Los Angeles is home to some of the best restaurants and culinary talent in the country, so I’m always interested in checking out dining experiences that offer something a little different. On Thursday, Sept. 24, I had the opportunity to attend HOT PLATE: Chef Showdown at Maison Kasai inside Level 8 in downtown Los Angeles, where four talented chefs went head-to-head in a competition that combined great food, creativity and a little friendly rivalry.
Presented by Chef Jasper Lynn and Rosalynn Supper Club, the second installment of HOT PLATE gave guests the opportunity to experience something similar to “Top Chef,” except instead of watching from home, we got to taste the food and determine the winner ourselves. The competition featured four chefs preparing two dishes each, one Cold Plate and one Hot Plate, with just 20 minutes to complete each dish. Maison Kasai’s teppanyaki grills made for a great setting, allowing us to watch the chefs work right in front of us while learning a little about their backgrounds and the inspiration behind their dishes. To make things a little more interesting, any chef who went over the time limit faced the “Casa Consequence,” a shot of Casamigos for both the chef and their table. Casamigos also sponsored the evening, providing specialty cocktails to enjoy throughout the competition.
Chef and Host Jasper Lynn & guests. Credit: Bella Camerino
The lineup featured chefs Jasper Lynn, Sarah Sanders, Jerry Cantrell and Miguel Martinez, each bringing a different background and cooking style to the table.
Lynn, who founded Rosalynn Supper Club after leaving a career in tech, is known for combining Asian flavors with French and California coastal influences. His Cold Plate featured raw New England scallops with passion fruit nam jim, while his Hot Plate was a smoked lamb neck risotto topped with Sichuan chimichurri. Lynn has built quite the résumé, including an appearance on Netflix’s “Bling Empire,” recognition as Suntory’s Rising Chef of the Year and participation in culinary events such as Pebble Beach Food & Wine.
Chef Sarah Sanders brought her Iranian-Armenian and Brazilian influences to the competition. A former animator who later worked under Chef Tim Hollingsworth at Otium, Sanders has built a career combining food, art and storytelling. She prepared a Kashk Crudo featuring Japanese kampachi, charred eggplant and Persian-Armenian vinaigrette, followed by a Galbi Barg Kebab with filet mignon served over brown butter saffron Persian fried rice. Her dishes were a great example of how different cultures can come together on one plate.
Chef Jerry Cantrell, a former skateboarder who developed his passion for cooking while working in several Los Angeles kitchens, including Rustic Canyon and Darling by Sean Brock, also brought some interesting flavors to the competition. His Cold Plate featured hamachi with blood orange, Szechuan chili and dried olive, while his Hot Plate, called Crying Tiger, featured prawns with crispy rice. Cantrell has also developed a following through his sold-out pop-ups and cooking videos that have reached millions online.
But when it was all said and done, it was LA native Chef Miguel Martinez who took home the win.
The winner, Miguel Martinez @miguelmartinez09. Credit: Bella Camerino
Martinez, who is of Mexican and Guatemalan heritage, has spent much of his career exploring the flavors he grew up with while finding creative ways to put his own spin on them. Having previously worked at La ChaChaChá and Loreto, he brought that experience to the competition with a bluefin tuna tostada featuring chintextle aioli, piloncillo ponzu, candied habanero and avocado.
For his Hot Plate, Martinez prepared esquites with a seared sea scallop, Mexican togarashi and bonito. It was an interesting take on a familiar Mexican street food favorite, combining traditional flavors with a more modern approach. His two dishes ultimately earned enough votes from the guests to secure the victory.
One of the things I enjoyed most about HOT PLATE was how involved everyone got to be. Instead of simply sitting down and being served a meal, we got to interact with the chefs, watch them prepare their dishes and learn a little about what went into each creation. The time limits also added some excitement, especially knowing that the chefs had to balance making great food with getting everything done on time. I also appreciated how the event brought together chefs from so many different backgrounds. That’s one of the things that makes LA’s food scene special. You can experience flavors from around the world, sometimes all in the same meal, and HOT PLATE was a perfect example of that. With two dinner seatings and eight dishes to sample, the evening offered a nice change of pace from the usual restaurant experience. More importantly, it gave these chefs a platform to showcase their creativity while allowing guests to be part of the action.
The amazing creations of the nights chefs. Credit: Bella Camerino
Congratulations to Chef Miguel Martinez on the win, and credit to Chef Jasper Lynn, Rosalynn Supper Club and the Maison Kasai team for putting together an entertaining evening. Whether you’re a foodie, a fan of cooking competitions or simply someone who enjoys trying new restaurants around LA, HOT PLATE: Chef Showdown is definitely an experience worth keeping an eye on.
Maison Kasai Restaurant at Level 8 DTLA. Photo Credit: Michael Kleinberg
