The Worst Dish Antonia Lofaso Ever Ate On Cutthroat Kitchen

Judges on food competition shows have likely tried some pretty insane dishes, on both sides of the spectrum. Some contestants whip up truly incredible, restaurant-quality plates that have the judges almost begging for a second helping, while others might have something go terribly awry. Unfortunately, there was one dish that chef and television personality Antonia Lofaso tried while judging on "Cutthroat Kitchen" that was so awful, it actually impacted her eating for a full year afterwards (via Insider). It's presumably just her utter devotion to food that kept her serving as a judge for the show, because the dish in question was one that she sampled during her first ever judging gig.

So, what exactly was such a traumatic dish that it caused her to avoid a particular ingredient for a full calendar year? It was a take on a Cobb salad — but with a twist. The unique ingredient that contestants had to incorporate into a particular challenge on the show was a century egg, which is a preserved, fermented egg. While the ingredient isn't quite as old as the name would suggest, it does pack in a seriously intense flavor that is unlike that of a regular egg, which is where the contestant went wrong.

Given how intense their flavor is, century eggs are an ingredient that is meant to be used as a seasoning agent rather than an actual component of the dish, as Lofaso explained to Insider. While you certainly can eat them on their own if you're so inclined, it's definitely a bit of an acquired taste thanks to the strength of the flavor. Unfortunately for Lofaso (and perhaps the other judges on duty that day), a contestant whipped up a Cobb salad, and replaced the traditional egg component of that particular dish with two century eggs instead. While having two hard-boiled eggs diced in a salad would be hardly noticeable, beyond the protein boost it gives the salad, having two century eggs in the mix was a little different. 

And, even worse, Lofaso was caught somewhat unaware, as she took a bite without hearing the contestant explain exactly how much of the ingredient he had added to the dish. While she started to feel ill almost immediately after the bite of the century Cobb salad hit her tastebuds, she opted to keep things professional as a new judge and swallow the bite she had taken — although she may have regretted it later. Apparently, Lofaso was throwing up as soon as she hit her dressing room later, and the whole experience was so traumatic that she didn't eat regular eggs for a full year after that.