Top Chef Season 18 Episode 10 Tournament of Tofu

In the tenth episode of Top Chef season 18, titled "Tournament of Tofu," the remaining chefs are challenged to showcase their creativity and skills with one of the most versatile ingredients in plant-based cooking: tofu. They must create tofu-based dishes that demonstrate its ability to absorb flavors and textures, while also showcasing their own unique culinary style.

To start off the tournament, the chefs are divided into two teams, and each team must create a tofu tasting menu for a group of esteemed judges. These judges include world-renowned chef and restaurateur David Chang and actress and food blogger Gwyneth Paltrow.

The chefs are given one hour to prepare their dishes, but many of them struggle with the texture and flavor profile of tofu, which can be bland and difficult to work with if not prepared properly. Some chefs opt to fry their tofu, while others attempt to infuse it with bold flavors using spices and marinades.

As they present their dishes, the judges are impressed by the creativity and variety of flavors on display. They taste everything from creamy tofu custards to savory tofu dumplings, each dish highlighting a different technique or flavor combination.

After the tasting menu challenge, the chefs face a second task: to create a tofu-based dish using only five ingredients. This challenge pushes the chefs to think outside of the box and focus on simplicity and balance in their dishes.

Some chefs take inspiration from traditional tofu dishes, such as Korean juk and Japanese miso soup, while others incorporate unexpected flavors like truffle and lavender. As the judges taste each dish, they are impressed by the chefs' ability to showcase the versatility of tofu in a variety of different ways.

At the end of the episode, one chef is eliminated from the competition, while the rest continue on to the next round. The tournament of tofu has challenged the chefs to push their creativity to the limit, showcasing the infinite possibilities of plant-based cooking.