Food Network, Chopped · 2009
Michael Giletto on Chopped, Season 1
In the first season of Food Network's Chopped, Michael cooked through all three rounds to the final, in front of judges Geoffrey Zakarian, Alex Guarnaschelli and Amanda Freitag.
- Show
- Chopped, Food Network
- Episode
- Season 1, Episode 11, “Jumbo Shrimp, Pepperoni, Cereal”
- First aired
- March 24, 2009
- Judges
- Geoffrey Zakarian, Alex Guarnaschelli, Amanda Freitag
- Result
- Finalist, runner-up to private chef Jackie Lee
- Michael at the time
- Executive Chef, Cherry Valley Country Club, Skillman, New Jersey
What he cooked
Appetizer, from a basket of jumbo shrimp, Granny Smith apples and peanut butter: shrimp slowly poached in butter with aromatics, with a Thai-spiced peanut drizzle. Amanda Freitag liked the presentation and found the shrimp very tender.
Entrée, from kielbasa, pepperoncini, fingerling potatoes and tarragon: sage and tarragon gnocchi tossed with kielbasa lardons, with a pepperoncini and garlic purée. Freitag loved the gnocchi and Alex Guarnaschelli its toasted flavor.
Dessert, from marshmallow spread, chocolate puff cereal, chocolate chips and dried strawberries: a cinnamon and cayenne brownie with a cereal butter crumb, macerated strawberries and candied orange zest. The judges liked the spice, but the brownie had caught in the oven, and the title went to Jackie Lee.
What came next
Chopped invited Michael back the next season for “Sweet Redemption”, an episode for chefs who had come second. Alina Eisenhauer, a pastry chef he met on this episode, cooked with him at the James Beard House in New York early in 2010.
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