Only two recruits can move on to the finale, so the final four play Meal of Fortune, where they spin the wheel and answer trivia questions or perform culinary tasks in order to collect more chef bucks! Then, the teams use their chef bucks to purchase a basket of ingredients for the last skill drill cook. It's a head-to-head battle between the final four recruits as they each cook a composed dish to earn a spot in the final cook. Anne Burrell and Tiffany Derry work closely with their final recruits practicing their three-course, restaurant quality meal, but a surprise special guest pops in and reveals a twist. In the end, judges Matt Abdoo, Andrienne Cheatham and Michael Jenkins taste the recruits' dishes in a blind taste test to determine the winner of the $25,000 prize.
Ina Garten is shaking up the classics and sharing a fresh look at side dishes for a stunning holiday meal. Her centerpiece is a foolproof English Rib Roast, and she reveals her tricks for getting it right every time. Her sides include Orange Braised Carrots and Parsnips, Roasted Broccoli with Panko Gremolata, make-ahead Mashed Potatoes with Goat Cheese and Shaved Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta.
Food Network's culinary experts share the morning meals from across the US that absolutely, positively cannot be defeated. Ever. Rachael Ray has a breakfast sandwich in Pittsburgh, Alton Brown gets the greatest cinnamon roll in Santa Barbara, Calif., and Martha Stewart eats a country breakfast in Nashville. Plus, Sunny Anderson, Anne Burrell and Alex Guarnaschelli all share winning breakfast recipes that you can make at home.
Sam and Cody Carroll grill up a hot meal inspired by memories from when they were dating. They're starting with perfectly grilled Cajun Filet Marinated Beef Tenderloin with quick-and-easy Cajun Grilled Shrimp Skewers. There's harvested-from-the-farm Grilled Summer Squash with Chow Chow Chimichurri and a Cajun pie called Tarte a la Bouillie topped with Grilled Apples and Honey for dessert.
Hangry baskets are back for a battle featuring foods for the broken hearted. The chefs must incorporate the post-breakup standbys wine and chocolate into their appetizer plates. A nostalgic treat and a shocker of a protein keep the competitors on their toes in round two. Then, after the finalists make desserts using "divorce cake," the judges grapple with who has made the hangriest, yummiest meal.
Gesine Prado's friends from down south are coming up to visit their kids attending university nearby so she's throwing a Vermont-style Low Country boil for them. They'll feel right at home with Gesine's Low Country Boil Pie with a side of Homemade Cole Slaw and Baked Fried Green Tomatoes on the side. The meal is rounded off with a decadent Triple Chocolate Pie for dessert.
Where's the beef? In the baskets! A beef theme is a meat lover's dream in this competition. The four chefs must cut jumbo-sized ribs down to appetizer-appropriate portions in the first round. A premium steak and a second-rate grocery store meal meet in a puzzling entree basket, and creativity and a shining example of good sportsmanship are on display in the dessert round.
Four confident young cooks set out to make judges Alex Guarnaschelli, Sandra Lee and Laura Vitale a spectacular Thanksgiving meal. Pumpkin pie comes first as one of the mystery ingredients for the appetizer round. There's no turkey in the entree basket, but there are a lot of other traditional flavors. Then, some adorable cupcakes are at the center of a goody-filled final basket.
Which food truck chef will fortune shine upon in this competition of determined mobile meal vendors? There's a traffic jam at the fryer as the chefs attempt to make outstanding appetizers with two proteins. In the entree basket, the chefs find a New England sandwich and a Mexican pepper. The final two food truck chefs left in the fight receive dessert nachos in the last basket.