Top Chef

Previously on Top Chef...

- We are cooking 200 steaks to medium rare.

- Damn, I cut myself.

I need a medic right now.

- How long are those shrimp

gonna take her to do today?

You spent a lot of time working on shrimp.

I'm not really sure what else you did.

- Totally was uncalled for to call me out like that.

- The winner of this challenge is Heather.

- You know, chef, usually it's really difficult

to send someone home,

but tonight you really made it easy.

- Whitney, please pack your knives and go.

12 chefs remain all hoping to win

a feature in Food & Wine magazine,

a showcase at the annual Food & Wine classic in Aspen,

$125,000

furnished by Healthy Choice

to bring their culinary dreams to life,

and the title of Top Chef.

== sync by elderman ==

- Tonight was extremely tough to get through.

Pinot.

- I couldn't believe how harsh Heather was on Beverly.

And no matter if you like a person personally or not,

there's no room for that kinda stuff.

It just says a lot about her integrity.

- I'm kinda squeamish when it comes to cats,

but I'll look at it.

- I've been in the bottom far too much.

To just narrowly skate past elimination,

it's very humbling.

And I know that if I'm gonna stay in this competition,

I need to make sure that I showcase

the chef that I am.

- There's only 12. - Dirty dozen.

- Ohh. - The dirty dozen.

Dirty dozen.

We walk into the kitchen,

and I'm like, holy crap!

I see Tim Love.

He's a very well-known Fort Worth chef

and a Top Chef Master.

Good morning, chefs.

Morning.

Please meet Tim love,

chef and owner of the Lonesome Dove Western Bistro

in Fort Worth.

- Behind him is all these Don Julio tequilas.

Tim Love and Tequila,

sounds like a great way to spend the morning.

- Welcome to Texas. - Thank you.

Thank you, chef.

- Chefs, these are all variations

of Tequila Don Julio,

the original ultra-premium Tequila.

We want you to choose one of these tequilas

and make a dish that pairs well with what you've chosen.

I love Tequila.

I've been to Jalisco, Mexico,

where Tequila comes from.

This is a challenge that I can definitely rock.

- Good Tequila is made to be sipped.

You know, similar to a wine or a nice craft beer.

Generally, you want some intense,

long-lasting flavor in the food to go with the Tequila.

- We've set up a Tequila tasting for you.

Come up here, find the Tequila you like,

start cooking.

The winner of this quickfire

will not receive immunity.

- I definitely was hoping that there would be immunity.

As we get down to the best chefs,

one mistake and you go home.

- They will, however, win $5,000.

You have 30 minutes to taste and cook.

And your time...

Starts now.

- What do we got here, boys and girls?

Behind you, left.

Anything awesome in here?

Chef Tony Mantuano and I have a tradition.

Every time we fly,

we always have a shot of Tequila at the airport.

And it's always blanco.

I'm making a fennel risotto

and seared sea scallops.

The blanco has this really fresh aloe vera

kind of, like, greenness.

And I think it's gonna go really nicely with fennel.

Mmm. Delicious.

21 minutes.

- Does somebody have all the limes?

- Grayson. - Thank you.

Did you grab all that?

I love Tequila,

but it's not the easiest thing to work with.

Spirits are so high in alcohol,

there's so much heat involved,

that you really have to have a dish

that settles that out.

- I'm in Kentucky, so we're more familiar

with bourbon up where I'm from.

- This is kind of a variant of a dish

that I fabricated while I was on the beach in Thailand.

I'm using the 1942 Tequila Don Julio.

I'm gonna try and pick up

on some of the caramely, woodsy notes.

My style of cooking-- warm, southeast Asian flavors--

will pair perfectly with the Tequila.

I've been known to make a mean Margarita

on the playa in my day.

Soy.

Cactus sharp.

- The dish I'm making is a raw oyster.

I'm using the Tequila blanco

'cause it's really crisp and clear,

and it's gonna mesh well with the oyster.

I smell Tequila.

Tequila reminds me of vacations,

relaxing, beachy.

And I just want it to be simple and fresh.

Ty, you still have agave?

Thank you.

Coming through!

I really love oysters.

I want to do a cold smoke with green tea.

I know that smokiness is gonna go well

with the reposado.

Catch.

- What's the time? - Ten minutes.

- I picked the 1942, which is my favorite.

The 1942 has a sweet, smoky, earthy flavor to it,

so I'm just gonna do a very simple pan-roasted lamb chop.

I think it's pairing beautifully.

This is so smooth,

and shooken up with some ice, it's pretty tasty.

- Nyesha, do you need all that basil?

- I'm actually treating the Tequila

with what I would normally make a sauce with Sherry.

I lived in Mexico for three years.

I'm comfortable pairing food with Tequila.

I'm going hard.

I'm making pan-seared salmon

with a caramelized fennel puree.

The fattiness of the salmon

is gonna be a nice vehicle for all the different flavors.

- I need one of the fire baskets.

You have five minutes left.

Whoo!

- As I'm cooking, I notice that Chris Jones

is overcooking his chicken breast.

He could be in a little bit of trouble.

Sorry, I didn't mean to freak you out.

- Can I use some of your olive oil?

Yeah.

- I see Ty-lor using clams, I'm like,.

That's genius.

That's, like, a perfect pairing

to have something salty and briny and sweet with Tequila.

30 seconds.

Make sure your Tequila's poured.

- I like this. - I'm on it.

Get on it, get on it.

- I have a great feeling about this dish,

and it's one of the first times

I've been able to show myself

in one little bite.

- Hands up, utensils down.

- I'm very happy with how the sauce came out.

The puffed quinoa is delicious.

But the chicken, I feel, is dry because I really rushed it.

- Hello, Ty. - Hi.

I did some steamed clams today

in a Thai-style fish caramel sauce.

I paired it with the 1942.

- Sweetness to the clam. It's pretty good.

Thank you.

I chose the reposado.

I made a salad with mango, avocado, and corn.

I thought that it would pair well with the mango.

- I'm still trying to really pair it with the Tequila.

Got it.

- I like light, clean flavors.

I taste the reposado.

It won't overpower an oyster.

And then I cold-smoked the oyster with green tea.

It has a little bit of sweetness with the reposado.

- I think you do get a little bit of smoke off of it,

which is interesting.

I chose the blanco.

I made a fennel risotto.

I glazed the rice with the Tequila,

finished with some fennel pollen

and some caramelized shallots.

- And you used the blanco the whole time?

Yes.

- I chose the anejo because of the depth in it.

So I did a crust salmon over a caramelized fennel puree