Via helicopter, the remaining three challengers, including Hawaii’s Sheldon Simeon, were transported to an Iditarod training area, where their Quickfire Challenge was to cook something delicious using the food supplies at the camp.
Josh Valentine made (what else?) breakfast with a cornmeal cake, Canadian bacon and scrambled eggs, served with smoked salmon and arugula. Simeon delivered a perfectly cooked pan-roasted halibut with tomato sauce, sesame bok choy and pickled radish.
Neither could beat Brooke Williamson’s pan-roasted halibut, panzanella salad with red currant and beet vinaigrette.
Back in civilization, the trio were treated to dishes by judge Emeril Lagasse and food truck legend Roy Choi. Choi’s Korean short ribs and Lagasse’s cornbread represented each chef’s starts in the culinary world, and that was the challenge of the elimination round. The contenders had to make the dish that inspired them to become chefs. Their diners included the governor and first lady of Alaska, Sean and Sandy Parnell.
As usual, Williamson knocked it out of the park with a braised chicken and grilled quail dish served with carrot barley, kale, mushrooms and pearl onions.
Valentine offered a trio of foie gras dishes, one of which was an incomplete torchon. The question was whether that mistake was more egregious than Simeon’s oversalted broth in his pan-roasted rockfish with spot prawns, baby vegetables and dashi.
Turns out it was, and our boy Simeon is in the finals!
Last Chance Kitchen: Reigning champ Kristen Kish was ready to take on Valentine, but judge Tom Colicchio changed the rules. The final "Last Chance" competition would expand to three contenders, the third being the winner of "Save a Chef." Out came Chris "CJ" Jacobson and Lizzie Binder, with Binder named the "saved" chef.
She whipped up Black Cod in Black Pepper, Vinegar, Savoy Cabbage and Spaetzle. Kish decided on pasta and presented Orechiette with Brown Butter, Pomegranate, Apple and Fresh Herbs. Valentine served Venison with Coriander, Brown Sugar and Black Pepper Cure, Kale and Shaved Carrot. The identity of the winner is the cliffhanger that brings us to …
Tonight at 8 on Bravo (repeats at 9 and 10 p.m.): Part one of the finale returns the competitors to Los Angeles, where the "Last Chance Kitchen" winner is announced.
Colicchio opens up his restaurant, Craft, to the trio, and they must create their own dinner menus. Chefs John Besh and Martin Yan are guest judges.
