| Grill Masters: Part One | |
| Season 12, Episode 9 | |
 | |
| Air date | July 22, 2012 |
| Winner | Ray "Dr. BBQ" Lampe |
| Episode Guide | |
| previous Food Network Stars! |
next Grill Masters: Part Two |
In this first-of-its-kind Chopped tournament event, the competition goes west for a fierce five-part showdown, where the greatest griller of them all will walk away with $50,000. In the appetizer round, what will the first four grill masters make for the judges with cookies and yak steaks? A giant surprise awaits the competitors in the entree basket, as one chef must muster up the confidence to create a dish using an ingredient he has never prepared and another ingredient he cannot stand. Chocolate meets fruit in a desert dessert duel; will everything go peachy for the competitors?
Contestants[]
- Ray "Dr. BBQ" Lampe, Competitive Barbecue Champion, St. Petersburg, FL
- Jennifer Duncan, Caterer and Competitive Barbecue Champion, Whiskey Ranch BBQ/Pitmaster, Smoked To The Bone BBQ Team, Gilbert, AZ
- Tommy Duncan, Caterer and Competitive Barbecue Champion, Whiskey Ranch BBQ, Gilbert, AZ
- Galen Zamarra, Chef and Restaurateur, Mas (Farmhouse), New York, NY
Judges[]
Meal[]
Appetizer[]
Ingredients: Yak Steaks, Mesquite Syrup, Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies, Tuscan Kale
Galen made Grilled Yak with Kale Salad & Cookie Mayonnaise. Galen's use of the cookies in a mayonnaise is praised, and his yak is cooked perfectly. The judges love his sophisticated approach to the appetizer, although they wish that he had charred the kale more.
Tommy made Grilled Yak with Peanut Butter Cookie Kale Pesto. The judges like his creative use of the kale as a pesto and the peanut butter cookie as the pine nut element. His yak was less successful, and his dish lacks refinement.
Jen made Grilled Yak Steak with Pig Candy & Kale Salad. The judges like her fresh salad to counteract the charred meat. Her steak is overcooked, and the pig candy was unsuccessful, with Marc getting a raw piece of bacon.
Ray made Cookie Crusted Yak with Mesquite Flavored Salsa. Ray's dish is beautiful, with perfectly cooked yak and delicious charred tomatoes for his salsa. His kale has a burnt petrol flavor.
The first person chopped in the Grill Master tournament is Chef Jen for her extremely overcooked yak and failure with the pig candy.
Entrée[]
Ingredients: California Halibut, Sauerkraut, Frozen French Fries, Mexican Chorizo
Tommy made Grilled Halibut with Apple Sauerkraut & Fries. For his time cooking fish, Tommy does a great job, although his portion of it is too small. The judges love his sauerkraut. His flavor profile doesn't come together.
Galen prepared Halibut Medallions with Smoked Potatoes & Hash. His fish is well cooked and creatively wrapped in romaine. He is also praised for smoking his fish to get flavor into his mashed potatoes. The complaint is that his dish lacks sauce.
Ray made Halibut with Chorizo Sweet Potato Hash. The judges love his hash and BBQ sauce, which is an amazing way to reinvent the sauerkraut juice. The only complaint comes from Aarón who felt he should have used the sauerkraut itself, which the other judges disagree with.
It is a tough decision, but it eventually leads to Chef Tommy being chopped. Although his fish is good, there isn't enough, the fries weren't crispy, and the judges didn't get a complete entrée.
Dessert[]
Ingredients: Oil-Cured Black Olives, Peaches, Piloncillo, Chocolate Graham Cracker Pies
Ray made a Dessert Quesadilla with Peach & Olive Compote. Ray does an excellent job drawing flavor out of the peach, yet still having texture in his compote. The only complaint is that his dessert is a little too sweet and heavy.
Galen made Grilled Peach Tart with Candied Olives & Orange Caramel. His dish is very creative and the presentation is nice. Galen didn't coax enough flavor out of the peach, as well as the tart is too soggy and the olive is too strong.
In the end, the judges chop Chef Galen for not bringing out the big bold flavors that Ray did. Ray is made Chopped Champion and gets the first spot in the Grill Masters finale.
Gallery[]
Notes[]
- Jen and Tommy are husband and wife.
| Chopped Season 12 | |
| << Season 11 • Season 13 >> | |
| #01 Grilltastic! | #10 Grill Masters: Part Two |
| #02 Sunny Side Apps | #11 Belly Dance! |
| #03 A Guts Reaction | #12 Grill Masters: Part Three |
| #04 Chocolate Challenge | #13 Cake Walk? |
| #05 Pride of New Orleans | #14 Grill Masters: Part Four |
| #06 All-American Competition | #15 Oui, Oui, Confit |
| #07 Orzo it Seemed | #16 Grill Masters: Finale |
| #08 Food Network Stars! | #17 Drawing a Flank |
| #09 Grill Masters: Part One | |