♪ You will feel your heartbeat pumping♪
[man] You don't get many chances in life
if the opportunity is there you have to jump and take it
[Ted Allen] Sixteen elite candidates...
[woman] I've dreamed of an opportunity like this
[Reuben Dhanawade] This is gonna change my life.
[Ted] ...only one dream job
-[Maneet Chauhan] I am desperately... -[Scott Conant] Desperately.
[Chris Santos] Desperately seeking a sous chef.
I was born for this.
♪ Tonight there will be fire♪
Want to work for me? You have to earn it.
I started seven years ago with one restaurant,
and now we have grown to four restaurants.
[Jayden Canady] I need this job
and I don't take, no, for an answer.
Coming down, coming down.
It's not gonna be easy.
Everything fast, but everything right.
We are basically the biggest global hospitality company in the world.
We focus, pay attention
because if you get behind you're gonna stay behind.
Whoo, feel the pressure.
I'm desperate for a sous chef with impeccable technique.
Refined, honest, soulful cooking.
This is sexy.
That's the type of food that I want to serve.
I'll make it happen, baby.
[man] Am I in over my head?
[Chris] We're really throwing them in the deep end.
[woman] Everything I've done so far has been for this moment.
♪ Tonight there will be♪
Who wants that job?
[panting]
[Maneet] Did you think being a sous chef would be easy?
Interesting group of chefs, huh?
I want to see what Reuben has to offer
because it says in the notes that he oversees a staff of 30.
Similar to, you know, what my kitchens are like.
-I think Charlotte has some global experience... -Morning.
...which is amazing.
I read that Cat specifically wants to work for you, Mr. Conant.
Clearly, Cat has great taste.
[Jayden] Getting a sous chef job with one of the judges
would mean the world.
[Cat White] I think this opportunity would completely change
the trajectory of my career.
[Charlotte] I am the best sous chef for hire
because I'm meticulous but I also like to get dirty.
[Reuben] I'm not gonna let anything stand in my way
winning this opportunity of a lifetime.
[Ted] Hello, applicants.
You must have seen the help wanted sign in our window.
Judges Chris, Scott, and Maneet are each
desperately seeking a sous chef to join their team.
Are you qualified?
-Absolutely, without a question. -Absolutely.
[Reuben] Yes, sir.
[Ted] Well, this intense job interview process
begins with acing appetizer, entrée, and dessert.
You must come out on top in this preliminary competition
to advance to the tournament's finale.
Let's see what you're up against in these.
Open up your appetizer baskets.
-Uh... -Pineapple.
[Ted] You've got pink pineapple...
-Okay. -[Ted] ...taiyaki...
[Charlotte] Taiyaki is a Japanese dessert.
Fish shaped pastry that's filled with red bean paste.
[Ted] ...habanero peppers in oil.
Okay, that's gonna be hard to use
without blowing out somebody's palate.
Interesting.
[Ted] Ever worked with this before?
Plant-based chicken.
It's nothing I would eat normally, but...
[Chris] I actually use plant-based chicken in my restaurants.
While it can be utilized like any kind of chicken
there are preparations that work much better than others
and I want to see who can crack the code on that.
I don't know how I feel about that.
I do not have a lot of experience working with meat alternatives.
So this one's gonna be a challenge.
[Ted] Twenty minutes to nail
the all important first impression.
Clock starts now.
[Maneet] Yay, go chefs.
Coming down.
[Ted] Judges, why is finding the right sous chef
so make or break in this business?
Well, sous chefs are the glue that hold the kitchen together.
They are, kind of, the liaison between the executive chef
and the actual team
that does all the cooking in the kitchen.
Behind.
[Chris] They're there to realize
the vision of the executive chef
and of the restaurant concept.
[Reuben] I manage a dining hall
with a staff of over 30 people
and we feed over 2,000 kids a day.
I know what it takes to be a leader.
I'm like a Swiss Army Knife in the kitchen.
I can breakdown a chicken, I can do the dishes,
I can cook on the line.
I'm on a journey to rediscover my Indian roots
and Maneet would be the pers that I would love to work with most.
I've always got a positive attitude
and I am gonna give you a 110% every day in that kitchen.
[Chris] Now, the best usage of this plant-based chicken
is you want to pull it like a rotisserie chicken
and then dress it with some kind of vinaigrette, or aioli, or something,
and then you really cannot tell the difference.
[Reuben] I'm using this plant-based chicken
and I automatically think barbecue chicken.
So I'm making a taiyaki crostini
with habanero barbecue plant-based chicken
topped off with pineapple and red onion.
So good.
-[Chris] Chef Charlotte? -Yes, sir.
This plant-based chicken is very near and dear to my heart.
-What are you doing with it? -Treating it with love.
I'm gonna put it on a taco with a pineapple and habanero crema.
[Chris] That sounds great actually.
Good instinct.
A sous chef is, they're your second-in-command.
It just takes a lot of concentration
and being able to work under pressure.
[Charlotte] Working at a Michelin star restaurant
is definitely a lot of pressure.
There's always that strive for excellence.
I'm currently a line cook
but I have what it takes to move on to the next leve
and I am ready to go wherever this job will take me.
A pink pineapple is, basically, a regular pineapp except that it's sweeter.
I immediately think Mexican
and I want to do, like, a crema with the pineapple.
Just so I can have the sweetness
and, kind of, balance it ou with some habanero spice.
And I'm adding the taiyaki filling
to my plant-based chicken to add texture.
Get in there.
Easy on the high end.
I am meticulous.
Everything does need to be perfect every tim
and I don't like feeling like I'm not in control.
So I'm very nervous right now.
I feel like I have a big old ball in my stomach.
[Cat] My heart is beating so loud
I feel like everybody can probably hear it.
Winning a job opportunity with one of the judges
would definitely change my life.
I am a sous chef from St. Paul, Minnesota at the Lexington.
I feel like I'm the woman for the job
because I'm a team player,
I have tenacity, intelligence, skills.
I started my cooking career in my 30s,
and so I don't have the same amount of time
that some of these other chefs do.
Mmm, done.
I don't have time to waste.
I am making a simmered plant-based chicken tostada
with pickled pineapple relis and a taiyaki bean sauce.
I'm pickling the pineapple in a rice wine vinegar.
I'm using a little bit of the habanero oil
to balance out the sweetness of the pineapple.
That's pickled.
I would love to work with Scott Conant
because I think he has an incredible palate
and he's a straight shooter.
Coming down, coming down.
It looks like Jayden is trying to pound out
those, that chicken.
That could work, but he's got to make a sauce
that contains a lot of fat to compliment it.
[Jayden] Chris Santos is my brother in swag.
The way Chris runs his empire that's how I want to be.
The judges are gonna hire m because I know how to hustle
and I bring good times to wherever I go.
I graduated from Le Cordon Bleu
and I also worked at Thomas Keller's Bouchon.
Now I'm a sous chef on Martha's Vineyard.
Good stuff.
I know I'm gonna stand out from the crowd
because I'm young, I'm quick and I don't take, no, for an answer.
Ready to take it home.
Some next level [bleep].
Jayden, what are you doing with the plant-based chicken?
[Jayden] I used the panko to make a crust.
-Yeah. -I'm gonna bread them
and put 'em in the deep fryer, chef.
[Chris] All right, make some habanero pineapple sauce.
Less than 15 minutes to go, chefs.
-Coming down. -Hurry.
Coming down, coming down, coming down.
-Ooh. -He's like a linebacker.
He's gonna hurt somebody.
Coming down.
[Maneet] I think the basket is a gift.
There is that beautiful pink pineapple
and then there is the taiyak
it is filled with red bean sweet paste.
That also can go very well in a barbecue sauce
and it will work fantastic.
Ooh, okay.
I look down and I see this taiyaki.
And I think if I can get a hard enough crust on it.
It could be, kind of, a great vessel to carry this barbecue chicken.
-[Scott] Chef Cat. -Yeah, chef.
What do you got in that pan with the plant-based chicken?
I've got some veg stock, I've got some oregano, salt, and pepper.
To make sure that my plant-based chicken is moist
I'm cooking it with veg stock and ketchup.
[Chris] So each one of these chefs
really wants to work with one of us.
There's a tremendous amount of pressure on them.
Coming down.
This is a frenzied energy in this kitchen.
Coming down, coming down.
He is doing such dangerous moves.
[Chris] On a Saturday night when you're absolutely slamm
your sous chefs need to be calm and collected.
If you start acting like Jayden is
the cooks then start to get uncomfortable.
-I'm cut. -Oh, we have a cut, we have a cut.
Jayden is cut, Jayden's cut.
This is not the kind of energy that we need in the kitchen.
Oh, we have a cut.
He has been high energy
since the time he's entered this kitchen.
-There is so much going on. -Yes, ma'am. Coming down.
Coming down.
-Jayden, how's the cut? Okay. -[Jayden] Chef, it's good. I'm back in it.
Look at him, he's got nowhere to work.
I know I want to use the habanero
and the pineapple to make a sauce
to kind of balance out the sweet and spiciness.
-[crashing] -Yeah, I saw that coming.
Your sous chefs need to be calm and collected
because if they lead by that example
the cooks will remain calm and collected.
So I pull my taiyaki out of the oven
and I feel like it could use a little bit more time
but I know, I want to start plating up.
I tried.
Chef Cat seems very calm, she seems very focused.
[Maneet] I really love the fact
that she's taking out the red bean paste from the taiyaki
and mixing it with black beans.
[Cat] I'm hoping to make a bean spread for my tostada.
I don't want the red beans to completely overpower in terms of sweetness.
So I add vinegar and agave to balance the flavors out.
Just less than two minutes you got to start getting it on the plate.
My crema's way too sweet so I add a little bit of vinegar to tone it down.
Chefs, only one chance to make a first impression.
All right chefs, seal the deal here.
Ten, nine, eight,
seven, six, five,
four, three,
two, one.
Time's up, please step back.
Whoo, nice job y'all.
[all applauding]
-Whoa. -Good job.
[Jayden] Obviously, I was rushed in plating
but, overall, I got a slider on the plate
and I'm pretty happy with what I put on.
[Cat] I'm reasonably happy with how the dish turned ou
but, of course you know, the first iteration of a dis
there's always something that you want to fine-tune and change.
[Ted] Chefs, you have arrived at the chopping block.
You opened that first basket and found plant-based chicken,
pink pineapple, taiyaki
and habanero peppers in oil
Chef Reuben, tell us what you made.
So what I prepared for you was a taiyaki crostini
with mascarpone cheese, habanero pepper barbecue chicken,
and a red onion and pink pineapple salad.
Chef, why don't you tell us a little bit about your work experience.
Sure, I've worked from Cuban restaurants to Mexican,
and now I'm a sous chef at a university.
A lot of people thought I was gonna go an Indian route,
and in my head I could never make it as good as Mom's.
So I stayed away from it for so long until the last couple years,
and I have been blown away
by the potential of Indian cuisine.
I think what you're saying is you want to work with Maneet.
[Maneet] I mean, the fact that you can cook
this much flavor in a dish in 20 minutes
that goes a long way with me.
-Oh. -There is this really addictive spice
and a little bit more would have been too much
so you pushed the envelope,
which is great.
But when you say a crostini
my expectation is something that is crispy.
I agree that the crostino was a little bit soggy.
I really like how you approached this plant-based chicken.
It's a tricky ingredient 'cause it's a little bit dry
But you did bathe it in a really delicious sauce.
Thank you, chef.
Chef Cat, tell us about your dish.
I have a simmered plant-based chicken tostada for you.
Uh, it's got a pickled pineapple relish
and a black bean sauce on the bottom.
[Chris] I think the tostadas are really great move.
I also think you did a wonderful job with the plant-based chicken.
The way you kind of hand pulled it
and cooked it in a sauce.
But those two pineapples are sweeter than a regular pineapple
and there's sweetness in that red bean paste
that was in the middle of the taiyaki
and so it reads very sweet.
Okay.
[Scott] Yeah, chef, the sweetness runs rapid,
and the tostada just isn't crispy enough.
It's not just about the ideas and getting things on the plate.
-You have to be able to finish the thought process. -Yes, chef.
So I'm curious,
what are the characteristics of a successful sous chef in your restaurant?
So we have certain standards and principles that we need to adhere to.
Those that are honest, the integrity, and soul.
We need people who are gonna be leaders
and also open to learning.
[Ted] Chef Cat, thank you.
Chef Charlotte, tell us about your dish.
I made a taco
with the plant-based chicke and a pineapple habanero crema.
Charlotte, what inspired this dish?
I've lived in California for less than three years.
I have been exposed to all the new Mexican flavors
and for some reason that pineapple and habanero
just, kind of, yelled at me, go that route.
Just do it, so I tried it.
How about a little confidence, chef?
I'm definitely confident with what I put out.
-Just... Yeah, yeah, definitely confident. -Just, what?
Just, you know, you always have doubts.
Chef, you need to be proud of what you're doing.
You start to downplay your abilities,
we start to think, "Well, this isn't gonna be any good."
But this is delicious.
-I don't know what you're concerned about. -Yeah.
[Scott] You clearly have a point of view.
Your usage of the habanero oil is wonderful.
I think even that pineapple sauce, you should jar that.
Awesome.
But this plant-based chicken it needs fat
and you didn't cook it in a sauce, right?
No, I did not.
[Chris] So it doesn't eat quite as pleasantly as the first two chefs.
Finally, Chef Jayden, what do you have?
Hello chefs, today I made a habanero and pineapple slider for you
with a side salad.
-[Maneet] Um, Jayden. -[Jayden] Yes, chef.
I've got to tell you, we do appreciate
a good hustle in the kitchen,
but if you go onto the next round
take a deep breath, don't let us sitting over here
get to you.
-Yes, chef. -[Chris] I agree.
That was not composure in there.
Having said that...
...what you ended up on the plate...
...it's really delicious.
If we were working together I think that we could make this a great sandwich
because the pineapple, and the onion, and the appl
they're a delicious combination.
-Thank you, chef. -Chef, I remember early in my career
when I was taking sous chef jobs
it was a little rough around the edges, right?
I needed to work on those details
and, kind of, button up the loose ends, so to speak.
But I loved that you used the taiyaki as a breading
on the exterior of that plant-based chicken
And best use of the ingredient, actually.
-Yeah, I agree. -Yeah, I agree.
-Thank you, chefs. -[Ted] All right.
Take a well-earned break while the judges figure this out.
Well, you know, the behavior that we saw from Jayden
is not the behavior that we want to see in our kitchens,
but that doesn't mean he can't grow.
I think the flavors are still very good.
I agree with you 100%.
I'm really proud of using the taiyaki in a very unique way,
but I came into the kitchen with maybe too much energy.
[Cat] I feel like I might b on the chopping block
because I didn't have the balance of flavors
that a lot of the other contestants had.
I can't get my hands to stop shaking.
So whose dish is on the chopping block?
Three judges in search of a sous,
four chefs in search of a dream job.
So whose dish is on the chopping block?
Chef Jayden, you've been chopped. Judges?
[Chris] Chef Jayden, you worked in an absolute frenzy
and how you work and how you handle that moment
ultimately is what your plate becomes, right?
Unfortunately, we will not be extending you a job offer,
and so we had to chop you.
It was the opportunity for me
and this is not the last time you're gonna see me, I promise you.
I'm sure of it.
Having the opportunity to work for one of those judges
would have been, you know, outstanding.
But I think what got in the way
of myself today was myself.
I just didn't execute the di and that's 100% my fault.
[Ted] Chef Reuben, Chef Cat, Chef Charlotte,
are you ready to show Chris, Maneet, and Scott
what you're made of in round two?
-Oh yeah. -Absolutely, not a problem.
Entree baskets are right there.
[chuckles nervously]
-Chicken feet? -[Ted] And yes, you've got chicken feet.
You also have lamb shanks...
-And broccoli. -[Ted] ...broccoli rabe...
-Um... -[Ted] ...and bagel bombs.
You are definitely making this hard for us.
[Maneet] You thought this was gonna be an easy job interview?
With the chicken feet there is a specific technique
that we are looking for.
That's your job to figure it out.
Thirty minutes to pass the test.
Clock starts now.
[Cat] I'm coming.
Judges, who among these three is standing out for you so far?
I think Reuben.
His performance in the first round is spectacular.
Cat and Charlotte did a good job,
but Reuben really knocked it out of the park.
[Maneet] I think this is going to be the perfect combination
of skill and creativity.
Because the lamb shanks traditionally need to be braised
-for hours and hours. -[Chris] Hours and hours, yep.
I see Cat just went to grab a meat grinder
which I think is a really smart move.
[Cat] Lamb shanks are a tougher meat with a lot of connective tissue.
So the only option at this point is to grind it.
I am making a lamb and fusilli soup
with a broccoli rabe-mascarpone.
As a working mom of two,
I feel like, not only am I good at multi-tasking,
I'm also good at keeping a razor-sharp foc
while there's chaos going on behind me.
I didn't start cooking professionally until later in life.
I need a job offer because at this point in my career
I don't feel like I have any time to waste.
[Charlotte] In the first judging,
the judges told me to be a little more confident.
I'm definitely gonna try and take that on board.
I'm currently a line cook,
but I want to show the judge that I'm ready to make that next step.
-Can I take that grinder when you're done? -Yes.
Okay.
I'm making Moroccan-inspired meatballs
with couscous and broccoli rabe.
Okay, I'm going to go in and see
how these chefs are handling all the basket ingredients.
-Hello, Chef Charlotte. How's it going? -Hi. Uh, pretty hectic.
[Maneet] And how do you think that is going to show us
that you are the best candidate to be one of the sous chefs?
I have absolutely no idea.
[Maneet] What did I say?
-Be confident. -Sell it, be confident.
-Even if you don't feel it, right? -Yeah.
[Maneet] Chef Cat, how is your dish going to show us
that you will be the perfect sous chef candidate for us?
You know, it's gonna be a mix of creativity,
-and technicality... -[Maneet] Okay.
...and I'm just hoping that everything makes it on the plate.
Okay, best of luck.
-Hello Reuben, how are you doing? -Doing awesome.
I'm gonna show you my creativity, my drive,
my ability to make something out of nothing.
Come on, I gave you such a good basket
why would you say that's nothing?
Lamb shanks in 30 minutes?
Did you think being a sous chef would be easy?
-I did not, that's a great point. -Yeah.
[Reuben] The opportunity to work with Chef Maneet
would be more than I could ever imagine.
I just want to learn more about my culture,
my cuisine, and my roots.
So to work for her would mean all of that.
Okay chefs, less than 20 minutes.
This is the most intense job interview I've ever had in my life
but I'm also having a blast.
I'm extremely dedicated and I won't let anything get in my way.
I'm making an Asian lamb rag
over polenta with sautéed broccoli rabe.
[Maneet] These bagel bombs,
it's an everything bagel so it's got onions,
sesame seeds, carraway seeds, everything good
about a bagel in one bite.
[Reuben] I've ground lamb in the food processor
and then I had the bagel bombs in milk to make a traditional panade.
Less than 15 minutes to go, chefs.
[Maneet] I put chicken feet in the basket
because I wanted to check the techniques of these chefs.
Chicken feet, they are brais for hours and hours and hour
and then deep-fried.
They don't have that time over here.
So, I mean, my suggestion would be
fortify it with some chicken broth
and use that broth.
Chicken feet are great to use in stocks
because they add a lot of body and gelatin.
So I get the chicken feet into a pot with chicken stock,
shanks from the lamb, and some dried mushrooms.
[Charlotte] Chicken feet ar very gelatinous and I'm hopi it will thicken my sauce.
Once I have enough chicken feet stock
I add it to butter and the old demi-glace.
[Reuben] So the dashi broth that I had the chicken feet in
I'm gonna use to cook some quick cook polenta.
[Maneet] Polenta with dashi
Doesn't make a tremendous amount of sense to me.
[Maneet] I am really worrie about Reuben's plate
because they are conflicting flavors from all over the world.
I've seasoned the meatball with some panko,
I blended up the bagel bomb
with rosemary, mint, parsley
[Chris] You know, I'm really worried about Charlotte.
She's starting to cook her meatballs with nine minutes to go.
But also her pan wasn't hot
so she put the meatballs into cold oil.
[Charlotte] I'm worried my meatballs are not gonna cook in time.
So I put them in the oven hoping to cook them further.
To go with my dish I'm making a broccoli rabe mascarpone.
And then I take the bagel bites and scoop ou the cream cheese
and I add the cream cheese to the lamb.
Chefs, less than two minutes you got to start getting it on the plate.
[Charlotte] I'm gonna be cutting it really close.
But I need to keep these meatballs in the oven
for as long as I possibly can.
I have a little bit of fear for Charlotte.
I don't think her meatballs are gonna cook in time.
-Charlotte, how are you feeling? -Uh, pretty nervous.
[Ted] All right chefs, ten, nine,
eight, seven, six,
five, four,
three, two, one.
Time's up.
[all applauding]
[Chris] Good job, chefs. Good job.
[Charlotte] This is definite an opportunity of a lifetim
but I'm worried about the meat.
I should have gotten that in the pan a little bit earlier.
So hoping they're cooked.
[Cat] A job opportunity with one of the judges would be a dream come true.
But I don't feel overly confident in my dish
So it's... I'm definitely worried.
[Ted] Chefs, for the second round
of this wild job application process,
we asked you to make main dishes using
chicken feet, lamb shanks,
broccoli rabe and bagel bomb
Chef Cat, please tell us about your dish.
For our main course, I did lamb and fusilli stew
with some broccoli rabe. I added cream cheese
from the bagel bomb into the soup.
Chef, I love that you ground the lamb, really smart move,
but you needed more salt everywhere.
It needs heat also, and it needs a touch of acid.
Oui, chef. Thank you, ch.
100% agreeing with Scott, more than I've ever agreed with him
-in the entire history of the show. -[laughing]
But I think you used real sous-chef instincts
to, you know, immediately get that lamb into a grinder
and to build these separate kinda components,
knowing what your finished product would be.
[Maneet] The utilization of the chicken feet fortifies the soup
I think that was great, I put bagel bombs in the basket
because I wanted to see how you can take a good ingredient
and then use your creativity to enhance that.
So putting it in the broth, I think that was a fantastic idea.
Thank you.
Next up, chef Charlotte, please tell us about your entree.
Uh, judges, I made for you a Moroccan-inspired meatball,
with couscous and broccoli rabe.
[Maneet] You've got such great instincts.
you know, you took the chicken feet,
started making a broth out of it
to make a sauce out of it, and it's delicious,
but both the meatballs that I got are completely raw.
[Chris] I actually have a meatball that's fairly cooked.
I think that the round and nerves did get to you,
but you stayed with it, and you finished.
Couscous is great, I like the broccoli rabe as it is,
and the meatball that I can eat,
I think is very, very, very, very good.
Thank you.
It pains me that your biggest obstacle is yourself.
It's overthinking things. You gotta get out of your own head.
-I know, I'm so stuck in it. -[Scott] Nothing good is gonna happen in there.
Fall into your heart, everything is good.
-[Ted] Okay, chef Charlotte, thank you. -Thank you.
Chef Reuben, please tell us about your dish.
So what I made for you was an Asian-inspired lamb ragu
on top of polenta and then sauteed broccoli rabe.
Listen, I'm gonna go on record, your dish in the first round
was the best dish I've eaten all day.
This ain't that dish.
Here's the basil, here comes the mint, here comes the miso,
here comes the dashi, here comes the polenta,
like, it's just too many things.
I agree. This dish is all over.
It's very important to edit.
There is polenta, a little bit of Italy,
but then we have dashi and then we have miso, and we have coconut.
These are great flavors, but you've got to find things that work together.
[Scott] Maneet is 100% right, you just used too many ingredients.
If you're gonna move forward, your cooking needs to be reined in.
Yes, sir.
[sighs] My God.
It's hard guys, we know, we've been on that side.
[sighs] Feeling rough.
That was a gut punch, and with all honesty,
I think I'm on the chopping block.
[Charlotte] I'm hoping on to go onto the next round
and hopefully, take their criticisms to heart.
I think if once I get over that mental barrier,
I think I can show them who I am on a plate.
Three chefs pursuing a dream job, two still have a shot.
So who's dish is on the chopping block?
Chef Charlotte, you've been chopped.
Judges?
Charlotte, we have loved your instinct
for creating really nice flavors,
but it came down to the meatballs
because the lamb shank in it was completely undercooked.
Unfortunately, we will not be extending you a job offer.
Thank you.
[Charlotte] This didn't go the way I wanted it to,
but I'm taking away from the experience
that I really just need to stop doubting myself.
I need to be more confident and be the best chef that I can be.
Listen, you two,
you didn't do such a great job the last round...
-No. -[Scott] ...and to be honest with you,
both of you are kinda lucky to be here still.
If she gave us cooked meatballs,
-one of you would be gone. -100%
[Scott] So as I always say, this is an invitation to step up your game.
If you guys can't step it up in the next round, you will be going home.
-Yes, chef. -Yes, chef. Thank you, chef.
Chef Cat, chef Reuben, dessert baskets are in front of you.
Open them up!
[laughing]
[Ted] And you'll be working with caponata...
With caponata, okay.
-[Ted] ...blood oranges... -Beautiful.
Oh, wow. Okay.
[Ted] ...artisanal goat cheese...
I don't know what this is, but it is very pretty.
-[Ted] ...and a galaxy gelatin cake. -[laughing]
[Reuben] This galaxy cake is, no pun intended,
but out of this world. [laughs]
[Cat] I feel like Mr. Scott Conant picked out this basket.
-[laughing] -[Scott] You're right, Cat!
I made it because I think it's important to be able
to incorporate savory ingredients into a dessert course.
-Challenge accepted. -[Reuben] Thank you.
[all laughing]
30 minutes to do your best.
Clock starts now.
-[judges clapping] -Yay, go chefs!
[Chris] Here we go.
Judges, we have had some very tough baskets.
How would you rank this one?
On the heels of that very difficult entree,
there's, like, no let up, we're giving them another very difficult basket.
It's all Scott's fault.
We had some eggplant caponat caponata has a little bit
of sweet and savory element to it.
And the eggplant itself, there's some tomato inside, celery, raisins,
I wanna see how these chefs can weave that into a desser
I'm wondering if you went and added maybe some dried fruits to it,
kinda coax it along into more of a dessert landscape.
[Scott] In the appetizer round, Reuben kinda knocked it out of the park.
Chef Cat's dish was also delicious,
but in the main course, that's where they both kinda fell apart.
So, you know, that being sai it kind of is anybody's game right now.
[Reuben] I was so sure I wa getting chopped last round.
So I'm really hoping to show and prove to the judges
that I'm the type of person that's willing to come back
So my inspiration for this dish
was an Indian dish called kheer, it's a rice pudding.
I'm making a goat cheese rice pudding
with a blood orange and apple salad
with the eggplant caponata sauce.
I'm really hoping to impress Maneet with this
and show her my knowledge of Indian flavors.
Cardamom, that's what I was gonna get.
So this galaxy gelatin cake is just gelatin,
which has been flavored with cranberry,
but the fun part is that it's got this really cool edible gold dust,
which makes it look like galaxy.
-[Reuben] This galaxy cake.. - Whoo.
...is really sweet, so I decided to use it
as a sweetening agent in my caponata sauce.
[Scott] This artisanal goat cheese is delicious.
It has that very familiar tang of goat cheese.
Got some funk.
[Scott] I like what chef Ca is doing right now.
She added some cream cheese to it.
I mean, that is the start of a potential cheesecake, if I've ever seen one.
[Cat] Cheese and orange, I think, go really well together,
and so I'm adding a little bit of the zest
from the blood orange to my cheesecake mix.
I'm making a goat cheesecak with macerated berries
and a caponata and galaxy cake sauce.
This round, I'm definitely gonna try to show Scott a dish with more finesse.
But this is not just about food, this is a job interview.
The judges should hire me because I have tenacity, and I don't give up.
Oh, I'm feeling it.
So I take the goat cheese and some cream,
and I add it straight to my rice for the rice pudding.
And then I start to add the milk, the cardamom, the agave, the condensed milk.
Less than 10 minutes to go, chefs.
Cat, is this a no-bake cheesecake, or is this a bake cheesecake?
-It's a bake cheesecake, -Oh, my gosh.
[Cat] The cheesecakes are in the oven.
I'm just hoping and praying that they will cook in time.
[Reuben] I'm so close to getting a job opportunit from one of these judges.
It's really, really exciting
I'm getting really worried about Cat.
She has her cheesecake filling in the oven. It's not gonna bake.
[Cat] I pull my cheesecakes out of the oven...
Okay, well...
...and the centers are still raw.
-Chef Cat, how's it going with the cheesecake? -[Cat] Not great.
I would turn the broiler on and just broil it.
At this point, I'm not sure what I'm going to do,
but as a sous-chef, no matter what, I'm just gon need to figure it out.
Okay, well...
I pull my cheesecakes out of the oven, and the centers are still raw.
-Chef Cat, how's it going with the cheesecake? -[Cat] Not great,
probably should have gotten it in a little bit earlier.
Yep, okay.
I can't serve raw cheesecake.
[Chris] You know, Cat just did something really, really smart here
by recognizing that the edges were baked,
and she literally went around the ramekins
and was able to give us a little quenelle of baked cheesecake.
It's a brilliant rebound.
[Maneet] She is not giving u she is being innovative.
That is definitely something that you want in a sous-chef.
[Reuben] So for my apple and blood orange salad,
I start to macerate my blood oranges with this caponata sauce
and a little bit of orange liqueur and just thinly sliced apple.
Whatever it takes, chefs, whatever it takes.
We are desperately seeking a sous-chef.
One of them could be you!
Final seconds in the final round here.
Ten, nine,
eight, seven,
six, five,
four, three,
two, one, times up!
[judges clapping]
[Cat laughing]
[Cat] I'm hoping the judges see that
I'm able to get something on the plate, no matter what
It's incredibly important for me to make it
to the finale and get a job offer from these chefs.
It would really be a turning point in my career.
[Reuben] So I came into this round with a lot of pressure.
I really wanted to redeem myself
from that abysmal second round I did,
and I think I did that.
[Ted] Chef Cat, chef Reuben,
you opened your dessert basket and found caponata,
blood oranges, artisanal goat cheese,
and galaxy gelatin cake.
Chef Reuben, what do we have?
Chefs, so today, I prepared for you
a goat cheese rice pudding with caponata sauce
and a apple and blood orange salad.
Reuben, I absolutely love the fact that you went in a rice pudding direction.
It's a really yummy dessert.
The rice could have been cooked a little bit more,
but you know what? I don't mind it like this.
It gives it a texture which is very interesting.
I think she's being kind about the rice,
it's really undercooked as far as I'm concerned,
but the flavors, you're right back
where you were in the first round.
Thank you, chef.
The caponata with blood orange juice and the galaxy cake
all in a puree drizzled on top, it's delicious.
It's working.
Thank you, chef Reuben. Finally, chef Cat.
[Cat] This is a baked goat cheese cheesecake
with macerated berries, caponata sauce, and chocolate.
[Ted] So I know this isn't the dessert you planned
-to present exactly. -No, no.
I thought you were doomed.
Yeah, I did too. [laughs]
[Chris] I don't know what you were thinking
waiting until 8:50 to put the cheesecake in, but...
This is, like, a fabulous disaster.
[laughs]
Watching you go around the outside of those ramekins
and scrape the cooked part out, like, that's a sous-chef move.
Thank you, chef.
[Maneet] This is what happens when you don't give up,
and that's a testament to you as a chef.
I mean, the flavors are incredible,
the caponata you made work, but my biggest complaint
is that I don't have more cheesecake
-to go back and eat. -[Scott] Yep.
Right? Because it is delicious.
Thank you, chef.
[Scott] Cat, I'm gonna tell you something.
See, you put flavors together that are happy,
ultimately, you end up with happy food.
This is kind of a testament to your perseverance
as a human, right, not just as a chef.
Thank you, chef.
Who is finale bound?
The judges need to talk it over. Thank you, chefs.
[Scott] I feel like the game was pretty neck-and neck heading to dessert
because there were a lot of flaws in the main course round.
So whomever was gonna take this needed to nail the dessert.
[Maneet] If we start off with the appetizer round,
both of them came up with some really yummy dishes.
Yeah, I loved Reuben's dish.
He knew exactly how to work with that plant-based chicke
by making this really beautiful barbecue sauce
that seemed like it was on the stove for hours.
You know, the way that Cat kind of hand-pulled
that chicken like a rotisserie chicken,
and that she cooked it in a sauce,
she really did that product right
because she made it taste like chicken.
Agreed, but then, uh, there was the tostada, which wasn't fried enough.
-[Scott] Yeah. - [Maneet] The overall di was very sweet.
I do think that the entree basket was really difficult.
Chef Reuben's dish was all over the place in his main course round.
The good news was he seasoned it well,
which is exactly what chef Cat did not do.
Cat, yes, I think her flavors were muted,
but she gave us a cohesive dish.
Reuben oversees a huge team, and he was the picture of calm.
And Cat, on the other hand, her tenacity, she never gave up.
But which of these two chefs is going to be able
to stand up to the heat in any of our kitchens?
[Cat] Today, we both had our ups and downs,
but I've risen to the occasion so far,
and I want this job really badly, so I can continue,
A, to provide for my kids, but also so I can push myself,
to the next level of being a chef.
[Reuben] It's all about who would be the best sous-chef,
and I really wanted to prove to the judges that I'm resilient.
So I think I have a pretty good shot to win this.
So who's dish is on the chopping block?
Chef Cat, you've been chopped. Judges?
[Scott] Chef Cat, we loved having you here today.
You are tenacious.
In your appetizer round, you created some really delicious flavors,
but too much sweetness, and your main course,
it really boiled down to a lack of development of flavor.
Unfortunately, we will not be extending you a job offer.
So we have to chop you.
Thank you so much, I just want to say thank you for this opportunity.
It's been really, really incredible.
Getting these pointers from these incredible judges who have tasted my food.
I mean, that's invaluable.
I feel confident that my career is only gonna go up from here.
-And that means Reuben Dhanawade... -[Reuben laughing]
[Ted] You are the Chopped champion,
and you will be returning here for the Desperately Seeking Sous Chef finale
-with a shot at getting hired by one of these chefs. -[sighs]
-[Ted] Congratulations. -Wow, man, thank you.
-[Maneet] Good job! -Thank you, guys.
[Scott] You almost weren't here for the dessert round,
but you reset really well, and you gave us a very focused dessert.
I can't wait to come right back here and bring it.
I have so much more to prove to you.
You're gonna need to 'cause you're going up against three other champions now.
I can't wait to see my competition for the finale.
-[judges clapping] -Whoo!
I'm gonna say, "Watch out," because I think I can win this whole thing.
That's, like, so crazy, man. [laughs]
A chance like this comes along once in a lifetime.
[contestant] There are challenges that define who you are as a chef
Everything's on the line for me right now.
This is gonna change my life.
[contestant] Definitely freaking out.
My one piece of advice to you would be don't [bleep] up.
It's survival of the fittest.
I am a bad bitch.
Oh, yeah!
I want this badly.
Only one chance to make a first impression.
[contestant] I just screwed this up.
There goes their entire dish.
You gotta really move.
We need a sous-chef, let's get it done!
[Chris] You're not gonna win this tournament
if you come in and make [bleep] like this, simple as that.
[Maneet] You thought this was gonna be an easy job interview?