Just like any other TV show, Cutthroat Kitchen has many contestants that impressed the audience and made big impacts with positive ratings.
On the other hand, there are episodes that did not do well or were deemed to be underwhelming in the episodes they appeared in.
In this review, we explore the best Cutthroat Kitchen contestants and the worst ones as rated by many lovers of the show or ratings by the audience.
The Best Contestants
1. Chef Huda
Huda made her name famous by winning the biggest prize in the history of this cooking competition.
She outsmarted other chefs in the final stages of the competition by passing through the difficult challenges of sabotage.
One of the biggest challenges in her episode was to collect cooking ingredients from a block of ice which she managed to outshine her competitors.
She was able to remain with $23,900 as her prize for winning the competition.
She faced one of the toughest judges of the competition, Jet Tila who later confirmed her dish as the best of the season.
Huda is the founder of Pretty & delicious, a famous culinary company that operates in Washington.
Her passion for cooking made her contest the Cutthroat kitchen tournament to beat a group of super-talented chefs and become the winner.
2. Justin Warner
Warner participated in season 11 of the Cutthroat kitchen competition in the year 2015.
Born on February 11, 1984, Warner has become one of the most successful cookbook authors at a young age.
His passion for cooking made him take part in the Cutthroat kitchen competition.
Alongside other contestants such as Brian Malarkey, Nadia G, and Marcel Vigneron, Warner faced tough sabotages in the competition.
These involved a stuck hand in a cooking jar, high prep tables, and preparing dishes in a popcorn machine.
3. Ryan Sherman
Ryan participated in the season 13 episode that was dubbed “he is just a po’boy”. He emerged victorious by beating competitive chefs who had already established their careers in cooking.
With skills acquired from his working experience at Spats food in Appleton, Ryan decided to take part in this cooking show to win it.
In the competition, the other 3 chefs tried their best to disadvantage him in the auctions and multiple sabotages but Ryan was still able to outsmart them. In this episode, Ryan cooked a catfish in a big cat condo while his hands were tied in fists.
4. Brian Malarkey
Brian took part in the heat two of season five which aired on 15 October 2014. The other 3 participants in the show were Marcel Vigneron, Justin Warner, and Nadia G.
As a cooking enthusiast, Brian was willing to go through the harsh competition sabotage to win the competition.
An extremely high preparation table, having his hands stuck in a cookie jar, and using a popcorn machine to cook was some of the sabotage challenges he underwent.
5. Damaris Philips
This is yet another commendable participant of the Cutthroat Kitchen contest because of her notable skills.
Damaris featured in the third heat of the Cutthroat season 5 that aired on 22 October 2014.
Alongside other competitive chefs such as Eric Greenspan, Anne Burrel, and Johnny Luzzini, Damaris had to go through difficult cooking preparation conditions.
On a noticeable sabotage occasion, she had her cooking and mixing utensils replaced by lemons.
Her episode also involved difficult sabotage of using a floating prep station as a cooking location.
Born in December 1980, Damaris continues to be a celebrated chef and television personality because of her Southern cooking style.
The Worst Contestants
1. Amanda Marr
Amanda was one of the participants in episode 3 of season 1 of the Cutthroat kitchen show
. Even though she was known for fine cooking techniques, Amanda was hit by the worst sabotage while preparing macaroni and cheese.
While mixing white chocolate and mascarpone to achieve her cheese, a lobster was added as a way of sabotaging her. Most of the participants and judge Majumdar were stunned.
However, the participants on the other hand were happy knowing that this sabotage has eliminated one of the chefs they feared most.
This is how Judge Simon Majumdar eliminated the contestant in the early stages of the episode.
2. Krystal Mandap
Krystal was one of the main participants of season 6 in episode 13 of the competition.
From her previous cooking experience, her dishes were constantly delicious. This and other attributes propelled her to appear in the final round of this episode.
However, her ambitions and the desire to win the competition led to big mistakes that cost her the winning prize in the competition.
In bidding of the auctions, Krystall Mandap used all her available funds on one single bid that later backfired.
Even though she still managed to make a delicious dessert, she did not win the competition.
3. Nadia Giosia
Nadia is a Canadian celebrity who has made huge strides in the cooking industry. She participated in the Cutthroat kitchen competition in season 5 of episode 6
. Apart from being a chef, Nadia also doubles as a comedian. She is a television host of different kitchen programs that air on Food Network and other cooking channels in Canada.
However, despite all the positive achievements in the cooking industry, she was not able to curve a notable niche at the Cutthroat kitchen tournament.
4. Fabio Viviani
Fabio Viviani was another participant in the Cutthroat kitchen show but did not fare well despite the high expectations.
Born in October 1978, Fabio is a popular chef, a cookbook writer, and a successful restaurateur. He also features different reality television shows that involve cooking and food.
He participated in episode 5 of season 3 with other chefs such as Rocco Dispirito, Claire Robinson, and Duff Goldman.
In this episode, Fabio and Rocco battled it out but they were both unable to emerge victorious despite their experience in cooking.
5. Cole Dickinson
Cole Dickinson took part in episode 11 of season 13 which was first aired on May 25, 2014.
Dickinson went through different sabotage situations that included cooking equipment being tangled in fishnet.
The challenge of being tripped by a grill suit in the backyard of the cooking space was too much for the participants.
Cole Dickinson did not do well in the episode that involved the preparation of sliders, barbecue chicken, clam bake, and sandwiches.
He is still a celebrated and award-winning chef with years of experience in the cooking industry.
Brisket And Gravy Cutthroat Kitchen: Episode Video & Recipe
The Cutthroat kitchen competition was famous because of the numerous episodes it produced.
One that was interesting to the viewers, as well as the participants, was episode 3 of season 4.
This was a hotly contested tournament that was first aired on July 6, 2014, through Food Network television.
Just like any other episode of Cutthroat kitchen, this one also involved sabotage and auctions to get the winner who will emerge with the best dish.
The two remaining chefs were supposed to cook steak over candles. There was also the challenge of the contestant getting stuck with a giant whisk.
The episode equally featured participants making a cake the hard way and this is why it was nicknamed the “Anything but a cake walk “episode.
Episode 3 of season 4 involved three dishes. These were steak dinner, ice cream cake, and biscuits and gravy.
With Judge Simon Majumdar being the ultimate decision-maker, the final chef was able to walk away with $11,200.
The competition’s main dish that the participants were to make was biscuits and gravy. This is one of the most popular breakfast dishes that Americans love.
It is easier to make and contains all the necessary ingredients needed to keep you strong and energetic during the day.
Generally, the dish features soft dough biscuits with a lot of sawmill on top.
Alternatively, it can have a covering of meat gravy that is made from drippings of beef steak, milk, flour, and parts of sausage. The gravy is usually seasoned with paper but this is not mandatory.
For any person who is going to face a hard day with a busy schedule, a biscuit and gravy breakfast provides the best solution.
To date, there are plenty of restaurants in the USA that still specialize in this dish.
The confusion
In episode 3 of season 4, which was directed by Steve Hryniewicz, some top-notch participants took place in the competition
. Jernard Wells, Simon Majumdar, Alton Brown, and Enzo were part of the experienced chefs who made the season a success and worth of TV airtime.
In this episode, Alton Brown as the main facilitator told the participants to prepare biscuits and gravy.
However, chef Enzo who was not a native English speaker because of his Italian roots mistook the sound for Brisket and gravy. Consequently, he went to the pantry and picked a brisket instead of the biscuit.
With the main challenge being the biscuit and gravy dish, chef Enzo was confused but luck was still on his side.
Alton Brown intervened and advised the Italian chef to face the judge with his explanation.
Judge Simon Majumdar understood his confusion because Europeans’ and Americans’ accents differ.
Instead of failing him for having prepared the wrong dish, the judge classified his dish as brisket and gravy.
Enzo survived the risk of failing and being eliminated. Surprisingly, he received a lot of praise from the judge.
The situation also served as an eye-opener for Alton who made sure that the subsequent preparation methods and ingredients were clear to all contestants.
The other contestant ended up being eliminated with the judge terming his method of preparation as a poor execution tactic.
Even though other participants and viewers understood the situation at hand, some did not agree with the development.
There are also other fans of the show that suggested that another contest be rescheduled involving the two last participants.
However, a consultation between the producers and judge Majumder saw the initial decision upheld.
It was simply a great episode of Cutthroat Kitchen where a contestant’s misunderstanding made the show livelier.
Brisket and gravy recipe
1. Ingredients needed
Steak of beef stock, mixed herbs, pepper, 3 cloves of garlic, and coarsely chopped onions are the main ingredients you will require.
In addition, you will also need a boneless rolled beef brisket, carrots that are sliced into small chunks, a tablespoon of corn flour, and shallots.
You may also need a little wine but this is not mandatory.
2. Preparation steps
- Ensure your casserole dish is ready to place it on your stove for easy preparation of the gravy.
- Peel and smash the garlic and shallots. Next, proceed to make a pint of your beef stock.
- Cut the garlic, shallots, carrots, and the beef. Ensure they are placed in your casserole dish.
- Take a pint of your beef stock and pour it into the dish. You can add some wine if necessary.
- Cover the dish with a lid tightly and place it in the oven. This should be left for about 3 hours. Once the beef is ready, remove it from the oven and place it on a chopping board ready for carving.
- It is now time to take out your tender vegetables and onto a pan. Ensure the lid is on so that they remain warm.
- Mix your flour on the gravy by using a splash of water so that it becomes a paste. This ensures the flour does not turn into lumps.
- Add this to the casserole dish and have additional beef stock on top to make your gravy. You can then pour the juices from your casserole dish into a saucepan.
- Do not allow it to boil for long. A little bubbling sign means it is ready. Simmer it on the hob for it to become thick. The addition of gravy granules or flour can make it thicken faster.
- Proceed to slice your beef as thinly as possible. This will already make your brisket and gravy meal ready for serving. To serve more people, you can add some soft vegetables, carrots, or peas.
- You can slice your brisket and make a good arrangement on your serving platter.
The brisket and gravy episode was one of the best and most educative for viewers. If you watched it keenly, it can be easier for you to make brisket and gravy dishes at home.
The thrilling sabotage scenes and confusion in the episode make it a lively show for both participants and the viewers. Check the review of Cutthroat Kitchen in full to get more reviews.
Check out the Brisket and Gravy Cutthroat Kitchen episode for a personal opinion of the show that day.
Michael is a freelance writer with a keen focus on sports, media trends, technology, and the general entertainment industry. When not blogging and writing trendy articles, Michael is watching soccer or out there playing football in the hood.