EPISODE #1: First Impressions. 15 To Start.
HAPPENING DURING THE PANDEMIC. THE KITCHEN IS LARGE 'CAUSE OF
SPACING. WAITERS ARE WEARING MASKS. NO IN STORE FOOD SHOPPING.
HOST: Padma Lakshmi.
JUDGES: Tom Colicchio,
Gail Simmons.
PRIZE: A Feature in Food & Wine magazine,
An Appearance at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, CO,
$250,000,
The Title of Top Chef.
PLACE: Portland, Oregon
HOTEL: Kimpton Monaco Hotel
PLAYERS (15)
1. BRITTANY ANDERSON Richmond, VIRGINIA
2. AVISHAR BARUA Columbus, OHIO
3. DAWN BURRELL (original from Lansdowne, Pa, my hometown) Houston, TEXAS
4. GABE ERALES Austin, TEXAS
5. NELSON GERMAN Oakland, CALIFORNIA
6. SASHA GRUMMAN Houston, TEXAS
7. ROSCOE HALL Birmingham, ALABMA
8. SARA HAUMAN Portland, OREGON
9. KIKI LOUYA Detroit, MICHIGAN
10. MARIA MAZON Tucson, ARIZONIA
11. SHOTA NAKAJIMA Seattle, WASHINGTON
12. GABRIEL PASCUZZI Portland, OREGON
13. JAMIE TRAN Las Vegas, NEVEDA
14. CHRIS VIAUD Milford, NEW HAMPSHIRE
15. BYRON GOMEZ Aspen, COLORADA
They arrived in the kitchen where Padma & Gregory was there.
GUEST JUDGE: Gregory Gourder, of Season - Boston.
QUICKFIRE CHALLENGE: Team Challenge - Create a dish highlighting each chef's must have ingredients from the boxes into one cohesive dish.
BLUE TEAM: Chris - Butter, Shota - Kombu & Roscoe - Rice Vinegar,
YELLOW TEAM: Brittany - Gruyere Cheese, Gabriel - Caul Fat, Maria - Mexican Chocolate,
RED TEAM: Avishar - mom's Chutney, Byron - Mushroom Powder & Nelson - Plantains,
GREEN TEAM : Jamie - Fish Sauce, Gabe - Masa & Dawn - Smoked Trout Roe,
BROWN TEAM: Kiki - Hot Peppers, Sara - Salted Anchovies & Sasha - Meyer Lemons.
- BOTTOM 2: Blue & Green.
- TOP 2 Brown & Yellow.
WINNER: Brown - have Immunity & an advantage.
ELIMINATION CHALLENGE: Create a dish featuring a game bird found in Oregon: Quail, Duck,
Chucker, Turkey & Squab. In Blind Tasting. 30 minutes to shop online . Tomorrow 3 hrs to prep & cook. Held at: Oregon Museum of Science & Industry.
GUEST JUDGE: Melissa King - Winer of Season 17.
JUDGES' TABLE:
TOP 4: Gabriel, Shota, Gabe & Sara.
WINNER: Sara.
BOTTOM 4: Sasha, Roscoe, Jamie & Avishar.
ELIMINATED: Roscoe.
EPISODE #2: Trouble Brewing. 14 Left.
START OFF: In the Kitchen with Padma & the All-Starts Judges.
Top Chef Diner. - Honor Short Order Cooks.
QUICKFIRE CHALLENGE: Make a Breakfast ordered by one of the All-Stars Judges in 30 minutes.
- Byron & Gabe - Steak & Eggs Won - Gabe
- Shota & Avishar - Won - Shota
- Jamie & Sara - Shrimp & Grits Won - Jamie
- Maria & Gabriel - Spam & Fried Rice Won Gabriel
- Brittany & Kiki Won Brittany
- Sasha & Dawn - Eggs & Veggie Hash Won Sasha
- Nelson & Chris - "Kitchen Sink" Won Chris.
WINNER: Jamie - has Immunity.
ELIMINATION CHALLENGE: Create a dish highlighting either coffee or beer in 2 1/2 hours
NEXT DAY: Arrived At: Red Star Tavern - Tom was there.
- NEW TWIST: To The Elimination Challenge. will work in pairs to create a new dish featuring both beer & coffee.
- Jamie & Kiki Avishar & Shota Brittany & Sasha Nelson & Maria Sara & Gabe Byron & Chris
Dawn & Gabriel.
JUDGES TABLE:
WINNING PAIR: Avisha & Shota.
ELIMINATED: Sasha.
EPISODE #3: Pan African Portland. 13 LEFT.
START OFF: In the Stew Room.
NEXT DAY: In the Kitchen - Padma is there.
GUEST JUDGE: Carrie Baird, Top Chef - Colorado.
QUICKFIRE CHALLENGE: Create a layered dessert inspired by Talenti Gelato. in 45 minutes.
PRIZE: Immunity & $10,000.
- BOTTOM 3: Brittanny, Kiki, & Maria.
- TOP 3: Byron, Avishar, & Sarah.
WINNER: Avishar.
ELIMINATION CHALLENGE: Enter Kwame of Top Chef - California & Gregory - Top Chef - Boston. Are taking the Chefs on tour of Restaurants in Portland serving Pan African food.
- Create a dish inspired by Pan African cuisine. Individual & Served at Lovely Rita in Hoxton Hotel.
( I am surprised & happy that Top Chef is recognizing the African American especially being in Portland at the time of the riots)
DAY 1: Prep the food.
DAY 2: Cook the food at the hotel. in 1 1/2 hour.
JUDGES' TABLE:
GUEST JUDGE: Gregory & Kwame.
- TOP 3: Dawn, Jamie & Shota.
WINNER: Dawn.
- BOTTOM 3: Kiki, Brittanny & Chris.
ELIMINATED: Brittanny.
EPISODE #4: Thrown for a Loop. 12 Left.
START OFF: The Chef's house - Waking Up.
ARRIVED AT: In the Kitchen - Padma & Dale of Season - Chicago.
QUICKFIRE CHALLENGE: Campbell Soup.
- Create a dish evoking a food memory using Campbell's Soup in 30 minutes.
PRIZE: Immunity & $10,000.
JUDGE: Dale fro Season - Chicago.
- BOTTOM: Nelson, Shota & Kiki
- TOP: Gabe, Sara & Chris.
WINNER: Chris with Grilled Cheese Sandwich.
ELIMINATION CHALLENGE: Padma tells them about Oregon's Fruit Loop, not the cereal, 33 miles scenic route thru Hood River Valley, part of the Mt. Hood & Columbia River Gorge region. Tomorrow head to Mountain View Orchards.
NEXT DAY: Arrived At: Mountain View Orchards
- Create a savory dish featuring locally grown, hand-picked fruits.
- Carrie & Melissa, S-17 Winner.
- No vegetables in the pantry.
- Tom arrived to see what they are doing.
JUDGES TABLE:
JUDGES: Carrie & Melissa.
- TOP 3: Gabriel, Chris & Gabe.
WINNER: Gabe.
- BOTTOM 3: Kiki, Nelson & Avishar.
ELIMINATED: Kiki - cook like she is home. Does not like time cooking.
EPISODE $5: Meet You at the Drive - In. 11 left.
START OFF: In The Stew Room - Discussing the elimination. These chefs SEEM do not have the killer instinct in them.
NEXT DAY: Padma & Amar of Season- California. The kitchen is decorated with Roses. Portland adopted the names City of Roses in 2013.
QUICKFIRE CHALLENGE: GUEST JUDGE: Amar.
- Create a dish paying tribute to the mother figure in your lives & must incorporate roses or rose-flavored ingredients.
- BOTTOM 3: Maria, Sara & Nelson.
- TOP 3: Byron, Chris & Gabe.
WINNER: Chris - immunity & an Advantage.
ELIMINATION CHALLENGE: Feed 50 cars by creating an elevated drive-in movie dish inspired by a movie genre: Comedy, Action, Horror, Drama, Sci-Fi, & Romance.
- Chris get to pick his team.
GREE TEAM:
Byron - Comedy, Dawn - Drama, Maria - Action, Gabe - Horror & All - Romance.
YELLOW TEAM: Jamie, Chris, Gabriel, Shota, Nelson & Sara.
- Tied Score - The winning team will be decided by the wining dish.
JUDGES' TABLE:
- WINNING DISH: Byron - won $10,000 of the Green Team.
ELIMINATED: Jamie.
EPISODE #6: Stumptown, U.S.A. 10 LEFT.
START OFF: I the Chef's residence - getting ready.
ENTER the kitchen - finds kitchen is decorated as a forest
. Padma & Tom are there.
QUICKFIRE CHALLENGE: Tom's favorite - Mushroom. Stumptown is the nickname of Portland, which the chefs must prepare their dish on a tree stump. Create a dish featuring local Oregon's mushrooms in 30 minutes.
PRIZE: $10,000 & No Immunity.
- BOTTOM: Chris, Nelson & Byron.
- TOP: Gabriel, Dawn & Gabel.
WINNER: Gabriel.
WELCOME BACK: Dale Talde, S- Chicago.
ELIMINATION CHALLENGE: Indigenous People. SURF & TURF.
- Create a surf & Turf dish featuring local proteins.
- Nelson/ Gabriel - Trout & Antelope,
- Sara/ Shota - Smelt & Rabbits,
- Maria/Byron - Elk & Salmon,
- Avishar/Chris - Deer & Sturgeon,
- Gabel/ Dawn - Catfish & Bison.
The chefs are sent out Cascade Locks to meet experts. Tomorrow they will prep & cook in 3 hours there. DOUBLE ELIMINATION.
JUDGES' TABLE:
GUEST JUDGE: Dale Talde.
- TOP PAIRS: Gabe/Dawn
Sara/ Shota.
WINNER: Sara & Shota.
BOTTOM: the Other e Pairs.
ELIMINATED: Nelson & Gabriel.
- Shown during the Last Kitchen - Nelson was too hurt from earlier episode & went to the hospital. He quit.
EPISODE #7: Feeding the Front Lines. 8 Left.
START OFF: The Chefs Enter the kitchen where Padma & Melissa are there. This is an episode which focus on the Pandemic.
LAST KITCHEN WINNER ENTER: Jamie. 9 Left.
QUICKFIRE CHALLENGE: Take a second chance on a past failed dish using ingredients from 2nd chance Marketplace.
GUEST JUDGE: Melissa.
PRIZE: Last Immunity.
- BOTTOM 3: Maria, Byron & Avishar.
- TOP 3: Dawn, Shota & Gabe.
WINNER: Shota got the Last Immunity.
ELIMINATION CHALLENGE:
- Jose Andres, Chef & Founder of World Central Kitchen explain his organization.
GUEST JUDGE: Kwame.
- Create a dish to be delivered to the front lines, the nurses doctors, etc.. workers. (COVID-19) Make 65 portions include proteins, vegetables & starch or grain.
DAY 1: Start prep & Cooking.
DAY 2: 2 hours left to cook.
- All Stars will deliver the meals.
JUDGES' TABLE:
- TOP 3: Dawn, Jamie & Sarah.
WINNER: Jamie.
- BOTTOM 3: Avishar, Chris & Maria.
ELIMINATED: Avishar.
EPISODE #8: Restaurant Wars. 8 Left.
START OFF: In the chef's house. Bryon received a phone call from home.
ARRIVED AT: The Redd on Salmon Street. - Padma & Greg & new judge, Kristen Kish, Winner of S-10, Seattle.
CHALLENGE: Restaurant Wars - Because of the Pandemic - can't have the public come in. Will have a Chef's Table & serve ONLY the judges and All Stars)
- In 2 teams create a chef's table restaurant concept and serve a 7 course progressive tasting menu.
PENNY: Dawn, Gabe, Sara & Chris.
KOKOSON: Jamie, Shota, Maria & Byson.
JUDGE'S TABLE:
- WINNING TEAM: Kokoson & MVP - Maria.
LOSER: didn't have a concept & didn't talk with the diners.
ELIMINATED: Sara.
EPISODE # 9: Portland-ia. 7 Left.
START OFF: In the Stu room after the elimination. Dawn is upset that she should done more.
NEXT DAY: The Chefs arrived in the kitchen where Padma is there & vintage equipment & stoves.
- ENTER: The Guest Judges: Carrie Brownstein & Fred Armisen of Portlandia
QUICKFIRE CHALLENGE: Create a dish that feature the ingredients you see here in 30 minutes using ONLY the vintage products. (I feel old, now since all the equipment I know).
- BOTTOM: Jamie & Chris.
- TOP: Gabe, Maria & Dawn.
WINNER: Dawn - has an advantage.
ELIMINATION CHALLENGE: GUEST JUDGES: Dale Talde & Richard Blais.
- Create a recipe that will only take 90 minutes to prepare & write it so a home cook can understand it & follow it.
- Present it at: Departure Restaurant & Lounge in The Nines Hotel.
- Dawn will get 15 minutes extra.
- The All- Stars will follow the recipes.
- Gregory & Gabe, Kristen & Maria, Kwame & Shota, Melissa & Chris
- Jamie & Gregory Kwame & Byron, Dawn & Kristen.
JUDGES TABLE:
- TOP: Maria, Shota, Gabe, Dawn.
WINNER: Gabe.
- BOTTOM: Jamie, Chris & Byron - were too Chef & made it hard for the home cook.
ELIMINATED: Chris - too many ingredients.
EPISODE #10: Tournament of Tofu. 6 Left.
START OFF: At Chef's Hotel - then they left for the kitchen. Padma, Richard Blais, Tom & Gail are there.
QUICK FIRE CHALLENGE: Chipotle.
- 30 minutes to Create custom dishes featuring judges preferred flavor combinations. Access to 53 ingredients from Chipotle.
PRIZE: $10,000.
- Gabe & Jamie cooking for Gail: Smoky & Charred,
- Byron & Dawn " " Tom: Tangy & Crunchy,
- Maria & Shota " " Padma : Spicy & Tart.
- Richard will pick the BEST DISH.
- Shota, Dawn & Gabe win.
BEST: Dawn.
THEN: Edward Lee S- Texas.
ELIMINATION CHALLENGE: Create dishes in a Tournament style face-off using different type of Tofu in 2 1/2 hours. Served At: Portland Japanese Garden. Make 3 dishes.
- Maria & Shota get Medium Tofu,
- Dawn & Gabe get Firm Tofu,
- Byron & Jamie get Extra Firm.
They get tour: Ota Tofu.
NEXT DAY: Arrived at: Japanese Garden.
- Shota, Gabe & Jamie win their round.
FRIED TOFU: Maria, Dawn & Byron.
- Dawn cut herself.
- Maria wins.
SOFT TOFU DESSERT ROUND: Dawn vs. Byron
ELIMINATED: Byron.
EPSIODE #11: Blind Ambitions. 5 Left.
START OFF: In the Stu Room discussing the Last Kitchen Event ( was seen on TV but online). Then they enter the kitchen to find 3 Black Doors & Padma.
QUICKFIRE CHALLENGE: Top Chef "France Style"
-in Teams on member enter the black box & taste without seeing the dish, then re-create it, then the other member enter the black box, then do the same thing
- Dawn & Brooke ( need another person),
- Shota & Gabe,
- Maria $ Jamie.
WINNING DISH: Dawn & Brooke.
THEN: Padma tells them she is giving the "Night Off" with silly grim.
ARRIVED AT: At the lounge of their hotel: Brooke & Kristen is there with 5 large boxes. The boxes turn out to be Care Packages from their families with ingredients in it.
ELIMINATION CHALLENGE: Prepare a dish using some of the ingredients from the care packages. SERVED: Scholl's Lodge in Tualatin Valley in 2 1/2 hours.
JUDGES' TABLE:
- TOP 3: Shota, Gabe & Dawn.
WINNER: Gabe
BOTTOM: Maria & Jamie.
EDLIMINATED: Maria - was too emotional to concentrate on cooking.
ESIPODE #12: The Cheesier the Better 4 Left.
FINAL FOUR: Shota, Gabe, Dawn & Jamie.
- Padma comes into the Stu Room & told the cooks to get a good night sleep - tomorrow they are going to the coast.
NEXT DAY: The four arrived in the kitchen - theme Oregon Trail. Padma & Gregory was there. Introducing their Guest Judge: Vitaly Paley, Awarding Winning of Portland.
QUICKFIRE CHALLENGE: Create a dish using only ingredients settlers would have had on the Oregon Trail. in 30 minutes.
PRIZE: An Advantage.
- BOTTOM: Shota & Dawn.
- TOP: Jamie & Gabe.
WINNER: Jamie.
Dale Talde & Chef Ed Lee entered the kitchen as Guest Judges.
ELIMINATION CHALLENGE: Cheese.
- Create a dish featuring cheddar cheese in 5 different ways in 3 hours Served at: Tillamook Creamery. (on the coast).
- Jamie has an extra 30 minutes.
JUDGES TABLES:
- WINNER: Shota - won $10,000 From Tillamook.
ELIMINATED: Jamie.
ESIPODE #13: Shellfishy Delicious. 3 Left.
START OFF: At Surfsand Resort at night. discussing the last challenge before going to sleep. BUT Padma comes early in the morning to wake them up for the last challenge.
LAST QUICK FIRE CHALLENGE: Clams - which they will dig themselves. Will meet Brooke Williamson at Yager Creek Flats in Netarks Bay when the tides are low. Cook Brooke & Padma a dish that features the local clams.
PRIZE: An Advantage.
NEXT DAY: ARRIVED AT: Netarks Bays - Brooke was there.
- Shota injured himself.
- WINNER: Gabe.
ENTER: Guest Judges: Nina Compton,
Kwame Onwuachi.
FINAL ELIMINATION CHALLENGE: Paying homage to James Beard who was from Portland.
- Cooking with one of favorite ingredient - Dungeness Crab one hot & one cold dish in 2 hours. Gregory will take them crabbing tomorrow.
NEXT DAY: ARRIVED AT: Kelly's Marina. to go crabbing.
NEXT DAY: ARRIVED AT: Wayfarer to cook & served. - Tom was there with video call fro Alice Waters who knew James Beard.
JUDGE'S TABLE:
- WINNER: Shota.
- BOTTOM: Dawn & Gabe.
ELIMINATED: No-One.
EPSIODE #14: The Next Top Chef Is...... 3 Left.
START OFF: The Final Three are at Willamette Valley Vineyards.
FINAL ELIMINATION CHALLENGE: Create a 4-Course Progressive Meal of your choice. Shopping at:
1. The farmers & local growers at Willamette
2. Shopping at Mount hood Territory growers.
Calling in Helpers for them: Byron, Maria & Jamie.
- Dawn get Jamie,
- Shota get Byron,
- Gabe get Maria.
- Dawn, again, forgot some items on some of the judges' plates.
Tomorrow: 6 hours to prep & cook at Willamette, following day 3 hours before service .
JUDGES TABLE:
THE WINNER IS: GABE. (not happy about it. I thought at least a minority will win.)
