After a ‘Chi-town throwdown,' just one Chicago chef remains on ‘Top Chef'
Warning: Spoilers ahead for all of 'Top Chef' Season 22, except the remaining finale episode.
Only one Chicago competitor remains for the final episode of this season's 'Top Chef,' which airs Thursday evening. Chi-town could have another local Top Chef if they win, a coveted title that frequently propels cast members to successful restaurants, television spots and cookbooks.
Bailey Sullivan, executive chef at Monteverde, qualified for the finale of 'Top Chef: Destination Canada' from a competitive pool of 15 chefs. 'Top Chef' Season 10 winner Kristen Kish hosted this season, joined by judges Tom Colicchio and Gail Simmons.
The other chefs who made it to the final episode are Shuai Wang, chef-owner of Jackrabbit Filly and King BBQ in North Charleston, South Carolina, and Tristen Epps, chef-owner of Epps & Flows Culinary in Houston. Earlier in the season, Sullivan was joined by Chicago peers Zubair Mohajir, the executive chef and founder of Lilac Tiger, Coach House and Mirra, and César Murillo, executive chef of North Pond.
Sullivan's combination of compassionate competition and camaraderie was a consistent feature of this season, which was low on drama and high on quality cooking. Over the weekend, her Instagram account shared a photo of a group hug between her and the final four competitors, captioned 'Some of the best folks I know.'
'You grow so close with these people,' Sullivan said in an interview with the Chicago Tribune ahead of the finale.
By her admission on the show, Sullivan's journey to the top of the competition was slow to start. She was initially eliminated in the second episode for her maple tart.
'I think I just attribute my struggles early on as being totally freaked out, 100%,' Sullivan told the Tribune. 'I had never been on TV before.'
Meanwhile, Mohajir won that episode's elimination challenge with a variation on his signature tandoori fried chicken dish, which was eventually featured on the menu at Lilac Tiger. But in the fourth episode, the James Beard-nominated chef was eliminated, to the surprise of many — it was his only time at the bottom.
Contestants are kept in the dark about some elements of the production, so it was bittersweet for Mohajir and Sullivan to find out they'd be facing off in 'Last Chance Kitchen,' a web series where eliminated chefs get a chance to return.
'I've been impressed by both of you,' said Colicchio as he was judging their showdown of savory and sweet. 'Zubair, I was quite frankly surprised to see you just this early here, based on some of the earlier challenges. And Bailey, in 'Last Chance Kitchen,' you've been cooking really well.'
Eventually, he picked Sullivan's pork and panna cotta dishes over Mohajir's scallops and French toast to win, though it was close.
Reflecting back on her cook in 'Last Chance Kitchen,' Sullivan said she was able to keep a positive attitude knowing that no matter what, someone from Chicago would go on to compete.
'I will cheer on Zubair on everything he does going forward,' Sullivan said.
In Chicago, her love for the restaurant industry started with growing up at Goldyburgers in Forest Park, a restaurant her father bought. She became a 'Top Chef' fan watching the show with her mother and ended up training under another 'Top Chef' alumni, Beverly Kim of Parachute, as well as Sarah Grueneberg, Monteverde, head chef and owner.
Sullivan rejoined the main competition in the fifth episode, where she and Epps won a team elimination challenge with fire-kissed grilled octopus with olives.
Team Chicago would face one more loss in the penultimate episode. North Pond's Murillo had a strong showing all season, with Collichio calling his pickle-inspired dessert from Episode 9 one of the best dishes he'd ever had on the show.
The finale is taking place in Milan, Italy, and fittingly, last week's elimination challenge was a head-to-head based on Italian ingredients. Wang and Epps had qualified for the finale by winning the polenta and beet rounds, respectively, which left one final spot for either Sullivan or Murillo.
Sullivan called the gorgonzola round a 'Chi-town throwdown.' As they finished their dishes, the chefs hugged and said they loved each other.
Sullivan had been critiqued for her usage of the cheese earlier in the season — in Milan, she took the opportunity to redeem her earlier failure. This time, she came out on top with a bruleed gorgonzola. The judges praised her quirky, endearing personality.
'Cesar, you put together a really great dish,' Collichio said after announcing Murillo's elimination for his butternut squash casserole. 'Bailey's was a little more focused on the gorgonzola. That's the only reason.'
Sullivan couldn't share how she did in the finale, but if she won, she wouldn't be the first Chicago chef; Stephanie Izard and Joe Flamm were both crowned Top Chef of their seasons and Rick Bayless won the first season of 'Top Chef Masters.' Sullivan's Monterverde mentor, chef Sarah Grueneberg, made it to the top two of Season 9 of 'Top Chef.'
'I do kind of feel like I'm following in Sarah's footsteps, being on 'Top Chef,'' said Sullivan. 'I just celebrated nine years at Monteverde this June.'
The Top Chef usually receives money, press and various perks but new this year, the winner will have the opportunity to present at the James Beard Awards in Chicago on June 16, a week after the finale airs. Win or lose, Bailey Sullivan has made it.
'Top Chef' Season 22 concludes on June 12. The final episode, along with the rest of the season, will be available to stream the next day on Peacock.
Big screen or home stream, takeout or dine-in, Tribune writers are here to steer you toward your next great experience. Sign up for your free weekly Eat. Watch. Do. newsletter here.
This Chicago chef just won season two of Food Network's '24 in 24: Last Chef Standing'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Buzz Feed
31 minutes ago
- Buzz Feed
What People Ate In Medieval France — Recreated With AI
Hail fellows! Prithee, take a gander at this bounty, a fare ramble througheth meals of ages gone by... Okay, I can't keep up this medieval speak, but I do love the vibes. And as a food writer, I LOVE thinking about what and how people ate in other time periods. In culinary school, I learned all about the stale bread once used as plates called "trenchers" and the heavy-handed seasoning used to mask the stench of rotting meat — both staples of medieval European dining. But I could never quite picture what an actual medieval dinner looked like (beyond the overly dramatic portrayals in movies like Sleeping Beauty or A Knight's Tale)... until now. Using a quintessential product of the Information Age, generative AI, I can finally actually conceive of some of the wildest medieval dishes I'd only ever read about. Using Le Viandier de Taillevent, one of the oldest French cookbooks out there, I recreated historically accurate images based on recipes for a 14th-century banquet at the royal court in Paris. For this food history geek, the results were SO. FASCINATING. Feasts at 14th-century French courts didn't have courses as we think of them — or forks — but they did have plenty of meat... The upper echelons of the era LOVED eating birds — especially when they symbolized royalty and opulence as peacocks did. French royals stunted on their dinner guests with an elaborate bird dish called "armed* peacock": Le Viandier instructs the cook to: "Blow them, scald them, slit them along the belly, skin them, and remove the carcasses. Roast the carcasses on a spit and glaze them (while turning) with batter of beaten egg white and egg yolk. Remove them from the spit, let them cool, and (if you wish) clothe them in their skin. Have little wooden skewers put in the neck to hold it upright as if it were alive. At a feast, serve in the second translation specifies seasonings: "add cloves and for two plates, an ounce of powder and small spices: seeds, cloves, long pepper, nutmeg and two ounces of cinnamon ground into powder and then take a pint of rose water and a pint of vinegar and put under the roast..."*armed — refers to the bird being "redressed" in its feathers and presented at a feast to look like the bird in its living state. Wowza. How do you take your lark? Yes, the cute little songbird was a mainstay of Middle Age banquet halls. This is how the royal chef prepared them: "For the larks. Take the larks and make them suffer*, and put veal in a pot with them to get the best broth. Then, take some bread and season it, and put it in beef broth and mix it with the livers and bread to strain. When it is strained, you will put everything together in the pot. Take cinnamon, ginger, fine spices, and greens."*make them suffer — This likely refers simply to butchering the bird. But what a way to phrase it. Brutal. For the grandest of all feasts, the dishes had to be just as blinged out as the guests, as evidenced by this recipe for Gilded Chickens with Quenelles: "After the chicken is killed, break a bit of skin on the head, take a feather tube, blow in until it is very full of air, scald it, slit it along the belly, skin it, and put the carcass aside. For the stuffing and the quenelles, have some raw pork... some chicken meat, eggs, good fine powder, pine nut paste, and currants... Stuff the chicken skins with it (but do not fill them so much that they burst), restitch them, and boil them in a pan... When the quenelles are well made, put them to cook with the chickens... on slender spoon an egg batter on top of your chickens and quenelles, until they are glazed... Take some gold or silver leaf and wrap it."In my head, this is what Elon Musk has every night for dinner. Wanna cook thousands of *actually* delicious recipes in step-by-step mode — with helpful videos? Download the free Tasty app right now. Today, we have Croque Madame, back in the day they had Sauce Madame, which is — you guessed it — not at all like the sandwich we know and love: "To make Sauce Madame, roast a goose and place a pan underneath. Take the liver of a lamb or other poultry and roast it on the grill. Then, when it is cooked, toast it and soak it in a little broth, and pass it through a cheesecloth. Boil a dozen eggs. Take the yolks and finely chop them. Then, when the meat is cooked, place it on top and add the sauce. If you want to taste milk, add a drop or two to the boil."This dish won the award for "Most Appetizing" of the meat course for me... that's saying something. While a young cow's intestines might not sound like a good time to you, it was the talk of the dinner party circa 1345. Here's how they made it back in the day: "To make calf mesentery, that one calls 'charpie.' Take your meat when it is completely cooked, cut it up very small, and fry it in lard. Crush ginger and saffron. Beat some raw eggs, and thread them onto your meat in the lard. Crush spices and add some."These dishes were heavy on the spice for more than just flavor: spices were expensive imports that communicated to everyone at the party just how good the hosts had it. It's giving caviar. As if this meal wasn't pungent enough, let's add some seafood to the mix... Lemprey is a fish — one that looks more like a sandworm from Dune than an earthly edible thing. And yes, Middle Age nobles ate it stuffed and covered in gelatin: "Lamprey in galantine. Bleed it... keep the blood, and cook it in vinegar, wine, and a bit of water. When it is cooked, put it to cool on a cloth. Take grilled bread, steep in your broth, [strain] through cheesecloth, boil with the blood, and stir well so that it does not burn. When it is well boiled, pour it into a mortar or a clean basin and stir continually until it is cooled. Grind ginger, cassia flowers, cloves, grains of paradise, nutmeg, and long pepper, steep in your broth, put as before into a basin with your fish, and put the basin in a wooden or tin dish. Thus, you have a good galantine."Thus, you have a dish that makes my skin crawl. Honestly wasn't expecting to read a recipe for dolphin in this cookbook, but at this point, I am way past getting shocked with these dishes: All our 600-year-old text says is, "Dolphins, lily flowers, star of creams, fried with sugar and egg yolks."Right. Riiiight. I'm detecting a slight mistranslation... it has been 600 years, after all. Based on Le Viandier, the French were not too worried about getting their veggies in. Mustard soup is one of the few vegetarian dishes in the cookbook: "To make mustard soup... take eggs fried in lily or butter and then puree mustard, cinnamon, ginger, small spices such as cloves and garlic, and sugar, all together, boil in a pot, and remove any excess greens and taste with salt as appropriate and put the broth aside." And, a French banquet isn't really complete without dessert... Did you know the All-American apple pie has a medieval French cousin? Me neither! Surely, this simple apple tart is going to be simple, spiced, and sweet: "Apple tarts: apple pieces, figs and grapes, well-cleaned, and put among the apples and figs & all mixed together. Here is put an onion fried in butter or in wine... crushed apples and destemmed apples in wine... with saffron... a few small spices: cinnamon, white ginger, anise... all the ingredients put together very crushed by hand [into] a paste well thick with apples and other ingredients.. After it is put the lid... gilded with saffron and put in the oven & cooked."No, ya, they put onions in apple pie. Of course, they did that. Hath your 21st-century tastes found this medieval feast scrumptious or stomach-churning? Tell us in the comments and share the other historical cuisines you're curious to learn more about. Want to see what people are cooking in the 21st century? Download the free Tasty app for access to thousands of contemporary recipes — no subscription required. This post was enhanced using AI-powered creativity tools.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Animation, Writers & Actors Guilds Hold 'Historic' Anti-Generative AI Protest At Annecy: 'GenAI Seeks Not To Support Artists, But To Destroy Them'
Representatives of international animation, screenwriters and actors guilds staged a protest at the Annecy Animation Film Festival on Thursday to voice their fears over the implications of generative AI for their professions and human creativity in general. Around 150 people joined them on the stretch of grass known as Le Paquier in front of the festival's key hub of the Bonlieu National Theater, holding guild flags and banners expressing their rejection of AI. More from Deadline Warner & DC Studios Making 'Mister Miracle' Animated Series With Showrunner Tom King 'Animal Farm' Review: Andy Serkis Directs Seth Rogen And All-Star Voice Cast In Clever And Chilling Take On Orwell's Classic Novella – Annecy Animation Festival 'In Your Dreams' Trailer: Netflix Unveils Animated Comedy Adventure With Craig Robinson & Simu Liu In Voice Cast AI and generative AI is a hot button topic at Annecy this year. Many animation professionals are wary about what AI means for their creativity, skills and livelihoods, while a small but growing group is advocating for the sector to embrace the technology. Belgian-based director, storyboard, layout and background artist Lauri Sanders, who heads up the AI task force at Belgium's animation workers union ABRACA, read out a statement laying out their concerns and demands. Read the full transcript below. 'Generative AI is neither a tool, nor effective, nor cheap. It is a copying machine that is flawed, destructive and expensive to run. GenAI literally builds upon and draws not only from the copyrighted works it was trained on, but also from the local human cultural values and norms embedded within those works,' read one extract. (scroll down for full statement) It has been signed by more than 20 guilds representing creative professions including the UK's Bectu, Ireland's video game org GWUI and animation workers union AWI, America's The Animation Guild, Netherlands' Kunstenbond and a number of French bodies including writers' bodies La Guilde and Syndicat des Scénaristes and animation union SPIAC-CGT. As well as raising the alarm over the threat posed by unchecked generative AI, the statement also makes demands around consent in relation to work being used to train Generative AI, compensation and control for artists over how their work is then used. Thursday's protest and the statement were spearheaded by France's Les Intervalles, the association against abuse and discrimination in animation. French actor and animator Milo Hustache-Mathieu and SPIAC-CGT member told the assembled crowd that the protest marked an 'historic' event. 'Having a such a coalition right now takes us so high. The whole sector is in crisis and AI is looming over our heads. It's amazing that, thanks to Les Intervalles, we managed to gather that many associations, unions and organizations from all the around the world,' he said, calling on other bodies to sign up too. 'This danger of generative AI shows the bonds between workers internationally, even if we're all in different countries and can't negotiate the same things. We need to bond together. Let's keep up the fight.' Speakers from crowd included UK hand-drawn animation specialist and influencer Howard Wimshurst who said the gathering was an important step. 'What we see here with these flags represents something essential. It is not the solution but without it we have no hope and that is solidarity,' he said. 'This year, I've seen a lot of films. Luckily there are less AI entries which is good because it means I have to walk out less times but there are panels where you'll hear people get up on stage and say things like, it's just a tool, we need to use it, otherwise we'll be left behind. 'There are speakers here who want to collect their thirty pieces of silver and they will turn on friends they've known for years and decades and it's really sad. Don't listen to them. They also want to dazzle you with this idea, that it's all about the technology. 'The technology is a vehicle for exploitation. It's a vehicle to extract data that people have worked their entire lives to create, they put everything into that data. It's not just data. Data is such a reductive word, but unfortunately that is how it can be exploited. So don't listen to them.' Here's the full statement: This statement was composed and supported by a collective of international Animation Unions, federations, and organisations calling for action in regards to the usage of generative Artificial Intelligence and its destructive impact, not only on the global animation industry and the craft itself, but also on everyone who is employed by it, our culture and our is an undeniable fact that the animation industry has been suffering greatly these last few years. The economics of streaming have been proven to be not at all lucrative and the increased spending during the pandemic led to the unavoidable burst of the streaming bubble. It is the workers that were staffed up with false promises that are feeling the repercussions through mass layoffs, the increased use of outsourcing, mergers and acquisitions that lead to the closure of studios and ever decreasing echoes across multiple audiovisual entertainment industries and affects workers in animation, music, VFX and the gaming rapid expansion of Generative AI in animation is propelled by the perceived beliefs that it is the answer to these developments. To work in these industries is a constant battle to prove our economic worth to a very small number of people, and to those people genAI brings an offer too good to be true: a near magical machine that can produce words and images from a simple and vague AI is neither a tool, nor effective, nor cheap. It is a copying machine that is flawed, destructive and expensive to run. GenAI literally builds upon and draws not only from the copyrighted works it was trained on, but also from the local human cultural values and norms embedded within those works. It poses an immediate threat to creative innovation and renewal, replacing the richness and diversity that characterize human creativity with a creativity shaped by the biases of those controlling and using it. It actively pushes creatives out of their respective industries, which will not only lead to the inevitable loss of knowledge and talent that will never be recuperated fully, but also directly leads to the privatisation of allart process and is a technology that seeks not to support artists, but to destroy them. The absence of humans is a feature, not a bug, of AI art. It is not a tool. We do not 'use' genAi – we negotiate with it to try and make it do the things we want it to do. GenAI promises only the loss of employment and livelihood for the millions of people worldwide that work at keeping the world connected through their the audiovisual industry is not the only victim of this increasingly damaging tech development. This same technology is being used to foster dissent, confusion and distrust among the public and has wide-ranging implications beyond international security, including the fabrication of criminal evidence and news, new forms of sexual harassment including deepfake pornography and/or privacy computational power required to train and use generative AI models demands a staggering amount of electricity and water which directly strains municipal water supplies and disrupts local ecosystems. This unchecked growth and unjustified techno-optimism comes with incredible environmental consequences, including expanding demand for computing power, larger carbon footprints, shifts in patterns of electricity demands and an accelerated depletion of natural resources, additionally exploiting without any respect for human such, there is a need for protection frameworks around the ethical and fair use of AI. For this we refer to the research brief of the International Labour Organization (ILO) which proposes the concept of '3Cs' (compensation, control on the use of the work of the creator, informed consent), but also for policies, nationally and internationally, to manage workforce transition through skills development, as well as the use of social protection to support workers affected by A reasonable balance between on the one hand technological innovation and on the other hand a sustainable and strong cultural and creative sector, requires that training AI with copyright-protected works should only be possible with the (informed) consent of the author(s) of those Performers and creators should be fairly compensated for the use of their work including but not limited to illustrations, animations, writing, voicework, likeness, or image, in AI generated Creators—such as writers, musicians, filmmakers, visual artists, and other professionals—need to be able to govern how their works, identities, and creative inputs are used, adapted, or reproduced by AI systems. This control ensures that the creators' intellectual property (IP), labour, and reputations are respected and that they receive fair recognition and compensation. In order for this to be realized, creators need to have an understanding on what AI – and particularly GenAI – entails; it is also necessary to build agency among them to negotiate relevant employment call upon the regulators, lawmakers and governments to fight for culture and art and the value it provides, to draft and implement legislation that protects those workers and those call upon producers, showrunners, studio heads and production staff to understand and protect our creative culture and to prioritize both the workers and our call upon all creative workers worldwide to unite. We ask that you support human made works. We ask that you speak up against the implementation of AI. We ask that you become informed and unionise with your fellow workers to protect ourart and culture, our work and our and supported by:ABRACA (Belgium, animation workers union)AGrAF (France, directors, graphic authors and writers association)BECTU (Broadcasting, Entertainment, Communications and Theatre Union)AWI (Ireland, animation workers union)CNT-SIPMCS (France, press media culture and show union)CSVI (Spain, video game union)FIA (The International Federation of Actors)FIM (The International Federation of Musicians)FNSAC-CGT (France, CGT Federation of Entertainment Unions)La Guilde française des scénaristes (France, writers union)GWUI (Ireland, videogame workers union)Les Intervalles (France, association against abuse and discrimination in animation)Kunstenbond (Netherlands, illustration, comic and animation workers)La Ligue des auteurs professionnels (France, authors union)Syndicat des Scénaristes (France, writers union)SFA-CGT (France, actors dubbing, comedians union)Snam-CGT (France, musicians union)SNTPCT (France, animation and VFX workers union)SPIAC-CGT (France, animation workers union)STJV (France, video game workers union)The Animation Guild (USA, animation workers and writers union)TouchePasàMaVF (France, actors dubbing association against GenAI)Uni MEI (International Art and Entertainment Alliance) Best of Deadline 'Stick' Release Guide: When Do New Episodes Come Out? 'Stick' Soundtrack: All The Songs You'll Hear In The Apple TV+ Golf Series 2025 TV Series Renewals: Photo Gallery
Forbes
an hour ago
- Forbes
25 Creative Lobster Dishes To Enjoy In Honor Of National Lobster Day
National Lobster Day is celebrated on June 15. While steamed lobster on a plate is always appealing – isn't this holiday a great opportunity to kick the creativity up a notch? Restaurants nationwide are giving lobster the special treatment, as it so richly deserves. Spicy, fried, or with pasta – there's endless creative and delicious ways to enjoy the most luxurious of crustaceans as you never have before. Seared Lobster Tails With a Cashew, Fennel Glaze, and Palak Sauce at LORE Brooklyn. Delicate lobster is bursting with a blend of unexpected flavors that pair beautifully. 'This juicy lobster tail dish is seared with ginger and garlic for a bold kick, glazed with a creamy coconut sauce infused with fennel and smoked paprika. Served over sautéed spinach and mint, it's a mix of comfort, insane flavors, and fullness in every bite,' said Chef Jay Kumar, owner and chef of LORE Brooklyn. Lobster Knuckles "Escargot Style" at Breva Brighton Beach in Brooklyn, New York. At Breva Brighton Beach, a decadent twist on a French classic, this dish swaps snails for succulent lobster knuckles, prepared in a rich, Pernod-infused butter sauce and served with warm country bread. 'As we're just steps from the ocean, we wanted to create something that reflects where we are,' said Chef Travis McGinty. 'The lobster knuckles 'escargot-style' nods to a classic French technique, but swaps in local lobster, which feels true to our cooking and our style. It's a new dish on the menu, but it has quickly become a local favorite." Maine Lobster Pot Pie at Bourbon Steak DC. The Maine Lobster Pot Pie, with baby leeks, black trumpets, lobster dumplings is found at Bourbon Steak. A decadent twist on the classic pot pie, this signature dish features sweet, tender Maine lobster, earthy black trumpet mushrooms, and delicate lobster dumplings, all wrapped in a flaky golden crust and finished with a velvety lobster bisque. 'Bourbon Steak was born here in DC, and it's been incredible to see the Lobster Pot Pie become a hallmark of the MINA experience nationwide. It's one of those dishes that stops people in their tracks. When the crust cracks and that lobster bisque starts pouring in, there's this collective hush at the table. No matter where it's served, it delivers effortless indulgence and that unmistakable wow factor," said Quentin Welch, Executive Chef, Bourbon Steak DC. Lobster BLT at Sailor's Choice, Hudson Yards in New York City. At Sailor's Choice, Hudson Yards in New York City, the Lobster BLT is a a perfect union of crisp Applewood-smoked bacon, peak-season heirloom tomatoes, crunchy lettuce, and sweet, poached Maine lobster. Served on a griddled bun and finished with a bright tarragon aioli, it's both familiar and indulgent. Kerry Heffernan, Culinary Director at Sailor's Choice says: 'We created the Lobster BLT as the ultimate mash-up — the soul of a classic BLT meets the lobster roll we've been perfecting for over a decade at Grand Banks. We use heirloom tomatoes at their sun-ripened best, Nodine's incredible smoked bacon, and our signature lobster roll base. It's everything we love about coastal summer days, packed into one killer bite.' Lobster Rolls at Cathedrale. At Cathedrale in New York City and Las Vegas, this dish featuring sweet Maine lobster is dressed in Calabrian chile mayo for a subtle kick, topped with fresh chives, and served on housemade Pain au Lait buns. 'We treat high quality ingredients like sweet Maine lobster, simply dressed and kicked up a notch with Calabrian chile-spiked mayo to offer the best of a Connecticut-style, lightly dressed and married with the just-warm-enough, buttery house-made pain au lait bun, to offer the decadence of a Maine-style roll all wrapped into one,' said Chef Jason Hall. Chicken Fried Lobster at Phil's Steak House, located inside Treasure Island Hotel in Las Vegas. At Phil's Steak House, located inside Treasure Island Hotel in Las Vegas, the chicken fried lobster dish includes chicken fried lobster served with truffle aioli and charred lemon. 'At Phil's Steak House, we enjoy putting a unique spin on classic flavors, and our Chicken Fried Lobster is a perfect example. Crispy, golden-fried chicken meets rich, buttery lobster in a dish that's pure comfort with a touch of luxury," said Chef Shaun Muldoon. Lobster en Croûte at Carversteak at Resorts World in Las Vegas. A two-pound Maine lobster wrapped in puff pastry, lobster-cognac cream at Carversteak at Resorts World in Las Vegas. 'En Croûte means baked in pastry or crust. The lobster en croûte is a dish that was created with two inspirations in mind. Having a heavy French culinary background, I took one of my favorite classic dishes known as Lobster Thermidor and combined it with one of my favorite childhood dishes, Pot Pie," said Carversteak Executive Chef Daniel Ontiveros. Lobster Roll Éclair at Bar Collins at Loews Miami Beach Hotel. At Bar Collins at Loews Miami Beach Hotel, twist on the traditional lobster roll, made in bite size, savory éclair form with Maine lobster, creamy mayonnaise, vanilla bean and diced apple, garnished with fresh ginger gelee and tarragon. Loews Miami Beach Hotel's Executive Chef Christopher Aguirre says, 'This dish keeps the soul of a classic lobster roll - creamy mayo, butter, celery and Maine lobster, but reimagines it with a light éclair in place of the bun. Fresh vanilla bean in the mayo adds a floral sweetness that complements the lobster, while diced apple brings crunch and brightness. A citrus-ginger gel and fresh tarragon finish it with bold pops of flavor.' Lobster Roll at Benny's on the Beach in Lake Worth Beach, Florida. At Benny's on the Beach in Lake Worth Beach, Florida, they've been serving Maine lobster rolls for nearly 40 years at its landmark location perched above the Atlantic Ocean on the Lake Worth Pier. 'While we serve up both warm and cool temp versions at Benny's, our warm lobster roll on a split-top brioche roll complete with house made garlic butter is by far a best selling menu item, despite our warm climate year round. I attribute this to our house made tomato relish, an unexpected ingredient on our warm roll which most guests are surprised by, but end up falling in love with,' said Dylan Lipton, Co-Owner, Benny's on the Beach. Loaded Lobster Grilled Cheese at Floridays Woodfire Grill & Bar in Anna Maria Island, ... More Florida. At Floridays Woodfire Grill & Bar in Anna Maria Island, Florida, this restaurant is a fun experience, with seafood dishes inspired by Florida's Gulf Coast and quirky decor. 'Continuously one of our best selling items, Floridays' Loaded Lobster Grilled Cheese is an elevated take on a casual favorite. We're serious about the 'loaded' part, so our version features a generous portion of cold water lobster meat nestled in between golden grilled sourdough, with butter, cheddar, swiss cheeses and topped with applewood smoked bacon,' said Executive Chef Ken Gilcrest, Floridays Woodfire Grill & Bar. Mezzelune Di Aragosta at Serena Pastificio (locations in Atlanta & Boca Raton). At Serena Pastificio (locations in Atlanta & Boca Raton), lobster, ricotta and mozzarella filling, lobster meat, lobster tomato jus, confit heirloom tomato, charred cippolini, chive. 'Similar to a ravioli, our mezzelune pasta, which is house made, is stuffed with a delightful combination of lobster and cheese. It is rich, fresh and full of flavor,' said Stephane Buliard, VP of Operations. Lobster & Smoked Bacon Mac 'N Cheese at Halls Chophouse in Greenville, South Carolina,. At Halls Chophouse in Greenville, South Carolina, a signature lobster mac & cheese made with the house mornay sauce, al dente Cavatappi pasta and lobster claw meat. A white cheddar blend is melted over top before being finished with buttered parmesan bread crumbs and parsley. Lobster Tortellini with Red Curry at Repeal 33 in Savannah, Georgia. At Repeal 33 in Savannah, Georgia, this dish is made with red curry butter sauce, carrots roasted in coconut oil, and pomegranate seeds, with fried shallots. Executive Chef Greg Garrison says: 'The tortellini is made with a classic, French-style lobster filling. As we were testing the dish, we really liked the combination of red curry and, ultimately, we ended up adding more and more. It is among our most bold and flavorful dishes and one of the most popular. It's now a mainstay on the menu.' Spiny Lobster at Four Flamingos, A Richard Blais Key West Kitchen. At Four Flamingos, A Richard Blais Key West Kitchen, the Spiny Lobster entrée is served as two lobster tails split with Jamaican curry and drawn butter, with a side of yucca fries. Leo Minelli, Executive Chef: 'Sourced from the warm Caribbean waters, our Spiny Lobster tails are meaty, sweet and irresistibly tender. The vibrant Jamaican curry adds a bold and aromatic kick, beautifully balancing the lobster's natural sweetness. On the side, we serve crispy yucca fries which are crunchy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, delivering an earthy, nutty contrast that perfectly complements the dish's tropical essence. The Spiny Lobster is a true celebration of the islands: juicy seafood, lively spices and comforting flavors that provide a little slice of paradise.' Lobster Chirashi Don at Sake No Hana in New York City. At Sake No Hana in New York City, from the all-night bar menu, this dish offers seasoned sushi rice topped with fresh lobster and adornments like yuzu and kizami nori for a perfect cocktail accompaniment. Longevity Noodles at The Fulton at Pier 17 at The Seaport in New York City. At The Fulton at Pier 17 at The Seaport in New York City, this dish is made with glazed Maine lobster, green chili and ginger. 'The vision for the Longevity Noodles is to celebrate the idea of sharing long, unbroken noodles as a symbol of health and good fortune. So we paired this tradition with the freshest Maine lobster, gently glazed to showcase its natural sweetness. The addition of green chili and ginger brings a vibrant heat and subtle warmth that balances the richness of the lobster, making each bite both comforting and exciting," said Chef Noah Poses. The Whole Chili Lobster at Chops Lobster Bar in Boca Raton. At Chops Lobster Bar in Boca Raton, the specialty Whole Chili Lobster is a unique lobster dish made with the 'Rolls Royce' of lobsters and served with spicy chili lobster sauce and grilled shishito peppers. Chef Schumann says: 'Chili Lobster is a bold and spicy interpretation of a classic poached lobster. The buttery decadent lobster is presented with grilled Shishito peppers that bring a lovely umami contrast and finished with a bright squeeze of lime. This dish is lovely to share as an appetizer or enjoy as a main course.' Lobster Ravioli at The Italiano in Scottsdale, Arizona. This gorgeous dish, featuring butter-poached Maine lobster and herb-whipped mascarpone, served with a cognac-infused lobster bisque demi, can be found at The Italiano in Scottsdale, Arizona. "Why travel to the Amalfi Coast when you have the most delicate and delicious lump lobster ravioli, made daily and to die for at The Italiano?' said Joey Maggiore, chef and co-founder of The Maggiore Group and Chef Joey Concepts. Spicy Whole Lobster at Tempe-based Filthy Animal. At Tempe-based Filthy Animal, this dish channels the wild, open-fire spirit of the restaurant. A whole lobster is served over creamy Tteokbokki mac and cheese, layered with fermented kimchi and sweet corn. 'One of our owners, actually threw out the idea of Tteokbokki in a random meeting, and it stuck with me. Later, when someone suggested lobster mac and cheese for a revamp, I knew that wasn't us. I stopped by the local Asian market, saw the Tteokbokki, and it all clicked bringing in those known flavors and old memories but making them ours. I leaned into the process, bringing in the Filthy Animal edge and letting the dish come together with our mother house sauce, Mala. This wasn't just about reworking a dish, it was about creating something bold, fun, and totally Filthy Animal," said Chef Rene Vargas, Executive Chef of Filthy Animal. Lobster Tagliatelle at Wren & Wolf in downtown Phoenix. At Wren & Wolf in downtown Phoenix, the Lobster Tagliatelle involves delicate ribbons of pasta that are bathed in a white wine and garlic sauce, crowned with half a Maine lobster, stuffed with a sumptuous blend of king crab and Spanish chorizo. 'We wanted a pasta dish that celebrated multiple cuisines—the brininess of Italian puttanesca, the satin glaze of French beurre montè and the American delight of crab-stuffed Maine lobster. The pasta is buttery with olive and garlic, accented by the texture and smoked paprika of Spanish chorizo. The best part is finishing it off by dragging the lobster and crab cake stuffing through the sauce for a truly mouthwatering bite," said Chef Kyle Bateman, Executive Sous Chef Wren & Wolf. Lobster Boil at The Boiling Crab. The Boiling Crab isn't just about boiling crab, you can boil all kinds of seafood, including delicious lobster. Choose your shellfish of choice, along with spice level and sauce preference. It's like an interactive lobster choose your adventure. 'At The Boiling Crab, every day is a good day for lobster, but today, we crack a few extra claws in its honor. On National Lobster Day, we celebrate the timeless joy of sharing seafood around the table, and there is no better place to do it than with us,' says David Nguyen, COO. Lobster Kale Caesar Chopt Creative Salad Co. is known for their creative salads. In fact, it's part of their name. But their collaboration with Hamptons-based LUNCH brought their summer salad arsenal to the next level with the Lobster Kale Caesar. Made of crisp kale and romaine topped with LUNCH's lobster salad and served with a toasted bun and lemon wedge, it's kind of if a Caesar went coastal and it can make any lunchtime feel a whole lot more fancy. This limited time offer will only be available on Thursdays throughout the month of June at five select NYC locations. Lobster & Shrimp Quesadilla at Friendly's Restaurants. A star of the new summer menu at Friendly's restaurants, this seafood-centric upgrade on the classic quesadilla is made with mixed cheese, lobster, and shrimp wrapped in flour tortillas, served with salsa, sour cream, of course, a side of fries. Athenian-Style Lobster Pasta at Estiatorio Milos at Hudson Yards. At Estiatorio Milos at Hudson Yards (as well as other locations), this is a signature Milos dish, made with Athenian-style lobster pasta tossed with pasta, and finished simply with herbs and olive oil. Chef Costas Spiliadis says: 'Our cuisine is not based on recipes but on ingredients that the land and sea can provide us with.'
