Every season, one challenge is the most anticipated. On Top Chef Season 22 Restaurant Wars, a big change set the tone right after the cheftestants pulled knives. It helped to turn this season’s challenge into a highly successful night of dining.
At the beginning of Top Chef Destination Canada, the Bravo television show hinted that there would be a big change coming to Restaurant Wars. Some people speculated that it could be requiring a type of cuisine, number of dishes, or creating food and beverage pairings. The requirement was subtle, but it made a huge difference.
The big change was that the teams had to pick both the front of the house and the executive chef almost immediately after they pulled knives. This decision might not seem like a big move to the casual viewer, but it made a significant difference.
Every Top Chef season turns on Restaurant Wars. Both the executive chef and the front of the house positions usually either soar or sink in this challenge. It is more unlikely that the two line cooks will face elimination. Super fans will remember that Kristen Kish was eliminated in Restaurant Wars.
For Top Chef Season 22, the two executive chefs were Tristen and Paula. The two front of house positions were held by Massimo and Shuai. The team either sinks or swims based on the success of these two positions.
By making the team choose these positions first, it allowed everyone to better prioritize the menu and tasks. It was more than deciding who would have multiple dishes or how to set up the restaurant for service. It allowed the teams to narrow their focus and drive towards the end goal. Instead of the in-fighting or bickering that happens in previous seasons, this Restaurant Wars seemed almost smooth.
As Gail Simmons said during Judges Table, the elimination always comes down to the head chef and the front of house position. Give that all these cheftestants know how to execute a dish, creative a cohesive menu, and otherwise run a restaurant, these two positions control the overall dining experience. From the personal touch at the table to the pace of the dinner, they keep everything moving.
Both Tristen and Paula did well as executive chefs. Tristen kept a firm hand when pushing tickets, creating expectations, and ensuring that everything went out flawlessly. It is clear that he knows how to run a pass and bring out the best in his fellow chefs.
Paula jumped into the mix and helped wherever it was needed. Given that her team was behind even before service started, her effort kept them from being further in the weeds.
The two cheftestants styles were clear, but both had one of the best executive chef roles in Top Chef history. Yes, Paula had execution and flavor issues in some of the dishes. But, this challenge was more successful than previously.
In contrast, the front of host position had total opposites on each team. Massimo is all personality. While that presence can help smooth over some rough edges, the judges felt that he was a little too informal for the setting. It is not common for a front of house to squat down next to the table.
On the other hand, Shuai was too hands off. While he did not need to hover, he needed to be more willing to converse, share, and otherwise choreograph the dining experience.
While Paula was sent home because of her errors in flavor on some of the dishes she oversaw and the errors with her dessert, Shuai did not help his cause in front of house. If that team had picked Paula to be front of the house and other chef to be exec, the outcome might have been different.
Looking back, second guessing, and otherwise re-evaluating the experience is what Top Chef fans will do time and again. One thing is certain about Top Chef Season 22 Restaurant Wars. A favorite, both for the fans and for winning the competition, emerged from this challenge. Will Tristen hear those coveted words, You are Top Chef?
New episodes of Top Chef Season 22 air Thursday nights on Bravo at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Episodes can be streamed the next day on Peacock.