| Grill Masters: Part Three | |
| Season 12, Episode 12 | |
 | |
| Air date | August 5, 2012 |
| Winner | Ernest Servantes |
| Episode Guide | |
| previous Belly Dance! |
next Cake Walk? |
Four masters of the open flame compete for a chance to make it to the $50,000 finale fight. Advancing past the first round will require a lot of hard work in just 20 minutes, including opening oysters and defrosting blocks of creamed spinach. A tropical fruit lightens things up in the entree basket. Then with marshmallows in the dessert basket, s'mores come to mind for one of the last two chefs. Will the judges enjoy the campfire-inspired creation?
Contestants[]
- Ernest Servantes, Executive Chef, Texas Lutheran University/Barbecue Pitmaster, Burnt Bean Co., New Braunfels, TX
- Doug Keiles, Competitive Barbecue Champion and Pitmaster, Ribs Within BBQ Team, Hillsbourough, NJ
- Robyn Lindars, Chef and Blogger, "Grill Grrrl" food blog, Miami, FL
- Timothy Grandinetti, Chef and Restaurateur, Spring House Restaurant, Kitchen & Bar, Winston-Salem, NC
Judges[]
Meal[]
Appetizer[]
Ingredients: Oysters, Hearts of Palm, Creamed Spinach, Duck Bacon
Timothy made Oysters Rockefeller with Arugula Salad. Timothy creates a great modernized version of Oysters Rockefeller, with well cooked oysters and a nice salad. Aarón doesn't like the raw bell pepper in the salad.
Robyn presented Grilled Oysters with Sage Bacon & Spinach. The judges love her spinach and bacon mixture, which is flavorful and vibrant. Some of Robyn's oysters are so full of shell fragments they are inedible.
Ernest served his version of Queso Fundido with Hearts of Palm Pico de Gallo. Ernest creates a big hearty dish with some freshness in his pico de gallo. The judges love his elevation of the ingredients, although Aarón doesn't like the lime in the queso fundido, which gives bitterness.
Doug made Smoked Oyster & Duck Bacon Spinach Salad. For Doug's first time ever handling oysters, he does a great job. The judges like that he finished the dish with smoked salt. However, he only gave the judges one oyster each.
After deliberating, the judges chop Chef Robyn for the shards in her oysters.
Entrée[]
Ingredients: Rabbit, Eggplant, Pineapple, Puff Pastry Dough
Ernest did a Conejo Adobado with Sweet Potato Pineapple Succotash. The judges love his chili-braised rabbit, and the flavor of a true succotash. He works with the eggplant the less effectively of the round, and the wind caused him to have unseasoned puff pastry.
Doug made a Grilled Rabbit Leg with Pineapple Salsa. His rabbit is delicious and very tender, although the inside is a bit undercooked. There is too much cayenne on the eggplant, which is overcooked. There is burnt puff pastry in the salsa.
Timothy prepared Cumin-Dusted Rabbit with Pineapple Pastry. Timothy prepares the best eggplant of the round, and his rabbit is well-seasoned. The pineapple puff pastry feels like dessert, and there is twice as much of it as there is rabbit.
Eventually, the decision the judges come to is not to send Chef Timothy to the dessert round, due to his pineapple pastry and not all of his components coming together into a complete entrée.
Dessert[]
Ingredients: Meyer Lemons, Marshmallows, Charcoal Biscuits, Zucchini
Doug made a Deconstructed S'more with Charcoal Brittle. The judges love his bright lemon caramel and the combination of zucchini, chocolate, and marshmallow. The charcoal brittle is very difficult to eat.
Ernest prepared his version of Capirotada con Calabaza. The judges love how he kept the sweetness in check in the bread pudding by adding some savoriness to it, and cooked it perfectly. The only complaint is that the zucchini should have been cut smaller.
The judges declare the winner by chopping Chef Doug for errors throughout his meal. Ernest is made the Chopped Champion and advances to the finale.
Gallery[]
Notes[]
| 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 | |