01x05 - Episode 5

[bunniefuu]

[man] The next generations
of chefs, they cook like me.

[woman] Modern food
and traditional food,

if you put them together,
you can do amazing things.

Innovators and game changers,
they are our future
and the future is here.

Let's go, chefs.

Go!

This looks crazy!

This is Chopped Next Gen.

I wake up in the morning
and I live for this.

Ooh, spicy!

Hoo-ah!

I'm looking for some
culinary innovation.
That's correct.

We're just coming in
and we're breaking up
the system.

Dishes to transport
our taste buds
into the future.

-Run!
-Ah!

[gasping] Oh, oh, oh!

[Carlos] I got in this
industry as a young kid

and I just fell in love
with the fire and the burn
and the pressure.

Like a kernel in a pot
ready to pop.

Hoo-ah!

Got a little excited there,
boys.

I was Zagat's semifinalist
for 30 under 30

and it's really important that
I come out here for a reason
and that's to win.

[Natalie] My style of cooking
is really simple.

I only do things that are
going to make the dish
taste better.

In three years, I worked
my way from an intro-level
line cook to sous-chef

and I was nominated
for Eater Young g*n in 2020.

I won't accept anything
other than perfection.

I'm taking home the win.

[Behzad] I don't think you're
cooking if you're not cooking
under pressure.

My style of cooking
is narrative driven.

I think the next generation
of chef understands that

there has to be a story or
some sort of substance behind
a delicious plate of food.

I'm wishing everyone
in the competition luck,
but I'm coming for the win.

I can't... I don't know
how to [bleep] talk. Uh...

[Ashley] I never expected
to become a chef,

but the second day
I was in culinary school,

I got a job at a 2-star
Michelin restaurant.

My life skyrocketed
from there.

I basically do
pop-up restaurants

that celebrate my
half Filipino and half
Sri Lankan background.

I didn't see much of that
in the kitchens
and I want to represent that.

Good luck, but watch out.

What up, chefs?
Welcome to the iconic
Choppedkitchen.

-How we feeling?
-Feeling great.

Feeling it, baby. Feeling it.

Now in order to prove that
you're the next gen of chefs,

the judges will be
evaluating you based
on your taste, creativity,

but also culinary innovation.

We're expecting your dishes
to transport our taste buds
into the future

and if they don't,
then you will be chopped.

Hmm, that's right, building
the intensity here,
Chef Carlos.

The judges are award-winning
chef and restaurateur,
Kwame Onwuachi.

Cuisine pioneer, Esdras Ochoa.

I'm so excited to see
the taco king,
Chef Esdras Ochoa.

He shares my family's
last name.

We could be cousins.

And classically
French-trained chef,
Nyesha Arrington.

Expect the unexpected
at Chopped Next Gen.

Let's take a look inside
of those crates.

Open them up.

[laughs]

You have nitro coffee,
strawberries.

Okay.

-Guajillo chilis.
-Love, love, love, love.

Makes me feel like
I'm at home.

[laughs] What is that?

[Liza]
And beef stroganoff tacos.

Oof.

All right, chefs.
Whip it up quick

because you have 20 minutes,
appetizer round.

And that time starts now.

Get into it. Come on, chefs!
Let's go! Woo, let's go!

[Carlos whoops]
Come on, chefs!

Wow! Way to startle
the competition.

Wow! This train is moving.

How would you break down
what we want to see
in these next-gen chefs?

Well, I think that it's about
showing who you are,
who your culture is

and how you're getting your
message of who you are as
a chef across social as well.

[Kwame] Yeah,
they got to be ambitious.

This is the time for them
to show us their skills

and also show everyone
around them that they
aren't to be messed with.

-[Nyesha] 100%.
-You know what I mean?

I think Chef Carlos might be
sipping that nitro coffee.

He's moving fast.

Walk me through what
nitro coffee tastes like
versus coffee?

It's a cold brew coffee
that's been infused
with nitrogen gas.

Gives it a velvety mouth feel.

You might use it in a sauce.
Coffee and chilis pair
very well together.

Okay, okay.

Guys, did you get
the chicken broth?

-There's a backup for it
in the fridge.
-Over there?

I feel anxious and nervous
about those 20 minutes,

but I realized that nitro
coffee had a subtle sweetness

that would make a delicious
and slightly sweet broth.

So my dish is a coffee tom kha
with fresh strawberries.

The first thing that I do is
grab lemongrass, ginger,

garlic, aromatics that really
scream Thai flavor.

I put the coffee in the broth
to cut the richness
from the coconut milk.

Okay, big boy.

What's in a stroganoff taco?
Let's talk about it.

[Esdras] I eat tacos
almost every day.

-I know a thing or two
about tacos.
-Okay.

-That is not a taco.
-[Nyesha] Fair enough.

[Esdras] Let's talk about
the stroganoff...

[Kwame] Okay,
so it's like sour cream,
beef, mushroom.

Bro, you know what I would do?
I would take that apart.

I would actually use maybe
the beef or the mushroom.

[Carlos] The taco is
speaking to me.

I'm making a coffee-braised
beef taco

with guajillo
chili vinaigrette
and a strawberry fresca.

Beautiful. We're going to fry
these chilies up.

We're going to make a really
bright chili vinaigrette.

Something my grandmother
would love and we're frying.

We're cooking, baby.
We're cooking.

I grew up in a Mexican home.

My family has used
these chilies for so long

but my innovative secret
is a little bit of fish sauce.

The salty quality of fish
sauce with that smoky chili,
it's really going to sing.

Oh, my! Ooh, that's good.

I noticed Chef Carlos slightly
fried the chili guajillo.

-Spectacular way to go.
-[Liza] Is it spicy?

It's not spicy.
It's a beautiful base
for any kind of sauce.

Next generation.

You having fun, Chef?

[Natalie] There's 20 minutes
on the clock.

How am I going to make
all these things cohesive?

I'm making nitro strawberry
arugula salad with goat
cheese and pasta crunch.

Strawberries are awesome,
but these are
a little too tart.

So I did a quick pickle,
champagne vinegar, honey,

the guajillo peppers
to enhance the acid.

I'm fighting for the $10,000
to bring my mom and my family
out to San Diego,

so that I can show them
everything that I've
accomplished

and I am so thankful to my mom
for pushing me.

Looks like Chef Behzad has
started some sort of broth.

Poured that nitro coffee
into a sauce pot.

[Behzad] I think I have a
really good base for the stew.

So my dish for this round is a
fire-roasted beef stew with
charred pickled strawberries.

Building the stew,
I take the nitro coffee

and I start reducing that
down,

just to cook off
a little bit of the acidity
that coffee naturally has.

I add the guajillos
and even the stroganoff
meat in and of itself

is a really good base
for the stew.

A little bit of saffron.

I'm Persian, if I don't use
saffron in the first round my
mom would be disappointed.

Chefs, you have under
ten minutes left
in your appetizer round.

Let's go, bang, bang!

[Ashley] So with the beef
stroganoff, I kind of put off
using it right away,

because I didn't know
what to do.

I see the guajillo chilies
and I know that
I can develop them

into like a nice chili oil
that really brings up the
flavor of a tom kha soup.

Being a next-gen chef to me
means owning who you are

and letting that show
through your food.

See if we can't get some
flavor into this stroganoff

and infuse some coriander and
cumin and more Hispanic theme.

Okay.

My next move is to deal with
this strawberry salsa fresca.

The strawberries need
a little bit of acid

and a little bit of onion
to really make it pop.

Carlos, you freak.

[Natalie] I am so intimidated.

Now that time is gone
I throw the stroganoff noodles
into the deep fryer

and wait until they get
nice and crispy

and toss them with salt sugar
and instant coffee

to help enhance the nitro
in the vinaigrette.

So I was thinking
with the strawberries,

-you would want to keep that
to brighten up the dish, no?
-Interesting.

-Maybe some sort of pickle
with the strawberries.
-Sure.

[Kwame] Oh, wow! We're like
charring the strawberries.

Chef Behzad is charring
those strawberries, so that
should be interesting.

Whenever you char
a fruit like that, it adds
that bittersweet note to it.

That's what we want to see,
right?

We want to see them take it
to the next level.

The strawberries are going
to be quite sweet.

Getting them charred and smoky
is the only way I think

the ingredient will work
with this dish.

Saffron and bacon
almost sounds non-halal,

but they render
and are very similar flavors

if you're able to put them
together in the right way,

and I definitely wanted it
in terms of texture component.

Chefs, your final five minutes
is happening now.

-[Carlos] Oh, no!
-[Liza] Come on, chefs.

Hear that? Tick, tick, tick,
tick, tick, tick.
That's the clock.

Something's burning
on Chef Behzad's station.

The heat really just charred
and burnt the bacon,

so I'm definitely
feeling nervous.

Chef Behzad is bringing
the heat quite literally.

[Kwame] I'm concerned about
Behzad.

I just see burned on top of
burned on top of burned.

-[Nyesha] Absolutely.
-It may get burnt out.

[Behzad] I had to toss all
the bacon out.

Chopped a little bit of it
again because
I don't think that

the flavors in the soup
are enough

that I'm going to have
a collective dish by
the end of the 20 minutes.

[Ashley] With the beef
stroganoff, I decided
to take the filling

to enhance the flavor
of the soup.

My soup's eating
a little spicy,

so I grabbed some sugar
just to quickly cut that heat.

[Carlos] My dish feels not
next-generation enough.

My particular style is this
very new-feeling
California coastal cuisine

with strong
Mediterranean flair.

Mint and dill are all over
my menu at Herb and Wood.

and I really think
they would go super great

with that strawberry
and guajillo chili
vinaigrette.

Chefs, you have two minutes,
two minutes. Run!

[Carlos] Oh, is that all?

[Natalie] The nitro coffee,
I decide to make
a vinaigrette with.

I whisk in olive oil at first,
and then I start to worry that
it might get too bitter

and switch to canola.

I think it could use more
acidity, so I throw in some
of the pickling liquids.

So Natalie is strolling
over there.

[Nyesha] Love that.

-She's folded in sliced
strawberries, cheese maybe.
-Some goat cheese.

Yeah, very classic
with that arugula.

[Nyesha] Almost old-school.
We'll see where she's
taking us with this.

Time.

One minute!
Your final 60 seconds.
Make it count.

[Behzad] I definitely know
I'm pushed for time
to finesse my dish.

I see Ashley's station and it
made me nervous for a second

because my dish wasn't
necessarily as pretty as hers.

30 seconds, chefs.

We're not plating.
We're bowling.
The soup is going down.

Y'all going to hate me
for this.
Go ahead and do it.

I feel bad, I'm sorry.

-Nine, eight, seven...
-Let's go. Let's go!

...six, five, four,
three, two, one.

Hands up!
Fingers off the food.

-[Esdras]
Oh, man. What a finish!
-[Kwame] All right.

[panel whooping]

[Liza] Great job, chefs.

I want to check out yours.
It looks beautiful.

-Chef, this is so pretty.
-Yours looks great.

This is gorgeous.
So dope.

Chefs, here we are
at the chopping block.

In your appetizer crate,
you were given nitro coffee,
strawberries,

guajillo chilis
and beef stroganoff tacos.

Chef Behzad, please tell us,
what's on your plate?

So, today I made
for you, judges,
a fire-roasted beef stew

with a quick pickled
strawberry.

[Kwame] So you used the coffee
as your liquid for the broth?

Yeah.

When I hear coffee soup,
I'm... I'm scared.

-Yeah.
-But you've balanced it well.

You get the acidity
from the strawberries,
the slight sweetness.

It's a little too acidic
when I get that bite
of the strawberry

without a piece of the beef
to tone it down,

but all in all,
this is next-level.

Yeah, how beautiful it is
to bring the chili to life
with heat.

Did you have a chance to taste
the beef prior to
putting it in the soup?

I didn't.

It's very important to taste
as you go

because the bitter's
working against each other.

The person enjoying this
should have a break
from that sometimes.

Overall, great dish
and you should be proud.

The fire component
to the dish,

that was my favorite part.
And I taste the saffron,

but we are looking
for perfection, Chef,

and I wish you would've
seasoned it slightly
a bit more.

Awesome.

-Don't be scared of that.
-Yeah, Chef.

Chef Behzad, could you define
a next-generation chef?

I think the next generation
is responsible

for telling stories
and connecting people more.

We get to nurture people
using food as almost like
an olive branch.

It's one of the most
disarming things in the world.

-Thank you, Chef Behzad.
-Thank you.

Chef Ashley.

I have a coffee tom kha soup
and then the beef stroganoff

sauteed with coriander
and fresh cilantro.

Chef, let me ask you
what does it mean to be
a next-generation chef?

I would say authenticity
and being proud
of who you are.

As a classically-trained chef
in a Eurocentric kitchen,

it's hard to find
your identity and like feel
passionate about food

that you aren't
really tied to.

And then another part is
using food as a tool
to bring people together.

Yes, absolutely imperative
to show who you are
in your cooking.

I get the guajillo chili
and it's quite pleasant.

It plays well against this
coffee-inspired broth.

Chef Ashley,
this is definitely
a next-generation dish.

I love the fact that you
incorporated the noodles
into it, also the beef.

So you didn't shy away
from the mystery ingredients.

One thing that I think in this
case that didn't work too well

was a little bit too much
of the chili oil.

I got to disagree
with my colleague over here.

I don't have anything negative
to say about this.

I love the heat.

Then you have these
strawberries that you pickled
beautifully.

You're showing yourself
in this dish

and when a dish tells a story,
it has a soul,

-so great job.
-Thank you so much.

Chef Natalie.

I have a nitro strawberry
and arugula salad with goat
cheese and pasta crunch.

Nyesha, I could hear
your pasta crunch.

My mouth is pleasantly
satisfied.

How imaginative and bold
to take that pasta
and transform that

into almost a play
on a crouton.

I think a little bit of a
disadvantage here is

this is a very classic play
on a salad.

In this competition,
it's very important to
reimagine a salad, right?

Where are your use
of the guajillo chilis?

They're in the pickling liquid

and I also used
the pickling liquid
in the vinaigrette itself.

Lovely.

Chef Natalie,
the vinaigrette is nice.

The guajillo comes in slightly
at the end which is good

because it could be strong
if you don't use it properly.

It shows that
you know your salads.

I think a salad is very,
very safe for a first course

and then strawberries,
they're extremely acidic

and the greens
are overdressed.

A little bit more finesse
would have carried this dish.

[Liza] And can I get
your definition of a next-gen?

I think the next generation
of chefs has to learn
with peers as a team

instead of against each other
in competition.

So, in our kitchen we train
everybody on every station,

so nobody goes down,
nobody's in the weeds,

everybody knows how to go in
and help that person.

It's a team
and it's not set up

in the way that the person
above you has to fail
for you to get to learn.

Right, family food
made by a family, too.
There you go.

Thank you, Chef Natalie.

Chef Carlos.

I made for you today
a coffee-braised beef taco

with a guajillo vinaigrette
and a strawberry salsa fresca.

Tell us where does
the inspiration come?

You know, when I opened up
that basket
and I saw the chilis,

I was immediately inspired.

I grew up in a Mexican home,
raised by my grandparents
and my single mother.

Chilies and tacos were very
prevalent in my family.

And my... my family's name
is Ochoa.

So not trying to grease
the wheels or anything.

But I'm an Ochoa as well.

And so, you know, I felt
your presence there
while I was making it

and kind of watching me
with the salsa and I...

I'm so flattered right now.
I think he's buttering me up.

-It's working.
He's buttering, right.
-He's buttering me up.

Since you made it with him
in mind, let's see what
the taco king has on his mind.

What you thinking?

I love the fact that you
charred the tortilla.

Oh, man!
But I've had a lot of tacos.

This does not scream
Latin at all for me.

If it wasn't
for the tortillas, it's zero.

And I'm having a hard time
looking for a good flavor
on the salsa.

If you got a good salsa,

you could put that on
cardboard in a tortilla
and it'll be amazing.

I wanted to see something
more innovative,
especially on a taco, man.

[Nyesha] I don't think
I totally agree with you.

For me, the most pleasant
part of the dish was
actually the sauce.

You brought a lot of elements
of flavor and highlighted
that guajillo chili.

And it pairs really well
with the strawberry.

It's kind of like spicy,
but then I get this beautiful
freshness from the strawberry

that kind of comes in and says
everything's going to be okay.

I would have never made a taco
when I was given a taco,
but this is beautiful.

There's so many colors.
It's vibrant.

The only thing that is
striking are your knife cuts.

-We're here to take it
to the next level.
-Yes, Chef.

If you don't have the basics
down, then you can't
take that next step.

Thank you, Chef Carlos,
and thank you chefs.

-[Carlos] Thank you.
-Thank you.

[Kwame] Thank you.

They looked like
they loved the soups.

Who was upset
they didn't make a soup?

Apparently,
soups were the hit.

The whole time I'm
sitting there, I was like,
"I made a taco."

Like, oh, I'm just
kicking myself.

[Natalie] At least
you didn't make a salad.

I think I changed directions
of what I was going to do
in my head

-three times
while I was gathering...
-[Ashley] Yeah.

[Natalie] The judge's comments
were really fair.

In fact, I think
they were quite kind.

We're here to show we have
what it takes to become chefs
of the next generation.

[Carlos] I think I was just
so excited to really put
my culture on the plate

and I was feeling so good
at that moment,

I was like, "Oh, oh, oh,
you're a badass, kid."

[Liza] Chefs, only three of
you will be moving forward.

So whose dish is on
the chopping block?

-Chef Natalie,
you have been chopped.
-Thank you.

Judges.

Chef Natalie,
your fundamentals were
in place.

However, your salad was
overly dressed and it wasn't
innovative at all.

And for this reason,
you have been chopped.

Thank you, Chef.

[Natalie] I'm bummed.

I psyched myself out
and choked a bit

but I'm proud of myself
for trying even though it
scared the crap out of me.

How's the food been?

The food's been, um...

there's some highs
and there's some lows,
you know.

Yeah.

The most important thing is
to not play it safe.

With Chef Natalie,
I watched her throw some
greens on a plate

and pickled strawberries.

-This is not next-gen cooking.
-Yeah.

Take us into the new school.

What is progressive?
Teach me something.

I mean, Alice Waters
created that salad
like a long time ago.

In the '70s.

Now, it's good to pay homage,
but also elevate.

-Absolutely.
-You know,
take it to the next level.

Next generation should be
about bringing in
some past legacies

but then color
outside the lines, right?

Chef Ashley,
Chef Behzad, Chef Carlos.

Great job. You have made it
to this entree round.

Let's get back into it,
all right?

Open them up.

All right, chefs.
You have snack cake cereal.

I don't know what the hell
snack cake cereal is.

What the hell is this?

Okey-dokey.

[Liza] Some saganaki...

Oh, my God, it's so hard!

...pork loin roast.

Thank God, something I know.
That's positive.

And hey, hey, hey,
is guaje beans.

No idea.

All right, chefs.
Entree round, 30 minutes.

-It starts now. Get it!
-[Kwame] Let's go. Let's go.

-Out the gate.
-Come on, it's moving fast.

[Carlos] How many herbs
you got there, chefy?

-[Behzad] I got all the herbs.
-Let's go.

-[Behzad] Go, baby.
-Guaje now, what the heck
is guaje beans?

Guaje, you know,
it's so funny.

I've actually seen these
in the wild.

Guaje has garlic undertones.

[Esdras] Another thing is to
blanch them to loosen up
the skin,

withdrawing the seeds
from them.

-It's like edamame almost.
-Yes.

[Liza] How does one start
with saganaki?

The flavors are sharp
for saganaki, you know.

It's this sheep's milk cheese
that's been pressed.

For me, it was a little
reminiscing
of parmesan cheese.

I think Carlos just
tasted it right now.

I'm going to head over there
and I'm going to see
what's going on.

-Nice.
-I'm only going to bring you
good stuff.

[Carlos] A lot of things
I'm not really familiar with,

but I know pork and polenta
love each other.

-[Kwame] What's going on,
Carlos?
-All right, Chef.

-Tell me about your dish.
-Pork, a little polenta.

I'm going to try to fold in
this nice broiled cheese.

What are you doing
with the cereal?

I put it into a panko crust.

I have cooked
with cereal before,
but nothing's so sweet.

So I add panko and chili
powder and Dijon mustard
that absolutely loves pork,

and it's going to really help
contrast that sweet
cereal snack frosting.

-Hello, Chef.
-What's up, Chef?

-What are you making today?
-I am making,

like, a Sri Lankan-style
pork loin curry.

Curry powder, cayenne,
coriander, cumin

with whatever this bean
is called sambol.

-Guaje.
-Guaje, yeah.

And then, a coconut rice dish
that's native to Sri Lanka.

What risks are you taking
today because we want to see
the next generation, right?

Yeah. I think with
Sri Lankan cuisine,

you don't really deviate
from what's traditional.

People might roll their eyes
and freak out
of what I'm doing...

I hope we don't roll
our eyes.

-...with these sambol
and curries...
-All right?

-I hope not either.
-All right.

Thanks, Chef.

We used to go to my
grandma's house
when my parents were working.

All I ate was Sri Lankan
curries, so it has a lot of
emotional connection for me.

What's up? What's up?
How you doing?

I'm trying to make sure
you have perfect pizza dough.

-All right, all right.
-I'm making something
called beruni.

Meat mixture topping

that goes on top of a pita
bread with tons of herbs.

[Kwame] How do you feel
about time?

-I feel very stressed
for time.
-Okay.

This dish is inspired by
these dinners that
we would have growing up.

Beruni was our way of being
able to share our culture

to neighbors and the families
that would come
and eat with us.

We got 15 minutes, y'all.

That's my job, Kwame!

You're kidding!

All right, so what's
going down out there?

They're all bringing it.
Behzad, I mean
he's taking a risk.

He's making his own bread.

-Ambition again. I love it.
-This is what we love to see.

Okay, so they got to be
popped out of there.

I turned my attention
to my guaje chimichurri.

I take the guaje, I kind of
treat them like
any other bean

that I've ever worked with.

It's actually quite delicious.

Ooh, spicy!

This polenta needs flavor.

And I know that saganaki is
going to go great
inside of there.

Chefs, you have less than
ten minutes, come on.

[Esdras] $10,000, chefs.
Come on.

[Carlos]
Can you feel the pressure?

[Ashley] With the sambol,
it's very lime forward.

It's very acidic
with a lot of chili.

I don't shell my guaje beans
because I've never
seen these before

and I didn't even think
to do it.

Kiribath is rice cooked
with coconut milk

and I'm adding saganaki cheese
for a little bit more umami.

For the pork, I grab cumin
and some cinnamon

which is the base flavor
to beruni

and let everything slow roast
together.

The guaje beans
really tripped me up.

I thought they were too small
to shuck. I was incorrect.

I start shucking and hope
their raw form
can really come through

in this light salad
that I'm putting
on top of the dish.

-I'm a little worried
about Chef Behzad.
-Why is that?

When you try to do
too many things, you're not
going to hit it all perfectly.

[Nyesha] Sure.

Wow!

Oh, no!
That does not look good.

Looks like Chef Carlos has
too much color on his pork.

[Kwame] That pork is raw.

-Wow! Is it?
-Yeah.

Yeah, but on the outside,
it's burnt.

That's a huge concern.

He seems happy about it.

I hear you, judges.
I hear you.

I can hear the judges
squawking about my pork
being overcooked,

but I know this pork
is perfect.

So I cherry pick all
the best pieces.

Chefs, we got five minutes
to go. Come on.

Stress, stress. [groans]

I pulled the fourth pita bread
and I saw that
it was charred on the outside.

So I run back to my station,
build another dough

and I know those
few minutes are now
taking out of my plating time.

We have no plates
at Chef Behzad's station.

-No way!
-Come on, chefs.

Come on, Behzad. You got this.

What does snack cake cereal
taste like, please,
from the snack herself?

[Nyesha] There's some
sweetness elements.

For me, I would use it
for its sweetness.

Maybe in place of sugar.

Also, it's crunchy.
So you could make some
sort of crust.

Chefs, you have one minute,
60 seconds!

Go!

[Ashley] In the final minute,
I see that snack cake cereal

so I decided to sprinkle it
over my kiribath

to develop
a little bit more sweetness.

I really start thinking about
is this my best plate of food?

Is this next-generation
enough?

Oh, it looks like Chef Carlos
is just like running
when he's got seconds.

Carlos, what are you doing?
Get back to your station.

[Liza] Come on, Chef!

[panel cheering]

[Carlos] I grabbed gorgeous
red chili oil

just to really complete
my thought.

Chefs, this is where
you like me least.

Ten, nine, eight, seven, six,

five, four, three, two, one.

-Hands off!
-[Kwame]
Yeah, that's it, that's it.

The most important round
of your life.

-Nice finish, chefs. Nice.
-Wow!

I look like a human mess,
but I feel great inside.

Hopefully,
it's technically correct.

I have some fears
of like the...
the thickness of the pork,

but outside of that, I'm
incredibly proud of this dish.

So nervous.

I am worried about
the guaje beans.

I was kind of thrown for a
loop on what to do with those.

Chefs, you cooked up
your entree crate

that consisted of
snack cake cereal,
Berkshire pork loin,

guaje beans
and saganaki.

Chef Ashley.

Chefs, I have for you
a pork loin Sri Lankan curry
with saganaki kiribath.

[Kwame] Wow! This curry has
so much depth of flavor.

Now, these inedible
pieces of guaje.

Did you taste this?

Yeah, I should have peeled
and broken it down
a little bit.

Yeah, I mean you're supposed
to treat them
kind of like edamame.

And then I would have loved
to see more of that saganaki
in the rice

because it's lacking
a little bit of salt.

Thank you.

Yeah, this is a beautiful
plate of food here.

When I saw you put that snack
cake in, I thought,
"Wow, how inventive!"

But I tasted it and it falls
just a little bit short.

-I wanted just
a little seasoning.
-Yeah.

If I got on the edge
of the pork,
it was phenomenal.

But then I got into
the center, it was
a little bit undercooked.

-But I give you an A
for effort.
-Thank you.

Thank you, Chef Ashley.

Chef Behzad.

I made you a roasted pork
pita bread

and a mixed topping
that has the beans

as well as a few fresh herbs
on top.

[Nyesha] Your pork is cooked
quite nicely,

but where did you use
your guaje?

Essentially in the herb
topping on top.

I love herb salads,
but like you used mint.

You have tarragon.
And then you have...

-[Kwame]
Why is there tarragon?
-Exactly.

[Nyesha]
Where's the kitchen sink?

And if we're going to
present pork in this style,
maybe just dice it, right?

So that there's pork
throughout.

My first instinct was to
cut down the pork.

Unfortunately, all I have is
what is in front of me, right?

This is not a
shoulda-woulda-coulda game.

My first bite was full
of that cheese,
so it was so sharp.

It blew my palate out.

You can have
great components, right?

But they have to
come together,
they have to sing in harmony.

[Esdras] I think the pork is
cooked perfectly,

really extracted
the maximum flavor.

I thought it was very clever
the way you used the cereal
and it was well plated.

-Good job, Chef.
-Thank you, Chef.

[Liza] Chef, I want to know
who you think here is
your biggest competition.

I think you have to be
your own biggest competition.

We don't want that
PC answer.

-[Liza] Give us more!
-Come on.

Honestly, the truth is
both of them.

This is what the
next generation is about.

You're not necessarily
looking at everyone
in terms of like competition,

but looking at everyone
in terms of encouragement.

-[Liza] Thank you,
Chef Behzad.
-Thank you so much.

Chef Carlos,
what you got cooking up?

Today, I made for you
a wood fire-roasted pork loin

and buttermilk saganaki
polenta.

[Esdras] Chef Carlos.

I love this dish, man.

The acidity, the oil,
everything was properly
thought out.

You climbed back from
the beginning with that taco.

You would have put this on
that taco, it would have been
a different story, yeah?

I think you showed
a lot of restraint.

You focused on
less ingredients
and made them great.

You really elevated this
simple guaje and enhanced it,
right, with that green bean.

That's what that green bean
did for that beautiful
mystery crate ingredient.

-Great job.
-Chef Kwame.

Carlos, I'm really struggling
with this dish.

I'm struggling
to find the words to tell you
how great it is.

Like, you took that snack
time cereal and burnt it.

-Caramelized.
-No, no, you burnt it.

But what you did, you added
a level of complexity to it

and it worked so well
with that pork loin.

The only thing I'm missing
is the saganaki

because that would have
seasoned your polenta
a little bit more.

Thank you.

Well, chefs. Let's let the
judges make up their minds.

[Behzad] I'm definitely
really nervous.

I don't think I've ever seen
the beans in my life,

so I think there's a chance
that I might go home.

[Carlos] When you cook food,
you put so much heart into it,

and I think maybe that's
what I was missing
in the first round.

In this round, I really put
everything I could
onto that plate.

So whose dish is
on the chopping block?

-Chef Behzad,
you have been chopped.
-[mouthing] Wow.

Judges.

Chef Behzad, what you brought
in this kitchen today

is what is going to take your
generation to the next level,
but a few misses.

That guaje was completely
missing and the snack cake
cereal ate a little too sweet.

And for these reasons,
you've been chopped.

It's been a pleasure
to cook for you all.

-Guys, thanks a lot.
-Thank you, Chef.

-Thanks, guys.
-Take care.

I think I was very ambitious,
but I have no regrets.

I don't think I've had
a better time
cooking in my life.

All right, chefs.
This is the talking block,
all right.

When I pass this to you,
you're going to answer
this question. Are you ready?

All right. So what pieces of
advice would you give
to competing chefs?

Stick to their g*ns.
Cook with their heart.

Season their food.

It is important to bring
something new to the table.

How are we innovating?

[Liza] There you go.
I like that.

The best advice I could give
to the chefs is

to be confident
within yourself,
because look around you,

everybody is top-notch.

[Liza] There we go. Beautiful.

Toss me
that talking block.

[producer] All right, judges,
we already did a walkthrough
with you all.

-We don't care. Never mind.
-Perfect.

We're good. And that's what
you should take onto Chopped
next year,

if you're ever competing.

You know, Ashley, it was
a very close call
between you and Behzad.

The dish that you gave us
in the first round

is one of the reasons
why you're still
standing here.

Yeah, you came out like
a warrior in the beginning.

I want to see it all again.

Chef Carlos, the other way
around, you started
very, very weak,

but redemption at its finest
on the second round.

In our lifetimes,
opportunities
may never return again.

This is your chance today.

Let's get it done, chefs.
Let's get it done.

-[Liza] Come on, chefs.
-There's nowhere to hide.

You got it. Elbows.

Chef Ashley, Chef Carlos,
congratulations you have
made it to the desert round.

This is the round where you
show us that you deserve
$10,000 in cash.

-Ready. Let's do it.
-All right, all right,
all right.

We got to bust open
those crates.

What the [bleep]!

Chef, we got lunch.

[Liza] Now, you may be asking,
"Oh, what is that?"

That is bibimbap.

This is quite
the curveball here.

-Yogurt.
-[Liza] You also have
oat milk yogurt.

Probiotic yogurt,
good for your gut, everyone.

Beautiful.

[Liza]
Honey mangoes for you, honey.

Okay, bee pollen.

[Liza] And bee pollen.

Really great stuff
and then a bowl of rice.

Somebody put this
in the wrong crate.

Chefs, your final round.

Give it your all.

We're giving you 30 minutes
and that clock starts now.

-Get it! Let's go, let's go!
-[Esdras] Let's go!

-Carlos shot out of here
like a cannon.
-Uh-huh.

Came in hot.

Bibimbap, flaming hot!
Let's go!

What is that?
Someone tell me, please.

Oh, my gosh. I would love to.

Bibimbap is actually
the national dish of Korea.

-Okay.
-It's extremely savory.

What I would do
is actually use that rice.

It's a great vessel
for flavor.

Yeah, you can turn it
into an ice cream.

You can make rice pudding.

[Carlos] Let's dismantle
the bibimbap.

Chef Carlos, I think he's
going to go with the rice.

[Carlos]
I'm looking at this bibimbap

and underneath all of these
really savory elements
is a beautiful rice.

I think of this rice pudding
that my grandmother
used to make.

Coconut milk might really
bring this together.

Flavor, baby.

I'm making a coconut
rice pudding
with a turmeric yogurt.

Can you spare a little sugar,
Chef?

Take it.

I'll be quick.

A rice pudding is definitely
a safe bet.

The interesting play would be
to elevate that rice pudding

in some kind of way
that we haven't seen before.

-Mmm.
-Mmm.

[Carlos] I know my coconut
rice is going to need
a lot of texture

and I think immediately
of dukkah an Egyptian
nut condiment.

I know the chefs want to see
the best out of me.

I'm going to go ahead
and hit them
with bold flavors.

A little wood fire
never hurt anybody.

I want to use marcona almonds
and cashews and I want to get
a real smoky flavor out of it.

[groans] Ugh.

I love fried desserts and
there's the whole bed of rice.
I could play with that.

My dish is rice fritters
with a cinnamon oat cream
and mango creme anglaise.

So, it looks like Chef Ashley
pulled that bibimbap apart
and she's using the squash.

I love that for her.
That's what we want
to see here today.

Innovation, and how
are you transforming
these mystery ingredients?

[Ashley] Zucchini is
definitely utilized
in zucchini bread,

sweet things and I'm thinking
this will really go great
with my fritter.

For the mango creme anglaise,
I decided to add
ancho chilies.

It reminded me of growing up
and getting chili mango
on the street corner.

I'm definitely feeling like
I need to step up my game
in the desert round

and really show what I've got.

The interesting thing about
all of this play on chili

is that it is not a crate
ingredient.

So, now, you're giving us an
extra thing to judge you on.

And $10,000 is on the line.

Right, and the title.

Time.

Chefs, you have less
than 15 minutes.

-Half time! Come on, chefs.
-[Nyesha] We're halfway
through already!

Up, up, up, up, up,
up, up, up, spice.

America always loves
a comeback and I'm incredibly
proud of Carlos.

I mean, he really brought it
the last round.

That dish was like
restaurant quality.

[Nyesha] He really did.

Now Ashley on the other hand,
she's just putting all of her
soul into this food.

She's putting her country
on her back.

It's anyone's game
at this point.

I forgot my cashews
in the oven.

They're burnt.

They go right into the trash.

I just keep questioning,
is this a $10,000 dish?

It needs more pizzazz.

So, I fold the honey mango
into the dukkah and it makes
this awesome mix.

So good!

Honey mangoes, are those
sweeter than normal mangoes?

Yeah. That is a
superior mango.

It's like a mango that's
at the top of the season.

-[Nyesha] Absolutely.
-Right. Right.

Chefs, you have exactly
ten minutes left.

-Come on. Let's go.
-Ten minutes.

[Ashley] Creme anglaise is
basically emulsifying yolks
and cream.

It's very sensitive to heat.

It could curdle if you're not
really watching it.

Chef Ashley just added
egg yolk to that scolding
hot milk there.

-I hope that does
not scramble.
-[Kwame] Did she temper it in?

-She didn't temper it.
-Oh, no!

She's probably hoping
to just mix that free hand.

Five minutes, chefs.
Your final five, come on.

[Ashley] So, I go over to
the fryer to fry my fritters,

but Chef Carlos is using
the one on the right.

There's still a fryer
on that side, right?

So, I run over on the
other side of the kitchen.

[panel cheering]

In that short amount of time
the base for my creme anglaise
was completely ruined

and I'm definitely feeling
nervous because I need to
prove women of color

deserve to be considered
some of the best chefs.

[Nyesha] Chef Ashley looks
a little stressed.

Her Anglaise is breaking down.

This is going
incredibly wrong.

Luckily, there were no
mystery ingredients
in that creme anglaise yet

and I had the base for it
which was the
ancho mango puree.

I added a little olive oil to
that to just make it more
of a sauce consistency.

Chefs, you have
three minutes left.

-[Kwame] Who's going to be
the Next GenerationChampion?
-That's right.

-Is it going to be you,
Ashley?
-Yes, Chef.

-Is it going to be you,
Carlos?
-Yes, Chef.

-There you go.
-Yes, Chef.

[Liza] Tell me about
bee pollen.

[Kwame] Bee pollen is
pretty floral.

You know, it kind of has like
the flavor of the skin
of a grape.

So I focus my attention
on my turmeric yogurt.

I add ground bee pollen
and honey to the yogurt.

I want it to really give some
color and pop to the dish.

[Ashley] I want to enhance
the fritter with like a golden
milk powder,

so I grab turmeric,
and cinnamon, bee pollen
and smoked paprika.

This is my best foot forward
in terms of big bold flavors.

-[Liza] 30 seconds left.
Come on.
-Come on, chefs.

[Kwame] Bring it!

Oh-oh, the microgreens
are out.

There we go.
The next generation of chefs
loves microgreens.

-Mmm-hmm.
-Final seconds coming in hot
and ten, nine, eight, seven...

-Don't stop. Don't stop.
-...six, five, four, three,
two, one.

-Hands up!
-All right. All right.
[laughing]

-Come on, chefs.
-Yo, great job, y'all,
great job.

I've never made anything
like this before in my life,
but I feel great.

This is absolutely
a $10,000 dish.

[Ashley] I wish I plated it
a little bit better,
but I'm proud of it.

This is showing the flavors
that I grew up eating,
but challenging as well,

so hopefully, it's
next-generation enough to win.

Chef Ashley and Chef Carlos,
you whipped up desserts
using bibimbap,

oat milk yogurt, honey mangoes
and bee pollen.

Chef Carlos, tell us what
you're serving up for dessert?

So, I made you a coconut
rice pudding with a
honey mango dukkah

and a little turmeric
honey yogurt.

[Esdras] I think it's really
cool presentation, man.

You kind of showed off
a little bit at the end and I
thought it was very clever

that you used the mango
to sweeten up the dish.

But I wish it would have been
a little bit sweeter.

Maybe perhaps
incorporate a little bit
of the bee pollen.

Lots of good stuff, right?

But tasting a lot of turmeric.

If you use too much of it,
it becomes medicinal.

The bee pollen, lost.

I don't know that there's
bee pollen in this dish.

[Nyesha] Absolutely.

And we have to make sure that
everything on the plate has
depth of flavor, right?

A little vanilla, a little
nutmeg, these are flavors that
help amplify your basic rice.

Um, but you did a lot here
which is beautiful.

[mouths] Thank you.

So Chef Carlos, why do you
want this win so bad?

My family has been through
a lot, um, to get me here.

To show them how far
I've come and, you know,

who I am now, as a chef
and as a man,
is so important to me.

Chef Ashley.

I have for you guys a rice
batter fritter and an ancho
mango sauce

with a cinnamon oat cream
and a golden milk
bee pollen dust.

[Kwame] You know, Chef,
you put zucchini in there.

You know, it reminds me of my
grandmother's zucchini bread
which is delicious.

Thank you, Grandma.

-Microgreens,
I don't get them.
-Yeah.

That's something that I think
a lot of young chefs just like
to throw on for pops of color.

Okay, so the texture around
the outside, right?

-The smaller pieces are nice,
but the inside reads dense.
-Okay.

Just a little too cakey,
right?
And not in a pleasant way.

But this bee pollen powder is
absolutely phenomenal.

-I think that is the strongest
component of your dish.
-Okay.

I could grab my rice fritter
and I could dip it in
two options of sauces.

I think that's playful.
Even though you went to
plan B, I think it's good.

-Thank you, Chef.
-Mmm-hmm.

So, Chef Ashley,
why do you want this win?

I think that I'm very small.

I'm very nice and I just want
people to know that I don't
cook small, that I cook big.

-[Nyesha] Yeah, girl.
-I love that. Go ahead.

All right, chefs, we will let
you know a decision very soon.

-Thank you.
-Thank you.

[Ashley] Hi!

I'm good. I'm excited.

I made it to the finals.

So we'll see what happens.

-Oh, congratulations!
Good luck.
-Thanks.

-You're gonna do well.
-Thanks, Mom.
Thanks, guys. Love you.

-Bye, love you.
-Bye.

Just saw my family.

It's overwhelming. I just feel
like I... they worked...

my parents at least
have worked so hard for me
my whole life

so that I could follow
my dreams.

Let's start
with the appetizer.

Chef Carlos came out
with a taco.

I wasn't impressed whatsoever.

I liked the salsa.

-[Kwame]
But it was a boring dish.
-Sure.

Now, on the other hand,
Ashley, she came out swinging.

[Nyesha] When I placed that
velvety delicious soup
in my mouth,

my palate was completely
stimulated.

-We all cleaned out the bowl
and that was a very good sign.
-[Kwame] But the entree.

[Nyesha] My pork was
cooked perfectly,

but Chef Kwame's was
damn near raw, right?

However, the flavors were
really, really great.

The sauce was great.
The pork was actually seasoned

-the best of any competitor
that round.
-Agreed.

And then Chef Carlos' entree.

[Kwame] I thought Chef Carlos
redeemed himself from
the first round.

Adding the saganaki
to the polenta for salinity,

using the guaje beans
as a fresh ingredient in like
this... this green salsa.

-Oh, loved it.
-Yeah.

I know this is
a tough decision to make

and these two talents
did not make it any easier.

-Yes, Chef.
-[Nyesha] Definitely.

-Yes, Chef.
-[Esdras] Yes.

Si,Chef. Okay.

[Ashley] I feel like I won
because I'm just very happy,

but I don't know if I won.

I think Carlos is an
incredible competitor.

Man, Ashley is
an absolute warrior,

but I think I was born to be
theNext Gen Champion.

Let's see! Ahh!

So, whose dish is on
the chopping block?

Chef Ashley,
you have been chopped.

Chef Ashley, you set the bar
with that first round,

but Chef Carlos showed us
he's the comeback kid.

And your fritter,
it was dense.

And for those reasons,
you've been chopped.

Thank you, Chef.

-Thank you.
-[Nyesha] Thank you, Chef.

I'm definitely bummed
that I didn't end up winning,

but I'm really proud of the
chances that I took and kind
of staying true to who I am.

And that means, Chef Carlos,

you are our
Chopped Next GenChampion.

-Let's go!
-[Kwame] Let's go! Let's go!

-You going on a trip?
-How do you feel?

I feel spectacular.

You're taking this
generation places, Chef.

It's so gratifying to know
that my hard work pays off.

This is just the beginning.

I'll take this with me for
the rest of my career

and I just couldn't be
more happy.

-All right, Chef. Well done.
-Let's go, Chef. Let's go.
Go get 'em.

-Thank you.
-[Kwame] We'll see you
on the other side.