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Top Chef S22E08

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😹
Fun
Transcript
00:00Previously on Top Chef, this is a beautiful setting for Top Chef's very first pizza party.
00:20Whoever wins this challenge will have the very last immunity of the season.
00:26It's dough time.
00:27I think the dish looks cute.
00:28It also came out cute.
00:30I want to make a pizza that starts a conversation.
00:32This is a classic flavor combination, but he elevated it.
00:35And the winning chef is Tristan.
00:39I am really, really close with my mother and my stepdad.
00:43I feel like I'm making them proud.
00:45Oh, no.
00:48It seems to be very undercooked.
00:49I apologize.
00:51I'm about to give you a sushi pizza.
00:52It is what it is.
00:53It's really just kind of falling apart.
00:56Henry, please pack your knives and go.
00:57Eight chefs remain to compete in the ultimate culinary showdown.
01:04At stake for the winner, the largest prize package in Top Chef history.
01:09The grand prize of a quarter of a million dollars furnished by Saratoga Spring Water, the official water of Top Chef, Delta Sky Mile's diamond medallion status, and $125,000 to spend on travel with Delta Airlines.
01:22A feature in Food and Wine magazine, an appearance at the Food and Wine Classic in Aspen.
01:27And for the first time ever, the winner of Top Chef will headline their own exclusive dinner at the historic James Beard House in New York.
01:34And the title of Top Chef.
01:36Morning.
01:49Morning, morning, morning.
01:50Morning, morning.
01:51The gang's all here.
01:53I honestly didn't think I would make it this far.
01:55Nobody's safe.
01:56Nobody's safe anymore.
01:58No one.
01:58No.
01:59Send them away.
02:00Loud and proud.
02:06Chefs.
02:06That's me.
02:07That's us.
02:07Grab your knives and meet me at the warehouse venue.
02:10You think we're doing a rave?
02:11100%.
02:11Do you think it's large enough to house two restaurants that would pop up in 24 hours?
02:16No, that can't be it.
02:17That's what it is.
02:19It's definitely the rave.
02:23Let's go, let's go!
02:24Hey.
02:25Hey.
02:25Hey.
02:26Hey.
02:26Hey.
02:26Hey.
02:26Hey.
02:26Hey.
02:27Hey.
02:27Hey.
02:28Hey.
02:28Hey.
02:29Hey.
02:30Hey.
02:30Hey.
02:30Good morning.
02:39Hey.
02:39How are you?
02:41Morning.
02:41Morning.
02:42Morning.
02:42Morning.
02:43Morning.
02:43Please say hello to your guest judges for this week.
02:47We have James Beard award winner, executive chef and owner of Compaire Le Pen, Nina Compton.
02:52Hello, chef.
02:53Hello.
02:55Nina Compton.
02:56Oh, my God.
02:57She's a badass black woman doing it for black women.
03:01Pressure's on.
03:02We also have Toronto native, restaurateur, and top chef Canada judge, Janet Zuccarini.
03:09Hello, chef.
03:10Whoa.
03:10Janet is the founder and CEO of Gusto 54 Restaurant Group.
03:15Oh, my God.
03:16Oh, my God.
03:17Janet Zuccarini.
03:18Janet Zuccarini.
03:19She has such an incredible palate.
03:22There's a very good reason that these two are your guest judges this week.
03:28Welcome to Restaurant Wars.
03:32Woo.
03:33Woo.
03:34Yeah.
03:35We did it.
03:36Boom, boom, boom.
03:37Oh, my gosh.
03:38Here we go.
03:39Ah.
03:46Restaurant Wars has become the make or break moment for a lot of chefs.
03:50You're going to be responsible for creating your very own restaurant concept in just 24 hours.
03:55So much to do.
03:57It took me weeks to pick a pink color for jaguar filler when we first opened.
04:01You'll have to come up with a three-course menu with two options per course.
04:05So, six dishes in total.
04:07So, chefs, are you ready to draw for teams?
04:10Let's do it.
04:11Yeah.
04:12Massimo, take the first pick.
04:14Two.
04:15All right, Vinny.
04:16Also a two.
04:17Looks like we're opening up an Italian restaurant.
04:20Bailey.
04:21If she gets two, then you're opening Italian, so.
04:23Aw.
04:24One.
04:25Looks like we're not.
04:27Paola.
04:28Paola has opened several restaurants.
04:31I want her on my team.
04:33Okay.
04:34One.
04:35One.
04:36All right, Cesar.
04:37One.
04:38Okay, Tristan, come on up.
04:40Strategically, I don't want to be on a team with Tristan.
04:43He has immunity, so if you lose, you have a 33% chance of being eliminated.
04:49Two.
04:52All right, Lana.
04:54Two.
04:55And Shuai, come on up.
04:56I wonder what it's going to be.
04:58Yeah.
04:59Just as I thought.
05:02Massimo is strong-willed.
05:04Lana's a little bit more reserved.
05:05Vinny is really confident, and I am also really stubborn.
05:10Team two, how are you feeling?
05:11Make it work.
05:12We could either come together or fall apart.
05:14Pressure's on because we want you to assign your executive chef, your front of the house, and your line cooks right now.
05:23Okay, what's everyone vibing on?
05:25Who would like what?
05:26I don't mind taking front, but...
05:28I do everything in my restaurant, doing the dining room.
05:31I'm comfortable doing it.
05:32Come on.
05:34Lana has experience building a dining room.
05:37I have experience talking in a dining room.
05:41Rock, paper, scissors, shoot.
05:43The house it is for you.
05:45Just let the man have it.
05:47Does anyone really want to do anything?
05:48I would do either front or exec.
05:50I work in only open locations, so I'm very comfortable talking to people.
05:53You know, I can turn on the charm when I need to.
05:56What about exec?
05:57I can do EC if you want to be front.
05:59I don't mind.
06:00Okay, sure.
06:01All right, 30 seconds.
06:02Who wants to be EC?
06:03He has immunity, so I'll take whatever they don't want.
06:06Naturally, you want to give one of the higher risk roles to the person with immunity.
06:10I'll sign cook him.
06:11I'll be fine to be line cook.
06:12I don't mind.
06:13If I need to be EC, I'll be EC.
06:14All right.
06:15You're good?
06:16This is exciting.
06:17Fabulous.
06:18It's been, like, five hours.
06:19Oh, jeez.
06:20It's exciting.
06:21Oh, my.
06:23I remember being in your shoes many years ago, and Restaurant Wars is the most difficult
06:28challenge.
06:29Leave the egos at the door.
06:31But really have fun with it and make sure that your concept is clean and concise.
06:36You're creating a transporting experience.
06:39Make it compelling.
06:41Today, you'll have an hour to create your concept and start planning your menu.
06:46Then you'll head to Elements Event Solutions to meet with a specialist that's going to help
06:49you select all the decor.
06:51You'll have $4,500 to shop at Whole Foods Market and an additional $2,300 to shop at
06:56a variety of specialty markets.
06:58After that, you can prep and cook until 8 p.m.
07:01The more time you take shopping, the less time you're going to have to prep.
07:04So it's completely up to you how you want to spend that time.
07:06Oh, wow.
07:07Tomorrow, you're going to have four hours to prep, cook, set up your restaurant, train your
07:11servers before service begins, and then serve 100 diners.
07:16You want to know what you're playing for?
07:18What?
07:19What?
07:20What?
07:21The winning team will take home $40,000.
07:22Whoa.
07:23I could use more monies.
07:24I could use more.
07:25Monies is good.
07:26Get to planning.
07:27We'll see you tomorrow.
07:28And good luck.
07:29Good luck.
07:30Hi.
07:31Look over here.
07:32Okay.
07:33All right.
07:34I have an idea.
07:35Okay.
07:36We could do six dishes that represent the different stages of Canada.
07:46So something French, something English, because they colonize after the French.
07:52Did you have some things written down?
07:56He's easy, so.
07:57My thought was doing veg forward.
07:59With that, we could still be ourselves.
08:03I'm just not sure about vegetable forward for a competition.
08:08Does that mean no protein?
08:09No, no, no, no, no.
08:10The proteins might be the sauces, the accompaniments, stuff like that.
08:13They named me executive chef, so I am going to step up and make some decisions.
08:18Does everybody agree?
08:19Mm-hmm.
08:20I'm comfortable with that.
08:21This one?
08:24Concept first.
08:25Italian, Latin, Latin, Italian.
08:27I was Italian if it was all family style and I cook all family style.
08:30That would be really fun.
08:31It is like grandma chic.
08:32I love grandma vibes.
08:33Could we just do a grandma's restaurant?
08:36Yeah.
08:37Start throwing out grandma names.
08:38My grandma's name is just grandma.
08:40My abuelo was pipon.
08:41Pipon?
08:42Pipon actually means like have a belly.
08:44That was a type of endearment for my grandfather.
08:47That's cute.
08:48Luna pipon.
08:49Luna pipon.
08:50I love that.
08:51Yeah.
08:52It's like a vegetable forward restaurant by the name.
08:55Like garden.
08:56Something like flora.
08:57Flora fauna.
08:58Like p-h-l-o-r-a, flora.
09:01I like perfect.
09:02We have to get food.
09:03Yeah.
09:04The last thing I want to be doing is coming over the prep list while we're shopping.
09:08Yeah.
09:09When there's this much pressure and stress, I might come off as cocky, but the goal is to win.
09:13I'll do the first course and I'll do a mushroom salad.
09:15That's first.
09:16Yes.
09:17I also make a pot liquor consomme, which could be fun.
09:21Okay.
09:22So let's start with the progression of dinner.
09:24I could do like an arancini.
09:25That sounds amazing.
09:26Yeah.
09:27Yeah.
09:28Or maybe it's like a Spanish-Italian for demer.
09:29Perfect.
09:30Yeah.
09:31Do you want to do pasta since you're so friggin' good at it?
09:33Baked pasta is very no-no.
09:35Ooh.
09:36Perfect.
09:37And then what do you think?
09:38I do like the idea of beef and polenta.
09:39This is good.
09:40Paola, you could take the dessert.
09:41So it's actually an Italian cake.
09:43Oh, yeah.
09:44Tortonian chip.
09:45But it doesn't have any flours.
09:47It's gluten-free.
09:48Okay, next.
09:50The second course.
09:51I was playing around with the idea of like making a terrine.
09:53We could do a bitivier.
09:54I think that could be really cool.
09:56Let's do it!
09:58One I have, it could be sweet potato, it could be squash with an XO and a sauce.
10:04Flavors make sense to me.
10:05I like that.
10:06Do you feel comfortable serving sweet as your final option?
10:09I don't mind doing a vegetable-forward dessert.
10:11Chocolate, custard.
10:12I'm still coming up with the veg.
10:14Probably parsnips.
10:15This is a dish I'm okay doing.
10:18I'm 100%.
10:19It's your dish.
10:20All right, guys.
10:21We gotta go.
10:22You got a second speed.
10:23Now's the time to find it.
10:28Oh, wow.
10:29I love you.
10:30Ooh.
10:31Ooh.
10:32Let's do dishes.
10:33Let's do dishes.
10:34Yeah, okay.
10:35Sure.
10:36We have a flora and fauna kind of theme.
10:38Gorgeous.
10:39So looking natural, foresty, gardeny.
10:41There needs to be a look that is homogenous with our concept.
10:45We want people to really come in and think, you know, plants and vegetables.
10:49Is that weird?
10:50It looks like outdoor wedding.
10:51Yeah, that's fair.
10:52Guys?
10:53No?
10:54What about this one?
10:57Let's just...
10:58I don't know.
10:59No.
11:00I don't know.
11:01We can't be here all day.
11:02You like this one?
11:03No.
11:04You have not seen something you like more.
11:08I respect the fact that the boys are trying so hard to hammer out every single detail.
11:13I think the green could be nice.
11:15Are you sold on the knot?
11:16Does not have to be a knot.
11:18Do you like the color?
11:20It just needs to get done at a little bit of a faster pace.
11:23I personally like this one.
11:24All right.
11:25Then let's go that far.
11:26Okay.
11:27This?
11:28I kind of like this one.
11:30Ooh, that looks cute, honestly.
11:32We're going for like grandma chic.
11:33It's like old timey plates.
11:35Pink, some splashes of green, flowers.
11:38This is cute, I think.
11:39I think that's cute.
11:40This is kind of cute.
11:41These are cute.
11:42This one looks cute.
11:44Oh, that's cute.
11:45This one's cute.
11:46Those are cute.
11:47That one's cute.
11:48So cute.
11:49It's kind of cute.
11:51Not necessarily.
11:52We're doing the silver?
11:54Yeah.
11:55Okay.
11:56So, entree, entrees.
11:57I don't hate this with this.
11:58Okay.
11:59So, 60 of everything I see on the table?
12:0060 of everything you see on the table.
12:02You got it.
12:03How many of these bowls would you like?
12:04For those, 65.
12:0565 bowls.
12:06Okay.
12:07Okay, great.
12:0865.
12:09You're being amazing.
12:10Thank you so much, guys.
12:11Good luck.
12:12I'll go to Whole Foods Market.
12:13You guys are going to go to St. Lawrence Market?
12:14Yes.
12:15This is actually the best idea ever.
12:18The four-headed dog, maybe a little much.
12:21Let's go.
12:22Let's do it.
12:23We need to divide and conquer, or else we're going home.
12:25All right, let's go to St. Lawrence Market.
12:28Is anyone having an anxiety attack like me, or...?
12:30For sure.
12:31I think proteins first, no?
12:32Yes.
12:33Hi, do you guys have the short ribs?
12:34Chorizo as well?
12:35Chorizo as well.
12:36Yeah.
12:37Do you have any beef cheeks?
12:38They do have.
12:39We all decided to shop together at St. Lawrence Market, because we're a team.
12:42All right, so mushrooms and we need dry goods.
12:43Who is a big-ass fennel?
12:44Oysters and maitake.
12:45This one?
12:46You want pork first?
12:47Pork and seafood and lamb.
12:48The goal is to get as much time as we possibly can to prep today.
12:49That's why Massimo's going alone to Whole Foods.
12:53I don't have a bunch of heathen chefs running around screaming times at each other.
13:22Even though most of the time it's me.
13:25Keep up, guys.
13:26Chlorofauna, we want to be very seasonal, vegetable-forward.
13:29So I'm rolling with the blueberry and corn desserts.
13:32Corn surge.
13:33Come on, man.
13:34Help, please.
13:37This is a winner.
13:38Oh.
13:39Right beside it.
13:40You just put it there.
13:43Can I see how much eight pounds of clean squid looks like?
13:46Eight pounds?
13:47Yes.
13:48Of course, I am making a fritte de mare using shrimp, octopus, squid inside aqua chile,
13:54so you have both Italian and Latin flavors.
13:57That's all our seafood.
14:00Greens.
14:01You want to see if there's collards here?
14:02Yes, I do.
14:03I really want to do this potlicker consomme because my background is originally in journalism.
14:08I do a lot of investigating food now.
14:11My ancestors, a lot of black American slaves, potlicker was sometimes all they had to eat.
14:16So I'm using the techniques that I've learned at all of these Michelin-starred restaurants to make this dish thing.
14:22I need to get the smoked ham hock.
14:24You guys are finding everything you need?
14:25Uh, yeah, more or less.
14:26More or less?
14:27All right, see you soon.
14:28See you soon.
14:29Cheers.
14:30All right, thank you so much.
14:31Peace and love, guys.
14:35Paola!
14:36I'm done.
14:37Honestly, do we think two of us should break off and start going to Whole Foods now?
14:40I'm okay with that.
14:41Yeah.
14:42Okay.
14:43I'm down with that.
14:44Well, you two go.
14:45In an ideal world, we'll all be going together, but time is definitely ticking down, so we're
14:48going to divide and conquer.
14:50Let's go.
14:51Okay.
14:52You know where that is?
14:53Yes.
14:54All right, Massimo.
14:55Hello, sir.
14:56What's up, guys?
14:57Tomorrow, I won't have time to do any cooking, so I've got to get all of my mise en place
15:12done today.
15:13Guys, where's the clock?
15:15Grab your eyes.
15:18What up, Dal?
15:19Cesare and I get back to the warehouse, and we have about two hours to prep, which is
15:23time.
15:24Did the girls take the seafood?
15:27They took the seafood themselves, right?
15:28Oh, it's in the car.
15:29So it's with them.
15:30Okay.
15:31We realized Bailey and Paola have half the groceries.
15:34They also have all my seafood.
15:36It just really sucks, because tomorrow, I want to really focus on the dining room.
15:40Sounds not great.
15:42Oh, that's good.
15:43I'm sorry.
15:44Woo!
15:47It feels like time is totally slipping away from us.
15:50I really need to see if those red bell peppers peeled are here, or else it's going to be a
15:55bad time.
15:56I wish we had just split up from the start.
15:59Bailey.
16:00Yes?
16:01Got your peppers.
16:02Okay.
16:03How about I get in line and start checking out?
16:05I am getting my ice cream base on.
16:09So ready.
16:10As ready as we're going to be.
16:11Hopefully, Restaurant Wars is ready for us.
16:13Oh!
16:14How are we doing, chef?
16:15I'm just going to make a little mushroom stock.
16:17I'll be in charge of the first course, doing a mushroom escoviche.
16:20I'm going to use a little bit of African flavors, using some dawa dawa.
16:23Think of it like African umami.
16:26Lana will be doing cured and smoked steelhead trout with collard green pot liquor consomme.
16:33We're just going to give him a light cure.
16:35Tomorrow, we'll give him a light smoke.
16:36Tristan, just so you can see a visual here.
16:38That's the pork.
16:39Make sense?
16:40Yeah, I get it.
16:41For the second course, Vinny is making a squash dish with pork tenderloin and exo sauce.
16:49Tris, when you have a sec.
16:50What do you need, chef?
16:51The pressure cooker.
16:52Which one, chef?
16:53The big one.
16:54Yes, chef.
16:55You're the chef, chef.
16:56I'm making truffle potato celery root petivier.
17:00Honestly, this is going to be really nice.
17:02It's going to fit perfect, actually.
17:03Petivier is basically like a meat pie, but I'm making it completely vegetarian on the
17:08inside.
17:09Then we're going to put just a really rich lamb jus with it.
17:12We're getting there.
17:13All right.
17:14Well, I just put the pressure cooker on.
17:16No, that's my stuff.
17:17Don't touch my stuff.
17:18Oh.
17:19Oh.
17:20I like your hair like that.
17:25A wild and .
17:26Always, bro.
17:27Always.
17:28A little wild.
17:29That's kind of cute.
17:30For the third course, we have the option of either my corn kemer with a corn cob ice cream,
17:37grilled blueberry condiment, and a blueberry crisp.
17:40Or Tristan's milk chocolate custard with Ontario parsnip and chocolate syrup.
17:46Vegetable forward restaurant.
17:48Vegetable forward menu.
17:49Vegetable forward dessert.
17:51Do you have an ETA on the girls?
17:54Hello.
17:55Hello.
17:56We have like at least 15 bucks.
17:59You guys have all the seafood?
18:00Yes.
18:01That's the shrimp.
18:02It was terrible.
18:03I didn't expect it to take so much time on the shop.
18:05Bailey, start doing your pasta.
18:07Go.
18:08We get to the warehouse, and there is an hour and four minutes to prep and pack everything.
18:14Behind you.
18:15Behind.
18:16Straswell.
18:17So these three are all yours?
18:18Yeah.
18:19This is all mine?
18:20All right.
18:21We're going to start the pork ribs, the up and pasta right now, and start the arancini.
18:24I know we're in the weeds, but as the executive chef, I need to make sure that I'm organizing
18:30everything we need for every dish.
18:32Ricotta.
18:33You good?
18:34Arancini.
18:35Going.
18:36For the first course, we have chipotle chorizo arancini, executed by Bailey.
18:39Quickest risotto of my life.
18:40Will you scrape for me?
18:41Yes.
18:42I got it.
18:43It's the perfect marriage between Italian and Latin American cuisine.
18:46You want me to go ahead and start cleaning your shrimp?
18:48Yeah, I'm going to start cleaning my shrimp.
18:50Okay.
18:51The shrimp's great.
18:52It's not tedious at all.
18:53Also, for the first course, I was making a fruto de maria with chili.
18:57I tried to get in my seafood post today.
18:58I know where I need to be.
19:01This is my only dish I have on the menu, so if I screw this up, yeah, I could be going
19:06home.
19:07Shrimp juice in my eyeballs.
19:08What do you need for your soup?
19:10I have already some going.
19:11Okay.
19:12So I'm just going to get these next ones going.
19:14Second course, we're doing braised short rib with polenta, some ancho peppers.
19:17I just wanted something nice and homey and brazy.
19:20Put some nice spices to it.
19:21And then a baked pasta.
19:23I'm a busy woman about town, okay?
19:25I feel like I'm doing seven things at once.
19:27I know we don't have to do the churros until tomorrow.
19:30For the third course, Cesar is making a churro with a pistachio creme.
19:35And Paola is making a walnut with tres leches.
19:38I don't mind doing mine tomorrow.
19:39Okay, cool.
19:40This is going to be great.
19:41As it is right now, I'm just focused on everything else that needs to happen today.
19:45My dessert could happen tomorrow.
19:47All right, all this is desserts.
19:49Desserts.
19:52Behind you.
19:56I got a call from your mom.
19:59There's family emergency.
20:00I don't know exactly what's happening.
20:01Okay.
20:03What do you need?
20:05Just these vacuumed and put in the cooler.
20:07Mom.
20:08What is, what's going on?
20:29My stepfather, who is my father, has had a stroke.
20:34And is now in an induced coma.
20:38Chris, you good?
20:41You sure?
20:43Everything okay?
20:45Finish this .
20:47Yes, chef.
20:48This really wavers my focus right now.
20:50But my mom said he would never want you to quit on this dream.
20:55Don't you dare leave.
20:57So I will do what he would want me to do.
21:00Should I put anything, any kind of liquid inside?
21:02Maybe just some butter.
21:03Okay.
21:04I got it.
21:05I can tell that something has happened.
21:07But if he just wants us to go ahead and push,
21:09that's exactly what we're going to do.
21:11Nine minutes.
21:12I just need tables cleared and knives and bags.
21:15We good?
21:16Stepdad had a stroke and he's in a coma.
21:23All right, guys.
21:24It's going to be a long day tomorrow.
21:25Let's get some rest.
21:26Last night, I learned that my father Russell passed away.
21:35He's always been one of the most supportive people in my life.
21:36When someone believes in you that much, you don't want to let them down.
21:45And so I do not want to disrespect my family by giving up.
21:46I was told to stay when I listened to my parents.
21:47Okay.
21:48Kristen is such a sweet person.
21:51Losing someone.
21:52I can't even imagine what he's going through.
21:54It's important for all of us to succeed.
21:55And then you don't want to let them down.
21:56And then you don't want to let them down.
21:57And so I do not want to disrespect my family by giving up.
22:01I was told to stay when I listened to my parents.
22:15Okay.
22:16Kristen is such a sweet person.
22:17Losing someone.
22:18I can't even imagine what he's going through.
22:20It's important for all of us to succeed and make it worth his while to be here.
22:28When judges' table comes, like, you know, be present, but not, like, there 24-7.
22:34Honestly, this is not unrealistic expectations.
22:37We have four hours to finish this.
22:39With our family-style service, I feel like it's very doable.
22:43We're plating one dish for a whole entire table.
22:45I'm excited to work in front of the house.
22:47I just love to take care of people because, um, here's the thing about communism, kids.
22:53Growing up in China, we didn't have electricity.
22:56We had candles.
22:57There was no running water.
22:58There was no toilet.
23:00But the most amazing part about my mom and grandma is that they made sure that I never felt that.
23:05I never felt hungry.
23:06I never felt cold.
23:08And that's the biggest reason I cook.
23:10All right, guys, let's check on the people.
23:14Let's execute.
23:15Let's do what we do every day.
23:17And let's have some fun.
23:26Wow.
23:27What do we got?
23:28What do we got?
23:29What do we got?
23:30Okay, okay, okay, okay.
23:31Oh, my God.
23:32I like the color.
23:33It's beautiful.
23:34All right.
23:35It's so cute.
23:36Oh, look at that.
23:37Oh, look at that.
23:38This is so cute.
23:39We have to run.
23:40Like, there's so much that has to get done.
23:41All right, guys, here we go.
23:42I have to make sure I finish my braises, have polenta cooked, same with the churros.
23:46I'm excited.
23:47As a wine cook, I need to make sure I step up and I execute well.
23:51Cesar, let me know when you have the beef already in the oven, please.
23:54Yes, Chef.
23:55Bailey, let me know when your pastas are ready to go, please.
23:57Yes, Chef.
23:58We are very behind right now, I would say.
24:01I'm still doing like 12 things at once, it feels like.
24:04Making tonato aioli, breading arancini, trying to finish the romesco.
24:09Bailey, I can finish that sauce.
24:11Bill cannellon is right now, please.
24:12Okay, you got it.
24:13Thank God, Paola takes that lift from me.
24:16That's one of the true signs of being an incredible executive chef.
24:19Bailey, you want your almonds?
24:21Chunky, right?
24:22Chunky.
24:23Chunky?
24:24Okay.
24:25Let me check my pollen, girl.
24:28Let me see how she doing.
24:30It's hot, sorry.
24:32More seasoning.
24:33What do you think?
24:34More salt.
24:35More salt, more acid.
24:36More.
24:37Yeah.
24:38Especially because you're gonna clarify it, which is gonna rip some flavor, so over season.
24:42Okay, heard.
24:50All right, squashy squash.
24:52Butternut squash, kind of confit them, and some brown butter, lemon oil, and some thyme.
24:58Agua chile.
24:59Hey.
25:00Hello.
25:01How are you doing?
25:02Good on you.
25:03Shuai.
25:04Thank you for being here.
25:05We have, as you can see, a lot of work to do.
25:08I have to just make the place look cute.
25:11You know, our vibe is grandma's house.
25:14It's not gonna be pristine.
25:15There might be a pile of magazines from 1988.
25:17You know, who knows?
25:18Who knows?
25:19These floors are very dirty.
25:21We're getting a broom and a mop right away.
25:24We're in a construction site.
25:26There's dust.
25:27Not going home for a dirty floor, that's for sure.
25:30One small table here.
25:31Paint just dried.
25:33Tables are getting straightened.
25:35Glasses are being set.
25:37Everything is coming together.
25:39One hour and 30 minutes.
25:42My cake is the last thing I'm getting into.
25:46It's just walnuts, eggs, and shrimp.
25:49I think the judges will like it.
25:51I'm experimenting right now.
25:52I have done Tres Leches itself and Tortanote itself, but I have never married them.
25:59Every course is served family style.
26:03Hopefully, you know, you can be like, oh, hey, like, we suggest that you order kind of evenly so you guys can share everything.
26:10The whole thing is that you come in as strangers, you leave as friends.
26:12You know, I just want you guys to have a good time.
26:14I don't even know where they put the mop in my own restaurant.
26:17The first thing you're hearing is Massimo.
26:19He's the other chef.
26:20He's very loud.
26:22I think I'm gonna hear Massimo for the rest of my life.
26:25Any other questions?
26:27Even now, as I sit here, I can hear, I can hear him.
26:33Yeah!
26:34You're not touching churros yet, no?
26:35Yeah, chef.
26:36I feel very rushed.
26:37We're definitely gonna be working to the very end.
26:39I was piping the churros to order hard, Cesar.
26:42A little bit.
26:43I mean, I'll have the dough ready.
26:44I mean, it's gonna be firm.
26:50I don't know many people who have ever worked in a restaurant before.
26:52Most people in catering haven't.
26:53So, cool, then you'll be my lead server then.
26:55Every order is gonna be written on the menu.
26:57I need your name on it, your table number, and then seat numbers.
27:02I will not accept it any other way, okay?
27:04Yes, chef.
27:05Guys, one minute until we open.
27:07I wish we had just a little bit more time to just, like, make adjustments, but here we are.
27:14We're open!
27:15Let's go!
27:16Open!
27:17Let's do this.
27:18Yep.
27:19All right, guys, everybody have a great service!
27:21What a beautiful crowd outside.
27:22Everybody's excited.
27:23Everybody's looking forward.
27:24Kill it, dude.
27:25Go have fun out there.
27:26How are you?
27:27Good.
27:28Welcome to Florin Fauna.
27:29We made a vegetable forward menu for you guys.
27:31Order in.
27:32Two mushrooms.
27:33Two mushrooms.
27:34Two collard greens.
27:35Got it.
27:36I snap right into my expo mode.
27:37Beautiful.
27:38Yes.
27:39I owe it to my mom.
27:40I owe it to my mom.
27:41I owe it to my mom.
27:42I owe it to my mom.
27:43to be focused and to be present for them and support them.
27:46Then going one by one dessert.
27:47Got it.
27:48Hi, welcome to the Lampi Puan.
27:49First two tables are down, Chef.
27:50Yes, Chef.
27:51Yes, Chef.
27:52Heard.
27:53Heard.
27:54Heard.
27:55Heard.
27:56Heard.
27:57Heard.
27:58Heard.
27:59Heard.
28:00Heard.
28:01Heard.
28:02Heard.
28:03Heard.
28:04Heard.
28:05Heard.
28:06Heard.
28:07Heard.
28:08Heard.
28:09Heard.
28:10Heard.
28:11Heard.
28:12Heard.
28:13I know Popa means grandma in two different languages.
28:15That we're going for, like, a Italian, like, Hispanic vibe.
28:22I don't know why I cannot run my hair.
28:24You have a question?
28:27Yes.
28:28On the table, there are four people.
28:32Two of them ordered one, and two of them ordered another.
28:34It's supposed to have four plates or only two?
28:36So everything is for two people, basically.
28:38Yes, ma'am.
28:39So it's, fight to the dad?
28:40Yeah, but heard.
28:41So it's fight to the death for that thing.
28:44Oh, my God.
28:45Everything is in the middle.
28:47It's a shareable concept.
28:48Family style, it is easier for execution
28:51because the idea is for them to pick either or.
28:55They want three of each.
28:56Yeah.
28:57So I would have a problem.
28:58But as tickets are coming in,
29:00people are ordering everything.
29:03Oh, they want three orders of each thing?
29:06Make it happen.
29:08Restaurant horse.
29:09It's going to be a lot of food.
29:11Ah, I don't know.
29:12Damn, they're hungry.
29:13Okay.
29:21Hi.
29:22We have a reservation for Kish, Simmons, Zuccarini,
29:25Compton, and Calicchio.
29:26How are our first bites so far?
29:28Really delicious.
29:29Delicious.
29:30Good.
29:30I love it.
29:33May I take this plate from you?
29:35We made it.
29:36Yeah.
29:36Restaurant horse.
29:37It's 22.
29:38We let them talk for each other.
29:40Uh, you can just go.
29:41Okay.
29:41Oh, let's say go.
29:42Yeah, go ahead.
29:44Hello, everybody.
29:45Hi.
29:45Welcome to Nono Papon.
29:46Thank you very much.
29:47We are an Italian, Hispanic-inspired restaurant
29:50bringing the comfort of grandmother's house to your plate.
29:53Any questions about the menu?
29:54Nope.
29:55One of everything.
29:56One of everything.
29:57Got it.
29:57Order coming up.
30:00Waiter was trained.
30:01Yeah.
30:01But twice in front of house.
30:03Haven't seen him yet.
30:03I thought he would be at the table greeting us as soon as we came in.
30:07I never know when to talk to the judges.
30:09Oh, there he is.
30:12It's like being rude.
30:13If they're talking, I go say hello.
30:15It's quite confusing.
30:17Judges are ready whenever you are, Chef.
30:18Yes, Chef.
30:19Hey, want to try?
30:21Fruto de Mari.
30:22We're almost out.
30:23I think it's lime.
30:24I have two orders, Arrancini.
30:25Thank you, ma'am.
30:26Two orders here.
30:27I'm about to give you the Fruto de Mari, too.
30:29All right, guys.
30:30Let's go.
30:30That's VIP.
30:32This is the Arrancini here.
30:34This is the Fruto de Mari.
30:36Hello.
30:37Hi, Suai.
30:37Welcome, welcome.
30:39How's everyone doing tonight?
30:40Good.
30:40Great.
30:41How are you feeling?
30:41I'm a little tired, but I feel very good.
30:44So the Arrancini.
30:45Who's this with that?
30:46Arrancini was Bailey.
30:47Okay.
30:48And then I made the Fruto de Mari, and then Paola helped me make the aqua chili for it.
30:52Did you guys all taste everything together?
30:54We did.
30:55We didn't get to taste the whole dish, unfortunately.
30:57Great.
30:57Thank you, Suai.
30:58Thank you all.
30:58Thanks.
30:59Oh, wait.
31:00I lost my fork.
31:01Okay.
31:01Oh, is this your fork?
31:02I think this is your fork.
31:03I have a serious pet peeve.
31:05When you're offering the service of family style, you need to have sharing utensils.
31:10Yes.
31:11But then the Arrancini is really good.
31:13The breading is not too heavy.
31:14It's quite light.
31:15Yeah.
31:16My first bite of the Arrancini, I tasted pizza, which then connected me somewhat back to this
31:20concept, and it brought me a little bit of joy.
31:22The chorizo was such a powerful flavor in there.
31:25I think it's a really unique twist.
31:28The Arrancini's good.
31:29It's really good.
31:29Isn't it great?
31:30Mm-hmm.
31:31All right, on the fry, we need to order some Arrancini, please, Bailey.
31:35With the aqua chili, everything just kind of like fell off the smoothness of the squid,
31:39and it's like lackluster.
31:41The seafood itself is kind of bland.
31:43Yeah, it is.
31:44I think they had different parts to this thing, and as they started building it, it didn't
31:47season properly.
31:48Yeah.
31:49I got more spice in the Chipotle chorizo than in the Arrancini.
31:53You took all four orders and then brought them back?
31:58Yeah.
31:59That was a big no-no.
32:00Give me one order, then give me the ticket.
32:02All right, let's go.
32:02Dessert now.
32:03Table 300.
32:05What the does this mean?
32:06I need Massimo now.
32:08We have one server that is writing their tickets wrong, and it's creating a little bit of confusion.
32:13This young lady, she came back and just gave me four tickets at one time.
32:16What does she need?
32:17She just has check marks next to everything.
32:18If I have to, I'll take her off the section.
32:20Be nice, be nice, be nice.
32:21Andrea, please come here.
32:23That's normal for it to not always go completely perfect.
32:25This is 504.
32:26504 and 504?
32:27Yeah.
32:28It needs to be one per table.
32:29But we have quick pickups, so we have less margins for error.
32:33Very good catch.
32:34It was the same table, just in different chips.
32:36She misunderstood.
32:37Okay, let me just get a one-by-one app, please.
32:39I got you right now.
32:41Jeff, pick it now from VIPs, please.
32:43Bailey, it looks gorgeous.
32:45Okay, let's go.
32:46One on each side, yeah, guys?
32:48One on each side.
32:51So this is the cannellini here.
32:53This is a cannelloni.
32:56And then ancho braised short ribs.
32:59This already looks just like really homey.
33:02I wish Shui would come in.
33:03Check it.
33:04Give us a little spiel.
33:05Yeah, who made what?
33:06I agree.
33:08Hi, Shui.
33:09We have some questions.
33:10Would you chat with us for a sec?
33:12I hopefully have answers.
33:14Can you tell us who made each horse?
33:15The ancho of short ribs are from Cesar, and then the pasta is from Bailey.
33:22Okay.
33:22Great.
33:22Thanks, Shui.
33:23Thanks, y'all.
33:24Enjoy.
33:24Thanks, Shui.
33:24Bye.
33:24I think the short rib had a lot of flavor, but the consistency of the polenta is a little
33:31bit off-putting for me.
33:32Yeah.
33:33Can't believe we're doing this.
33:34This is the craziest thing ever.
33:36What do you think of the cannelloni smell?
33:38It's good.
33:38It's a smart idea because you can grease it pretty easily.
33:41I would prefer the sauce actually smoother.
33:43I'm getting, like, whole almonds, not even crushed or chopped.
33:46I like wet nuts for my ice cream, but warm wet nuts together.
33:50Not for me.
33:51You know, Grandma had a blender.
33:53Of course she did.
33:54I do think that Nona Pepin is delivering on their concept really well.
33:59Like, it does feel homey.
34:01It does feel rustic.
34:03Have they asked any cryptic questions yet?
34:05I didn't bother them too much, so it's hard to tell.
34:07Ah, VIP desserts, please.
34:09Yes, sir.
34:10You're ready for judges.
34:13Oh, here we go.
34:15Pardon my reach.
34:17Tres leches.
34:18This is from Paula.
34:19We're already at dessert.
34:21How time flies.
34:22And then, uh, just a little churro, dusting a little sugar, cinnamon, ground pistachios,
34:27and then a pistachio caramel glaze on the side.
34:30It's from Cesar.
34:31Thank you, Shua.
34:31Thank you, all.
34:32Order in.
34:33Five orders of our ranchini.
34:35The tris leches is not what I was expecting.
34:40Tris leches is normally a very light, spongy cake that is very juicy, but this is almost
34:45like a very dense, nutty pound cake.
34:49This is so dense.
34:50When it's soaked, it's just the outside gets the milk and it falls apart.
34:53And that's when you get that old cereal, like, what's left in the bottom of the cereal
34:56bowl.
34:56Yes.
34:56Three more orders of churros.
34:59I love a churro, but this eats a little bit dry because the ratio is off.
35:03These almost eat like a biscuit.
35:05I don't know why they put it in this shape, because it made it so much more dense.
35:08Right, right.
35:09I like the churro.
35:10Oh, I really like the churro.
35:11Well, Nina, what did you think overall about, like, the entire meal?
35:14It did feel so satisfying.
35:15Yeah.
35:15I think that's what you'd want when you go to Granny's house, is this beautiful stick
35:19to your ribs.
35:19You want to sit there for hours and just talk.
35:22But I think the desserts definitely fell short for me.
35:24There was a certain amount of charm to it.
35:25I think the concept carried through.
35:27But there was just some small technical issues that dragged some of the dishes down.
35:31Maybe I'm going to be a little bit picky here with Shuai, but when you approach the table,
35:34how are you?
35:35I'm tired.
35:36Don't tell anything that isn't, like, positive and about the customer.
35:39So, meal number two.
35:41Let's go.
35:52I'll be right back with some food, okay?
35:54Hey, guys.
35:55Hello.
35:56Welcome.
35:57So, the judge arrived.
36:00Greet them as soon as they hit the podium with Prosecco.
36:03Santé.
36:04I don't think we've had the luxury to meet.
36:06Nina.
36:06Massimo.
36:07The definition of hospitality for me is the way Henry Hill and Karen Hill felt when they
36:12walked into that restaurant in Goodfellas.
36:15Within five seconds of them being in the dining room, have something to drink, and greet it
36:19with a warm welcome.
36:22We'll have this table for you.
36:24Fabulous.
36:24Thank you very much.
36:25No problem.
36:27That's a nice little touch, isn't it?
36:28Well, it was, but I noticed that the group in front of us didn't get that touch.
36:32Oh, that's true.
36:33Judges just sat down.
36:35Okay, thank you.
36:36I'm, like, excited by this menu.
36:38There's some buzzwords for me that I like.
36:40I love a consomme.
36:42Welcome to Flor and Fauna, guys.
36:45A vegetable-forward restaurant where we're celebrating the land and the soil.
36:48It's going well so far?
36:50It's going.
36:51It's going great.
36:52Yeah, it's fun.
36:53How long are you in town for, chef?
36:54I leave on Sunday.
36:56On Sunday, yeah.
36:57Are you in town for a while?
36:58Just for a few days.
36:59Just for a few days.
36:59Just enough to eat some delicious food.
37:01Good idea, guys.
37:02I will be back with some food.
37:05Massimo is a character.
37:07So?
37:08So?
37:09Is it Friday?
37:10It is.
37:10What are you doing outside of the kitchen on Friday, chef?
37:12I'm here for you.
37:13I'm so happy.
37:14The kneeling down and resting on the table.
37:18I'd like it to be a little bit more buttoned up and professional.
37:21All right, I'm walking, Tristan.
37:23All right.
37:23Keep it cute.
37:25Hello, judges.
37:26Hello.
37:27So this is going to be your first course this evening.
37:30Cured and smoked trout and then a potlicker consomme.
37:35It's just a little bit of chiffonade collard greens and crispy trout skin.
37:39You're welcome.
37:43Good evening.
37:44Hi.
37:44So part of your first course, I did a mushroom escovitch, grilled Ontario mushrooms, a little
37:50ajo blanco at the bottom, and then the broth is made from dawa dawa, and then some beautiful
37:54base scallops in there as well.
37:55So we're veg forward with a little essence of land, sea, as supporting cast.
38:00Thanks, Tristan.
38:01Absolutely.
38:01Enjoy.
38:03I was shaking like a leaf, dude.
38:05Like, I've looked up to Chef Nina, like, forever.
38:08I enjoyed the broth.
38:09I wasn't a fan of the greens being raw and the chiffonade was very hard to eat.
38:13I did enjoy the chip.
38:15The consomme itself was just, I thought it was stunning.
38:17It was beautiful.
38:19It's exactly what you wanted.
38:20It was potlicker consomme.
38:22Three more mushroom, one more trout, please.
38:24Tristan's dish I really loved.
38:26He managed to do something that was a juxtaposition of subtle and light, yet rich and savory.
38:31This is just beautiful.
38:33He's got a lot of finesse, and he knows when to do it.
38:35I do appreciate that the chefs are coming out and explaining their dishes.
38:38And not one person, but shuai, came out to us, which is fine.
38:41Yeah.
38:42How long on judges' table?
38:43One minute, one minute.
38:45Try to go a little heavier on your collards, please.
38:48Yes, Chef.
38:48Can we get every set of hands we possibly can?
38:51I'm ready.
38:51You ready?
38:52Yeah.
38:52Take one and one.
38:56Hello again.
38:58Hello.
38:58Hello.
38:59I made the potivier with potato, celery root, truffle, and then the sauce on the side is
39:05lamb, jiu.
39:06I made you a confit butternut squash, served with some grilled pork, an exo condiment,
39:12and a sauce of butternut.
39:13Obviously, we were veg forward.
39:14We still want to be able to give you a little bit of protein.
39:16All right.
39:17Enjoy.
39:18Thank you both.
39:19I really enjoyed Lana's dish.
39:21I really commend Lana's technical work.
39:24The dough is slightly raw.
39:25It could have been cooked a little bit more, but it's tasty.
39:29Thank you so much.
39:30Yep.
39:30Okay.
39:31We're good?
39:31I love Benny's pork.
39:33I thought it was perfectly cooked.
39:34The squash was excellent.
39:38How do you get squash to taste that amazing?
39:40The low point on the dish and it still was executed very well is the pork.
39:44There was as much pork on the plate as there was.
39:47I don't know what I'm saying.
39:48But we just can't have a conversation.
39:50So it can be handled?
39:51I feel like we've been over-touched a little bit.
39:53It's getting to be that way.
39:55There was as much pork on the plate as there was squash on the plate.
39:58And they're telling me that this is all veg forward.
40:00And yet that dish didn't come through.
40:02Have you had one of the courses yet?
40:08You have not.
40:09I have no one yet.
40:10You have not.
40:10I will bring it to you.
40:13Tristan, what do you need?
40:14I need...
40:15I need...
40:16Massimo, please.
40:17I'm hungry.
40:18I'm a little teary.
40:21I'll be back with some food.
40:24Guys, did we get our fire for 104?
40:26Being backed up is absolutely normal.
40:28It's my job to make sure people don't feel it.
40:31And if they do feel it, it's my job to save them.
40:34Hey, guys, thank you so much for your patience.
40:36All right.
40:38I apologize for the delay.
40:40I apologize.
40:41Totally redeemed yourself.
40:42Thank you so much.
40:43Thanks, guys.
40:47Bailey, we need to fire that candeloni, please.
40:50I need one more churro, please.
40:52I'm going to cut it pretty short on the tres leches.
40:56We're running low.
40:57I need to stretch them out.
40:58Are we giving them extra churros?
40:59Yeah, that's fine.
41:00Guys, this is it.
41:03We don't have anything else.
41:04This is it.
41:05So apologies.
41:06We're running a little low on the tres leches.
41:08We'll put up some extra churros for y'all.
41:11Churros are handy.
41:12All right, guys.
41:13The judges are ready for desserts.
41:16It's a final push, guys.
41:17It's a final push, okay?
41:18Yep, we got you.
41:20Let's go.
41:21Let's push it, guys.
41:22All right.
41:22I have everything you need right now.
41:24All right.
41:24Can you guys start picking these up over here?
41:27One and one to judges, please.
41:28One and one to judges.
41:29I'll take those.
41:35All right, guys.
41:36We have a corn cremeur with a corn ice cream,
41:40some grilled blueberries, and a crisp of blueberries.
41:43Please go ahead and break the crisp with energy
41:45and eat in harmony.
41:49Go ahead.
41:51Just for a little bit of a decadent end,
41:52on the bottom, this is the chocolate custard.
41:55On top is dirt chocolate, as I call it.
41:57Parsnip caramelized with some sherry vinegar
42:00for a touch of acidity
42:01and to bring that vegetable forward.
42:03Please enjoy.
42:08Mossimo's dessert I thought was stunning.
42:10Those fluff blueberries,
42:11that could have been dessert in and of itself.
42:13The corn is subtle,
42:14but it's just so creamy.
42:16It's so perfectly made.
42:17And I smashed the beef with energy.
42:19With energy.
42:20Did you wink at it?
42:23It's really good.
42:24I really enjoy Tristan's dessert.
42:26It's very rich, very decadent.
42:28The parsnip adds, like, a little bit of sweetness,
42:31but it tastes very balanced.
42:33I think it's a great way to end the meal.
42:34These aren't pastry chefs,
42:35but it was all acted well.
42:36This was a really cohesive meal
42:39from the start to the finish.
42:40Yeah.
42:43Thank you so much, everyone.
42:47Thank you so much.
42:47We did it.
42:49Yeah, we did it, guys!
42:51Restaurant Wars!
42:52So proud of you.
42:52So proud of us.
42:53Good job.
42:57What a night.
42:58We put a lot of pressure on ourselves
43:00going into this cook
43:01because we wanted to perform for Tristan
43:04after the news he received.
43:06He seemed super happy.
43:08Yeah.
43:08You know, but who knows?
43:10I can only imagine
43:11how difficult that really is for him.
43:12Most chefs,
43:13the best thing you can do to cope is cook,
43:17and that's exactly what he did.
43:18Cheers, Mama.
43:19Cheers, guys.
43:19Good job, guys.
43:20Thank you so much.
43:20Good job.
43:21It was a pleasure.
43:21So overall,
43:22how are we feeling about Flora and Fona?
43:25Really delivered on the brand,
43:27plant forward,
43:28very sophisticated,
43:29very elevated.
43:30So I wanted that to be mirrored in the service,
43:32and the service was very casual.
43:34I think we should continue the conversation
43:36at a nightcap at judges' table.
43:38Let's do that.
43:55You know, chefs,
43:56each team had an idea
43:57for what the restaurant should be,
43:58and I really believe that it was,
44:00in both cases,
44:00supported really well
44:01with your food,
44:02with your service,
44:03with your style.
44:04I think that's the mark
44:04of a good restaurant.
44:05You say who you are
44:06and you support it.
44:08Nona Pipon,
44:09how was the day for you?
44:10Day one was a bit rocky.
44:13As soon as we got into the kitchen,
44:14we were running,
44:16so I'm lucky to say
44:17that we were ready for opening.
44:19And Shuai,
44:19what was your approach
44:20with the front of the house?
44:21I just trained them
44:22like how I trained our staff
44:23at Jackrabbit Philly,
44:24and I did all the things.
44:26I cleared,
44:27I set foot down.
44:28That was a good way
44:28to also keep an eye
44:29on every single table.
44:31We asked you questions.
44:32Unfortunately,
44:33you told us the truth.
44:34We said,
44:34how are you?
44:35He said,
44:35I'm tired.
44:36You've got to be selling us
44:37on your concept.
44:39I needed your presence
44:39a little bit more.
44:40Gotcha.
44:42Flor and Fauna,
44:43how'd the day go for you?
44:44It was good.
44:45I mean,
44:46we had a plan
44:47on how to execute,
44:48what to execute.
44:50You want to talk
44:50about the front of the house?
44:51At all moments of service,
44:53it was somewhere
44:54between perfection
44:56and a car crash.
44:57It was that line
44:57right in the middle,
44:59and it's just riding
45:00off that energy.
45:01Masu,
45:01I'm also on the business side.
45:03You know,
45:03your concept overall
45:04was extremely refined.
45:07You have a fantastic personality,
45:08slightly too casual.
45:10We just wanted you
45:11to be a little bit more refined
45:12to match the brand.
45:14Yes, sir.
45:15Flor and Fauna,
45:16stay here.
45:17No ne pepong.
45:18You can move to the side.
45:25Flor and Fauna,
45:26you're standing here
45:27because you had
45:31our favorite restaurant
45:33of Restaurant Wars.
45:34Oh, my God.
45:35Congratulations.
45:37Congratulations.
45:43And in case you forgot,
45:44I'm here to remind you
45:45that you just won
45:46$40,000 as a team.
45:48We got money.
45:48Yeah.
45:49What's up, guys?
45:50We're going to talk food.
45:52Lana,
45:53I loved your dish.
45:54It was so,
45:55so elegant.
45:56It needs to be
45:57on a menu
45:58at your restaurant.
45:59It's a very southern dish
46:00that you don't see
46:01very often
46:02in this elevated platform,
46:04but it was beautiful.
46:06Kristen,
46:07you've done dishes
46:08that have just been
46:08powerhouses
46:09where they pitch
46:09on the head
46:10with big, bold flavors,
46:11and yet this was
46:12as subtle as it gets,
46:13and that just shows range.
46:15You also had the desserts.
46:17I did.
46:18It didn't feel like
46:18just such rich chocolate pudding.
46:20The texture is beautiful,
46:21but the sherry vinegar
46:22was like
46:22the shining star for me.
46:26Vinny,
46:26what magic juju spell
46:28did you put on that squash
46:29because it's the best squash
46:31I've ever had in my life,
46:32which is why
46:33we wanted it to be
46:34more squash.
46:35Beautiful dish.
46:37Massimo's desserts.
46:38It was very simple
46:39and straightforward,
46:40but it had a lot of flavor.
46:41It was balanced.
46:43There was tartness,
46:44beautiful textures
46:45that dehydrated blueberry
46:46on top.
46:47It was one of the best dishes
46:49we ate all day.
46:52You all won as a team,
46:54but there was one chef
46:56that really kind of
46:56took it over the top for us.
46:58Nina and Janet,
46:59as our guests,
47:00you get to announce
47:01who that is.
47:01The winning chef
47:02for us today
47:03who contributed the most
47:05to the success
47:05of this team
47:06is
47:08Tristan.
47:14Woo!
47:19I am more proud
47:21of my team
47:22than I am myself,
47:23but I am really proud
47:25that I got through the day.
47:27It was really hard
47:28cooked for me, honestly.
47:30I mean,
47:31I found out my father
47:32passed away.
47:33Oh, God.
47:34I am so sorry.
47:35I am so sorry.
47:36So, trying to stay on,
47:38you know what I mean,
47:39was hard all day.
47:41Ugh.
47:42Well, you led
47:43a beautiful team.
47:46He is proud of you
47:47right now.
47:48Yeah.
47:50And you never have to feel
47:52like you have to ever be on.
47:54Like, this is also
47:55real life, too, and...
47:56It wasn't just me, though.
47:58So.
48:00Your parents
48:00should be commended.
48:02They've done
48:02a fantastic job
48:03with you.
48:07I think everyone
48:08knows how hard
48:08it is to work
48:09when real life
48:10is happening
48:11around you.
48:13We're really sorry
48:14for your loss,
48:14Tristan,
48:14in every way.
48:17Well, congratulations
48:18to you all.
48:20And that's all.
48:32Nona Pepon,
48:33you're at our
48:34least favorite
48:34restaurant of the day
48:35and one of you
48:36will be eliminated.
48:38Let's start with Shwai.
48:39Your frutti di mare,
48:41the base of the flavors
48:42were there.
48:43I just wanted
48:45all the flavors
48:46amped up.
48:47The second that
48:48something is under-season,
48:49that dish falls flat.
48:51Who executed it
48:52on the pickup?
48:53Chef Paola picked it up
48:54and had to pass.
48:55It just needed
48:56a little bit more
48:56pump up in the agua chili.
48:59Bailey,
49:00the arancini,
49:01I thought,
49:02were fantastic.
49:03A great start
49:03to the meal.
49:04I loved that idea
49:05of the chorizo,
49:06so you were bringing in
49:07the Nona and the Abuelita.
49:09But the cannelloni,
49:10I had one really
49:11frustrating issue with it.
49:13The almonds.
49:15They were whole.
49:16Yeah.
49:16That was strange.
49:17I wanted to finish
49:19in the Robocoup,
49:19and I just didn't
49:20have the time,
49:21so we immersion blended
49:22it instead,
49:23and that's where,
49:23yeah.
49:24It was uneven.
49:24Got it.
49:25Yeah.
49:26Paola,
49:27we all had a problem
49:28with that cake.
49:29The texture was
49:30very strange.
49:32It just looked
49:33like a soggy piece
49:34of cake.
49:35You know,
49:36the progression
49:36of the meal,
49:37we get to the final
49:38course,
49:39it was like
49:39a screeching halt.
49:41I'm gonna be honest,
49:42I'm the easy.
49:42Everything you guys
49:43have mentioned,
49:45it could have been
49:45fixed by me.
49:46Everyone plays a role.
49:47And Cesar?
49:50The sugar,
49:51I thought,
49:51was braised nicely.
49:52There was a lot
49:53of flavor in there.
49:54I did think
49:55that the polenta
49:55was maybe
49:56a touch too tight.
49:57The churros,
49:58you want to deliver
49:59on crispy
50:00and then light
50:01and fluffy,
50:02and it ended up
50:03just feeling
50:03like it was dense.
50:05Flavors,
50:05though,
50:06it was tasty.
50:09Do any of you
50:10have anything
50:10you want to add
50:10before we have
50:11our discussion?
50:12I'm super proud
50:13of everyone
50:14on the team,
50:14but I do think
50:15that Paula just
50:16absolutely crushed it.
50:17She kept us
50:17super organized
50:18and she made
50:19sacrifices on her
50:20own dishes
50:21so that our
50:22other dishes
50:22could come to life.
50:25Okay.
50:25Thank you, chefs.
50:26We'll call you back
50:26in a little bit.
50:34Can I still
50:35squeeze in on you?
50:36Of course.
50:38Both of you guys,
50:39we're obviously
50:40the right choices
50:40for EC.
50:41Nona Popone
50:46had a great concept
50:47and followed
50:47through overall,
50:48but at the end
50:49of the day,
50:49it's about the food
50:50that is put
50:50in front of us.
50:51I liked Bailey's dishes.
50:53The arancini,
50:53I think we would
50:54all agree
50:54that that was
50:55the best dish.
50:56Yeah.
50:56Bailey is safe.
50:57She's safe, yeah.
50:58That was rough.
51:00Can anyone make
51:00a case why Cesar
51:01should go home
51:02before Paula Arshwai?
51:04No.
51:04Even with a churro
51:06that wasn't a churro,
51:07it still tasted good.
51:08It always comes down
51:09to the chef
51:10and the manager.
51:12Why didn't you wear
51:12a Nona scarf?
51:14Shui, come on.
51:15And then a sweater,
51:16maybe,
51:16some caramels
51:17in my pocket.
51:18I should have
51:18rubbed myself down
51:19with mothballs.
51:19That's what I should have done.
51:20The only element
51:22that was a detraction
51:23from the concept
51:25was Shui.
51:26There was no interaction.
51:27It was just like,
51:28how is everything?
51:29And then he scurried away.
51:30But he also wasn't
51:31managing his dishes either.
51:32Right?
51:32His dish was okay,
51:34not fantastic.
51:35Which part of the dish
51:36wasn't fantastic?
51:37The agua chile.
51:38Who made that?
51:39Paula did.
51:40The agua chile
51:40should have been seasoned.
51:42I think we're letting him off
51:42a little bit easy here.
51:45When you're like a guest chef,
51:46what's one of the first things
51:46you do when you get to the event?
51:48You go and you make sure
51:49it's what you want.
51:50Yeah.
51:51For all the whole menu,
51:53I mean,
51:53the one that he was
51:54not working at
51:55was my dessert.
51:56Paula,
51:56it wasn't for you.
51:57We wouldn't be open.
51:59It's not gonna be you.
52:00But I'd much rather
52:01eat an under-season
52:02agua chile
52:03than that torta.
52:04If she were a cook
52:05and had no responsibility
52:06other than cooking that dish,
52:07she'd go home.
52:08Yes.
52:08It becomes clouded
52:09a little bit
52:10by the amount of work
52:11the team really conveyed to us
52:13that Paula did
52:14as the chef.
52:15But like,
52:16she didn't blend the sauce.
52:17She seasoned
52:18the agua chile.
52:19Yeah,
52:20I think the time management
52:21definitely got away from them
52:22and it showed them their food.
52:24It just sucks you
52:25just worked your ass off
52:26for the last 24 hours.
52:28The result of someone
52:29has to go home.
52:30We feel good about our answer?
52:31Absolutely.
52:32Yeah?
52:33Absolutely.
52:34Let's bring the chefs back.
52:47Obviously,
52:47opening a restaurant one day
52:48is kind of ridiculous,
52:50but that's the whole point of it.
52:51And I think for the most part,
52:52you executed very well
52:54on delivering that concept.
52:55It sounds like
52:56what held you back
52:57was just time management.
52:59Unfortunately,
52:59one of you will leave it.
53:05Paula,
53:05please pack your knives and go.
53:08Thank you, chef.
53:10Paula,
53:11Bailey got through
53:11Last Chance Kitchen.
53:12You can do it too.
53:13Bring it on.
53:14Yes.
53:15Thank you, chef.
53:15I'm proud of what I have done.
53:17The journey has been amazing.
53:18We came as strangers,
53:19but I'm coming out
53:21with the whole community.
53:22So,
53:22it's emotional.
53:25I'll see you soon.
53:26I'll see you guys back.
53:27We'll kick some ass.
53:27Take care.
53:28Love you.
53:29Kristen got eliminated
53:30and arrested worse.
53:31She came back
53:31and she won the whole thing.
53:33So,
53:34maybe it's a good omen.
53:35You never know.
53:42Tonight,
53:43Paula's leadership fell short,
53:45sending her to Last Chance Kitchen.
53:46This is so fun.
53:47Can her food lead her to victory
53:49against the reigning champ?
53:51Yes.
53:51Watch now on Peacock
53:52or bravotv.com.
53:56Next time on Top Chef.
53:59The hell just happened.
54:00Your mission
54:01is to create a dish
54:02that features a stone.
54:04All right,
54:04cool,
54:05cool,
54:05cool,
54:05cool,
54:05cool,
54:06cool,
54:06cool,
54:06cool.
54:06And roll.
54:07Let's go.
54:10Oh,
54:10nice catch.
54:12It was giving Mission Impossible.
54:13Big,
54:14big deal.
54:15One misstep
54:15will affect
54:16the whole dish.
54:17It looks dope,
54:18man.
54:19I thought it was fantastic.
54:20Mission accomplished.