1 00:00:00,801 --> 00:00:02,034 [Tam] Bacon, make love to it 2 00:00:03,938 --> 00:00:05,637 We want you to make innovative dishes 3 00:00:05,739 --> 00:00:09,141 with a nod to BLT in all three rounds. 4 00:00:09,210 --> 00:00:13,012 [Tam] My BLT twist is going to be a tomato vodka cream. 5 00:00:13,014 --> 00:00:14,279 Oh, yeah. 6 00:00:14,281 --> 00:00:16,382 [Lindsey] I'm kind of Hail Mary-ing at this point. 7 00:00:16,417 --> 00:00:19,118 Lindsey's putting the pasta in the blender. 8 00:00:19,120 --> 00:00:20,919 -Ooh, that's not a good idea. -What the hell? 9 00:00:20,921 --> 00:00:22,721 Are you bringing in the BLT today? 10 00:00:22,723 --> 00:00:24,390 -I'll try to. -[Brooke] All right. 11 00:00:24,392 --> 00:00:26,425 The pressure is mounting, every second counts. 12 00:00:26,427 --> 00:00:27,659 Oh, my word. 13 00:00:27,728 --> 00:00:29,661 My son told me I better not lose. 14 00:00:29,763 --> 00:00:32,398 That means kick butt and take names. 15 00:00:32,400 --> 00:00:34,333 [Brooke] This dish embraces BLT. 16 00:00:36,837 --> 00:00:38,937 [upbeat music playing] 17 00:00:38,939 --> 00:00:42,808 I'm here to talk trash and whoop ass. 18 00:00:44,311 --> 00:00:47,813 I prepare Cajun soul food all day long. 19 00:00:47,815 --> 00:00:51,417 I bring all the soul that your mouth can handle. 20 00:00:51,419 --> 00:00:54,853 All I know is I make a fried green tomato BLT 21 00:00:54,955 --> 00:00:56,422 will make you wanna slap your mama. 22 00:00:57,358 --> 00:00:58,724 I mean slap your mama. 23 00:00:58,726 --> 00:01:01,527 I ain't slapping mine but you can slap yours. 24 00:01:01,529 --> 00:01:02,761 [laughs] 25 00:01:02,863 --> 00:01:04,730 I'm going to win 26 00:01:04,732 --> 00:01:06,999 because I didn't come here to lose. 27 00:01:07,001 --> 00:01:09,234 Losing is for suckers. 28 00:01:12,606 --> 00:01:15,040 [Ben] I've always had a love affair with bacon. 29 00:01:15,142 --> 00:01:17,109 You can get it sweet, you can get it smoky. 30 00:01:17,111 --> 00:01:19,111 I run the kitchen for Mean Sandwich 31 00:01:19,113 --> 00:01:21,113 in Seattle, Washington. 32 00:01:21,115 --> 00:01:22,414 I tend to be creative. 33 00:01:22,416 --> 00:01:25,284 I have a Korean version of a BLT 34 00:01:25,286 --> 00:01:27,019 mixed with a French dip. 35 00:01:27,021 --> 00:01:30,823 What do you want, we can make a BLT out of it 36 00:01:30,825 --> 00:01:32,023 I'm the chef to beat 37 00:01:32,025 --> 00:01:34,326 because I make a mean sandwich and a meaner BLT. 38 00:01:38,966 --> 00:01:40,632 [Cole] I don't think I've ev really been on camera much, 39 00:01:40,734 --> 00:01:42,201 besides people who sneak pictures. 40 00:01:44,839 --> 00:01:47,606 The BLT is the perfect sandwich. 41 00:01:47,608 --> 00:01:49,141 There's nothing more beautiful 42 00:01:49,210 --> 00:01:52,111 than a freshly-picked heirloom tomato. 43 00:01:53,948 --> 00:01:55,313 I love fine-dining. 44 00:01:55,316 --> 00:01:58,150 I have worked at multiple Michelin-starred restaurants 45 00:01:58,218 --> 00:02:00,152 I know that I can handle the heat 46 00:02:00,254 --> 00:02:01,854 and the pressure of the kitchen. 47 00:02:08,762 --> 00:02:10,195 [Lindsey] My food is rich. 48 00:02:10,197 --> 00:02:12,064 I believe in cooking in butter. 49 00:02:12,066 --> 00:02:14,633 My heart is in the fat. [laughs] 50 00:02:14,668 --> 00:02:16,902 I love to make sandwiches. 51 00:02:16,904 --> 00:02:19,805 You can pack a lot of punch in a few bites. 52 00:02:19,807 --> 00:02:22,040 BLTs are so good. 53 00:02:22,042 --> 00:02:25,711 I really love nice, thick, sliced bacon, 54 00:02:25,713 --> 00:02:29,214 big, juicy tomato with lots of salts. 55 00:02:29,750 --> 00:02:31,150 I have two small kids. 56 00:02:31,218 --> 00:02:33,218 -That's for you. -I'm thirsty. 57 00:02:33,220 --> 00:02:34,853 [Lindsey] I run a business. 58 00:02:34,922 --> 00:02:36,955 I am at the eye of the stor all the time, 59 00:02:37,057 --> 00:02:38,724 and that's my training for Chopped. 60 00:02:40,528 --> 00:02:42,060 -Oh, my goodness. -[Tam] Oh, my God. 61 00:02:42,062 --> 00:02:43,829 -Are you all ready? -[Lindsey laughs] 62 00:02:43,831 --> 00:02:44,930 [Tam] This is it. 63 00:02:46,133 --> 00:02:47,399 -Hi, chefs. -Hi, Ted. 64 00:02:47,401 --> 00:02:48,800 -Hey, Ted. -How you feeling? 65 00:02:48,802 --> 00:02:50,802 -Amazing. -Pretty nervous. 66 00:02:50,804 --> 00:02:52,838 Your competition is a celebration 67 00:02:52,940 --> 00:02:56,608 of an iconic flavor combo that just works, 68 00:02:56,610 --> 00:02:58,410 bacon, lettuce, and tomato. 69 00:02:58,412 --> 00:02:59,411 -Oh, yeah. -[Cole] Yes. 70 00:02:59,413 --> 00:03:00,913 [Ted] We want you to make innovative dishes 71 00:03:00,915 --> 00:03:04,049 with a nod to BLT in all three rounds. 72 00:03:04,151 --> 00:03:05,050 -Cool with that? -Mmm-hmm. 73 00:03:05,119 --> 00:03:06,184 -Absolutely. -[Lindsey] Yeah. 74 00:03:06,186 --> 00:03:07,319 -Staying with sandwich. -[Lindsey] Sandwich. 75 00:03:07,321 --> 00:03:10,622 Let's see if these appetizer ingredients appeal to you. 76 00:03:10,624 --> 00:03:14,126 [suspenseful music playing] 77 00:03:14,128 --> 00:03:15,227 Check 'em out. 78 00:03:15,963 --> 00:03:17,029 [scoffs] 79 00:03:17,631 --> 00:03:18,630 All right. 80 00:03:18,632 --> 00:03:21,233 And no escaping the BLT theme here. 81 00:03:21,302 --> 00:03:23,802 You got BLT mac and cheese. 82 00:03:23,804 --> 00:03:25,404 I love it. 83 00:03:25,406 --> 00:03:28,106 I make fried mac and cheese in my restaurant every day. 84 00:03:28,108 --> 00:03:29,741 I see this mac and cheese and I'm like, 85 00:03:29,810 --> 00:03:32,544 "Oh, winner, winner, chicken dinner." 86 00:03:32,613 --> 00:03:34,346 [Ted] Colossal cut bacon. 87 00:03:34,448 --> 00:03:35,814 [Lindsey] Colossal bacon? 88 00:03:35,816 --> 00:03:37,449 Sign me up. 89 00:03:37,551 --> 00:03:38,517 [Ted] Bibb lettuce. 90 00:03:38,519 --> 00:03:40,219 Good bibb lettuce. 91 00:03:40,221 --> 00:03:41,720 [Ted] And tomato jam. 92 00:03:41,722 --> 00:03:43,755 Tomato jam. 93 00:03:43,824 --> 00:03:44,790 That's my jam. 94 00:03:44,792 --> 00:03:46,959 [upbeat music playing] 95 00:03:48,262 --> 00:03:49,661 Twenty minutes. 96 00:03:50,464 --> 00:03:51,730 -Clock stars now. -Oh, yes. 97 00:03:51,732 --> 00:03:53,031 -[Brooke] Let's go chop. -[Marc] Let's go. 98 00:03:53,033 --> 00:03:54,032 -[Justin] Let's go, guys. -Let's go. 99 00:03:54,034 --> 00:03:55,100 [Justin] BLT time. 100 00:03:56,870 --> 00:03:59,738 [suspenseful music playing] 101 00:03:59,840 --> 00:04:02,307 Chef Marc, you are joined by two special guest judges, 102 00:04:02,309 --> 00:04:05,010 both of them trendsetting restaurateurs, 103 00:04:05,012 --> 00:04:07,045 Chef Justin Sutherland 104 00:04:07,047 --> 00:04:09,147 and Chef Brooke Williamson. 105 00:04:09,216 --> 00:04:10,949 I love this competition 106 00:04:10,951 --> 00:04:13,952 where we're taking an iconic combination of flavors 107 00:04:13,954 --> 00:04:15,254 that make up a BLT. 108 00:04:15,322 --> 00:04:17,789 And challenging chefs to get those flavors 109 00:04:17,791 --> 00:04:19,625 into different kinds of formats. 110 00:04:19,627 --> 00:04:21,460 I think that's a lot of fun. 111 00:04:21,528 --> 00:04:22,961 You know, bacon, tomatoes, lettuce, 112 00:04:22,963 --> 00:04:25,330 there's so many avenues you can go using a BLT 113 00:04:25,332 --> 00:04:26,932 and turning it into something else. 114 00:04:27,034 --> 00:04:28,333 Totally. 115 00:04:28,335 --> 00:04:30,435 [Broke] Acidity from tomato, you have richness from bacon, 116 00:04:30,537 --> 00:04:32,137 you have freshness from that lettuce, 117 00:04:32,239 --> 00:04:34,806 and like a little spread of mayo and some crunchy bread 118 00:04:34,808 --> 00:04:36,041 it's perfection in one bite. 119 00:04:36,043 --> 00:04:37,809 [Justin] I'm a no-mayo guy over here, so... 120 00:04:37,811 --> 00:04:38,810 -[Marc] You are? -No? 121 00:04:38,812 --> 00:04:39,811 Really? Wow. 122 00:04:39,813 --> 00:04:41,013 [Justin] I put mustard on my BLTs. 123 00:04:41,015 --> 00:04:42,814 What's wrong with you? What? 124 00:04:42,816 --> 00:04:44,750 [Marc] The challenge in this basket right now is that 125 00:04:44,818 --> 00:04:47,119 ginormous mac and cheese 126 00:04:47,121 --> 00:04:48,620 which is sort of hard to incorporate sometimes, 127 00:04:48,622 --> 00:04:49,655 already a cooked dish. 128 00:04:49,756 --> 00:04:50,756 -Mmm-hmm. -[Brooke] Yeah. 129 00:04:50,758 --> 00:04:53,859 I wanna get at this macaroni and cheese. 130 00:04:53,927 --> 00:04:56,228 Mac and cheese is super difficult to incorporate. 131 00:04:56,230 --> 00:04:57,963 I mean, it's already cooked, 132 00:04:57,965 --> 00:05:00,399 but I love stuffed peppers. 133 00:05:00,401 --> 00:05:02,200 I love deep-fried mac and cheese. 134 00:05:02,202 --> 00:05:04,636 I'm thinking I can marry the two together. 135 00:05:04,705 --> 00:05:07,306 I'm gonna make mac and chees stuffed chile relleno 136 00:05:07,308 --> 00:05:10,042 with tomato, jam, and bacon salsa. 137 00:05:10,143 --> 00:05:11,643 I kind of have an advantage over the other chefs 138 00:05:11,745 --> 00:05:14,146 because I am part-owner of a sandwich shop. 139 00:05:14,214 --> 00:05:16,515 I work with sandwiches every day. 140 00:05:16,517 --> 00:05:20,052 To win this BLT competition would solidify my name 141 00:05:20,054 --> 00:05:23,121 in the sandwich world throughout America. 142 00:05:25,759 --> 00:05:27,492 [upbeat music playing] 143 00:05:27,494 --> 00:05:30,862 The BLT mac and cheese actually has bacon, lettuce 144 00:05:30,964 --> 00:05:35,901 and tomato in it, so this whole basket is screaming BLT. 145 00:05:35,903 --> 00:05:37,703 Really, the challenge is 146 00:05:37,705 --> 00:05:39,171 I've got to think outside the box. 147 00:05:39,173 --> 00:05:41,239 And so I'm gonna go tacos 148 00:05:41,308 --> 00:05:45,043 and make a bacon chorizo lettuce wrap taco. 149 00:05:45,045 --> 00:05:47,646 I love BLTs. 150 00:05:47,715 --> 00:05:52,117 My absolute favorite is to throw some fresh tomatoes 151 00:05:52,119 --> 00:05:54,853 lettuce, and bacon on a croissant 152 00:05:54,922 --> 00:05:56,355 and I'm a happy girl. 153 00:05:56,456 --> 00:05:58,623 So this is right in my lane 154 00:05:59,727 --> 00:06:01,026 [Marc] I just saw Lindsey 155 00:06:01,028 --> 00:06:02,961 open up the tomato jam and taste it. 156 00:06:02,963 --> 00:06:04,629 -It's pretty sweet. -[Brooke] Yeah. 157 00:06:04,631 --> 00:06:06,598 I actually think a vinaigrette is the way to go 158 00:06:06,600 --> 00:06:08,734 -with that tomato jam. -[Marc] Yeah, absolutely. 159 00:06:08,802 --> 00:06:10,135 But we're talking appetizers here. 160 00:06:10,237 --> 00:06:11,303 You're gonna have to use a lot of vinegar. 161 00:06:11,305 --> 00:06:12,471 [Justin] Right. 162 00:06:12,473 --> 00:06:13,538 [Cole] Tomato jam, 163 00:06:13,607 --> 00:06:16,708 it's a rendered down version of tomatoes. 164 00:06:16,710 --> 00:06:19,211 It's very sweet and I know right away 165 00:06:19,213 --> 00:06:21,546 that I was gonna make a tomato vinaigrette. 166 00:06:21,615 --> 00:06:24,516 I'm making a BLT lettuce tac 167 00:06:24,518 --> 00:06:26,952 with a tomato vinaigrette. 168 00:06:27,053 --> 00:06:30,155 I'd blend up the tomato jam with white wine vinegar 169 00:06:30,257 --> 00:06:31,623 to make the vinaigrette. 170 00:06:31,625 --> 00:06:33,091 [blender whirring] 171 00:06:33,093 --> 00:06:35,160 [Marc] Cole, what's going on? How you feeling? 172 00:06:35,229 --> 00:06:36,395 [Cole] I'm feeling good. 173 00:06:36,397 --> 00:06:38,764 I feel real good. 174 00:06:38,832 --> 00:06:41,099 I feel great about the BLT theme. 175 00:06:41,101 --> 00:06:43,001 I think it's awesome to make something new 176 00:06:43,003 --> 00:06:44,836 and exciting with that, so it's a lot of fun. 177 00:06:49,743 --> 00:06:52,010 Making a BLT-themed appetizer? 178 00:06:52,012 --> 00:06:54,012 Easy peasy. 179 00:06:54,014 --> 00:06:56,615 My strategy is to go with what I know. 180 00:06:56,617 --> 00:06:58,250 And the inspiration for this dish 181 00:06:58,318 --> 00:06:59,818 is the mac and cheese balls 182 00:06:59,820 --> 00:07:02,053 I make in Chef Tam's every day. 183 00:07:02,055 --> 00:07:04,556 I'm gonna make fried mac and cheese 184 00:07:04,658 --> 00:07:07,225 with tomato Sriracha sauce. 185 00:07:07,227 --> 00:07:08,660 It would mean everything to me 186 00:07:08,729 --> 00:07:10,929 to be the next Chopped Champion. 187 00:07:10,931 --> 00:07:12,431 I'm an extremely proud mother 188 00:07:12,433 --> 00:07:14,800 and I'm playing for my son, Dorian. 189 00:07:14,802 --> 00:07:16,935 He's the light of my life. 190 00:07:17,004 --> 00:07:19,004 My son told me I better not lose. 191 00:07:19,006 --> 00:07:22,407 That means come here and kick butt and take names. 192 00:07:24,011 --> 00:07:26,111 Less than 10 minutes to go, chefs. 193 00:07:27,714 --> 00:07:29,047 I've never worked with tomato jam 194 00:07:29,049 --> 00:07:30,549 but I know it's gonna be sweet. 195 00:07:30,551 --> 00:07:32,818 Makes sense to me that's gonna go into a sauce. 196 00:07:32,820 --> 00:07:34,920 I wanna get the bacon in there 197 00:07:34,922 --> 00:07:36,521 rendering down a little bit 198 00:07:36,523 --> 00:07:39,324 For acidity, I'm going to slice up my jalapenos 199 00:07:39,326 --> 00:07:41,526 and my tomatillo, get those in the pan. 200 00:07:41,528 --> 00:07:42,928 [pan sizzling] 201 00:07:43,964 --> 00:07:46,565 I'm thinking, I definitely need some kind of 202 00:07:46,600 --> 00:07:48,033 crema on top of this taco. 203 00:07:48,101 --> 00:07:49,701 Coming through behind. 204 00:07:49,703 --> 00:07:52,037 So I get the blender and I think 205 00:07:52,039 --> 00:07:55,307 this is a great place to bury this mac and cheese 206 00:07:55,309 --> 00:07:57,108 Guys, I think Lindsey's putting the pasta 207 00:07:57,110 --> 00:07:58,844 -in the blender. -[Brooke] No, don't do that. 208 00:07:58,912 --> 00:08:00,245 [Marc] Ooh, that's not a good idea. 209 00:08:00,347 --> 00:08:01,546 -Like pasta smoothie? -No. 210 00:08:01,648 --> 00:08:03,615 -[Marc] I don't know. -I don't want a pureed pasta. 211 00:08:03,617 --> 00:08:04,816 Pasta gluey would make a wallpaper paste. 212 00:08:07,254 --> 00:08:10,222 I just put way too much macaroni and cheese 213 00:08:10,224 --> 00:08:11,389 in this blender. 214 00:08:11,391 --> 00:08:12,724 It's protected. 215 00:08:12,726 --> 00:08:15,060 So I keep trying to add more cream 216 00:08:15,161 --> 00:08:17,529 and my nerves are a wreck. 217 00:08:17,531 --> 00:08:18,663 Loosen this up. 218 00:08:20,300 --> 00:08:22,300 -[Tam] Eight minutes, y'all. -Eight minutes? 219 00:08:22,903 --> 00:08:25,403 Time is flying by. 220 00:08:25,405 --> 00:08:29,608 I need to do something with that BLT mac and cheese. 221 00:08:29,610 --> 00:08:32,611 So my first initial thought is to use the bread crumb 222 00:08:32,613 --> 00:08:34,312 just to get a nice toast on it 223 00:08:34,314 --> 00:08:36,615 and put it in my vinaigrette 224 00:08:36,617 --> 00:08:38,350 I get my bacon going. 225 00:08:38,418 --> 00:08:40,619 I grab fresh heirloom tomatoes and add that in 226 00:08:40,621 --> 00:08:41,920 with cherry tomatoes, 227 00:08:41,922 --> 00:08:44,456 and use that as the filling for the taco. 228 00:08:47,427 --> 00:08:50,262 [Tam] The colossal cut bacon that's easy peasy. 229 00:08:50,363 --> 00:08:52,097 It's big cut bacon. 230 00:08:52,099 --> 00:08:53,331 Make love to it. 231 00:08:54,902 --> 00:08:56,568 And then for the Sriracha sauce, 232 00:08:56,636 --> 00:09:00,071 I'm using the tomato jam, some reduced bacon fat, 233 00:09:00,073 --> 00:09:01,806 and some Sriracha. 234 00:09:01,808 --> 00:09:04,009 [Ted] Okay, chefs, five minutes left on the clock. 235 00:09:05,145 --> 00:09:07,512 We got five minutes. 236 00:09:07,514 --> 00:09:11,116 I better get the mac and cheese balls directly in the fryer. 237 00:09:11,118 --> 00:09:13,318 Behind, behind, behind. 238 00:09:13,320 --> 00:09:14,953 [Ted] Tam is going into the fryer 239 00:09:15,055 --> 00:09:18,056 with some baseball-sized fritters. 240 00:09:18,058 --> 00:09:20,025 I'm worried about the size of those fritters, though. 241 00:09:20,027 --> 00:09:21,126 [Brooke] That looks like a large fritter. 242 00:09:21,128 --> 00:09:22,327 That looks like a large fritter 243 00:09:22,329 --> 00:09:24,062 to get hot all the way inside. 244 00:09:24,064 --> 00:09:26,331 [Tam] My only concern is if it's gonna be 245 00:09:26,333 --> 00:09:28,333 heated all the way in the middle, 246 00:09:28,435 --> 00:09:29,935 so I'm a little nervous. 247 00:09:29,937 --> 00:09:32,804 I have a lot riding on this mac and cheese ball 248 00:09:33,307 --> 00:09:35,206 [clock-ticking] 249 00:09:38,111 --> 00:09:41,913 [suspenseful music playing] 250 00:09:41,915 --> 00:09:44,049 I have a lot riding on this mac and cheese ball. 251 00:09:45,052 --> 00:09:46,751 What I'm worried about 252 00:09:46,820 --> 00:09:49,721 is if it's gonna be heated all the way in the middle. 253 00:09:49,723 --> 00:09:51,022 Excuse me. 254 00:09:51,024 --> 00:09:52,524 Tam, it does look like snowballs you got there. 255 00:09:52,526 --> 00:09:53,658 Yeah, I'm from Texas, 256 00:09:53,727 --> 00:09:54,859 everything's supposed to be big. 257 00:09:54,928 --> 00:09:56,728 Okay. All right. I got you. 258 00:09:57,631 --> 00:10:00,165 Chefs, calling the two-minute warning. 259 00:10:00,233 --> 00:10:03,301 Now, does this feel like a friendly rivalry? 260 00:10:03,303 --> 00:10:05,704 It seems to me that they're both making tacos. 261 00:10:05,706 --> 00:10:08,139 I will say that what I don't wanna see 262 00:10:08,241 --> 00:10:10,709 is people using this lettuce as a garnish. 263 00:10:10,711 --> 00:10:13,712 I don't want the lettuce just there superfluously. 264 00:10:13,714 --> 00:10:15,847 Lettuce is an important part of this equation. 265 00:10:15,916 --> 00:10:17,282 Yeah. 266 00:10:17,284 --> 00:10:19,217 I would like to think that I'm a mad scientist in the kitchen 267 00:10:19,219 --> 00:10:20,719 just because I'm not afraid 268 00:10:20,721 --> 00:10:23,054 to just do something crazy and wild. 269 00:10:23,056 --> 00:10:26,524 I love the idea of using a lettuce as the bread 270 00:10:26,526 --> 00:10:31,062 and just kind of trying to take a weird approach to the BLT. 271 00:10:32,966 --> 00:10:35,333 One minute on the clock, chefs. 272 00:10:35,402 --> 00:10:36,901 Come on, Ben. Hurry up. 273 00:10:36,903 --> 00:10:38,036 Hurry up. 274 00:10:38,038 --> 00:10:39,437 Ben's just getting plates with one minute left. 275 00:10:40,040 --> 00:10:41,106 The pressure is mounting. 276 00:10:41,108 --> 00:10:43,141 I mean, every second counts. 277 00:10:43,243 --> 00:10:44,342 It is intense. 278 00:10:44,444 --> 00:10:46,244 Poblanos come out, they look awesome. 279 00:10:46,313 --> 00:10:48,513 It seems like Ben hasn't touched that lettuce, 280 00:10:48,515 --> 00:10:49,648 so how does that get incorporated 281 00:10:49,749 --> 00:10:50,849 into a whole dish? 282 00:10:50,851 --> 00:10:51,683 I mean, that's at this point gonna be a garnish, right? 283 00:10:51,685 --> 00:10:52,717 Right. 284 00:10:52,719 --> 00:10:53,851 [Ben] For the lettuce, I'm just gonna shred it 285 00:10:53,920 --> 00:10:56,588 then I'm gonna lay it down as the base of my dish. 286 00:10:56,590 --> 00:11:00,325 [Tam] I take my mac and cheese balls right out of the fryer. 287 00:11:00,327 --> 00:11:01,726 They're the right color. 288 00:11:01,728 --> 00:11:02,761 Behind. Behind. 289 00:11:02,862 --> 00:11:04,996 [Ted] They worked. Tam's snow balls worked. 290 00:11:04,998 --> 00:11:06,097 Wow. 291 00:11:06,099 --> 00:11:07,265 [Brooke] Oh, my God. 292 00:11:07,333 --> 00:11:09,067 Remember, if everything doesn't make it on the plate, 293 00:11:09,069 --> 00:11:10,301 we can't try it, guys. 294 00:11:10,303 --> 00:11:11,569 [Cole] All right. 295 00:11:11,571 --> 00:11:13,805 Show us what you can do in these last seconds, chefs. 296 00:11:13,807 --> 00:11:15,106 [Brooke] Oh, my God, 10 seconds. 297 00:11:15,108 --> 00:11:17,042 -[Ted] Ten, nine... -[Brooke] Come on, Ben. 298 00:11:17,143 --> 00:11:19,544 [Ted] eight, seven... 299 00:11:19,646 --> 00:11:21,646 -[Justin] Cole, let's go buddy. -[Ted] six, five, four 300 00:11:21,715 --> 00:11:23,515 -three, two... -Oh. 301 00:11:23,517 --> 00:11:25,817 [Ted] one. Time's up. 302 00:11:25,819 --> 00:11:27,252 [applause] 303 00:11:28,221 --> 00:11:29,220 Woo! 304 00:11:29,823 --> 00:11:30,822 [Justin] Good job y'all. 305 00:11:30,824 --> 00:11:32,023 [Lindsay] Yay! 306 00:11:32,025 --> 00:11:33,258 That was beautiful. 307 00:11:33,293 --> 00:11:35,160 It went amazing. 308 00:11:35,261 --> 00:11:37,962 Nerve-racking as heck, but it went amazing. 309 00:11:38,031 --> 00:11:39,264 Man, that time goes quick. 310 00:11:39,332 --> 00:11:40,799 Goes real quick. 311 00:11:40,801 --> 00:11:42,434 I hope this dish get me to the next round. 312 00:11:42,502 --> 00:11:43,635 I think it will. 313 00:11:43,704 --> 00:11:47,539 [suspenseful music playing] 314 00:11:47,607 --> 00:11:50,141 Chefs, you have arrived at the chopping block. 315 00:11:50,243 --> 00:11:51,743 Your round one mission 316 00:11:51,845 --> 00:11:55,113 appetizers from a BLT mac and cheese, 317 00:11:55,115 --> 00:11:57,215 colossal cut bacon, 318 00:11:57,217 --> 00:12:00,351 bibb lettuce, and tomato jam 319 00:12:00,420 --> 00:12:02,020 All right, we're starting with Chef Tam. 320 00:12:02,022 --> 00:12:05,724 I made a big Tex fried mac and cheese 321 00:12:05,726 --> 00:12:08,960 and wilted lettuce, tomato, and Sriracha sauce. 322 00:12:09,062 --> 00:12:12,230 I'm from Texas, and so we do everything big. 323 00:12:12,232 --> 00:12:13,398 Nothing small. 324 00:12:13,400 --> 00:12:15,500 I mean who wants to eat something small? 325 00:12:15,502 --> 00:12:17,402 -Heard chef. -I was worried. 326 00:12:17,404 --> 00:12:20,805 I was excited because I'm like, "Oh, no, what's she doing?" 327 00:12:20,807 --> 00:12:22,607 But I love the crispiness. 328 00:12:22,609 --> 00:12:23,708 I love the crunch. 329 00:12:23,710 --> 00:12:25,009 And what really works, 330 00:12:25,011 --> 00:12:26,444 ties this all together, is the sauce. 331 00:12:26,546 --> 00:12:28,113 -The sauce is delicious. -[Tam] Thank you. 332 00:12:28,115 --> 00:12:29,347 I love the heat. 333 00:12:29,349 --> 00:12:31,316 I can tell that you're not very excited about lettuce. 334 00:12:31,318 --> 00:12:32,717 You just stuck it on the bottom. 335 00:12:32,719 --> 00:12:35,053 But, I mean, for the basket we gave you, 336 00:12:35,088 --> 00:12:36,221 this is pretty damn good. 337 00:12:36,223 --> 00:12:37,222 Thank you, Chef. 338 00:12:37,224 --> 00:12:38,690 I think, you really, really, hit a homerun 339 00:12:38,692 --> 00:12:39,757 with that tomato jam. 340 00:12:39,759 --> 00:12:42,060 The wrong with your baseball fritter here, 341 00:12:42,062 --> 00:12:43,161 is it a little too large? 342 00:12:43,229 --> 00:12:44,362 Maybe. 343 00:12:44,430 --> 00:12:47,365 But you're from Texas so you know, do what you do. 344 00:12:47,433 --> 00:12:49,901 I would've loved this lettuce to be chopped up a little bit. 345 00:12:49,903 --> 00:12:51,369 But I'm just kinda nit-picking 346 00:12:51,371 --> 00:12:53,905 because it's a really tasty plate of food. 347 00:12:53,907 --> 00:12:56,708 [Marc] Yeah, you really honored the whole BLT concept here. 348 00:12:56,710 --> 00:12:59,310 I... We have the... I mean, all the flavors are there. 349 00:12:59,312 --> 00:13:01,212 When did you get inspired to get in the kitchen 350 00:13:01,214 --> 00:13:03,615 -and start cooking? -My father owned a restaurant. 351 00:13:03,617 --> 00:13:05,216 His mother was a professional baker. 352 00:13:05,218 --> 00:13:07,051 My mom's dad owned a barbecue restaurant. 353 00:13:07,053 --> 00:13:08,853 And so I've been inspired 354 00:13:08,955 --> 00:13:10,622 to be in the kitchen a really long time. 355 00:13:10,624 --> 00:13:11,890 Until three years ago, 356 00:13:11,892 --> 00:13:14,526 I was a single mom raising one son. 357 00:13:14,528 --> 00:13:15,860 And it was just he and I. 358 00:13:15,929 --> 00:13:19,063 And I literally started at my house making $10 plates. 359 00:13:19,065 --> 00:13:22,400 And the goal was 10 plates a day for $10 a plate. 360 00:13:22,402 --> 00:13:24,469 And if I did that we'd be okay. 361 00:13:24,471 --> 00:13:26,104 And here we are now. 362 00:13:26,106 --> 00:13:30,208 Well, your story is fantastic and you definitely have put 363 00:13:30,210 --> 00:13:32,710 your story and your heart on the plate here. 364 00:13:32,712 --> 00:13:33,745 Thank you, Chef Tam. 365 00:13:33,814 --> 00:13:35,113 Next up is Chef Ben. 366 00:13:35,115 --> 00:13:37,215 What I have prepared for you 367 00:13:37,217 --> 00:13:39,317 is a mac and cheese BLT chile relleno 368 00:13:39,319 --> 00:13:42,420 over bibb lettuce with a nice tomato jam, 369 00:13:42,422 --> 00:13:44,389 bacon, salsa on top. 370 00:13:44,391 --> 00:13:46,624 Bacon is a sort of a candy for myself 371 00:13:46,626 --> 00:13:49,360 that's one I cannot walk by without stealing a piece of. 372 00:13:49,429 --> 00:13:51,262 My father was in the refrigeration 373 00:13:51,331 --> 00:13:53,198 when I was younger, so I always go to work with him. 374 00:13:53,200 --> 00:13:55,433 And I'd find a tray of cooked bacon 375 00:13:55,535 --> 00:13:57,035 and I would take a piece. 376 00:13:57,037 --> 00:13:58,803 So you stole bacon from your father's clients? 377 00:13:58,805 --> 00:14:00,605 [Ben] I borrowed bacon and I give back 378 00:14:00,607 --> 00:14:02,607 to the community later. My life it looks like... 379 00:14:02,609 --> 00:14:04,642 [Ted laughing] 380 00:14:04,744 --> 00:14:06,945 I'm just gonna go ahead and say this is a really creative, 381 00:14:07,046 --> 00:14:08,313 really innovative way 382 00:14:08,315 --> 00:14:10,248 to perceive the ingredients in your basket. 383 00:14:10,350 --> 00:14:11,515 Thank you, Chef. 384 00:14:11,517 --> 00:14:14,319 One of my favorite things in this plate is this poblano. 385 00:14:14,321 --> 00:14:16,855 I think you did a really nic job frying it. 386 00:14:16,923 --> 00:14:18,857 Unfortunately, the mac and cheese inside, 387 00:14:18,925 --> 00:14:21,960 I don't think got cooked all the way through. 388 00:14:21,995 --> 00:14:26,464 So it feels a little bit eggy and while the tomato jam sauce 389 00:14:26,533 --> 00:14:30,134 is a little bit sweet for me, I do get the bacon. 390 00:14:30,236 --> 00:14:31,269 The bibb lettuce, 391 00:14:31,271 --> 00:14:32,737 like, you didn't know what to do with it, 392 00:14:32,806 --> 00:14:33,905 so you threw it on the bottom. 393 00:14:33,907 --> 00:14:35,940 I would've loved to see that lettuce incorporated 394 00:14:35,942 --> 00:14:37,709 into the dish a little bit more. 395 00:14:37,711 --> 00:14:40,044 But I saw you stuffing peppers with mac and cheese. 396 00:14:40,046 --> 00:14:41,112 I was really excited 397 00:14:41,114 --> 00:14:42,547 for the direction that you were going. 398 00:14:42,549 --> 00:14:43,715 But the flavors were awesome. 399 00:14:43,717 --> 00:14:45,817 Um, you know, I agree with Brooke, 400 00:14:45,819 --> 00:14:48,253 that I think the egg kinda took over a little bit. 401 00:14:48,321 --> 00:14:49,520 [Marc] I'm gonna agree with my colleagues. 402 00:14:49,522 --> 00:14:51,522 The filling could've been dealt with 403 00:14:51,524 --> 00:14:54,125 a little bit more lovingly. 404 00:14:54,127 --> 00:14:55,627 Thank you, Chef Ben. 405 00:14:55,629 --> 00:14:56,861 Next up, Chef Lindsey. 406 00:14:56,963 --> 00:15:01,499 Well, I made for you a bacon chorizo lettuce wrap taco. 407 00:15:01,501 --> 00:15:04,335 And then I used the macaroni and cheese with some cream 408 00:15:04,437 --> 00:15:07,305 to do, like, a lime crema sauce. 409 00:15:07,307 --> 00:15:08,907 The sauce was interesting. 410 00:15:08,909 --> 00:15:13,211 Um, it's a little cloying 411 00:15:13,213 --> 00:15:14,946 and I think it's probably because of the pasta in there. 412 00:15:14,948 --> 00:15:16,047 [Lindsey] Mmm-hmm. Gotcha. 413 00:15:16,049 --> 00:15:19,417 Especially because the chorizo, bacon, tomatoes 414 00:15:19,419 --> 00:15:21,519 -is very rich as well. -[Lindsey] Mmm-hmm. 415 00:15:21,521 --> 00:15:23,755 There's a lot of rich going on here. 416 00:15:23,823 --> 00:15:26,124 I'm not as mad about the crema as Marc is down there. 417 00:15:26,126 --> 00:15:27,492 After watching you I was like, 418 00:15:27,494 --> 00:15:30,028 "Wow, she just put mac and cheese in a blender?" 419 00:15:30,030 --> 00:15:31,029 Like, where is this going? 420 00:15:31,031 --> 00:15:32,363 [blender whirring] 421 00:15:32,465 --> 00:15:34,299 And I kinda like it. 422 00:15:34,301 --> 00:15:37,735 Like, it's almost, like, this ranch dressing-esque, 423 00:15:37,804 --> 00:15:39,070 good egg flavor that I'm getting, 424 00:15:39,072 --> 00:15:41,005 so I thought it was a very creative and unique way 425 00:15:41,007 --> 00:15:43,041 -to use the mac and cheese. -Thanks. 426 00:15:43,043 --> 00:15:45,743 I would've loved some salt in there, maybe some... 427 00:15:45,812 --> 00:15:47,345 some shallots or some garlic, 428 00:15:47,414 --> 00:15:49,847 so that it actually tasted more like ranch dressing. 429 00:15:49,949 --> 00:15:52,216 But this dish embraces BLT. 430 00:15:52,218 --> 00:15:54,152 I like the fact that you made a lettuce wrap. 431 00:15:54,220 --> 00:15:55,586 I think it's fun. 432 00:15:55,588 --> 00:15:59,023 And I really like the fact that you used that tomato jam 433 00:15:59,025 --> 00:16:01,225 to sort of give it a candied bacon feel. 434 00:16:01,227 --> 00:16:02,260 Cool. 435 00:16:02,362 --> 00:16:04,629 Thank you, Chef Lindsey. Finally, Chef Cole. 436 00:16:04,631 --> 00:16:08,399 I made a BLT lettuce taco with seasoned tomatoes, 437 00:16:08,401 --> 00:16:09,801 some cooked bacon in there 438 00:16:09,803 --> 00:16:11,803 and then I made a tomato vinaigrette. 439 00:16:11,805 --> 00:16:14,605 So it's essentially a BLT without bread? 440 00:16:14,607 --> 00:16:16,074 Yeah, essentially. 441 00:16:16,076 --> 00:16:19,811 [suspenseful music playing] 442 00:16:19,813 --> 00:16:21,512 Cole, what did you do with the mac and cheese? 443 00:16:21,514 --> 00:16:24,615 I put it in the dressing to kind of create 444 00:16:24,617 --> 00:16:27,018 a chunkiness to the dressing. 445 00:16:28,321 --> 00:16:31,155 I mean it's, um, it's a BLT. 446 00:16:31,224 --> 00:16:33,324 Instead of the mayonnaise 447 00:16:33,326 --> 00:16:34,959 you've put a vinaigrette on it. 448 00:16:35,061 --> 00:16:36,027 I mean, this is refreshing. 449 00:16:36,029 --> 00:16:37,061 It's good. 450 00:16:37,130 --> 00:16:39,831 I just... For me, one of the basket ingredients 451 00:16:39,833 --> 00:16:41,599 feels like it's missing. 452 00:16:41,601 --> 00:16:43,301 You know, that mac and cheese. 453 00:16:43,303 --> 00:16:45,303 I... I'm not really finding it. 454 00:16:45,305 --> 00:16:46,537 Okay. 455 00:16:46,539 --> 00:16:48,673 Chef Cole, I didn't even think about the mac and cheese 456 00:16:48,675 --> 00:16:50,208 until Marc just brought it up, 457 00:16:50,210 --> 00:16:52,744 because it's virtually non-existent, 458 00:16:52,812 --> 00:16:54,245 but I wanna keep eating. 459 00:16:54,314 --> 00:16:55,346 It's delicious. 460 00:16:55,348 --> 00:16:57,048 -Thank you. -Yeah, Chef, I think it was. 461 00:16:57,050 --> 00:16:58,816 I mean we had three fairly heavy dishes 462 00:16:58,818 --> 00:17:00,952 and, you know, I picked this up and took a bite. 463 00:17:01,054 --> 00:17:02,019 And it was fresh. 464 00:17:02,022 --> 00:17:03,454 Those flavors popped in my mouth. 465 00:17:03,523 --> 00:17:04,822 Tomatoes tasted awesome. 466 00:17:04,824 --> 00:17:05,790 That vinaigrette, 467 00:17:05,792 --> 00:17:06,858 I thought you did a beautiful job on them. 468 00:17:06,959 --> 00:17:08,559 -It tastes great. -Thank you. 469 00:17:08,661 --> 00:17:09,560 Okay. 470 00:17:09,629 --> 00:17:11,162 -Chef Cole, thank you. -Thank you. 471 00:17:11,231 --> 00:17:12,730 [Ted] Now, the judges must decide 472 00:17:12,732 --> 00:17:14,832 who will be moving on. 473 00:17:14,934 --> 00:17:16,834 I should've done something 474 00:17:16,936 --> 00:17:18,436 little more creative with the lettuce. 475 00:17:18,538 --> 00:17:21,639 But I should stay so that I could show them 476 00:17:21,707 --> 00:17:24,308 what this Southern girl is really all about. 477 00:17:24,310 --> 00:17:27,045 The crema was just real heavy. 478 00:17:27,047 --> 00:17:28,513 But I think Cole should be chopped 479 00:17:28,515 --> 00:17:30,048 because the macaroni and cheese 480 00:17:30,050 --> 00:17:32,316 wasn't reading to the judges. 481 00:17:32,318 --> 00:17:35,353 [suspenseful music playing] 482 00:17:38,024 --> 00:17:39,557 [clock-ticking] 483 00:17:43,096 --> 00:17:47,365 [suspenseful music playing] 484 00:17:47,400 --> 00:17:51,102 So whose dish is on the chopping block? 485 00:17:51,104 --> 00:17:54,105 [dramatic music playing] 486 00:18:00,213 --> 00:18:02,413 Chef Ben, you've been chopped. 487 00:18:02,415 --> 00:18:03,414 Judges? 488 00:18:03,416 --> 00:18:05,616 Chef Ben, from a creativity standpoint 489 00:18:05,618 --> 00:18:06,818 we thought this was phenomenal. 490 00:18:06,820 --> 00:18:09,153 Unfortunately that stuffing with the mac and cheese 491 00:18:09,255 --> 00:18:10,621 wasn't cooked all the way through. 492 00:18:10,623 --> 00:18:11,755 The bibb lettuce 493 00:18:11,824 --> 00:18:13,724 it just felt like it was kind of an afterthought. 494 00:18:13,726 --> 00:18:15,626 Then that tomato jam 495 00:18:15,628 --> 00:18:16,627 was just a little bit too sweet. 496 00:18:16,762 --> 00:18:19,363 And so we had to chop you. 497 00:18:19,432 --> 00:18:20,798 -Thank you Chefs. -[Marc] Thank you, man. 498 00:18:20,800 --> 00:18:21,999 [Ted] We really appreciate you. 499 00:18:22,001 --> 00:18:23,100 -[Marc] Keep up the good work. -[Ben] Thank you. 500 00:18:23,102 --> 00:18:24,302 -[Justin] It's an honor. -[Ben] Thank you so much. 501 00:18:24,304 --> 00:18:26,003 [Marc] Cheers, man. 502 00:18:26,005 --> 00:18:28,606 [dramatic music playing] 503 00:18:28,608 --> 00:18:30,041 I don't think I should've been chopped 504 00:18:30,043 --> 00:18:32,143 if we were judging on creativity, 505 00:18:32,245 --> 00:18:33,711 but I'm glad I competed, 506 00:18:33,713 --> 00:18:35,646 it was more fun than I could imagine 507 00:18:35,715 --> 00:18:37,815 and, like, just happy to be here. 508 00:18:40,887 --> 00:18:44,522 Chef Tam, Chef Cole, Chef Lindsey, 509 00:18:44,524 --> 00:18:46,324 let's tackle the second basket. 510 00:18:50,430 --> 00:18:52,163 Check it out. 511 00:18:52,265 --> 00:18:53,764 Hmm, okay. 512 00:18:53,866 --> 00:18:56,234 [Ted] And you've got pork belly. 513 00:18:56,302 --> 00:18:58,035 Pork belly? 514 00:18:58,137 --> 00:18:59,036 Beautiful. 515 00:18:59,105 --> 00:19:01,939 [Ted] A lettuce bouquet. 516 00:19:01,941 --> 00:19:04,108 -This is for me? -[Ted] Tomato vodka. 517 00:19:04,110 --> 00:19:05,209 Nice. 518 00:19:05,211 --> 00:19:08,746 I'm thinking do I make a bloody Mary for myself? 519 00:19:08,815 --> 00:19:11,048 [Ted] And beets. 520 00:19:11,050 --> 00:19:14,018 [suspenseful music playing] 521 00:19:14,020 --> 00:19:15,019 Oh. 522 00:19:15,021 --> 00:19:16,654 Thirty minutes to take a simple sandwich 523 00:19:16,723 --> 00:19:19,757 and turn it into a perfectly composed entree. 524 00:19:21,294 --> 00:19:23,227 -Okay. -Clock starts now. 525 00:19:23,229 --> 00:19:25,229 -[Justin] All right. -[Justin] Let's go guys. 526 00:19:25,231 --> 00:19:26,531 [Marc] Oh, right into the pantry. 527 00:19:26,533 --> 00:19:27,732 [Justin] Woo! 528 00:19:30,603 --> 00:19:32,336 Judges, I love this competition 529 00:19:32,438 --> 00:19:35,706 where we're taking an iconic combination of flavors 530 00:19:35,708 --> 00:19:37,408 that make up a BLT 531 00:19:37,410 --> 00:19:39,844 and challenging chefs to get those flavors 532 00:19:39,913 --> 00:19:42,513 into different kinds of formats, like, entree. 533 00:19:42,515 --> 00:19:45,116 I think Lindsey, actually is doing pasta. 534 00:19:45,118 --> 00:19:47,051 I think that's a really smart route. 535 00:19:47,120 --> 00:19:50,221 With tomato vodka, you can easily do a vodka sauce 536 00:19:50,223 --> 00:19:53,424 with tomato and a little cream and add the pork belly, 537 00:19:53,426 --> 00:19:55,026 like, you would, bacon. 538 00:19:55,028 --> 00:19:56,727 I like a vodka sauce carbonara 539 00:19:56,729 --> 00:19:59,030 with your pork belly, some crispy kale garnish on top. 540 00:19:59,032 --> 00:20:00,164 [Brooke] It sounds great. 541 00:20:00,233 --> 00:20:01,599 [Ted] That's a really good idea. 542 00:20:01,601 --> 00:20:02,600 [Lindsey] Ooh. 543 00:20:02,602 --> 00:20:06,504 This tomato vodka has a flavor of tomato. 544 00:20:06,506 --> 00:20:08,639 We've gotta do a vodka sauce in here. 545 00:20:08,741 --> 00:20:11,909 I'm making a vodka sauce orecchiette 546 00:20:11,911 --> 00:20:15,313 with some pork belly and side salad with kale. 547 00:20:15,315 --> 00:20:19,550 My competitors, Tam and Cole are fantastic. 548 00:20:19,652 --> 00:20:22,253 And Tam, after her appetizer 549 00:20:22,355 --> 00:20:24,255 I feel like the judges really liked her flavor. 550 00:20:24,357 --> 00:20:25,423 And I have a feeling 551 00:20:25,425 --> 00:20:28,226 that she's got a few tricks up her sleeve. 552 00:20:28,228 --> 00:20:31,195 [suspenseful music playing] 553 00:20:31,197 --> 00:20:35,833 To turn this entree around into an elevated BLT, 554 00:20:35,901 --> 00:20:39,303 my spin is gonna be a play on shrimp and grits. 555 00:20:39,305 --> 00:20:42,006 So I'm gonna make cheddar kale grits. 556 00:20:42,008 --> 00:20:46,110 My BLT twist is going to be a tomato vodka cream 557 00:20:46,112 --> 00:20:48,613 with the kale from the lettuce bouquet 558 00:20:48,615 --> 00:20:51,616 topped with a crispy pork belly. 559 00:20:51,618 --> 00:20:53,718 I put the hot water butter and polenta 560 00:20:53,720 --> 00:20:55,119 and let it cook down. 561 00:20:55,121 --> 00:20:57,154 Then I'm adding the heavy cream 562 00:20:57,223 --> 00:20:58,823 and the grated cheese. 563 00:21:02,528 --> 00:21:04,462 [Cole] Tomato vodka has a surprising amount 564 00:21:04,530 --> 00:21:06,430 of tomato flavor. 565 00:21:06,432 --> 00:21:09,300 I know that's gonna make a really vibrant, tasty, 566 00:21:09,302 --> 00:21:11,035 tomato sauce. 567 00:21:11,104 --> 00:21:14,805 I'm making seared pork bell with a tomato sauce. 568 00:21:14,807 --> 00:21:16,941 I breakdown the pork belly 569 00:21:17,043 --> 00:21:18,409 and start getting that cooking 570 00:21:18,411 --> 00:21:21,245 and then I start cutting up some nice fresh tomatoes 571 00:21:21,347 --> 00:21:24,515 and start cooking that down. 572 00:21:24,517 --> 00:21:27,618 Twenty minutes left on that clock. 573 00:21:27,620 --> 00:21:30,154 [Brooke] Beets are kind of a love or hate ingredient... 574 00:21:30,256 --> 00:21:31,222 -[Justin] Right. -I think. 575 00:21:31,224 --> 00:21:33,057 But I will say I love them. I think they're... 576 00:21:33,092 --> 00:21:35,226 They taste like earth but like sweet earth. 577 00:21:35,228 --> 00:21:36,694 I mean, you can fry them into chips, 578 00:21:36,696 --> 00:21:38,462 you can roast them, you can boil them, 579 00:21:38,564 --> 00:21:39,830 -dice 'em. -[Brooke] Yeah. 580 00:21:39,832 --> 00:21:41,265 It's all gonna come down to the time with beets, though. 581 00:21:41,334 --> 00:21:42,733 There's a lot of beet processes 582 00:21:42,835 --> 00:21:45,703 -that take a lot of time. -Yeah. 583 00:21:45,705 --> 00:21:48,939 It takes a long time to roast beets. 584 00:21:48,941 --> 00:21:51,409 So I'm going to shred these. 585 00:21:52,812 --> 00:21:57,515 And I want a bacon crispy element in the sauce, 586 00:21:57,517 --> 00:22:00,418 so I'm trying to render the fat on the pork belly 587 00:22:00,420 --> 00:22:03,854 and I'm adding cream, tomatoes, and tomato vodka. 588 00:22:05,224 --> 00:22:09,560 So my house is very active, a little bit like a zoo. 589 00:22:09,662 --> 00:22:12,530 I have two little boys and we have two dogs, 590 00:22:12,532 --> 00:22:14,298 a cat, a goldfish, 591 00:22:14,300 --> 00:22:17,635 and my husband is a nurse and he works nights. 592 00:22:17,704 --> 00:22:21,706 So $10,000 looks like a really nice vacation 593 00:22:21,708 --> 00:22:23,507 for my family. 594 00:22:24,711 --> 00:22:27,144 -Has a lot of vodka. -Ten minutes remain 595 00:22:27,246 --> 00:22:29,213 in this round, chefs. 596 00:22:29,215 --> 00:22:30,815 [Tam] So for my cream sauce 597 00:22:30,817 --> 00:22:33,517 I'm gonna saute down some of my pork belly, 598 00:22:33,519 --> 00:22:36,520 my kale, add some beets, 599 00:22:36,522 --> 00:22:37,955 then I'm gonna deglaze the pan 600 00:22:38,057 --> 00:22:39,724 with the tomato vodka. 601 00:22:39,726 --> 00:22:41,726 [pan sizzling] 602 00:22:41,728 --> 00:22:43,728 [Tam] Add cream, some parmesan, 603 00:22:43,730 --> 00:22:46,030 some fresh cherry tomatoes, 604 00:22:46,032 --> 00:22:48,232 and let it reduce all down together. 605 00:22:50,136 --> 00:22:52,403 Perfect. 606 00:22:52,405 --> 00:22:54,405 I crisp the pork belly 607 00:22:54,407 --> 00:22:57,208 just to start getting that nice carmelization on it. 608 00:22:57,210 --> 00:23:01,345 And then I'm going to deglaz my tomatoes with the vodka, 609 00:23:01,447 --> 00:23:03,447 and then just blend that with some more 610 00:23:03,549 --> 00:23:05,416 fresh tomatoes. 611 00:23:05,418 --> 00:23:08,052 My background is French fine dining. 612 00:23:08,121 --> 00:23:09,420 The restaurant that I started at 613 00:23:09,422 --> 00:23:11,188 was a two Michelin star restaurant. 614 00:23:11,190 --> 00:23:14,458 I also jumped around in a fe different Michelin kitchens 615 00:23:14,527 --> 00:23:16,527 With the Michelin circuit, 616 00:23:16,529 --> 00:23:17,728 everybody's trying to be the best, 617 00:23:17,730 --> 00:23:20,131 so you have to be the best. 618 00:23:21,134 --> 00:23:22,600 -Y'all all right? -[Cole] Oh, yeah. 619 00:23:22,602 --> 00:23:24,602 -How you doing? -Nervous. 620 00:23:24,604 --> 00:23:26,337 Five minutes to go, chefs. 621 00:23:26,406 --> 00:23:28,839 -[Lindsey] Five, heard. -Five minutes. 622 00:23:28,941 --> 00:23:32,710 [Tam] I'm thinking, this dish is really soft, 623 00:23:32,712 --> 00:23:34,412 it doesn't have enough texture. 624 00:23:34,414 --> 00:23:37,415 So I take the kale and run down to the deep fryer 625 00:23:37,417 --> 00:23:38,949 to make some kale chips. 626 00:23:38,951 --> 00:23:40,150 [sizzling] 627 00:23:41,421 --> 00:23:44,188 My plan with the kale is to make a salad. 628 00:23:44,190 --> 00:23:46,557 So I'm getting that blanching. 629 00:23:46,659 --> 00:23:48,626 I love sherry vinegar with beets, 630 00:23:48,628 --> 00:23:51,695 so I immediately start making just a quick 631 00:23:51,697 --> 00:23:52,830 sherry vinaigrette. 632 00:23:52,832 --> 00:23:54,098 Cole, what are you doing over there? 633 00:23:54,100 --> 00:23:55,800 -How you feeling? -Oh, I'm feeling good. 634 00:23:55,802 --> 00:23:57,101 -[Brooke] Yeah? -I'm making a little 635 00:23:57,103 --> 00:23:58,235 vinaigrette over here. 636 00:23:58,304 --> 00:24:00,237 Are you bringing in the BLT today? 637 00:24:00,306 --> 00:24:02,106 -Trying to. -All right. 638 00:24:02,108 --> 00:24:03,307 Two minutes to go. 639 00:24:03,309 --> 00:24:06,310 [suspenseful music playing] 640 00:24:06,312 --> 00:24:08,312 I opened up the bouquet. 641 00:24:08,314 --> 00:24:11,115 There's a little bit of kal sitting on top of 642 00:24:11,117 --> 00:24:12,650 a lot of romaine. [laughs] 643 00:24:12,718 --> 00:24:15,953 It's enough kale to make a nice side salad. 644 00:24:15,955 --> 00:24:20,124 [suspenseful music playing] 645 00:24:20,126 --> 00:24:21,859 [Brooke] All right. Cole, get that food on the plate. 646 00:24:21,928 --> 00:24:23,027 Cole, you got 30 seconds, man. 647 00:24:23,029 --> 00:24:24,328 [Brooke] Get it on the plate. 648 00:24:24,330 --> 00:24:26,530 The clock in the Chopped kitchen is never your friend. 649 00:24:26,532 --> 00:24:28,499 It's nerve-racking. 650 00:24:28,501 --> 00:24:30,734 [Ted] Need this count, Chefs. 651 00:24:30,836 --> 00:24:32,736 Ten, nine, eight... 652 00:24:32,838 --> 00:24:34,038 [Justin] Oh, let's go buddy! 653 00:24:34,040 --> 00:24:37,408 [Ted] seven, six, five, four, 654 00:24:37,410 --> 00:24:40,344 three, two, one. 655 00:24:40,446 --> 00:24:41,612 -Time's up. -[Brooke] Time's up. 656 00:24:41,614 --> 00:24:43,047 -[Justin] Nice work, guys. -[applause] 657 00:24:45,718 --> 00:24:48,052 Can I have some more vodka now? 658 00:24:48,054 --> 00:24:49,954 I'm really nervous. I'm like, 659 00:24:50,055 --> 00:24:53,691 "Did I just give them a bowl of breakfast grits?" 660 00:24:53,693 --> 00:24:54,859 -Woo! -What'd you got? 661 00:24:54,927 --> 00:24:56,227 -I mean, it's... -[Cole] Oh, looks great. 662 00:24:56,229 --> 00:24:57,661 pasta and salad. 663 00:24:57,697 --> 00:25:00,898 This kitchen is very intense, but I'm proud of it. 664 00:25:00,900 --> 00:25:02,399 I'm confident that I'll make it 665 00:25:02,401 --> 00:25:03,501 to the dessert round. 666 00:25:04,737 --> 00:25:07,238 [suspenseful music playing] 667 00:25:10,209 --> 00:25:13,811 Chefs, in the entree basket, you got pork belly, 668 00:25:13,813 --> 00:25:16,514 a lettuce bouquet, tomato vodka, 669 00:25:16,516 --> 00:25:18,749 and beets. 670 00:25:18,818 --> 00:25:20,017 Chef Tam, you're up first. 671 00:25:20,019 --> 00:25:22,653 I have a cheddar kale grit 672 00:25:22,755 --> 00:25:27,258 with a tomato vodka beet cream topped with a fried kale chip 673 00:25:27,326 --> 00:25:28,859 and crispy pork belly. 674 00:25:28,928 --> 00:25:31,362 What kind of food do you serve at your restaurant? 675 00:25:31,463 --> 00:25:34,932 So I every day make shrimp and grits, 676 00:25:35,034 --> 00:25:36,700 Cajun soul food is my thing. 677 00:25:36,702 --> 00:25:39,603 Muddy mac and cheese is our number one selling side 678 00:25:39,605 --> 00:25:41,839 and we only let the people with mac and cheese arms 679 00:25:41,908 --> 00:25:43,307 make the mac and cheese. 680 00:25:43,309 --> 00:25:44,441 What does that mean mac and cheese arm? 681 00:25:44,543 --> 00:25:47,111 Never trust a skinny cook ever. 682 00:25:47,113 --> 00:25:49,513 -[Brooke] Mac and cheese arms? -Yeah, mac and cheese arms. 683 00:25:49,515 --> 00:25:51,649 Grandma arms, cafeteria lady arms, 684 00:25:51,750 --> 00:25:52,750 however you need it. 685 00:25:52,818 --> 00:25:54,051 [laughs] 686 00:25:54,053 --> 00:25:56,186 Let's start with flavor because the flavor I like... 687 00:25:56,188 --> 00:25:57,521 I like it a lot. 688 00:25:57,523 --> 00:25:59,223 I think your tomato sauce is good. 689 00:25:59,225 --> 00:26:00,858 There's plenty of cheese in the polenta, 690 00:26:00,960 --> 00:26:01,959 they taste good. 691 00:26:01,961 --> 00:26:04,194 I just feel like there was one tomato in here 692 00:26:04,196 --> 00:26:06,430 that just needed to be plated differently. 693 00:26:06,432 --> 00:26:08,198 -Okay. -Because there's too much 694 00:26:08,200 --> 00:26:09,333 sauce, too many... 695 00:26:09,402 --> 00:26:10,567 Too much polenta and there's not enough 696 00:26:10,603 --> 00:26:12,603 of the other substances that were in that basket. 697 00:26:12,605 --> 00:26:13,737 -Yes, sir. -Yeah, I agree. 698 00:26:13,806 --> 00:26:16,040 It's kind of a big bowl of soft. 699 00:26:16,042 --> 00:26:17,808 I got two of these tomatoes 700 00:26:17,810 --> 00:26:19,109 and that was kind of a highlight 701 00:26:19,111 --> 00:26:22,046 because I felt like I needed that fresh acidity. 702 00:26:22,147 --> 00:26:24,848 And although it has all the elements of a BLT, 703 00:26:24,917 --> 00:26:27,051 I don't get a lot of smoke from that pork belly, 704 00:26:27,119 --> 00:26:29,253 so it doesn't really read like bacon to me. 705 00:26:29,321 --> 00:26:30,554 Got you. Yes, Chef. 706 00:26:30,623 --> 00:26:32,323 Although I don't have macaroni arms, 707 00:26:32,325 --> 00:26:33,524 I do have a... One of a... 708 00:26:33,526 --> 00:26:36,126 A soul food restaurant and I mean it did remind me 709 00:26:36,128 --> 00:26:37,561 of shrimp and grits, which sometimes 710 00:26:37,630 --> 00:26:40,230 is a big bowl of soft which I was kind of okay with. 711 00:26:40,232 --> 00:26:41,999 And the crispy fried kale chips on top 712 00:26:42,001 --> 00:26:43,500 were my favorite part. 713 00:26:43,502 --> 00:26:45,803 That was the texture and the salt that I needed. 714 00:26:45,805 --> 00:26:47,104 So I thought it was a... it was a... 715 00:26:47,106 --> 00:26:49,807 -it was a good dish. -Thank you. 716 00:26:49,809 --> 00:26:51,041 Thank you, Chef Tam. 717 00:26:51,143 --> 00:26:52,509 Next up is Chef Cole. 718 00:26:52,511 --> 00:26:55,112 I just did a seared pork belly, 719 00:26:55,114 --> 00:26:57,748 kale, beet, tomato salad on the side 720 00:26:57,816 --> 00:26:59,316 and then I used the tomato vodka 721 00:26:59,318 --> 00:27:00,818 as a tomato sauce. 722 00:27:05,024 --> 00:27:06,457 It's a beautiful plate of food 723 00:27:06,525 --> 00:27:08,826 and, you know, the acidity and everything in the salad 724 00:27:08,828 --> 00:27:10,060 I thought was delicious. 725 00:27:10,129 --> 00:27:13,030 I'm personally not generally a fan of raw beets 726 00:27:13,032 --> 00:27:14,531 and you made me like these. 727 00:27:14,533 --> 00:27:15,933 I thought they were delicious. 728 00:27:16,002 --> 00:27:19,303 The texture of your... of your pork belly is great. 729 00:27:19,305 --> 00:27:20,504 I just want salt. 730 00:27:21,941 --> 00:27:24,508 This pork belly, you seared it beautifully, 731 00:27:24,510 --> 00:27:26,310 but it needed to be glazed or something. 732 00:27:26,312 --> 00:27:28,312 It needed something to go along with it. 733 00:27:28,314 --> 00:27:30,047 You know the pork belly, it really... It... 734 00:27:30,115 --> 00:27:31,949 The crispiness was amazing, but it just... 735 00:27:32,018 --> 00:27:33,317 Other than that, it was just fat 736 00:27:33,319 --> 00:27:35,019 that coated my mouth. I didn't get any salt, 737 00:27:35,021 --> 00:27:37,921 just very, very under seasoned, so... 738 00:27:37,923 --> 00:27:39,456 -Thank you. -Thank you, Chef Cole. 739 00:27:39,558 --> 00:27:40,924 Finally, Chef Lindsey. 740 00:27:40,926 --> 00:27:43,727 Well, I made for you vodka sauce orecchiette 741 00:27:43,729 --> 00:27:47,197 with some pork belly and a side salad with kale, 742 00:27:47,199 --> 00:27:49,199 raw shredded beets 743 00:27:49,201 --> 00:27:51,635 as well as some fresh tomatoes in there as well. 744 00:27:58,511 --> 00:27:59,710 The salad is delicious. 745 00:27:59,712 --> 00:28:01,145 The vinaigrette is delicious. 746 00:28:01,213 --> 00:28:02,846 The BLT theme was well respected, 747 00:28:02,915 --> 00:28:04,848 but you made me a little appetizer salad 748 00:28:04,950 --> 00:28:07,051 and you made me a bowl of pasta. 749 00:28:07,086 --> 00:28:09,219 So that, to me, is a bit of a disconnect. 750 00:28:09,221 --> 00:28:10,888 These aren't talking to each other. 751 00:28:10,890 --> 00:28:12,656 -They're not unified. -Okay. 752 00:28:12,725 --> 00:28:15,125 The pasta and the sauce that I got on top of that 753 00:28:15,127 --> 00:28:17,327 I really enjoyed that flavor. I thought it was developed. 754 00:28:17,329 --> 00:28:18,562 I thought there was porkiness. 755 00:28:18,664 --> 00:28:20,230 I thought there was salt in the sauce, 756 00:28:20,232 --> 00:28:22,032 but I would've loved to have that sauce 757 00:28:22,134 --> 00:28:25,135 mixed throughout and just... and just very evenly coated. 758 00:28:25,237 --> 00:28:26,436 I agree. 759 00:28:26,505 --> 00:28:28,539 I wholeheartedly feel like you should've tossed the pasta 760 00:28:28,607 --> 00:28:29,740 with the sauce, 761 00:28:29,742 --> 00:28:32,843 especially since this sauce has so much flavor. 762 00:28:32,945 --> 00:28:34,044 Hmm, thanks. 763 00:28:34,146 --> 00:28:35,813 -Chef Lindsey, thank you. -Thank you so much. 764 00:28:35,815 --> 00:28:36,947 Appreciate it. 765 00:28:38,317 --> 00:28:39,650 Woo. 766 00:28:39,718 --> 00:28:42,820 I totally should've tossed the pasta. 767 00:28:42,822 --> 00:28:44,588 [laughs] I feel like people are gonna be teasing me 768 00:28:44,590 --> 00:28:45,923 about that. 769 00:28:45,925 --> 00:28:47,257 But I love sweets. 770 00:28:47,359 --> 00:28:49,126 If I move on to the dessert round, 771 00:28:49,128 --> 00:28:52,563 I'm going home with the $10,000 for sure. 772 00:28:52,598 --> 00:28:54,765 I'm feeling like this might be the round 773 00:28:54,833 --> 00:28:56,200 that I get chopped. 774 00:28:56,202 --> 00:28:59,036 I had a big bowl of soft according to the judges 775 00:28:59,138 --> 00:29:03,207 and I'm kind of nervous about that. 776 00:29:03,209 --> 00:29:06,310 [suspenseful music playing] 777 00:29:08,948 --> 00:29:10,314 [clock-ticking] 778 00:29:11,250 --> 00:29:13,517 [suspenseful music playing] 779 00:29:15,654 --> 00:29:19,156 So whose dish is on the chopping block? 780 00:29:28,501 --> 00:29:30,400 Chef Cole, you've been chopped. 781 00:29:30,402 --> 00:29:31,935 Judges. 782 00:29:32,004 --> 00:29:34,204 Chef Cole, we actually all really loved 783 00:29:34,206 --> 00:29:37,808 your shaved raw beet salad, but your pork belly 784 00:29:37,810 --> 00:29:40,344 really suffered from a complete lack of seasoning 785 00:29:40,412 --> 00:29:43,947 and needed salt and so we had to chop you. 786 00:29:44,016 --> 00:29:45,215 Thank you. 787 00:29:45,217 --> 00:29:47,851 We appreciate you being here, Cole. 788 00:29:47,953 --> 00:29:49,219 I agree with the judges. 789 00:29:49,221 --> 00:29:50,687 I should've known to season it. 790 00:29:50,689 --> 00:29:52,823 But it's like they say, you never really lose, 791 00:29:52,825 --> 00:29:55,058 you just either win or you learn, so... 792 00:29:57,930 --> 00:30:01,165 Chef Tam, Chef Lindsey, last baskets are right here. 793 00:30:03,135 --> 00:30:04,401 See what's in there. 794 00:30:06,205 --> 00:30:08,005 All right. 795 00:30:08,007 --> 00:30:09,640 [Ted] BLT for dessert? 796 00:30:09,741 --> 00:30:10,841 You know it. 797 00:30:10,943 --> 00:30:12,709 You've got bacon grease. 798 00:30:12,711 --> 00:30:14,912 Bacon grease. [laughs] 799 00:30:14,914 --> 00:30:16,313 Hilarious. 800 00:30:16,315 --> 00:30:18,315 [Ted] Lettuce-flavored ice cream. 801 00:30:18,317 --> 00:30:21,552 What the heck is this? 802 00:30:21,620 --> 00:30:23,520 -Got some... -[Ted] Roasted tomatoes. 803 00:30:23,522 --> 00:30:25,556 [Lindsey] Some roasted tomatoes. 804 00:30:25,624 --> 00:30:27,224 [Ted] And strawberry milk powder. 805 00:30:27,226 --> 00:30:28,926 Ooh, goodness. 806 00:30:33,065 --> 00:30:36,800 Thirty minutes to make something incredible. 807 00:30:36,802 --> 00:30:38,101 Clock starts now. 808 00:30:38,103 --> 00:30:39,536 [Justin] All right. Here we go. 809 00:30:39,638 --> 00:30:41,038 -[Justin] Good luck, guys. -I am ready... 810 00:30:41,040 --> 00:30:42,406 -I am ready for dessert. -Hmm. 811 00:30:42,408 --> 00:30:43,707 I'll come back for the sugar. 812 00:30:45,544 --> 00:30:47,711 Well, Judges, I think this BLT dessert basket 813 00:30:47,713 --> 00:30:49,346 is pretty brilliant, don't you? 814 00:30:49,415 --> 00:30:51,949 It's a brilliant puzzle. Let's put it that way, Ted. 815 00:30:51,951 --> 00:30:53,450 I think if you took those tomatoes 816 00:30:53,519 --> 00:30:54,818 with strawberry powder and try to make 817 00:30:54,820 --> 00:30:56,119 -something with that. -[Brooke] Yeah, 818 00:30:56,121 --> 00:30:57,621 I feel like that strawberry milk powder 819 00:30:57,623 --> 00:30:59,423 could go a couple of different ways. 820 00:30:59,425 --> 00:31:02,259 It could enhance the tomato and sort of make 821 00:31:02,328 --> 00:31:04,127 a really beautiful tomato jam. 822 00:31:04,129 --> 00:31:06,129 [Justin] And they still have to cook with bacon grease. 823 00:31:06,131 --> 00:31:09,833 Yes. I'm expecting some actual baked desserts here 824 00:31:09,935 --> 00:31:11,935 because I think that that's the best direction 825 00:31:11,937 --> 00:31:13,403 to go with that bacon fat. 826 00:31:16,408 --> 00:31:17,841 Bacon grease. 827 00:31:17,943 --> 00:31:20,210 This is not an unfamiliar product to me. 828 00:31:20,212 --> 00:31:24,815 And I think it's pretty Americana to do a doughnut. 829 00:31:24,817 --> 00:31:28,452 So I'm going to do a tomato bacon jam 830 00:31:28,520 --> 00:31:30,554 and bacon grease cruller 831 00:31:30,623 --> 00:31:34,057 with a basil lettuce ice cream. 832 00:31:34,059 --> 00:31:36,260 I think I have a chance at winning this round 833 00:31:36,361 --> 00:31:39,529 because I used to work as a pastry chef. 834 00:31:39,531 --> 00:31:42,733 So I understand dessert. 835 00:31:42,801 --> 00:31:45,369 [upbeat music playing] 836 00:31:45,371 --> 00:31:48,639 I'm nervous as a basket case. 837 00:31:48,740 --> 00:31:51,608 I've got to make a BLT-themed dessert out of this basket? 838 00:31:51,610 --> 00:31:53,210 Really? 839 00:31:53,212 --> 00:31:55,045 But I make a peach cobbler French toast 840 00:31:55,047 --> 00:31:56,113 at my restaurant, 841 00:31:56,115 --> 00:31:58,415 so I'm thinking I may as wel 842 00:31:58,417 --> 00:32:01,018 make stuffed French toast BL 843 00:32:01,020 --> 00:32:03,620 with candied bacon sprinkles 844 00:32:03,622 --> 00:32:06,590 So for the filling, I use my roasted tomatoes, 845 00:32:06,592 --> 00:32:08,759 strawberry, strawberry preserves, 846 00:32:08,827 --> 00:32:12,629 strawberry milk powder, and sugar. 847 00:32:12,631 --> 00:32:15,499 It is so crazy. 848 00:32:15,501 --> 00:32:20,437 I am one victory away from $10,000. 849 00:32:20,539 --> 00:32:24,007 I just wanna prove what tenacity looks like. 850 00:32:24,009 --> 00:32:26,009 If you open the dictionary, 851 00:32:26,011 --> 00:32:29,346 I want you to see my face next to that word. 852 00:32:29,448 --> 00:32:31,114 Twenty minutes left on that clock. 853 00:32:31,116 --> 00:32:34,952 [upbeat music playing] 854 00:32:35,053 --> 00:32:36,353 Hmm. 855 00:32:36,422 --> 00:32:40,123 The lettuce ice cream is really gritty. 856 00:32:40,125 --> 00:32:41,358 Oh, my God. 857 00:32:41,460 --> 00:32:43,160 -[Tam] It's horrible? -[Lindsey] Yeah. 858 00:32:43,228 --> 00:32:44,528 Oh. [Tam laughs] 859 00:32:44,530 --> 00:32:46,663 [Lindsey] I need to change the texture 860 00:32:46,699 --> 00:32:48,398 and I get my egg yolks in there, 861 00:32:48,400 --> 00:32:51,401 put some more cream, I get it in the machine. 862 00:32:51,403 --> 00:32:52,502 Okay. 863 00:32:52,504 --> 00:32:54,104 So we're gonna go to production. 864 00:32:54,106 --> 00:32:56,506 And then my plan for the roasted tomato 865 00:32:56,508 --> 00:32:58,709 is to cook them down into a sauce, 866 00:32:58,711 --> 00:33:00,711 add some sugar, some maple syrup, 867 00:33:00,713 --> 00:33:03,714 and make a glaze for my crullers. 868 00:33:03,716 --> 00:33:07,751 I'm playing for my awesome husband and my kids. 869 00:33:07,820 --> 00:33:11,054 I want my family to see that mom is a go-getter, 870 00:33:11,056 --> 00:33:15,058 and so this one would be really cool to bring home. 871 00:33:15,060 --> 00:33:18,261 Fifteen minutes on the clock. You're half way in. 872 00:33:18,330 --> 00:33:19,763 Fifteen minutes left on the clock, 873 00:33:19,798 --> 00:33:21,498 I'm like, oh, my gosh. 874 00:33:21,500 --> 00:33:23,200 I need to go ahead and get this bread 875 00:33:23,202 --> 00:33:24,735 soaked in the egg. 876 00:33:24,836 --> 00:33:27,537 I cook it off in the bacon grease. 877 00:33:27,639 --> 00:33:28,605 So for the sauce, 878 00:33:28,740 --> 00:33:30,540 I'm using the roasted tomatoes, 879 00:33:30,609 --> 00:33:34,511 strawberries, sugar, bourbon, and bacon fat. 880 00:33:34,513 --> 00:33:36,713 And then a good BLT is gonna need 881 00:33:36,715 --> 00:33:39,116 some candied bacon. 882 00:33:39,118 --> 00:33:41,318 It would mean everything to me 883 00:33:41,320 --> 00:33:42,953 to be the next Chopped Champion. 884 00:33:42,955 --> 00:33:44,554 My son is my biggest supporter. 885 00:33:44,623 --> 00:33:46,823 I wanna win to show him 886 00:33:46,825 --> 00:33:49,426 that you could do anything you put your mind to. 887 00:33:51,530 --> 00:33:53,964 Chef's, 10 minutes on the clock. 888 00:33:53,966 --> 00:33:55,298 [suspenseful music playing] 889 00:33:55,300 --> 00:33:57,300 My plan is to put these crullers 890 00:33:57,302 --> 00:33:59,636 into the fryer with the parchment paper. 891 00:33:59,705 --> 00:34:01,638 What are you gonna do? Are you gonna fry those? 892 00:34:01,707 --> 00:34:03,106 I'm gonna fry them. I'm dropping them in 893 00:34:03,108 --> 00:34:04,441 -right now. -[Marc] Oh, okay. 894 00:34:04,510 --> 00:34:05,942 -[Marc] Okay. -Yes, here we go. 895 00:34:07,646 --> 00:34:09,246 I've never seen anybody fry on... 896 00:34:09,314 --> 00:34:10,614 -[Justin] On the paper. -the parchment. 897 00:34:10,616 --> 00:34:11,615 -You? -[Justin] On the paper. 898 00:34:11,617 --> 00:34:13,250 I just learned something today. 899 00:34:13,318 --> 00:34:15,318 [suspenseful music playing] 900 00:34:17,856 --> 00:34:19,456 What the hell? 901 00:34:19,558 --> 00:34:20,924 I tasted the lettuce ice cream 902 00:34:20,926 --> 00:34:24,327 and it was like a whole can of oh no. 903 00:34:24,329 --> 00:34:26,430 And I don't know what I'm gonna do. 904 00:34:26,432 --> 00:34:27,964 What is in there? 905 00:34:28,000 --> 00:34:29,232 Then it comes to me, 906 00:34:29,334 --> 00:34:31,701 may as well make a lettuce whip cream. 907 00:34:31,703 --> 00:34:34,738 So I add heavy whipping cream, sugar, bourbon, 908 00:34:34,807 --> 00:34:36,740 and the lettuce ice cream. 909 00:34:37,776 --> 00:34:39,743 All right. Chef's, five minutes on the clock. 910 00:34:39,845 --> 00:34:41,211 [Tam] Oh, my goodness. 911 00:34:41,213 --> 00:34:42,411 [upbeat music playing] 912 00:34:42,413 --> 00:34:44,014 I'm grabbing the ice cream out of the machine. 913 00:34:44,016 --> 00:34:45,916 And then I take a taste of it. 914 00:34:45,918 --> 00:34:48,518 Ugh, to my horror, 915 00:34:48,520 --> 00:34:52,222 I don't think this ice cream is sweet enough really. 916 00:34:52,224 --> 00:34:53,824 Lindsey, just tasted her ice cream 917 00:34:53,826 --> 00:34:55,525 and it looks as though she feels that 918 00:34:55,527 --> 00:34:56,993 it's not sweet enough. 919 00:34:56,995 --> 00:34:58,161 This is coming down to the wire. 920 00:34:58,163 --> 00:35:00,063 I mean, we need all four ingredients on the plate, 921 00:35:00,065 --> 00:35:01,598 I can feel like they're neck and neck. 922 00:35:01,600 --> 00:35:03,900 This definitely needs a little more love. 923 00:35:03,902 --> 00:35:07,304 This could be the $10,000 right here. 924 00:35:07,306 --> 00:35:09,639 [suspenseful music playing] 925 00:35:09,741 --> 00:35:10,841 [clock-ticking] 926 00:35:11,810 --> 00:35:14,044 [suspenseful music playing] 927 00:35:17,316 --> 00:35:19,616 My nerves are a wreck. 928 00:35:19,618 --> 00:35:22,219 I'm just gonna do something else on there. 929 00:35:22,221 --> 00:35:25,122 My ice cream has no sweetness in it. 930 00:35:26,925 --> 00:35:29,126 What about this? 931 00:35:29,128 --> 00:35:32,462 Why not use the strawberry milk powder. 932 00:35:32,564 --> 00:35:35,265 I'm kind of Hail Mary-ing at this point. 933 00:35:35,333 --> 00:35:36,533 I'm doing it. 934 00:35:36,602 --> 00:35:38,201 Two minute warning, Chefs. 935 00:35:43,008 --> 00:35:45,108 The pressure, oh my goodness 936 00:35:45,110 --> 00:35:49,112 That 30 minutes feels like you're literally being bullied 937 00:35:49,114 --> 00:35:50,313 on a playground. 938 00:35:50,315 --> 00:35:51,548 [Justin] Tam, you're looking real cool 939 00:35:51,650 --> 00:35:53,016 and collected down there, you feel good? 940 00:35:53,018 --> 00:35:54,618 I'm not cool and collected trust me. 941 00:35:54,620 --> 00:35:56,119 [Justin laughs] 942 00:35:56,121 --> 00:35:57,420 [suspenseful music playing] 943 00:35:57,422 --> 00:35:58,622 [Ted] All right Chefs, final seconds 944 00:35:58,624 --> 00:36:00,190 of the final round. 945 00:36:00,192 --> 00:36:01,324 -Ten... -Every ingredient 946 00:36:01,326 --> 00:36:03,860 on the plate? [Ted] nine, eight, seven, 947 00:36:03,929 --> 00:36:06,963 six, five, four, 948 00:36:07,032 --> 00:36:09,900 three, two, one. 949 00:36:09,902 --> 00:36:11,101 Time's up. 950 00:36:11,103 --> 00:36:14,437 -[applause] -[Ted] Nice job, Chefs. 951 00:36:14,506 --> 00:36:16,473 Oh, man I didn't think I was gonna make it. 952 00:36:16,475 --> 00:36:17,707 [laughs] You know. 953 00:36:17,709 --> 00:36:19,109 [suspenseful music playing] 954 00:36:19,111 --> 00:36:21,211 I think that I pulled off a really good dish 955 00:36:21,213 --> 00:36:23,947 making a BLT French toast, 956 00:36:24,049 --> 00:36:25,448 nobody's probably ever heard of 957 00:36:25,550 --> 00:36:27,717 and I think I would be so crushed 958 00:36:27,719 --> 00:36:30,320 to get this far and lose. 959 00:36:30,322 --> 00:36:31,521 That was wild. 960 00:36:31,523 --> 00:36:33,156 I was struggling with the ice cream. 961 00:36:33,258 --> 00:36:35,325 It just didn't have enough sugar in it. 962 00:36:35,427 --> 00:36:37,227 I'm definitely feeling nervous. 963 00:36:37,229 --> 00:36:39,462 Everything is riding on this round. 964 00:36:39,564 --> 00:36:41,097 [dramatic music playing] 965 00:36:41,099 --> 00:36:42,899 Chef Lindsey, Chef Tam, 966 00:36:42,901 --> 00:36:45,602 the dessert round saw you flaunting your talent 967 00:36:45,604 --> 00:36:49,172 with bacon grease, lettuce-flavored ice cream, 968 00:36:49,174 --> 00:36:52,943 roasted tomatoes, and strawberry milk powder. 969 00:36:52,945 --> 00:36:54,844 All right. Chef Lindsey, you're up first. 970 00:36:54,913 --> 00:36:56,947 All right. So I made a cruller 971 00:36:57,048 --> 00:36:59,115 with a tomato bacon jam. 972 00:36:59,117 --> 00:37:02,352 And a lettuce basil strawberry milk dip 973 00:37:02,421 --> 00:37:03,820 for your doughnut. 974 00:37:10,229 --> 00:37:12,562 Conceptually it was... it was a super fun dish. 975 00:37:12,664 --> 00:37:14,631 That strawberry powder I think really masked 976 00:37:14,633 --> 00:37:16,032 that lettuce ice cream for me. 977 00:37:16,134 --> 00:37:17,100 So I actually really like this. 978 00:37:17,102 --> 00:37:18,401 I mean, if... I thought you could put 979 00:37:18,403 --> 00:37:19,803 some whip cream on top and give it a straw 980 00:37:19,805 --> 00:37:21,571 and it was like a nice little milkshake. 981 00:37:21,573 --> 00:37:23,039 Thank you. 982 00:37:23,041 --> 00:37:24,708 Lettuce ice cream, tomato jam, 983 00:37:24,710 --> 00:37:27,110 bacon in the tomato jam, I mean it's all the elements 984 00:37:27,112 --> 00:37:28,912 that I want in a BLT. 985 00:37:28,914 --> 00:37:32,415 The cruller is where I'm having my issues, 986 00:37:32,417 --> 00:37:35,051 well, the outside of it is, like, light and crispy. 987 00:37:35,053 --> 00:37:36,419 -[Lindsey] Mmm-hmm. -The inside of it 988 00:37:36,421 --> 00:37:38,755 is totally undercooked it's like raw dough 989 00:37:38,824 --> 00:37:40,523 -at the middle. -That's unfortunate. 990 00:37:40,525 --> 00:37:42,025 Yeah, 'cause it's definitely... 991 00:37:42,027 --> 00:37:45,028 I mean where it's thinner, it's almost okay but in... 992 00:37:45,030 --> 00:37:48,498 The inside is very... It's just... It's just raw. 993 00:37:48,500 --> 00:37:50,634 Yeah. But every component on this plate 994 00:37:50,702 --> 00:37:52,235 really tasted good. 995 00:37:52,304 --> 00:37:55,939 It's literally just a matter of cooking that dough further. 996 00:37:55,941 --> 00:37:59,209 [Ted] Thank you, Chef Lindsey. Next up to Chef Tam. 997 00:37:59,211 --> 00:38:02,812 I made for you a stuffed French toast BLT 998 00:38:02,814 --> 00:38:06,216 with a lettuce cream and candied bacon. 999 00:38:06,218 --> 00:38:10,820 [suspenseful music playing] 1000 00:38:10,822 --> 00:38:12,656 I love the candied bacon, 1001 00:38:12,724 --> 00:38:14,658 the jam you made on top here is good, 1002 00:38:14,726 --> 00:38:16,626 the strawberries and the tomatoes. 1003 00:38:16,628 --> 00:38:20,330 I thought it was great. Thank you, Chef. 1004 00:38:20,332 --> 00:38:22,999 I don't taste the bitterness of that ice cream. 1005 00:38:23,001 --> 00:38:25,101 I think the candied bacon is lovely. 1006 00:38:25,103 --> 00:38:26,169 I love the cream cheese filling 1007 00:38:26,204 --> 00:38:28,305 and that strawberry mixed with the tomato jam. 1008 00:38:28,307 --> 00:38:29,839 I really, really love this dessert. 1009 00:38:29,941 --> 00:38:30,840 -So... -Thank you, Chef. 1010 00:38:30,876 --> 00:38:32,074 [Justin] nice work. 1011 00:38:32,076 --> 00:38:34,311 I felt like there was some great flavors in here, 1012 00:38:34,313 --> 00:38:37,514 but for me the cream is way too sweet. 1013 00:38:37,516 --> 00:38:38,648 Okay. 1014 00:38:38,750 --> 00:38:40,050 Especially when you're pairing it 1015 00:38:40,052 --> 00:38:41,518 with all the candied stuff. 1016 00:38:41,520 --> 00:38:43,853 I just feel like you could've tamed the sweetness level 1017 00:38:43,955 --> 00:38:46,423 -on this entire plate. -Okay. 1018 00:38:46,425 --> 00:38:47,924 Chef Tam, thank you. 1019 00:38:47,926 --> 00:38:50,226 Final deliberation happens now. 1020 00:38:50,228 --> 00:38:55,298 [suspenseful music playing] 1021 00:38:55,300 --> 00:38:57,734 Judges, bacon, lettuce, tomato, 1022 00:38:57,836 --> 00:39:00,704 did it all add up to memorable meals? 1023 00:39:00,706 --> 00:39:02,038 Well, Tam came out of the gates swinging 1024 00:39:02,107 --> 00:39:05,308 with that huge ball of fried mac and cheese. 1025 00:39:05,310 --> 00:39:06,743 The soccer ball of mac and cheese? 1026 00:39:06,812 --> 00:39:09,913 We were completely blown away when she went into the fryer 1027 00:39:09,915 --> 00:39:11,348 like that dish worked. 1028 00:39:11,449 --> 00:39:13,616 It was probably one of the best dishes of the day. 1029 00:39:13,618 --> 00:39:14,751 [Justin] But you can really tell 1030 00:39:14,820 --> 00:39:16,519 that the lettuce was an afterthought. 1031 00:39:16,521 --> 00:39:19,155 I like the way that Lindsey executed her lettuce wrap. 1032 00:39:19,224 --> 00:39:20,790 That lettuce formed a nice little cup. 1033 00:39:20,792 --> 00:39:22,425 The bacon flavor really came out 1034 00:39:22,427 --> 00:39:24,060 that she mixed with that chorizo. 1035 00:39:24,062 --> 00:39:26,329 Well, Lindsey made that pureed mac and cheese sauce, 1036 00:39:26,331 --> 00:39:28,198 I didn't think it was very good at all. 1037 00:39:28,200 --> 00:39:30,800 And then when you look at Lindsey's main course, 1038 00:39:30,802 --> 00:39:33,103 she didn't mix the sauce with the pasta. 1039 00:39:33,105 --> 00:39:34,404 I totally agree. 1040 00:39:34,406 --> 00:39:36,339 But I also feel like Lindsey gave us 1041 00:39:36,408 --> 00:39:39,109 some of the best flavors of the day. 1042 00:39:39,111 --> 00:39:41,478 Lindsey's salad was light and refreshing, 1043 00:39:41,480 --> 00:39:44,047 I also feel like there were some really delicious flavors 1044 00:39:44,049 --> 00:39:45,315 -in that vodka sauce. -Oh, yeah, 1045 00:39:45,317 --> 00:39:46,750 it punched and if it coated that pasta... 1046 00:39:46,818 --> 00:39:48,118 -correctly... -Yeah. 1047 00:39:48,120 --> 00:39:49,152 It could have been a home run. 1048 00:39:49,221 --> 00:39:50,153 Yeah. 1049 00:39:50,255 --> 00:39:51,221 And I think the main course 1050 00:39:51,223 --> 00:39:53,056 on Tam's side as well suffered. 1051 00:39:53,125 --> 00:39:55,225 It's a lot of soft food on one plate. 1052 00:39:55,227 --> 00:39:56,326 There needs to be more tomato, 1053 00:39:56,328 --> 00:39:59,629 and more of the greens from the basket in there. 1054 00:39:59,631 --> 00:40:00,764 It was a little soft, I mean, 1055 00:40:00,832 --> 00:40:02,699 the flavors that she was able to develop 1056 00:40:02,701 --> 00:40:05,635 I thought were pretty stellar. 1057 00:40:05,737 --> 00:40:08,037 -We have a decision. -Excellent. 1058 00:40:11,243 --> 00:40:14,411 [suspenseful music playing] 1059 00:40:14,413 --> 00:40:17,213 Winning to me right now would mean the world. 1060 00:40:17,215 --> 00:40:19,416 I could literally show my so 1061 00:40:19,418 --> 00:40:22,519 that you could do anything you put your mind to. 1062 00:40:22,521 --> 00:40:24,621 [suspenseful music playing] 1063 00:40:24,623 --> 00:40:27,524 I am so close to winning this thing. 1064 00:40:27,526 --> 00:40:29,025 I want it so badly. 1065 00:40:29,027 --> 00:40:32,162 I can't wait to celebrate. 1066 00:40:32,230 --> 00:40:35,598 So whose dish is on the chopping block? 1067 00:40:35,600 --> 00:40:38,635 [suspenseful music playing] 1068 00:40:45,744 --> 00:40:47,911 [Ted] Chef Lindsey, you've been chopped. 1069 00:40:47,913 --> 00:40:49,145 Judges. 1070 00:40:49,247 --> 00:40:50,814 Chef Lindsey, you really did a great job 1071 00:40:50,816 --> 00:40:52,148 developing some flavors. 1072 00:40:52,217 --> 00:40:54,918 But in the first round, you've made that sauce 1073 00:40:54,920 --> 00:40:57,320 with the mac and cheese and it just wasn't 1074 00:40:57,322 --> 00:40:58,955 what a crema would've done for that dish, 1075 00:40:58,957 --> 00:41:00,423 it didn't lighten it up. 1076 00:41:00,425 --> 00:41:02,459 In the main course, you didn't mix the sauce 1077 00:41:02,527 --> 00:41:03,626 with the pasta. 1078 00:41:03,628 --> 00:41:05,328 And then in the dessert, 1079 00:41:05,330 --> 00:41:06,429 unfortunately your pate a choux 1080 00:41:06,431 --> 00:41:07,664 did not really cook all the way through. 1081 00:41:07,732 --> 00:41:10,633 -And so we had to chop you. -Thank you so much. 1082 00:41:10,735 --> 00:41:12,135 Appreciate it. 1083 00:41:14,139 --> 00:41:15,305 Thank you. 1084 00:41:15,307 --> 00:41:17,140 The hardest part about being chopped 1085 00:41:17,209 --> 00:41:19,042 is being chopped in the third round. 1086 00:41:19,110 --> 00:41:21,010 I was so close. Thanks, Ted. 1087 00:41:21,012 --> 00:41:22,412 So much fun. Glad to meet you too. 1088 00:41:22,414 --> 00:41:24,714 Thank You. 1089 00:41:24,716 --> 00:41:29,118 That means Chef Tam Patterson, you are the Chopped Champio. 1090 00:41:29,120 --> 00:41:30,253 Woo! 1091 00:41:30,255 --> 00:41:34,157 You have conquered our very difficult BLT battle 1092 00:41:34,259 --> 00:41:36,526 and you're going home with $10,000. 1093 00:41:36,528 --> 00:41:38,061 -Congratulations. -Thank you. 1094 00:41:38,063 --> 00:41:39,929 -[cheers and applause] -[Justin] Congrats Chef. 1095 00:41:39,931 --> 00:41:41,331 -[Brooke] Congrats. -Thank you. Thank you. 1096 00:41:41,333 --> 00:41:42,298 Thank you. 1097 00:41:42,300 --> 00:41:44,334 I cannot wait to share this with my son. 1098 00:41:44,436 --> 00:41:47,804 I didn't just come to Choppe I came to Chopped 1099 00:41:47,806 --> 00:41:49,405 -and kicked tail. -[Brooke] Yeah, you did. 1100 00:41:49,407 --> 00:41:50,807 -That's amazing. -[Justin] Yes, you did. 1101 00:41:50,809 --> 00:41:53,042 Yes, you did. It feels amazing to win this. 1102 00:41:53,044 --> 00:41:55,211 -Thank you so much. -Great job. Great job. 1103 00:41:55,213 --> 00:41:58,548 Where's my mic, so I can drop it, boom. 1104 00:41:58,650 --> 00:42:00,250 Chopped Champion.