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15 challenges I'd give the chefs on Top Chef

I have been rewatching a lot of Top Chef lately, so here are some challenges I would give the chefs. Many of these challenges assume I am somehow the famous guest who gets to make demands on the show (hey, a girl can dream).

  1. Bulls & Cows vs. Hatchlings & Juveniles: My favorite animal is an alligator. But, I don't want you to cook me one. Instead, you will divide into two teams. One team will base their four course progressive menu on the diet of bull and cow alligators (the adults), which typically includes larger fish, turtles, snakes, birds, and deer. The other team will base their menu on the diet of hatchling and juvenile alligators, which typically includes insects, spiders, crawfish, shrimp, small fish, and frogs
  2. But Can My Dog Have Some?: As a devoted dog mom who too easily gives in to her pup's adorable begging eyes, I love to have meals that my dog can have a bite (or two) of. Your challenge today is to create a dish that both my dog and I can eat. Your budget will also be smaller than you might expect because, after all, I have a hard time justifying giving even a bite of caviar to my dog
  3. Convention Snacks: I love to attend C2E2 every year. This nerdy convention does not have the best reputation for food options. Your challenge today is to create an array of nutritious, filling, and easily transportable snacks that my friends and I can take with us during this three day affair
  4. Pokévolutions: How many of you were or even still are fans of Pokémon? Well, I was. Your challenge today is to divide into teams of three to create three dishes that are inspired by a Pokémon with that has three forms. Because I'm a '90s kid, you will have to chose a Pokémon from the first generation
  5. Mystery Solved?: Who doesn't love a good mystery? Your challenge today is to be inspired by a classic mystery solving team (such as the Scooby gang, the Hardy Boys, or even Sherlock and Watson). Together with a partner, you will create a dish that feels like a mystery that we can solve--and will enjoy solving
  6. Dietary Restriction Bingo: My friends and I have a variety of food allergies, intolerances, and preferences between us. Your challenge today is to divide into two teams and create a cohesive four course menu that we can all eat together. One of those dishes must be a dessert. As a group we are allergic to sesame and soy; are intolerant to gluten, lactose, and sucrose; and prefer not to eat citrus, florals, garlic, mushrooms, onions, pork, tomatoes, or too much spice. Stay flexible though--there may be something I've forgotten
  7. Is it a Sandwich?: Chefs, what even is a sandwich? Is a hotdog a sandwich? How about a burrito? What about an ice cream taco? Your challenge today is to find inspiration from something that may be a sandwich to some and turn it into a definitely delicious sandwich for us
  8. Oreos Don't Have Enough Flavors Yet: Hopefully I'm not the only one, but I love seeing what new flavors Oreo has come up with. Your challenge today is to create a dish that can inspire a new flavor of Oreo. While it does not have to be a dessert, your dish does have to be able to work as a flavor for the cookie, the cream, or both
  9. That Shouldn't Be a Candy Flavor: In recent years, customers have delighted in odd inspirations for candy including Thanksgiving dinner, Tailgating, and Taco Truck. Your challenge today is to create a dish that could become the next craveable candy flavor. It can be a dessert, but the trend has been to try and find savory inspirations for the candy flavors. A major judging component for this challenge will be your creativity
  10. Has Pumpkin Spice Gone Too Far?: Every fall, a popular flavor comes out and makes its presence known across almost every food you can imagine. While the classic is a latte, you can also find instant noodles, potato chips, and hummus all flavored with pumpkin spice. Your challenge today is to create a dish that has yet to be flavored with pumpkin spice and make it a hit
  11. A Full Irish: I studied in Galway for my MA and I miss it often. Today, your challenge is to take inspiration from a full Irish breakfast. A full Irish features sausages, bacon, black pudding, white pudding, eggs, soda bread, baked beans, sauteed mushrooms, hashbrowns, and fried tomatoes. We're not looking for you to do your take on a full Irish, instead, we want each of you to create a dish inspired by one of its key elements. Your dishes do not have to be cohesive nor do they have to be inspired by any Irish food traditions--you'll just each have to pick one of the elements I listed before as your inspiration
  12. Crazy Weather, Right?: Chefs, who is from a city with unpredictable weather? Well, I'm from Chicago and we definitely get our fair share. For today's challenge, you'll be split into three teams: rain, snow, and wind. The rain team will have to make dishes inspired by sun showers, virga, and animal rain. The snow team will be inspired by thunder snow, snow rollers, and whiteout. Finally, the wind team will take inspiration from dust storms, fire whirls, and williwaws. When it's time for the challenge, I will roll a D12. 1 means it will be time for the sun shower dish, 2 for the virga dish, 3 for the animal rain dish, 4 for a dish of rain team's choice, 5 for the thunder snow dish, 6 for the snow roller dish, 7 for the whiteout dish, 8 for a dish of snow team's choice, 9 for the dust storm dish, 10 for the fire whirl dish, 11 for the williwaw  dish, and 12 for a dish of snow team's choice. If I get a repeated number, it will be the choice of the team whose number it is
  13. I Feel the Need for Mead: As someone who prefers sweeter drinks, I love mead. Today, your challenge will be as one team to create an eight course progressive menu that pairs well with eight different meads from a local meadery
  14. We Provide...Leverage: Chefs, my favorite TV show of all time is Leverage. Loosely, the show features a team of former criminals and someone who used to chase them who have turned their mission on stealing back what the rich and powerful have taken from so many. For today's challenge, I want you to divide into pairs and create a dish inspired by both the show's message and one of the team member's roles: hitter, hacker, thief, grifter, and mastermind
  15. Love the Color, Hate the Taste: My favorite color is green. I love almost everything about it--but I rarely like eating my green vegetables. Your challenge today is to create a green dish, featuring green vegetables, that will change my mind

(Prompt by me)

Top Chef, Bravo

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