“Blind Kitchen” is a quirky food competition series where local chefs recreate each other’s signature dish, but they can only determine what the dish is by using their senses of taste, touch, and smell. Each chef is blindfolded during a down-and-dirty guessing phase, and when the masks come off, the heat is on with both chefs cooking what they believe is their opponent’s creation. The chefs are competing for bragging rights and a donation to their favorite charity.
In this episode, Nikki Irving-Miralrio, chef and owner of Los Jefes Comida, and Yesenia Melo, chef and owner of Jessy’s Clean Meals, face off to see who can recreate each other’s signature dish.
Each recreated meal will be judged on:
- Percentage of correct ingredients
- Similarities in flavor and plating
- Re-creation as a standalone dish
Chef Nikki Irving-Miralrio: Spicy Scallop Ceviche
Chef Nikki loves to explore the possibilities within a dish. She is the chef and owner of Los Jefes Comida, a restaurant in Taunton, Massachusetts, that she runs with her husband. The two also own a bakery and cafe where they make everything in-house and from scratch, each day.
Mystery Dish: Spicy Scallop Ceviche
Scallops, jalepeños, onions, limes, mango, cilantro, habanero, corn tostada, lettuce
Chef’s Choice Charity: No Bully
Developed in 2003 by Nicholas Carlisle, No Bully is an anti-bullying program that aims to give schools the tools they need to effectively resolve in-school issues while working toward a bully-free world.
Chef Yesenia Melo: Bruschetta
Chef Yesenia “Jessy” Melo returns to show off her culinary skills for a second time. Owner of Jessy’s Clean Meals, a meal prep service originally run from her home, Chef Jessy has since expanded to more than family and friends and now operates from a new location at the Revolving Test Kitchen.
Mystery Dish: Bruschetta
Baguette, tomatoes, basil, garlic, shallots, olive oil, mozzarella, eggplant, arugula
Chef’s Choice Charity: Bread & Roses
Bread & Roses is a soup kitchen located in Lawrence, Massachusetts, that provides warm, nutritious meals to those in need. Inspired by the song of the same name, Bread & Roses picked their moniker to show solidarity with those experiencing food insecurity.
Meet the Judge: Ciaran Nagle
Ciaran Nagle is the co-founder and owner of Foundation Kitchen.
Want to see who wins?
You can watch this episode, “Blind Kitchen: Redemption with Good Clean Fun,” on the Very Local channel. You can stream all of the episodes of “Blind Kitchen” for free.
Looking for more Boston eats…
We’ve got more episodes of “Blind Kitchen” for you to stream on the Very Local channel.
Plus, check out our guide to the best international food stores in Boston, and learn more about the history of America’s first chocolate mill in Lower Mills.
Stay Tuned
Our new show “Boston Rob Does Beantown” is coming in April. Follow @verylocalboston on Instagram and Facebook for updates.