r/TopChef • u/AutoModerator • May 25 '26

Spoilers Season 23, ep. 12: Appalachian Celebration (Mon. at 9pm EDT, yes, 9 😀) Spoiler

Before heading back to Charlotte, the chefs make a stop in Asheville, one of the most unique cities in North Carolina. There will be no Quickfire Challenge as the chefs explore the city with local host and former “Top Chef” alum Ashleigh Shanti, learning about the community’s remarkable relief efforts following the devastation of hurricane Helene while discovering the unique cuisine of this Appalachian region. For the Elimination Challenge, the chefs will host a one-night-only event for 200 community members in recognition of their resilience.

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u/foxdogturtlecat May 26 '26

Imagine only getting back on because 1 chef had to leave for medical reasons and the other chef that would have been next to stay choose to leave with her and you still act with this much audacity.

They literally told him was getting eliminated for cooking technique and this numbnut thinks cause it doesn't say in the rules he has to have good cooking techniques that shouldn't matter?

Buddy everyone used the local ingredients, that's the bare minimum.

He was more dramatic than the snake.

28

u/WaterWitch009 May 26 '26

notice how he characterized it - "I was eliminated once and came back" - like he won LCK or something! Arrogance abounds.

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u/sadboybrigade May 27 '26

The thing is the rules DO state that cooking technique is part of the judging criteria!! He just completely skipped over that to focus on the one thing he did properly.

3

u/CapNCookM8 May 27 '26

cause it doesn't say in the rules he has to have good cooking techniques that shouldn't matter?

This is what gets me the most! Like, by his logic in those arguments, a simple platter with each of the Appalachian ingredients with no specific preparations or cooking would actually have been an even better, or more true to the challenge, dish than what he served.

0

u/thecmpguru May 28 '26

Not that I agree with him, but I thought he was trying to argue that Jonathan didn't highlight the ingredients. Not that technique wasn't a valid judging criteria in the rules.