Tiffani Faison wins ‘Tournament of Champions’ Food Network competition
Boston restaurateur Tiffani Faison won the 3rd time of the culinary opposition show “Tournament of Champions” Sunday evening, taking dwelling $100,000 — the biggest hard cash prize in the historical past of the Foods Community.
Faison took a split from helming her lots of Boston eateries — Italian restaurant Orfano and Sweet Cheeks barbecue, each in the Fenway, and Bubble Bath and other individuals in the new downtown Superior Avenue Spot food stuff corridor, all beneath her Large Coronary heart Hospitality cafe group — to show up on the exhibit, hosted by Dude Fieri.
The present, which started with 32 contestants, is structured as a bracket-design opposition, with leading East Coast and West Coastline chefs pitted versus every other. They whip up meals identified by a randomizer device that assigns a protein, an additional ingredient, a piece of machines, a design and style of cooking, and a time allotment. Originally, Faison — who also competed in the 2nd period of “Tournament of Champions” — was placed in the 3rd seed for her area.
In the finale, Faison went head-to-head with the season a person winner, Los Angeles chef Brooke Williamson. Their assignment? To prepare dinner rabbit and nattō (a Japanese fermented soybean) on an anti-griddle, getting ready a single of the substances three distinctive strategies in an hour. Faison emerged victorious with, amid other dishes, a fried rabbit leg atop a puree of sweet potato and nattō.
“Tournament of Champions is the hardest, most tough cooking opposition in the entire world,” claimed Faison in a press release. “It can take just about every ounce of information, expertise, grit, and struggle you have to be successful. I figured out much more about myself with each battle and I realized a lot more how deeply talented the other warriors in this event are. Each and every week is a take a look at that demands your total heart to exhibit up and then can take your breath absent.”
Faison, who was named a James Beard finalist for the Best Chef: Northeast award previous month, is no stranger to large-stakes cooking competitions. She was the runner-up in the 1st year of “Top Chef,” and is a common decide on “Chopped,” also on the Food Network.
The 3rd year of “Tournament of Champions,” the channel’s highest-rated sequence to day in 2022, is now streaming on discovery+.
“Winning has been one particular of the most affirming and fulfilling ordeals of my life,” explained Faison. “It is the literal culmination of the function, determination, and devotion I have invested in my profession. I’m so deeply grateful for this option. This is magic.”
Dana Gerber can be arrived at at [email protected]
