Kevin created this dish for Tournament of Champions Season 7. A gochujang-lemon glaze replaces traditional soy sauce with citrus, weaving the Randomizer's citrusy mandate through every component of the dish. The blade tenderizer, applied to asparagus rather than meat to simulate kimchi fermentation in competition time, drew the highest praise from the judging panel. Kevin's venison chop earned a 90-point score and a 10-point margin of victory over Adam Greenberg.

Chef's Notes

The Tenderizer as Technique, Not Tool

The blade tenderizer is almost always used on meat. Kevin's decision to apply it to the asparagus - to simulate fermentation rather than tenderise protein - is the conceptual heart of this dish. Competition cooking rewards lateral thinking, and this was its purest expression in the episode. The tenderizer created micro-perforations in the asparagus cell walls, allowing the kimchi marinade to penetrate in minutes rather than the days a genuine fermentation would require. The result is not technically kimchi - but it carries the same logic and, thanks to the fish sauce, gochugaru, and rice vinegar, a very close approximation of the flavour profile. At home, with more time, you could extend the maceration to an hour or more for a deeper result.

Lemon Juice as Structural Soy

Gochujang is typically thinned with soy sauce - the salt and liquid bring the thick paste to a consistency that glazes and coats. Kevin's substitution of lemon juice is not merely a flavour decision: it's an architectural one. Lemon juice provides the same thinning function while simultaneously weaving the Randomizer's citrusy mandate into the dish's most fundamental element. This is the difference between responding to a creative brief and fully inhabiting it. Judy Joo's only note - that Kevin could have explored more citrus varieties beyond lemon - was fair; but the choice of lemon specifically, a single persistent citrus note across every component, created a unified flavour signature rather than a scattered one.

Venison Temperature Is Not Negotiable

Venison loin chops are among the leanest cuts in competition cooking. At medium (145°F / 63°C), they begin to lose moisture rapidly; at well done, they become unpleasantly dry and chewy. The target for venison in fine dining contexts - and what Rocco DiSpirito specifically praised - is medium-rare: 130–135°F (54–57°C), with a brief rest. In competition, Kevin had 30 minutes and no thermometer advantage. At home, use a probe thermometer and pull the chops from the heat slightly before your target, as carryover cooking will close the gap. Rocco's comment that this was "basically impossible to do in a fine dining restaurant setting, much less in a competition with limited time" reflects how unforgiving this protein is on a competition clock.

Yogurt as Acid Architecture

The asparagus yogurt puree functions as more than a base. Its lactic acidity - sharper and more persistent than cream-based alternatives - acts as a palate cleanser between bites of rich, gochujang-glazed venison and the kimchi. It's simultaneously the dish's gentlest element and its structural counterpoint. Antonia

Lofaso's observation - that it "just lends to the entire dish being citrusy" - points to how the yogurt's brightness amplifies the lemon threading through every other component. When building the puree, the butter emulsification is important: without it, the yogurt can split under heat and turn grainy. Blend while still warm from the blanched asparagus, add cold butter in pieces, and blend until glossy.

Oklahoma Meets Korea on a Plate

Kevin Lee's food has always sat at the intersection of his childhood - Norman, Oklahoma and extended years in South Korea - and his professional development through American restaurant culture. The gochujang-glazed venison is a direct expression of this: game meat, a Southern and Great Plains staple, wrapped in the fermented complexity of Korean cuisine. The kimchi format, the asparagus yogurt puree, and the citrus confetti landing suggest not fusion but fluency - a chef who doesn't cook Korean-American food as a concept but as a mother tongue. It's what Rocco was gesturing toward when he said he "thinks very highly of the chef who cooked this" sight unseen.

Troubleshooting Guide

Venison is dry or overcooked: Venison is the least forgiving of competition proteins at high heat. Use a thermometer and pull at 130°F. Rest on a wire rack - not a cutting board - so the base doesn't steam and continue cooking. If you've overshot, slice thinly against the grain to preserve perceived tenderness.

Gochujang glaze burns before the venison is cooked: The honey in the glaze caramelises quickly at high heat. Apply the glaze in the final minute of cooking only - not at the beginning of the sear. You can also finish in a 400°F (200°C) oven after the initial sear to control the final temperature more precisely.

Asparagus kimchi tastes too raw or harsh: The blade tenderizer technique opens the cell walls but doesn't cook the asparagus. If the raw edge is too assertive, blanch the asparagus for 60 seconds before tenderizing and marinating - it softens without losing the crunch the kimchi format requires.

Yogurt puree splits or turns grainy: The yogurt should be added after the hot asparagus has been blended slightly and cooled for 30 seconds - adding yogurt directly to boiling liquid will split it. Add butter in cold pieces while blending and process until emulsified. A high-powered blender makes this considerably

more reliable than an immersion blender.

The dish tastes flat or lacks depth: The fish sauce in the kimchi is essential for umami depth - if omitted, the dish skews overly bright and citrus-forward without an anchoring savouriness. If cooking vegetarian, use miso dissolved in water or a good soy sauce as a substitute. Check the gochujang glaze for balance: it should have distinct heat, sweetness, and citrus in that order.

Kimchi flavour doesn't develop in time: After tenderizing the asparagus, extend the maceration time as much as possible - even 30 minutes will make a significant difference. The tenderized cell structure absorbs the marinade remarkably quickly compared to untreated asparagus.

Storage & Make-Ahead Tips

• Gochujang-lemon glaze: Keeps refrigerated for up to 2 weeks in a sealed jar. The flavour deepens over time. Make ahead freely.

• Marinated venison chops: Can be marinated up to 4 hours in the fridge. Beyond that, the acid in the lemon juice will begin to denature the surface proteins and change the texture.

• Asparagus yogurt puree: Best made fresh. Will keep refrigerated for up to 2 days but may need re-blending and re-seasoning after storage, as the yogurt continues to acidify.

• Cucumber and asparagus kimchi: Improves with time up to about 24 hours. After that, the cucumber begins to break down. Make the day before for maximum flavour at service.

• Cooked venison chops: Best served immediately. Reheated venison tends to lose moisture rapidly. If reheating, use a low oven (250°F / 120°C) and wrap loosely in foil.

• For entertaining: Prepare the glaze, kimchi, and puree in advance. Sear and glaze the venison à la minute - this component should not be made ahead.

Variations & Substitutions

• Citrus expansion (Judy Joo's note): Add yuzu kosho alongside the gochujang for both additional citrus and gentle Japanese complexity. Blood orange juice in place of some of the lemon juice provides deeper colour and a slightly sweeter profile. A preserved lemon rind, finely chopped, would add fermented citrus depth that rhymes with the kimchi logic.

• Protein substitutions: Lamb loin chops are the natural alternative - the Korean-spiced glaze works beautifully with lamb's fat. Duck breast, skin-scored and seared skin-down, would also carry the gochujang glaze well. For a more accessible option, bone-in pork chops work, though the drama of a perfectly cooked venison chop is hard to replicate.

• Vegetarian version: Replace the venison with pressed and marinated king oyster mushrooms or cauliflower steaks, brushed with gochujang glaze and roasted at high heat. Substitute soy sauce for fish sauce in the kimchi. The asparagus yogurt puree requires no changes.

• Full Korean direction: Replace the honey with Korean corn syrup (mulyeot) in the glaze. Add Korean doenjang (fermented soybean paste) to the yogurt puree in place of some butter for a more deeply fermented backbone. Include perilla leaves in the kimchi for an herbal note.

• Expanding the kimchi: Traditional kimchi vegetables - napa cabbage, daikon, scallions - can supplement or partially replace the asparagus and cucumber. If time allows, a genuine quick-ferment of 2–4 hours at room temperature before refrigerating will develop considerably more complexity.

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