This was the final battle of the Chopped Grill Masters mini series. The previous four episodes determined the chefs that would battle this episode.
The Contestants
The chefs competing this episode were Chef Ray Lampe, Chef Sam Choy, Chef Kent Rollins, and Chef Ernest Servantes.
The Judges
The judges for this episode were Aaron Sanchez, Amanda Freitag, and Marc Murphy.
The Appetizer Round
The secret ingredients for this round were fresh sardines, corn on the cob, xtabentun, and canned sloppy joe sauce. Xtabentun is a Mayan liqueur with an anise flavor. The wind and sand this episode made cooking conditions very difficult.
Chef Ray Lampe tried to stew his fish in olive oil except he put them in a bowl with holes. The oil ran out and the fish stuck to the pan. He ended up having to recook the sardines at the last minute. The judges told him that his dish had great flavor, but the fish was not fully cooked. It might have been better to put the mangled fish on the plates, because Ray was eliminated this round.
The Entree Round
The secret ingredients for this round were standing rib roast, guava paste, smoked mozzarella, and bok choy. Guava paste is a traditional South American condiment with a sticky sweet flavor.
Chef Sam Choy made a heavily sauced steak dish. He massaged the meat with the spices, and made a sauce with them to pour over top. The judges thought the flavors were overpowering and he was eliminated this round.
The Dessert Round
The secret ingredients for this round were quail eggs, pound cake, whole coconut, and strawberry cream tequila. Quail eggs have the same flavor and use as chicken eggs, with the difference that they are much smaller.
Chef Kent Rollins made a ice cream flavored cake with strawberries. The judges loved that his dessert tasted like cake that had melted ice cream over top.
Chef Earnest Servantes made a tres leches cake with a strawberry cream. He grilled the cake like french toast but it was mushy inside.
The judges had to look at all rounds to determine a winner. They chose Chef Earnest Servantes and the Chopped Grill Masters Champion. Congratulations to him on this win.
Personally it was sad to see Kent lose, but I understand the judges decision. Hopefully we will get to see more of Cowboy Kent on other shows.
