Season's greetings! Host Jesse Palmer gets some welcoming inspiration for the first Preheat as he challenges the 12 bakers to create meringue pavlova wreaths in yummy fall flavors. For the Main Heat, Jesse settles a long-standing debate over the best holiday dessert by dividing the kitchen into the pie team and the cake team. The better bake wins immunity for their whole team, and judges Nancy Fuller, Duff Goldman and Carla Hall send one baker from the losing team home.
It's game-on for Robert in Clearwater, Florida... home of the Philadelphia Phillies spring training camp. As Robert approaches the mound he is greeted by 1980 World Series Champion and current Phillies coaching staff member, Dickie Noles. Dickie explains that this is the only time of year that the minor league and major league players practice side by side. In honor of that, Robert has 7 hours to make a meal for 200 ballplayers using major league and minor league ingredients.
Sisters Christine and Carla Pallotta brought all the tastes of home to their popular restaurant Nebo and the guests have not stopped visiting since the doors opened! Missing the taste of their own mother's cooking, these ladies quit already successful businesses to re-create all of the recipes they loved so much growing up. Christine and Carla are feeding a community of extended family but will Bobby Flay get booted when he comes knocking for his own Vegetable Lasagna Throwdown?
The Hungry Detective hits the streets of the Windy City as he cracks the case of the best off-the-beaten-path Chicago hot dog at a colorful restaurant on the north side known as Hot Doug's. During his investigation he also uncovers: delicious deep-dish pizza at the legendary Gino's East, with a little help from a Chicago detective; Gyro's and saganaki at Greek Island's, on a hot tip from the manager of a grocery in Chicago's Greektown neighborhood; a bargain steak dinner served up with several sides at Myron and Phil, a classic Chicago steak house that has been in business for 35 years; and down-home barbeque smack-dab in the middle of Chi-Town, courtesy of Calvin's BBQ.
Yearly Mauro family trips to the sun and surf of coastal Mexico have left Jeff with a love of Mexican food. Jeff likes it all, but saves a special place in his "corazon" for tacos al pastor, or slow-roasted marinated pork. Jeff brings his Spanish-fluent brother Frank with him to his favorite state-side pastor joint to learn the secrets of this delectable meat from a master. He takes what he's learned back home and makes his own version of Tacos al Pastor with readily available ingredients, stirs up a smoky and spicy Roasted Salsa for his Lime Tortilla Chips, and finishes off with a classic Mexican Torta sandwich, featuring a breaded and fried steak cutlet topped by jalapenos and cool avocado slices.
Ina Garten is focusing on easy French food that you can make at home. First, her Easy Coquilles Saint Jacques is a typical French bistro take on scallops. A classic French cheese board that includes Herbed Goat Cheese and a toasted baguette is perfectly paired with Ina's Green Salad with the Ultimate French Vinaigrette. Her fancy Raspberry Tart only looks difficult to make, and a French 75 cocktail will make you think you're in France. World-famous chef and restaurateur Daniel Boulud shares the secret to a perfect French Charcuterie Platter.
Christina Tosi, the incredibly creative, award-winning pastry chef and founder of the fabulous Milk Bar dessert empire, joins Ina Garten for a perfect day of cooking and conversation at the barn. Christina loves to snack, so Ina is making her Smoked Salmon Tartines with gravlax sauce to eat while they share incredible stories about life-changing career decisions, rising up through the pastry chef ranks, and dessert revelations. Then, Christina shares the secrets to assembling Milk Bar's legendary Birthday Cake and how to get professional bakery results at home.
The Kitchen hosts create a home-cooked holiday menu inspired by their own traditions, starting with Geoffrey Zakarian's Moroccan-Spiced Pork Rack paired with Katie Lee's Spinach and Three Cheese Phyllo Pie. Jeff Mauro bakes his family's favorite, Pull-Apart Parker House Rolls, and Sunny Anderson whips up an Easy Apfelkuchen, or German apple cake, inspired by her childhood. Chef and party planner Mary Guiliani shares her crowd-pleasing appetizer, Italian Pigs in a Blanket, and helps the hosts set the perfect table complete with Geoffrey's Dark and Stormy Punk and DIY party crackers.
Ree Drummond and the kids are home on the ranch and shooting a fun show with lots of hijinks and an Italian vibe. There's delicious pasta pronto on the menu with Orecchiette with Sausage and Kale, and luscious leftovers star in a crazy mashup of Pepperoni Fried Rice. Then, Ree whips up a freezer-standby spin on a classic with Chicken Nugget Parmesan and finally, for a ranch-style taste of the dolce vita, divine no-churn Ricotta and Orange Ice Cream that's perfect for holidays and every day.
Hosts Jet Tila and Rosanna Pansino set the stage for four top cookie makers to create the perfect Halloween scene as they emerge from the shadows with spooky silhouette cookies. Then, the cookiers must craft 3D spherical cookies depicting the most-notable Halloween icon of all time: the jack-o'-lantern! To help the competitors light up the night, they'll use orange-colored ingredients like dried mangos, sweet potatoes or curry powder. One lucky cookie carver will go home with the $10,000 prize and the title of Halloween Cookie Champion.