Ep 4. Chiles Rellenos

Throwdown with Bobby Flay is a cooking competition show where renowned chef Bobby Flay goes head-to-head with various cooks and chefs across the country in pursuit of the best and most authentic dishes. In season 5 episode 4, Flay takes on the challenge of making Chiles Rellenos, a traditional Mexican dish of stuffed peppers.

The episode starts with Flay traveling to San Antonio, Texas to meet Jesse T. Camacho, a pastry chef who specializes in making Chiles Rellenos. Camacho is a native of San Antonio and grew up eating the dish made by his grandmother. He has since taken the recipe and put his own spin on it, combining traditional elements with modern techniques.

Flay observes Camacho making his Chiles Rellenos and is impressed by the ingredients he uses. Instead of the usual ground beef or pork, Camacho’s stuffing is made with smoked brisket, a Texan twist on the classic dish. The peppers are then dipped in an egg batter and fried until golden brown. To finish, Camacho pours a fresh tomato sauce over the top and adds a sprinkle of queso fresco.

Flay takes notes and decides to challenge Camacho to a throwdown. Camacho is surprised but excited to compete with one of the best chefs in the world. The two chefs head to the kitchen, where Flay starts to work on his own version of Chiles Rellenos. He thinks about the kinds of toppings and fillings that would work well and decides to go with a combination of beef and chorizo as filling. For toppings, Flay chooses a green tomatillo sauce and cotija cheese.

As Flay works, he begins to feel the pressure of the competition. Camacho is a tough opponent, and Flay knows that he needs to bring his A-game if he wants to win. He tries to stay focused on his cooking and not get distracted by all of the cameras and lights.

After a few hours, Flay and Camacho both finish their dishes and present them to the judges. The judges are local food critics who are familiar with Chiles Rellenos and will be assessing the contestants on their taste, presentation, and innovation.

The judges first try Camacho’s dish and are impressed by the smokiness of the brisket and the freshness of the tomato sauce. They love the texture of the peppers and the fact that the dish is an updated version of a traditional recipe.

Flay then presents his version of Chiles Rellenos, and the judges are blown away by the combination of beef and chorizo. The tomatillo sauce is a perfect complement to the spiciness of the peppers, and the cotija cheese adds a nice salty crunch.

After some deliberation, the judges give their verdict: Flay’s Chiles Rellenos are the best. Flay is overjoyed and thanks Camacho for the challenging and fun competition. Camacho takes the loss graciously and congratulates Flay on his win.

In the end, the episode shows that even the best chefs can learn something new from local cooks and their traditional dishes. Flay’s victory is a testament to the fact that innovation and creativity can result in delicious and unique interpretations of classic recipes.