Round 1

Created by Jerry Lucas. A fragrant Tom Kha Gai–style coconut broth simmered with lemongrass, kaffir lime, ginger, chilies, and Korean spice, poured over jasmine rice and crisped short rib for a bold, bright, and deeply comforting bowl.

Created by Jey Rhodes. Filipino-inspired pork belly marinated with Mike's Hot Honey and aromatics, braised in a rich, spicy coconut milk sauce with chilies and shrimp paste, then finished with fresh chiles and scallions for a lush, fiery stew.

Created by JL Maggi. Korean-spiced scallops seared golden and set on sautéed gai lan, napped with a tangy pineapple-coconut sauce, dotted with Korean chili oil, and crowned with shimmering Mike's Hot Honey "caviar" pearls.

Created by Lacey Sher. Crisp, flaky phyllo stuffed with Korean-spiced coconut tofu and bok choy, served with a tamari dipping sauce sweetened with Mike's Hot Honey for a salty-sweet, plant-based small bite.

Created by Usha Sunak. Golden skillet-seared chicken simmered in a creamy coconut sauce layered with Korean spice, gochujang, soy, and Mike's Hot Honey, then finished with fresh Thai basil and green onions for a fragrant, comforting one-pan dish.

Created by Aldo Valdivia. A rich coconut-milk sauce over scallops, jumbo shrimp, and black mussels, served in a fresh half coconut and finished with microgreens and citrus zest.

Created by Abe Caterson. Tender Korean-spiced short rib braised with star anise and onions until it falls apart, served with twice-boiled eggs and finished with bull's blood microgreens for a rich, deeply savory bowl.

Created by Cameron McClean. Char-grilled lamb loin chops marinated in Mike's Hot Honey, coconut milk, and Korean BBQ spice, set over silky sweet potato purée with crispy garlic chili oil and pistachio crunch for a sweet-spicy, smoky finish.

Created by David Chavez. Buttery Chilean seabass laid over coconut-cooked cauliflower purée, topped with sautéed chanterelle mushrooms and a hot-honey mustard glaze that pulls together sweet heat and earthiness in every bite.

Created by Dean Hiatt. Mesquite-grilled salmon glazed in ginger, soy, and hot honey, served over black forbidden rice and surrounded by a coconut-citrus nage scented with lemongrass, lime, cilantro, peppercorns, and Korean BBQ spice.

Created by Mike Morris. Flame-kissed skirt steak skewers rubbed in Korean BBQ spice, paired with a bright hot-honey chimichurri, creamy corn, and a crisp green apple salad in coconut dressing, served with crostini for scooping.

Created by Nicholas Blessing. Ethereal, glass-thin rice crackers made from jasmine rice cooked in coconut milk, dried and fried until shatteringly crisp, then dusted generously with Korean BBQ spice for a sweet, smoky, coconut-forward crunch.

Created by Scott Tomblin. Slow-cured pork belly glazed in hot honey and Korean BBQ spice until lacquered and candy-crisp, served over creamy Korean cheese corn risotto with jalapeño kimchi and a finishing drizzle of Korean-infused olive oil.

Created by Tyler Matthew Wingate. Coconut-marinated, Korean-spiced fried chicken thighs piled on crisp, golden waffles and topped with a whipped soy–hot honey "syrup" that blends sweet, salty, and spicy into one decadent brunch plate.