On Top Chef season 22 episode 11, the contestants got hot under the collar as they met in Calgary, Canada, for a new challenge. The Quickfire round tested their skills at creating handheld pancakes for an outdoor setting, and Shuai Wang wowed the judges to prevail with his cornmeal pancake.
The Elimination Challenge required the chefs to pair cattle cuts with indigenous Canadian berries, reflecting the culinary traditions of ranchers and First Nations people. Massimo Piedimonte won first place for his tenderloin dish with elderberries in several refined shapes. Tristen Epps and Shuai Wang were also recognized for their inventive meals.
However, not all cooks completed the challenge. Lana Lagomarsini's grilled steak with Pommes Anna potatoes and haskap-berry sauce fell short due to overcooked meat and excessive seasoning. According to the judges' remarks, her meal lacked cohesiveness, and she was eliminated. Lana's exit leaves only five chefs battling for a coveted position in the Milan finals.
Lana gets eliminated from Top Chef Season 22 Episode 11
In episode 11 of Top Chef Season 22, titled Calgary, Yahoo!, the competition heated up as the six remaining chefs headed to Calgary, Alberta, Canada, to face challenges inspired by the region's culinary heritage. The Quickfire Challenge required the cooks to make handheld pancakes ideal for outdoor consumption, paying homage to Calgary's iconic Stampede pancake breakfasts.
Shuai Wang surprised the judges with his cornmeal pancake stuffed with scrambled eggs, lap cheong, cheddar, and a chili crisp avocado aioli, winning him the victory and an extra 30 minutes of cooking time in the Elimination Challenge.
The Elimination Challenge required the chefs to pair certain cuts of beef with indigenous Canadian berries, evoking the historical culinary exchanges between ranchers and First Nations populations.
Each chef chose a beef cut and a berry: Massimo Piedimonte with tenderloin and elderberries, Shuai Wang with short ribs and black currants, Tristen Epps with flat iron and gooseberries, César Murillo with rib eye and chokeberries, Bailey Sullivan with beef cheek and Saskatoon berries, and Lana Lagomarsini with New York striploin and haskap berries.
Massimo's meal, which included tenderloin with several elderberry preparations, smoked kohlrabi, and an elderberry-soup purée, was acclaimed as a "showstopper" by the judges, propelling him to first place. Tristen's Alberta flat iron with kohlrabi, gooseberries, and bone-marrow pemmican demonstrated his creative approach, but Top Chef's Shuai's stuffed cabbage with braised short rib, wild rice congee, and black-currant black-pepper sauce drew inspiration from his mother's cooking.
Lana's grilled striploin with Pommes Anna, haskap-berry sauce, and smoked haskap-berry jus was criticized for overdone meat, excessive tastes, and a lack of cohesiveness. The judges commented that the sage overpowered the dish, the meat was overcooked, and the potatoes seemed like an afterthought. These flaws resulted in her elimination from the competition.
With Lana's departure, the Top Chef battle is down to five chefs: Massimo, Shuai, Tristen, César, and Bailey. As the Milan finals approach, the remaining participants will be faced with increasingly difficult assignments that will put their culinary abilities and agility to the test.
You can watch the episodes of Top Chef Season 22 on Bravo.