| Best of the Best | |
| Season 2, Episode 11 | |
 | |
| Air date | September 15, 2009 |
| Winner | Einat Admony (advances) |
| Episode Guide | |
| previous The Ultimate Face-Off |
next All Stars Showdown |
Gotta tune in to find out who has the chops to be the Chopped Champion again! In this second installment in a special series, four winners return to battle for superiority in the kitchen. When the chefs present their cockles appetizers, the judges must do some investigating; one of the chefs may or may not have gotten every mystery item into the dish. Then for the entrée course, along with ground chicken and apples, the judges find a disgusting shocker on one of the chefs' plates. And when The Big Cheese of La Mancha finds its way into the Dessert Basket, who will be the Big Winner? One of the finalists makes a napoleon, while the other chef takes a more avant-garde approach.
Contestants[]
- James Briscione, Chef Instructor, Institute of Culinary Education, New York, NY, returning champion
- Pippa Calland, Owner and Chef, Chef for Hire LLC, Newville, PA, Tofu, Blueberries, Oysters
- Gavin Mills, Executive Chef, Broadway East, New York, NY, Chocolate, Mussels and Figs
- Einat Admony, Chef and Owner, Taïm, New York, NY, Banana, Collard Greens, Grits
Judges[]
Meal[]
Appetizer[]
Ingredients: Cockles, Kohlrabi, Pita Bread
James made Fried Cockles, with Kohlrabi Yogurt Slaw, and Pita Crostini. The cockles were amazing, and his Slaw was great. However his crostini was burnt.
Pippa made A Pan-Seared Cockle Pita Wrap. Pippa forgot to use the Kohlrabi. Her presentation was hands down the best. However her Cockles were undercooked, and her wrap yearned for a sauce.
Gavin made A Cockle Kohlrabi Salad with Pita Croutons and Citrus Vinaigrette. His dish was delicious from the beautifully cooked cockles to the delicious croutons and vinaigrette. The only complaint is it was very safe.
Einat made A Spiced Cockle-Kohlrabi Curry, with Naan inspired Lavash. The Spice was wondrous. Her Cockles were nice however the kohlrabi was lost in her dish. Her dish was way too much for an appetizer.
Chopped: Pippa. The judges loved her talent however there were too many errors, the biggest one was forgetting an ingredient.
Entrée[]
Ingredients: Ground Chicken, Green Tea Leaves, Mustard Oil, Braeburn Apples
Gavin made Chicken Tostadas, with Tea Leaf Mustard Oil Salsa, and An Apple Dumpling. The Tostata was nice, however his Salsa was appalling, and the dumpling did not go with the dish. Jody found a raw piece of dumpling dough on her plate.
Einat made Ground Chicken Feta Meatballs, over Penne, with Apple Tea Leaf Marinara, and Mustard Oil Garlic Bread. Scott was delighted by her pasta. Her marinara was very flavorful, and her meatballs showed her style in them. Her Garlic Bread was very overpowering.
James made A Chicken Flatbread, with Tea Leaf Mustard Oil Apple Pesto. The Dough was done nicely. The Chicken was cooked well however the pesto was too strong.
Chopped: Gavin because of the raw dough on Jody´s plate, and his dish did not live up to the standards he set for himself in Round 1.
Dessert[]
Ingredients: Chocolate Wafers, Manchego Cheese, Passionfruit, Goji Berries
James made A Chocolate Wafer Goji Berry Napoleon, with A Manchego Mousse, and Passion Fruit Jalapeno Salsa. The Salsa was the best part. However his napoleon was soggy and not sweet, while his mousse was too sweet because of the amount of sugar he added. The Portion was too small.
Einat made A Platter of Desserts which were Manchego Goji Berry Wontons, Passion Fruit Chiffon Cake, and A Chocolate Wafer Lava Donut. The Judges love the ambition of making 3 desserts in 30 minutes. The Donut was the best part with the perfect amount of sweetness and a nostalgic feel to it. Her wontons were underdone however tasted great. Sadly, her chiffon cake was where she fell, while it tasted okay it fell apart and was too sweet. Her dessert needed a fresh element.
Chopped: James due to the errors throughout his meal leaving an overjoyed Einat as the winner.
Gallery[]
Notes[]
| Chopped Season 2 | |
| << Season 1 • Season 3 >> | |
| #01 Salty Veggies & Heated Battles | #08 A Wish Upon a Starfruit |
| #02 High Hopes | #09 Buckwheat Blunders and Twists of Fate |
| #03 Floundering Around | #10 The Ultimate Face-Off |
| #04 Pride on the Plate | #11 Best of the Best |
| #05 Pretty Please With a Pepper on Top | #12 All Stars Showdown |
| #06 A Prickly Situation | #13 Bring It! |
| #07 Pods, Grills and Sticky Fingers | |