Top Chef Season 22: Episode 3 Recap – A Culinary Challenge on Ice
Aired on March 27, 2025, episode three of Top Chef Season 22 continued to explore the Destination Canada theme with an exciting task inspired by the world of ice hockey. Titled Better Served Cold, this episode hinged on the Elimination Challenge where chefs were instructed to craft dishes optimized for being served cold.
Hockey-Inspired Challenge Unfolds
Complicating the challenge was the unique twist in the competition: each chef was required to select a cloche labeled with a hockey term, unveiling an ingredient or theme to integrate into their dish. The host, Kristen Kish, introduced the rules alongside Canadian Olympic hockey player Natalie Spooner, who set the tone for the creative challenges ahead.
“The dish should be something that’s served cold — but still delivers flavor,” she emphasized.
This intriguing blend of hockey terminology and culinary skills, however, led to some misunderstandings among the contestants. One chef aptly likened the experience to “Russian roulette… no pun intended,” encapsulating the unpredictable nature of selecting cloches with unfamiliar phrases.
Quickfire Challenge: Jamaican Patties Under Pressure
The episode began with a thrilling Quickfire Challenge that focused on the creation of Jamaican patties. Chef Dwight Smith from Toronto introduced the contestants to the iconic pastries sourced from local bakeries, tasking them to create their own versions within a tight timeframe. They had 15 minutes to prepare the dough before a designated rest period for proper consistency.
Some contestants adapted quickly, while others struggled with achieving the right dough texture. Chef Massimo candidly admitted that his dough ended up resembling batter, and chef Kat alongside chef César faced similar issues. Despite the challenges, the judges were impressed with the innovative flavors and combinations presented, such as nori by Katianna, fenugreek from Henry, and chopped cheese from Vinny.
A few chefs faltered in execution. Massimo’s dish, made with densely ground oxtail, prompted concern from guest judge Dwight, who described it as an “unnatural disaster.” In stark contrast, Katianna and chef Zubair received accolades for their dishes. Shuai also captured attention with a scallion-pancake-inspired patty. Katianna’s creation, featuring Korean flavors, not only pleased the judges but also secured her a second consecutive Quickfire victory, bringing her total winnings to an impressive $15,000.
Elimination Round: Cold Dishes and Creative Ingredients
Transitioning to the Elimination Challenge, the episode introduced a novel format where each chef picked a cloche inscribed with a hockey term, indicating the primary ingredient that they would need to spotlight in their cold dish. For example, Massimo drew “muffin” and creatively crafted a dessert featuring muffin-inspired elements like ganache, crémeux, and melted ice cream.
Chef Anya received the term “eggs,” leading her to create a more adventurous pine-needle ice cream and cake embellished with sea-buckthorn powder, although she encountered significant issues with taste and consistency. Meanwhile, Paula, who drew “peanut butter,” prepared an Ecuadorian ceviche but fell short, lacking the distinct peanut flavor the judges sought. She clarified that her ceviche was intended to be “brothy,”but the panel desired a stronger peanut presence.
On a positive note, Katianna dazzled the judges again with her cold Korean noodles infused with Pernod, while Corwin impressed with an apple-based scallop aguachile. Chef Tristen also made a splash with his deviled egg tartare, which was influenced by a touching video call with his parents.
The top three chefs this episode were Katianna, Corwin, and Tristen, with Katianna ultimately securing victory yet again. Conversely, the bottom three competitors included Massimo, Anya, and Paula. Massimo couldn’t hide his disappointment:
“The dish sucked! I’m embarrassed!”
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