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We’re going behind the scenes of our time on NBC’s Food Fighters. Kent relives two intense cooking battles from Season 1—from turning a chaotic raspberry soufflé challenge into a cowboy masterpiece to facing a food blogger over chorizo tacos. We share untold stories from the set, to the contestants, and why winning a television cooking competition doesn’t always feel like a victory.
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Kent Rollins
Cowboy Cooking, Cast Iron, Outdoor Cooking, Grilling, Dutch Oven Cooking
Show More Show Less View Video Transcript
0:00
This was NBC's Food Fighters. [music] In
0:04
previous, you've always been the
0:06
competitor.
0:06
>> So, was it kind of nice on the other
0:09
end?
0:09
>> I think it makes you more the villain.
0:11
>> Well, you were trying to stare her down
0:13
and she's just like,
0:14
>> she's so sweet.
0:15
>> So, of course, the whole audience is
0:17
like, boo. [laughter]
0:18
>> It's one of these deals when you hear
0:20
all that and then you walk out [music]
0:21
there and you think, I think I'm going
0:23
to turn around, walk back.
0:29
Howdy. My name is Kent Rollins. I've
0:32
been a cowboy and [music] a chuck wagon
0:33
cook for over 30 years, cooking for
0:35
ranches all across America. You might
0:38
have seen me on the Food Network or
0:39
alongside my beautiful wife, Shannon, on
0:41
our YouTube show, where we share cowboy
0:44
cooking from the trail. [music] But now,
0:45
we're going to take you behind the
0:47
scenes to real campfire conversations.
0:49
[music] Join us as we share humor,
0:51
cowboy wisdom, and stories full of
0:53
history, heart, faith, and of course, a
0:56
little fire. So, [music] grab you a cup
0:58
of coffee, pull up a chair, and welcome
1:01
to the podcast,
1:03
[music]
1:07
y'all. We have had a rough couple
1:11
>> days.
1:12
So, two nights ago, about 3 in the No,
1:16
three in the afternoon.
1:17
>> Yeah. Major threw up and then he was in
1:22
bad shape. Like bad bad shape. Shaking,
1:25
super sick. We didn't know what was
1:27
wrong.
1:28
>> Took him to a vet. She was she, you
1:30
know, did kind of a quick check. Wasn't
1:33
sure was like just keep him on fluids.
1:35
And then he just kept getting sicker,
1:38
super stressed. So then we get a blood
1:42
work done. Yeah.
1:43
>> And an ultrasound
1:44
>> and an X-ray.
1:45
>> And an X-ray. Guess what was in his
1:48
stomach? Sand and dirt.
1:51
>> Little tiny rocks, too.
1:52
>> Yes. Because he was eating something on
1:55
the ground. Whatever. But the problem I
1:58
have with that is he eats better than
2:01
most humans.
2:02
>> Eats better than we do.
2:03
>> Yes. And so why he feels like he needs
2:05
to eat sand and dirt, I have no idea.
2:07
>> Scavenger.
2:08
>> But we actually brought him back this
2:10
morning. He he went this morning, got
2:12
just another check, make sure everything
2:14
was moving through. Okay.
2:17
I was
2:17
>> I mean he I told the vet yesterday I
2:19
said we got to get him out there in time
2:20
for a podcast. People People won't watch
2:23
if he don't
2:24
>> because he's really the star of the show
2:25
there in his little bed.
2:28
>> So anyway, everything's good now.
2:30
>> Yes, it is.
2:31
>> But he had us worried.
2:33
>> Well, we appreciate each and every one
2:35
of you always asking about the pups and
2:38
uh they play a major part in everything
2:40
we do.
2:41
>> They do. We do get a lot of comments.
2:42
But you want to read a comment?
2:44
>> Oh yeah. This one touched my heart this
2:45
week and when we did the couple episodes
2:48
ago, the about the buckles that you won.
2:51
>> Yes. And the buckle bunny story if you
2:52
guys didn't hear that. That was a good
2:54
one.
2:55
>> And this is from Keeping It Spicy 5182.
2:58
>> Keeping it spicy.
3:00
>> Hi Kinton Shan. I followed you since the
3:02
beginning and I always look forward to
3:04
every video. I just want to say that I
3:07
lost my grandfather just after high
3:08
school. And you and Papa Joe are so much
3:12
alike that I find comfort in your
3:14
message of love, faith, and family. And
3:16
I almost feel like he's closer to me
3:18
through you.
3:19
>> Oh,
3:20
>> it has moved me so much that when I talk
3:22
to folks about your videos, I call you
3:24
Grandpa Kent. I just want to send love
3:27
and many blessings and thank you for
3:28
helping my heart not hurt quite as much
3:32
>> with love. Joy from Carbondale,
3:34
Illinois. Joy, thank you so much because
3:37
I'm honored to be a grandpa.
3:39
>> You get called grandpa quite a bit.
3:40
Also, the Bob Ross of cooking is one of
3:42
my favorite comments.
3:44
>> And some of them just call me oldtimer.
3:45
>> Yeah,
3:45
>> that works too. Well, speaking of that
3:47
old-timer, you have been through quite a
3:52
few cooking rounds, cooking
3:54
competitions, and cooking back behind
3:57
the scenes cooking competitions is one
3:59
of y'all's favorite topics we found. So,
4:02
here's one that probably not a lot of
4:05
you have heard of. I'm not a big
4:07
competition cooking fan on TV, but this
4:10
is probably one of my more favorite ones
4:12
that you've ever done.
4:13
>> It was put together, right?
4:14
>> It was. This was NBC's Food Fighters.
4:19
>> Yeah. Not the band. Wasn't there a band
4:21
called Foo Fighters or Food Fighters?
4:22
>> Foo Fighters. Not Food Fighters.
4:25
>> They didn't cook.
4:26
>> No. Hopefully not.
4:29
But so we're going to go through and
4:31
recap this. This was on NBC only for two
4:34
seasons, I believe, right? And you were
4:36
on both seasons.
4:37
>> Yes, ma'am.
4:39
>> And so, uh, very interesting. So, Kent,
4:42
why don't you tell everybody like, let's
4:44
just open it up for those who didn't see
4:46
it. When was this aired? This was like
4:50
10 years.
4:50
>> 10 or 12, I think 12 years ago. Okay.
4:52
2014.
4:53
>> Okay. A long time.
4:54
>> What was the premise of Food Fighters?
4:57
Well, the concept was you have a home
4:59
chef and that home chef has five of her
5:04
best or his best recipes that they can
5:07
bring to the competition.
5:09
They know what they are. They've
5:11
practiced them. They've even got to come
5:13
into the kitchen early and see how it
5:16
works.
5:18
Now, this was where it sort of threw me
5:20
because they said, "You, we want to cast
5:21
you in this as a professional chef."
5:25
professional is something I've never
5:27
been and chef is something I I've never
5:29
been also. So I told him, "Hey, let's
5:32
see what happens." I I ain't never
5:33
worked for NBC.
5:35
>> So the home chef challenges a
5:38
professional chef to one of their
5:40
dishes.
5:40
>> Yeah. And there's four or five rounds,
5:43
>> right? And each round progressively
5:45
earns more money. Yes. With a potential
5:48
of that home chef winning $100,000.
5:50
>> Yes.
5:51
>> So big money there.
5:53
>> Yeah. I I never did see where it say
5:55
said said anything in there about what
5:56
the prochef was going to get.
5:58
>> Well, the prochef doesn't get anything.
5:59
It's just kind of more the um clout and
6:03
like you're the expert coming in and of
6:05
course kind of the whole idea is that of
6:07
course the home chef can't beat a
6:09
professional chef
6:10
>> when it's their recipes.
6:13
>> I I'm wondering how is this different?
6:15
So you at this point you had competed on
6:17
Food Network quite a bit
6:20
>> and how was this different?
6:23
Well, they had it set up to where the
6:25
times were about the same. Oh, you know,
6:28
uh you going to get 10 minutes sometime
6:30
and sometimes 20 minutes. U but it
6:33
wasn't [clears throat]
6:35
>> like a weird basket full of groceries
6:37
that you couldn't spell. You know, most
6:39
of it the home cooks. I mean, there was
6:41
some extravagant meals I think they
6:43
might have had, but it wasn't like, oh,
6:45
you're going to fix es cargo pancakes.
6:47
>> Bizarre stuff, right? Yeah. How did you
6:50
do you remember how you got the call or
6:51
how they reached out?
6:53
>> Well, at the time we were working for
6:54
two fellas uh in LA.
6:57
>> Okay.
6:57
>> And uh they said, "Hey, NBC is coming up
6:59
with this show and uh we're going to
7:02
pitch you to them." You know, so we had
7:05
to go in for a little audition. I
7:06
remember that.
7:07
>> You did? Yeah.
7:08
>> I don't remember that.
7:09
>> Yeah. We went in this little old place
7:11
[clears throat] out there at Universal
7:12
Studios and was just like a warehouse
7:15
building. And they had like six or eight
7:18
electric stoves set up in there. So we
7:20
had to cook for the and it only people
7:23
that were judging were the producers,
7:26
the production people, the editors, the
7:29
one that had come up with the show, you
7:31
know.
7:31
>> Okay.
7:32
>> At the time we we didn't really know
7:36
what the show was all about, you know,
7:38
and I think there was like 25 or 30 of
7:40
us that went in there auditioning. Yeah.
7:43
>> Oh, interesting. Uh, I I remember they
7:45
were them convection glass top stoves,
7:48
you know.
7:49
>> Yes.
7:50
>> I [clears throat] don't like
7:50
electricity.
7:52
>> Induction.
7:53
>> Induction.
7:54
>> I think that's what it is, right?
7:55
>> You have to cover the whole burner for
7:56
it to be on.
7:57
>> Okay.
7:58
>> And uh I was trying to warm up
8:01
something. I didn't want it hot. I just
8:03
wanted it warm. And I sort of set it
8:04
like on half of that, you know. And
8:07
finally one of these guys from the
8:08
culinary crew come over and he said,
8:10
"You got to cover that." And I said,
8:13
"When did you have to have a cover on a
8:15
pan to melt butter?" And he said, "No,
8:17
you got to cover the burner up." I said,
8:19
"It ain't a burner. Ain't got no gas to
8:21
it." I said, "Y'all need to get off this
8:22
electricity, get some fire."
8:24
>> That's the difference with the like
8:26
cheffy competition world and chuck wagon
8:29
world, like two light years apart. We
8:31
don't we don't have anything that plugs
8:33
in when we cook versus I remember you
8:36
you going in and like with Chop they
8:38
have like an ice cream maker and a
8:40
salamander and all
8:41
>> I mean
8:42
>> all these fancy things that that we
8:44
don't have on the chop wagon. What's
8:46
interesting too about this episode or
8:48
this series is you're going in as the
8:52
professional chef.
8:53
>> Yes.
8:53
>> In previous you've always been the
8:55
competitor.
8:56
>> So was it kind of nice on the other end?
8:59
Well,
9:01
I think it makes you more the villain,
9:04
you know, in a way.
9:05
>> Oh, yeah.
9:06
>> Uh because people they everybody I don't
9:10
care who it is, I think they're always
9:11
going to root for the home chef
9:13
>> or the underdog. Yeah.
9:15
>> Yes. So, of course that they they kind
9:17
of go hand in hand in this in this
9:19
episode. Like
9:20
>> at home, you really are wanting that
9:22
home chef to like rise above. Yeah.
9:25
>> So, you were interestingly more of a
9:27
villain in this. I I think so really
9:30
because uh you could have pulled the
9:32
crowd they had out there. They had a
9:34
live studio audience uh and I'm pretty
9:37
sure they would have all said we're
9:38
rooting for the home chef.
9:40
>> A little sidebar, the live studio
9:43
audience, and this is probably the case
9:44
in a lot of filming. Yeah, they were
9:46
paid, right? They weren't actors, but
9:48
they were paid. Probably not a lot.
9:50
>> They got they got to sit and watch.
9:52
>> Yeah. Something. So they're all sitting
9:54
>> maybe 75 of them. 100
9:55
>> little tables watching. Did the live
9:58
studio audience had did that have any
10:01
>> I liked it you know because you could
10:03
hear people out there going oh no you
10:06
know and I'm thinking this is better
10:08
than just having a lot of people
10:09
breathing down your throat with 12
10:10
cameras on you know to me it was it was
10:14
a little more warm and inviting than
10:16
anything I'd done before. I I have just
10:18
a little side story before you even
10:21
started competing on this.
10:22
>> This the makeup.
10:23
>> This is So Kent goes into hair and
10:26
makeup.
10:27
>> Yes. Well, first let me back up a
10:29
minute.
10:29
>> Okay.
10:30
>> They kept want me they said you need to
10:32
uh send us your uniform or your dress
10:35
code that you're going to wear
10:36
>> because they they wanted you to be in
10:39
like a chef's mock and clogs.
10:41
>> Yes.
10:43
>> And first of all, so this does not go
10:45
well from the beginning. And Kent's
10:46
like, "By god, I'm not wearing no clogs
10:49
to cook in." And uh so sure enough, you
10:53
show up. You're like, "I'm wearing my
10:55
>> had a denim shirt.
10:56
>> My denim shirt and my Levis's and my
10:58
boots."
10:58
>> And they give me a black apron.
11:00
>> Did they want you to wear like a hat,
11:01
too?
11:01
>> Oh, they want me to wear one of them
11:03
little uh
11:03
>> like Sheffy
11:04
>> cheffy hats.
11:05
>> Yeah. Like we're not That's not going to
11:07
fly.
11:07
>> No.
11:08
>> And I remember it was a big hassle. So,
11:11
you go in and you've got your outfit on.
11:13
And the first round of the
11:18
apparel team comes in, they're like,
11:20
"Oh, that I don't know. I don't think
11:22
that that's going to fly. I don't think
11:24
we can get this approved through the the
11:26
upper upper ups." And Kent's like,
11:29
"Well, I'm not changing." And so finally
11:33
the head of costume design,
11:36
>> wardrobe,
11:37
>> wardrobe, the head of wardrobe finally
11:39
comes in and he looks and I just
11:41
remember he saying like, "Yes, I really
11:43
love this cowboy thing that you have
11:45
going on. Let's just go."
11:47
>> Like it was an act.
11:48
>> Yeah. Let's just go with this. I'm
11:50
really liking this this look. And Kent's
11:52
like, "Whatever. I don't care what you
11:53
say." So luckily you got the check. I
11:55
>> slid by.
11:56
>> You got You're like her and makeup
11:59
>> that works. So then
12:01
then he goes into hair and makeup, which
12:04
hair doesn't exist because
12:05
>> No, I mean it wasn't a whole lot up
12:06
there.
12:07
>> And you're wearing a cowboy hat.
12:08
>> Yeah.
12:09
>> So they're like, "Okay, great. Check.
12:10
I'm out." And then makeup comes in.
12:13
>> Oh, yes.
12:14
>> And this is the part that I'm
12:16
>> I love it.
12:17
>> I'm still hearing about today. So Kent's
12:20
sitting in the little chair and the
12:22
makeup lady comes and she's got like
12:24
this huge bag of stuff and she looks and
12:27
she gives him a little powder and she's
12:28
like, "You know what? You've just got
12:31
such rugged good looks. I don't even
12:34
need to do anything."
12:35
>> Alien sister,
12:36
>> I'm just going to give you a little
12:37
powder.
12:38
>> Yeah.
12:39
>> And I'm sitting there like, great. That
12:40
just there goes the ego.
12:43
>> No curling iron, no nothing was needed.
12:45
But I do remember she was super excited
12:47
because she pulled out this tiny little
12:50
mustache
12:51
>> mustache comb and she said, "I've had
12:53
this for 5 years and I've always I've
12:55
never had anybody to use this on."
12:57
>> So she did just a little little
12:58
mustache.
12:59
>> Ain't no telling what she might have
13:00
raked out of there neither.
13:01
>> Oh, that's true.
13:03
>> So she did a little comb, she gave you
13:05
just a little like powder. I think you
13:06
even had some like eye drops and you
13:08
were done.
13:08
>> I was good to go cuz I had rugged good
13:10
looks. Rugged.
13:11
>> Let's say that one more time, don't you?
13:13
>> Let's not. Um, so, so that was that was
13:16
pretty funny. And, and you'd never had
13:18
>> I'd never got makeup before,
13:19
>> right? So, that was kind of fun.
13:20
>> Yeah.
13:21
>> All right. So, now that we are looking
13:24
all good and spiffy.
13:25
>> Yes.
13:26
>> Take us to the set design because this
13:29
was pretty cool.
13:31
>> Well, you're going to walk through these
13:33
saloon doors first and they got one of
13:36
them big smoke guns. You know, it's just
13:38
making it fog smoke as you come out. And
13:42
I remember this guy who was like
13:44
executive producer back there. He said,
13:46
"Walk out looking tough, like you're
13:48
going to whoop somebody, [laughter] you
13:50
know." And I'm thinking, "Well, I don't
13:51
I don't think I need to whoop nobody
13:53
today." Yeah, you got to look tough. You
13:55
got to look mean, you know, walk out
13:57
there three or four steps like your
13:58
model, cross your arms, and look mad,
14:00
you know. And I'm thinking, who is this
14:02
guy, you know? But, uh, when I got to
14:06
walk through the the first time and you
14:07
actually got to see the set laid out
14:09
there in front of you, you know, there's
14:12
two layers sort of. There's like a
14:14
balcony and then there's another kitchen
14:17
underneath.
14:18
>> It it is a pretty cool set design. So,
14:21
the the professional chef has a full
14:24
kitchen set up on the lower level and
14:27
then there's a second level like above
14:30
you that the home chef is cooking on. So
14:33
you can't see each other, you can hear
14:34
each other.
14:35
>> Yeah.
14:35
>> Um
14:36
>> they told me they did this for
14:37
intimidation, so they were above you.
14:40
>> Oh, interesting.
14:41
>> Yeah.
14:42
>> And it was like a full like Hollywood
14:44
design.
14:45
>> It was nice. It was. And um it was
14:48
something that cuz most of it, you know,
14:50
you just you're cooking outside on them
14:52
other competitions or you're cooking in
14:54
a little bitty place.
14:55
>> Well, and and you're cooking the same
14:56
level.
14:57
>> Yeah. This a big old kitchen that I'm
15:00
in. I don't know. I'm pretty sure theirs
15:01
was just as big upstairs.
15:08
>> K, you know, as we're coming into fall,
15:10
it's super crazy. I know you guys at
15:12
home know school's starting, ch
15:15
football, all the schedules are going
15:17
crazy and it's really hard to find time
15:19
to eat and eat well. That's the thing.
15:23
And so that's why I love factor.
15:26
Sometimes I just want a good meal,
15:29
healthy meal that's ready right away.
15:32
And like within, I don't know, 3 minutes
15:35
or so, you can have a great healthy
15:37
meal. You can go online, they have a
15:40
bunch of different options. You can
15:42
choose your dietary requirements, which
15:44
I love because I actually have to be
15:47
gluten-free, so I can check that option.
15:50
And there's a lot of different recipes
15:51
for me to try.
15:52
>> Yeah. And it comes to your door.
15:54
>> Yeah. I tried one the other day. It was
15:58
a mushroom and rice creaminess all
16:01
together.
16:02
>> Sounds pretty good.
16:03
>> You were gone. I ate it by myself.
16:05
>> Oh,
16:05
>> it was It was really good. And so that's
16:07
what I love. Good healthy meals, but
16:09
they also taste good.
16:10
>> Oh, yeah.
16:10
>> That helps.
16:12
>> You ain't wasting no time. This is like
16:14
3 minutes and you got a meal.
16:15
>> I love not having to go to the grocery
16:17
store. That's a big one for me. So, if
16:20
you're somebody who's in a rush, but you
16:23
still want to eat healthy and you still
16:24
want to eat good, give Factor a try. So,
16:27
let's eat real. Head to factor
16:30
meals.com/cowboykent50
16:33
off and use code cowboyk50
16:36
off to get 50% off and one free
16:41
breakfast item per box. That's for 1
16:44
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16:47
2026. That's code cowboy kent50 off at
16:52
factormeals.com.
16:54
cowboyk50 off at factormeals.com
16:58
and see the website for more details.
17:04
>> Okay. So, they've got you
17:08
walking out.
17:09
>> Yes.
17:09
>> And the smoke is going and you do look
17:11
and I remember the the cutaways that
17:13
they do. They do make you look really
17:15
tough.
17:15
>> I'm pretty tough and I got rugged good
17:17
looks. You're standing there and your
17:19
arms are crossed and you're like bowed
17:21
up.
17:21
>> Yes.
17:22
>> And the funniest thing is across the
17:25
stage when they when they show who your
17:29
competitor is.
17:29
>> Yeah. Cuz she's first to come out.
17:31
>> Yes. Her name is Annie and she is like
17:35
the cutest little thing that you've ever
17:37
seen. And she has this little like
17:39
cherry print apron on and these big old
17:42
eyes and smile. And I'm thinking, how
17:45
could you not just want to eat this
17:46
woman up? And then Kent comes in as the
17:48
villain. And so you're trying to stare
17:51
her down and she's just like,
17:52
>> she's so sweet.
17:53
>> She was just so cute. Um, did you have
17:57
an initial thought when you saw her?
17:59
>> Well, when when I first seen her, I'm
18:00
thinking, how could you not want to
18:03
throw this, you know, throw the round,
18:05
let her win? Cuz she I mean, she's so
18:06
sweet and so cute looking.
18:08
>> You didn't know the story that they'd
18:11
come with.
18:11
>> So, get this, guys. This makes Kent even
18:14
more of a villain. So, they introduce
18:16
Annie. She's obviously brought out
18:18
before you are you introduced. So, she's
18:21
on stage with the host, Adam Richmond.
18:24
>> And she is from California. She has a
18:27
7-year-old daughter who has Rhett
18:29
syndrome, rhts.
18:33
And the reason she's coming on to
18:35
compete is that she wants to win the
18:37
money to buy her daughter a speech
18:40
generating device because she's
18:41
non-verbal. So then Kent the jerk comes
18:45
out and he's trying to whoop Annie. So
18:48
of course the whole audience is like
18:50
boo.
18:51
>> I mean it it's one of these deals when
18:54
you hear all that and then you walk out
18:56
there and you think I think I'm going to
18:57
turn around, walk back, you know.
18:59
>> So you had heard
19:00
>> Yeah, you could hear it in there. you
19:02
knew the whole.
19:03
>> And I'm thinking, oh my gosh, why did
19:04
why what do you do here?
19:07
>> So, and here's also an interesting
19:08
tiein. Your older sister Cindy, who had
19:12
cereable palsy,
19:13
>> y
19:14
>> she had also was working or had a speech
19:17
device at that point,
19:18
>> right? At the last she did. Yeah.
19:19
>> Well, did she have one at that point of
19:22
this competition or No. Okay. But so you
19:24
had a real personal connection
19:27
>> to understanding what Annie was going
19:29
through and the things that can make
19:33
life easier.
19:34
>> And I mean and her husband was sitting
19:36
out there and the and and the family,
19:37
you know, and
19:39
>> you I look over there at them and you
19:41
see her and you think,
19:43
why don't you just go get back on the
19:45
bus and go home? You know, forfeit.
19:47
>> That's hard. So, but anyway. Okay. So,
19:49
it's but it's a competition and it's TV,
19:51
so you got to go big. So, okay. So,
19:54
Annie comes on and let me just give you
19:57
her dishes. So, of her dishes, she's got
20:01
a raspberry sule, chicken pot pie, ai
20:04
tuna, fetuccini, and sweet and spicy ch
20:09
and spicy shrimp. So, what needs to
20:12
happen then is this is very strategy
20:15
based. So, what she has to do is she has
20:17
to look at all of her dishes and then
20:20
decide what she's going to challenge the
20:23
prochef with.
20:24
>> And they knew who the chefs were cuz
20:26
they had they got time to research them
20:27
a little.
20:28
>> They did.
20:28
>> Oh, yeah.
20:29
>> Oh, I didn't know that.
20:31
>> So, then in theory, like, okay, so if
20:34
you've you're coming up against Kent the
20:36
cowboy cook
20:38
in strategy, you want to maybe pick a
20:41
dish that you would think he was not
20:43
comfortable cooking. Well, little Annie
20:47
nailed it because you did.
20:49
>> Out of all those things,
20:50
>> why couldn't she pick the chicken pot
20:52
pie?
20:53
>> That's what you really wanted, right?
20:54
>> Yeah. And that's what she said. I'm not
20:55
going to do this cuz I figure he knows
20:57
comfort food.
20:57
>> And even the sweet and spicy shrimp you
20:59
would have been good with.
21:00
>> Oh, yes.
21:00
>> No, she picks bum bum bum. The raspberry
21:04
soule.
21:06
And I remember
21:09
looking at your face like what were you
21:11
thinking?
21:12
Well, I remember you were in the back
21:14
and you had told me later you could see
21:16
on the monitor that all the color sort
21:17
of drained out of my face when they said
21:19
raspberry soule. And when she said that,
21:22
I didn't want to act like I didn't know
21:24
what was going on. You know, tough and
21:27
everything. [laughter]
21:28
And I'm thinking, I can't spell sule.
21:31
How can I even cook it? You know, uh
21:35
and so she goes upstairs to her kitchen.
21:39
>> Well, and you're like, "Yeah, let's do
21:41
it." Yeah.
21:42
>> Like all tough. And so Yeah. Okay. So
21:44
she goes up to hers, you go to yours.
21:46
>> Yeah.
21:47
>> And I remember so this was kind of a
21:51
unique deal, too, because I actually got
21:52
to be on set while they were filming
21:54
this. Usually all the sets are closed.
21:57
So I'm sitting in the back with like the
22:00
sound and camera guys. And I remember
22:02
all of us like turning to each other and
22:04
being like, "What the heck is a sule? Do
22:07
do you know what's in a sule?" like
22:08
we're all trying to like Google cuz we
22:11
have no idea. And I'm thinking this is
22:13
not going to go well for you.
22:15
>> Well, they they told us that when you
22:18
take your spot and get ready to cook,
22:20
you had 5 seconds before it actually
22:23
started.
22:24
>> Okay.
22:24
>> And there's a speaker under the counter.
22:29
[laughter]
22:29
I remember the speaker coming on and it
22:32
says, "Hey, Kent, do you know what a
22:35
sule is?" Is this like the producer?
22:38
>> Uhhuh. And I said, "Nope." He said,
22:41
"Google's definition is eggy like cake.
22:45
Does that help?" I said, "Nope."
22:47
[laughter]
22:47
>> So, they were only allowed to give you
22:49
like a brief description.
22:50
>> Yes. It didn't tell you what to put in
22:52
it or a recipe.
22:53
>> Eggy like cake.
22:55
>> Yes.
22:56
>> Okay. So, at this point, you're
22:59
thinking, "What?" Well, one other thing
23:02
you got to figure into, you got 20
23:03
minutes to make something you ain't
23:05
never made before in your life. And um
23:08
I'm still, you know, she says chocolate,
23:11
raspberry, sule.
23:13
I savvy chocolate.
23:15
>> Yeah.
23:15
>> And I I know a raspberry.
23:17
>> Uhhuh.
23:18
>> But sule
23:19
>> ain't got a clue.
23:21
>> It's something we never cooked on the
23:22
wagon.
23:23
>> Correct.
23:24
>> So
23:25
>> you know, and honestly to this day, I
23:26
still don't really know what a sule is.
23:28
I know they're good. Yeah, it's a
23:30
they're a very good dessert. Sort of
23:32
French pastrywise in a way. Uh very
23:35
classy, you know, just like I mean like
23:38
me. Classy, rugged, good looks. That's
23:40
what I'm bringing to the table.
23:42
>> Here we go.
23:43
>> And so Mr. Richmond is standing out
23:46
there and he said,
23:49
"You have 20 minutes and time starts
23:53
now."
23:54
>> And everybody runs
23:55
>> and everybody's taking off. You know, I
23:58
sit there in panic mode for about 30
24:00
seconds thinking
24:02
just cook.
24:04
>> Okay.
24:04
>> And that's when it finally clicked in
24:05
there. Just cook. Put your touch on it.
24:09
Make it like you think it ought to be.
24:11
Is it a soule? I ain't got a clue cuz I
24:14
don't know what one is, you know. So,
24:18
I went and go and find me some bread
24:21
and I'm make a sandwich. Sit down and
24:22
think about it. [laughter]
24:26
And I cuz I'm I'm going to do a cha
24:29
chocolate chocolate raspberry bread
24:31
pudding sule crossover
24:34
>> because for you you were just relating
24:36
it to the closest thing that you knew
24:38
was an eggy like substance and that was
24:40
like for you bread pudding.
24:42
>> Yeah. And and our regular bread pudding
24:43
recipe has two eggs. I put five in this.
24:45
>> Okay.
24:46
>> Cuz they said eggy like. So
24:48
>> sounds good.
24:48
>> I'm going to get a eggy like in there,
24:50
you know. So I get get my my bread, you
24:54
know, break it up in pieces like we
24:57
always do. Sugar, heavy cream, not using
25:00
milk.
25:02
>> Going classy. Heavy cream,
25:05
eggs, five of them [clears throat] where
25:08
it would have normally been two. Whip
25:10
them eggs really well cuz you want
25:12
soulets to me sounds elegant like it's
25:15
fluffy and going to float off the plate.
25:18
>> That's okay. you know. So, I'm thinking
25:20
what's going to make it light and
25:21
fluffy? More eggs. Put more
25:23
cackleberries in it quick.
25:25
>> 20 minutes. I'm already down to like 12
25:27
minutes left and ain't even got them in
25:28
the oven yet.
25:30
>> Okay. So, once you find out you're going
25:31
to do the the bread pudding, are you
25:33
feeling confident or you still like I
25:35
have no clue what's going on.
25:36
>> Well, it I felt comforted that I knew
25:39
what it was going to taste like. I knew
25:42
it was going to be good,
25:43
>> right? But were they going to deduct
25:46
points off for it not being a classical
25:48
French soule dish? I didn't have a clue,
25:51
>> right?
25:51
>> You know, and these aren't judges you
25:53
see. These are all going to be served to
25:56
five blind judges. They're not going to
25:58
know whose plate was what, what was
25:59
where. So, as I get them in the oven,
26:02
and it's one of them convection ovens,
26:04
got two doors, you know, and I'm
26:06
thinking, I've never used one of these
26:08
for in my life either, cuz I had to ask
26:10
one of them culinary guys, is it going
26:12
to be on or you got to turn it on? Cuz
26:14
they were like astronaut spaceship over
26:16
had like 42 knobs on it, 13 switches,
26:19
and get them into cooking. And I'm think
26:23
chocolate raspberry sauce.
26:26
Well, so I noted she made a Tahesian
26:30
vanilla dark chocolate.
26:33
Did you know that?
26:34
>> Well, you could hear that over the
26:38
speaker system, you know, talking back
26:39
and forth. And I'm thinking,
26:42
where does this lady even come up with
26:43
all these ingredients? They don't sell
26:45
them at my local grocery store.
26:46
>> I mean, she is bringing it.
26:48
>> Oh, she got her a game on. So I I'm
26:51
thinking
26:53
I got this bread pudding that's similar
26:54
to a sule
26:57
and I'm going to make a chocolate
26:59
raspberry sauce.
27:01
Chocolate and I use two kinds semieet
27:05
and dark.
27:06
>> Okay.
27:07
>> And I made me one of them what
27:09
[clears throat] you call it double
27:10
boilers.
27:11
>> Uhhuh.
27:11
>> You know, got me one of them little pans
27:13
and put over some hot steaming water and
27:15
was melting my chocolate.
27:18
Got my little raspberries over and I'm
27:20
thinking,
27:22
what would Kent do if he had a chance?
27:26
Little heavy cream,
27:27
>> a little sugar. You want a little
27:29
tartness with that dark chocolate in the
27:31
raspberry. Let me look over There it is.
27:34
Whiskey,
27:35
>> of course, the magic ingredient.
27:37
>> Whiskey cream sauce.
27:39
>> Okay,
27:40
>> pour a little dab in there. Not much.
27:42
Let it cook away. Alcohol all
27:44
disappears. Time to plate. There's which
27:48
five judges?
27:49
>> Plating hasn't always been your
27:51
strongest suit.
27:52
>> Well, I tell them like I did them folks
27:53
out there at Chopped.
27:55
>> If your food is good to eat out of a
27:57
hubcap,
27:58
>> that's true.
27:58
>> You know, so you get to think in 20
28:02
minutes you have to make six of them.
28:05
One's just for presentation. Five's
28:07
going to the judges. Why couldn't they
28:08
all just have shared we made three?
28:10
[laughter]
28:11
Time was running out. Well, and here
28:15
this is what I really liked about this
28:19
particular competition setup is the
28:21
judging.
28:22
>> Yeah.
28:22
>> Because it went they called it the
28:24
dinner party. So your five plates went
28:27
back to five regular ordinary people.
28:32
They weren't food critics. They weren't
28:34
restaurant owners. Nothing. These were
28:36
just your general run-of-the-mill people
28:38
who like to eat, which I really
28:40
appreciated because sometimes, and
28:42
you've always said this, food gets way
28:44
over complicated and way too fancy. And
28:48
so these people just appreciated food.
28:51
>> Oh, yeah. And I mean, I I would have
28:52
liked to have met them, you know, to see
28:54
what they like.
28:55
>> Uh you didn't even know where the room
28:57
was, you know, could have been at the
28:58
Motel 6 or something. I don't know.
29:01
>> So, okay. So, they've judged. Uh-huh.
29:05
>> And you and Annie are standing there
29:08
with the host
29:09
>> and did you say you're I mean she's
29:11
>> so sweet.
29:12
>> She's so cute.
29:14
>> Yes.
29:14
>> And you know the there you are. And
29:17
honest to God like Kent,
29:21
we all were sitting there like there's
29:24
no way
29:24
>> he ain't got a chance.
29:25
>> He does not have a chance.
29:26
>> And it did like a boxing deal too.
29:30
>> Ladies and gentlemen,
29:32
we hope you enjoyed this fight. We have
29:34
a split decision.
29:36
>> Oh, so that it was it was a three to
29:38
two, which backstage
29:40
>> I I had a breath of fresh air come right
29:42
there
29:43
>> cuz you didn't get totally annihilated.
29:45
>> It wasn't like 5 and0,
29:46
>> right? So backstage were like, "Oh,
29:48
well, wow. Actually, that was kind of
29:50
close." Well, good job, Kent. Nice try.
29:52
>> And [snorts] then they announced the
29:53
winner.
29:54
>> Yeah.
29:55
>> And you won.
29:56
>> Yeah. And I hear boo.
30:00
We were shocked because even Annie was
30:04
absolutely shocked because she had a
30:08
beautiful textbook sule.
30:11
>> Yeah.
30:11
>> And then there's this cowboy who comes
30:13
out of nowhere, throws together this
30:16
interpretation of a sule.
30:18
>> Yeah.
30:18
>> And you won.
30:20
>> Yeah. And I think a lot of that goes
30:21
back too to what you were saying. When
30:23
it's just ordinary people judging food.
30:26
>> Yeah.
30:27
>> Sure. You may look at some and say,
30:29
"Hey, that really looks good." But you
30:31
want the taste. You know, you want you
30:34
want you want them flavors to blend.
30:37
>> Uh, you know, I probably should have
30:39
left these in the ramicins. They might
30:41
have looked better, but
30:42
>> Oh,
30:43
>> I dumped them, you know, on a little old
30:44
plate and, uh, had me some mint. Went
30:47
over there and got to decorate. You
30:49
know,
30:50
>> you did.
30:50
>> But I was shocked more than anybody.
30:52
>> Everybody was shocked. And then, of
30:55
course, Yeah. Like you said, boo, like
30:57
you're you won, but you were the bad
30:59
guy.
31:01
>> Yeah. So, it's kind of a weird
31:02
>> And I remember when I come off stage,
31:06
>> there was a lady that was worked sort of
31:08
a casting director, but she done
31:12
something else for him, too. She come
31:14
running down that hallway and jumped up
31:16
and gave me the biggest hug in the
31:17
world. She said, "Way to go, kid. You
31:20
done it." And I'm thinking, I just got
31:22
booed, honey. You know,
31:24
>> I know. But it was um to me it was an
31:28
experience that I'd never got to have
31:30
before on the other cooking
31:32
competitions, you know.
31:34
>> But I felt so bad about winning. Was I
31:36
going to give up? No. Was I not going to
31:38
try? No.
31:40
>> I mean, I've always been one of them
31:41
people. You start something, you try to
31:43
finish it, make it the best you can. But
31:45
my gosh, you know, that that was that
31:48
hurt.
31:49
>> Well, here's the good news.
31:51
>> There's four more rounds.
31:52
>> Here's the good news, folks. So Annie
31:54
does go on to compete and I think she
31:57
won every other round.
31:58
>> 90,000.
31:59
>> She went away with $90,000, but
32:03
>> NBC really stepped up and they also
32:06
bought her the speech generator machine.
32:09
So it was a very great feelgood episode.
32:12
It was
32:13
>> and hopefully people didn't hate you too
32:15
much.
32:16
>> Well, they had to sneak me out the back
32:17
door, you know, as the crowd was leaving
32:19
because I was afraid I might get shot or
32:21
something. I know. Um, I do want to make
32:24
a little like total side note. The other
32:28
professional chefs that went on after
32:31
you to compete.
32:33
>> One of them was really interesting.
32:35
[laughter]
32:36
>> His name was Chiron Hawkman and he was
32:40
the personal chef to the Kardashians.
32:42
So, this just gives you kind of an idea
32:45
[laughter] of who Kent is with. So, you
32:47
got this cowboy cook and then you've got
32:48
the Kardashian personal chef. It's
32:50
flake.
32:51
>> I remember that is in this little green
32:52
room, you know, and I come back out
32:54
[clears throat] of there and he didn't
32:55
ask did you win, did you lose he said
32:58
what' you prepare and I said chocolate
33:01
raspberry sule. Well, let me tell you
33:03
how to make this. And this is like he'd
33:05
done been on
33:07
>> and come back. I didn't know, you know.
33:09
>> And uh he said, "Let me tell you how to
33:11
make this." And he went to tell me all
33:12
this. I said, "Hang on a minute,
33:13
brother."
33:14
>> You're like,
33:15
>> I said, "Uh, I guess what I done
33:17
worked." What are you talking about? I
33:18
said, "Did you win your round?" No. I
33:21
said, "I won mine." And uh he just
33:24
looked at me and he said, "But you don't
33:26
even know what a sule is." And I think
33:28
it goes back to life is simple. Don't
33:31
complicate it with food.
33:33
>> Well, and also learn to pivot.
33:35
>> That's right. You got to,
33:42
>> you know, there's two things in my job
33:43
that really sort of get to me. One of
33:45
them's hot, another smelling like sweat
33:48
and smoke. Yeah.
33:50
>> And it gets in everything you have
33:52
quickly. I don't care if you're just
33:53
going to open the lid on the smoker and
33:55
shut it right quick. You done ruin a set
33:57
of clothes. You ain't going to wear them
33:58
to church next day.
33:59
>> And I'm big on finding good soaps and
34:03
good scents. And that's why
34:06
>> you guys got to try out laundry sauce.
34:08
>> Yeah. Because we're not talking just
34:10
getting clothes clean. I want them to
34:12
smell good. I've used so much laundry
34:15
detergent in the years before where I
34:17
I'd wash it and I'd pull them out of
34:18
there and I'd run them through the dryer
34:19
and I smell still smell like smoke.
34:22
>> It's almost like a self-care routine for
34:24
me because it makes me feel good if I
34:27
have a good scent. It's relaxing. And
34:29
what I love also is that they have just
34:32
made their Target debut and you can find
34:35
laundry sauce in select Target stores.
34:37
They also have a variety of different
34:40
products, not just detergent. It's
34:41
fabric softener, scent boosters, dryer
34:44
sheets. So, you can try all the
34:47
different product line and the different
34:49
scents they offer.
34:50
>> For a limited time only, our listeners
34:52
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34:59
That's 20% off your order at
35:02
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35:03
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35:07
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35:08
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35:10
show and tell them that we sent you.
35:12
It's time to make laundry day the best
35:15
day of the week.
35:19
>> So, that wasn't the end for you.
35:22
>> No, we went to the restaurant, remember
35:23
that evening, and was eating with uh the
35:26
two guys that we was working for and the
35:28
phone rang.
35:30
>> Oh, I don't remember that.
35:31
>> Yeah. And he picked up the phone. He
35:32
said, "Wait a minute. Wait just a
35:35
minute. I'll ask. Hey Kent, would you be
35:38
able to be on second episode? It's day
35:40
after tomorrow. And I said, "So it's me
35:44
already here, you know. Let's do her."
35:46
>> And I think you were the only
35:48
professional chef that was asked back to
35:50
film twice, right?
35:51
>> Yeah.
35:51
>> Is that true?
35:52
>> So they must have like been
35:54
>> good looks. Here we go.
35:56
>> You know what, guys? I really regret
35:58
ever telling that story cuz now we're
36:00
just I'm going to have to hear about it
36:01
afterwards.
36:02
>> I mean, I got my eyes done since then,
36:03
too.
36:04
>> You did? Yeah.
36:05
>> Can we flash up? I don't think we ever
36:06
did. Let me just recap it real quick.
36:09
Um, Kent had to his eyes, he had eye
36:12
surgery because the upper lid was
36:14
impeding his vision. So, it wasn't
36:16
cosmetic. It was it it was a medical
36:20
>> uh procedure. Yeah.
36:21
>> So, you had your um just like the skin
36:23
removed from your upper lip. So, let me
36:25
add on screen the before and after
36:28
because I didn't even think it was that
36:30
bad. And I'll tell you one thing, and I
36:32
they ain't paying me to say it, but them
36:34
folks at Profer Eye Clinic over in
36:36
Amarilla,
36:36
>> they were good.
36:37
>> I'm I'm going to ask them if they want
36:39
to learn how to cook, cuz I mean them
36:40
folks is good people.
36:41
>> Okay, so let's get back. We're We're on
36:44
episode two now.
36:45
>> Yeah.
36:46
>> So, how are you feeling now that you
36:48
know the layout? You've already won. Are
36:51
you thinking life's pretty good?
36:52
>> Well, I'm thinking just to get another
36:55
chance, you know, to to show people what
36:57
you can do uh is a good thing. And uh we
37:02
got to have a good time. You know, it
37:04
wasn't like one of them deals where I
37:05
was going to we had to get up at 2:00 in
37:07
the morning, go build a fire, and get
37:08
all this stuff. And I wasn't near as
37:10
stressed as the competitions that I'd
37:12
been on before. You know,
37:14
>> I remember me and you getting to sleep
37:15
in the motel, you know, laid up in the
37:18
bed till nearly 9:00.
37:19
>> It was much much more relaxed than
37:21
previous competitions.
37:23
>> And I didn't have to go back through
37:25
wardrobe and there was no need to go to
37:27
makeup cuz I had what
37:28
>> we already know.
37:29
>> Okay. So, [laughter]
37:32
I am ready to go.
37:33
>> You're feeling good. Okay. So, again,
37:36
you do the dramatic walk out. There's
37:38
this the steam and the smoke and you're
37:41
looking down at the guy and it's Nick
37:44
Evans.
37:44
>> Yeah. From Denver, Colorado.
37:46
>> He is a food blogger.
37:48
And his dishes are eggs benedict.
37:53
>> Mhm.
37:54
>> Mashed [clears throat] potato pizza,
37:56
>> chorizo tacos, chicken wings, and a
37:59
veggie burger.
38:01
>> So folks,
38:03
>> I know which one I'd have picked.
38:05
>> I don't know a lot about cooking, but I
38:08
will tell you if I'm going up against a
38:11
cowboy,
38:13
my strategy is definitely the veggie
38:16
burger. If he would have said veggie
38:19
burger,
38:21
I'd have probably just walked off.
38:23
[laughter]
38:23
>> I mean, like we said, this is this is a
38:26
lot of strategy.
38:27
>> Yes.
38:29
>> Nick Evans doesn't pick the veggie
38:32
burger.
38:32
>> No, he didn't. You know, and I was proud
38:34
he didn't.
38:35
>> What did he pick?
38:36
>> He picked the choreso taco. And I'm
38:37
thinking, yes, Virginia, there is a
38:40
Santa Claus. Thank you, God, for
38:41
miracles.
38:43
>> I'm just wondering like what's going
38:45
through his head? Like even the eggs
38:47
benedict, anything other than
38:48
>> Yeah. the potato pizza.
38:50
>> You've got a cowboy and like TMX cooking
38:53
and spices and ao taco.
38:57
>> Mhm.
38:58
>> So going into this totally different
39:00
than the sule.
39:00
>> Oh yeah. They didn't have to come on the
39:02
speaker and say, "Hey, Kent, do you know
39:03
what thereso taco is?" You know, cuz I'd
39:05
have told him I can even spell that one.
39:07
And u this he said this was his wife's
39:10
favorite dish
39:11
>> and he'd been making it forever.
39:13
>> Uhhuh.
39:13
>> So I knew he was capable. Oh, sure.
39:16
>> You know, and you knew it was going to
39:17
be good.
39:18
>> Well,
39:18
>> just like I told him though,
39:20
>> we f to heat things up in the kitchen,
39:22
brother.
39:23
>> What the thing that's unique about this
39:26
as well is that the home chef, I think,
39:30
arrives maybe 3 days before filming and
39:34
they actually practice their dishes in
39:37
the kitchen. I think they maybe even had
39:39
a culinary assistant working with them.
39:42
So, the competition is really stacked
39:45
for the home chef because they've
39:47
already they know these dishes. They've
39:50
practiced it in a timed situation and
39:53
you guys as the pro chefs are walking in
39:55
completely blind.
39:57
So, you're feeling good.
39:59
>> Well, I feel better than I did the the
40:00
day before. I promise you that because I
40:03
actually know how to cook a really good
40:05
chiso taco.
40:07
>> Okay, here's the thing that confused me,
40:09
though. Mhm.
40:10
>> You pick chicken sausage. Yeah.
40:13
>> For your meat. Why did you do that?
40:15
>> Because I want to give it a different
40:17
blend. I had some chreso already
40:19
crumbled up in there.
40:20
>> There's some chorizo sausage. But I want
40:22
to blend two meats together.
40:24
>> Oh, see. And I didn't know that. And
40:25
they didn't show that on TV.
40:26
>> And when you look in the ice box, stuff
40:28
is labeled, you know.
40:31
>> And this was about the only two that was
40:33
in mine. I mean, there was a ribeye
40:35
steak in there, but you're going to have
40:36
a hard time making a ribeye steak into
40:37
chorizo sausage.
40:39
>> Did they limit your
40:40
>> I think maybe so the grocery items might
40:43
have been persuaded to not be in my
40:44
favor.
40:45
>> Ooh, interesting.
40:46
>> Which is fine. Um, so when I looked at
40:50
that and it said chicken applewood
40:52
sausage and I'm think chicken don't make
40:53
sausage. Chicken make egg. Chicken make
40:55
fried chicken. Chicken make Sunday
40:57
dinner. So, when I get it over there to
41:00
this cast iron skillet and they let you
41:03
bring your knives.
41:05
>> Oh, yeah. Great. [clears throat]
41:06
>> So, what did I have? My trusty trusty
41:09
hash knife. And I wouldn't have done it
41:11
to my cast iron skillet, but I didn't
41:13
mind abusing theirs a little. So, I chop
41:15
everything in the skillet as it's
41:17
cooking to blend it.
41:19
>> You know, I saw that and I thought
41:21
that's weird. You never do that. Like,
41:23
you're very good with your cast iron,
41:24
but it was there so you didn't care.
41:26
>> Well, not that I didn't care. I was just
41:28
sort of in a hurry.
41:28
>> Oh, yuming. So,
41:30
>> I I want to ask too because I'm always
41:32
curious. You know, those of you at home,
41:35
if you are cast iron cookers, you are
41:38
into your cast iron. You care for it.
41:41
You love it. There's certain protocols
41:43
and procedures. So, when you go on these
41:45
cooking competitions and they have cast
41:47
iron, historically, it's not good cast
41:50
iron because it's never been used. It's
41:52
not people aren't seasoning it. They're
41:53
just stuck in the kitchen and probably
41:55
not cleaning it properly. Was the cast
41:57
iron on set? Okay.
41:58
>> It it was actually new, pretty new cast
42:01
iron.
42:01
>> Okay.
42:02
>> You know, I can remember in some in
42:04
previous that uh it was Americanmade
42:08
cast iron, but
42:08
>> it was lodge on this one.
42:10
>> Yeah. But it was it had been washed, but
42:13
it had never been seasoned. Yes.
42:14
>> You know,
42:15
>> and I wanted to give them a little
42:16
tutorial while we was there, but you
42:18
don't have time for that either.
42:19
>> Well, and a lot of times if you're
42:21
cooking out of just fresh new cast iron,
42:24
it can taste metallic. That's more so
42:26
when you're baking.
42:27
>> Yeah. But also before they went to
42:29
preseasoning, it was just raw iron, you
42:31
know, so it's a little better than what
42:32
it was. But,
42:35
>> you know, you can you can get to
42:37
thinking about it and if I'm thinking
42:39
breakfast taco to me, I'm thinking I
42:44
never did like a crispy taco.
42:46
>> You know why?
42:47
>> Cuz every time you bite it, it falls
42:49
apart.
42:49
>> Oh, yeah. Like a hard shell, you mean?
42:51
>> Yeah. Okay. So,
42:54
I'm thinking back to my ranch days when
42:56
I still I mean, we were still cooking on
42:57
ranches then, but what would a cowboy
42:59
like?
43:00
>> He'd like a soft tortilla to put this
43:03
in.
43:04
>> Okay.
43:04
>> So, that's what I'm going to use.
43:06
>> Well, Nick did make a little mention, a
43:08
little jab
43:10
>> that he that you were using a flour
43:13
tortilla and not a corn tortilla, which
43:15
would have been more traditional.
43:16
>> Yeah, I did heat these, you know.
43:18
>> Mhm. And then I thought
43:21
it is time to break out the secret
43:23
weapon.
43:23
>> You also there was a little more banter
43:26
going on in this episode. I think maybe
43:28
because you were more comfortable and
43:29
more confident. So you were talking.
43:30
>> Well, they had told us earlier have a
43:32
little communication with him if you
43:34
can. Oh,
43:34
>> okay. So you're like
43:35
>> I wasn't going to bother Annie. I was
43:36
scared of Annie.
43:38
>> Nobody wanted to bother Annie.
43:40
>> So I I kept hollering at him, sort of
43:41
joing back and forth, you know, in one
43:44
way that's strategy too. Can you
43:45
distract him?
43:46
>> Yeah. you know, um I've been distracted
43:50
all my life. Probably wasn't gonna make
43:51
me no difference, but I think for this
43:54
round, we just had like maybe 10 or 12
43:56
minutes. It wasn't a 20-minute deal.
43:57
>> Yeah.
43:58
>> And so, everything is happening
44:00
tremendously fast.
44:01
>> Yeah.
44:01
>> And if you're going to have a chorreso
44:03
taco and you're going to have to have it
44:05
really well, you got to have one thing
44:07
in it.
44:08
>> What's that?
44:10
>> Chipotle peppers and adobo sauce.
44:12
>> That I think is your secret ingredient.
44:13
And you've used that multiple times in
44:15
competitions and it always works
44:19
>> cuz it there's some heat there, but
44:21
there's a lot of smoky flavor, but you
44:23
don't just add this in as a sauce that
44:25
day. I pour some in that skillet to let
44:27
it blend in with that meat just a little
44:29
bit as I'm chopping it all up. And then
44:31
we'll make the sauce to put on the taco.
44:34
>> If you guys haven't used it, it comes in
44:36
a can and it's chipotle peppers in adobo
44:39
sauce.
44:40
>> You could pour this stuff on ice cream.
44:42
I mean, it is good. So
44:44
>> now it can get a little hot if you're
44:45
sensitive.
44:46
>> Yeah. Experiment with it because it's
44:47
it's really good.
44:48
>> Yeah.
44:48
>> All right. So obviously you're feeling
44:51
much more confident.
44:52
>> Well, I mean I ain't got I don't know
44:54
what he's fixing up there for sure. I
44:56
just know it was his wife's favorite.
44:58
>> Are you thinking you've got this?
45:00
>> I think it's going to be close, but I
45:01
think I got it. That was my gut feeling.
45:04
>> Okay. So again, it's a three-2 decision.
45:07
>> Yeah.
45:08
>> And bum bum bum. Kent wins
45:12
>> undefeated.
45:14
>> Yeah.
45:15
>> How do you feel?
45:16
>> I feel good. And I want to tell him if
45:18
you're ever in a cooking competition and
45:21
you think this guy might be about half
45:23
authentic cowboy cook, don't cook a taco
45:25
against him. You know, if he'd have went
45:27
with the veggie burger, he'd have won.
45:29
Mashed potato pizza, I could have got
45:31
close, maybe. Or the spicy shrimp,
45:33
maybe. But I think that was his wrong
45:37
strategy. I am going to go out on a limb
45:40
here. Uh
45:41
>> oh.
45:42
>> And say like so you have two very
45:45
different
45:46
competition styles here like two
45:49
different rounds. And the object
45:52
obviously is to win.
45:54
>> Yes.
45:54
>> The object in life, right, is to win.
45:58
But in this situation, winning didn't
46:00
mean the same thing in those two
46:03
instances.
46:04
>> No.
46:06
winning almost felt bad in that first
46:08
round, right?
46:10
>> It was awful. It did. I mean, it made
46:12
things like because I didn't know at the
46:14
time that NBC was going to do that
46:16
either.
46:16
>> Yeah.
46:17
>> But
46:19
the second one, there wasn't, and I
46:21
don't mean it bad towards anybody. There
46:22
wasn't no
46:24
>> stake,
46:25
>> tragic story or really heartwarming.
46:29
>> Yeah.
46:30
>> You know, something to put out there.
46:32
That's why I'm doing this. That's why I
46:33
want to win, you know. Well, how did
46:35
Annie's story change what you thought
46:37
about winning?
46:38
>> Well, Annie was cooking for a cause. Not
46:43
monetarily they want to put it in their
46:44
pocket monetarily to where they could
46:47
help their daughter out.
46:48
>> Yeah.
46:49
>> Because she said, "I" and I cried that
46:51
day when I heard it. I've never got to
46:54
hear her say, "I love you." O,
46:56
>> you know, and so [clears throat]
46:59
when you're cooking from the heart and
47:02
something that
47:03
is that deep rooted in you, something
47:05
that you really need, I guarantee you I
47:08
was putting out 100%.
47:10
>> She's putting out 200%.
47:11
>> Oh yeah.
47:12
>> You know, and it's so it's
47:15
>> you can you can be in any challenge in
47:17
life
47:19
>> and you can try to win and I've been in
47:22
a lot of them and didn't win.
47:25
But you got to be gracious
47:27
>> just [clears throat] like she was and
47:28
you got to overcome and you got to put
47:31
forth and go with it and think
47:34
>> I didn't win this round but I'm going to
47:35
win the rest of them and she did.
47:37
>> Yeah.
47:37
>> You know and that I was so proud of her
47:39
and we got to talk to her. You know
47:41
she's such a sweet sweet lady.
47:43
>> Yeah.
47:43
>> And uh it was a great thing. So,
47:47
whatever you think you're doing and you
47:50
come up and you think I was last place,
47:54
well, how many was in a race? If there's
47:57
200 people and you was last place, you
47:59
need hustle. [laughter]
48:01
But I've come in last. You know, I
48:05
remember a fell telling me after we went
48:08
through chop grill masters, you know,
48:11
and ended up second. This guy told me,
48:13
"Anybody can win first,
48:16
but if you're gracious and kind and put
48:18
your heart in it, you can win second."
48:20
And more people remember that. And they
48:22
did,
48:23
>> so I've I'll always remember Annie's
48:25
smile.
48:26
>> Mhm.
48:27
>> You know, and and how in the world could
48:28
you ever want to walk out and think,
48:30
"I'm tough." And you see her and you
48:32
think,
48:32
>> I just want to hug her. And I did before
48:34
we left, you know, I hugged her neck and
48:36
I said, "I'm proud of you, sugar. Thank
48:38
you." I don't know [snorts]
48:39
>> that. And there wasn't ill will no after
48:42
that or anything. Um, as we we finish up
48:45
here, I want to know what your takeaway
48:49
from this specific experience was
48:51
because you've had a lot of different
48:52
takeaways through your cooking
48:54
competitions. Um, Chopped, I think you
48:58
you made a really deep connection with
49:00
the behind-the-scenes crew
49:02
>> and you learned kind of resilience
49:03
through that. Um, Bobby Fle was maybe
49:08
the takeaway was proving to yourself and
49:10
to other people that you could do it.
49:12
What was the takeaway from these this
49:14
NBC experience?
49:17
>> Well, to me it was totally different
49:20
than anything I'd been on before. Uh,
49:24
because
49:25
first of all,
49:27
you were inside. I mean, it was it was
49:30
controlled climate. It was nice to see
49:33
the set and see all the smok and mirrors
49:35
that went with it was to me like going
49:38
to the circus, you know. I mean, it was
49:40
a pretty good deal.
49:42
>> But
49:43
there was a there was a lot of bign name
49:45
chefs there. Cat Kora, Duff Goldman, you
49:48
know.
49:48
>> Yep.
49:49
>> Uh people that uh had earned that title,
49:53
chef.
49:54
>> Yeah.
49:54
>> They were calling me chef and I kept
49:56
telling them to call me cook. I'm not a
49:57
chef, you know.
49:59
But it taught me, I think more than
50:01
anything, whatever
50:04
whatever I did,
50:06
I hope I did in with respect.
50:09
>> I still wasn't going to be one of them
50:10
deals like when I beat Annie and and
50:12
look at her and say, you know, you
50:13
didn't have a chance.
50:14
>> Yeah.
50:14
>> You know, or when you beat Nick, holler
50:16
back up there and say, "Hey, you
50:18
shouldn't have picked a taco." You know,
50:21
you thank them. You be kind. Uh because
50:25
that kindness and that smile and that
50:27
hug goes a long long way and it taught
50:30
me you I might have won. I might have
50:32
been I was the only undefeated so-called
50:34
chef that went through the whole
50:36
competitions
50:38
but that didn't mean a whole lot to me.
50:41
>> What meant a lot to me was just being to
50:43
be able part have be a part of it
50:46
>> because it was it was to me it's
50:47
probably one of the best cooking
50:49
competition shows we did.
50:50
>> Yeah.
50:51
But we got to be together. You got to
50:54
see it live. You know, you were there.
50:57
>> And uh the cast and the crew were good
51:00
people. You know, we're still friends
51:01
with a lot of the crew that was on
51:03
there. And that's what it's about,
51:05
making friends and making family. And um
51:08
I think if there's if I just narrowed it
51:10
down to one thing that I learned out
51:13
there that I hope everybody learned from
51:15
it, and I hope you learn from it, too. I
51:17
got rugged good looks.
51:19
>> Write it down, folks. Chen, I enjoyed
51:21
this. It's fun.
51:23
>> A little reminiscing.
51:24
>> Yeah. And can people still find that to
51:26
watch it?
51:27
>> Oh, yeah. So, I found this on Apple TV.
51:31
Um I just bought two episodes. You could
51:33
do it probably with your um
51:34
subscription. I think Amazon Prime also
51:37
has it. Just Google Food Fighters where
51:40
to watch and there's several streaming
51:42
services that you can find it on. So,
51:43
>> there was just two seasons. I think
51:45
there was just two seasons, but it is
51:46
worth like if you like the food
51:48
competition thing, it's worth checking
51:50
out because it really was a a good
51:53
series.
51:54
>> Anyway, thank you all so much for
51:55
joining us for this episode, Major.
51:57
We're so glad that you were also able to
51:59
join us and he's feeling much better.
52:01
>> Yeah. And whether you're in food
52:04
fighters competition or you're with the
52:07
food fighting band,
52:09
>> we appreciate each and every one of you
52:10
for stopping by and taking time to
52:12
watch. Remember,
52:14
cooking video out every Wednesday, 2:30
52:17
central. Podcast out every Sunday. You
52:19
can watch it here on our YouTube channel
52:20
or on Spotify, Apple, whatever you get
52:23
your podcast on. Keep them comments
52:25
coming. I may not get them every one
52:27
answered, but I do read every one of
52:29
them and we appreciate it. But also, I
52:32
want to thank the folks that produce
52:34
this podcast for us.
52:36
>> Oh, yes.
52:37
>> I mean, because usually that falls in
52:39
your lap. This has been the greatest
52:41
thing because we sit here and we we do
52:44
the episode and then it just goes off
52:46
and we've got a great crew at Pioneer.
52:49
We've got a producer Jill, editor Josh,
52:53
Casey and the team at Pioneer. They do
52:56
an amazing job. We can just send it to
52:57
them and it comes back to where you all
52:59
can enjoy it. So, thank you all.
53:01
>> Yeah, they are good people and we thank
53:02
y'all so much. I tip my hat to y'all,
53:04
but more than that, I tip my hat to all
53:06
the service men and women and all the
53:08
veterans that have kept that old flag of
53:09
flying. We appreciate you all. We
53:12
commend you and lift you up in prayer
53:14
daily. [music] Rest of you, God bless
53:16
you each and everyone. Hope you have a
53:18
great great day. And if you get a
53:20
chance, tell somebody that cowboy got
53:23
some rugged good looks.
53:25
[music]
53:31
>> [music]
53:34
>> Pioneer.
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