On March 29, 2025, Food Network teased fans with a sneak preview of episode 5 of the popular cooking competition, Tournament of Champions season 6, via their X account, formerly known as Twitter. The snippet showcased an exciting matchup between Chef Jonathon Sawyer and Chef Leanne Wong, scheduled to air on March 30 at 8 PM ET.
During the teaser, host Guy Fieri took a moment to highlight the impressive culinary achievements of both chefs. He noted that Chef Sawyer is not only a James Beard Award winner for Best Chef but recently secured his first point in this season’s Tournament of Champions.
When asked about his strategy, Chef Sawyer emphasized his focus on the present, saying:
“I mean, today is the only thing that’s given. Yesterday already happened. Tomorrow’s not here yet. So all I got to do is win right now,”stated Jonathon Sawyer.
Following that, Chef Leanne Wong was introduced as a formidable competitor, recognized for receiving prestigious culinary accolades in Hawaii and being a James Beard Award semifinalist. Her past experience includes competing on Top Chef, adding to her culinary pedigree.
Guy Fieri pointed out the unique aspect of the match: although Chef Sawyer and Chef Wong have known each other for nearly two decades, this will be their first face-off in a competitive setting. He also reminded both chefs that the winner of this battle will secure a place among the top eight competitors.
Recap of Episode 4 in Tournament of Champions Season 6
Episode 4 of Tournament of Champions season 6 featured the final battles from the D bracket. The first matchup pitted Chef Carlos Anthony against Chef Amanda Freitag, where the Randomizer revealed an intriguing mix of ingredients including country ribs, jalapenos, a stand mixer, battered items, and cinnamon sticks.
Chef Carlos showcased his culinary skills by preparing albondigas with Oaxacan mole, impressing the judges with the rich flavor the mole brought to his dish. Additionally, his innovative use of jalapenos in both a quick pickle and the meatball contributed to an overall well-balanced dish that received high praise.
Chef Amanda opted for cinnamon-glazed country-style pork ribs with an aji amarillo sauce. While the judges appreciated the visual appeal and balance of flavors in her dish, the score revealed a close competition, with Chef Carlos narrowly winning 87 to 85, thus advancing to the next round.
In the evening’s second battle, Chef Sara Bradley faced off against Chef Dale Talde, with the Randomizer selecting ingredients like Denver steak, turnips, a V-blade mandoline, and horseradish. Chef Bradley’s effort resulted in an Urfa charred Denver steak that, despite its commendable crust, lacked sufficient seasoning according to the judges’ critiques.
Chef Dale prepared kalbi wrapped in pickled turnips. Although the initial reception was positive, the combination of kimchi and horseradish ultimately fell flat, leading to Chef Bradley’s victory over Chef Dale.
The third matchup saw Chef Nini Nguyen challenge Chef Claudette Zepeda, with ingredients from the Randomizer including turkey breast, radicchio, double boiler pan, citrusy flavors, and cantaloupe. Chef Nguyen presented turkey tenders accompanied by a radicchio salad and a cantaloupe sabayon, while Chef Zepeda created turkey carnitas. Unfortunately for Chef Zepeda, the overcooked turkey resulted in her being eliminated after the judges expressed their disappointment.
Finally, the top-seeded Chef Tobias Dorzon faced Chef David Viana. The selected ingredients included mussels, fennel, a milk frother, seared items, and quinoa. Despite Chef Dorzon’s attempt at fennel-roasted mussels, the judges found the dish lacking in refinement, allowing Chef Viana to proceed with his mussels toast, marking a significant upset as it marked the first time in season 6 a lower-seeded chef triumphed over a top-seeded competitor.
Catch the thrilling episode 5 of Tournament of Champions season 6 on March 30 at 8 PM ET on Food Network.