Beat Bobby Flay Season 1 Episode 9 Old School/New School

In the ninth episode of the first season of Beat Bobby Flay, two chefs with different culinary backgrounds go head-to-head to earn the chance to take on celebrity chef Bobby Flay. The episode, titled "Old School/New School," features a classic French chef and a modern fusion chef battling it out in the kitchen.

The episode begins with the arrival of judges Mark Ladner and Justin Warner, who share their expertise with the competing chefs. First, they are introduced to the challenger, Chef Chris Bauer. Bauer is a classically trained French chef who has trained under some of the world's top pastry chefs, including Chef Dominique Ansel. He has won numerous awards for his work and runs a successful bakery in New York City.

Next up is the defending champion, Chef Philip Lopez. Lopez is a New Orleans native and represents the "new school" of cooking—he focuses on modern fusion cuisine with a Southern twist. He has worked in some of the most prestigious kitchens in the country, including Commander's Palace in New Orleans and La Bernardin in New York City.

The two chefs are given 20 minutes to come up with a dish using chicken and bacon. Bauer creates a chicken and bacon roulade while Lopez prepares a bacon-wrapped chicken with a spicy glaze. The judges taste both dishes and declare Bauer the winner, giving him the advantage in the next round.

For the second round, the chefs are tasked with creating a dish using tuna and chocolate. Bauer decides to make a tuna tartare with a chocolate vinaigrette, while Lopez opts for a chocolate-crusted tuna with a citrus salad. Both judges are impressed with the creativity and execution of both dishes, but ultimately choose Bauer as the winner once again, giving him the chance to take on Bobby Flay in the final round.

For the final round, Bauer must prepare his signature dish using a secret ingredient chosen by Chef Flay. The ingredient turns out to be black garlic. Bauer decides to make a black garlic souffle with a goat cheese and onion cream while Flay prepares his own black garlic dish.

The judges taste both dishes and declare Bauer the winner, making him the champion of the episode. Flay is gracious in defeat and comments on the skill and creativity of Bauer's dishes. Bauer is ecstatic to have beaten one of the world's top chefs on national television and is awarded a cash prize for his victory.

Overall, "Old School/New School" is an exciting episode of Beat Bobby Flay that highlights the differences between traditional French cuisine and modern fusion cooking. Both chefs are talented and passionate about their respective styles of cooking, making for an entertaining and engaging competition. The judges provide valuable insights into the dishes and offer constructive criticism for the chefs to improve upon. The final showdown between Bauer and Flay is intense and suspenseful, keeping viewers on the edge of their seats until the very end.