Hung and his Monkey Win Top Chef!!!

I made no secret of the fact that I was rooting for Hung and Tre. I thought we saw the final two during the first elimination challenge. Unfortunately, Tre was eliminated far too soon. Despite all the hateration from the likes of Dale, CJ, Brian, and occasionally Casey, Hung has claimed the Top Prize. Already an Executive Sous Chef at Guy Savoy in Las Vegas, he has managed to get his name out there in a major way. Not only is he known to the many Top Chef viewers, legends of the culinary world know exactly how talented he is. Way too go Chef Hung! Oh, and congrats to your monkey as well.



The recap. The chefs are taken on a ski lift to the exclusive Aspen Mountain Club. They are greeted with an array of wonderful, fresh seasonal ingredients to work with. Their challenge-simply to make the best three course meal of their lives. They have 35 minutes to work out a menu. Important changes this year-the chefs will present their courses at the same time. Awesome! So, the chefs begin to plan their menus. Later sharing their menus so that they can coordinate the meal. Again, although a couple of them had their itchy moments, this cast is so professional and mature. It's awesome. We did not see this much collaboration in group challenges last season. Dale: 1st-foie gras, 2nd-prawns (later changes to lobster), and 3rd-Colorado lamb. Casey-1st-foie gras, 2nd-prawns, and 3rd-pork belly. Hung:1st-hamachi, 2nd-prawns, and 3rd-duck. Ok, yum!



So, then we come to my least favorite part-the selection of the sous chefs. In past seasons, the sous chefs were former contestants. Um, bad idea. I know every reality does it. I even understand why they do it. But, I still think it's dumb and I hate it. They draw knives and Hung gets 1, Casey 2, and Dale 3. Hung is anticipating Clay (the first knifed chef), Micah (the fake South African), and Howie (the sweathog). But, oh no. Top Chef proves how awesome they are. Out comes Rocco, Michelle Bernstein, and Todd English! AWESOME!!! People who were nominated and/or won James Beard awards (that's like the Culinary Oscar). The chefs are relieved, humbled, and excited at the same time. The sous chefs have to take direction from the contestants, and they cannot offer advice. Although, we see that they REALLY want to. Hee. They prep. Rocco and Hung work well together. Casey is a mess. Dale is confident. I'm excited. The next day, about an hour before service, the chefs are told that they will have to prepare a fourth course-which can be served at any point in the meal. Dale cracks me up by adding that he wants to punch Tom in the face. ROFL. I understand. I've had that same feeling once or twice. AT THIS POINT, Sara, Howie, and CJ arrive to serve as sous chefs. Hung gets Sara, Casey gets Howie, and Dale and CJ-BFFs- get one another.



First course-Hung- a play on fish and chips using raw hamachi and fingerling potatoes. Dale-foie gras mousse with beets and donut peaches (and a bunch of other stuff). Casey -foie and cinnamon scented scallop with sous vide apple and lemon poached celery with a bit of roe on top.

Second course- Hung prawns caramelized with palm sugar, tamarind and garlic. Dale's dish is his "surprise" dish of purslane, fennel, and marinated grape salad under a seared scallop, which is topped with freeze-dried corn. Casey-sake-poached prawn on a crispy bamboo rice cake, surrounded by a yuzu-lobster broth topped with more roe.



Third course-Hung-sous-vide duck breast, a chanterelle and lobster mushroom ragout with foie gras, and a sauce of duck stock with lemongrass and black truffle essence. Dale- summer ragout with butter-poached lobster, raw sweet corn, chanterelle mushrooms, basil gnocchi, and curry jus. Casey-crispy pork belly over gingered pea shoots, a "perfectly roasted summer peach" with a sherry and shallot reduction, and a cardamom-whipped crème fraîche.

Fourth Course-Hung-molten chocolate cake with raspberries, an almond and nougatine tuile, and fresh vanilla cream. Dale- rack of lamb poached in duck fat (Mmm) with eggplant and onion puree, olive oil-poached cherry tomatoes, and raw summer squash. Casey-seared sirloin with roasted fingerling potatoes, roasted chanterelles, ruby chard, and a red wine reduction.


Hung won the first course, despite comments about his lack of acid. Dale's scallop dish won the second course. Hung's duck won the third course. Finally, Dale's duck fat poached Colorado lamb won over the judges. Only Casey's sirloin dish received positive reviews. However, she admitted that it was all Howie's work. Hung's dessert selection was heavily criticized as being uninspired and unoriginal. Tasty and beautiful, but unoriginal. Dale's lobster dish was totally panned as the worst of the evening. So, Casey was out of contention. So, the judges had to consider Dale and Hung's meals. In the end, consistency and superior technique won out. Hung was declared the new Top Chef!