Food Network's BBQ Brawl show is currently in its sixth season and unites some of the country's best chefs to cook against one another in teams led by famous food personalities and chefs like Bobby Flay, Maneet Chauhan, and Antonia Lofaso.
On the third episode of season 6, the chefs were given one of the most exciting challenges yet: the honor of cooking over open fire, something that many pitmasters have built entire businesses around. Poor Arturo! It's a shame he had to go home the week before this particular challenge.
The episode starts with a quick and easy challenge that saw Maneet go head-to-head with Bobby and Antonia to win an advantage for their respective teams. Knowing that Bobby and Antonia have less experience with Indian spices, Maneet tasked them with using black cardamom, javitri, and Chaat masala.
Bobby whipped up an Indian-spiced pork tenderloin with a tomato coconut sauce, while Antonia delivered a grilled flatbread with herbed labneh and marinated skirt steak. For her own challenge, Maneet made spiced halibut kebabs with smoked fennel salad.
Antonia won the challenge, giving her team a huge advantage for the live fire feast brawl. Because of her win, they secured a fire table.
International Live Fire Feast showdown
The rules for the live fire feast were that the teams needed to use an assortment of international flavors. They were allowed to use any protein they wanted, but with limited quantities of each meat, not everyone got to cook with their desired choice. Aarthi really wanted to make chicken tikki masala but got stuck with goat leg, though she made it work!
Team Antonia, Summertime Live Fire Feast
- Thyron cooked up a summertime Picanha cut with chimichurri sauce
- Tyler represented Spain with lobster and shrimp paella and chorizo
- Aarthi used the goat leg meat to make kebabs with spicy tikka sauce and garlic naan
- Antonia made Korean-inspired sweet and spicy chicken wings with quick-smash cucumbers
Team Maneet, Street Food Live Fire Feast
- Jason crafted pupusa al pastor with pineapple salsa verde and salsa macha
- Alexanda made Portuguese surf and turf featuring piri piri-rubbed halibut, chorizo, and mojo verde and smashed potatoes
- Greg crafted jerk lamb lollipops with roasted sweet potato and grilled pineapple
- Maneet made roasted potatoe and cauliflower croquette on garbanzo masala
Team Bobby, Asian Live Fire Feast
- Kyle took a risk and used a tandoor oven for the first time to make Nashville hot chicken-inspired New Dehli hot chicken
- Brad marinated short ribs for a Korean dish served alongside kimchi pancakes
- Orchid made glazed pork loin over coconut rice with basil, and mango/jicama slaw
- Rosalie cooked her popular late-night drunken noodles dish with picanha
- Bobby made fire-roasted veggies in a Thai red curry sauce
Who went home?
Each team had some issues this week, but Team Antonia came in first place for the second time in a row. Although the judges didn't love the cook on Team Bobby's different meats, they still came in safe. Sadly, Team Maneet had to go to the bonfire once again.
Ultimately, Alexandra was sent home as the judges found her mojo verde sauce to be too fibrous. I felt particularly bad for her as she'd mentioned how she owns a live fire business and going home on this particular week felt embarrassing. But Maneet was incredibly sweet with Alexandra, acknowledging her pain while also noting how proud she should feel for making it where she did.
Team Maneet might be down in numbers but I'm still rooting for them!