Braised Beef Short Rib Pavé with Kashke Kadu (Roasted Butternut Squash, Honey, Turmeric, Kashk) and Black Garlic Pistachio Relish 

Chris's third and final course tells the story of his future — his two young daughters and the things they love to eat. 

Chris (during planning): "Maybe a sweet component. Like apricot. It's kind of an amalgamation of all the things that I've cooked over the years. Beef short rib." 

Chris: "This is for my kashke kadu third course to go with my short ribs — roasted butternut squash, honey, turmeric, and kashk, which is a fermented yogurt product. I make it a little sweet, a little acidic. Go with some nice braised beef short rib. I'm telling the story about my future, and if I win a million dollars, that's going straight to my kids. So I gotta nod to my kids a little bit. And both my kids love roasted squash and braised beef. Luckily we have a blast chiller to set them in their own juices. Otherwise you wouldn't be able to pull this dish off." 

Chris: "With a million dollars on the line, your heart's beating out of your chest. This is the most important meal I've ever served in my life, and it's very terrifying. It's just down to two of us. There's fewer people, more judges, and a hell of a lot more scrutiny. It's about making as few mistakes as possible and hoping you put up a better plate of food." 

Chris (presenting): "It's kashke kadu underneath, which is a traditional butternut squash dish. On top, you have beef short rib pavé, a rub of paprika silk chili and golpar. Then there's a black garlic pistachio relish. I have a two-year-old and a four-year-old, two girls. When conceptualizing this dish, I wanted to tie them into it because they are my future. The one thing I can guarantee that they'll always eat is braised beef and roasted sweet potato or a squash puree."