The Battle Is Decided by a Single Point in Titans vs. Esther Choi

You’ve seen her endurance shine as the co-host of 24 in 24: Last Chef Standing. You’ve witnessed her inner risk-taker emerge as a competitor on Wildcard Kitchen. And you’ve watched her channel her inner teacher as a mentor on Selena + Chef. But did you know that once upon a time, Esther Choi was just like us — sitting on the couch devouring episode after episode of Food Network on TV?

Like an unexpectedly appropriate amuse-bouche before a synchronous entree to come, long before Esther rolled up her sleeves to take on the Titans on Season 2 of Bobby’s Triple Threat, she helped out behind the scenes at Iron Chef America. So, could the Food Network apprentice turned star tap into all she’s learned as a viewer and now chef to beat the Titans on Triple Threat?

Welcome to the Club, Esther

“I’ve known this chef since her days at Food Network’s test kitchen. Since then, she’s taken New York by storm with her modern take on Korean cuisine,” Bobby says, alluding to Esther’s popular restaurants mŏkbar and Ms. Yoo. (Even if you don’t live near the Big Apple, you can savor some of her delicious fare by following along with her Food Network YouTube series, Cooking With Choi.)

“I’ve had the pleasure of cooking against, and actually losing to her. And now she’s coming for you three,” Bobby admits. The Titans begin to experience their first crumb of doubt.

On a mission to earn bragging rights, $25,000 and a personalized locker in Bobby’s coveted club, Esther enters the room exuding confidence.

Round 1: Flanken-Cut Short Ribs and Asian Pears

In the first two rounds, Bobby selects two must-use ingredients, and the competing chef handpicks the Titan they’d like to take on. Up first? Tiffany Derry.

Knowing that she only has 40 minutes to perfect her two entrees, Esther turns to the pressure cooker. “Braising short ribs will really set my dish apart if I can get it right,” she says. By opting for that hands-off protein prep strategy, Esther is able to turn her attention to fine-tuning the other elements for her duo of dishes: Spicy Braised Short Ribs With Garlic Cream Potatoes and Grilled Short Rib Lettuce Wrap With Asian Pear Kimchi.

Tiffany relies on another shortcut strategy. For Fried Short Ribs and Asian Pear Lettuce Wraps and Grilled Short Ribs With Garlic Rice and Asian Pear Vegetable Medley, Tiffany vacuum-packs the meat with a marinade to infuse every ounce with the flavor of pears, garlic, ginger and tamarind in a matter of minutes.

Both chefs use every last second to plate and perfect their recipes before Bobby presents them to journalist and The Splendid Table podcast host Frances Lam.

Praising the tenderness of Esther’s ribs and the robust flavor of her pear kimchi, Frances awards Esther seven out of 10 points. He gives Tiffany six out of 10 for her well-executed yet less surprising dishes.

Round 2: Avocados and Serrano Chiles

Now, it’s Michael Voltaggio’s time to roll up his sleeves.

Esther runs immediately to the rice cooker for the foundational element of her first dish, Avocado Bibimbap With Serrano Sesame Sauce. She then begins removing the pit from the fruit to mash (with a whisk — brilliant!) into Shrimp and Avocado Guacamole With Nori Rice Chips. To lend crunch and an acidic pop to both dishes, Esther turns her attention to mixing the punchy liquid for pickled serranos.

As for Michael, he starts with a ceviche-like Vietnamese-Style Avocado and Shrimp Aguachile. To go alongside, he wants to challenge the assumption that this fatty fruit can’t be cooked.

“A lot of people think it’s almost illegal to cook avocado,” he says. With his Grilled Avocado Steak With Serrano Chimichurri and Serrano Churro, Michael wants “to show that avocado can be the star, and almost treat it like I’m treating a piece of meat.”

That strategy blows Frances away, as he declares the char to be “so nice,” especially next to the fruity serrano in the chimichurri. Michael earns a staggering nine points to seven for Esther’s “bonkers” bibimbap sauce yet chewy rice chips.

Round 3: Pork Belly and Kimchi

Only one Titan remains, Brooke Williamson, who has 45 minutes to dream up just one showstopping recipe that showcases two ingredients that are menu MVPs for Esther.

“I’m not scared of Korean flavors,” Brooke tells Bobby, as she begins stirring together a marinade for her Shrimp and Pork Rice With Cucumber Kimchi Salad. To caramelize the exterior, Brooke first fries the pork belly. Then, she pops it into a pressure cooker alongside mirin, kimchi, soy and soybean paste.

Esther, too, turns to the pressure cooker because pork belly “needs to braise for a long time, or else it’s a little too chewy.” This acts as the base for her Pork Belly Kimchi Ramen With Kimchi Bacon Broth and Handmade Noodles.

Judging on a scale of up to 20 this time, Frances applauds the depth of flavor in Brooke’s dish, but dings her for undercooked rice (recently, Brooke reflected on this battle, wishing she could have a rice redo). The Titans add 14 to their tally. As for Esther, Frances feels that her confidence really comes out in the ramen, which is accented beautifully by the bright kimchi. Despite the fact that Esther’s silky noodles are missing a bit of bounciness, Frances awards her dish 17 points. The final score? Esther 31; Titans 30.

“I did it. I can’t believe it. That was so hard — way harder than beating Bobby,” Esther says with a relief-filled giggle. “I aspire to be like Bobby. Don’t tell him that, though,” she adds, as she collects her $25,000 prize and joins the Titans and Bobby for a celebratory drink.