When Top Chef steps into a location, each episode offers a taste of the food culture within the area. As seen in the Destination Canada season, iconic dishes and ingredients have been transformed with the chefs’ personal culinary point of view. In Top Chef Season 22 episode 5, the challenge offered more insight into Toronto’s culinary diversity and how these cheftestants are being influenced by it.
As Bailey, the first winner of this season’s Last Chance Kitchen, returned to the competition, the team premise and double elimination had everyone one edge. Since both Bailey and Tristen were safe from elimination, the four other remaining teams sensed the immense pressure. Added to that scenario, the duos had to create 150 tasting portions for a food festival event.
While Top Chef often showcases these types of events in every season, the Top Chef Destination Canada event in Toronto’s Bentway space was more than just a selection of bites meant to tantalize a savvy group of food lovers. It was a glimpse into what makes the Toronto food scene special.
Across the city’s neighborhoods, the diversity of its food culture is tremendous. Even just walking through Kensington Market shows how Jamaican patties are on one corner and a Michelin star restaurant is hidden inside an unsuspecting clothing store.
From around the world, people have come to the Canadian city. Whether the ingredients are used to celebrate traditional flavors or the concepts have been transformed by their new homeland, the celebrated restaurants and their chefs welcome people to the table to explore all the stories to be told.
Before a single dish was served to the Top Chef fans and judges at the Bentway, the cheftestants enjoyed a day in and cooking at select restaurants around Toronto. From Portuguese to Royal Thai cuisine, it was a lovely glimpse into the city’s culinary diversity. While the cheftestants did not necessarily replica a menu item exactly, the visit inspired aspects of their dish.
This particular challenge is what Top Chef does best. It blends the host city’s culture with a challenge that infuses the cheftestant’s culinary point of view. The teams that succeeded in this challenge found that perfect balance.
The judges picked the Greek dish, Tristen’s and Britanny’s octopus dish inspired by Greektown. The olive caramel that mimicked a type of barbecue sauce was a genius idea. It did not overpower the char on the octopus yet it added a unique nod that referenced Tristen’s point of view.
The reason why this team won is because they did what the judges recommend time and again. Both chefs cooked what they know and from the heart. Granted, neither chef focuses on Greek food, but they took the experience, the ingredients, and the cultural reference to make it their own. Any cheftestant who does that concept will always go far in Top Chef.
The chefs who failed missed the mark because they tried to fit a dish into the challenge. A croquette seems to be the new Top Chef kiss of death. Muddled flavors will never impress the panel. After 22 seasons poor cooking has become a rarity. The lack of a clear concept will have anyone packing their knives.
What was the biggest takeaway from Top Chef Season 22 episode 5? First and foremost, Toronto’s diverse culinary scene should be a destination for anyone who love food. Second, authenticity will always earn a win. Lastly, Top Chef Season 22 is shaping up to be a fierce competition.
New episodes of Top Chef Season 22 air Thursday nights at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Bravo. Episodes can be streamed the next day on Peacock.