really excellent.

1020
00:42:23,541 --> 00:42:25,194
Overall, it's good.

1021
00:42:25,238 --> 00:42:27,240
I enjoyed that
tamari onion juice in it.

1022
00:42:27,283 --> 00:42:30,025
I was really
intrigued with the egg yolk.

1023
00:42:30,069 --> 00:42:32,506
It composed the plate for me.

1024
00:42:32,550 --> 00:42:34,160
How do you feel?

1025
00:42:34,203 --> 00:42:36,031
I feel good.

1026
00:42:36,075 --> 00:42:37,990
I'm feelin' good,
I'm feelin' good...

1027
00:42:38,033 --> 00:42:40,514
I really liked the way that
Jo cooked the ribeye itself.

1028
00:42:40,558 --> 00:42:43,996
And I like the freshness
of the relish on top.

1029
00:42:44,039 --> 00:42:45,606
I love that Buddha
decided to make a dessert.

1030
00:42:45,650 --> 00:42:48,348
Has immunity,
so why not go for it?

1031
00:42:48,391 --> 00:42:51,438
I loved the texture
of the caramel in the middle.

1032
00:42:51,481 --> 00:42:53,309
The crunch was great.

1033
00:42:53,353 --> 00:42:55,529
This is the most exciting
one and the most balanced one

1034
00:42:55,573 --> 00:42:56,965
as far as
the flavors are concerned.

1035
00:42:57,009 --> 00:42:58,271
Everything stood out.

1036
00:42:59,098 --> 00:43:00,403
And standing out was
part of the challenge.

1037
00:43:00,447 --> 00:43:01,970
Well, he did
that just in the title.

1038
00:43:02,014 --> 00:43:04,364
PADMA: Right.

1039
00:43:04,407 --> 00:43:07,933
Congratulations, you made
it through 15 courses of beef.

1040
00:43:07,976 --> 00:43:10,065
I think the conversation
at the table

1041
00:43:10,109 --> 00:43:12,590
really is a great
sign for the season

1042
00:43:12,633 --> 00:43:14,026
we're all about to enjoy.

1043
00:43:14,069 --> 00:43:15,549
Thank you.

1044
00:43:15,593 --> 00:43:20,946
♪

1045
00:43:20,989 --> 00:43:24,471
[groaning & laughing]

1046
00:43:24,514 --> 00:43:26,386
MONIQUE: Is there wine in there?

1047
00:43:26,429 --> 00:43:27,517
- SARAH: There is wine.
- DAMARR: Yeah.

1048
00:43:27,561 --> 00:43:29,955
SARAH: Who needs wine?

1049
00:43:29,998 --> 00:43:31,391
ASHLEIGH: Who needs
one of these?

1050
00:43:31,434 --> 00:43:33,393
- JO: Should we do a big toast?
- Yes!

1051
00:43:33,436 --> 00:43:36,657
[exclaiming]

1052
00:43:36,701 --> 00:43:39,660
It's all good to be
with everyone in the kitchen

1053
00:43:39,704 --> 00:43:41,662
and be able
to talk, that was like--

1054
00:43:41,706 --> 00:43:44,230
Can we talk?

1055
00:43:44,273 --> 00:43:45,623
Actually being able
to talk was huge.

1056
00:43:45,666 --> 00:43:47,276
Everybody got food on the plate?

1057
00:43:47,320 --> 00:43:49,235
Everyone got their food?

1058
00:43:49,278 --> 00:43:50,628
I did not. My braised bok choy.

1059
00:43:51,716 --> 00:43:54,022
I think I should be
okay but it still sucks.

1060
00:43:54,066 --> 00:43:56,459
Like, they see it on the menu.

1061
00:43:56,503 --> 00:43:58,548
ASHLEIGH: We're enjoying
each other's company so much

1062
00:43:58,592 --> 00:44:00,246
that I forgot
someone's going home tonight.

1063
00:44:00,289 --> 00:44:01,595
Don't bring it up.

1064
00:44:01,639 --> 00:44:04,293
ASHLEIGH: It's just our reality.

1065
00:44:04,337 --> 00:44:07,253
Let's get on up
and let's go face these judges.

1066
00:44:07,296 --> 00:44:10,212
- LUKE: Let's do it.
- Yeah.

1067
00:44:10,256 --> 00:44:12,084
DAMARR: All right,
come on. Jump on in, Jackson.

1068
00:44:12,127 --> 00:44:15,261
[exclaiming]

1069
00:44:15,304 --> 00:44:19,569
♪

1070
00:44:24,487 --> 00:44:26,620
Overall, the first
challenge is always tough.

1071
00:44:26,664 --> 00:44:28,448
There's a lot of nerves.

1072
00:44:28,491 --> 00:44:30,102
Those that worked
with big teams are realizing

1073
00:44:30,145 --> 00:44:31,538
that there's no sous chefs here.

1074
00:44:31,581 --> 00:44:33,453
This is a tough challenge.

1075
00:44:33,496 --> 00:44:35,498
There were some
really outstanding dishes

1076
00:44:35,542 --> 00:44:37,587
and of course, there
were a few clunkers as well.

1077
00:44:37,631 --> 00:44:40,329
Our favorite team tonight was...

1078
00:44:43,637 --> 00:44:45,552
The brown team.

1079
00:44:46,509 --> 00:44:47,641
What?

1080
00:44:47,685 --> 00:44:49,121
PADMA: Congratulations.

1081
00:44:49,164 --> 00:44:52,646
[clapping]

1082
00:44:53,342 --> 00:44:55,997
Please stay here, everyone else,
please step to the side.

1083
00:44:56,041 --> 00:44:57,346
Thank you.

1084
00:45:01,089 --> 00:45:03,222
You look a little bit surprised.

1085
00:45:03,265 --> 00:45:05,180
- I'm shocked.
- I'm very surprised.

1086
00:45:05,224 --> 00:45:07,226
Why are you so surprised?

1087
00:45:07,269 --> 00:45:10,142
In a really intimidating room
of super impressive people,

1088
00:45:10,185 --> 00:45:12,492
it's really hard to
know where you stand.

1089
00:45:12,535 --> 00:45:14,668
- The competition is stiff.
- Yeah.

1090
00:45:14,712 --> 00:45:18,237
Collectively,
you guys had three solid dishes.

1091
00:45:18,280 --> 00:45:19,455
- Good start.
- Thank you.

1092
00:45:19,499 --> 00:45:23,285
Yours was clearly one menu.

1093
00:45:23,329 --> 00:45:25,157
I mean, that's what
stood out to all of us

1094
00:45:25,200 --> 00:45:27,159
as we ate your food
and it makes a difference.

1095
00:45:27,202 --> 00:45:28,813
Robert, what
I loved most about your dish

1096
00:45:28,856 --> 00:45:31,598
was it was comforting,
but it was truly elevated.

1097
00:45:31,641 --> 00:45:33,774
I think the balance
of the parmesan

1098
00:45:33,818 --> 00:45:35,689
with the beef and the gnocchi,

1099
00:45:35,733 --> 00:45:37,517
everything was pillowy
and light and bright and airy.

1100
00:45:37,560 --> 00:45:39,519
Meat was nicely braised

1101
00:45:39,562 --> 00:45:41,390
and it's tough to
braise meat in a pressure cooker

1102
00:45:41,434 --> 00:45:43,392
in two hours, but you did it.
You pulled it off.

1103
00:45:43,436 --> 00:45:45,177
Thank you.

1104
00:45:45,220 --> 00:45:47,179
Robert, you were the only
one out of the whole group

1105
00:45:47,222 --> 00:45:48,833
who really cooked that meat

1106
00:45:48,876 --> 00:45:51,139
and brought out
an inherent beef flavor.

1107
00:45:51,183 --> 00:45:52,532
Thank you.

1108
00:45:52,575 --> 00:45:54,273
Jackson. Your tartare--

1109
00:45:54,316 --> 00:45:55,840
And we ate a lot
of tartares today--

1110
00:45:55,883 --> 00:45:59,800
Was exceptional in
the fine dice of the meat

1111
00:45:59,844 --> 00:46:02,063
and in the seasoning
of the meat.

1112
00:46:02,107 --> 00:46:03,717
Jackson,
I really loved the tartare.

1113
00:46:03,761 --> 00:46:05,719
The tonnato just
lifted up and it, sort of,

1114
00:46:05,763 --> 00:46:07,155
expressed that
flavor of the beef.

1115
00:46:07,199 --> 00:46:08,766
Thank you.

1116
00:46:08,809 --> 00:46:10,550
Sarah, what I love
most about your dish

1117
00:46:10,593 --> 00:46:12,247
was all the different
plays of texture.

1118
00:46:12,291 --> 00:46:13,727
I thought it was
a really wonderful,

1119
00:46:13,771 --> 00:46:16,512
playful interpretation
of a carbonara.

1120
00:46:16,556 --> 00:46:18,645
So you had the sweet and salty
and the crunchy and nutty.

1121
00:46:18,688 --> 00:46:20,473
The meat had tons of flavor

1122
00:46:20,516 --> 00:46:22,562
and I thought that you
did the right thing with it.

1123
00:46:22,605 --> 00:46:24,129
Really was delicious to eat.

1124
00:46:24,172 --> 00:46:25,739
Thank you.

1125
00:46:25,783 --> 00:46:28,873
Tonight's winning
chef delivered a beautiful,

1126
00:46:28,916 --> 00:46:30,831
technically sound dish.

1127
00:46:30,875 --> 00:46:32,833
The beef was treated
really, really wonderfully

1128
00:46:32,877 --> 00:46:35,836
and truly it was
delicious and a joy to eat.

1129
00:46:35,880 --> 00:46:38,796
And the winning
chef for us tonight is...

1130
00:46:43,452 --> 00:46:46,151
- Robert.
- PADMA: Congratulations, Robert.

1131
00:46:46,194 --> 00:46:47,587
[clapping]

1132
00:46:47,630 --> 00:46:49,154
I really can't believe

1133
00:46:49,197 --> 00:46:50,677
that I won to be
quite honest with you.

1134
00:46:53,854 --> 00:46:57,684
There's so much self-doubt,
you're out of your element.

1135
00:46:57,727 --> 00:47:00,252
And, you know, everyone's
so talented. It's surreal.

1136
00:47:00,295 --> 00:47:01,775
I'm really happy that I won.

1137
00:47:01,819 --> 00:47:03,342
I just want to
make sure that, like,

1138
00:47:03,385 --> 00:47:05,126
this isn't as high as I can go.

1139
00:47:05,170 --> 00:47:06,519
Your gnocchis were really good.

1140
00:47:06,562 --> 00:47:07,650
Awesome. Thank you.

1141
00:47:07,694 --> 00:47:08,826
Nice work.

1142
00:47:08,869 --> 00:47:10,610
Congratulations, brown team.

1143
00:47:10,653 --> 00:47:12,481
You can all step to the side.

1144
00:47:15,484 --> 00:47:18,748
Red team, please come forward.

1145
00:47:21,360 --> 00:47:25,712
Red team, you unfortunately had
our least favorite meal today.

1146
00:47:26,931 --> 00:47:31,239
And sadly, one of you
will be going home tonight.

1147
00:47:31,283 --> 00:47:34,242
♪

1148
00:47:40,683 --> 00:47:42,903
Let's get into
the nitty gritty of these dishes

1149
00:47:42,947 --> 00:47:44,905
and figure out what went wrong.

1150
00:47:44,949 --> 00:47:46,646
Stephanie, were you comfortable

1151
00:47:46,689 --> 00:47:49,649
with doing
something Asian inspired?

1152
00:47:49,692 --> 00:47:51,651
Not really.

1153
00:47:51,694 --> 00:47:53,261
Originally,
I was actually going to do like

1154
00:47:53,305 --> 00:47:55,437
a filled dumpling
or a filled pasta

1155
00:47:55,481 --> 00:47:58,919
but I kind of stuck to
what I know in the Midwest,

1156
00:47:58,963 --> 00:48:01,748
is meat and potatoes. You know?

1157
00:48:01,791 --> 00:48:04,925
I wanted to balance it
as best I could, as best--

1158
00:48:04,969 --> 00:48:07,449
In the ability that
I know Asian cuisine,

1159
00:48:07,493 --> 00:48:09,669
which I,
you know, I really don't.

1160
00:48:09,712 --> 00:48:12,411
That bok choy that
was left off your plate,

1161
00:48:12,454 --> 00:48:14,413
was that tossed in
an Asian vinaigrette

1162
00:48:14,456 --> 00:48:16,110
or something like that?

1163
00:48:16,154 --> 00:48:18,721
I braised it in
a little bit of the oxtail

1164
00:48:18,765 --> 00:48:20,723
and then I hit it
with quite a bit of lime

1165
00:48:20,767 --> 00:48:22,856
and some salt to give that dish
a little bit of brightness.

1166
00:48:22,900 --> 00:48:25,206
Did you just run out
of time to get it on the plate?

1167
00:48:25,250 --> 00:48:27,121
Yeah, it was just time.

1168
00:48:27,165 --> 00:48:31,212
Jae, walk us
through why you would choose

1169
00:48:31,256 --> 00:48:32,997
for your first
elimination challenge,

1170
00:48:33,040 --> 00:48:34,955
to make something
that you admittedly

1171
00:48:34,999 --> 00:48:37,915
weren't that familiar with?

1172
00:48:37,958 --> 00:48:40,874
There were a couple of reasons.

1173
00:48:40,918 --> 00:48:42,876
I wanted to
take on the raw beef.

1174
00:48:42,920 --> 00:48:44,138
Uh...

1175
00:48:44,182 --> 00:48:45,748
[laughing]

1176
00:48:45,792 --> 00:48:47,011
Are you okay?

1177
00:48:47,054 --> 00:48:48,795
I'm okay.

1178
00:48:48,838 --> 00:48:51,711
I read about
the North Korean cooking

1179
00:48:51,754 --> 00:48:53,191
and haven't seen the dish,

1180
00:48:53,234 --> 00:48:55,497
but I thought
about it for a long time.

1181
00:48:55,541 --> 00:48:58,152
You can read all you want,
but you have to eat the food

1182
00:48:58,196 --> 00:48:59,284
to really understand--

1183
00:48:59,327 --> 00:49:00,850
I learned it very hard.

1184
00:49:00,894 --> 00:49:02,417
Leia, how about you?

1185
00:49:02,461 --> 00:49:03,984
Do you make
a lot of summer rolls?

1186
00:49:04,028 --> 00:49:05,333
I don't make
a lot of summer rolls.

1187
00:49:05,377 --> 00:49:07,770
I have made summer rolls before.

1188
00:49:07,814 --> 00:49:09,250
Leia, in your
summer roll, unfortunately,

1189
00:49:09,294 --> 00:49:11,165
there was a lot
of sinew in my first bite,

1190
00:49:11,209 --> 00:49:12,384
so I had to spit it out.

1191
00:49:13,907 --> 00:49:16,344
It was so large and overstuffed.

1192
00:49:16,388 --> 00:49:18,999
- Right.
- It just completely fell apart.

1193
00:49:19,043 --> 00:49:20,870
I do agree that
it was overfilled,

1194
00:49:20,914 --> 00:49:22,307
there was too
much sauce on the plate.

1195
00:49:22,350 --> 00:49:23,786
I rushed
and I missed the details.

1196
00:49:23,830 --> 00:49:26,789
I recognize that and I own it.

1197
00:49:26,833 --> 00:49:29,053
We have a very
difficult decision to make.

1198
00:49:29,096 --> 00:49:30,793
We'll call you back in a bit.

1199
00:49:30,837 --> 00:49:32,795
- Thank you all.
- DEL GRANDE: Thanks.

1200
00:49:36,016 --> 00:49:37,191
Wow.

1201
00:49:38,149 --> 00:49:39,759
Congrats, brown team.

1202
00:49:39,802 --> 00:49:41,500
Congrats, Robert.

1203
00:49:41,543 --> 00:49:45,895
- EVELYN: Congrats, brown team.
- SARAH: Woo!

1204
00:49:45,939 --> 00:49:49,029
You should be grinning
from ear to ear right now.

1205
00:49:49,073 --> 00:49:51,945
I mean, I honestly didn't know
if I was going to make it.

1206
00:49:51,989 --> 00:49:53,903
It was like one hour
and I was, just like--

1207
00:49:53,947 --> 00:49:55,383
I was like, "Are you good?"

1208
00:49:55,427 --> 00:49:57,777
And you were
just like, "I unno..."

1209
00:49:57,820 --> 00:50:00,954
Well, it's the first
challenge and it's always tough.

1210
00:50:00,998 --> 00:50:02,912
Yeah, I think
the chefs clearly are nervous.

1211
00:50:02,956 --> 00:50:04,914
Seems like there's a lot
of little mistakes being made.

1212
00:50:04,958 --> 00:50:07,395
Kristen, you certainly know
what they're going through.

1213
00:50:07,439 --> 00:50:09,180
During the Quickfire,
I think you asked people, like,

1214
00:50:09,223 --> 00:50:10,833
their accolades
and you figured out

1215
00:50:10,877 --> 00:50:12,531
who worked in
Michelin star kitchens.

1216
00:50:12,574 --> 00:50:14,924
And I think when you're
amongst your peers like that,

1217
00:50:14,968 --> 00:50:17,188
and you start to hear that,
all of a sudden you feel like,

1218
00:50:17,231 --> 00:50:19,059
"I need to step up,
I need to impress."

1219
00:50:19,103 --> 00:50:21,931
And what got you here
is no longer present anymore.

1220
00:50:21,975 --> 00:50:25,805
All three of them did
not trust themselves today.

1221
00:50:25,848 --> 00:50:27,459
I mean, Stephanie said,

1222
00:50:27,502 --> 00:50:29,287
"I was not
comfortable with Asian food."

1223
00:50:29,330 --> 00:50:30,940
And Leia's summer roll,

1224
00:50:30,984 --> 00:50:32,333
the only thing
that made it Asian

1225
00:50:32,377 --> 00:50:34,118
was just throwing
it in a rice paper roll

1226
00:50:34,161 --> 00:50:36,033
and calling it a summer roll.

1227
00:50:36,076 --> 00:50:40,124
And for Jae, her dish
was inspired by a Korean dish.

1228
00:50:40,167 --> 00:50:42,256
But then, it just got
watered down over time.

1229
00:50:42,300 --> 00:50:43,997
The three of them forgot

1230
00:50:44,041 --> 00:50:46,521
about the main point
of the challenge.

1231
00:50:46,565 --> 00:50:50,221
How are you going to
make that beef really shine?

1232
00:50:50,264 --> 00:50:52,092
I think Stephanie's dish,

1233
00:50:52,136 --> 00:50:53,833
in terms of doing
something with the beef,

1234
00:50:53,876 --> 00:50:55,313
it probably was
the beefiest of the three.

1235
00:50:55,356 --> 00:50:57,184
It wasn't cohesive,

1236
00:50:57,228 --> 00:50:59,839
but as a dish it was
much better than the other two.

1237
00:50:59,882 --> 00:51:01,101
It was waiting to take off.

1238
00:51:01,145 --> 00:51:02,581
It just never really took off.

1239
00:51:02,624 --> 00:51:04,278
Otherwise, it was fine.

1240
00:51:04,322 --> 00:51:06,280
My flavors weren't there,
for sure. Fully admit it.

1241
00:51:06,324 --> 00:51:08,282
Fully admit it.

1242
00:51:08,326 --> 00:51:10,241
Jae's dish, I mean,
this is a beef challenge.

1243
00:51:10,284 --> 00:51:12,504
We got a little bit
of raw beef, it had zero flavor.

1244
00:51:12,547 --> 00:51:15,420
But also, the rice
was just cooked improperly,

1245
00:51:15,463 --> 00:51:17,900
That was rough.

1246
00:51:17,944 --> 00:51:20,512
With Leia, beef was the worst
part of the summer roll

1247
00:51:20,555 --> 00:51:22,905
and it was a bad summer roll.

1248
00:51:22,949 --> 00:51:24,951
It almost seemed like
the beef was an afterthought.

1249
00:51:24,994 --> 00:51:27,084
Instead of the starting point,
it was the last thing.

1250
00:51:27,127 --> 00:51:29,260
It was the thing
in both their dishes

1251
00:51:29,303 --> 00:51:31,131
that were the least tended to.

1252
00:51:31,175 --> 00:51:33,960
And it was the thing
that needed most tending.

1253
00:51:34,003 --> 00:51:36,484
I ----ed up.
And I can own that.

1254
00:51:36,528 --> 00:51:39,139
I think we have our answer.

1255
00:51:39,183 --> 00:51:42,099
- Mm-hm.
- Let's get them out here.

1256
00:51:48,235 --> 00:51:50,629
You know, chefs,
clearly some mistakes made.

1257
00:51:50,672 --> 00:51:52,326
These weren't our best dishes.

1258
00:51:52,370 --> 00:51:54,154
The three of you
just seemed really,

1259
00:51:54,198 --> 00:51:56,417
really disjointed
and it just didn't work at all.

1260
00:51:59,116 --> 00:52:01,205
Padma.

1261
00:52:07,689 --> 00:52:11,476
Leia, please pack
your knives and go.

1262
00:52:11,519 --> 00:52:13,913
Thank you so much.

1263
00:52:13,956 --> 00:52:15,654
Even being in
this kitchen for one day

1264
00:52:15,697 --> 00:52:18,222
was just incredible.

1265
00:52:18,265 --> 00:52:20,920
It sucks. You know,
you don't put your life on hold

1266
00:52:20,963 --> 00:52:25,925
to compete in the most
prestigious cooking competition

1267
00:52:25,968 --> 00:52:28,449
to be eliminated
in the first challenge.

1268
00:52:29,755 --> 00:52:31,191
Leia, it's not over yet.

1269
00:52:31,235 --> 00:52:32,714
There is
the Last Chance Kitchen.

1270
00:52:32,758 --> 00:52:34,673
So, you do have
a shot at getting back in.

1271
00:52:34,716 --> 00:52:36,544
Thank you so much.

1272
00:52:36,588 --> 00:52:40,069
I made some very rookie
mistakes. I was not focused.

1273
00:52:40,113 --> 00:52:42,333
I did not pay
attention to detail.

1274
00:52:42,376 --> 00:52:44,378
It was not
my best day and it was me.

1275
00:52:44,422 --> 00:52:45,684
[groaning]

1276
00:52:45,727 --> 00:52:47,164
It's me.

1277
00:52:48,339 --> 00:52:50,689
Guys, kick some ----ing ass.

1278
00:52:50,732 --> 00:52:52,691
- MONIQUE: Woo!
- JACKSON: Yeah.

1279
00:52:52,734 --> 00:52:56,434
I'm a fighter.
Don't count me out just yet.

1280
00:53:02,266 --> 00:53:04,398
This season on <i>Top Chef...</i>

1281
00:53:04,442 --> 00:53:06,095
- MAN: Let's go!
- WOMAN: Go!

1282
00:53:06,139 --> 00:53:07,532
You guys gonna
carve lettuce tonight?

1283
00:53:07,575 --> 00:53:09,664
That's the plan.

1284
00:53:09,708 --> 00:53:11,623
I'm trying to
bring the mood up high.

1285
00:53:11,666 --> 00:53:14,234
SARAH: I wanna be buried in
whatever this is when I die.

1286
00:53:14,278 --> 00:53:16,584
Which I might
because of all the shellfish.

1287
00:53:16,628 --> 00:53:18,499
All that blood is from
one of our chefs

1288
00:53:18,543 --> 00:53:20,458
- you see on the plate here.
- Oh...

1289
00:53:20,501 --> 00:53:22,286
Oh, so we don't
have to send anyone home.

1290
00:53:22,329 --> 00:53:24,984
- I won't ask whom.
- Woo!

1291
00:53:25,027 --> 00:53:27,160
Have you ever
worked with alligator?

1292
00:53:27,204 --> 00:53:29,249
I've worked with an alligator,
but I haven't broken one down.

1293
00:53:29,293 --> 00:53:30,772
To the brisket gods.

1294
00:53:30,816 --> 00:53:32,383
Welcome to Restaurant Wars.

1295
00:53:32,426 --> 00:53:35,212
Celebrate the soul of cooking.

1296
00:53:35,255 --> 00:53:37,431
Who wants to eat!

1297
00:53:37,475 --> 00:53:39,172
We're pretty excited
about tasting your space food.

1298
00:53:39,216 --> 00:53:40,739
Cheers!

1299
00:53:40,782 --> 00:53:42,610
It's going to be
a beautiful, interesting season

1300
00:53:42,654 --> 00:53:44,612
if we're cooking like this.

1301
00:53:44,656 --> 00:53:49,400
♪

1302
00:53:49,443 --> 00:53:51,663
PADMA: There's the velociraptor.

1303
00:53:51,706 --> 00:53:53,621
SARAH: Brace yourselves, guys.

1304
00:53:53,665 --> 00:53:55,449
I'm so nervous to be
cooking barbecue in Texas.

1305
00:53:55,493 --> 00:53:57,495
Because you
don't mess with Texas.

1306
00:53:57,538 --> 00:53:59,497
SAM: Yeah, and then
they brought all of us in here

1307
00:53:59,540 --> 00:54:00,628
to mess with it.

1308
00:54:00,672 --> 00:54:03,588
♪