"I've never seen that move in my life" — Guy Fieri reacts to okra mayo twist on Tournament of Champions

Tournament of Champions returned with its sixth season on March 2, 2025, continuing the bracket-style culinary competition on Food Network. In this format, chefs indulge in one-on-one cook-offs, with winners advancing through each round until one champion remains.

In episode 3, which aired on March 16, host Guy Fieri describes a moment from the new season that caught him completely off guard. During one of the cook-offs, Top Chef alum and restaurateur Fabio Viviani is assigned okra as a key ingredient by the show’s randomizer, a lottery-style machine that selects protein, produce, equipment, cooking style, and time.

Viviani, not thrilled with the slimy texture of okra, decides to get creative and make okra mayonnaise for a ceviche dish. Reacting to this creation, Fieri says:

“I’ve never seen anything like that. I’ve never seen that move in my life."

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Fabio Viviani turns okra into mayonnaise in Tournament of Champions

In episode 3 of Tournament of Champions season 6, chef Fabio Viviani faces a challenge to use okra as one of the ingredients. Speaking about it, Viviani says:

“I [started] to cut it and my hands… they [felt] like I just had an entire kindergarten snot in my hands. Who invented okra?”

The randomizer selects okra as the produce for the round, and rather than avoiding it, Viviani makes it the center of his dish. He decides to chop the okra and blend it with hard-boiled eggs and oil, forming a new version of mayonnaise. This okra mayo is then used as a base for his ceviche.

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Guy Fieri talks about this season of Tournament of Champions

Fieri shares that one of the reasons Tournament of Champions remains engaging is because of its format. He mentions that the randomizer forces chefs to think on their feet, which often results in choices like Viviani’s okra mayo.

“You never know what’s going to happen in that kitchen. That’s what keeps it interesting,” Fieri says.

Season 6 features well-known chefs including Karen Akunowicz, Amanda Freitag, Stephanie Izard, Antonia Lofaso, Jet Tila, and others. Judges include previous winners Tiffani Faison, Maneet Chauhan, Mei Lin, and Brooke Williamson. Fieri’s son Hunter Fieri also returns this season, offering viewers behind-the-scenes glimpses from backstage.

With 32 chefs competing in head-to-head battles, each round tests their skills across a range of criteria, from protein usage to cooking techniques. The competition builds toward a final winner who will receive a $150,000 prize and the Tournament of Champions belt.

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What else happened in episode 3?

Episode 3 features four first-round battles. In the opening match, Chef Joe Sasto defeats Chef Fabio Viviani. The randomizer selects shrimp, okra, crinkle cutter, glazed, and hard-boiled eggs. While Joe’s chili-glazed shrimp impresses the judges, Fabio’s dual plate, including an okra mayonnaise, is seen as uneven.

Chef Lee Anne Wong wins against Chef Chris Scott in the second round. Her lamb dish with Romanesco purée and orange marmalade receives praises from judges, while Chris’s two tostadas lacks balance, especially the tartare.

In the third battle, Chef Jonathon Sawyer beats Chef Karen Akunowicz. Judges prefers his beef ragu over Karen’s kefta, which is considered too salty. The episode ends with Chef Jet Tila facing Chef Pyet DeSpain. Jet’s venison rack with oyster mushrooms earns the highest score of the night, while judges find Pyet’s dish under-seasoned with ginger.

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Tournament of Champions airs every Sunday at 8 pm ET/PT on Food Network and Discovery+.