Top Chef ™

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Flambée

The chefs first had 20 minutes to create flambéed dishes. The top three contestants then competed in the second round, where they were required to cook charred dishes in 20 minutes. The guest judge was Top Chef: Las Vegas/Top Chef: All-Stars L.A. runner-up Bryan Voltaggio.

How the Top Chef ™ competitors teamed up

What the Top Chef ™ contestants prepared

Pan Roasted Sea Bass, Flambê Vermicelli, Radicchio and Apples

Chef Laura: "So I made a hand roasted sea bass, flambéed in vermouth. On the side, I have radicchio salad with a little bit of apple in it."

Flambéed Mushroom & Bacon Toast, Sweet Potato Purée & Herbed Goat Cheese

Chef Michelle: "You have a flambed mushroom and bacon toast, sweet potato puree, and an herbed goat cheese."

Guest Judge Brian Voltaggio: "Which alcohol did you use?"

Chef Michelle: "Bourbon."

Grilled Prawns with Satsuma & Habanero Sauce, Flambé Mezcal.

Chef Danny: "Kind of a play on an aguachile. Did some grilled prawns with satsuma and habanero sauce, flambed mezcale into the sauce."

Judge (Brian Voltaggio): "The surprising part is I do get the smokiness from a mezcal."

Baked Hawaii

Chef Amanda: "I made a play on baked Hawaii. I made a french toast out of brioche that's coconut and lime flavored. And then I caramelized mango with cassa and flambe and lime, coconut, and vanilla meringue on top. And that's also flambé."

Kristen Kish: "Almond extract?"

Chef Amanda: "Yes."

Brian Voltaggio (guest judge): "On your cake?"

Chef Amanda: "Yes."

Saganaki with Cheese, Toast, Molasses and Flambéed Peaches

Chef Savannah: "I wanted to do a take on a saganaki on top of toasted white bread. The sauce on top is fresh fig and dashi with pomegranate molasses. And I used a brandy when I was flambéing the cheese."

Flambeed Bourbon, Fish Sauce Caramel, Brioche and Brûléed Bananas

Chef Soo: "On the bottom there is a little bit toasted brioche, bruléed bananas. Took some bourbon flambé. It added a little bit of fish sauce made a caramel with it over the top."

Grilled Shrimp Flambe au Pastis

Chef Kevin: "I made a grilled shrimp flambée, pastis, fennel and potato puree."

Judge: " I love the texture of the potato in a fennel puree."

Judge: "It's got a good viscosity. Presentation was beautiful."

Grilled Radicchio & Cucumber Salad with Garlic Ground Cherry Pernod Emulsion

Chef Dan: "I have a grilled radicchio and cucumber salad with apples and garlic, ground cherry and pernod emulsion."

Guest judge Brian Voltaggio: "Have you made this before?"

Chef Dan: "Hell, no."

Kimchi & Scallion Doughnut, Bourbon-flambéed Peaches and Jalapeno

Chef Kaleena: " I did a kimchi and scallion doughnut. I flambed some peaches and jalapeno in some bourbon."

Sautéed Mushrooms with Mezcal, Marsala, Ricotta and Pecorino with Toast

Chef Manny: "I have a sautéed mushrooms, mezcal flambée, finished with marsala and mushroom demi with ricotta and pecorino romano on toast."

Judge: " It's a really classical pairing with mushrooms."

Culinary Learnings from this challenge

What is Hatch Chile?

Hatch Chile is a spicy chile pepper grown in the Hatch Valley, New Mexico. It is said that the Hatch Valley was origianlly a floodplain of the Rio Grande valley, giving the soil nutrients that make for a superb chile.

Hatch chile peppers are in season at the end of cummer (August and September). They can be purchased freeze dried to extend the season ( for 'from-scratch' cooks), and some incredible Hatch Chile sauces are available on the market.

Featured Recipes from Top Chef ™

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