A food blogger from upstate New York, Emma was the eighth finalist sent home from the competition after a disappointing performance in Las Vegas. In her final presentation, Alton deemed her "likable" and "friendly," but her food was amiss, and the unappetizing story she told ultimately proved devastating.
Frightening POV
In her first pitch to the mentors, Emma sold herself as a "farm-to-table guru." But after Bobby told her that idea is "not as special as it used to be," she admitted, "It scares people instantly." From then on, she focused on simply the importance of using fresh, locally sourced, farm-grown ingredients in her cooking.
Early Reflections
The finalists were given journals to use during their time in the competition, and Emma filled hers with inspirational quotes, thoughts on past challenges and recipe ideas for the future. Here she penned "feedback from judges" and made notes on "how to tie together" her perspective.
Learning Lessons
After going silent in a culinary challenge with Alton, Emma was sure to allow "zero dead space" during a culinary demonstration for Alex Guarnaschelli. Giada was impressed by Emma's delivery of step-by-step instructions, but guest judge Alex noted, "I sort of feel lulled to sleep by her."
Beyond Words
Emma created intricate detailed drawings of dolphins, volcanos and tall flowers around a Spanish saying.
Breakfast of Chocolate
Week three's Cutthroat Kitchen-inspired challenge found Emma sabotaged with chocolate-covered bacon, which she had to incorporate into her breakfast dish. "This sandwich from my childhood pops into my head, and I just run with that," Emma said of the inspiration behind her Burrata-bacon sandwich.
First Win
Despite being sabotaged, Emma proved she was a contender in the competition by earning top praises in the Cutthroat battle. Guest judge Jet Tila deemed her "very inviting." And speaking of her sandwich, Bobby said simply: "Cream and chocolate and bacon? I'm in."
On a Roll
At YouTube Space LA, Emma worked on what would ultimately be deemed the winning team with Nicole and Reuben. The three filmed a classroom-focused video to market Reese's candy, and after YouTube executives watched her performance, one noted she would likely be appealing to brands.
Meaningful Words
"The opposite of fear is gratitude," Emma wrote in her scrapbook.
Emma, Live
"I want to be really, really loud and big, but not overly acted," Emma said of her plans for performing in a live culinary demonstration at Knott's Berry Farm. Although Giada said that Emma delivered on "genuineness and authenticity," Emma's crab cakes proved "very bready," according to Bobby.
Parisian Pass
For the Episode 6 product challenge, Emma attempted to sell her pickled beets on a backdrop of Paris. The vegetables were successful, and Susie appreciated the recipe listed on the packaging, but Emma's commercial was amiss, as she adopted a faux French accent, much to the mentors' disappointment. "I just found the accent super cheesy," Susie told her.
French Script
The Selection Committee might not have been wowed by Emma's commercial, but it wasn't for a lack of preparation. She wrote the script she'd use on camera, plus notes on her point of view: "I cook food with roots. I dig up the stories behind the dish."
Welcome to Las Vegas
In the finalists' first challenge in Las Vegas, Emma rose to the top, as she was the only contestant to successfully use mouthwatering descriptions to tempt Giada into wanting to try the food in front of her.
Guests as Chefs
"She knows how to throw in these words and these bits and pieces to make a story kind of sell," Alton said of Emma's performance at the Caesars Palace pool party. Her dish, however, was amiss, as she simply prepared the base of her calamari-mango skewers and let guests add finishing tastes and ingredients. "You're the chef. You've got to make those decisions," explained Alton.
Passing on Pork
Emma was tasked with showcasing Mangalitsa pork in what would be her final challenge of the competition, and her inexperience was obvious. Alton noted, "What this says to me is this was made by a cook who didn't understand the prime ingredient."
Sorry Story
"You are friendly. You are likable. And then, you burned some piglets in a barn," Alton told Emma of her presentation of her dish. "Negative images in an eater's mind — it's like a pair of scissors on the appetite."
Emma's Exit
"Lovely, not that memorable," Susie said of Emma, who was ultimately sent home after eight weeks in the contest. Looking back on her journey, Emma reflected, "I'm sad. … But I really think that this experience is a steppingstone towards a lot of great things."
