Who went home in Top Chef season 22 episode 3? Details explored

Top Chef season 22 episode 3, titled Better Served Cold, aired on March 27, 2025, and ended with the elimination of Anya El-Wattar. The episode featured an Elimination Challenge with a twist, where chefs were required to create dishes that are best served cold.

Each chef had to choose a cloche labeled with a Canadian hockey term that revealed a key ingredient they had to highlight. While some terms like “muffin,” “apple,” or “peanut butter” translated more directly to food, others led to confusion and mixed results.

Anya drew “eggs” and prepared a pine-needle ice cream paired with a sea-buckthorn cake, but her execution and emphasis on the required ingredient fell short. In contrast, other contestants used their assigned terms to develop dishes that were more clearly aligned with the theme.

Massimo also landed in the bottom, but the judges felt Anya’s technical issues and lack of connection to the ingredient made her dish the weakest. The episode also featured a Jamaican patty Quickfire Challenge, where Katianna secured her second win, increasing her total prize earnings to $15,000. The contrast between structure and improvisation shaped the tone of the competition.

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Cold Dishes inspired by hockey terms as the Elimination Challenge in Top Chef

The Elimination Challenge introduced a new format in this episode of Top Chef. Each chef selected a cloche labeled with a hockey term, revealing an ingredient to highlight in a cold dish. Massimo drew "muffin" and prepared a dessert with muffin-flavored elements, including ganache, crémeux, and melted ice cream.

He expressed reluctance that he didn't want to make muffins but ultimately decided to give it a try. Anya received "eggs" and attempted a pine-needle ice cream and cake with sea-buckthorn powder but struggled with consistency and flavor. Paula, assigned "peanut butter," prepared Ecuadorian ceviche but was critiqued for insufficient peanut flavor. She explained that ceviche is supposed to be "brothy," but the judges expected more peanut presence.

In contrast, Katianna impressed with Korean cold noodles infused with Pernod for licorice flavor. Corwin presented an apple-based scallop aguachile, while Tristen offered a deviled egg tartare with a liquid-nitrogen yolk, inspired by a video call with his family.

The top three were Katianna, Corwin, and Tristen, with Katianna securing another win. The bottom three included Massimo, Anya, and Paula. While Massimo admitted he was "embarrassed" by the dish and Paula defended her dish's cultural authenticity, the Top Chef judges ultimately eliminated Anya El-Wattar due to multiple technical mistakes and a lack of focus on the egg element.

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Quickfire Challenge: Crafting Jamaican patties

This episode of Top Chef began with a Quickfire Challenge featuring Toronto-based chef Dwight Smith. He introduced the chefs to Jamaican patties from local bakeries and tasked them with creating their own versions. The chefs had 15 minutes to prepare the dough, followed by a resting period before the final assembly.

Some chefs adapted well, while others faced difficulties, particularly with dough consistency. Massimo admitted that his dough turned into batter. The judges appreciated the creativity and flavors, with standout ingredients including nori from Katianna, fenugreek from Henry, and chopped cheese from Vinny.

A few chefs landed in the bottom due to texture or execution issues. Massimo's oxtail patty caused a strong reaction from guest judge Dwight. Despite his confidence, Massimo later admitted that it was an "unnatural disaster." Kat and César also struggled with dough consistency.

Conversely, Katianna, Zubair, and Shuai stood out in this challenge of Top Chef. Katianna's Korean-inspired patty earned her a second consecutive Quickfire victory, adding $10,000 to her previous win, totaling $15,000.

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