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Top Chef season 22 aired its episode 12, Foraged in Fire, on May 29, 2025. The episode was an important part of the competition. The top five chefs had to take on a foraging challenge in the Canadian wilderness. With help from Indigenous expert Brenda Holder and foraging chef Tracy Little, they searched for wild ingredients like juniper, rosehips, and ants that tasted like lemon.
The challenge asked the chefs to cook a dish using the natural flavours of the land. After collecting the ingredients, the chefs returned to Calgary and cooked outdoors over an open fire. The winner of the challenge won $10,000, while the bottom two chefs faced elimination.
Shuai Wang won the challenge with his rosehip-glazed pork belly, while Massimo was sent home, ending his journey just short of the finale in Milan. Many viewers were left disappointed, with some arguing that Shuai winning the challenge was unfair. Fans took to X to react to this.
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"Shuai is making me eat my words that he will never win this," one fan commented.
"I ain’t expect Shuai and Bailey to make it this far. Cesar was fucking up for a minute towards the end and got his shit together to make it back and stay," another user said.
"Why is Shuai still here?! He’s been coasting putting out bad/mediocre food all season. Shuai should’ve gone home before Katianna and Henry. As long as Tristen wins, I’m good!" one tweet read.
A few Top Chef fans criticized Shuai for making pancakes often during the season.
"I’m a be honest I’m tired of Shuai(sp) and these same scallion pancakes!" an X user wrote.
"No One: ... Shuai: "Scallion Pancak," one netizen tweeted.
"Kinda feel like Shuai is coasting so far unfortunately," another user said.
A few fans also criticized the judges for taking the "wrong" decision.
"I actually haven’t been this mad at #topchef in years. Kristen was crying because she knew they were making the wrong decision," a fan wrote.
"They absolutely sent the wrong chef home," a tweet read.
Foraging challenge puts pressure on the contestants in Top Chef
The foraging challenge in Top Chef season 22 episode 12 began with the chefs heading into the woods alongside Brenda Holder and Tracy Little. They were introduced to a variety of native herbs, roots, and edible plants, including dandelion roots, mustard seeds, yarrow, and thatching ants.
Once they returned to Calgary, the chefs had two and a half hours to cook, except for Massimo, who had earned an extra 30 minutes by winning a previous challenge. Each chef was expected to use their foraged ingredients in a dish that showcased creativity and skill.
Shuai’s rosehip-glazed pork belly, served with roasted cabbage and a thatching ant togarashi, received praise from the judges. Guest judge Brenda Holder commented that Shuai’s dish was “exquisite,” while Tom Colicchio said it “showed real understanding of the ingredients.”
The bottom two chefs were Massimo and Bailey. While the Top Chef judges appreciated Massimo’s mustard-focused dish, Gail Simmons pointed out that his bannock was “too bitter and didn’t connect well with the trout.” On the other hand, Bailey’s dish raised concerns about inconsistency throughout the competition, but the judges ultimately decided that Massimo would be eliminated.
Top Chef episodes are available to stream on Bravo.
