The clock is
set, the Chopping Block is cleaned, and four chefs are ready...
ED
WITT
New York City
executive chef & wine director,
Bloomingdale Road |
JOSH EMMET
orig. Hamilton, New Zealand
chef de cuisine, Ramsey |
JOHN KELLER
orig. Baltimore
personal chef |
ANDREA BERGQUIST
New York City
dancer & executive
chef |
The rules are
simple. You're given a mélange of random theme ingredients that must
be used in that dish. You have 30 minutes of cooking time. After
each course, the plate will be judged on creativity, presentation,
and above all, taste. The chef whose plate scores the lowest after
each course will be "chopped". The last chef standing wins $10,000.
Tonight's judges...
- chef/owner Marc Murphy
- executive chef Alex Guarnaschelli
- creator of dynamic American cuisine Geoffrey Zakarian.
Round 1: APPETIZER. Ted gives each player
watermelon, canned sardines, pepper jack cheese, and zucchini.... and 20 minutes
to prepare THIS course, instead of the standard 30.
Time starts ... NOW.
Ed: Watermelon Zucchini Salad
Josh: Mediterranean Salad with Watermelon Salsa
John: Watermelon Zucchini Pasta Salad
Andrea: Caramelized Watermelon Zucchini Confit
Seems like this round is no problem. Josh has a
game face on like no one's business. eEd needs something to make his salad pop.
HE goes with black olives. John has no idea where to take this dish. He doesn't
have time for two different presentations.
And... TIME! These are the plates that will go to
the judges.
Ed's dish is colorful and the flavors are
distinct. Alex wanted a little acidic bite. Josh's presentation wins early
marks, but the flavor is a little too delicate. The portion's also a little
dainty. Geoffrey thinks that John went above and beyond the call of duty with a
zucchini pasta, but is worries that the tender moment might've been a little
ruined. The confit from Andrea is a little too thick for the plate, but
otherwise is delicious.
So who's going to get chopped early, as we have
four very competitive dishes?
The first person to be chopped... is... JOHN. The
dish was creative, but it fell apart on the execution.
Round 2: ENTREE. New basket has... beef shoulder,
yucca, raisins, ancho chiles, and dill pickles.
Thirty minutes... starts now!
Ed: Yucca Puree with Raisin-Braised Beef Shoulder
Josh: Roasted Beef and Vegetables with Raisin Yucca Puree
Andrea: Steak, Bacon & Eggs with Raisin Chili Gastrique and Yucca
Beef shoulder in Ed's kitchen drops the floor...
and he picks it back up without rinsing. That could cost him. Andrea gives the
judges some egg. That'll really win some points. Ed is trying to fry pickles,
fry steak, and not fry his chances at $10,000. Josh, meanwhile, is impressed by
his competitors. He doesn't waste a second...
... and he's out of seconds. Entrees to the
Block.
Josh's dish is beautiful, but it's missing
fireworks. It's a bit safe. Andrea really went out there, but the yucca was just
plain and simple. Ed's fried pickle wins raves, but his dropping beef on the
floor could prove to be a dealbreaker.
Did Ed just poison his shot at $10,000?
The next person to be chopped... is... ANDREA. It
was a hard decision, but the second course never lived up to the hype of the
first. Andrea calls it a letdown.
Round 3: DESSERT. In the final fun basket...
Flour tortilla, prosecco, Canadian bacon, and roasted chestnuts.
This is for the money... Get going!
Ed: (Chestnut Quesadilla with Prosecco and
Ginger) Sabayon with Whipped Cream (& Chestnut Caramel Syrup)
Josh: Pain Perdu with Chestnut Mousse
Josh thinks that he's got the edge having worked
as a pastry chef. Ed, though, has a game plan and some maple syrup. He is in the
zone here.
And TIME. It's sloppy presentation vs.
straight-forward. Let's go to the Chopping Block.
Ed's idea is brilliant, but the technical errors
outweigh. The sabayon's weak and the quesadilla is chewy. Josh is elegant and
refined, but Josh's pain perdu needed to be a little more crusty.
All of the ingredients reminded Josh of
Christmas. Will it be a Merry Christmas for him, or was Ed a little radical
enough throughout the whole dinner to win the cash?
The final person... to be chopped... is... ED.
The complete meal, while delicious and innovative, just had too many technical
flaws.
Ed's got a bright future in front of him, but in
the end, it's all about this moment right now, and right now, Josh Emmet can go
back to his restaurant and call himself a $10,000 Chopped Champion.
Next week, four more chefs and another $10,000 to
be won if you can avoid being... chopped.
To see this episode in its
entirety, or to apply to be a contestant on "Chopped", visit the
official website at
www.foodnetwork.com/chopped.