Sparklers (2021) s01e13 Episode Script

1
(upbeat music)
(bright upbeat music)
- [Lady] Welcome to Sparklers,
part cooking competition and travel show,
featuring some of the
world's best sparkling wines.
Each week, the contestants
have specific ingredients
they must pair with a sparkling wine.
With each challenge,
three points are on the
table for the winners.
- [Man] At stake,
is an all expense trip
paid to Limoux, France,
the birthplace of sparkling wine,
to visit Faire La Fete
sparkling wine house.
- The dish that I chose for
the head-to-head challenge
to decide who wins this whole thing is,
dish number two.
- Wow.
I was nervous.
(wine glasses clinking)
That's seem nice.
- She got her way from the
bottom all the way to the top.
- I really thought I was
gonna be traveling tomorrow.
- Nope, you get to cook. Not so tough.
- Oh my goodness.
- Well, I think you two
need to get out of here now
so we can decide how to make it harder.
- Oh, okay.
- Oh, shit (laughing).
- Oh, now we're screwed.
- Get out of here.
- Get out of here-
- Winners.
(bright upbeat music)
- [Matthew] So in all the scenarios
that could have come through on the show,
a sudden death, winner take all scenario,
never came to our mind.
- [George] Meg is definitely
a strong contestant,
as is Claire.
It'd be interesting
to see them pinned up against each other.
- I was out of practice
when it comes to cooking.
So I came into it really
feeling like the underdog.
I don't love competing against
people that I really like.
Like when I was in the NFL,
it was really easy to compete
against teams we don't like.
- [Claire] Now I know who I'm up against,
and it's Meghan (chuckling).
She did a killer dish.
So she's someone to be
worried about legitimately
because she just came
from last place to first,
very rapidly.
- You know, I've been
underestimated before.
And I think, again, it
goes back to being nice.
I used to kick people's asses
when I negotiated contracts
'cause they thought I was a secretary,
and I was like, "Oh honey,
you're dealing with me."
(Meghan laughing)
I mean, Claire has a lot of
experience in restaurants,
so it'll be really interesting.
She sees a lot coming out of the kitchen.
She has a lot of references
in the culinary world.
Just goes to show you
that you shouldn't underestimate anyone.
- Throughout the entirety of season one.
I did not win a single
"Perfect bite challenge."
I have not been a judge yet.
George is in the same position as I am.
Where we go from competitor now to judge.
It's not an easy flip
of a switch, you know.
It's something that you
really have to be mindful of
so many components.
One person goes to France,
and other person does not.
- [Meghan] I try to go
on feeling visual appeal.
I like to think outside of the box,
I like to be creative.
So I don't think I don't
have a chance to win,
but you know, Claire's a
strong competitor as well.
It's gonna be interesting.
- [Claire] I know that we
couldn't trash talk each other
a good amount, and we'll still
have a lot of fun with it.
And at the end of the day,
whoever wins, I'll be happy for her,
especially if it's me (chuckling).
(bright upbeat music)
- How do you tie it all together?
How do you be fair to the people cooking,
and Faire La Fete was chosen because
sparkling wine originates in Limoux.
So it only makes sense to end the episode,
and end our series with their wine.
And ultimately the person
who wins going to the winery,
all expenses paid to France.
(bright upbeat music)
- [Meghan] The most
brutal is we have no idea
what the ingredients are.
I love to contemplate,
and think about things for a long time.
It's going to be a complete surprise.
So I'm gonna be going off the cuff.
It's gonna be crazy.
- [George] I think collectively,
it just made most sense to be
able to use the ingredients
that were in season right now.
So being able to use things
that are like peaches, cherries.
- [Maryam] When we're all
kind of like brainstorming,
what is it that we think that
could work for Faire La Fete,
I remember picturing a sweet green
and what better than fennel?
Not only to like compliment the wine,
but to treat people up.
Fennel is not something
that you use every day,
you're gonna have to use some technique.
You're gonna have to take some
risks and get comfortable.
- [George] think stone
fruit would be kind of easy.
And I don't think you can
mess that up too too much.
But I think fennel
can definitely throw you off a little bit,
just because of that really
like strong, pungent,
licorice type anise flavor.
I expect that they use it very sparingly
so that it doesn't overpower the wine
because it can very
easily overtake the dish.
- [Maryam] As judges we had
the luxury of choosing what
two ingredients we were gonna
make them play with tomorrow.
But we also won't know
who's dish we're judging
at the time of judgment.
So there's no possible chance
that one of us can lean towards someone
who we think should win.
We only have the option of
what's right in front of us.
And this dish is amazing,
and the wine sings.
And that at the end of the day,
what this whole season has been about.
(bright instrumental music)
- Sup
(both chuckling).
- Oh, this is so nuts.
- Not as friendly this time around, is it?
- Not so much, not so much.
- Now I'm just ready to do it, you know.
- This is-
- Crazy.
It's us two at the end
though. Pretty neat.
- I was not expecting to be
on this side of the table
at the end.
(Claire laughing)
If I'm being honest.
- Not mad at it.
- Not mad at it.
- Just shows you how
crazy this competition is,
and how much room there is
to just grow and improve
and how we all push each other so much.
So-
- Yeah.
- It's pretty cool.
What are you gonna do?
- I was just gonna ask you the same thing.
(Claire laughing)
I am planning on doing a hamachi crudo.
- Oh, fun.
- I haven't completely decided
all of the flavors yet,
which is why I brought so many options.
- Yeah.
- So I'm gonna taste as I go
and see how it comes together.
- [Claire] Yeah, of course it makes sense.
- [Meghan] How about you?
- So I'm gonna do a
sesame crusted ahi filet.
So I love that we're both doing fish.
And that's gonna be on a fennel puree
with a peach mango salsa on top.
- [Meghan] Wow.
- So-
- Awesome.
- Yeah. I'm putting my hair back.
If we have to throw bows,
we're throwing bows.
- We have to.
Throwing bows, you better take
your hoops out (chuckling).
- Leaving them in.
- All right.
I fight dirty. I fight dirty.
(Meghan chuckling)
- Nice to have Faire La Fete again.
It's sparkling wine, yes.
That was one of my worst
challenges actually
for the small bite, the snail eggs.
- The snail, you had to do a cassoulet
- Cassoulet, yes that's right.
Did you judge that one?
- I did judge that one.
Cause I won the snail eggs.
- Could you use only one of Faire La Fete?
- I have. I won the
Faire La Fete challenge,
and I plan to do the same again.
- Oh, do you?
- Oh, huh, hmm.
- Very nice time to win.
- What do you think I'm here for girl?
(Meghan chuckling)
I'm here to take lives.
(glasses clinking)
- Cheers.
- Cheers.
- But not good luck.
- I don't need luck.
- Oh really?
You're just gonna take
all the room. Are you?
- Move your fennel, girl.
I'm not here to hold your
hand, I'm here to win.
- Oh, don't touch my hand.
- You wanna hold hands while we do this?
It's like a one handed challenge.
- Skip, we can hold our hands afterwards.
I don't need anything right now.
- Yeah afterwards we'll hold hands,
right now we are not friends.
Don't look at me. Don't talk to me.
- Sorry, I'm getting into the zone.
- Get into the zone.
I'm just here to talk and distract you.
- I'm really good at ignoring people.
- Well, you have to be
really good at that today.
But how did you feel though
when we found out the ingredients?
- No talking.
- Seriously, none at all?
(Meghan chuckling)
Damn, okay.
- I'm kind of serious.
- Yeah, fennel and stone fruit.
- Interesting.
- Right.
- [Meghan] How did you feel?
- [Claire] Oh not too bad about it.
I like all these ingredients.
I think they play well together.
You have to come visit me in Napa.
- Oh, I would love that
See what I mean this is,
Like oh my god, lets hang out.
That is the nice thing.
Like oh, you know, it's happiness inside,
but like we did make some-
- Really great friends.
- Some good friends up here.
I know.
- Aww.
- Ooh. So cute.
- So cute.
Not that you can't like kick
your friend's asses, you know?
- Absolutely.
- It's healthy.
- I'm gonna feel really, really bad
when I'm getting on that plane to France.
- I know. Shut up.
You know, my pan has been
ridiculously hot this whole time
and now it's just being all hot here.
- I'm sure it's a little
challenging to control out here.
- And this is, yeah, this is really hard.
- My hair is also challenging to control.
(Claire chuckling)
My face.
- [Claire] Girl I need you to boil.
What's your strategy with these three?
- [Meghan] I don't really have a strategy
'cause honestly there's three judges.
And so it's just like-
- Just make something delicious
that you would eat yourself.
- Yeah, so I'm just trying
to make the best dish
I possibly can.
- Yeah. I agree.
- Do you have a strategy?
- I'm very similar.
- Yeah.
- It's just like keep your head down
and do what you think works
and what you would want to enjoy.
- Yep.
(bright instrumental music)
- Shh, it's hot out here.
- Sorry, can you not speak to me please.
(Meghan chuckling)
Don't think the contestants are allowed
to speak to each other.
- Touche. Touche.
- You know what?
- It's probably a good thing
we don't live in the same city.
- Because we'd have too much fun?
- Yeah.
- We'd destroy it?
- Yeah, exactly.
(bright instrumental music)
Hopefully I don't start a-
- Grease fire?
- Oil fire, yep.
- And then all of Sonoma burns down?
- Oh my God.
- Knock on wood
- I'm just gonna watch this (chuckling).
- Yeah please do
- I'm gonna go immersion
blending. Is that okay?
- Yep.
(Claire chuckling)
- I got to use it after you.
- Cool, cool, cool.
I shouldn't be, I won't
be too long sweetie.
Don't you worry.
- Better not be
(Claire laughing)
I like how you laugh,
but I'm very serious.
- Okay.
- Okay.
- I know you're gonna try it.
(bright instrumental music)
I'm blending up the
fennel with some yogurts,
a Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper oil.
This'll be the bed that
my ahi filet sits on.
- We don't have any water out here,
so I wanna make sure that Meg has a clean,
immersion bottle.
- That's nice of you.
- I know.
- So if you will, which
you won't, but if you do,
you're taking me to France with you.
- Oh, I see. I see the strategy.
- You can't take your other
friends, your paramour
- Does that mean you'll
take me to Malibu with you?
- I live right there. I'll take
you to Malibu anytime girl.
Oh God.
- Oh, thanks.
- As my good friend George
would say, it's not dressed.
- So I have a little bit
of the pickling juice
from the cherries that I'm pickling.
I've got orange zest.
I have cucumber.
- Sounds very fresh.
Smoking. Everybody calm down.
Take it easy. Take it easy.
Okay.
- I think I'm gonna put just
a tiny bit of mezcal in it
to add a level of interest to the sauce.
- And you add a little mezcal to me
to make me a little extra (chuckling).
- Would you like a shot?
I actually brought a shot glass out.
- I think we should just
pull straight out of
the goddamn thing.
(bright instrumental music)
- This is a beautiful hamachi
crudo. Oh my goodness.
I mean hamachi, not crudo yet.
- It will be a beautiful hamachi crudo
I don't know if I'm doing
to this perfectly or not.
I mean, with ahi, with the
fish this fucking beautiful,
you just wanna sear the outside.
You want the inside to
stay that beautiful,
bright ruby color.
I feel like I cooked
it like slightly longer
than I wanted to.
- Shocker.
(Claire coughing)
- Not mad at that, at all.
Not mad at that at all.
And yes, we're gonna eat this.
- Okay lady who works
in a sushi restaurant.
- I don't make it.
(Claire and Meghan laughing)
I just eat the damn thing.
- [Meghan] Of course we
both decided on fish.
- [Claire] I know. I love that.
- [Meghan] Makes it harder for the judges.
- Good. Now the question
is, this is my whole thing,
is like how am I gonna plate this?
Am I going to do the nice little slices?
- You're on your own girlfriend.
- Yeah, I know.
- I'm in the zone,
- But I'm just gonna let that rest there
for a little bit while I get plating.
(blowing) Oh my God,
don't put that on there.
(bright instrumental music)
- [Lady] Three minutes.
- Three minutes, fuck.
(bright instrumental music)
- I know, I know, I know.
(bright instrumental music)
(groaning) I feel like
we are in a TV show.
(bright instrumental music)
- Oh my God, it's over.
- We'll say that's it (chuckling).
- Alrighty Meg.
It all comes down to
these last two dishes.
- I fucking forgot.
(Claire and Meghan laughing)
Ah, I was gonna do
orange sauce and anchovy.
(Claire laughing)
Fine.
- [Claire] Where's your
glass? Where's your glass?
- Ah, fill it up. Please, fill it up.
- Whoo.
- That looks beautiful.
Geez yours look so pretty.
Damn, I didn't get to do the-
- Oh yours is so good looking.
- Oh, I didn't get to do
the orange zest at the end.
- The zest.
Cheers.
- Cheers.
The judges are on their way.
- I know.
- It's all in the fate of, fate of hands?
Yeah, the mezcal's kicking in.
- I hope it's good. I hope it's good.
- I can guarantee you your dish is good.
- Yours looks incredible.
- It looks incredible. But
does it taste incredible?
- I know. I just wanna know
if it pairs with the wine.
- I know. Let's get them out here.
Let's get this done.
- Yeah.
- Let's go.
(bright instrumental music)
- [Claire] Hi friend.
- Oh wow.
- Oh my goodness.
- Oh my goodness,
looks like you guys
are skipping off to us.
- This looks gorgeous.
- Yes.
- It's almost like you're
going for a trip for France.
- [Claire] (laughing) Yeah.
- [Meghan] We're not nervous at all.
- They both look so amazing, oh my god.
- It's beautiful.
- You might remember Faire La Fete.
- [Matthew] Strongly.
- [Maryam] Welcome back.
Congratulations to you two.
- Well cheers, no matter what
happens to both of you all.
- [Maryam] Do you guys have
any idea who's is who's? -
- No, no. I have no idea.
- No, I have no idea.
- [Maryam] I can't tell.
- There's not a style
that came across at all.
- But of course there's flowers.
- They are like similar stylistically.
And obviously we both chose fish,
which I think is hilarious.
- All right, so we got-
- Here are all the components, thinking-
- So this is how it ends?
- This is how it all ends.
- [Matthew] This is all about the pairing.
This is all about how the
dish works with the wine.
- This crudo looks amazing.
- Let's try the crudo.
- Caper.
- It looks like cherry.
- Wow.
- Some micro greens.
(bright instrumental music)
- There's a lot of different texture.
- Hmm.
- Those capers were fried.
- [George] It's really fresh.
- And it is very fresh.
- Very clean.
- The cherry plays really
nicely with the fennel.
- Yeah, honestly.
The fennel isn't like overpowering at all.
You still tastes a
little bit of that fish.
What kind of fish is this?
- Oh yeah. I think frying
the capers was a good call.
'Cause it could have been really fishy.
- Could be amberjack?
- Could be really fishy otherwise.
- Yeah.
- I like the fronds on top too as well.
- I like it.
- Okay.
- It's really good.
- You ready for the next one?
- Yeah.
(bright instrumental music)
- So colorful.
- Hmm.
- Oh wow. Get that zest
like straight away,
which I think is really nice.
- And that puree, yeah?
- Yeah.
I lean more towards bigger
portions (chuckling).
'Cause I think a lot of
people really skimp on things.
- I like the flavor balance.
My only critique on this one,
like audibly is that the crust
is like overly powerfully flavorful.
The white sesame seeds-
- But how does it pair with wine?
(bright instrumental music)
- I don't think it overpowers the wine.
I like the sweetness.
- Yeah, the fruit is amazing.
- The fruit is really nice.
- It plays really nicely with the wine.
- Yeah, it does.
- I think a little sweetness
makes this wine's acid
shine brighter.
- Exactly.
- All right, we got some
hard work to deliberate here.
You guys go inside.
Get away so we can
actually have some privacy
and then we're going to figure out
which of y'all gets on a plane to France.
- Okay.
- No worries. No worries.
- No pressure.
- Without knowing?
- Thank you.
- Yeah of course, cheers.
(bright instrumental music)
- There's three of us here.
So there's gotta be a majority.
- There has to be.
- We have to make a decision.
So let's talk through
where everybody's leaning.
- Of course.
(bright instrumental music)
- [Maryam] George.
- I really appreciate
this one. I love crudos.
There was an amazing
balance between the capers
that had that really nice saltiness
that I think complements the wine.
- [Matthew] Totally.
- But also the cherries,
I think added this really
nice balance of sweetness.
But you know, here,
you really got that fennel flavor
and I'm a really big
fan of sesame, honestly.
So I dunno where I'm leaning actually.
- You're willing to hear us out.
- [George] Yeah.
- [Matthew] We've got
bold flavors on both.
The capers we're a great call.
You get saltiness,
you get something that
actually plays on the wine.
And this top dish here,
we've got, the fruit is something
that gives it sweetness,
but I don't really taste the fruit.
I just wish I tasted more of the fennel
and more of the stone fruit
than I tasted the sesame.
For me, it'll come down to
does the fish and the caper
work best with the wine?
Or does the fish and the sesame
work best with the wine?
- I love to weigh in here
since y'all are not deciding.
What I think is like pulling
from my heart strings
is the risks that were taken.
I think I would have done
the tuna differently.
I agree with you, it's a lot of sesame.
It's a lot of surface area.
That's the problem.
If I'm going for a perfect
bite, like you compose,
I actually think that the puree, the zest,
the multiple stone fruits
actually balances the sesame.
If I'm having a bite,
I agree that they're both great pairings.
But I would be leaning
more toward the tuna dish,
creating leniency for that portion size.
- Hmm, hmm.
- Let's say I'm on a wine list.
I'm looking at Faire La Fete,
I know I wanna start there.
Which is more likely addition
I'm gonna order with this.
- [George] Hmm.
- [Matthew] Thinking through a dish
that has all the components
and it's more of a comprised dish,
I lean toward this one
as a more comprised dish
that works with the wine.
- Oh we've gotta go, make sure we agree.
- Let's do it.
- There's three of us-
- Yeah.
- We need a majority.
- All right, grab your glasses.
- Cheers guys.
- Cheers.
- It's not easy.
- We're gonna party no matter what.
- It's gonna be a party anyway.
- We'll do the right thing.
- Faire La Fete.
- Let's do it.
- Faire La Fete.
(bright instrumental music)
- Your dish was so gorgeous, and I'm just-
- Ah, I forgot so many things.
- It's a good thing we drank
mezcal while we were doing it.
- (laughing) I'm not sure
if that helped or hurt.
(Claire and Meghan laughing)
- It's helping now.
- Yes.
- Speaking of which-
- Yeah, let's get some liquid courage.
- I love being competitive.
But I'm really happy to be here
at the end of this with you.
- Oh, thank you.
- I just wanna know,
because it's done and they've decided
it's all like, it's just, it's done
and we just need to, here.
(glasses clinking)
- No regrets.
- No regrets.
At the end of the day like,
I think we both brought it.
- Oh, hey.
- Hi friends.
- Relax.
- How are you friends?
- It's very intimidating to
see three people judging us.
You guys need sparkling wine.
- Yes please.
- We do.
- Give them this alcohol, please.
- Thank you.
- Give my friend.
- Yeah, first of all,
our first amazing few
episodes were filmed at,
At the Joy in Oregon.
And then how lucky,
especially for us to be
in our backyard here,
in the Sonoma Valley at DeLoach Vineyards.
So-
- Amazing.
- Incredibly loud.
Absolutely all brought the rain.
- Yeah. You guys did the-
- We actually can't
agree on who's is who's.
We have guesses but we don't know.
- Interesting.
- We tried, but we don't agree.
- I feel like we do have
kind of similar style.
- I know.
- I mean it's fitting.
- That you're the ones competing.
- We can't even figure it out.
So it makes sense.
- All right, well, let's jump into this.
- Okay.
- Oh, gosh.
- So, we thought both
dishes were so well done,
executed with the two
ingredients that were necessary,
but also the time
constraint, outdoor kitchen,
it's a challenge.
And we really appreciate what
y'all brought to the table.
So the hamachi crudo.
We loved the caper.
The caper really was a beautiful thing
that works so well with the wine.
The biggest critique that
I had and it was echoed
was just, we wanted a little more acid.
We wanted someone to
really allow for this wine,
which is apple fruit, clean, fresh,
we wanted a little bit more power,
let's say out of that dish.
- With the tuna, to kind of counter that
what we wanted was we
wanted smaller portions.
We really thought that the tuna,
if it were a little bit smaller,
you could have done a little bit better
and showed a little bit
better with the wine.
- So the tuna had a
little element of heat,
which was great from some jalapeno.
The sweetness of the
fruit really came out.
The crudo, I wanted more fennel.
I wanted more fennel.
The puree with the fennel on the tuna was,
it was a lovely thing.
The sesame was really, really present.
- It was overpowering it.
- It was overpowering, but-
- You know, there was a lot of sesame
for the stone fruit balanced.
And there was risk.
- There was a lot of risk.
- With the tuna, there was
a lot of risk with the tuna.
- Yeah.
The combo of stone fruit,
the addition of pepper for the crudo,
like the cherry
combination with the fennel
made the wine really sparkle.
Like if I may, guys I
gotta get one last pun in.
(people laughing)
- But both of them honestly were amazing.
- It's important to say we were divided.
It took awhile to arrive
at our final decision.
- So really in order for
us to raise the stakes
and make this even more dramatic,
we need you guys to tell
us who made what dish.
- We couldn't agree.
- It's true. We could not agree,
but we have come to a consensus.
- So who made what?
- Mine was the hamachi crudo.
- Mine was the Ahi
- Amazing.
- Wow.
- Amazing.
- Okay, are you guys ready?
Let's just be honest here,
you're are both winners.
'Cause the second place
person gets to go to Malibu
for at least three days.
- Yo, there is a trip to France.
It is business class to Faire La Fete.
- [Matthew] The birthplace
of sparkling wine.
- It sounds terrible.
- Yes.
Have you guys heard of sparkling wine?
(George laughing)
- I mean, all I can hear is trip for two.
It's like maybe they're gonna go together.
- Maybe one of us can come.
- Depends what you pick.
- Okay. You guys ready?
- So the winner of Sparklers,
the whole shebang who's going to France,
(bright upbeat music)
is the tuna.
- It's Claire.
- Are you serious?
(bright upbeat music)
- Amazing.
- Meg is going to Malibu.
- Cheers.
- I won!
- Cheers.
- Cheers.
- Come on.
- What? Are you serious?
- Yes, thank you.
- Amazing.
- Thank you.
- We were totally fans for all.
I really not that (indistinct).
- Right.
- 'Cause side betting going on.
- Put this down, 'cause I'm
gonna knock it down here.
- Congratulations too.
- They can't even be sad.
- Right.
- We will be right back
during the competition.
- I know.
- They are going to France.
- Good job. Good job. That was awesome.
- Winner winner.
- Chicken Dinner
- Wow, that was so
nerve-wracking, that was crazy.
- Oh my God.
I don't even know yet.
I honestly, I haven't
processed any of this yet.
I'm not gonna lie to you.
And I still feel kind of numb.
I'm just, I dunno. I'm obviously thrilled.
I don't know.
It's just, I never win anything.
So like I'm feeling (chuckling),
it's feeling awesome, man (chuckling).
(bright upbeat music)
- I can't stop thinking about the things
I forgot to put in my dish (chuckling).
Because they included citrus and anchovy,
which I think would've really added to it.
So yes, I can't stop thinking about that.
But also I'm super stoked to go to Malibu
and I hope everyone will come with me.
When I lined myself up against
everyone that was here,
I mean, I'm a winemaker,
but I'm out of practice in the kitchen.
Why am I here with all these people,
with all this culinary experience?
And meant a lot to me to
come back in this way.
And it was really nice to be around people
that were so encouraging.
And I've got a lot of friends here.
But it really says something about
believing in yourself, I think.
And yeah,
surrounding yourself
with really good people.
- Frankly,
like I didn't know what
the hell was gonna happen.
And it was down to this.
It just worked out this way.
And I'm here at the end of the day
because I got to work with
some incredibly talented people
who taught me a lot about
cooking and about other things.
And I've made some really
awesome new friends
on this journey.
But I'm going to France by myself.
- It's like,
that means we've arrived at the end
should we cheers to that?
- Oh my God, that was so,
I didn't think I had it.
- Grab your glass.
- Cheers.
- Come on.
- Grab your glass.
(glasses clinking)
- Well done.
- Well done.
Well done. Incredible.
- Cheers, cheers.
- Oh, good job.
- Oh my God.
(bright upbeat music)
(upbeat music)