All language subtitles for Chopped.S46E13.Here.to.Persevere.iNTERNAL.WEB.h264-ROBOTS_track3_eng

♪♪

sasha:
I'm not afraid of any chef.

I'm not afraid of any basket.

Kia: I need to go out there
and take a risk.

♪♪

kayzer: Being here is like
climbing a mountain.

Dan: The nerves,
the rapid heart rate,

there's no controlling it.

[ groans ]

♪♪

amanda: Oh, my god.

The scene is set
for another exciting battle

in the "chopped" kitchen
with four new competitors.

[ clicks tongue, laughs ]

my name is kia damon.

I'm the executive chef at lalito
in chinatown, manhattan.

And we make caribbean
latin cuisine.

This is going to be
the shrimp and tomatilloes.

We make food that makes you feel
like you're on the beach.

Can you get the chile de árbol
for me, please?

We use a lot of hot peppers.

That's my boy.
[ laughs ]

I have to win this money.
[ bell dings ]

if I make food
that's worth $10,000,

that'll mean everything to me.

♪♪

I'm dan bagnall.
I'm the executive chef

at short stories
in new york city.

One salmon, please.

The decor is millennial pink.

Two chopped salads.

Sort of fun and playful.

I've gone from
small-town restaurant

all the way through
three-michelin-star restaurants.

I like to just do things
off the cuff,

and I'm ready to open
that basket and say bring it on.

♪♪

I'm sasha ariel.

Alright, we're opening
in an hour.

I'm the executive chef

of madruga bakery and cafe
in miami.

Being from florida,
I love to use all the different

tropical fruits that we have,
local seafood.

I grew up jewish,
and my grandmother is russian,

so I bring in flavors
like beets and horseradish.

Can you grab me
another multi-grain?

"chopped" is ideal for me

because I'm extremely creative.

When I'm in the kitchen, I feel
like my soul is fulfilled.

♪♪

kayzer: I began cooking
in new york city kitchens

when I was 17,
and in the past 10 years,

I went from dishwasher
to head chef.

My name is kayzer castro.

I am the head chef
at elsie's rooftop,

new york city, lower east side.

It's like a little taste
of ecuador in one little plate.

Elsie rooftop is a stylish
lounge serving small plates.

I am quick on my feet.
Buckle up.

It's going to be a hell
of a ride going against me.

♪♪

hello, chefs.

-Hello, ted.
-Hey, ted.

How you doing?

I'm freaking the f out.

Wow. Okay, you're doing
a good job of hiding it.

There are three rounds,
mandatory mystery ingredients.

If your dish doesn't cut it,
you will be chopped.

Not happening.

Alright, onto those
appetizer baskets.

[ speaks indistinctly ]

open them up.

What?
[ laughs ]

and you've got sausage
stuffed pancakes on sticks.

-What?
-Sausage with pancakes?

You also have
cocktail fruit slices...

Ooh, ramps.
...Ramps...

Yes.
...And canned clam sauce.

Kia, your --
if looks could kill,

I think kia
just took me out.

I am disgusted.

I don't choose
the basket ingredients.

Ted.

You get just 20 minutes
for this short round.

♪♪

-clock starts now.
-Right behind.

Marc: Oh, I hope you make
something delicious.

♪♪

back behind.

I'm gonna show off
who kayzer castro is.

I got the energy and the speed,

and that's how
I'm winning this competition.
Right behind.

Marc: I think kayzer
might have some bills to pay.

He's getting it.

He's cracking eggs.
He looks like he has a plan.

♪♪

so fast, right?
He's cracking a lot of eggs.

Kayzer: I'm going to make a clam
frittata for the first round

with a ramp vinaigrette.

To make the frittata, I add the
sausage from the pancake sticks,

ramps, and the canned clam sauce

and throw it in the oven.

♪♪

kia:
Wow. Kayzer has a lot of energy,

and he is moving nonstop.

-Back.
-Heard it.

Ohh. Oy, oy, oy, oy, oy, oy.

My plan of attack is to go in
with the classics that I know

and execute them
with these mystery ingredients.

I'm going to make a spring
ramp ricotta crostini

with crispy sausage
and a creamy clam sauce.

I taste this
sausage pancake thing.

Okay.
Bleh.

[ laughs ]

like, this is so sweet.

I need to get some kind of meat

that's going to help balance out
this super sweet sausage.

So I go to grab the bacon

because it has
that rich fattiness.

Ted:
Amanda, marc, you are joined

by executive chef,
cookbook author,

and accomplished culinary
competitor kristen kish.

-Hello.
-Welcome back.

Thank you for having me.

So, what do you think
about this basket?

I like pasta
and going that route,

like, making, like, a dumpling
out of the batter

from the outside of the pancake
thing and then the sausage.

Then eat the candy.
Marc: I want to tell you

that she has stolen
a tray of candy

and put it under the table.

Amanda: The candy fruit slices
come in many different flavors.

I personally think the only
riddle is the clam sauce.

Dan: This canned clam sauce,
it's got chunks

and browned dried herbs.

It is foul.

So I'm going to put it
in everything

and make it delicious.

I'm making a ramp sausage
fritter with clam-candy sauce.

So, the first thing I do
is start making fritters.

I add lemon candies and ramps,

couple eggs, and clam juice.

Chef dan
is going into the fryer

with some kind of
fritter-type thing.

♪♪

sasha: When I see this clam
sauce, it gets me thinking

of, like, an italian purée
that has white beans,

sausage, and clams.

So I'm making
a sourdough clam toast

with a cannellini bean
and ramp purée

and a maple, arugula,
and apple salad.

The sausage
is super heavy in maple,

so I balance it with ramps,
a little white wine,

and seafood stock.
Then I add my clam sauce.

♪♪

the ramps are such
a beautiful ingredient.

They have a short season,

but they're coveted.

It's oniony. It's garlicky.
It's pungent.

Right now, this whole room

is filled with the aroma
of the ramps.

Kayzer: I love ramps.

To make this candied
ramp vinaigrette,

I will use these candied fruit
slices instead of sugar.

My neighborhood was rough
growing up

in the lower east side.
Hey.

It was like "the world's
against you" mentality.

So I'm ready for any challenge.

I want to win "chopped" because
it would mean a lot for me

seeing how far I've come
in this career.

♪♪

dan: So far, kayzer is
the most intimidating.

He definitely came to play.
Back.

All's I could think is,
"focus on yourself."

from my coconut milk
clam dipping sauce,

I throw in the watermelon candy.

I throw a dash of hot sauce
just to up the ante a little

and throw it into the blender.

I've gone all the way
through one-,

two- and three-michelin-star
restaurants.

I think all the pushing
translates into a lot of skill.

I want to win this
to prove to the people around me

that I'm a talented chef.

When I grew up, my grandmother

was running a catering company
in savannah, georgia,

and it really showed me
that's what I want to do.

I want my cannellini bean purée
smooth like hummus.

I have ramp tops, and then I add
a little bit of tarragon

to kind of bring
some brightness.

And I'm using the lemon
and lime flavors

from the candied fruit slices,
because citrus goes great

with the clams and the sausage.

♪♪

♪ not my precious meat ♪

♪♪

oh, this is so goopy disgusting.

Canned clam sauce sounds like
something from an ad lib book,

but I know I can
do something with it,

so I make a creamy clam sauce.

You know what?
That's not that bad.

I look over, and kayzer
is making this huge frittata.

And I'm like, "I don't think
that's going to finish in time,

my friend."

oh, no.

-It's not done.
-What? What? What?

-That is not cooked at all.
-What was it? What was it?

Ted: He's got 5 minutes.

♪♪

kayzer: Let's go, man. Cook.

The clock is counting down.

Right now, I'm going
100 miles an hour...

Behind.
...Sweating bullets.

♪♪

kayzer has just
grabbed the blowtorch.

What is he doing?

[ torch hissing ]

♪♪

kayzer: I'm bummed out.
Frittata's not working.

So, what's happening
right now is kayzer,

his frittata did not work.

He's trying to go to plan b.

I've got to fix this.

What is he doing?

[ torch hissing ]

-ah.
-God. It's totally uncooked.

I'm not going
to give up on this.

Do whatever you got to do
to get that food on the plate

instead of the frittata,
I had to go the omelette route.

♪♪

sasha: So, with the salad,
I dress it with maple syrup

and orange juice
because it reminds me

of the breakfast component
of the breakfast sausage.

I'm feeling really good
about this dish.

As soon as I saw the basket,

I got inspired
and had a clear vision.

Tastes like candy.

2-minute warning.

♪♪

alrighty.

♪♪

the clock is flying.

So, I taste
the ramps and ricotta.

Mnh-mnh.
I hit it with some salt,

some black pepper, and a nice,
generous squeeze of lemon,

then put it in my crostini.

1 minute to go!

Thank you, ted.

♪♪

the clock is counting down.

I grab some iceberg,
and I dress it

with the candied
lime vinaigrette.

Ted: 30 seconds.

I have lime wedges as a garnish,

and then I take lime candy
and put it on top,

because why the hell not?

-Get it all on the plate.
-Get it done.

♪♪

timing is everything
here, chefs.

10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4...

3, 2, 1.
[ vocalizes indistinctly ]

time's up.

Marc: Oh, boy, oh, boy.

♪♪

alright.

Sasha: I notice
that kia made a crostini,

but I think mine looks better
than hers.

And I look over kayzer's dish,

and I'm not exactly sure
what he made.

Kayzer:
I'm satisfied with this dish.

I was able to turn that frittata
into an omelette.

♪♪

chefs, you've arrived
at the chopping block.

In the appetizer round,
we gave you

sausage stuffed pancakes
on sticks,

candied fruit slices, ramps,

and canned clam sauce.

Okay, let's start with you,
chef dan. What have you made?

Okay. So, I made a sausage,
clam, and ramp fritter

and then a sauce made
with the candied citrus,

ramp, coconut milk, clam.

And I hit it with a little hot
sauce just for some brightness.

Amanda:
I think it's super creative
that you made this fritter.

And I think it's a good idea
to have put the clams

and the sausage in there,
but I can't find that flavor.

I wanted that savory, salty
from the sausage.

Kristen:
I would agree with amanda.
Like, a little bit of salt

anywhere on the dish
would be lovely.

I did appreciate the lime candy
on top of the line.

You know, I'm not mad
at the fritter.

I think it's really nice.
I like the crisp outside,

and it's really nice
and fluffy on the inside.

Thank you so much.

I agree. The way you composed
these, the texture of them,

they're cooked
all the way through --

very creative, as well.

But you missed the mark on
the level of salt in this dish.

Got it.
Thank you, chef dan.

Next up -- chef kia.

I have prepared for you
a spring ramp ricotta crostini

with crispy sausage
and a clam sauce,

with that gross candy.
[ both laugh ]

so, why do you
want to win here?

Well, first off, my dad

has always wanted
to see me on "chopped,"

and I was like,
"dad, that show is insane.

I don't want to do that."
does he know you're here?

He has no idea
that I'm on the show.

I'll just go home
and be like,

"oh, my god.
Let's watch 'chopped.'"

[ laughter ]

marc: I think
this is a great little bite,

would I like maybe
a little salad next to it

with my crostini to make it a
little bit more of an appetizer?

Maybe, but it's
a very good bite.

Thank you, chef.

My appetite's
a little smaller than marc,

so I actually think
this is a perfect appetizer.

[ both laugh ]

you know, maybe the plate
could have been a little bigger.

Plate choice
is really important,

but I think it's delicious.

And I think the bacon
was brilliant.

The salt and the fat
really worked.

Thank you.
Because that sausage is sweet.

Kristen:
I like all the flavors together,

but I think
it would also be lovely

with crisp, white parts
of the frisee,

like, a poached egg,

and call it a day.
Heard.

But it's quite lovely.
Thank you.

Thank you, chef kia.

Next up -- chef sasha.

So, I have made
a sourdough clam crostini

with a cannellini bean
and ramp purée,

and a maple, arugula,
and apple salad.

So, chef, when did you decide
you loved cooking?

So, my love of cooking
comes from my grandmother,

which I call my bubbie.
She's in her 90s,

and she has a catering company
in savannah, georgia.

It just shows me
that I'm going to be cooking

for a long, long time.

I love your thought process
on this dish.

Clams and white beans
and sausage

is such a classic combination.

And I couldn't wait to dig into
that cannellini bean purée.

And I was shocked to find it
to be so sweet.

I think there's a little
too much candy in there.

But I like the way
you twisted the bread.

I could just eat this soaked
with a little bit of that sauce,

and I'd be totally happy.

Yeah.

A bean ragout on top of a toast
is fantastic.

The ramp flavor I'm getting from
this is absolutely delicious.

It's just that the rest of it
is a little bit too sweet.

I almost feel like
if you had just switched

the apples out for capers,

it would have brought
this dish up a level.

I could have used more
of that arugula

dressed in, like, bright lemon
to balance out the sweetness.

And I would just want to get
the bread as, like, crunchy

as opposed to, like,
completely sogged out.

But I think overall,
all the components, again,

are really lovely.

Thank you, chef sasha.

Finally, chef kayzer.

Hello, ted.
We have a clam omelette

with a candied ramp
vinaigrette.

I traditionally tried
to make a frittata.

Not enough time.
20 minutes.

The clock is rolling.
Sense of urgency.

We got the sense of urgency
from you, definitely.

[ laughter ]

back behind.
Right behind.

You were booking, man.
You were cruising.

And the $10,000,
what would you do with that?

I'm taking my mom
to galapagos island

for her 60th birthday.

Oh, wow!
Yep, straight up.

You don't hear a cook,
"man, I've been to galapagos."

you hear them say, "yeah,
I went to orlando, florida.

I went to paris, France."
has anybody here been to --

but I'm born and raised
in orlando, florida.

Kayzer: Here we go.

[ laughter ]

we saw that your frittata
wasn't setting up,

but I think you made
a good recovery.

The brown parts of the egg

just have that overcooked,
sulfury flavor.

But the interior
of the frittata is tasty.

Kristen: I love the black
pepper. I love the cilantro.

I would have liked the onion
to be cooked a little bit more.

Marc: I agree. The raw ramp
that you have and the onion,

it's a little bit too many
layers of onion going on.

Okay. Thank you, chefs.

Kayzer: A lot is going through
my mind right now.

Am I going to cook again today,
or I'm going to go home?

Sasha:
I think anything's possible.

The mistakes I made
may or may not get me chopped.

♪♪

so, whose dish
is on the chopping block?

♪♪

chef sasha,
you've been chopped.

Judges?

Marc: Sasha, you started
with a great idea.

Unfortunately for you,
the sweetness of the basket --

and there was other dishes here
that were sweet,

but yours was the sweetest.

And also, you used a bread that
was so porous, it got mushy.

So these are the reasons
we're chopping you.

Thanks so much
for having me.

Sasha: I feel like I definitely
shouldn't have been chopped.

I think I made
a really well composed dish,

put a lot of thought
into all the flavors

and how I prepared it.

And this is not
going to stop me.

I'm still going to keep cooking
and doing what I do.

[ valley girl accent ]
I'm, like, wondering,

should I, like, go really big,
or should I go really small?

[ valley girl accent ]
I think it's the molecular,

like, manipulation
of the ingredients.

I'm going to manipulate
my molecular gastronomy.

I'm going to, like --

[ both laugh ]

[ normal voice ]
sorry.

Chef dan, chef kia,
chef kayzer,

you dodged the first chop.

You really want
to do this again?

Oh, yeah.
I'm definitely up
for the challenge, man.

I'm not sure.
[ both laugh ]

check out what's in these.

Whew.

Please open it up.

And the judges will be tasting
main dishes

made with cherry moonshine,

catfish fillets...

Okay. Alright.
That smells bad, but it's fine.

...Roasted chickpeas...

You guys --

...And green tomatoes.

30 minutes for this round.

Wow.

Clock starts now.

Kia: Behind.
Kayzer: Back.

Back behind.

Ted: Judges, so, what do you
think is the most troublesome

ingredient in this basket?

Cherries in moonshine?

Marc: I think that it's got
a little fruitiness,

and you've got plenty of time
to cook off the alcohol.

[ chokes ]

the cherry moonshine
is straight-up rubbing alcohol

with a hint of cherry,

and the only way I can utilize
that flavor profile

is to make a really great
pickling liquid.

I'm making a mezze plate with
moonshine pickled vegetables

and catfish dip.

A mezze plate is mediterranean.

And it's usually various dips

and some kind of bread.

The trick is you either fry
the green tomato,

or you fry the catfish.

You see catfish fried
a lot,

or you see it
really heavily spiced,

because usually, catfish
has a very muddy flavor.

What are we going to do
with this?

I know catfish.

I grew up on catfish white bread
sandwiches with hot sauce.

But this is wild catfish
from mexico.

Ugh. Juicy and disgusting.

And I've never encountered
this catfish before.

So now I'm mad.

Usually, we fry catfish
back home.

But I know I want to fry
these green tomatoes,

so I don't want to also
fry this catfish.

I'm going to make
a roasted catfish

with fried green tomatoes.
Come on.

Then I need
a really hearty base.

So I go straight to polenta.

I didn't have money
for culinary school,

so I completely taught myself.
Come on, sweetie.

I worked my way through
all of these kitchens.

And then I became
an executive chef.

And it's given me
this, like, power

that I feel like I have.

Baking catfish in the oven

I think is going to bring out
the rubbery texture of it.

-Right behind.
-Heard it.

Marc: Guys, we're seeing kayzer
move at the same speed

as he did last time.

I hope he focuses
that energy.

♪♪

the last round was tricky.
I pushed it to the wire.

And all I'm trying to do now
is be quick on my feet.

The clock is not
going to get me.

I'm going to make a chickpea
green tomato succotash

with salted catfish
buttermilk caraway dressing.

The basis of a good succotash
is potato, veg,

and some pork
for some fat content.

And I'm going to add
some fried chickpeas,

along with some
brussels sprouts.

Growing up in a neighborhood
that was filled with poverty...

-Back, back.
-Heard.

...Motivated me to work hard

and make something
out of myself.

Kristen:
So, roasted chickpea snacks --

they're really crunchy
on the outside,

but it's got this, like,
dry thing happening, too.

♪♪

so, I start hydrating
the chickpeas

because I want to make hummus,
and then I immediately

start chopping the catfish
for whitefish dip.

What's more mezze platter
and more new york than that?

So, I add feta cheese,
anchovies,

and I throw it
in a food processor.

Chef dan is making
a catfish dip.

I blend that
until it's super smooth.

And next, I start
working on my hummus.

So, I take sour cream,

and I drizzle in a little bit
of lemon olive oil

and then
the rehydrated chickpeas.

♪♪

kia: I check on my catfish,
and I'm like,

"what the hell is this?"

ugh, son of a [bleep]

it's tough as [bleep] bro.

It shriveled up,

and it just looks like
a ball of rubber.

Oh, my god.
That's not going to work.

I can't serve this
to the judges.

Like, I will be done for.

Kia actually burned
the catfish,

so she threw it away.
She still has more.

Thank god I have extra catfish.

Like, I'll just do it again.

So, the cherry moonshine's
looking at me.

I'm looking at her.
Ugh.

And I'm like, "listen, girl."
[ chuckles ]

"one of us has to make a move,
and it's going to be me."

and it's vinegary. It's acidic.

So my first thought is
to make some kind of dressing.

And I get some stone-ground
mustard, and I taste it.

And it's good.
You know what?

This is what "chopped's" about,
like [chuckles]

pleasant surprises.

That's not that bad.

Most people roast
and fry their catfish.

I decide to sauté it
with buttermilk.

I'm adding some liquid
from the moonshine cherries

to make it nice and tender.

To make my catfish dressing,
I purée it with caraway seeds,

mustard, sherry vinegar.

I added caraway because it has
a nutty and smoky flavor,

and it definitely
will enhance this dish.

Chefs, you have
10 minutes to go.

♪♪

the green tomatoes,
it's just an unripe tomato.

Yes, you can batter it
and fry it, and it is delicious,

but you can grill them.

You can make a quick chutney
with them, as well.

And I think hitting it
with that moonshine

and maybe a little bit of
sherry vinegar could be great.

Dan: I love everything
about southern food,

but I hate green tomatoes.

So I'm going to embrace
the green tomato

by actually not doing
that much to it.

Some of them I mix with orange,

and some of them I cook
just enough to soften it,

fight that raw tomato texture.

♪♪

dan, can I have a splash
of that hot sauce?

-Yeah, hit it.
-Thank you.

So, I get
my fried green tomatoes

into egg, hot sauce,
and buttermilk,

I toss them in the cornmeal,
and I get them into the fryer.

♪♪

I go back to my second round
of catfish, and I open it up,

and I'm like, "am I
in the twilight zone right now?"

are you serious?

Ted:
Kia said, "are you serious?"

I think the catfish
shrunk up a lot.

This catfish did the same thing
as the last batch.

I am mortified.

[ hisses ]
this looks horrible.

♪♪

I think the catfish
shrunk up a lot.

Kia: This is clearly a different
catfish than I'm used to,

but there's other parts of this
dish that I need to show up for.

Have to try to perfect
everything else on the plate.

This catfish definitely
isn't perfect.

I'm just going to have to cut it
and throw some salt on it.

It's like, what else
can I do right now?

♪♪

kayzer: The only way to eat
a green tomato is fried.

These green tomatoes
do not have that much flavor,

so I'm going to toss them
in some comment.

Let's go, kayzer.

The clock is running down.
I got to start plating.

♪♪

take an inventory
of your ingredients.

Ted:
Get it done, chefs. Get it done.

♪♪

finishing touches, chefs.

10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

Time's up.

Dan: I'm looking at my plate,
and it's vibrantly colored.

It's healthy. I am stoked.

Kia: I'm looking at my dish,
and I'm like,

"this. Is. Not. It!"

but then I look to the right
at kayzer's dish,

and I'm like, "what's that?"

♪♪

chefs, what did you get
for round 2?

Cherry moonshine,
catfish fillets,

roasted chickpeas,
and green tomatoes?

Chef kia, what have you made?

So, I made parmesan polenta
and roasted catfish,

a fried green tomato,
and mustard moonshine sauce.

How'd you feel about
the ingredients?

I've never seen a catfish
that looks like this before.

I'm pleasantly surprised
with the moonshine sauce.

You get a tiny bit
of, like, that alcohol,

but it's not, like,
this overbearing thing.

And the heat level
is quite lovely.

But it needs salt.

Marc: The catfish was not
the prettiest thing

when it came out of the oven.

That you cut it up,
I thought was a good move.

And I think the catfish actually
you did season pretty nicely.

But you're absolutely right.
Salt level --

you need to season the polenta.
You need to season the tomato.

Yeah. The cherry mustard
hot vinaigrette works.

But if you had coated
the catfish in it,

I think that would have
helped tremendously.

Yeah.

Okay. Chef kia, thank you.

Next up, chef kayzer.

Hey, guys. We have a chickpea
and green tomato succotash

with a salted catfish
buttermilk caraway dressing.

Do you have any other speed
besides 100 miles an hour?

[ laughs ]

let's go, kayzer.

Yep. Sleep.

[ laughs ]

I don't think the flavor is bad,

but I'm a little confused.

There's just so much stuff
happening.

It is a mystery box,
so what you're going to receive

is going to be a mystery
in my head.

We gave you four ingredients.
You went and got potato.

You went and got bacon, brussels
sprouts, olives, caraway seeds.

You went and got...Peppers.
Peppers.

You needed to slow down
and start concentrating

on highlighting
certain ingredients.

Amanda: I agree,
but there is good flavor.

Caraway was an interesting
choice, and I liked it.

-Yeah.
-I really did.

I think that went really well
with the brussels and the bacon.

That worked.

Thank you, chef kayzer.

Finally, chef dan.
What do we have?

It's a mezze plate
with moonshine pickled veg,

griddled flatbread,
and catfish dip.

I love a good mezze plate,
'cause every single component

punches you with flavor, but
they all kind of mesh together.

I think what I'm lacking here
is that punch.

Okay.

The vegetables are just
kind of the killer for me.

It's a crudité plate.

I think you're better than
a crudité, to be quite frank.

Yeah, if there was a lot more
attention to the vegetable,

I think that would have finessed
this whole thing

and brought it together.

Marc: I agree. And you didn't do
anything to the green tomatoes,

and that was
a basket ingredient.

But yes, this dip is good.

You know how
to manipulate flavors,

and you know how to cook.
It's saving this dish.

Okay, dessert is
the only course left,

which two chefs get to cook it.

Dan: The judges' feedback
makes me feel like

I have a lot of growing to do,

and I need to push myself more.

Right now, I'm just thinking
of all the things I did wrong...

[ laughs ]

...And wishing
that I could go back in time.

♪♪

so, whose dish is
on the chopping block?

♪♪

chief kayzer,
you've been chopped.

Kristen: Chef kayzer, one of the
most beautiful things about you

is passion.

Unfortunately,
what happened in this dish

is that there were so many ideas
kind of coming together,

and we completely lost
the basket ingredients,

and so we had to chop you.

♪♪

kayzer:
I disagree with the judges,
but I respect their decision.

Being here is like
climbing a mountain,

and it's a great
experience for me.

♪♪

chef kia, chef dan,

one of you will leave here
having never been chopped.

Kia: So, I'm looking at dan,
and I'm like,

"you're the sweetest guy,
but I have to crush you."

[ laughs ]

dan:
Kia is very stiff competition.

I think it's actually disarming
how nice she is,

but I have no desire to go home.

Time to turn your attention
to this third and final basket.

♪♪

please open it up.

[ both laugh ]

and your desserts must feature
che ba mau...

What?

I'm wondering
who is playing a prank on me.

Ted:
...Strawberry milk powder...

The last time I saw
strawberry milk powder,

I was about 10 years old.

Ted:
...Cape gooseberries...

Oh, these are delicious.

Ted:
...And poor man's toffee.

[ laughing ] what?
Who is naming these snacks?

♪♪

oh, sorry.
[ laughs ]

[ ted laughs ]
I was like, "I got to go."

kia, just wait for the key
words, "time starts now."

30 minutes to get inspired
and get your plates done.

Time starts now.
Marc: Oh, I'm so excited.

Whoo-hoo!

Here we go!

Dan: I didn't come here
to play it safe.

I'm going to get my freak on,

and I'm going to do
whatever pops into my head.

Amanda: Wait a minute,
wait a minute, wait a minute.

Did chef dan just grab
a basket of tomatoes?

Tomatoes may seem crazy,
but they're actually a fruit.

I am making tomato
and cape gooseberry crostata

with a che ba mau
toffee yogurt sauce.

And the che ba mau,
it starts at the bottom

with yellow mung bean.

There is pandan.
There's coconut milk,

peanuts, condensed milk,
crushed ice.

All delicious.
It's a textural treat.

Dan: I have to make sure
that my sauce is on point,

so I throw in golden raisins,

because the flavor profile
is really similar to che ba mau.

A crostata is a fruit pastry.

I start making
my crostata dough.

Strawberry powder
is extremely nostalgic.

I'm not sure if it'll work
in a pastry,

but it's the first thing
that comes to my mind.

♪♪

kia: Dan is a great chef,

and he's doing a whole lot
of thinking outside the box.

Yo, can I steal
some baking powder?

Absolutely.

But I feel like
that could be a hindrance

with attempting things that are
just so big in your mind.

In this final round, I'm going
to take these gooseberries

and make a gooseberry
and strawberry shortcake

with a poor man's chocolate
garnish and whipped cream.

I get my biscuits
in the cast iron.

Dear biscuits,
please do your best.

The poor man's toffee,
it's on a cracker

instead of making real toffee.
Oh, what?

Marc: It's coated in
a little bit of caramel

and then a little bit
of chocolate on top.

And it's delicious.

Dan: I want the tomatoes
and the gooseberries

to bake down together.

Marc: Now he's drizzling
with olive oil,

so he's going
very savory with this.

Kia: Dan just must be
on another level,

because I've never put a tomato
in my dessert before.

The dish looks insane.

You go, dan.

There's no turning back.

Kia:
Behind you, my friend.

Have you tried putting
strawberry milk powder

in lemon lime soda?

No.
Okay. Just try it once.

Okay.
That was my child.

Ted: Wait a second.
What?!

We have lemon lime soda
in this building.

Let's do it.

Kia: My favorite part
of a strawberry shortcake

is dousing my food
in whipped cream.

So, I grab my heavy cream.

I throw in
this dusty pink magic,

a little bit of salt,
and I just get whipping.

♪♪

oh, my god.
Ted: Oh, my god.

[ laughter ]
wow.

I think for our adult palates,
just a little --

you guys have that one.
I'll -- I'll have a beer.

♪♪

it's actually
pretty delicious.

Amanda! She's eating it dry
right out of the thing.

[ laughing ] oh, my god!
Ew.

♪♪

dan:
As I'm making my dessert,

I noticed kia
whisking vigorously.

Whew.
We have modern appliances!

I only learned it this way.

I am old-school.

But it's so satisfying.

Whipping by hand
is going to taste different.

It's going to feel different.

Let's. Go.

If you have stuff in the oven,
it's got to come out,

so, I'm running out of time.
The tarts are still in the oven.

Marc: I got to tell you,
I'm a little worried for dan.

You guys, 2:13.

Dan: I'm doing my best
not to just freeze.

-2 minutes.
-Heard.

♪♪

marc: So, the biscuits
are still in the oven,

and the crostatas
are still in the oven.

I think they have to leave them
in there till the last minute.

I'm really worried
that I took too big of a risk.

♪♪

you guys, 2:13.

Dan: I check on my crostatas,

and they're still not
perfectly baked.

The panic is taking hold.

I look at the clock,
and I know I have to do my best

to push it at least a minute.

Behind you.

I'm going to crush
my poor man's toffee,

fold it into dark chocolate
and bolt it to the anti-griddle

as fast as humanly possible.

Dan better watch out.
He's fancy,

but I have some fancy tricks
up my sleeve, too.

Almost.
1 minute to go, folks!

Heard it.

♪♪

dan:
I have to start plating.

So I grab the crostata
out of the oven,

and they're huge.

So I know I had to cut it.

They're cooked as thoroughly
as they could

in the time we're allowed.

Kia:
So, it's time to plate.

But first, I'm going to add
some pink peppercorns

to my strawberry
gooseberry situation,

just to give it
a little more of a kick.

♪♪

alright, chefs, final seconds
of the final round. 10...

She put the whipped cream
in there to keep it cold.

7, 6...
Amanda: Oh, my god.

5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

Come on, finish up,
finish up, finish up!

Time's up! Please step back.

Marc: Wow.

[ laughs ]
look at her.

[ laughs ]

I'm looking at my dish,

and I'm realizing
I can win this,

and I know that my dad
will be so proud.

But I look over at dad's dish
and I'm like, "damn."

it's so beautifully composed.

I think my dish
is surprisingly awesome

and a really solid dessert.

♪♪

chef kia and chef dan,
for the dessert round,

you were given che ba mau,
strawberry milk powder,

cape gooseberries,
and poor man's toffee.

What do we have?

Judges, I made for you a tomato
and gooseberry crostata

with che ba mau toffee.

I'm pleasantly surprised
at the texture of this,

'cause it looked like
it was going be very bready.

It has a nice
little crumble to it.
Yeah.

And the tomatoes are quite
lovely for hits of acid.

Well, dan, I love
that you made a crostata.

We don't see those
in here often.

I think the idea of adding
the strawberry milk powder

is a great one.
But the inside of mine

is really raw.

But I do like the flavor
of the sauce a lot.

Marc: I agree. I think the tart
shell on the outside

could definitely
have been cooked more.

But I have to say,
this is a good dessert.

I think the sauce that you made
with the yogurt

is absolutely delicious.
And I love the pecans in there.

It was a great idea for texture
but also for flavor.

How is it to compete
against kia?

It's been actually amazing.

Aww.
Like, I feel like

there's a really good vibe
and connection.

Yeah.

Cool. I think a lot of
friendships have happened here.

Finally, chef kia,
what have you made?

I prepared for you a southern
strawberry shortcake

with a poor man's
chocolate garnish

and millennial pink
whipped cream.

First of all,
I liked your biscuit.

I thought it was good.
I think you should have

probably put sugar on top
to get that sugary glaze.

And I feel like they could have

maybe had another two
or three minutes or rested.

-Heard.
-I think the filling was good.

I think I saw you at the end
go in with a dash of salt.

Yes.
I think you went a little heavy.

I don't think it needed it.

Amanda: Well, I think
the biscuit is delicious,

but I agree with marc.
It needs some sugar over it.

The fruit filling is delicious.

And the poor man's
toffee ganache is tasty,

but I don't know how it really
mixes with everything else.

Kristen:
I agree with amanda.

The chocolate
is very tasty over here,

but I don't know where it --
how it goes in.

But the strawberry whipped cream
was perfect.

Okay. All courses matter
in determining the win.

See you soon.

♪♪

this competition's
been amazing.

But it's like, we're doing
really vulnerable things,

like, putting our food
out there,

so it felt good
to make it this far

and to make a friend.
Yes.

I feel like we're friends now.
We are friends now.

You're an amazing chef.

Same goes for you.

Boom. [ laughs ]

judges,
two unique desserts.

Do you think you'll
remember them, say, next week?

I'm definitely going to remember
kia's strawberry whipped cream.

I thought it was
absolutely wonderful.

Dan made a strawberry
milk powder crostata.

Super creative way
of looking at that basket.

But my crostata
on the interior was raw.

Marc:
Let's look at the entree course.

Kia made a polenta dish
with the fried green tomato,

and there just wasn't enough
seasoning on that dish.

But kia's sauce with the
moonshine maraschino cherries

and mustard --
it was really tasty.

Dan made such
a delicious catfish dip.

So creative, so tasty.

But he gave us
a crudité platter.

Dan's appetizer
was sweeter than his dessert!

Yes, it was, 100%.

I mean, he made it through
because of the technique.

Those fritters
were done properly.

I liked kia's crostini
a lot.

She brought in some really
interesting ingredients

but kept it simple.

But she used a plate
that was too small.

People talk about presentation.

It's really sometimes
just about the plate choice.

♪♪

this is it.

I took a huge risk
with this dessert.

I feel that kia's dessert

didn't incorporate the
ingredients as well as I did.

Kia: Going against dan
was super scary,

because he is
classically trained.

But just thinking about
what I put out there,

I absolutely will take home
the $10,000.

So, whose dish
is on the chopping block?

♪♪

♪♪

chef dan, you've been chopped.

Judges?

Amanda:
Chef dan, in your first round,

we really liked the creativity
of your fritter.

But the balance of savory
and sweet was just off.

In the entree round,

you made us a mezze platter --
a bold move.

And we did like
your catfish purée,

but we felt like
the other ingredients

really weren't elevated.
Got it.

And in the dessert round,

we had some inconsistencies
with the crostata cooking,

and so we had to chop you.

Thank you so much.

It's been
an absolute pleasure.

Ah, it sucks to lose.

Congratulations.

But obstacles come, and all's
I can do is jump over them.

♪♪

ted:
And that means, chef kia damon,

you are the "chopped" champion.

Congratulations.

Amanda: Whoo!
Nice work.

What is your dad
going to say?

He's going to...
Lose it!

When my dad finds out
that I'm a "chopped" champion,

it's probably going to be
a very loud "whoo,"

and, "I love my princess,"

and, "my daughter
is better than yours."