Noah Cappe heads to the Washington State Spring Fair in Puyallup for the Wake n' Bacon Fry Pie -- a breakfast bonanza of eggs, bacon and hash browns rolled into a hand pie -- and the Hapa Dog -- a Hawaiian-inspired Portuguese sausage topped with creamy coleslaw and furikake. In the cornhusker state of Nebraska, the Taste of Omaha makes good on the maize with The Firecracker -- a deep-fried corn on the cob rolled in hot cheese puffs and spicy blue tortilla chips. The heat gets turned up for the Fiery Frank Roll -- an egg-rolled sausage covered in queso and jalapenos -- and The Snoop -- a chicken and waffle-stuffed wrap with jalapeno-bacon jam and maple syrup. Then, it's off to Arizona for the Pima County Fair, where a savory cake surprises with layers of rice, seaweed, pineapple and canned meat, and a divisive dessert known as The Pickle Split tickles every taste bud with its giant dill pickle wrapped in fruit leather and topped with pineapple soft serve and tamarind candy string.
D.C. Chef Jose Andres enters Kitchen Stadium to challenge Bobby Flay to a succulent battle. Will Chef Andres take home the title of Winner, or will Chef Bobby Flay prove too much culinary prowess? Tune in to see whose cuisine reigns supreme!
Judges
Dr. Tim Ryan
Jeffrey Steingarten
Rene Syler
Challenger stats: Chef Andres
From: Mieres, Asturias, Spain
Restaurants: Cafe Atlantico, Jaleo, Zaytinya, Minibar by Jose Andres, Oyamel
Cuisine: Spanish cooking! Also, Greek, Turkish, Lebanese and Mexican. Minibar is where I let my imagination go free.
Interests: Barca, my family, good food and wine, technology and travel
Ideal secret ingredient: Cigalas, centollo or lobster
Culinary inspirations: Ferran Adria, Juan Mari Arzak, Martin Berasategui, Thomas Keller and all the guys who work with me.
Ideal judge: Ferran. It would be an honor to have my friend and mentor there.
Culinary secret weapon: Mortar and pestle, microplane, iSi bottle, Spanish olive oil
Favorite restaurant: Depends on my mood! Some days it would be French Laundry or El Bulli. Another day it would be Rompeolas or Rafas, or maybe something at La Boqueria in Barcelona.
Favorite food: Again, depends on the day! Sometimes jamon Iberico or fabada asturiana or soft shell crab. Other days I want centollo and sidra or cigalas a la plancha or watermelon and tomato or sea urchin or sashimi. Other days, nothing is better than pancakes and maple syrup with my girls. And sometimes you can't beat a good hamburger.
Food you won't go near: I can't think of any!
Weirdest thing you've ever eaten: I don't know! This depends on perspective, no? What is weird to me is normal to you! And visa versa. I guess people might think percebes (gooseneck barnacles) are weird. They look like something from the movie Beetlejuice.
Favorite food destination: Casa Gerardo in Asturias for fabada, Chesapeake Bay for blue crab, El Bulli for anything.
Alternative dream job: Soccer player, actor, playwright, astronaut or sailor