Get ready for our biggest season ever.
Ah, Jesus..
Because this is all I've ever cooked.
29 chefs have come to Texas
to compete in America's most prestigious,
toughest, culinary competition--
Top Chef.
So relaxing.
Oh, you bitch.
Over eight seasons,
Top Chef has catapulted careers,
and the winners have gone on to achieve huge success.
You are Top Chef.
I am?
Best reaction ever.
Food and Wine's best new chef.
A James Beard nominee.
Ten new restaurants and countless accolades
in the press.
While hoping to continue that legacy,
this season's chefs must qualify to be one of 16 contestants
who will go on and compete across the state of Texas.
- Holy. - Ten seconds.
Cook, risotto.
Joining me at judge's table,
head judge, Tom Colicchio...
That's clever, but is it a good idea?
Food & Wine magazine's Gail Simmons...
It needs to be delicious.
Chef, Hugh Acheson...
You do this every day.
And culinary legend Emeril Lagasse.
And I don't even know what happened to the meat.
We'll narrow the field to the top contenders.
At stake for the winner,
a feature in Food & Wine magazine,
a showcase at the annual Food & Wine classic in Aspen,
$125,000 furnished by healthy choice
to bring their culinary dreams to life,
and the title of Top Chef.
♪ Top Chef: Texas 9x01 ♪ Everything's Bigger in Texas Original Air Date on November 2, 2011
The first thing I think of is, "damn, Padma looks hot."
I have to stay in this competition
just so I can look at her.
There's about 30 chefs around me,
and I'm thinking to myself,
"Top Chef usually has about 16 chefs."
So it starts to hit you, like, it's Texas.
They made it bigger.
This season's raising the level of intensity pretty fast.
Welcome to Top Chef,
and welcome to the historic Alamo
in San Antonio, Texas.
The Alamo is gorgeous, but I'm wondering
what's going to happen with all these people.
I'm standing right next to one of my colleagues,
Richie, who works in Chicago with me.
And I'm like, "are they going to do teams?"
You were chosen from over 1,000 chefs,
and now it's time to prove
that you're worthy of the Top Chef title.
Right now I'm a personal chef caterer,
and I'm kind of an entrepreneur.
The name's Stone... Chef Tyler Stone.
I know I'm good.
And, you know, a lot of people mistake
my confidence for arrogance,
but that's just 'cause they don't like the fact
that I'm as good as I am and half their age, you know.
We're going to put you in three groups.
Each group will compete in one challenge.
But the stakes are higher than ever before.
You have to excel in your test
to earn one of the 16 spots in the Top Chef house.
Oh,.
It's very hard to believe that I'm not already
in the top 16.
This is really [Bleep] up.
I don't want to have to be cooking for that spot.
This is your moment.
Good luck.
Holy crap.
Oh, wow.
Walking into the Top Chef kitchen for the first time,
my goal is to study what I'm seeing.
First thing I notice is the ingredient.
I see the whole pig.
I look up, and I'm like, "holy.
It's Emeril."
I'm like, "bam!" Oh, my God.
Hello, chefs. Welcome to the Top Chef kitchen.
Hello, thank you.
- Chefs. - Hi, Chef.
I'm pretty sure you know the gentleman next to me--
world-renowned chef and new judge for the season,
Emeril Lagasse.
- Hello. - Nice.
Chef Tom, I'm excited to be here.
I've heard a lot of great things about you guys.
And let me tell you,
we have quite a challenge for you.
So let's see what you can cook.
Chefs, we'd like to hear a little bit about you guys,
where you work, or how you got here.
Tyler, why don't we start with you?
I've cooked for many celebrities,
politicians, and media personalities
at a national level.
My name's Heather Terhune, and I'm the executive chef
at Sable Kitchen and Bar in Chicago--
best new bar, Food & Wine magazine, 2011.
Nyesha Arrington, I'm the executive chef
at Wilshire Restaurant.
I've worked for Joel Robuchon. I've heard of him.
I was nominated rising star chef, 2010.
Wow, Nyesha works for Chef Joel Robuchon?
That's really high pedigree.
She's definitely stiff competition.
Molly Brandt, and I'm the chef de cuisine
on board the Allure of the Seas for Royal Caribbean.
Simon-- I grew out of Seattle,
out of this little, uh, cocktail lounge
called 22 Doors.
Richie Farina,
I'm the sous chef at Moto Restaurant
in Chicago, Illinois.
Chris Jones, I'm the chef de cuisine
of Moto Restaurant, Chicago. Illinois.
Chris Jones-- he's my boss at Moto.
It's a little bit of mixed emotions.
I'm happy to have this opportunity
to compete against him.
I know how talented he is,
and I know he is one of my threats to stand
in my way to get the title.
Grayson Schmitz, New York City.
And I'm currently in between jobs.
Sarah Grueneberg, executive chef
at Spiaggia, in Chicago, Illinois.
I know of Sarah, the chef at Spiaggia,
which is one of the best Italian restaurants in the country.
She can cook her ass off.
Colin Patterson,
chef and owner of Sutra in Seattle.
I was rising star, 2009.
Hearing everybody's backgrounds--
it's very competitive.
So I am feeling anxious about holding my own.
There are a lot of great chefs at the Alamo,
but we're only giving out 16 of these.
I became an executive chef at 28.
I've really sacrificed a lot of my personal life
for my career.
I want that coat so bad--
more than I've ever, I think, wanted anything else
in my life.
We've broken down an entire pig to its primal cuts.
As a group, you'll be creating
a feast for us with this very pig.
There are ten cuts of meat, and there are ten of you.
Now it's up to you to decide who cooks which part of the pig.
Some of the pieces contain multiple cuts.
So you'll have to work out how you will separate your cuts.
Also, you're going to be serving in three groups.
And you will have an hour to cook your dish.
The kitchen is outfitted with the latest
G.E. Monogram equipment.
Emeril and I will be walking around while you cook,
looking at how you operate the kitchen,
your butchering skills, your cooking technique.
This is what will earn you a Top Chef coat
or a ticket home.
So stay on your toes.
You guys ready for the challenge?
- Yes. - Good luck.
Your time starts now.
- I got the-- - I'll go first.
- I got the cheeks. - Shoulder.
Tenderloin.
Working with random chefs can be very difficult.
We have to make quick decisions, because the clock is starting.
So I'm hopeful we'll all get along.
- I'll take belly. - I'll take the ribs.
I want baby back.
Is this okay? Tenderloin?
Pork tenderloin would be the quickest to cook,
so I'm zoning in on it.
Taking tenderloin. I got the chops.
Now that I got that tenderloin,
I'm thinking smooth sailing.
- Anyone grab cheeks yet? - I got cheeks.
- I guess I'll take ears. - Okay, now, butchering--
the tenderloin, baby back--
Yeah, the tenderloin, we got to pull it--
Pig primal cuts have multiple cuts inside of them
so you have to either butcher it yourself
or trust somebody to butcher it in that short amount of time.
Somebody can pull off the loin?
- Who? - I'll do loin.
Being a personal chef for celebrities--
they've got money to spend.
So I have a butcher that butchers it
exactly how I want it.
Regardless...
Anything I put my mind to, I'm going to accomplish.
I've written my own cookbook.
Most people wouldn't even know where to begin,
and I did it in 3 1/2 weeks.
So I know I can slice and dice
better than most of these people.
Need a hammer.
I hope I don't [Bleep] up my loin.
You're gonna be fine.
My pork tenderloin is with the chop.
And I'm rushing, working on all the other elements,
so I let somebody else butcher my tenderloin.
I might need a freakin' saw on this bad boy.
Oh, yeah. Are you butchering?
I have a vegan restaurant, and I haven't worked with pig
in ten years.
This is really my worst nightmare.
Yeah, I'm not--I'm not the best guy for this.
Colin, he's, like, starting to try to take off his ribs.
I look at him. I'm like...
"Can you do this, man? You got this?"
I'll take it anytime you want me to.
- Yeah, you get in there. - Wanna do it?
All right.
I take a lot of pride in my butchering,
so I can bust this down.
I can get this done very, very quickly.
I'm good. Thank you.
Do you have much experience with pig's ears?
I've eaten them before. I know they're really chewy.
So I want to get them in and... Got it.
Try to get them going as quickly as possible.
- What you thinking? - Ravioli.
Uh-huh.
Kind of incorporating some of "Texas style"
with some Mexican flavors, sort of.
Awesome.
You have some pork cheeks?
Pork cheeks.
What are you doing with pork cheeks?
I'm going to render out some of the fat
and use that for a base for a soup.
Have you used pork cheeks before?
I haven't.
I've used beef cheeks before, but never pork cheeks, so...
The restaurant that I run on the cruise ship,
everybody says that the soup is their favorite.
So I'm kind of, like, dubbed the soup Nazi on the ship.
I think this is a good idea,
because I don't want stray too far
from what I know is a good thing.
I'm not exactly sure what's happening with Tyler next to me.
I just know that he's the guy
that gets the freaking pork chop that I want.
And he can't butcher, and that just pisses me off,
'cause that's the one thing I wanted.
- Hey, how's it going? - Good.
- How are you doing? - Pretty good.
You're wrestling with this thing.
Yeah, you know, it's a large piece of meat,
and, uh, I don't usually butcher whole pieces like this.
What do you usually butcher?
Uh, not usually pork. I don't do pork a lot.
An hour's ample time obviously to cook a pork chop
and a little side dish.
When you have to also then butcher
in order to get your chop,
that kind of throws you off a little bit.
Who's got the tenderloin?
Grayson, he's got the loin. Go get it.
- Thanks. - You have the tenderloin?
I let Tyler butcher the subprimal
that had my tenderloin in it.
Ah, here's some tender.
- This is, uh-- you want that?
That's a chop there. I was going to stuff it.
He's handing me everything but what I need.
- What do you need? - The tenderloin.
I don't see a tenderloin there.
You have the-- yeah, it's all cut up.
What you did is you cut her tenderloin in half.
The tenderloin is just hacked.
I have this, like, three-ounce piece of meat to work with.
And that's.
If you went to a butcher shop
and you saw something like this, would you buy them?
Probably not, although I'm not a butcher, so...
Well, I know, but you're a chef,
and that's, like, a basic skill.
You were butchering for someone else as well?
No, I was just taking off what I needed.
Yeah, but in the meantime, you took her tenderloin
and hacked it to death.
And so she has barely anything to work with.
Hey, we're in a rush, so we gotta get things done.
There's no way that this is going to get through this round.
And I think you should just leave now.
Give me a shot. You'll be surprised.
I'm telling you--
you know what? I can't give you a shot.
This is not going to do it. Come on.
I'm sorry, man. I'm sorry.
- So I'm done? - Yeah. Yeah.
Pack up your knives, and you can go.
- Okay. Fair enough. - Thanks.
I see Tyler walking away, and it's like,
"oh, my God. I don't want that to be me."
I put my head back down and started working.
Tom and Emeril made a bad decision,
because they weren't able to taste
the expertly cooked pork chop.
But I'm not too terribly worried,
because I know where I'm going.
It's right to the top.
This is a serious competition for serious chefs.
And if you don't know how to break down the chops,
then you deserve to be sent home.
- Bad assumption. - Bad assumption.
You should never make assumptions
of anybody you're competing against.
Tyler was just sent home,
and everyone is stressed out trying to get in the top 16.
This competition is crazy real right now.
Hi, Grayson. How you doing?
I'm all right. How are you?
So he hacked the hell out of that piece of meat.
- He did. He did. - I'm surprised--
why did you let him go ahead and butcher that?
I figured that it would give me
some leeway time to get started.
- Bad assumption. - Bad assumption.
You should never make assumptions
of anybody you're competing against.
- Correct. - There's no tenderloin
left on that. I know.
It's just really [Bleep] Up.
The rest of it is somewhere in there...
- I know. - In, like, a pile of crap.
Well, that's a good first lesson.
Don't trust anybody in this kitchen.
- Yes. - Good luck.
I don't have enough pork tenderloin.
It was hacked, so I'm stuffing it full of mushroom
to kind of bulk it up a little bit.
And Tom and Emeril are looking at me.
And it's kind of a mind game.
I'm really nervous.
28 minutes!
Puree.
Hey, Sarah. What are you cooking here?
I'm grinding my pig skin,
trying to get it cool so I can make a filling,
and it's going to go into a pasta.
I work at Spiaggia Restaurant as the executive chef
under Top Chef master Tony Montuano.
He sent me to Italy to learn firsthand
and really experience the culture,
and it changed my life.
Come on, baby. Come on.
So my dish is inspired by a sausage eaten
throughout Northern Italy called Cotechino.
It really shows off
the beautiful "porkiness" of the dish.
Ooh.
- Hey, Simon. - Hey, how are you doing?
You got the ham. So what are you doing with it?
So I tenderized it. I'm going to rub it.
I'm going to crust it with a little bit
of spices and brown sugar.
I never really had a mentor.
First chef job I had, I didn't feel ready whatsoever.
But I did my homework, looking at cookbooks,
magazines, YouTube.
And I think I'm an underdog
just because I'm pretty much self-taught.
I taste my grits, and it tastes like a salt lick.
I dump half of it out,
I add more milk, but the clock is ticking.
So I'm hoping that this fixes it in time.
Fry, little peanuts, fry.
The restaurant, moto, where I work,
gives me a lot of creative freedom.
And I really want to showcase that here in this competition.
I'm making a play on a caramel apple.
You'll get this idea that you're getting this dessert
when, really, it's going to be a savory sweet.
Parsley powder--tell me if you think it needs more.
I think I'm good.
Knowing that I do have a salty palate,
Chris kind of keeps me in check.
Solid, man.
We're both really determined in what we do.
Everyone else better watch out,
'cause we'll destroy everyone in our path.
Richie, you'll make it delicious, baby. I know you.
You're perfect.
One minute.
The final minute comes quick.
The pork is tasting awesome with the ravioli.
I'm going, "damn, that's good."
I'm stuffing the apple with pork.
I'm finishing the caramel sauce and look at my timer,
and I'm thinking, "."
I realize that there's only a freakin' minute left.
And I start pouring the first cup of soup,
and it just splatters all over the plate
and makes a big freaking mess.
It took a lot of time and energy to get to this point,
and the plates are [Bleep] train wreck.
Hi.
My mouth is completely dry.
I'm setting down a couple of disastrous plates
in front of some really amazing palates
that see great food all the time.
What happened?
I lost the tip on the foamer.
Colin, my take on this is-- the soup, to me, is a disaster.
You didn't earn a Top Chef coat.
Sorry.
I think you know. The soup's all over the place.
You're going to have to head home.
- Got it. It's okay. - Sorry.
Thanks, guys.
Thanks for the opportunity. Much love to you all.
I feel pretty bummed.
My pride's definitely gotten a little slapped down.
If I had noticed the time when I should've,
I could've corrected the situation.
Chefs, this is how it's going to work.
The majority rules for all decisions.
If we agree that you should be in the top 16,
then you get a Top Chef coat.
If two of us think you should be eliminated,
you'll go home.
However, there is a third option.
If we're undecided,
we're going to put you on the bubble.
That means you'll have to compete in one more challenge
to earn a Top Chef coat.
- Chris? - I had the caramel apple.
I wanted you to look at it and think maybe dessert.
So you have braised pork belly on the inside.
The apple was roasted with caramelized applesauce
and candied peanuts.
Well, I made some ravioli for you.
So I took the skin, and I braised it,
and then made a filling with that skin
and a little balsamic vinegar and some black pepper.
Okay.
Chris, we'll start with you.
I thought you put together a nice dish.
It was a classic combination of pork, applesauce,
reimagined.
If it were solely up to me, you'd have a chef coat.
Thank you very much.
Your combination of flavors are excellent.
Thank you very much, chef.
For me, I think you deserve a chef jacket.
- Congratulations. - Thank you so very much.
You're the first chef to receive a Top Chef coat.
You're in the top 16.
Thank you so very much for this opportunity.
I'm competing against some of the best.
And getting a Top Chef coat is the most amazing feeling.
I feel like I almost want to cry right now.
I'm very nervous. I want this coat.
It really is one of the most amazing things
that I could achieve right now.
I thought you had one
of the more difficult ingredients--skin.
And you embraced it and said,
"hey, I'm going to make this great."
You did make it great. I'd be happy to give you a coat.
Oh, my God.
You pulled it off.
I think you should get a Top Chef coat.
Oh, my God.
You just made me the happiest person ever.
Congratulations. Come and get your coat.
Oh, chefs, thank you. This is such an honor.
Oh, my God.
Holy cow.
This is the best thing that could ever happen.
I'm sweating bullets.
There's too much duxelles and not enough pork.
It's frustrating because it's my fault
I let somebody else butcher my tenderloin.
This is my ticket in or out.
And I don't know if it's good enough to get me in.
Oh.
All right, here we go.
I need them to love this dish.
I just don't see you in the top 16.
Okay.
As I put the plates down, my hand's shaking.
And I'm thinking, "oh, my God.
I need them to love this dish."
I'm feeling pretty confident.
People think because I work for royal Caribbean
that I work in mass production.
But I actually work in fine dining,
so I can totally bring it.
I have a smoked sweet potato soup,
a little simmered pork cheek,
and then there is a Tequila cilantro lime cream.
I have some haricot vert with toasted hazelnuts,
mushroom-stuffed tenderloin.
All right, let's start with Molly.
I like the soup.
I thought it had a lot of flavor.
I kind of wanted to see more out of the cheeks.
I'm on the fence.
I have to agree with Tom.
The cheeks needed to be more prominent,
but I'd like to see you cook again.
Okay.
And that means you're on the bubble.
Thank you.
I thought that I had a solid dish to get a coat,
and now I'm on the bubble,
and I'm not thrilled about that.
What do you think of Grayson's dish, Tom?
The meat is nicely cooked.
I just think some of the flavors
are out of balance in the stuffing.
That aside, I would say, let's put you on the bubble.
But I'd like to see you cook again.
So, Grayson, that means you're on the bubble.
Okay.
And I'm cooking again.
Didn't get the jacket yet,
and I know that I have to bring everything I got
to this next challenge,
because if I don't, I'm going home.
Oh, no.
Come grab a seat.
It's pretty up to laugh--
nerves only.
- Time? - 50 seconds!
Got ya.
It's very stressful when the clock starts ticking down.
You want to make sure that the food gets to the table
quickly and hot.
I got that. I got that.
I think my soup is good enough to get me forward.
I know all the flavors are there.
The ham leg looks golden to me,
which is great, but, like, it's too tough.
Ten seconds!
I'm nervous as hell.
I want a Top Chef coat
like I've wanted nothing else.
Hello.
This is it. You're showing all your cards.
And you have one moment to prove to the judges
that this is why you deserve to be here.
You have a braised pork shoulder in a ravioli.
There is a roasted-corn, tomato, and pepita salsa on top,
finished with a little bit of lime zest.
So what I made for you today
is an onion soup with braised and crispy pig ears,
pickled shallots, and a frozen parsley oil powder,
with some sauteed wild mushrooms on top.
I made a roulade, stuffed it with confit
and goat cheese, rubbed it,
and a little bit of pancetta as well.
So I had baby back ribs.
I made a glaze with maple syrup, molasses, ketchup.
I also made grits with maytag blue cheese,
corn, and bacon.
- Nyesha. - Let's talk about the dish.
What is everything here for?
My thought process was sort of to keep it Tex-mex.
It's pretty spot-on. It's incredibly balanced.
I absolutely think you should earn a Top Chef coat.
Your dish was beautiful.
And it was tasty. You're in.
I guess that's that.
Congratulations.
I have the drive. I have the energy.
I have the focus.
I have the creative skill level to shine and to win.
And I really want that to be appreciated and noticed.
Tom, what did you think of Heather's dish?
The flavors of the ribs are actually really good.
It was soulful. It was satisfying.
I think you should be in this competition.
Thank you very much.
I totally agree. I loved the dish.
I think you should get a coat. Thank you so much.
You're moving on.
When Tom hands me my chef coat, I was like,
"seriously?"
It really became a true reality that I was going to be
in the top 16.
I turn 40 this year, and I want to still prove
to myself that I can compete against people half my age
using classical cooking but with a twist.
Yay!
Simon.
For me, it was overcooked, very dry.
I just don't s you in the top 16.
I kind of feel the same way. There was too much going on.
I can't see you doing this.
Please pack your knives and go.
Okay, thank you.
You're smiling. What's up?
Just overanalyzing in my head
that my salty palate might have did me in.
It is on the verge of being salty...
But it's well-seasoned, well thought out.
I think you deserve a jacket.
Thank you.
Emeril?
It has tremendous depth in taste.
I think, absolutely, you deserve a chef jacket.
Come get your jacket.
- Thank you very much. - Congratulations.
I just really want to jump up and down and scream right now.
I'm really looking forward to show
that I'm a force to be reckoned with in this competition.
- Okay, ready? - Let's go.
Whoa.
We see the house we're gonna be living in,
and it's a little surreal,
because it's this big, amazing house.
That I am fortunate enough to live in.
We have to che out the kitchen.
It was a really awesome feeling to see Chris
and know that we're going to have this opportunity
to do this together.
Oh, my God. I'm so excited.
I feel this is a Chicago competition,
because we're right here.
It's like, "let's duel it out."
But also, I am so anxious to see some of the other chefs
that we're going to be competing against.
It's so breathtaking seeing Gail and Padma and Tom
standing there.
It's like when you go to a wax museum,
and then, all of a sudden, they're right in front of you.
It's intimidating.
Walking into the Top Chef kitchen
for the first time-- the air is thick with tension.
I've been waiting for this for so long.
I'm ready to cook.
Hello, chefs,
and welcome to the Top Chef kitchen.
Let me introduce you
to Gail Simmons of Food & Wine magazine...
- Hi, chefs. - Hi.
And to our head judge, chef Tom Colicchio.
We'd like to hear a little bit from each of you.
Ty-lor, can you start?
My name is ty-lor boring.
I work at Spasso in West Village.
I'm Nina Vicente. I live in Seattle.
And I'm the sous chef at Spur Gastropub.
I'm Keith Rhodes.
I'm from Wilmington, North Carolina.
I'm the owner of Catch Restaurants.
I'm a 2011 southeastern
best chef of the year, James Beard nominee.
Edward Lee, I am the executive chef
of 610 Magnolia in Louisville, Kentucky.
And I was 2011 best chef finalist nominee
for James Beard, southeast.
There's a lot of accolades and awards
getting tossed around.
There's James Beard-nominated people.
And so it's going to be pretty dicey.
Chris Crary.
I'm the chef de cuisine at Whist Restaurant
in the Viceroy Hotel, Santa Monica.
And I'm a culinary artist.
Janine Falvo, executive chef, Briza Restaurant,
also culinary artist.
Chuy Valencia, chef and owner of Chilam Balam
in Chicago, Illinois,
and I'm a protege of the great Rick Bayless.
I opened up my own restaurant, Chilam Balam, at 23 years old.
So I feel like I'm already at the point
where a lot of people ten years older than me would love to be.
I'm very confident I could win it.
Whitney Otawka, I'm the executive chef
at Greyfield Inn on Cumberland Islands.
And I was named one of the top-five chefs
to watch in Atlanta for 2011.
My name's Dakota Weiss.
I am the executive chef of Ninethirty Restaurant
and the Backyard, both located at the W, Los Angeles.
I was named best new chef from Angeleno magazine.
But looking around at all the other chefs,
I'm thinking I've got my work cut out for me.
This competition is going to be extremely hard-core.
On this table are some of our favorite ingredients.
You all must agree on just one.
Then each of you must prepare that same ingredient
in your own dish.
You'll need creativity and skill
to separate yourself from the rest of the pack.
You have one hour
to collectively choose an ingredient,
prep, and cook it,
before serving it to all of us.
Your challenge...
Starts now.
Rabbit? Anyone like rabbit?
Rabbit's the most versatile.
- Sea urchin. - I'd do urchin or sweetbreads.
The ingredient I want is either sweetbreads or uni.
I think it'd be easy to prepare in an hour.
Fish.
I'm a seafood chef.
I work with cuttlefish, abalone, sea urchin,
any kind of fish.
I like sweetbreads a lot, though.
We're in Texas. What's up with huitlacoche?
I'm like the master of huitlacoche.
It wouldn't be fair.
It's time to make a decision, or we're going to burn up
the whole clock right now.
Rabbit. I go for rabbit.
Rabbit is good.
I love rabbit.
Rabbit orgies are awesome.
It's why they reproduce so much.
Set it to Fahrenheit.
I decide to go with a rabbit sugo.
I have a small amount of time to build a lot of flavor,
but luckily, Hugh Acheson, is a culinary mentor for me.
He brought me into the kitchen when I was very young.
He gave me the foundation for everything I know today.
All right.
Back in Korea, a chef wasn't a job
that held a lot of status.
So winning Top Chef-- my parents would finally feel
proud to say, "my son is a chef."
Does anyone know where a whisk is?
So what are you going to do with your rabbit?
I'm thinking of making a cashew pipian,
doing the loins like, in a light brine,
then grilling them up.
I really enjoy cooking with rabbit.
My mother always had rabbit for us as kids.
She actually raised rabbits where we grew up.
So my sister would go name them, and once in a while,
one would disappear, and we'd have something for dinner
that we would tell her was chicken.
Anyone done in this fryer?
I'm making duo of rabbit and also duo of carrot.
My style is the most similar to Richard Blais
and Michael Voltaggio--
the people that are very innovative and forward-thinking.
I've spent extensive hours in the kitchen.
It's been a whole life preparing for this.
All right, here you go.
What are you working on?
Today I'm going to confit the legs of the rabbit.
I'm going to make a cucumber and tomato Thai-style salad.
I have developed a very unique culinary style,
from working in New York and Bangkok
to stodging in three-star restaurants in Denmark.
I think I have such a diverse background
and experiences that I have a really good shot
at making the top 16.
30 minutes!
What are you making?
Going to try to French up this rack.
Any garnish in mind?
I have some nice fresh corn and, you know,
whatever else I find.
It's been a roller coaster of a year for me.
I lost my father.
I broke up with someone that I'd been with for nine years.
Being on Top Chef would be a tremendous up in my life.
Does anyone know how to use this vac machine?
Using the vac machine is a little bit more efficient.
It's going to allow me to set the loins a little better.
It's going to go all the way down.
Okay. Good. I'm having a hiccup with it.
It's not the one I'm used to using,
and I just can't get the settings straight on it.
And I'm thinking, "God.
This isn't going to happen for me."
I didn't travel all the way down here just to get turned away.
I totally spaced, and that's my fault.
Gail is making weird faces as she's eating and--
this can't be good.
Uh-oh.
I'm in the second group to compete,
and we all have to make one kick-ass dish
with rabbit.
I'm not going to get flustered.
It's the first challenge. It's a hiccup.
I'm just going to abandon the vac machine
and just go to traditionally butter poaching it.
Is there going to be enough time? I don't know.
So rabbit, Brussels sprouts, a little corn?
Mm-hmm.
How are you sort of gonna put this all together?
I'm going to sous-vide the loin and the thigh,
and then I'm going to fry it.
Okay, I mean, compared to some of the other chefs here,
you know, they have a lot more experience than you do.
I understand.
You think you can actually hang in there?
- Ill see what I can do. - All right.
I am the sous chef at Spur Gastropub
in Seattle, Washington.
I know that I'm a solid cook that can hang
with the best of them.
- What's your background? - I'm Southern.
Southern chef, mainly seafood.
So you're on the coast in Carolina?
That's right, right on the beach.
Coming into this competition,
it's a solidification of everything that I've worked for.
When I was young, I just made a lot of poor decisions.
I got caught selling drugs, ended up going to prison.
While I was there, I focused in
on what was important to me,
and what was really important was cooking.
Sorry. I'm gonna squeeze in there.
I'm making roasted rabbit loin, crepinette-style.
I think this dish is definitely going to make me stand out,
because it's different.
Who puts chocolate with rabbit?
Not a lot of people.
Butter on the ground-- be careful.
- Come on. - One minute, baby.
My proteins are set. All the components are ready.
And then I'm thinking about,
"oh, how's the corn mousse going to go on the plate?"
I thought I had more time. I was so in the zone.
I totally spaced, and that's my fault.
At the end of the time,
the saddle on that loin is not completely cooked.
It's just not what I wanted to show as my first effort.
Nina, obviously, there's a major component
missing from your dish. Right.
This was a challenge that had to do with rabbit,
and the rabbit didn't make the plate.
I understand.
Nina, please pack your knifes and go.
Thank you.
- Take care. - Thanks.
If I got everything on my plate,
I believe I would have been able to get into the top 16.
I just didn't want to go out like this.
Wow. Seeing that, I'm really worried about having enough time
to finish my dish.
I'm kind of freaking out.
I did a play on a rabbit sugo.
I used the kidneys and livers to make a sauce.
I did tomatoes, garlic, shallots,
and a little asparagus and bacon to garnish on top.
Well, I did an herb-seared tenderloin.
I also did a chicken-fried rabbit
and then Yukon potato hash with braised rabbit confit.
I did a duo of rabbit.
I've got the saddle and the loin in butter, as well as the leg.
The puree on the bottom is butternut squash.
Got a little roasted cauliflower, broccoli, raw.
I also made my own little spice mix.
Whitney.
I thought the rabbit was nicely cooked.
I thought you did a beautiful job.
It was a very different approach than everyone else took.
So, Gail, is she in the top 16?
- I say yes. - I agree.
Come on over here and take your chef coat.
- Congratulations. - Thank you so much.
Being chosen as one of the top-16 contestants
means everything to me.
I just wanted to, like, hug them,
but I thought that would have been kind of weird.
Keith, what are you thinking right now?
Um, I'm too big to pass out.
The cold-rabbit preparation with the corn and salsa--
the rabbit is perfectly cooked. - Thank you.
I really enjoyed this beautifully cooked loin
with that corn salsa.
I say yes. I say yes.
- Guess you're in. - Yes!
- Congratulations, Keith. - Thank you very much.
Come and get your coat.
I think it's an extra, extra large for you, my friend.
My knees are buckling. I'm super excited.
It feels so good.
Words cannot express how I feel at this moment.
I've been through a lot of ups and downs.
Receiving this coat is just a solidification
for all the years that I've worked really hard.
Yes.
Ed, I had trouble with your dish,
because it seemed almost not cooked enough.
You know, you can see that you have skill.
I, for one, would love to see you cook again,
'cause I think there's talent here somewhere.
I could see you cook again.
That means you're on the bubble.
Okay.
It's the first challenge. I'm a fast learner.
I want to come back and show them a dish
that they can feel confident
that should be in the top 16.
- Hello. - Hello.
Hi.
It sucks.
Hot, hot, hot.
Five minutes left.
Time is ticking down.
I make a last-minute decision
to soak the rabbit in some fish sauce.
I want to make sure that everything I present
is perfect.
Hot, hot, hot.
As I'm plating the sauce, my hand's shaking,
and I know I'm putting way too much on the plate.
But I feel like I've built all the flavors that I wanted to,
and that's what's going to get me a blue coat.
I know my sauce is right behind me.
It's on the stove, and I know that, in two seconds,
I'm not going to be able to reach back and grab it.
Hands up.
I'm about to blow the chance of a lifetime,
and I feel so bad.
As I'm walking, I'm shaking so hard.
I've dreamt of this moment, and it's a dish
that I'm not proud of.
You have a fresh-corn grit with a little bacon/rabbit nugget,
white asparagus with a rack of rabbit,
rabbit loin saltimbocca
with a little wild-mushroom hauh.
I made an adobo marinated rabbit loin
with cashew pipian, grilled zucchini,
garnished with some more cashew,
queso fresco, and some cilantro.
What I've made is duo of rabbit,
confit leg, and tenderloin, butter-seared,
and then the carrot creamy polenta.
Today I've made a confit leg of rabbit
with pickled pepper cucumber, fresh tomatoes,
marinated in fish sauce, grilled peanuts,
and fried shallots.
Today I made for you
roasted rabbit saddle crepinettes.
Inside it has some butter-poached white asparagus,
leeks, and enoki mushrooms with a cocoa vinegar bulgar wheat.
Dakota, let's start with you.
I enjoyed the rabbit. There was a lot of balance.
I thought the vanilla actually worked,
even though it's a difficult thing
to somehow get into a savory dish.
I think you deserve a jacket.
Thank you.
I think you should have a chef's coat.
I'd like to see you go to the cast house.
I guess that's unanimous. Congratulations.
- Thank you. - You're in, Dakota.
I got a coat. I got a coat.
This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance
for any chef, and I am elated.
Wow.
Ty-lor.
I thought the flavor of the rabbit was really good.
I like the cucumbers. I like the mint, the basil.
I really enjoyed the dish.
I think you deserve a jacket.
I'd like to see you in a chef coat.
Come get your coat, my friend.
- Congratulations. - Thank you very much, chef.
I can't believe I made it this far.
I worked so hard, and I'm so floored
to be a part of this competition.
I want to win Top Chef and kick ass.
Chris, it's obvious you have a certain level of technique.
I'm going to say you should have a chef's coat.
I think of all the rabbit in front of us,
I think you cooked yours the best tonight.
And I think you should cook on Top Chef.
Thank you so much.
You are cooking on the show. Congratulations.
I'm so excited. You know, I have a shot at this.
The best cooked rabbit of the day.
In my mind, I'm already wearing that jacket.
Yes.
- Janine. - Hey.
I would have liked to see the sauce on the plate,
because it would have showed me
whether or not you can put together a sauce.
Overall, I think the dish had some really good flavor.
I'd like to see you move on.
I can't give you a chef's coat today.
I think you can cook better than this.
I can't say, "yes, you're in,"
but you're going to have an opportunity to get in.
You're going to have to do this again.
That means you're on the bubble.
Okay.
All right. Thank you. You can go back.
I'm totally kicking myself at this point,
because the sauce would have thrown it over the top.
Hi.
Who else didn't have tattoos?
That's an interesting theory.
There's four of us on the bubble.
We're just second-guessing ourselves
and trying to figure out what went downhill.
I've got one.
I've got this little, tiny tattoo on my foot.
This must be why none of us are in
because the rest of the group is heavily inked,
and none of us have visible tattoos.
I have it. Look.
The tattoo I draw in purple sharpie.
I wrote "dad," and I drew a heart around it.
This is my secret weapon.
Last man standing, Chuy.
It's either the best for last
or, like, the absolute worst for last.
Or neither.
The sauce is flavorful. I like how the heat builds.
I'd like to see you continue on.
I would say you've earned the 11th spot.
Congratulations. Thanks.
I am stoked. I've come this far,
I've sacrificed a lot to be here.
- Congratulations. - Thanks, guys. Appreciate it.
I'm pretty confident that I can win it.
Actually, I should say I'm very confident I can win it.
Boo-yah, biatch.
- Are you ready? - Let's go.
Whoa.
The second I walked in the house,
the first person I'm looking for is Heather.
I was her executive sous chef for over two years.
Hi.
We're really good friends.
It's a real highlight for both of us.
The feeling in the house right now,
I think, is really optimistic.
I'm trying to savor every moment of this,
because I know pretty soon,
it's not going to be this much fun.
Next on Top Chef...
Chefs, not all of you will be moving on.
This is your opportunity to impress us.
Not knowing how many slots have already been taken,
definitely adds to the anxiety.
Behind, behind.
It's a pretty bad cut.
I'm pumping blood from my finger.
I think you have potential,
so I'm going to put you on the bubble.
Very un-fun.
I'm ready to kill the other people
to get that jacket.
I know I can cook.
I have to convince the judges that I know how to cook.
Gave you a second chance to come back in.
Unfortunately, I don't think those flavors worked.
This is a great dish on its own.
You should have stopped.
For more about the recipes seen tonight,
go to bravotv.com.
== sync by elderman ==