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On Thursday night, Top Chef: Destination Canada witnessed its second elimination when competitor Bailey Sullivan packed her knives following a difficult brunch fight with a maple syrup theme. The overcooked maple tarts that failed to please the judging panel, which featured actress Sarah Levy from Schitt's Creek and guest judge Daniel Boulud, were the young chef's undoing.
"I just think I didn't cook the food that I really know," Bailey reflected as she exit the competition.
Explaining:
"Pastry is far from something I do every day, but I'm still proud of the work that I did here and the way that I pushed myself out of my comfort zone. Last Chance Kitchen — I'm hopeful. I've just gotta keep myself mentally in the game."
She was eliminated in the season opener after narrowly avoiding being sent home. To compete for the $250,000 top prize, Top Chef competitors in Season 22 of the cooking competition travel across Canada and complete culinary tasks that showcase the nation's flavors and ingredients.
Despite the brief length of her journey, Bailey isn't quite ready to put up her apron. She is preparing for another attempt at Last Chance Kitchen with an optimistic outlook, aiming to cook her way back into the competition.
What happened with Bailey in this episode of Top Chef Season 22?
Alongside regular Top Chef judges Kristen Kish and Gail Simmons, Levy presided over a Quickfire Challenge with a poutine theme to start the show. Bailey was among the lowest performances, hinting at her difficulties later in the show, while Shuai Wang declared victory with his fondant potatoes and three-cheese sauce.
The chefs were split up into two groups of seven for the Elimination Challenge, and their task was to design brunch meals with maple syrup as the main component. A twist was added by host Kish, who gave each team $50 to buy materials that the other team would have to use.
"Now the strategy begins as a team," said Kat Turner.
Adding:
"Are we going to be naughty or nice?"
The chefs were split up into two groups of seven for the Elimination Challenge, and their task was to design brunch meals with maple syrup as the main component. A twist was added by host Kish, who gave each team $50 to buy materials that the other team would have to use.
Despite nearly being eliminated in the previous episode for a problematic risotto, Bailey chose another high-risk dish: maple tarts. Time management issues quickly emerged as she realized her desserts wouldn't fully cook before the deadline.
"I had to pull them out of the oven before they were ready so I could get them all plated on time," Bailey explained during the judges' deliberation.
The Top Chef judges immediately spotted the problem. The tarts' doughy, undercooked texture and lack of enough maple flavor—a crucial challenge requirement—were criticized by Tom Colicchio, Gail Simmons, and guest judge Daniel Boulud.
Corwin Hemming, the chef for the Brown Team, had similar problems with his unevenly prepared chawanmushi (Japanese egg custard), yet his team won and divided $35,000 because of their better overall performance of the maple theme.
When the Green Team was called to face the judges, only Bailey and teammate Henry Lu received negative critiques. Henry's fried chicken suffered from a dried-out crust, but Bailey's pastry problems proved more severe.
"Pastry requires precision and time," Colicchio noted during deliberation.
Explaining:
"When you're rushing against the clock, there's no room for error."
The judges ultimately decided that Bailey's undercooked tarts represented the greater failure, particularly because they missed the central maple flavor requirement of the challenge.
Bailey goes to Last Chance Kitchen
Despite her elimination, Bailey maintained a positive attitude.
"I pushed myself out of my comfort zone," she reflected, acknowledging that pastry wasn't her specialty but expressing no regrets about challenging herself.
In Last Chance Kitchen, where ousted competitors vie for a chance to return to the main competition, her quest continues. Bailey will have to demonstrate her actual culinary prowess there instead of the pastries that caused her to leave.
"I've just gotta keep myself mentally in the game," she affirmed, suggesting that viewers haven't seen the last of her culinary skills.
As Top Chef: Destination Canada continues its journey across the Great White North, thirteen chefs remain in the main competition. For Bailey, redemption awaits in the pressure cooker of Last Chance Kitchen, where she'll have the opportunity to prove that when cooking "the food she really knows," she deserves another shot at the $250,000 Top Chef prize.
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Top Chef airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. on Bravo and streams the next day on Peacock, BravoTV.com, and the Bravo app.
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