Guy Fieri invites some of his favorite chefs to the ranch to celebrate the exotic flavors and spices of the Middle East with small plates called mezes. Alex Guarnaschelli makes a delicious mix of savory and sweet with her Spicy Pork Burger with Black Beans and Chutney, a 15-Minute White Sangria and Green Grape Gazpacho. Michael Voltaggio serves up a simple but tasty Cucumber Salad with Sheep Milk Feta and Lemon Oil, and he uses versatile cauliflower three ways for Cauliflower Hummus, Flatbread and Pickles. Then, international restaurateur Michael Mina makes Moroccan-style Roasted Salmon with Cucumbers, Labneh and Chermoula, and he caps off the meal with a mouthwatering panna cotta dessert, Marinated Melons with Rosewater Cream and Pistachio Streusel.
Guy Fieri invites his chef pals to cook at the ranch with just one request: Make it with cheese, please. Aaron May takes up the challenge with a surprisingly tasty combination in Banana and Blue Cheese Crostadas, and his Haloumi "French Fries" with Harissa Ketchup are crispy on the outside and melty on the inside. Aarti Sequeira's Egyptian Spinach Pie with Dukka is filled with mozzarella and cheddar and gets a terrific crunch from a crushed nut and spice topping. Carl Ruiz makes Smoked Cheese Soup and a unique French Onion Brandy Shot that must be seen to be believed, while grilled cheese master Eric Greenspan reinvents the Tuna Melt with fresh ahi and throws in a Cheese Burger with a Crispy Cheese Skirt for good measure.
It's rodeo time, and Noah Cappe heads to Texas for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. On the menu is the Cajun Smoked Tater -- a zesty BBQ sandwich which swaps the bread for a smoked potato -- followed by the Birria Bun-ritto that fuses authentic Vietnamese and Mexican cuisine. For dessert, Noah snacks on the Monte Cake Cristo, a deep-fried take on the classic American sandwich. Noah also visits the Clark County Fair in Nevada for the Poppin Walla Walla Burger, a towering jalapeno popper stuffed masterpiece, and gets some home cooking on a bun with the Adobo Pancit Hoagie. Then, Noah heads back in time at the Medieval Fair of Norman, Okla., to stuff himself with Thanksgiving Feast Tots and attend the coronation of the Crown Cannoli.
A family of competitive cooks who claim they can cook anything must put their money where their mouth is as they face off against a family that represents six different cultures between the three of them. The Holters are self-taught chefs who have taken the world of competitive cooking by storm, placing in the World Food Championships, Culinary Fight Club and countless barbecue competitions. The Mills brothers opened a restaurant fusing their Korean and Jamaican roots, and one brother's wife added her heritage of Honduran, Native American, Sicilian and African cuisine to the mix. Host Valerie Bertinelli challenges the teams to make a fusion dish that represents their family, a burger and side combo and a spicy guilty pleasure, while judges Kardea Brown and the Voltaggio brothers, Bryan and Michael, choose the winner.
Mary Berg's veg versions of meaty classics can satisfy even the biggest meat lover by maintaining those hearty flavors and textures. Mary gets the jump on fast food with stovetop Falafel Burgers sandwiched between mini pita buns and garnished with quick-pickled red onion and garlic tahini sauce. Her Tofu Chicken Nuggets can crush any crunch craving by coating extra firm tofu in spiced batter with golden brown toasted panko and a mayo-honey mustard dip to dunk on the side. Mary's Quick Fakin' Bacon crumble replaces the mother of all meats, using flaked coconut to create a smoky topper for anything from Caesar salad to a breakfast sammy. For Italian night, Mary's Mushroom Lentil Meatballs are ready to be served up on a meatball sub or bowl of pasta.
Met Back Bay, a 200-seat restaurant in the heart of Boston that does more than 1,200 covers a day, has just lost its executive chef and needs someone who can handle quantity without sacrificing quality. Anne brings four candidates to owner Kathy Sidell, who is a top restaurateur in Boston with a reputation to uphold. The chefs are asked to create a signature burger, as well as to create as many entrees as they can in 45 minutes. The two finalists each get the keys to the restaurant for one dinner service. One chef brings an innovative menu but struggles to handle the volume while the other starts off great before losing footing at the end. It's a big job for a big restaurant, and only one walks away with the title of executive chef.
In this one-hour special, Guy hits up a diverse roster of totally righteous Vegas joints pulling out all the stops, like out-of-this world finger foods at Bachi Burger, the generations-old butcher shop slingin' killer ribs at John Mull's Meats and Road Kill Grill, and the legendary spot that was one of DDD's very first restaurants ever featured — Four Kegs Sports Pub, where they're servin' up all kinds of Italian favorites. Then he's headed over to the Bulgarian joint, Forte European Tapas Bar and Bistro, and a trip to Vegas wouldn't be complete without a trip to Guy's alma mater, UNLV, where Guy's checkin' in with the culinary department and cookin' up Thai Shrimp with Sticky Rice. You can put your money on it — the culinary side of Vegas is a full spread of winners.