On Thursday, January 16, the “America’s Funniest Food Show” episode of Beat Bobby Flay aired on Food Network. And Charlotte’s very own Chef Sam Diminich of Upstream was one of the contestants. As you now know, Chef Diminich won!
Here’s how it all went down. Two chefs, Chef Diminich and James Beard Award-winning cookbook author and chef Aliza Green, went head to head in the first round. The star ingredient (chosen by Bobby) was fontina cheese. The evening’s featured judges, Chef Anne Burrell and comedian Bob Saget, provided commentary and laughs throughout the event.
The two chefs had 20 minutes to create a dish that was “fontina forward.” Chef Green made a bucatini with mushrooms and fontina. Chef Diminich went with a bruschetta topped with a pancetta, onion, and tomato mixture as well as fontina fondue and baby greens. After a taste test, Burrell and Saget deemed Chef Diminich the winner.
For round two, Chef Diminich proclaimed lobster risotto as his signature dish. He and Bobby had 45 minutes to cook their best version of lobster risotto to serve a panel of judges. Chef Diminich used leeks instead of onions and added paprika for a little spice. Bobby stayed traditional with his onions and used hot peppers for heat. After Burrell tasted both during the cooking process, she said she was worried Chef Diminich went “overkill” with all his flavors.
After times-up, we were introduced to the three surprise judges: Marco Canora, Susan Povich, and Michael Psilakis. Canora thought Chef Diminich’s lobster was cooked well but mentioned there was “a lot going on” in the dish. Povich said the dish had a “wow factor.” Psilakis gave the presentation a 10/10 but said the rice was slightly crunchy.
Psilakis enjoyed the consistency of Bobby’s rice but thought the dish was a little simple. Canora thought the lemon, basil, and breadcrumbs overpowered the lobster, and Povich said the lobster was overcooked.
After all was said and done, the judges crowned Chef Sam Diminich the winner of Beat Bobby Flay! If you missed the episode, catch it again on Food Network on Saturday, January 25 at 3 p.m. You can also find a Maine Lobster and Bay Scallop Risotto on Upstream’s dinner menu.
