Just a few weeks ago Tom, Padma, and I were lucky enough to return to Chicago for the first time since shooting the season, to help host Art Smith's annual Common Threads fund-raising gala, World Festival. It was such special evening and great to be back in town celebrating an important cause with our new friend and his dedicated team. The evening raised over $392,000, which will enable 653 scholarships for children to be part of Common Threads' programming, as well as help launch their Los Angeles office.

Art founded the organization in 2003 with a mission to educate children from every walk of life on the importance of nutrition and physical well-being, and to foster an appreciation of cultural diversity through cooking. As a former anthropology major, with a lifelong food obsession, I was instantly taken by his infectious commitment to creating healthy, informed communities. Art's kindness in giving Top Chef the opportunity to tape an Elimination Challenge with his kids and play a role in Common Threads was one of the more rewarding experiences I have had on the show to date. Spending the afternoon with these enthusiastic chefs-in-the-making reminded us not only how fun cooking should be, but also how vital it is to encourage good eating habits in children.

Our challenge was a difficult one indeed, especially for professional restaurant chefs used to having access to expensive and rare ingredients in their efforts to impress us. Cooking a meal for a family of four on a strict budget of $10 total may have been a rude awakening for our cheftestants, but is probably a realistic dinner estimate for most of the country. Thankfully, after the initial shock subsided, almost everything the cooks made that day, with the outstanding assistance of their Common Threads sous-chefs, was really enjoyable. I was truly impressed that our chefs were able to prepare so much with so little.

What I appreciated most about the top three chefs in the challenge was their ability to incorporate new and sometimes unusual ingredients, in simple and flavorful ways. Nikki's One-Pot Roasted Chicken with Apple and Mixed Vegetables, Cucumber and Tomato Salad was familiar enough that everyone could identify with it, but her addition of brussel sprouts and apples gave it a hearty, healthy twist. Andrew went out on a limb by serving Chicken Paillard with Basil and Parmesan with a Fennel, Orange, and Apple Salad. I have spent many wasted hours trying to make some of the children in my life eat vegetables like fennel, and have never succeeded! I was in awe of how easily he was able to do so. Rest assured, I will be taking his recipe with me on my next visit with my nieces and nephew.