The Big Brunch

As a chef, you wear three hats.

You're a mentor, you're a coach, and then you're a chef.

Food is my passion.

It's a way for me to bring people together.

Everybody has somebody in their life

that is doing something extraordinary.

We started a program providing meals

for out-of-work service-industry people when COVID hit.

Changing their community for the better.

We're open to everyone, whether they have money or not.

And all they need is that big break to get them to that next level.

I want to support the farmers

because they put their love into their product.

So we built a show to celebrate ten chefs

each making a big difference in their community.

I know it's not easy, but I'm really proud of you guys.

Whether they're imparting their culinary passions

onto a new generation of students

educating people on the beauty of their heritage...

or celebrating the power of family.

People can taste the love in the food.

Each of these chefs come with their own dream.

A cookbook.

Expand my culinary school.

Open an event space.

Food market.

My own restaurant.

A documentary.

This incubator for pop-up concepts.

I have had some of the fondest memories

of my life around a brunch table

and we can't wait to make more with our ten incredible chefs.

This is their big break.

This is "The Big Brunch."

- What's up? - Hello, everybody.

- How's it going? - Hi.

- Wonderful. - How are we doing?

- Ooh. - Hi... hi.

- How are you? - You're real?

It's all real.

- Welcome. - Oh, my God.

For those of you that do not know, my name is Dan.

And you look really good.

Thank you so much.

Trying to win some brownie points, I get it.

I'm here to be your friend, your confidant

your cheerleader through this entire process.

I also had a hand in selecting each and every one of you.

- Thank you. - Such an honor.

- Thank you. - Very welcome.

We have amazing judges who are waiting for you

just in the dining room.

- Should we continue the tour? - Yes!

Okay. Imagine you said no.

Come on.

This whole kitchen is amazing.

This is kind of like back of house into front of house.

- Hey. - Welcome to the dining room.

- Holy shit. - My God, it's stunning.

And welcome to your judges.

- Hi! - Oh! Wow, okay.

- Hi. - How's it going?

- Oh, my gosh. Hi. - Oh, my goodness.

Hello.

I am very excited to introduce you to my partners in critique.

Please meet Sohla El-Waylly.

She is a contributor to New York Times Cooking

a renowned chef, and one of Time100's Next innovators.

- That's awesome. - Yeah.

Hello. I'm Sohla.

- Hello. Hi. Hi. - I like to cook

I like to teach people how to cook

and I'm so pumped to get to know all of you.

I have a little lady-crush on Sohla.

She is quite brilliant, has an excellent palate

and is not afraid to speak her mind or say what's going on.

And I have a lot of respect for that.

And Will Guidara

the former co-owner of the legendary Eleven Madison Park.

- Wow. - Under his leadership, it won

three Michelin stars...

Wow.

...and was ranked number one

on the World's 50 Best Restaurants list.

Yeah.

I am so excited to be here

to support your professional growth

and bring your business dreams to life.

He is a role model of mine.

Hospitality and professionalism is always my number one

and knowing that he is gonna taste my dishes...

just an automatic thrill.

Now, should we get to the prize?

- Yes! - Yes!

The winner of The Big Brunch will be taking home...

$300,000...

- Whoa! - Whoa!

which we know will help turn your dreams into a reality.

- Wow. - Yeah.

Nadege, you're short of breath.

I was not expecting such a huge figure.

I'm still in shock.

Are we ready to get started?

- Yes! - Okay.

So each brunch will have a unique theme

and consist of two courses...

the starter and the main.

We're gonna be judging you on taste and presentation

and the specificity of your voice.

That's how we're gonna decide who moves on in the competition.

The theme of today's brunch is you.

We want to learn more about you.

And for the starter

we want a dish that celebrates where your love of food began.

We are giving you one hour to prepare this dish.

I will be in to check in on your progress.

Are we ready?

- Yes! - Absolutely.

- Let's brunch. - Yes! All right!

Let's do this!

And now we can just wait for the food.

I do like that there's a big window

where we could just watch all of this happening.

Go ahead.

- I'm so excited. - I'm so excited.

How are you guys doing today?

Really well, thanks. How are you?

Awesome. I'm good. I mean, are you parched?

- I'm gonna do a Caesar. - Classic.

I'm a Canadian.

- Is this a Canadian thing? - It's definitely... it's a Can...

- Well... - Yes.

It's a Bloody Mary with Clamato juice.

- 'Cause there's clam juice in it. - I've never had Clamato juice.

- It's pretty great. - How about we just start

- with small tasters? - Great.

- Let's do it. - Awesome. Thank you.

Of course.

- How's everybody doing? - Great.

- Great. Whoo. - Yeah, yeah!

We're cooking now.

I started my own business when I was thirteen years old

making this very recipe...

chocolate chip scones with a whipped honey butter.

I'm from a big Italian family

where everything really

revolves around the next meal.

And my grandmother, Rosemary, she was really the baker.

She saw in me that it wasn't just a hobby

it was really a true passion

and that this was what I was really meant to do.

I remember the first time that I remember food being fun...

was when my stepmom... I had to go over on weekends

and my stepmom would make ladyfingers

but it was just cinnamon toast.

But I was like, "Oh, food can be, like, punny too."

So I'm gonna make a very upscale version

of cinnamon toast ladyfingers.

- More accessibility. - Yeah.

- We got some drinks. - It's time.

It's time. Caesar.

Oh, my gosh.

- Hold on. Here we go. - Thank you.

- So first we have to try, to see. - Yeah.

- Cheers. - To brunch.

- To brunch. - Thank you.

- Thanks, Xia. Thank you. - Of course.

- Okay, I like that a lot. - Yeah?

- I want the whole thing. - Perfect. We're doing it.

Extraordinary, Xia.

- Extraordinary. - Thank you so much.

Can I get one of those, too? I'll take two drinks.

Yeah? Okay.

It's not brunch without drinks.

- Sharp. Behind. - Behind, behind.

This is a very traditional Haitian brunch.

Espageti ak aranso.

A nice spaghetti and smoked herring dish.

I learned how to make that dish from my dad.

He is a phenomenal cook.

I mean, probably the best to ever do it

but don't tell him I said that.

Make me look skinny, Brian.

I came to this country when I was seven years old.

I came here to live with my dad.

- The more, the merrier. - Let's get everything prepped.

My dad was a cab driver.

He would go to work at night. While he's sleeping during the day

I was the one going to the supermarket

so I learned to cook at a very early age.

She cooking since, since she was baby.

Growing up with my dad

I learned that food was a way

of gathering people to build community.

Today we're having a nice traditional Haitian Sunday meal.

Oh, my God. This is so good.

- Oh, my God. Girl. - No, is it really good, though?

- (foreign language) - (foreign language)

Everything perfect.

I wrote a book called, "Haiti Uncovered."