Copyright: RTL / Hendrik Lüders
In the USA special of “Kitchen Impossible”, Tim Mälzer (right) has to deal with Edi Frauneder. (TV broadcast: March 26, 2023)
Welcome to America! In the US special of “Kitchen Impossible”, Tim Mälzer has to deal with the New York star chef Edi Frauneder. In order to win, the schnitzel god doesn’t even shy away from perfidious voodoo methods.
Edi Frauneder has lived in New York for over 20 years. Here the star chef runs a schnitzel restaurant, a bar and a bistro, among other things. All of the restaurants have a connection to authentic Austrian cuisine.
Fraueneder is therefore the perfect opponent for a USA special from “Kitchen Impossible”. Unlike usual with the VOX show, this time the opponents are not going to four different countries, everything is happening in the 51 states.
“Kitchen Impossible”: New York star chef against maltster
So a home game for the American by choice? In any case, Frauneder is self-confident: “I will show Tim how a good Austrian can cook.”
And immediately adds: “Tim lacks the finesse from time to time.” Mälzer counters, as usual, quick-witted: “You are an arrogant bunch, that’s crazy.” His strategy is: “I want to drive him crazy. I want to piss him off.”
That’s why the “Kitchen Impossible” veteran sends Edi Frauneder to Washington, DC in his own car. “Tim tries the tactic of attrition,” Frauneder comments on his task. “Such a road trip is no picnic.” He complains about “all the traveling and sleeping in dirty motels” – pretty dramatic for a four-hour drive.
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Against all expectations and 229 uneventful miles later, Frauneder reaches the capital. He’s not allowed to continue so whining in the kitchen. Onion & White Chocolate Soup is on the menu at Elcielo, the first Colombian starred restaurant outside of Colombia, as well as a yuca bread made from flour and cream cheese.
As a basis for the onion soup, the star chef makes a beef stock with red wine. “Of course I wasn’t Tim Mälzer and I bought a soup stock that’s ready,” teases the Austrian. He would have preferred to do it.
The original recipe uses miso paste for the umami and no meat at all. Then the faux pas: the amount is wrong. Fraueneder didn’t cook enough soup. He needs to dilute. Again and again he vents his anger: “Tim, you’re a little black ass.” The color isn’t right either. The jury sees it calmly. And the taste is convincing. Frauneder gets 7.3 points in Washington.
This USA special starts with a surprise for Tim. With Edi still present, he gets the black box and has to get started right away. Because of the chickpea stew, Mälzer is “completely lost” and scolds: “I’ve been served a lot, but nothing that looked as silly as this one.”
Original chef and Bangladeshi Naeem Khandaker prepares the street food in his food truck in Queens. For Tim, this means: He has to get by in what is probably the smallest kitchen that “Kitchen Impossible” has ever had. It’s good that he stumbles into a shop in Queens that sells groceries from Bangladesh. With a little help from the owner, he gets all the ingredients right. The rest is routine. Tim cooks a decent stew and also gets 7.3 points for it. A draw.
Voodoo magic against Tim Mälzer: “You’re sick”
The second challenge takes Edi to New Orleans, the capital of voodoo, to recreate a classic from Creole cuisine. At Li’l Dizzy’s Café, Wayne Baquet Sr. is the third generation to prepare gumbo, a traditional meat and seafood soup.
Before going into the kitchen, Frauneder visits a voodoo shop. “Voodoo, Voodoo, what are you doing, Tim?” the Austrian raves. With dark magic he wants to bring his opponent down: “I’ll hurt Tim.” Mälzer reacts irritated: “What’s wrong with you?”
What the black magic doesn’t tell Frauneder: The Baquet family’s traditional gumbo recipe works with instant broth, of all things, below the dignity of the star chef. However, he is still interested in Tim’s voodoo doll, which he continues to abuse with needles. Then he throws the doll into a pot and starts sizzling it on the stove. “You’re sick,” laughs Tim.
Then he gets personal: “Your soup looks really shitty, you got that from the voodoo.” Although very different from the original, Edi’s interpretation of gumbo and bread pudding tasted very good to the jury. “The voodoo master is one step ahead,” says the restaurateur happily with 6.4 points.
Things get really American in Mälzer’s second challenge: he has to grill brisket and chicken wings in one of Kansas City’s best BBQ restaurants. The jury includes not only former Super Bowl winners from the Kansas City Chiefs, but also the mayor of the city. Grilling is like baking.
Once in the smoker, Tim has no control over the outcome. Tim prepares the meat the night before. After several hours in the smoker, Mälzer cuts it, tries it and reacts in horror: “You can’t eat that.” “Tough as leather,” he scolds.
But Mälzer uses tricks, cutting thin strips from the brisket and trying to serve only the pieces that are reasonably tender. The jury is enthusiastic. Mälzer can’t believe it. He received a surprising 6.5 points for the German BBQ – and with 13.8 to 13.7 points he just surpassed his competitor. Even the voodoo magic didn’t help. (ch)
