1 00:00:01,201 --> 00:00:02,501 The house always wins. Let's prove them wrong. 2 00:00:02,503 --> 00:00:04,603 Ooh, yeah. He gonna like that. 3 00:00:05,905 --> 00:00:07,339 [all shriek in excitement] 4 00:00:07,507 --> 00:00:10,709 [narrator] Chopped has always been the ultimate culinary gamble. 5 00:00:10,711 --> 00:00:12,277 Oh, yeah, baby. 6 00:00:12,279 --> 00:00:13,779 [narrator] But this tournament gives competitors control 7 00:00:13,781 --> 00:00:15,981 of the game like never before. 8 00:00:15,983 --> 00:00:18,984 [man] Hell, yeah! If there's something I can switch out, and roll the dice on, 9 00:00:18,986 --> 00:00:20,452 I am gonna do it. 10 00:00:20,454 --> 00:00:21,787 [all cheering] Big money! Big money! Big money! Big money! 11 00:00:21,789 --> 00:00:24,923 Need a new food truck, baby. Let's go! Let's go! Let's go! 12 00:00:24,925 --> 00:00:28,160 -Let's see what you've got. -[narrator] Boom shakalaka! 13 00:00:28,162 --> 00:00:29,161 [all cheering] 14 00:00:29,163 --> 00:00:31,030 The light are bright and the stakes are high. 15 00:00:31,032 --> 00:00:33,532 Minimum of $25,000 to the winner. 16 00:00:34,934 --> 00:00:36,869 - You're telling us there could be more? - I am. 17 00:00:36,871 --> 00:00:38,437 [exhales sharply] [screams] 18 00:00:38,439 --> 00:00:39,938 [woman] Come on, Lady Luck. 19 00:00:39,940 --> 00:00:41,673 - It's still Chopped. - [speaking gibberish] 20 00:00:41,675 --> 00:00:43,075 [Ted] It's still brutal. 21 00:00:43,077 --> 00:00:44,009 [whispering] It's crazy good. 22 00:00:44,011 --> 00:00:45,344 [Ted] It's harder than ever. 23 00:00:45,346 --> 00:00:46,645 [repeating multiple times] Go! 24 00:00:46,647 --> 00:00:47,746 You feeling lucky? 25 00:00:47,748 --> 00:00:49,081 Yes! [laughing] 26 00:00:49,083 --> 00:00:51,050 [narrator] Let the good times roll. 27 00:00:51,052 --> 00:00:52,584 [man] Oh, Lord. Have mercy. 28 00:00:54,120 --> 00:00:55,387 [suspenseful music playing] 29 00:00:55,389 --> 00:00:59,358 [Tiffani] I feel like I am a force to be reckoned with. 30 00:00:59,360 --> 00:01:02,227 [Nichole] I don't gamble because skill is what you need. 31 00:01:02,229 --> 00:01:03,862 I have the skills. 32 00:01:03,864 --> 00:01:05,864 [Nicholas] This game is all about risk. 33 00:01:05,866 --> 00:01:07,366 You always have a lot more fun when you take a risk. 34 00:01:07,368 --> 00:01:09,201 [upbeat music playing] 35 00:01:09,203 --> 00:01:10,702 [Ross] I believe that you can create your own luck. 36 00:01:10,704 --> 00:01:12,538 You just gotta know how to play your cards right. 37 00:01:14,274 --> 00:01:15,741 [Tiffani] Stepping into the Chopped arena 38 00:01:15,743 --> 00:01:16,875 is like stepping into the unknown. 39 00:01:16,877 --> 00:01:19,144 I essentially do that on a regular basis. 40 00:01:20,246 --> 00:01:22,748 As a nomadic chef pretty much, I just set up the table 41 00:01:22,750 --> 00:01:24,783 on a farm and start cooking. 42 00:01:24,785 --> 00:01:28,320 So, why not just throw myself in front of the camera for everybody to see. 43 00:01:30,990 --> 00:01:33,525 [Nichole] When you are eating my food, expect the unexpected. 44 00:01:34,828 --> 00:01:38,030 I love to cook food that melds cultures, 45 00:01:38,032 --> 00:01:41,600 like North Carolina pulled pork in a Vietnamese pho broth. 46 00:01:42,368 --> 00:01:43,535 [upbeat music playing] 47 00:01:43,537 --> 00:01:46,939 I stepped away from the industry to have my son. 48 00:01:46,941 --> 00:01:48,774 I wanna prove that I can have it all. 49 00:01:48,776 --> 00:01:50,843 I can have the family life with the career. 50 00:01:50,845 --> 00:01:54,480 I am so driven that it almost drives me a little crazy. 51 00:01:54,482 --> 00:01:57,382 [Nichole] When I want something, I will stop at nothing 52 00:01:57,384 --> 00:01:58,350 to get it. 53 00:02:00,920 --> 00:02:02,287 [Nicholas] I am chef from Jean-Georges. 54 00:02:04,891 --> 00:02:06,091 I love feeding people 55 00:02:06,093 --> 00:02:07,993 because you get to create those special moments. 56 00:02:08,895 --> 00:02:11,063 Everyday, I am competing against myself. 57 00:02:11,065 --> 00:02:12,431 You always have to be on your toes. 58 00:02:12,433 --> 00:02:14,266 You have to come in everyday and give it your best. 59 00:02:14,268 --> 00:02:16,168 If you don't hustle, you lose. 60 00:02:17,036 --> 00:02:19,238 [upbeat music ceases] 61 00:02:19,240 --> 00:02:21,373 [Ross] What a do, everybody. My name is Ross Pinada. 62 00:02:24,277 --> 00:02:27,045 So, this is some of my secret recipe Longaniza. 63 00:02:27,047 --> 00:02:28,347 Can show nobody, I am sorry. 64 00:02:29,549 --> 00:02:31,116 As a Filipino chef, 65 00:02:31,118 --> 00:02:34,153 cooking authentically good Filipino food is very important to me. 66 00:02:34,155 --> 00:02:36,321 You know sour, sweet, spicy, salty. 67 00:02:37,891 --> 00:02:40,425 [Ross] This is my favorite dish ever. 68 00:02:41,194 --> 00:02:43,162 Fantastic! [laughs] 69 00:02:43,164 --> 00:02:44,863 The Queens hustle was the hardest hustle. 70 00:02:44,865 --> 00:02:47,499 I am the only chef from Queens in this kitchen, and I know I got the advantage. 71 00:02:47,501 --> 00:02:49,301 A hundred percent guaranteed about that. 72 00:02:50,236 --> 00:02:51,303 Bang bang. 73 00:02:52,238 --> 00:02:54,039 [suspenseful music playing] 74 00:02:57,076 --> 00:02:59,478 [participants exclaiming and laughing] 75 00:02:59,480 --> 00:03:01,113 - [woman] Nervous already. - [man] Wow. 76 00:03:01,115 --> 00:03:01,980 Hello, chefs. 77 00:03:01,982 --> 00:03:03,015 - [all] Hello. - Hi, Ted. 78 00:03:03,017 --> 00:03:05,651 [Ted] Another day in paradise. Livin' the dream. 79 00:03:05,653 --> 00:03:08,654 A quick question for you. Do you like to gamble? 80 00:03:08,656 --> 00:03:09,855 - Absolutely. - Today I do. 81 00:03:09,857 --> 00:03:11,390 Somebody else's money. 82 00:03:11,392 --> 00:03:14,193 Well, that's good because we do Chopped a little differently here 83 00:03:14,195 --> 00:03:15,961 in our Casino Royale. 84 00:03:15,963 --> 00:03:16,895 [Ted] House rules. 85 00:03:16,897 --> 00:03:18,664 After opening the mystery baskets, 86 00:03:18,666 --> 00:03:22,301 you do not have to accept the hand you've been dealt. 87 00:03:22,303 --> 00:03:24,903 This has never happened before in the Chopped kitchen. 88 00:03:24,905 --> 00:03:26,905 [Nichole] This is a whole new ballgame. 89 00:03:26,907 --> 00:03:29,441 You can decide to ditch an ingredient, 90 00:03:29,443 --> 00:03:31,443 one ingredient for a chance to pick another, 91 00:03:31,445 --> 00:03:32,978 by the roll of the dice. 92 00:03:32,980 --> 00:03:35,013 [sinister music playing] 93 00:03:35,015 --> 00:03:37,082 See those 11 golden cloches over there? 94 00:03:37,084 --> 00:03:39,418 Beneath each of them, is an ingredient. 95 00:03:39,420 --> 00:03:42,888 Roll an even number, and you'll get a lucky new ingredient. 96 00:03:42,890 --> 00:03:46,758 Roll an odd number, you will get a bad one. 97 00:03:46,760 --> 00:03:49,995 The champ here will move on to the tournament's grand finale, 98 00:03:49,997 --> 00:03:54,366 where the jackpot is a minimum of $25,000. 99 00:03:54,368 --> 00:03:56,201 I need that money. 100 00:03:56,203 --> 00:03:58,837 Okay. Appetizer baskets are in front of you. 101 00:03:58,839 --> 00:04:00,138 [dramatic music playing] 102 00:04:01,641 --> 00:04:02,507 [Ted] Check 'em out. 103 00:04:02,509 --> 00:04:04,309 [baskets opening] 104 00:04:04,311 --> 00:04:05,344 [Ross] Whoa. 105 00:04:06,312 --> 00:04:08,914 - Ew. - It's a lot of seafood. 106 00:04:08,916 --> 00:04:10,682 [Ted] Smoked salmon pizza. 107 00:04:11,884 --> 00:04:13,285 Escarole. 108 00:04:13,287 --> 00:04:15,120 Purple sweet potato noodles. 109 00:04:16,522 --> 00:04:18,257 What is this? 110 00:04:19,025 --> 00:04:20,525 [Ted] And dried octopus. 111 00:04:21,027 --> 00:04:23,061 Okay. Well, here we go. 112 00:04:23,063 --> 00:04:25,163 Who is all right with all four of these items? 113 00:04:25,165 --> 00:04:28,066 And who wants to roll the dice? 114 00:04:28,068 --> 00:04:29,301 I think I am gonna go with the basket ingredients. 115 00:04:29,303 --> 00:04:30,669 [Amanda] Whoo! 116 00:04:30,671 --> 00:04:32,671 I as well, I'm gonna stick with the basket ingredients. 117 00:04:33,673 --> 00:04:34,973 I am gonna stick with the basket. 118 00:04:34,975 --> 00:04:35,941 - You are? - [Amanda] Wow. 119 00:04:35,943 --> 00:04:37,309 - Yep. - Okay. Chef Tiffani? 120 00:04:37,311 --> 00:04:39,344 I am going to roll the dice. 121 00:04:39,346 --> 00:04:41,780 - [judges cheer] - [Christian] Let's go. 122 00:04:41,782 --> 00:04:43,048 [clapping continues] 123 00:04:43,050 --> 00:04:46,151 What ingredient is it that you would like to dispose off? 124 00:04:46,153 --> 00:04:48,186 The noodles. I am not that into it. 125 00:04:48,188 --> 00:04:51,490 [Tiffani] I've never cooked with, uh, purple sweet potato noodles before. 126 00:04:51,492 --> 00:04:54,893 Well. Now is where things could get really interesting. 127 00:04:54,895 --> 00:04:56,328 [dramatic music playing] 128 00:04:56,330 --> 00:04:58,330 [Nichole] I'm not willing to gamble 'cause I am a little afraid 129 00:04:58,332 --> 00:05:00,332 of what's under the cloches. 130 00:05:00,334 --> 00:05:02,267 [Nichole] Tiffani seems to be a risk taker. 131 00:05:03,036 --> 00:05:04,936 [Ted] Let the games begin. 132 00:05:05,905 --> 00:05:07,205 All right, Tiffani. Let her roll. 133 00:05:07,207 --> 00:05:08,573 [all cheering] 134 00:05:11,511 --> 00:05:13,912 [all screaming] 135 00:05:13,914 --> 00:05:15,380 [dramatic music playing] 136 00:05:15,382 --> 00:05:16,982 - [Ted] And we've got a six. - Even. 137 00:05:16,984 --> 00:05:18,984 - [all cheering and clapping] - [Ted] Nice job. 138 00:05:18,986 --> 00:05:20,152 [man] Well done. 139 00:05:20,154 --> 00:05:21,420 [Ted] Okay, here we go. 140 00:05:22,655 --> 00:05:23,655 [Ted] Iberico ham! 141 00:05:23,657 --> 00:05:26,391 [all cheering and clapping] 142 00:05:26,393 --> 00:05:27,492 Nailed it. 143 00:05:27,494 --> 00:05:29,328 Lady Luck is on my side. 144 00:05:29,330 --> 00:05:32,130 [Tiffani] Way better than your sweet potato noodles. 145 00:05:32,132 --> 00:05:34,032 Well. Enough gambling for now. Time to cook. 146 00:05:34,034 --> 00:05:35,233 20 minutes. 147 00:05:35,235 --> 00:05:37,102 - Clock starts now. - [all cheering] 148 00:05:37,104 --> 00:05:38,970 [Ross] Man. 149 00:05:38,972 --> 00:05:42,007 [Ted] All right. Let's go, let's go, let's go. 150 00:05:42,009 --> 00:05:44,710 [Ted] So, I gotta say, how much fun is this tournament? 151 00:05:44,712 --> 00:05:45,944 And yet it's still Chopped. 152 00:05:45,946 --> 00:05:48,680 It's still brutal. It's incredibly difficult. 153 00:05:48,682 --> 00:05:50,315 It's harder than ever! 154 00:05:50,317 --> 00:05:53,285 I think this is really exciting, um, that chefs can 155 00:05:53,287 --> 00:05:55,454 do what they always wanna do here on Chopped, 156 00:05:55,456 --> 00:05:57,389 and take one of their ingredients, 157 00:05:57,391 --> 00:05:59,291 and exchange it for something else. 158 00:05:59,293 --> 00:06:01,226 [Tiffani] Who's got the Kombu? 159 00:06:01,228 --> 00:06:04,963 Actually, kind of, surprised that three out of the four chefs did not gamble. 160 00:06:04,965 --> 00:06:06,298 [Ted] Yes. 161 00:06:06,300 --> 00:06:08,066 Because I, personally, would have got rid of the noodles, 162 00:06:08,068 --> 00:06:09,234 just like Tiffani did. 163 00:06:09,236 --> 00:06:11,536 They're purple sweet potato. 164 00:06:11,538 --> 00:06:13,205 [Amanda] Which is very starchy. 165 00:06:13,207 --> 00:06:14,673 Very heavy. 166 00:06:14,675 --> 00:06:17,275 Tiffani, how you feeling? You've got some beautiful Iberico, 167 00:06:17,277 --> 00:06:19,010 one of the most delicious things on this earth. 168 00:06:19,012 --> 00:06:21,046 Yeah. I am excited. 169 00:06:21,048 --> 00:06:24,483 I like to take risks. And the biggest risk I've ever taken 170 00:06:24,485 --> 00:06:29,821 is leaving my cushy kitchen job in New York City to work on farms. 171 00:06:29,823 --> 00:06:31,356 [mixer whirring] 172 00:06:31,358 --> 00:06:35,327 [Tiffani] I am making a salmon mousse wanton with an octopus dashi, 173 00:06:35,329 --> 00:06:39,831 topped with caviar and a ham crisp. 174 00:06:39,833 --> 00:06:42,768 Sorry, I am just... Tiffani is just ripping that octopus apart 175 00:06:42,770 --> 00:06:45,070 - with her bare hands. - Yeah, yeah. I saw that. 176 00:06:46,939 --> 00:06:49,074 [Nichole] Tiffani gets Iberico ham. 177 00:06:49,076 --> 00:06:52,177 She, now, has one of the best ingredients to work with. 178 00:06:52,179 --> 00:06:54,146 But I feel very confident 179 00:06:54,148 --> 00:06:56,314 and immediately think of the direction I wanna go in. 180 00:06:56,316 --> 00:06:58,250 Nichole, how is that basket working out for you? 181 00:06:58,252 --> 00:07:01,486 You know, it's really not that bad. I had a good plan right away. 182 00:07:01,488 --> 00:07:03,588 So, as long as the clock doesn't beat me up, 183 00:07:03,590 --> 00:07:04,923 I should be all right. 184 00:07:04,990 --> 00:07:07,459 [Nichole] I am making a bacon and octopus spring roll, 185 00:07:07,461 --> 00:07:12,164 with sweet potato noodle, and a spicy caviar dipping sauce. 186 00:07:12,166 --> 00:07:15,066 I am going to hydrate my dried octopus 187 00:07:15,802 --> 00:07:17,068 with bacon. 188 00:07:17,236 --> 00:07:19,805 I know it sounds a little crazy but we are going to go with it. 189 00:07:19,807 --> 00:07:20,972 [bacon sizzling] 190 00:07:20,974 --> 00:07:23,742 Well, I loved that dried octopus really... 191 00:07:23,744 --> 00:07:27,646 Like, when I smelt it, right? It's reminiscent of, like, salted cod. 192 00:07:27,648 --> 00:07:31,850 Talk about umami. I mean, dried fish is so popular in Asian cuisine. 193 00:07:31,852 --> 00:07:34,453 Ross, looking back, would you've gambled one of your ingredients away 194 00:07:34,455 --> 00:07:36,988 - or are you happy? - Absolutely not. I am feeling very confident right now. 195 00:07:36,990 --> 00:07:39,191 [Ross] To be able to gamble one of the ingredients 196 00:07:39,193 --> 00:07:42,661 in the basket, I feel like is such a huge risk. 197 00:07:42,663 --> 00:07:44,729 [Ross] But I generally like to play it safe. 198 00:07:44,731 --> 00:07:47,866 So, I am gonna stick with the ingredients I have in this basket 199 00:07:47,868 --> 00:07:50,402 because some of these ingredients I am super familiar with. 200 00:07:51,037 --> 00:07:52,637 [clicks tongue] 201 00:07:52,639 --> 00:07:56,675 I am making a chilled purple sweet potato noodle and an escarole wrap. 202 00:07:56,677 --> 00:07:59,945 Growing up, both my parents are Filipino. I immigrated from the Philippines. 203 00:07:59,947 --> 00:08:02,848 So, I grew up eating a lot of South-East Asian food. 204 00:08:02,850 --> 00:08:07,419 [Ross] So, I am boiling the purple sweet potato noodles 205 00:08:07,421 --> 00:08:09,488 in Kombu, which is a seaweed 206 00:08:09,490 --> 00:08:11,523 to give it that little bit of extra umami flavor. 207 00:08:12,992 --> 00:08:14,526 [dramatic music playing] 208 00:08:14,528 --> 00:08:17,095 [Nicholas] I have worked in Jean-Georges for about eight years now. 209 00:08:17,097 --> 00:08:18,363 I started as a line cook. 210 00:08:18,365 --> 00:08:20,699 And I worked my way up as an executive chef. 211 00:08:20,701 --> 00:08:22,267 [Nicholas] I am not afraid of risk. 212 00:08:22,269 --> 00:08:25,604 One of the riskiest things I've ever done is I've gone shark diving. 213 00:08:26,772 --> 00:08:29,074 I decided not to take a chance in this round 214 00:08:29,076 --> 00:08:31,376 because I am feeling good about my basket. 215 00:08:32,311 --> 00:08:36,615 [Nicholas] I am making a chilled sweet potato noodle 216 00:08:36,617 --> 00:08:41,653 with a spicy vinaigrette and sauteed escarole. 217 00:08:41,655 --> 00:08:45,190 So, I throw my sweet potato noodles in the water. Get 'em cookin'. 218 00:08:47,360 --> 00:08:48,860 Ten minutes on the clock, chefs. 219 00:08:48,862 --> 00:08:50,462 [Ted] Half your round is gone. 220 00:08:50,464 --> 00:08:51,463 [utensils clanking] 221 00:08:51,465 --> 00:08:52,731 [Tiffani] How you doin', Ross? 222 00:08:52,733 --> 00:08:54,132 [Ross] Chillin', baby, chillin'. 223 00:08:54,134 --> 00:08:56,234 [Tiffani] Yeah, I really wish I had a shot of whiskey, right now. 224 00:08:56,969 --> 00:08:58,503 All right. Into the water we go. 225 00:09:03,342 --> 00:09:05,844 Tiffani, how is your gamble working out? 226 00:09:05,846 --> 00:09:07,178 I think it's working out pretty well. 227 00:09:07,180 --> 00:09:09,447 I think I got plenty of time. Not really that worried. 228 00:09:09,449 --> 00:09:10,949 You look pretty relaxed actually. 229 00:09:10,951 --> 00:09:12,083 [Tiffani laughs] 230 00:09:12,085 --> 00:09:14,119 This casino twist is pretty crazy 231 00:09:14,121 --> 00:09:17,022 but getting the Iberico ham was such a gift. 232 00:09:17,024 --> 00:09:21,126 So I decide I'm going to drop it in the fryer until it crisps up really nice. 233 00:09:21,128 --> 00:09:23,495 Then I'm gonna use it as a vessel for my caviar. 234 00:09:24,330 --> 00:09:27,098 Chefs, less than five minutes to go here. 235 00:09:27,100 --> 00:09:30,335 Um, I'm not sure how I feel about this but Tiffani got that beautiful Iberico ham, 236 00:09:30,337 --> 00:09:31,469 she's now frying it. 237 00:09:31,471 --> 00:09:32,370 [sizzling sound] 238 00:09:32,372 --> 00:09:34,172 If you've got Iberico ham, 239 00:09:34,174 --> 00:09:37,108 you're either draping it over your finished dish, 240 00:09:37,110 --> 00:09:38,577 or layering it into something. 241 00:09:38,579 --> 00:09:40,245 Don't cook it. 242 00:09:50,056 --> 00:09:53,158 Um, I'm not sure how I feel about this but Tiffani got that beautiful Iberico ham, 243 00:09:53,160 --> 00:09:55,093 she's now frying it. 244 00:09:55,095 --> 00:09:57,796 [Amanda] Stranger things have happened in the Chopped kitchen. 245 00:09:57,798 --> 00:10:00,899 Maybe she has an idea in mind, maybe it's something she's done before. 246 00:10:00,901 --> 00:10:03,401 Maybe it will become a little bacony, maybe it will become crispy. 247 00:10:03,403 --> 00:10:06,438 [Nichole] I'm really happy with all of my ham crisps. 248 00:10:06,440 --> 00:10:08,940 They're super salty, super crunchy. 249 00:10:10,943 --> 00:10:12,344 [dramatic music playing] 250 00:10:12,346 --> 00:10:14,446 Chef Nicholas, you gotta hustle. 251 00:10:14,448 --> 00:10:15,981 [Nicholas] There's not a lot of time left. 252 00:10:15,983 --> 00:10:17,382 Behind you, man. 253 00:10:17,384 --> 00:10:19,818 I grab the first plates that I see. They're flat plates. 254 00:10:19,820 --> 00:10:21,586 Is it perfect for noodles? 255 00:10:21,588 --> 00:10:24,255 No, but I don't have time to sit there and hoof through all the plates. 256 00:10:24,257 --> 00:10:25,357 So I gotta hurry up. 257 00:10:25,359 --> 00:10:26,758 [plates clanking] 258 00:10:26,760 --> 00:10:29,260 [Ted] And here we go chefs, one minute on the clock. 259 00:10:30,096 --> 00:10:32,297 [Nichole] Gonna take the salmon off of here. 260 00:10:32,299 --> 00:10:34,899 I take the salmon from the smoked salmon pizza. 261 00:10:34,901 --> 00:10:37,535 I want to balance it out with a little bit of acid. 262 00:10:37,537 --> 00:10:42,040 And I add a little bit of lime juice, lime zest and black pepper. 263 00:10:42,042 --> 00:10:43,475 That's good. 264 00:10:43,477 --> 00:10:45,176 30 seconds, 30 seconds. 265 00:10:45,178 --> 00:10:47,579 Coming down, coming down, coming down. 266 00:10:47,581 --> 00:10:50,148 Make sure everything makes it to the plate. 267 00:10:50,150 --> 00:10:55,654 [Ross] Traditionally, I would like to use lettuce as a wrap for my noodle filling. 268 00:10:55,656 --> 00:11:00,225 Alright, I mean, escaroles, you know, looks like lettuce. 269 00:11:00,227 --> 00:11:03,228 Come on guys, and that plate has to look good. 270 00:11:03,230 --> 00:11:06,564 Get it done chefs, all four ingredients must be on those plates. 271 00:11:06,566 --> 00:11:09,167 Come on, come on, finish up, finish up. 272 00:11:09,169 --> 00:11:13,772 [Ted] Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, 273 00:11:13,774 --> 00:11:20,245 five, four, three, two, one. Time's up! 274 00:11:20,247 --> 00:11:24,949 - [Ross] Oh, my God, guys. - That was fast. 275 00:11:24,951 --> 00:11:26,451 [Tiffani] What you guys got over there? 276 00:11:27,653 --> 00:11:29,087 [Nichole laughs] 277 00:11:29,089 --> 00:11:31,423 [Nichole] I have never worked with dried octopus. 278 00:11:31,425 --> 00:11:32,857 So, that was a new one for me. 279 00:11:32,859 --> 00:11:36,261 But I think the flavors are good. I'm ready to get to this next round. 280 00:11:36,263 --> 00:11:38,029 So, hopefully I don't get chopped. 281 00:11:39,732 --> 00:11:41,499 [suspenseful music playing] 282 00:11:44,837 --> 00:11:47,539 Chefs, you have arrived at the chopping block. 283 00:11:47,541 --> 00:11:50,809 You opened an appetizer basket of smoked salmon pizza, 284 00:11:50,811 --> 00:11:56,614 escarole, purple sweet potato noodles and dried octopus. 285 00:11:56,616 --> 00:11:58,683 Chef Tiffani, please tell us about your dish. 286 00:11:58,685 --> 00:12:02,987 [Tiffani] I'm so glad I got rid of these noodles because I got Iberico ham. 287 00:12:02,989 --> 00:12:05,890 I have for you a salmon mousse wonton 288 00:12:05,892 --> 00:12:09,828 in a octopus and ham dashi and fresh caviar. 289 00:12:09,830 --> 00:12:13,064 Would you say that you are someone who likes to take risks? 290 00:12:13,066 --> 00:12:14,866 I totally like to take risks. 291 00:12:14,868 --> 00:12:20,138 I am actually the owner, founder of Uprooted, which is a table to farm experience. 292 00:12:20,140 --> 00:12:23,074 I roll up to different farms, sometimes that's the middle of nowhere. 293 00:12:23,076 --> 00:12:26,144 Sometimes I show up and there isn't even running water 294 00:12:26,146 --> 00:12:28,313 or there aren't tables or there aren't plates. 295 00:12:28,315 --> 00:12:29,881 So, it can be a little problematic 296 00:12:29,883 --> 00:12:30,949 but that's the risk I'm taking. 297 00:12:30,951 --> 00:12:32,650 Wow. [laughs] 298 00:12:32,652 --> 00:12:34,953 Tiff, this is a really, really tasty dish. 299 00:12:35,855 --> 00:12:39,157 We got that dried octopus datshi, 300 00:12:39,159 --> 00:12:40,425 and then we got salmon mousse, 301 00:12:41,060 --> 00:12:41,993 some more salt, right. 302 00:12:41,995 --> 00:12:44,195 You got some beautiful crispy Iberico ham, 303 00:12:44,197 --> 00:12:45,163 more salt. 304 00:12:45,165 --> 00:12:46,664 And then, caviar on top, 305 00:12:46,666 --> 00:12:47,999 so you look at it at first glance, 306 00:12:48,001 --> 00:12:49,934 and you're like, this can go either way, but, 307 00:12:50,669 --> 00:12:53,371 that smoked salmon evens everything out. 308 00:12:55,007 --> 00:12:56,775 I agree with Christian, I mean, the flavors are there, 309 00:12:56,777 --> 00:12:58,009 and they're deep. 310 00:12:58,011 --> 00:13:01,479 But I think you lost some of the crisp on the ham. 311 00:13:01,481 --> 00:13:04,115 If you're gonna put something crispy into a broth, 312 00:13:04,117 --> 00:13:06,017 you're really gonna risk losing the crisp. 313 00:13:06,652 --> 00:13:07,919 [Ted] Chef Tiffani, thank you. 314 00:13:07,921 --> 00:13:09,788 Next up, chef Ross. 315 00:13:09,790 --> 00:13:13,358 So what I have here is a purple sweet potato escarole wrap. 316 00:13:17,930 --> 00:13:19,230 This is delicious, I love it. 317 00:13:19,232 --> 00:13:22,066 I really love the dressing that you made. 318 00:13:22,068 --> 00:13:24,536 I love the way the apples play off the caviar. 319 00:13:24,538 --> 00:13:27,505 Honestly, I can't find the octopus at all. 320 00:13:28,240 --> 00:13:29,874 I want an apple. 321 00:13:29,876 --> 00:13:31,009 - Didn't you get any apples? - No. 322 00:13:31,011 --> 00:13:32,010 I got tons of apples. 323 00:13:32,012 --> 00:13:33,444 It's an inconsistency problem. 324 00:13:33,446 --> 00:13:36,915 You have much more of the sauce and apples on your plate, 325 00:13:36,917 --> 00:13:39,918 I have very little, so I'm definitely tasting octopus. 326 00:13:39,920 --> 00:13:43,188 And I actually want more of what you dressed the noodles with. 327 00:13:44,757 --> 00:13:46,224 Next up, chef Nicole, 328 00:13:46,226 --> 00:13:48,293 would you describe yourself as a risk taker? 329 00:13:48,295 --> 00:13:50,195 Absolutely not. 330 00:13:50,197 --> 00:13:54,232 I'm a very planned organized person in life, in general, 331 00:13:54,234 --> 00:13:56,901 so I'm just gonna stick with what I have in the basket. 332 00:13:56,903 --> 00:14:02,674 So today we have a bacon and octopus sweet potato noodle spring roll, 333 00:14:02,676 --> 00:14:05,577 with a little bit of spiced caviar dipping sauce. 334 00:14:12,117 --> 00:14:15,920 Well, this is an extremely surprising dish. Hmm? 335 00:14:15,922 --> 00:14:16,855 [Christian] Yeah. 336 00:14:16,857 --> 00:14:19,324 In the best way possible. 337 00:14:19,326 --> 00:14:23,461 Like, it is delicious, well-packaged, full of flavor, appetizer. 338 00:14:23,463 --> 00:14:27,031 Nobody's ever put these things together, for sure... 339 00:14:27,033 --> 00:14:28,333 [laughs] 340 00:14:28,335 --> 00:14:29,934 in this way, and it works. 341 00:14:30,936 --> 00:14:32,670 Man, I really love dried octopus. 342 00:14:32,672 --> 00:14:33,738 [laughs] 343 00:14:33,740 --> 00:14:35,506 It's your new thing. 344 00:14:35,508 --> 00:14:39,277 Yeah, it's so good, and the way you treated it, Nicole, in this spring roll, 345 00:14:39,545 --> 00:14:40,478 uh, 346 00:14:40,480 --> 00:14:42,780 it mimics the lardons of bacon. 347 00:14:42,782 --> 00:14:44,082 Yeah. 348 00:14:44,084 --> 00:14:48,920 I think that, putting that sliver of smoked salmon in there, 349 00:14:48,922 --> 00:14:51,289 helped you when it came to the escarole 350 00:14:51,291 --> 00:14:53,658 and the bitterness was really balanced out. 351 00:14:54,226 --> 00:14:56,027 Um, it's wildly creative, 352 00:14:56,029 --> 00:14:57,461 but it felt like it was missing something, 353 00:14:57,463 --> 00:15:00,064 'cause there was way too much smoked salmon and way too much bacon. 354 00:15:02,167 --> 00:15:05,203 Chef Nicholas, remind us, did you gamble? 355 00:15:05,205 --> 00:15:07,105 I liked the ingredients that were there in the basket, 356 00:15:07,107 --> 00:15:08,539 I thought they were challenging. 357 00:15:08,541 --> 00:15:10,708 And those in themselves were a bit risky. 358 00:15:10,710 --> 00:15:13,845 Not rolling the dice is its own gamble in itself. 359 00:15:13,847 --> 00:15:18,483 I made a chilled sweet potato noodle, with a chile vinaigrette. 360 00:15:23,355 --> 00:15:24,555 I didn't know what to expect, 361 00:15:24,557 --> 00:15:25,623 with that first bite, 362 00:15:26,959 --> 00:15:28,092 it was like 'boom!' 363 00:15:28,394 --> 00:15:29,360 I love the heat, 364 00:15:29,362 --> 00:15:31,329 I love the sesame, 365 00:15:31,331 --> 00:15:33,364 which is something that cooks in this kitchen tend to 366 00:15:33,366 --> 00:15:34,766 really mess up a lot. 367 00:15:34,768 --> 00:15:39,370 And, I like that the caviar is kinda tossed about. 368 00:15:39,372 --> 00:15:42,774 We've been talking about balance a lot and I think this is really well balanced. 369 00:15:42,776 --> 00:15:45,376 The escarole is the most successful here, 370 00:15:45,378 --> 00:15:48,780 'cause I think the dressing really, really, plays off this escarole, 371 00:15:48,782 --> 00:15:51,115 the sesame especially, really, really, well. 372 00:15:51,117 --> 00:15:53,284 Presentation's kind of a mess, 373 00:15:53,286 --> 00:15:55,920 I got sauce, kind of, all over the plate. 374 00:15:55,922 --> 00:15:59,190 I agree. A cold noodle salad, to me, goes in a bowl with chopsticks. 375 00:15:59,192 --> 00:16:01,559 So I feel like the presentation itself is very 376 00:16:01,561 --> 00:16:04,862 misrepresentative of the actual dish. 377 00:16:04,864 --> 00:16:07,298 Um, the actual dish has a lot of flavor 378 00:16:07,300 --> 00:16:09,067 and some good textures. 379 00:16:09,969 --> 00:16:11,536 Okay. Thank you, chefs. 380 00:16:11,538 --> 00:16:17,208 [suspenseful music playing] 381 00:16:18,143 --> 00:16:19,143 I'm freaking out! 382 00:16:19,145 --> 00:16:20,678 The judges said that, 383 00:16:22,247 --> 00:16:24,916 they would like a little bit more of everything. 384 00:16:24,918 --> 00:16:27,719 But, I was pretty happy with the overall feedback, 385 00:16:27,721 --> 00:16:29,821 I'm glad they enjoyed the flavor of it. 386 00:16:29,823 --> 00:16:31,956 [Nicholas] If I had the opportunity to go back and take a risk, 387 00:16:31,958 --> 00:16:34,525 I would probably have tried to find a better plate. 388 00:16:34,527 --> 00:16:41,165 [suspenseful music playing] 389 00:16:51,143 --> 00:16:54,245 So, whose dish is on the chopping block? 390 00:17:03,956 --> 00:17:06,958 Chef Ross, you've been chopped. Judges? 391 00:17:06,960 --> 00:17:11,896 Chef Ross, you have to give the judges three cookings of dishes that are the same. 392 00:17:11,898 --> 00:17:15,767 And what your dish lacked is, I got all the apples, 393 00:17:15,769 --> 00:17:18,503 Amanda got no apples whatsoever, 394 00:17:18,505 --> 00:17:21,172 Christian got a lot of octopus, 395 00:17:22,007 --> 00:17:23,474 and so, we had to chop you. 396 00:17:24,076 --> 00:17:24,976 Thank you. 397 00:17:24,978 --> 00:17:26,344 Best of luck. 398 00:17:27,312 --> 00:17:29,180 [Ross] I'm super disappointed in myself, 399 00:17:29,182 --> 00:17:31,349 I guess I folded under pressure today, 400 00:17:31,351 --> 00:17:34,519 which is, you know, it's fine, it happens to everyone. 401 00:17:34,521 --> 00:17:36,287 It's cool. It is what it is. 402 00:17:40,325 --> 00:17:41,292 Chef Nicole, 403 00:17:41,294 --> 00:17:42,093 Chef Nicholas, 404 00:17:42,095 --> 00:17:43,261 Chef Tiffani, 405 00:17:43,263 --> 00:17:45,897 are you ready to open your entree baskets? 406 00:17:45,899 --> 00:17:47,465 - [Nicole] Yes, I am. - [Tiffani] Yup. 407 00:17:47,467 --> 00:17:50,401 [suspenseful music playing] 408 00:17:50,403 --> 00:17:51,302 Go for it. 409 00:17:53,972 --> 00:17:56,340 - [Tiffani] What the... - [Nicole] Oh gosh! 410 00:17:56,342 --> 00:17:58,676 [Ted] And you're looking at slot machine candies. 411 00:17:59,244 --> 00:18:00,645 [Nicole] How ironic! 412 00:18:01,113 --> 00:18:02,313 [Ted] Sea beans. 413 00:18:02,315 --> 00:18:04,115 Ohh, is this ambrosia? 414 00:18:04,117 --> 00:18:05,249 [Ted] Ambrosia salad, 415 00:18:06,118 --> 00:18:08,119 and, beef shank. 416 00:18:08,121 --> 00:18:09,987 - [Ted] You alright? - [Tiffani] Big Piece of meat! 417 00:18:09,989 --> 00:18:12,190 Okay, chef Nicole. 418 00:18:12,192 --> 00:18:13,624 - I'm definitely gonna gamble this round. - Ooh! 419 00:18:14,927 --> 00:18:16,294 I'm gonna bet as well. 420 00:18:16,296 --> 00:18:18,329 I'm gambling, I'm gambling again. 421 00:18:19,098 --> 00:18:20,665 I can't wait to see what you get. 422 00:18:23,302 --> 00:18:24,502 - Okay, here we go! - Alright! 423 00:18:24,504 --> 00:18:26,404 Nicole, remind us what you're swapping out. 424 00:18:26,406 --> 00:18:28,072 - [Nicole] Ambrosia salad. - [Ted] Okay. 425 00:18:28,874 --> 00:18:29,474 Let her rip. 426 00:18:29,476 --> 00:18:31,476 [all applauding] 427 00:18:33,912 --> 00:18:35,379 And we've got a six and a six. 428 00:18:35,381 --> 00:18:36,380 Twelve. 429 00:18:36,382 --> 00:18:37,348 [all cheering] 430 00:18:37,350 --> 00:18:38,282 Yes. 431 00:18:41,186 --> 00:18:42,053 Sake. 432 00:18:42,055 --> 00:18:44,122 Ooh, okay. 433 00:18:44,124 --> 00:18:46,657 Interesting. I like that it's an alcohol. 434 00:18:46,659 --> 00:18:48,693 You can, kind of, put that in just about anything, 435 00:18:48,695 --> 00:18:51,195 Chef Nicholas, which ingredient are you kicking to the curb? 436 00:18:51,197 --> 00:18:53,397 I will be kicking to the curb, the ambrosia. 437 00:18:55,300 --> 00:18:57,001 [all cheering] 438 00:18:58,036 --> 00:19:00,071 - [Ted] And we got a three and a four. - [Nicholas] Seven. 439 00:19:00,073 --> 00:19:02,473 [Ted] Number seven, ooh. 440 00:19:05,444 --> 00:19:06,310 [Ted] sweetbreads. 441 00:19:06,312 --> 00:19:07,979 [Amanda] Ooh. 442 00:19:07,981 --> 00:19:12,116 Sweetbreads are the thymus gland of a veal. 443 00:19:12,118 --> 00:19:15,086 I feel pretty good about it, I've had a lot of pretty good experience with sweetbreads, 444 00:19:15,088 --> 00:19:17,155 so, it's in my ballpark. 445 00:19:17,157 --> 00:19:19,857 Chef Tiffani, what ingredient would you like to get rid of? 446 00:19:19,859 --> 00:19:21,058 The slot candy. 447 00:19:21,060 --> 00:19:22,226 Alright here we go. 448 00:19:22,228 --> 00:19:23,628 [Tiffani] This worked the last time. 449 00:19:27,232 --> 00:19:28,199 Come on, come on. 450 00:19:28,201 --> 00:19:29,133 Big money, big money. 451 00:19:29,135 --> 00:19:30,134 Six. 452 00:19:30,136 --> 00:19:31,135 - Alright. - [Christian] Even. 453 00:19:35,474 --> 00:19:37,308 Colatura de alici. 454 00:19:37,310 --> 00:19:38,442 [Amanda] That's a good ingredient. 455 00:19:38,444 --> 00:19:39,377 [Tiffani] Okay. 456 00:19:39,379 --> 00:19:41,345 It's made with anchovy, 457 00:19:41,347 --> 00:19:42,680 it's the Italian fish sauce. 458 00:19:42,948 --> 00:19:44,081 Ooh. 459 00:19:44,083 --> 00:19:46,250 [Ted] The ingredients are now set. 460 00:19:46,252 --> 00:19:48,152 30 minutes on the clock for the entree round, 461 00:19:49,388 --> 00:19:50,354 time starts now. 462 00:19:50,356 --> 00:19:52,023 [all cheering] 463 00:19:52,025 --> 00:19:53,524 [Chris] Alright let's go. 464 00:19:55,894 --> 00:19:58,963 [Chris] Alright, I love this, they all gambled. 465 00:19:58,965 --> 00:20:00,398 This is why we're here. 466 00:20:00,400 --> 00:20:02,400 [Amanda] Chef Nicholas got a seven, 467 00:20:02,402 --> 00:20:05,836 which is an odd number, he got sweetbread. 468 00:20:05,838 --> 00:20:09,807 Sweetbread's definitely an unlucky ingredient, because the time it takes, 469 00:20:09,809 --> 00:20:11,242 to prep them and cook them. 470 00:20:11,244 --> 00:20:12,677 When we're talking about sweetbread, 471 00:20:12,679 --> 00:20:15,079 there are literally four major steps, 472 00:20:15,081 --> 00:20:16,147 you blanche them, 473 00:20:16,415 --> 00:20:17,782 you peel them, 474 00:20:17,784 --> 00:20:18,950 you press them, and 475 00:20:18,952 --> 00:20:20,284 try to get as much liquid out as possible. 476 00:20:20,286 --> 00:20:22,220 Then you gotta cook them. 477 00:20:22,222 --> 00:20:24,255 Yes, sweetbreads are delicious when they're 478 00:20:24,257 --> 00:20:27,358 crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside, 479 00:20:27,360 --> 00:20:30,595 but it's still time consuming in a round where you've got beef shank to deal with. 480 00:20:32,097 --> 00:20:34,165 [Nicholas] I've cooked sweetbreads millions of times, 481 00:20:34,167 --> 00:20:36,000 going back to my roots at Jean-Georges 482 00:20:36,002 --> 00:20:38,202 so I'm really trying to just, channel that. 483 00:20:38,837 --> 00:20:40,371 I am making a 484 00:20:40,373 --> 00:20:42,673 braised beef shank with sweetbread, 485 00:20:42,675 --> 00:20:44,775 with a candy-veal jus. 486 00:20:44,777 --> 00:20:48,679 After my sweetbreads, I immediately start breaking down the beef shank. 487 00:20:48,681 --> 00:20:51,482 I try to just, kinda, slice that as thin as possible. 488 00:20:52,217 --> 00:20:55,453 Obviously, there's no time for this. 489 00:20:55,455 --> 00:20:58,856 The beef shank is this, it's the lower part of the leg. 490 00:20:58,858 --> 00:21:02,293 By the way, that drumming that you hear is not someone on the war path, 491 00:21:02,295 --> 00:21:06,364 that is Nicole tenderizing her pieces of beef shank. 492 00:21:06,366 --> 00:21:08,332 [Nicole] Switch this. 493 00:21:08,334 --> 00:21:10,935 I'm making a grilled beef shank 494 00:21:10,937 --> 00:21:14,672 with chimichurri and a sea bean salad. 495 00:21:14,674 --> 00:21:17,441 In the first round I did not gamble, played it a little safe, 496 00:21:17,443 --> 00:21:19,844 but I feel like I took a good risk 497 00:21:19,846 --> 00:21:22,046 changing in that ambrosia salad. 498 00:21:22,048 --> 00:21:25,082 Maybe this gambling thing is actually gonna pay off for me. 499 00:21:25,084 --> 00:21:28,219 Marinate it with a little sake. 500 00:21:28,221 --> 00:21:31,989 [Chris] So sake is Japanese rice wine, very crisp, 501 00:21:31,991 --> 00:21:34,692 I think it will work really beautifully with the beef. 502 00:21:36,495 --> 00:21:38,863 [rock music playing] 503 00:21:38,865 --> 00:21:41,098 Chef Tiffani, are you feeling lucky with the colatura? 504 00:21:41,100 --> 00:21:44,502 I am, the second I heard anchovy, 505 00:21:44,504 --> 00:21:46,904 I thought caper, garlic, puttanesca's perfect. 506 00:21:46,906 --> 00:21:48,172 Sounds good. 507 00:21:48,174 --> 00:21:52,009 [Tiffani] I'm making capesante style puttanesca. 508 00:21:52,011 --> 00:21:55,413 Colatura de alici, it's gonna be pretty funky. 509 00:21:55,415 --> 00:21:57,615 So we're doing classic Italian dish, 510 00:21:58,317 --> 00:22:00,117 delicious. 511 00:22:00,119 --> 00:22:02,353 Less than 20 minutes on the clock, chefs. 512 00:22:03,588 --> 00:22:07,892 [Nicole] This $25,000 would really provide for my family, 513 00:22:07,894 --> 00:22:11,962 to give me a little more time to be able to raise my one year old son, 514 00:22:11,964 --> 00:22:14,865 and give me some time to really get back into this industry 515 00:22:14,867 --> 00:22:17,368 without having to go back to working 516 00:22:17,370 --> 00:22:21,038 12-hour days, being gone every holiday weekend. 517 00:22:22,074 --> 00:22:23,240 This is looking good. 518 00:22:23,909 --> 00:22:25,676 13 minutes to go. 519 00:22:25,678 --> 00:22:26,944 [Tiffani] Oh, boy! 520 00:22:26,946 --> 00:22:28,279 Chef Tiffani, what are you doing over there, 521 00:22:28,281 --> 00:22:30,114 how's that beef coming along? 522 00:22:30,116 --> 00:22:31,849 It's coming along, there's lots of silver skin 523 00:22:31,851 --> 00:22:33,351 so I'm just cleaning it up a little bit, 524 00:22:33,353 --> 00:22:34,919 and then I'm gonna pulse it 525 00:22:34,921 --> 00:22:36,387 and hope that it's tenderized a little bit in the sauce. 526 00:22:36,389 --> 00:22:38,222 Oh. 527 00:22:38,224 --> 00:22:39,990 Winning would mean so much to me because I would love 528 00:22:39,992 --> 00:22:42,526 to start my own bio-dynamic farm, 529 00:22:42,528 --> 00:22:45,429 and just kinda carve out a section of earth 530 00:22:45,431 --> 00:22:48,632 for myself to just kinda explore the style of cooking that I'm doing. 531 00:22:49,401 --> 00:22:51,068 [motor whirring] 532 00:22:51,070 --> 00:22:52,570 Ten minutes on the clock, chefs. 533 00:22:54,139 --> 00:22:56,273 Chef Nicholas, what's happening on your station? 534 00:22:56,275 --> 00:22:58,109 [exhales] Right now, I have the sweetbreads, 535 00:22:58,111 --> 00:23:00,745 they're already been poached, I need to peel them. 536 00:23:00,747 --> 00:23:03,114 It's really challenging trying to peel that membrane off, 537 00:23:03,116 --> 00:23:06,083 so I'm going through with it, I'm cutting as much of it off as I can. 538 00:23:07,352 --> 00:23:09,620 So I throw them in a fortified jus, 539 00:23:09,622 --> 00:23:11,956 and I'll continue to poach the sweetbreads in this. 540 00:23:11,958 --> 00:23:17,027 Actually boiling the sweetbreads right now, after they've been blanched. 541 00:23:17,029 --> 00:23:20,097 I'm worried that the sweetbreads are gonna be overcooked and chalky. 542 00:23:20,099 --> 00:23:20,831 [Ted] Three minutes, folks. 543 00:23:20,833 --> 00:23:22,299 [Nicole whispering] Alright. 544 00:23:22,301 --> 00:23:25,169 So I'm making a sea bean salad with a little bit of sherry vinegar, 545 00:23:25,171 --> 00:23:28,139 sake, and these slot machine candies for the sweetness. 546 00:23:28,141 --> 00:23:30,875 Get these candies out of here. 547 00:23:30,877 --> 00:23:33,778 I feel like I'm really at a slot machine, this is crazy. 548 00:23:33,780 --> 00:23:36,113 Chefs, you got a minute and 40 seconds to get this done. 549 00:23:36,115 --> 00:23:39,417 Coming down the line, coming down, coming down. 550 00:23:39,419 --> 00:23:43,187 My other competitors decided that they wanna get rid of their ambrosia salad. 551 00:23:43,189 --> 00:23:47,024 But I'm thinking these marshmallows might just be what I need 552 00:23:47,026 --> 00:23:49,293 to add to my puttanesca, 553 00:23:49,295 --> 00:23:53,097 to take a little bit of the salinity off of this dish. 554 00:23:54,666 --> 00:23:58,102 [Amanda] We're looking at presentation, guys, don't forget. 555 00:23:58,104 --> 00:24:00,371 [Ted] Alright, counting it down now, chefs, 556 00:24:00,373 --> 00:24:01,972 only seconds to get it done. 557 00:24:01,974 --> 00:24:03,140 [Amanda] Come on, finish up. 558 00:24:03,142 --> 00:24:04,542 Ten, nine, eight, 559 00:24:05,277 --> 00:24:06,210 seven, 560 00:24:06,344 --> 00:24:07,278 six, 561 00:24:07,280 --> 00:24:08,245 five, 562 00:24:08,247 --> 00:24:09,213 four, 563 00:24:09,215 --> 00:24:10,147 three, 564 00:24:10,248 --> 00:24:11,215 two, 565 00:24:11,217 --> 00:24:13,017 one. Time's up. 566 00:24:13,019 --> 00:24:14,285 [Christian] Ah man. 567 00:24:14,287 --> 00:24:16,220 [all applauding] 568 00:24:16,955 --> 00:24:18,289 [Chris] Nice work. 569 00:24:18,291 --> 00:24:20,858 Nicely done, very nicely done. 570 00:24:20,860 --> 00:24:22,993 Sweetbreads in under half an hour, hard. 571 00:24:22,995 --> 00:24:25,930 - [Tiffani] It's okay. - [Nicole exhales] 572 00:24:25,932 --> 00:24:29,033 The sweetbreads were the huge curved ball in this round for me. 573 00:24:29,035 --> 00:24:31,769 Obviously because of how long it takes to prep them, 574 00:24:31,771 --> 00:24:34,205 and, you know, also having two different proteins, 575 00:24:34,207 --> 00:24:35,473 I don't know what's gonna happen. 576 00:24:44,249 --> 00:24:45,449 Chefs, before the entree round, 577 00:24:45,451 --> 00:24:48,152 we gave you a basket of slot machine candies, 578 00:24:49,020 --> 00:24:49,687 sea beans, 579 00:24:50,155 --> 00:24:51,322 ambrosia salad, 580 00:24:51,656 --> 00:24:53,290 and beef shank. 581 00:24:53,292 --> 00:24:55,726 Chef Nicholas, you got rid of the ambrosia salad 582 00:24:55,728 --> 00:24:57,895 and were given the gift of sweetbreads. 583 00:24:57,897 --> 00:25:00,998 Yes, I definitely took a gamble on this one, obviously, with the dice roll. 584 00:25:01,000 --> 00:25:03,968 Judges, you have in front of you, braised beef shank, 585 00:25:03,970 --> 00:25:07,872 and sweetbreads with caramelized potatoes and Brussels sprouts, 586 00:25:07,874 --> 00:25:09,540 with a candy-veal jus. 587 00:25:14,012 --> 00:25:16,046 If you can go back in time, would you roll the dice again? 588 00:25:16,048 --> 00:25:17,915 - [Nicholas] Sure. - [Christian] Think it paid off? 589 00:25:17,917 --> 00:25:19,116 - [Nicholas] Of course. - [Christian] Okay. 590 00:25:19,118 --> 00:25:20,084 No regrets. 591 00:25:20,086 --> 00:25:23,120 The potatoes, um, was smart to put with this 592 00:25:23,122 --> 00:25:25,256 'cause you needed some sort of crisp factor. 593 00:25:26,224 --> 00:25:27,124 [Christian] Here's the thing. 594 00:25:27,126 --> 00:25:29,527 The, the sauce, it's falling flat. 595 00:25:29,529 --> 00:25:32,196 And I wish what happened was that you took the chunks 596 00:25:32,198 --> 00:25:33,898 of that beef shank 597 00:25:33,900 --> 00:25:35,666 and kind of just, hit 'em hard in the pan 598 00:25:35,668 --> 00:25:37,501 and then deglazed it with your sauce. 599 00:25:39,204 --> 00:25:42,840 [Amanda] I love those warm spices with veal or demi-glas. 600 00:25:42,842 --> 00:25:45,442 I love that, and I think it gives it a real fullness. 601 00:25:46,278 --> 00:25:48,045 [Chris] Chef, um. 602 00:25:48,047 --> 00:25:49,346 I'm gonna just shoot straight with you here. 603 00:25:49,348 --> 00:25:50,648 The shank is tough 604 00:25:50,650 --> 00:25:52,917 and the sweetbreads are overcooked and chalky. 605 00:25:52,919 --> 00:25:54,051 They just are. 606 00:25:55,353 --> 00:25:57,187 The sauce is a little funky with the candy but 607 00:25:57,189 --> 00:25:58,756 really, really good. 608 00:25:58,758 --> 00:26:00,758 [Ted] So chef, what would winning mean to you? 609 00:26:00,760 --> 00:26:02,860 [Nicholas] I'm coming to Chopped because I've always wanted 610 00:26:02,862 --> 00:26:04,662 to prove to myself that I could. This is an obstacle 611 00:26:04,664 --> 00:26:06,964 that I've yet to ever have to go through. 612 00:26:06,966 --> 00:26:08,399 I always push myself to become 613 00:26:08,401 --> 00:26:11,001 a better chef, a better leader to my staff 614 00:26:11,003 --> 00:26:13,704 and by doing this, I want to show myself 615 00:26:14,239 --> 00:26:15,239 that I can be the best. 616 00:26:16,308 --> 00:26:17,274 [Ted] Thank you, Chef. 617 00:26:17,842 --> 00:26:19,276 Next up, Chef Nichole. 618 00:26:19,278 --> 00:26:21,478 [Nicole] I swapped my ambrosia for sake. 619 00:26:22,380 --> 00:26:24,782 So I made a grilled beef shank 620 00:26:24,784 --> 00:26:28,085 with a chimichurri and a bean salad. 621 00:26:33,892 --> 00:26:36,060 This rub that you put on the meat is dynamite. 622 00:26:36,261 --> 00:26:38,128 It's very forward. 623 00:26:38,130 --> 00:26:40,631 But the beef shank, it's tough, it just is. 624 00:26:40,633 --> 00:26:42,099 It's really hard to get through. 625 00:26:43,368 --> 00:26:45,235 When I take a piece and I run through that chimichurri, 626 00:26:46,104 --> 00:26:47,905 it is like, so bright. 627 00:26:47,907 --> 00:26:49,873 It's so good, but you know, 628 00:26:49,875 --> 00:26:52,009 you could have just pulled back on the sea beans 629 00:26:52,011 --> 00:26:52,977 'cause they're salty. 630 00:26:55,513 --> 00:26:57,982 I would say that if you were to blindfold me 631 00:26:57,984 --> 00:27:00,451 and I ate this dish, I wouldn't pick sake out. 632 00:27:00,453 --> 00:27:01,952 - Mm-hmm. - I do think 633 00:27:01,954 --> 00:27:04,321 it worked well on the beef where you put it. 634 00:27:04,323 --> 00:27:05,689 - Yeah. - If you did this exact dish 635 00:27:05,691 --> 00:27:07,124 with ambrosia, that wouldn't have worked. 636 00:27:07,126 --> 00:27:09,960 So I think your gamble did pay off that way. 637 00:27:11,029 --> 00:27:12,796 - [Ted] Chef Nichole, thank you. - Thank you. 638 00:27:12,798 --> 00:27:14,231 Finally, Chef Tiffani. 639 00:27:14,233 --> 00:27:16,166 What ingredient did you get rid off? 640 00:27:16,768 --> 00:27:18,836 I got rid of the candies. 641 00:27:18,838 --> 00:27:21,238 I kind of just wanted to see what else 642 00:27:21,240 --> 00:27:22,906 the dice had in store for me. 643 00:27:22,908 --> 00:27:25,676 [Ted] And then, what ingredient did you swap in? 644 00:27:25,678 --> 00:27:28,545 [Tiffani] Colatura di alici. 645 00:27:28,547 --> 00:27:31,148 I made capesante style puttanesca. 646 00:27:35,253 --> 00:27:37,087 You are the only chef that chose to keep 647 00:27:37,089 --> 00:27:38,722 the ambrosia salad. 648 00:27:38,724 --> 00:27:41,158 Um, and I think you did really well with it 649 00:27:41,160 --> 00:27:43,293 because the sweetness from the marshmallow that you used 650 00:27:43,295 --> 00:27:45,329 balanced the acidity of the tomato. 651 00:27:46,031 --> 00:27:48,666 But I think that you actually 652 00:27:48,668 --> 00:27:50,534 did well with the beef shank by 653 00:27:51,002 --> 00:27:53,037 breaking it down but 654 00:27:53,039 --> 00:27:54,338 I think you used the wrong machine. 655 00:27:55,040 --> 00:27:56,940 And this just, sort of 656 00:27:56,942 --> 00:28:00,978 shredded it in a way, and then kept the sinew together. 657 00:28:00,980 --> 00:28:03,580 So that bite is not the greatest with the beef. 658 00:28:04,349 --> 00:28:06,684 I agree that the beef shank 659 00:28:06,686 --> 00:28:08,118 really should have gone through the grinder 660 00:28:08,120 --> 00:28:09,887 but you don't have to change anything else, 661 00:28:09,889 --> 00:28:11,255 it's just, it's just a great dish. 662 00:28:12,290 --> 00:28:14,391 Chef Tiffani, the alici 663 00:28:14,859 --> 00:28:16,360 works great with this. 664 00:28:16,362 --> 00:28:17,695 Believe it or not, I'd actually 665 00:28:17,697 --> 00:28:18,696 would take a little more of it. 666 00:28:19,998 --> 00:28:21,565 - Thank you. - Thank you, chefs. 667 00:28:22,901 --> 00:28:24,601 [Nichole] Feel pretty confident about my dish 668 00:28:24,603 --> 00:28:26,403 in its complete state. 669 00:28:26,405 --> 00:28:29,840 But you know, Tiff had such a great review with her pasta 670 00:28:29,842 --> 00:28:31,442 so I think it's either gonna be me or Nick. 671 00:28:32,277 --> 00:28:33,944 [Ted] So, whose dish 672 00:28:33,946 --> 00:28:35,212 is on the chopping block? 673 00:28:48,827 --> 00:28:50,194 [Ted] Two of you played your cards right 674 00:28:50,196 --> 00:28:52,162 and will be moving on to the dessert round. 675 00:28:52,997 --> 00:28:54,398 So, whose dish 676 00:28:54,400 --> 00:28:55,699 is on the chopping block? 677 00:29:04,309 --> 00:29:06,577 Chef Nicholas, you've been chopped. Judges? 678 00:29:07,479 --> 00:29:09,146 You rolled the dice, right? 679 00:29:09,148 --> 00:29:10,147 You took a gamble 680 00:29:10,648 --> 00:29:11,882 and got that sweetbread 681 00:29:11,884 --> 00:29:14,518 which is a very difficult thing to work with. 682 00:29:14,520 --> 00:29:15,552 They were overcooked 683 00:29:16,187 --> 00:29:18,222 and so, we had to chop you. 684 00:29:18,224 --> 00:29:19,523 - Thank you, chef. - Thank you chef, do well. 685 00:29:20,024 --> 00:29:21,091 [indistinct chatter] 686 00:29:21,960 --> 00:29:23,894 [Nicholas] This game is all about risk. 687 00:29:23,896 --> 00:29:25,996 And it's not a matter of when you take it, 688 00:29:25,998 --> 00:29:27,131 it's how you take it. 689 00:29:30,268 --> 00:29:31,969 Chefs, making dessert in the Chopped kitchen 690 00:29:31,971 --> 00:29:33,904 is always a risky business. 691 00:29:33,906 --> 00:29:37,241 Even more so, with Casino Royale rules in effect. 692 00:29:37,243 --> 00:29:38,509 You gotta start by opening these. 693 00:29:41,379 --> 00:29:42,379 [Ted] Get in there. 694 00:29:43,414 --> 00:29:46,083 Oh. What the hell is this? 695 00:29:46,085 --> 00:29:47,985 [Ted] You've got a cotton candy burrito. 696 00:29:49,187 --> 00:29:50,220 Red bananas. 697 00:29:51,923 --> 00:29:53,457 - Popcorn? - [Ted] Popcorn kernels. 698 00:29:53,459 --> 00:29:54,992 I can deal with this. 699 00:29:54,994 --> 00:29:57,294 - [Ted] And tuna jerky. - Really? 700 00:29:59,130 --> 00:30:01,832 I'm gonna gamble. I'm getting rid of that tuna jerky. 701 00:30:01,834 --> 00:30:03,467 Chef Tiffani, how about you? 702 00:30:03,469 --> 00:30:05,669 Hell yeah, I'm getting rid of that cotton candy. 703 00:30:05,671 --> 00:30:07,237 Shall we go to the table? 704 00:30:07,239 --> 00:30:09,139 [Amanda] The stakes are high, the stakes are high. 705 00:30:09,808 --> 00:30:11,141 - Whoo. - Go. 706 00:30:11,143 --> 00:30:12,509 [Nichole] Momma needs a new pair of shoes. 707 00:30:15,413 --> 00:30:17,114 - [Ted] You got a six! - Okay. 708 00:30:17,515 --> 00:30:18,515 Whiskey truffles. 709 00:30:18,517 --> 00:30:20,083 - Oh, wow. - Wow. 710 00:30:20,085 --> 00:30:22,252 - I think I can do something with that. - It's nice. 711 00:30:22,254 --> 00:30:25,289 [Nicole] It's definitely worth handing in tuna jerky. 712 00:30:25,291 --> 00:30:26,990 - [Ted] Tiffani, let's go. - [everyone cheering] 713 00:30:28,993 --> 00:30:30,194 [Chris] All the energy. 714 00:30:32,430 --> 00:30:33,463 - It's seven. - Four, seven, oh. 715 00:30:33,465 --> 00:30:34,498 - Come on man. - Oh. 716 00:30:35,233 --> 00:30:36,500 - Oh. - Alright. [chuckles] 717 00:30:38,703 --> 00:30:39,937 Blood pancakes. 718 00:30:39,939 --> 00:30:41,138 - Oh. - Uh. 719 00:30:41,140 --> 00:30:42,372 [Tiffani grunts] 720 00:30:42,374 --> 00:30:44,007 [Tiffani] Fried fish and blood? 721 00:30:44,009 --> 00:30:46,677 Like, this is the worst pairing, ever. 722 00:30:46,679 --> 00:30:48,045 But I enjoy a challenge. 723 00:30:48,047 --> 00:30:49,813 [Ted] Alright, lucky or unlucky, 724 00:30:49,815 --> 00:30:52,249 30 minutes to do the best you can do with dessert. 725 00:30:52,251 --> 00:30:54,284 - Clock starts now. - [Christian] Ah, let's go. 726 00:30:55,386 --> 00:30:56,320 [Nicole] I don't want this. 727 00:30:59,958 --> 00:31:02,860 So these two very adventurous, 728 00:31:02,862 --> 00:31:05,329 thrill seeking gamblers 729 00:31:06,231 --> 00:31:07,431 have made it to the dessert round. 730 00:31:07,999 --> 00:31:09,399 Very different chefs. 731 00:31:09,401 --> 00:31:12,970 I mean, I've never seen a contestant quite like Tiffani. 732 00:31:12,972 --> 00:31:14,938 She is not worrying about what is expected 733 00:31:14,940 --> 00:31:16,940 but what she thinks she can pull off. 734 00:31:16,942 --> 00:31:20,310 [Chris] So Nichole is here to, kind of, reset herself 735 00:31:20,312 --> 00:31:23,113 and she had a son, also voluntarily decided to 736 00:31:23,115 --> 00:31:24,414 kinda take a little step away. 737 00:31:24,416 --> 00:31:26,283 And this is kinda like, her first move 738 00:31:26,285 --> 00:31:27,417 - back in to the industry. - Yeah. 739 00:31:28,419 --> 00:31:30,287 - Tiff, you want a truffle? - Yeah. 740 00:31:32,857 --> 00:31:34,391 - You want a fish jerky? - No. 741 00:31:34,393 --> 00:31:35,959 - Okay. - You have that, thank you though. 742 00:31:36,427 --> 00:31:37,895 Appreciate the offer. 743 00:31:37,897 --> 00:31:39,296 [Amanda] I mean, I personally would have 744 00:31:39,298 --> 00:31:40,797 swapped out the tuna jerky. 745 00:31:40,799 --> 00:31:42,099 Any kind of garlic, 746 00:31:42,101 --> 00:31:44,568 and chili and fish and dessert, as to me, 747 00:31:44,570 --> 00:31:46,536 I know how hard that is to incorporate. 748 00:31:47,772 --> 00:31:50,774 I am super excited that I got the whiskey truffle 749 00:31:50,776 --> 00:31:53,810 because I love chocolate in a dessert. 750 00:31:53,812 --> 00:31:57,481 I am making whiskey caramel banana cheesecake 751 00:31:57,483 --> 00:31:59,917 with salted caramel popcorn. 752 00:31:59,919 --> 00:32:02,352 Okay, it's interesting. 753 00:32:02,354 --> 00:32:04,221 The bananas taste a little unripe. 754 00:32:04,223 --> 00:32:06,823 I know I have to change 755 00:32:06,825 --> 00:32:08,125 the texture of these things. 756 00:32:08,127 --> 00:32:09,459 So I grab my food processor 757 00:32:09,461 --> 00:32:12,963 and I add in cream cheese, ricotta, 758 00:32:13,464 --> 00:32:14,431 cotton candy. 759 00:32:14,433 --> 00:32:16,199 Alright, let's see what happens. 760 00:32:16,201 --> 00:32:18,268 And my melted down whiskey truffles. 761 00:32:21,039 --> 00:32:23,674 [Ted] Tiffani got rid of that cotton candy burrito 762 00:32:23,676 --> 00:32:26,343 which, by the way, has like twelve food colors in it, 763 00:32:26,345 --> 00:32:28,278 and now has blood pancakes. 764 00:32:28,280 --> 00:32:29,947 [Amanda] And she's embracing it. 765 00:32:29,949 --> 00:32:32,082 [Chris] Those pancakes, it's like coagulated blood, 766 00:32:32,084 --> 00:32:33,951 flour and milk 767 00:32:33,953 --> 00:32:34,885 with a little sugar 768 00:32:34,887 --> 00:32:36,320 and they're metallic? 769 00:32:36,322 --> 00:32:38,622 - It's like having a mouthful of pennies. - [Chris laughs] Yes. 770 00:32:39,891 --> 00:32:43,226 As a lover of jerky, and also as a lover of umami, 771 00:32:43,228 --> 00:32:45,195 I already know exactly what I'm gonna do with it. 772 00:32:45,930 --> 00:32:48,065 I'm making a banana sticky bun 773 00:32:48,067 --> 00:32:49,333 topped with a blood pancake 774 00:32:49,335 --> 00:32:51,501 and tuna jerky caramel. 775 00:32:53,871 --> 00:32:55,772 [Amanda] Chef Tiffani has puff pastry dough 776 00:32:55,774 --> 00:32:58,008 filled with banana and she's 777 00:32:58,010 --> 00:33:00,444 wrapping that up and putting it in to a muffin tin. 778 00:33:01,679 --> 00:33:03,313 I don't think that puff pastry's gonna cook. 779 00:33:04,315 --> 00:33:06,850 I'm starting to feel like maybe I don't have enough time 780 00:33:06,852 --> 00:33:08,986 on the clock to bake these all the way. 781 00:33:08,988 --> 00:33:11,321 But again, willing to take a gamble. 782 00:33:11,323 --> 00:33:12,656 Chefs, ten minutes to get it done. 783 00:33:16,961 --> 00:33:18,428 I go to check on my caramel sauce. 784 00:33:19,097 --> 00:33:19,963 Is it broken? 785 00:33:21,199 --> 00:33:22,933 [sing-songy] Don't think it's working. 786 00:33:22,935 --> 00:33:24,334 Nichole, what is that now? 787 00:33:24,336 --> 00:33:28,005 Um, you know, I attempted to make like, a caramel sauce 788 00:33:28,007 --> 00:33:29,373 but I'm not a hundred percent sure 789 00:33:29,375 --> 00:33:31,208 it really worked out for me. 790 00:33:31,210 --> 00:33:33,443 Well, you guys got, uh, six minutes. 791 00:33:34,445 --> 00:33:35,579 No idea what I'm doing over here. 792 00:33:38,316 --> 00:33:39,549 I run to the pantry 793 00:33:39,551 --> 00:33:41,318 and I grab some walnuts 794 00:33:42,020 --> 00:33:43,487 and I'm trying to put together 795 00:33:43,489 --> 00:33:45,288 a streusel made from the popcorn. 796 00:33:45,290 --> 00:33:47,858 I'm really worried about Chef Tiffani's banana tarts 797 00:33:47,860 --> 00:33:49,860 that are made with puff pastry. 798 00:33:49,862 --> 00:33:53,130 That interior is not gonna have time to cook. 799 00:33:53,132 --> 00:33:54,398 [Christian] Hey Tiffani, how you feeling? 800 00:33:54,400 --> 00:33:56,466 I'm just primal screaming on the inside. 801 00:33:59,137 --> 00:34:01,271 I'm a little bit worried about my pastries 802 00:34:01,273 --> 00:34:03,040 so I'm not trying to check on them too much. 803 00:34:05,109 --> 00:34:06,243 No, don't open it. 804 00:34:06,245 --> 00:34:07,544 Don't open it. 805 00:34:07,979 --> 00:34:10,180 [Tiffani] I wanna cook them as long as they possibly can 806 00:34:10,182 --> 00:34:11,982 till the very last second. 807 00:34:21,159 --> 00:34:22,793 [Tiffani] There's three minutes left on the clock. 808 00:34:22,795 --> 00:34:24,027 I check on my rolls. 809 00:34:24,029 --> 00:34:26,663 They're gonna need as much time as I can give them. 810 00:34:26,665 --> 00:34:29,966 At this point, I'm just praying to whatever. 811 00:34:29,968 --> 00:34:32,436 The oven gods, that my pastry's okay. 812 00:34:34,238 --> 00:34:36,473 [Chris] So, Nichole said I think her caramel sauce broke. 813 00:34:36,475 --> 00:34:38,008 Now she has to figure out something else 814 00:34:38,010 --> 00:34:39,276 with not a lot of time left. 815 00:34:39,278 --> 00:34:40,911 [Nichole] Can I put corn starch in it? 816 00:34:40,913 --> 00:34:43,346 Adding corn starch into my caramel sauce 817 00:34:43,348 --> 00:34:45,515 to thicken it up and I whisk, whisk, whisk 818 00:34:45,517 --> 00:34:46,983 and hope for the best. 819 00:34:48,152 --> 00:34:49,920 Two minute warning, chefs. 820 00:34:49,922 --> 00:34:51,688 Meanwhile, Tiffani is down on her knees 821 00:34:51,690 --> 00:34:54,724 in front of that oven, praying. 822 00:34:54,726 --> 00:34:57,427 I know my streusel isn't gonna be ready in time. 823 00:34:57,429 --> 00:34:59,763 So I go ahead and grab some of the excess popcorn 824 00:34:59,765 --> 00:35:01,698 I had in my pan and just chop it up 825 00:35:01,700 --> 00:35:03,967 and decided that I'm gonna use it as a garnish. 826 00:35:03,969 --> 00:35:05,268 You guys, this is it. 827 00:35:05,270 --> 00:35:07,104 You're one minute away. 828 00:35:07,106 --> 00:35:09,372 This is that moment, where that wheel's spinning 829 00:35:09,374 --> 00:35:12,008 - and the ball starts to jump. - [Amanda laughs] 830 00:35:12,010 --> 00:35:14,111 And everyone just stops and looks at the ball. 831 00:35:14,113 --> 00:35:15,412 - That's what's happening right now. - Yeah. 832 00:35:16,447 --> 00:35:17,981 [Ted] Alright, chefs, final seconds 833 00:35:17,983 --> 00:35:19,282 - of the final round. - [Amanda] Whoo. 834 00:35:19,284 --> 00:35:21,151 [Ted] Ten, nine, 835 00:35:21,153 --> 00:35:22,519 eight, seven, 836 00:35:23,321 --> 00:35:24,621 six, five, 837 00:35:25,189 --> 00:35:26,623 four, three, 838 00:35:27,225 --> 00:35:29,759 two, one, time's up. 839 00:35:29,761 --> 00:35:32,062 - Oh, God. - Whoo. 840 00:35:32,064 --> 00:35:33,630 [Christian] I hope she didn't forget an ingredient. 841 00:35:35,299 --> 00:35:36,867 My biggest worry right now 842 00:35:36,869 --> 00:35:39,803 is Chef Tiff has been crushing it this whole game 843 00:35:39,805 --> 00:35:42,472 but I'm happy I got rid of that tuna and took the gamble. 844 00:35:42,474 --> 00:35:44,774 [Tiffani] There's a possibility that the centers 845 00:35:44,776 --> 00:35:46,776 are just completely raw. 846 00:35:46,778 --> 00:35:48,278 But I think I did the best I had 847 00:35:48,280 --> 00:35:50,447 been given as far as hands being dealt. 848 00:35:54,318 --> 00:35:56,520 Chefs, your third round Casino Royale baskets 849 00:35:56,522 --> 00:35:59,422 originally contained a cotton candy burrito, 850 00:36:00,224 --> 00:36:01,124 red bananas, 851 00:36:01,926 --> 00:36:02,692 popcorn kernels 852 00:36:03,261 --> 00:36:05,162 and tuna jerky. 853 00:36:05,164 --> 00:36:08,198 And we gave you a chance to gamble an ingredient away. 854 00:36:08,200 --> 00:36:09,833 Chef Nichole, how was that round for you? 855 00:36:09,835 --> 00:36:12,169 I got whiskey truffles. 856 00:36:12,171 --> 00:36:15,539 So you have a truffle banana cheesecake 857 00:36:15,541 --> 00:36:18,675 with a little bit of a caramel-esque sauce 858 00:36:18,677 --> 00:36:20,210 and some salted popcorn. 859 00:36:24,682 --> 00:36:26,183 [Christian] There's a few things I live for 860 00:36:26,884 --> 00:36:29,019 when it comes to dessert. 861 00:36:29,021 --> 00:36:31,655 And one of them is essentially this texture right here. 862 00:36:32,089 --> 00:36:33,790 It's like a mousse 863 00:36:33,792 --> 00:36:36,226 you know, went out and met a banana pudding, 864 00:36:36,228 --> 00:36:37,894 - and you know, it had a baby. - It had a baby. 865 00:36:37,896 --> 00:36:39,496 - They had a cheesecake. - Yeah, they had a cheesecake. 866 00:36:39,498 --> 00:36:40,630 [all laugh] 867 00:36:41,399 --> 00:36:43,266 Um, here's my issue. 868 00:36:43,268 --> 00:36:44,935 It needs a caramel sauce. 869 00:36:44,937 --> 00:36:46,436 And you know that ain't a caramel sauce. 870 00:36:46,438 --> 00:36:48,271 And had you just taken that whiskey 871 00:36:48,273 --> 00:36:50,674 and made a whiskey caramel sauce, 872 00:36:50,676 --> 00:36:51,908 I think this would be aces. 873 00:36:51,910 --> 00:36:53,109 I stand by that comment. 874 00:36:55,246 --> 00:36:57,447 The texture is magical. 875 00:36:58,049 --> 00:36:59,115 But it's just that 876 00:36:59,383 --> 00:37:00,317 is it a banana dessert? 877 00:37:00,319 --> 00:37:02,285 'Cause the bananas are not quite up front. 878 00:37:02,287 --> 00:37:03,420 Is it a chocolate dessert? 879 00:37:03,422 --> 00:37:04,955 But the chocolate's not really up front. 880 00:37:05,356 --> 00:37:07,090 It just, I feel like 881 00:37:07,092 --> 00:37:08,625 it doesn't know what it wants to be. 882 00:37:09,527 --> 00:37:10,894 Yeah, I agree. 883 00:37:10,896 --> 00:37:12,195 I think you made something that 884 00:37:12,363 --> 00:37:14,231 was a good presentation, 885 00:37:14,233 --> 00:37:16,399 incorporated all the basket ingredients. 886 00:37:18,336 --> 00:37:20,604 It's muted. Nothing is jumping out at us. 887 00:37:23,074 --> 00:37:24,207 [Ted] Finally, Chef Tiffani. 888 00:37:24,209 --> 00:37:26,243 You were the one contestant who gambled 889 00:37:26,245 --> 00:37:27,978 - all three rounds. - I mean, 890 00:37:27,980 --> 00:37:30,447 coming here is a risk, you're either in or you're not. 891 00:37:30,449 --> 00:37:32,682 So, you know, I decided to go all in. 892 00:37:32,684 --> 00:37:34,951 I got rid of the cotton candy burrito 893 00:37:34,953 --> 00:37:38,321 and I replaced it with the blood pancake. 894 00:37:38,323 --> 00:37:40,357 I made a banana sticky bun 895 00:37:40,359 --> 00:37:41,925 topped with a blood pancake 896 00:37:41,927 --> 00:37:44,027 and tuna jerky caramel. 897 00:37:48,299 --> 00:37:49,299 [Chris] Chef. 898 00:37:50,134 --> 00:37:51,635 Took a lot of risks today, and 899 00:37:53,137 --> 00:37:54,137 you've won me over. 900 00:37:54,939 --> 00:37:56,339 This tuna jerky caramel is 901 00:37:56,341 --> 00:37:58,508 not what I expected. 902 00:37:58,510 --> 00:37:59,642 - It's good. - [Amanda] Yeah. 903 00:38:00,945 --> 00:38:02,646 [Chris] But a risk that you took that has backfired 904 00:38:02,648 --> 00:38:04,414 is making these pinwheels and putting 'em in the oven 905 00:38:04,416 --> 00:38:05,582 in twelve minutes to go. 906 00:38:06,117 --> 00:38:07,851 Raw dough in the center. 907 00:38:07,853 --> 00:38:09,986 - Like, raw dough. - Heard. 908 00:38:11,122 --> 00:38:12,122 [Amanda] I agree with Chris. 909 00:38:12,124 --> 00:38:15,392 The interior is just too raw to eat. 910 00:38:15,394 --> 00:38:20,997 But it's creative, for sure. I think the combination of blood pancakes and tuna jerky 911 00:38:20,999 --> 00:38:25,001 is something we won't forget, because it's so unique. 912 00:38:25,003 --> 00:38:29,306 I know this would have been spectacular, had we taken it to the finish line. 913 00:38:30,474 --> 00:38:33,977 Standby for word on who has come out on top. 914 00:38:33,979 --> 00:38:35,879 - Thank you, chefs. - [both] Thank you. 915 00:38:35,881 --> 00:38:41,584 [dramatic music playing] 916 00:38:44,088 --> 00:38:48,358 Alright, judges. What was the most difficult ingredient you saw today? 917 00:38:48,360 --> 00:38:51,161 Ohh. That beef shank to me was the most challenging. 918 00:38:51,163 --> 00:38:54,297 None of the chefs were really successful with the beef shank, but 919 00:38:54,299 --> 00:38:57,300 Tiffany, I think was a little bit more successful. 920 00:38:57,302 --> 00:39:00,937 She kind of used it just sparingly in her pasta. 921 00:39:00,939 --> 00:39:05,175 She swamped out the slot machine candy and she got the colatura, 922 00:39:05,177 --> 00:39:07,711 which led her to that delicious puttanesca, 923 00:39:07,713 --> 00:39:11,047 lot of heat, spice, and anchovy, it was delicious. 924 00:39:12,049 --> 00:39:15,151 Now, Nichole's second course of that beef shank. 925 00:39:15,153 --> 00:39:19,356 I loved the rub on it. I loved the char. I loved the smoke. 926 00:39:19,358 --> 00:39:22,692 - Yeah. - [Amanda] But most of it was too tough. 927 00:39:22,694 --> 00:39:25,829 I really enjoyed the flavors of 928 00:39:25,831 --> 00:39:29,132 what chef Nichole did with her spring roll on the first course. 929 00:39:29,134 --> 00:39:32,402 That was very impressive. She had bacon and dried octopus inside there. 930 00:39:32,404 --> 00:39:34,003 Surprise and surprise. 931 00:39:34,005 --> 00:39:36,206 [Christian] But there was way too much smoked salmon and way too much bacon. 932 00:39:36,208 --> 00:39:39,809 Chef Tiffany did have some mistakes in her appetizer round, right? 933 00:39:39,811 --> 00:39:44,214 She dumped a crispy piece of Iberico ham into a broth. 934 00:39:44,216 --> 00:39:48,251 [Christian] But the fact that she had the salty octopus in the broth, 935 00:39:48,253 --> 00:39:52,422 the salty salmon, she had the salty Iberico, 936 00:39:52,424 --> 00:39:55,191 and then she had salty caviar on top of it. 937 00:39:55,193 --> 00:39:57,560 And somehow it tasted so great. 938 00:39:57,562 --> 00:40:00,397 That makes her a balance assassin in my eyes, right? 939 00:40:00,399 --> 00:40:06,703 It's really challenging to decide who made the best food, 940 00:40:06,705 --> 00:40:08,605 aside from who played the game well. 941 00:40:10,107 --> 00:40:12,008 [dramatic music playing] 942 00:40:12,010 --> 00:40:14,611 [Nicole] I stand behind all three of the dishes. 943 00:40:14,613 --> 00:40:18,681 At the end of the day, this game is making the best of what you have. 944 00:40:18,683 --> 00:40:21,084 [Tiffani] I gambled all three rounds with my ingredients, 945 00:40:21,086 --> 00:40:22,752 and honestly I wouldn't take it back. 946 00:40:22,754 --> 00:40:24,487 May the best woman win. 947 00:40:24,489 --> 00:40:28,191 So, whose dish is on the chopping block? 948 00:40:28,392 --> 00:40:33,363 [dramatic music playing] 949 00:40:34,665 --> 00:40:37,734 Chef Tiffany, you've been dropped. Judges... 950 00:40:37,736 --> 00:40:44,240 Aw! Chef Tiffany, you took a lot of risks here today, and they paid off. 951 00:40:44,242 --> 00:40:46,943 But the puff pastry, I mean your dessert, 952 00:40:46,945 --> 00:40:49,412 it just took you down because it was completely raw, 953 00:40:49,414 --> 00:40:51,114 and so we had to drop you. 954 00:40:51,116 --> 00:40:52,549 Thank you. Good luck. 955 00:40:54,952 --> 00:40:57,720 I came in here with zero expectations. 956 00:40:57,722 --> 00:41:01,191 I rolled the dice so to speak, and you know, I really risked it, 957 00:41:01,193 --> 00:41:04,894 but the clock definitely got in my way. 958 00:41:04,896 --> 00:41:09,132 And that means, Chef Nichole Armstead, you are the Chopped champion. 959 00:41:09,134 --> 00:41:13,870 You have won the opportunity to return for the Casino Royale finale. 960 00:41:13,872 --> 00:41:15,839 Hearty congratulations! You have earned it. 961 00:41:15,841 --> 00:41:17,340 - Yeah. - Congratulations. 962 00:41:17,342 --> 00:41:19,676 Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! 963 00:41:21,045 --> 00:41:24,180 Sidney-Lou, your mom is a champion. 964 00:41:24,182 --> 00:41:29,252 There is absolutely nothing that can get in my way to winning this 25k. 965 00:41:30,888 --> 00:41:32,789 [woman] I won't want anything get in the way of me winning today. 966 00:41:32,791 --> 00:41:33,990 Whoo. 967 00:41:33,992 --> 00:41:36,059 It's coming down to four incredible chefs. 968 00:41:36,061 --> 00:41:38,428 - Coming down the line, ladies. - Go, go, go. 969 00:41:38,430 --> 00:41:40,497 Never seen higher stakes than this. 970 00:41:40,499 --> 00:41:43,166 Every detail matters. 971 00:41:44,301 --> 00:41:46,002 Uh. I'm freaking out. 972 00:41:46,004 --> 00:41:48,938 [Ted] That life-changing sum is stamped on the chefs' brains. 973 00:41:48,940 --> 00:41:51,274 These chefs are full on sprinting. 974 00:41:51,276 --> 00:41:52,976 - Ahhh. - Get it done no matter what. 975 00:41:52,978 --> 00:41:55,311 [woman] I plan on gambling every chance I can get. 976 00:41:55,313 --> 00:41:57,247 I'm not sure if this tastes good at all. 977 00:41:57,249 --> 00:41:59,649 [dramatic music playing]