I’ve watched many Top Chef finales, but Season 22 was truly special. That’s right – after several weeks of professional chefs fighting it out for the grand prize and a respectable place in the industry, fan favorite Tristen Epps emerged as the winner. I won’t say I was surprised, given that from the start to the finish, Tristen showcased why he belonged in Top Chef in the first place.
But for the high-stakes finale, he went beyond the flavors and plating and brought forth a powerful story. With a menu built around the theme of un-colonizing food, he turned the kitchen into a statement of identity, culture, and history. So, let’s dive deeper to understand what all happened in Part A of the Top Chef finale.
Top Chef Season 22: Tristen’s uncolonized vision led to a historic win
Top Chef Season 22 came to a glorious end in Milan, Italy, with fan favorite Tristen Epps taking home the title. And let’s just say – his win couldn’t have felt more earned. After weeks of intense challenges that began in Canada and ended in Italy, Tristen beat out finalists Bailey and Shuai. The finale challenge? Create the best four-course progressive meal with help from a chosen sous chef.
So, Tristen chose Zubair Mohajir, and together, the duo created a bold yet emotional menu. From the get-go, Tristen had made it clear that this final meal wasn’t just about winning. His major goal was to “essentially trying to un-colonize colonized dishes” food and push Afro-Caribbean cuisine into the spotlight.
Whatever he created in the finale told a story about history, identity, and above all, cultural pride. Let’s take a look at his menu.
- For the first course, he made monkfish with pickled turnips and baccalà mbongo.
- The second course featured Pollo “dorengo” with shrimp toast and shellfish jus (which the judges absolutely loved).
- The third dish was oxtail Milanese with curry butter and bone marrow gremolata.
- The fourth was a tropical root vegetable cake with plantain cream and cassareep sorbet.
On the judges’ table were Kristen Kish, Tom Colicchio, Gail Simmons, Richard Blais, Gregory Gourdet, Carlo Cracco, and Sarah Cicolini. What caught everyone off guard was how Kish was brought to tears after the final service, reminding the chefs to feel all of their accomplishments.
This definitely added more emotion to the show, and after a tough battle, Tristen emerged as the winner of Top Chef Season 22. But along with the grand prize, this win was also deeply emotional for him.
Tristen missed his stepdad on the biggest day of his life
Tristen may have taken home the title of Top Chef Season 22 winner, but behind the big smiles and well-deserved praise was a quiet ache – his stepfather wasn’t there to see it. That’s right – in the final moments of the show, after cooking a deeply personal and powerful menu, he stood in front of the judges in Milan and was named the winner.
While he was obviously happy about the moment, he remembered his stepfather, who had passed away while he was still competing in the game. This emotional moment struck a chord not just with fans but with everyone in the room. So, while his win was powerful, his stepfather’s absence was undeniable.
Still, Tristen stood tall, knowing that somewhere, his stepdad was likely smiling, proud of the chef and man he had become.
Top Chef is currently streaming in the USA on Bravo and Peacock TV (USA).
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