The chefs were randomly assigned one of thirteen different cheeses. They were then asked to make dishes featuring their designated cheeses for a Top Chef cheese festival. The dishes were served to the judging panel and one hundred festival guests. The guests' votes determined the top dishes and winner of the challenge, while the judges selected the bottom dishes. The winner received immunity for the next Elimination Challenge. The guest judges were Carla Hall and chef Dane Baldwin.
Kristen Kish: "All right, chefs, for your elimination challenge, you will each be responsible for creating one dish featuring one of these incredible cheeses. Carla and I will join Tom and Gail, along with local chef and James Beard award winner Dane Baldwin and 100 cheese loving diners."
Note - 50% of the chefs decided to cook some version of a cheese croquette. In her affiliated TV show, "A Dish with Kish ™", Kristen Kish dedicated an episode to the Cheese Croquette. See our recipe and her commentary here.
