food
Faison went to Greater Boston to talk about her “Champions Tournament” win and Boston’s latest project.
Boston chef Tiffany Faison has won the third season of the Food Network’s “Championship of Champions” cooking competition. Courtesy of Food Network
Celebrity chef Tiffany Faison, a recent winner of the Food Network’s “Championship of Champions,” discusses the restaurant industry, her new Boston ventures, and cooking rabbit and natto with a barbecue, in an interview with WGBH’s “Greater Boston.”
Tiffani Faison is the chef behind local restaurants like Sweet Cheeks, Orfano and the last three concepts at the High Street Place food court.
Faison started her time in the spotlight after finishing second on Bravo’s Top Chef. But it didn’t stop there. She’s made a name for herself in the food industry doing everything from judging “Chopped” to being a four-time nominee for James Beard Best Chef: Northeast.
The “Tournament of Champions,” hosted by Guy Fieri, is a head-to-head arc-style cooking tournament. Faison earned $100,000 and a gold championship belt.
Jim Proud, host of Greater Boston, began the interview by inquiring about Faison’s winning ingredients and equipment—a rabbit and natto cooked on a slate.
Faison explained that natto is a fermented Japanese soybean with a texture “halfway between mucus and strip” and an anti-grill, apparently, surface that does not achieve temperatures above 300 degrees.
The James Beard finalist also discussed three new concepts within High Street Place called Dive Bar, Tenderone and Bubble Bath.
The Bubble Bath features a champagne vending machine alongside hot dogs and popcorn.
Tenderoni pizza – which features a burnt and crunchy Parmesan edge – with a “late ’70s/early ’80s” vibe.
When asked why the tenderloin pizza is so good, Faison said, “Burned parm doesn’t hurt. We really worked on that dough, the crust, forever and ever. I wanted it to be chewy and tender too.”
Located in half the New England, half southern, the Dive Bar menu offers “duel lobster rolls.”
Besides discussions about Faison’s many accomplishments, “Greater Boston” aired a clip of Faison saluting her fellow competitor, perhaps in case any Boston chefs or celebrity chefs were considering challenging her to cook.
“Are you ready to go down?” She asked.
Faison has admitted to being very competitive – a trait she shares with the chefs she has faced in challenges. What she didn’t admit: Wearing his 30-pound “Championship of Champions” belt around the house.
Braude made her raise her right hand and swear the truth.
“I don’t walk around my house,” she said. “I’m not. Well, maybe now.”
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