In Las Vegas, Nev., Michael Symon takes down a towering fortress of succulent ribs and a sandwich that's a meaty trifecta of juicy brisket, pork and sausage. Then in Colorado Springs, local pork belly is cured and slow braised in house-brewed beer, while a porker of a burger features bacon, pork belly and prosciutto in Wichita, Kan.
British baking kingpin, Paul Hollywood, hosts while all-star judges Damaris Phillips and Buddy Valastro attempt to sift the bakers from the fakers in this twist on Cooks vs. Cons. In the first round, contestants must create their most delectable pie featuring the ultimate savory ingredient: bacon. In the second round, bakers and fakers alike must feature corn in their sweet treat.
Host Kal Penn kicks off the competition with Shani Porter, personal chef to Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. She's an intense competitor, but a "sweet hairdo," bacon bouquet and tricky beer situation keep her on her toes. A heartwarming message from her biggest little supporters helps, however. Then food and theater writer Ryan McPhee takes his turn, admitting he has cooked over 500 dishes in the last year! He faces an interesting array of cloches, from Queen Elizabeth's chosen egg dish to a secret spice on roasted crickets. Chefs Eric Adjepong and Palak Patel are on hand to provide their culinary expertise.
Mark Anderson and Ryan Fey roll into San Diego, Calif., and head straight to chocolate bar and bistro Eclipse for a one-of-a-kind creation the likes of which they've never seen -- the Egg and Bacon Cinnaroll. In Chicago, the guys visit OiiStarr, where they savor a bowl of their crazy popular Spicy Garlic Shoyu Ramen with a side of the best Asian buns the Windy City has to offer. In Miami, Mark and Ryan are treated like VIPs when they're granted access to a super-secret menu item at a Cuban bistro -- a deep-fried mother of a dish that mere mortals can only dream of finishing.