| Champions' Tournament: Part 1 | |
| Season 9, Episode 1 | |
 | |
| Air date | August 30, 2011 |
| Winner | Wade Burch |
| Episode Guide | |
| previous A is for Apple. U is for Udon |
next Champions' Tournament: Part 2 |
Welcome back, champs! Four Chopped heroes return to action to see who can go up against the very best and win again. But this time, time becomes a very big challenge in the first round. Then with the sting of the judges' harsh criticisms fresh on their minds, the competitors face stinging nettles and antelope in the entrée round. And in the decisive last round, it is clear that both chefs are craving a chance to move on to the finale, but only one will prevail once the judges taste the pie crust desserts.
Contestants
- Wayne Lyons, Chef and Restaurateur, Soul Flavors, Jersey City, NJ
- Heather Priest, Personal Chef, Greenwich, CT
- James Gillespie, Culinary Instructor, New York, NY
- Wade Burch, Executive Chef, South West NY, New York, NY
Judges
Meal
Appetizer
Ingredients: Chinese Celery, Chickpeas, Preserved Lemons, Country Style Pâté
Chef Wade: Pâté Crostini with Chinese Celery Salad
Wade made country style pâté with a salad of Chinese celery leaves, preserved lemons, and green Garbanzos. Alex felt that she could be in a bistro in Paris and have a dish and have a dish like that, finding sense in the apples and mustard. Marcus remarked that Wade knew how to get his sweet, his sour, and also to play with his bitter. Geoffrey was a little disappointed that the bread was burnt, and felt that Wade took the easy way out by simply slicing the pâté. Wade defended that he used the fat from the pâté on the crostini and to sauté the celery, and that he tried to use the ingredients in as many ways as possible. Alex found that to be imaginative repurposing of the ingredients, but Geoffrey still felt that Wade needed to step it up.
Chef James: Penne Pasta w/ Pâté and Lemon Butter
James made penne pasta, with Chinese celery, Garbanzo beans, fresh country Pâté, and a lemon butter sauce. Alex loved the penne pasta, the delicious smoky bacon, delicious tomato, and the butter. However, when she thought about the basket ingredients, she found herself searching for them, almost as if James had made a dish, and then added the ingredients. Marcus admitted he wasn't sure if it was a $50,000 dish. Geoffrey did note that technically it was very well done, although it was something anybody could have done.
Chef Heather: Pâté Dumplings with Roasted Chickpeas
Heather prepared a pâté dumpling with a roasted chickpea and Chinese celery salad with a preserved lemon and rice vinegar. Alex liked that the ingredients in the dish were all integrated, and the roasted chickpeas had a nutty flavor to them, which showed that they had been transformed. Geoffrey loved the vinagrette, and to dress the dish with the celery leaves was a great idea. Marcus liked the idea of the wonton, but found that it was lacking in execution, as the wontons were soggy and a bit raw, due to Heather being unable to heat the oil in time.
Chef Wayne: Chinese Celery with Onions & Lemon
Wayne did a sautéed chinese celery with caramelized onions and lemon perserve. Wayne attempted to make croquettes out of the pâté and chickpeas, but he was unable to get them onto the plates in time. However, the judges did like what he was able to get on the plate. Geoffrey described it as whimsical, yummy, loved the caramel of the sugar, the chewiness of the celery, and the whole thing was very flavorful. He also loved the idea of the croquette. Alex particularly liked the lemon, which was thinly sliced and wove its way through the dish and could only imagine if the other two ingredients were there. Marcus complimented Wayne for his understanding of flavors, but he simply couldn't judge what was not on the plate. Geoffrey felt that what Wayne did with the ingredients was what a Chopped Champion should do, but Alex reminded him that a Champion needs to get all the ingredients on the plate.
Chopped: Chef Wayne was chopped. The judges agreed that Wayne was a true champion, but because two of the basket items didn't make it, they had no choice.
Entrée
Ingredients: Rack of Antelope, Stinging Nettles, Jicama, Port Wine Cheese
Chef James: Pan-Seared Antelope with Jicama & Potato Hash
James made a pan-seared antelope with a jicama and potato hash, and a port wine cheese sauce. Marcus thought it was fantastic: the crust on the chop was beautiful on the outside, and perfectly cooked on the inside, the best job out of all three. He also enjoyed that the golden raisins James added to the sauce enhanced the dish. Alex complimented James for his dish, finding it far more effective than his first course. Her one complaint was that the nettles got lost because arugula was made to be more of a forefront.
Chef Heather: Peruvian Antelope Chop with Cheese Polenta
Heather prepared a Peruvian rubbed, seared antelope chop with a port wine and nettle polenta, and a jicama slaw with nettles and cilantro on top. Geoffrey complimented Heather for searing the chop beautifully, liked the clean presentation, and loved the idea of the polenta, which gave richness to the lean antelope meat. He also felt she utilized all of the basket ingredients in the most effective and cogent manner. Alex liked her jicama slaw, feeling the cilantro illuminated the flavor of the nettles. The problem the judges had with her dish was that it needed a sauce. Heather explained that she tried to use the polenta as the saucy element, which Geoffrey remarked would have worked had there been more butter and cheese.
Chef Wade: Spice Antelope Rack w/ Carrots & Raspberries
Wade did a spice-rubbed and roasted antelope rack, a sweet potato and port wine cheese gratin, with bourbon glazed carrots mixed with the nettles, a jicama, black bean, chipotle relish, and a natural jut complimented by melted raspberries. Alex liked that Wade expressed himself in the elements given to him, and got all of the mystery ingredients showcased. The judges loved the sauce, Geoffrey complimenting its elegance, and Marcus finding it to be one of the best sauces he had ever had on a game dish. Marcus enjoyed the juiciness of the meat, the beauty of the nettles, and the flavor in the gratin. He did question having sweet potatoes and carrots on the same plate (Wade put sweet potatoes to get potatoes on the plate, mixing up Marc Murphy for Geoffrey). None of the judges liked the raspberries, Geoffrey finding them to taste like a cooked sponge. Marcus loved the jicama, but then there were the black beans. He loved the sauce, but then there were the raspberries.
Chopped: Chef Heather was chopped. The judges all loved her flavors, but decided to chop her due to her lack of sauce.
Dessert
Ingredients: Nopales, Sweet Potatoes, Pie Crust, Mezcal
Chef James: Sweet Potato Tart with Crème Anglaise
James made a sweet potato tart with a nopales crème anglaise and a Mezcal raspberry syrup. Geoffrey was impressed that James made a tart, and found the stuffing tasty. Alex liked the syrup, which was almost spicy, and the acidity went well against the crème anglaise. All of the judges, particularly Marcus, were angry with the pie crust: while cooking the tart, James accidentally set the oven to 500º, and as a result, the tart shell was raw and burnt at the same time.
Chef Wade: Sweet Potato Custard with Grilled Nopales
Wade made a warm sweet potato custard and grilled nopales, with a Mezcal, honey, butter glaze, and bizcochito cookies. Geoffrey found it to be quite delicious, and the custard to be like sweet potato rice pudding. Alex liked the cookies and how Wade got a condensed texture. Marcus's problem with the dish was the nopal leaf, which was incredibly bitter. Geoffrey admitted that he thought Wade shot himself in the foot by putting the huge paddle on the plate, which was so acrid.
Chopped: Chef James was chopped. The judges felt that in his first course, he made a course that he loved and then added the basket ingredients to it. In the second course, there was still some resistance to the mandatory ingredients. In the dessert, the tart shell was both burnt and raw, and for those reasons, James did not make it to the Grand Finale.