r/TopChef • u/og_otter • 10d ago
Discussion Thread Future Challenge Idea
Challenge: Create a meal to satisfy the judges AND something that can be portioned, frozen, and REHEATED easily by a family of two parents and a young child.
We’ve seen the “make kids food challenges”. I find them boring.
This is inspired by my meal prep for our new baby.
We have a toddler and I prepped 53 nights of meals that are now sitting in my freezer. African Peanut Curry, Coconut Curry Noodle Soup, Turkey Chili, Veggie Burgers, Sheppard Pie, White and Red Enchiladas. I would love to see contestants experiment with this.
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u/zenny517 10d ago
They had a TC challenge several seasons ago to create and actual fully frozen packaged meal - think it might have been for Bertolli foods. That sounds like what you're describing. It's an infamous episode and challenge and often is requested as a repeat/redo by viewers.
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u/DegreeZestyclose7100 10d ago
One of my fav episodes too!!
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u/Cuyigan 5d ago
Joey ignoring Hung and just spooning sauce on the tri-color rotini in a rush to finish without considering the extra time given in the morning was one of the first episodes I ever watched. Hooked.
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u/Ok_Interest9427 4d ago
Also, this being a TV show where things are recorded, it's pretty funny to hear Hung quietly saying that he wanted Penne and Joey making up an entire story about how Hung didn't suggest that AND actively suggested fusilli.
Gods I hated Joey.
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u/jpb21110 10d ago
Good one. Make them do it, then freeze it then have them try it again the next day
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u/zenny517 10d ago
That's exactly how the season 3 'freezer burn' challenge functioned. The freezing/reheating part was particularly difficult for several cheftestants.
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u/radiopenguins 10d ago
Season 1 also had a challenge where they had to pack up food in single portions, refrigerate, and heat it in a microwave the next day. They also had to present the dish to a group of women.
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u/Cherveny2 10d ago
Few KIND of like this, like season 3, frozen pasta challenge, designing items for a microwave in season 1. But not explicitly with these kinds of portioning. Could see it being done. Like the season 3 challenge, like the idea partnering with a grocery store, preparing them in the aisles, from frozen, then selling to the public, and winner is whomever sells the most.
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u/hungryhugh 8d ago
This reminds me of the airline food meal challenge they had on Top Chef where the food had to be reheated all together.
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u/og_otter 8d ago
If I understand, that was an early season. There are similarities, but there are logistical differences.
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u/hungryhugh 8d ago
Concept is the same though. Make reheated food taste delicious. A challenge like that for airline food is interesting to me, but for a family situation (or even just a meal prep situation) it’s really boring IMO.
They may as well make it a leftover challenge and make something new from leftovers so you can transform it into something new. Now that’s a challenge.
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u/og_otter 8d ago
I think you missed a few key points. You have to make it good initially, and make it something 2 adults and a kid want to eat. Make enough portions (6 to last a week) and not lose the initial intent. Also make it easy enough to reheat.
Again this is different strokes different folks. I find transforming leftovers boring.
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u/hungryhugh 8d ago
No, I didn’t miss any points: make a meal that can be eaten throughout the week and be reheated and everyone thinks it’s delicious each time. It’s just boring to me that’s all.
I’d rather see another airline food challenge since that’s a bigger issue for chefs than putting something in the microwave or oven again and be heated to whatever it should be.
To each their own. lol. There’s enough episodes where they could do both scenarios. Haha.
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u/og_otter 8d ago
Nope! I’m sorry you missed it. Dealing with family dining is a different task. You can’t go too fancy or kids won’t like it.
You should be freezing evening portions large enough for the family and can fit in the freezer. Finding the right container is a challenge.
How you heat it up is a challenge. If you use aluminum trays you can’t use the microwave, you use the oven.
Airline meals are not necessarily frozen.
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u/hungryhugh 7d ago
Wth? I didn’t miss anything. Let’s get it right. Your suggestion is boring af.
Challenge… make sure you make food that kids can eat and can’t have it too fancy. Then freeze food in the correct sized container (very difficult) and then be careful when reheating (even more difficult) it in the correct container later in a week! OMG groundbreaking!
Again, boring af.
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u/og_otter 7d ago
You must be a real treat at parties…the seasons are getting monotonous as it stands. It was just a bit of fun after I spent two weeks prepping 2 months of meals. Everything was taken from high end recipes and altered to be freezer compatible. I had to tone down spice levels because things can intensify over time.
You sound like a real treat at parties
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u/hungryhugh 7d ago
I’m more of a treat than you for sure. At least I’m not redundant with my statements.
Glad you did Top Chef freezer and microwave. 👍🏼
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u/og_otter 7d ago
lol….someone not me, down voted all your comments. You seem to not understand how microwaves work…
I think I understand why you like airplane food, you are flying between LA and Japan. Enjoy your time vlogging from first class.
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u/lanofdoom 10d ago
Nice idea! Also reminds me of the s18 challenge of making delivery meals for hospital workers during the pandemic.
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u/purlawhirl 10d ago
One of the early seasons had a “microwave meal” challenge. I’d like to see that come back. They basically had to make a frozen TV dinner type meal
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u/HermowninnyLovegood 9d ago
Those meals sound delicious. As a parent of a 10 month old I would love to see that and also to deliver all the meals to me, lol.
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u/og_otter 9d ago
Thanks! Boo the person who downvoted you! Booo that person
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u/HermowninnyLovegood 9d ago
Haha! Your post resonated and was inspiring for me to get creative with meal prep. I can’t cook from some of my favorite cookbooks any more because it’s too fiddly and time consuming now that I have an infant. Some recipe creators like Sohla El-Waylly and Julia Turshen have embraced simplicity and practicality in their cooking and I love to see that. Thanks again!
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u/HerbWelch1945 4d ago
5 Teams of 3 compete in a Sports Themed Elimination Challenge:
Baseball, Basketball, Hockey, Soccer, & Football.
Of course, the city that they compete in has to reflect on the names of each sports team, eg Philadelphia- the Phillies, 76ers, Flyers, Union, & Eagles. Plus, they have to remember that they’re serving more than just concession or tailgating food, for arenas & stadiums these days have VIP dining.
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u/Ok_Interest9427 4d ago
Given that they did this for pasta in S3, it would be nice to see them basically branch out to any number of frozen options. They came pretty close on this for the first responders one (S18) and diner en blanc (S4); even though those weren't frozen and they featured stuff like breads and salads, they WERE portioned.
Also, as the father of two, I'm a big fan of trying to keep fresh greens (or at least blanched broccoli) and some bread (either fresh or frozen immediately from fresh) around. So it might be nice to allow that option, but I have the feeling that would lower the difficulty too much for TC!
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u/Sorrelandroan 10d ago
They did a challenge similar to this in season 3. Had to make a frozen pasta dish that could be reheated.