After Bracket A had some unexpected outcomes, Bracket B was ready to keep the busted description off the table. Even though the Randomizer brought chaos, Tournament of Champions Season 6 episode 2 did not have any huge upsets. Could a top seed really make a play for the Food Network title?
Tournament of Champions Season 6 is guaranteed a new winner, but some of the outcomes in the beginning rounds have been expected. Newcomers are trying to take down favorites. Other chefs are hoping to add the TOC title to their long list of accolades, each battle is fierce.
For the first battle of Bracket B, Stephanie Izard took on Michael Reed. While Chef Stephanie is an Iron Chef, TOC has been her biggest stumbling point. There is something about the Randomizer that blocks her progress.
In the first battle of Tournament of Champions Season 6 episode 2, the Randomizer offered turkey thigh, Yukon gold potatoes, toaster, nutty, and vanilla bean. The combination of ingredients was not kind. 30 minutes to cook a turkey thigh was difficult.
Michael offered a vanilla bean and nut crusted fried turkey thigh with mashed potato. The judges felt that the turkey thigh was well cooked. More importantly, it was a smart use of the Randomizer requirements. Although the dish could have used more acid and more potato, they appreciated the effort.
Chef Stephanie made a ground turkey with Szechuan vanilla bean turkey ragu. The dish was well-balanced. While the vanilla bean was not as noticeable, the dish was delicious.
In a score of 86 to 84, Chef Michael beat Chef Stephanie. Unfortunately, Chef Stephanie has a stumbling block within TOC competition. Her dish wasn’t bad; it just couldn’t beat the other dish.
For the second round of Tournament of Champions Season 6 episode 2, Brittany Anderson battled Shota Nakajima. While Chef Brittanny earned her spot via the Qualifier, Chef Shota has proven to be difficult to beat in a competition.
The Randomizer offered mackerel, red radish, spice grinder, grilled, and pretzel sticks. Mackerel was a cruel ingredient. The fatty fish needed a deft hand to make it the most palatable.
Chef Shota made Saba Shioykai with red radish and pretzel sauce. The judges appreciated the crispy skin. Although the dish could have benefits from a touch of acidity, it felt like an authentic Japanese dish.
Chef Brittanny made a pickled and grilled mackerel with a pretzel stick soil. The judges described the dish as a flavor bomb with lots of umami. The dish was a little difficult to eat, but they found it overall successful.
The final score was 88 to 84. Chef Shota earned the win. Could be make a run for the title? Based on this dish, he has a good chance.
Looking at the first two battles, the scores were much higher than episode 1. Additionally, the young blood is making their presence known in Tournament of Champions Season 6.
In the third battle of Tournament of Champions Season 6 episode 2, Kaleena Bliss took on Chris Cosentino. Although Chef Chris came close to being an Iron Chef, he has a lot of experience on cooking competitions. Kaleena Bliss had a divisive end to her Top Chef run, but many people appreciate her honesty and openness on mental health.
The Randomizer offered pork loin, Anaheim peppers, electric carving knife, stuffed, and sunflower seeds. The knife requirement seemed to be a throw away. The pork loin is easy enough, but it needed a deft hand to make the flavor shine.
Chef Chris Consentino used a lot of techniques in his dish. Although it needed more salt and pepper overall, the dish was good. A touch more heat or even a better use of the Randomizer would have appeased the judges more.
Chef Kaleena offered a spice crusted pork with stuffed peppers. The judges all agreed that the dish needed more fat. But, the dish represented a lot of hard work.
In the end, the difference between the winning dish and the eliminated one was subtle. With a two-point margin, Chef Kaleena Bliss beat Chef Chris Cosentino.
The final battle of Tournament of Champions Season 6 episode 2 featured Britt Rescigno versus Chris Oh. The Randomizer offered top sirloin steak, mustard greens, French press, whipped, and cheese curds. It was the worst ingredient combination of the episode.
After multiple seasons earning many wins, Chef Britt Rescigno was ready to battle. Her coffee crusted top sirloin showed her ability to make beef shine. The combination of the flavorful demi, whipped potatoes, and crunchy tempura hit all the requirements for a great dish. Overall, the balance of cookery and creativity wowed the judges.
Chef Chris Oh played to his strengths. The Korean BBQ mustard green kimchi was an amazing comfort food dish. The only downside was that the textures were a little one note.
With just one point between winning and losing, Chef Britt earned the win. Could it be her season to earn the title?
Be sure to watch the C Bracket battles next week on Food Network. New episodes of Tournament of Champions Season 6 air Sunday nights at 8 p.m. ET/PT. Episodes can be streamed the next day on MAX.