Nancy's Aunt Jean is in town from Las Vegas and has developed a love for Mexican food. Nancy is putting together a small poker night with a Southwestern flair, with Chorizo Quesadillas With Easy Homemade Salsa, Buffalo Shrimp Skewers, Nancy's Pomegranate Guacamole and Sparkling Vodka Margaritas, made with apple vodka from a nearby orchard.
Katie Lee is hitting California's famed Pacific Coast Highway to find delicious, international beach food in a beautiful coastal setting. In Monterey, she discovers rich Italian influences in cioppino with local Dungeness crab. Then she finds an almond croissant in Carmel that makes her think she's been transported to France. Mexican fare in California is always authentic and unbeatable, and Katie samples a perfect pork mole, smooth Mezcal and a Mexican specialty snack, grasshoppers! She can't leave wine country without pairing some vino with local seafood, and sweet treats like fudge and candy apples are always in order.
It's a Mexican fiesta in the Chopped kitchen as every basket features foods from our neighbor to the south, and the chefs will be encouraged to dial up the flavor to make extra scrumptious dishes. In the first round, the chefs struggle under the time pressure and hope that their appetizers don't fall flat when it comes to technique. In the second round, the chefs must combine a weird ice cream and a classic Mexican sauce. Then in a neck-and-neck final round, the chefs get creative with some unusual potato chips and a distinctively flavored leafy green.
Guy Fieri challenges four fast food-loving chefs to recreate fast favorites like burgers, tacos and Chinese takeout. First, the chefs battle with their budgets to make their best burger and side. Then they race the clock to make an Asian takeout staple, and the final challenge is a Mexican takeout-style dinner. The chef who shows they know fast food better than the others will go on a shopping spree worth up to $20,000.