"I think my team is the team to beat," says Alex, who enters Episode 2 with an advantage from last week. She doles out the food-pairing challenges to her fellow teams, keeping meat and potatoes for her team. "I feel like I'm in the military," says August of Alex's mentoring style. "He doesn't listen to me," she says.
Out of Water and Into the Fryer?
Team Michael takes on surf and turf, as Alex jokes, "They don't have a lot of lobster in Cleveland." Bill and Vanessa choose beef and shrimp, with Vanessa making carpaccio. Curtis tries to fool her by imitating Michael's voice, saying, "Now just drop that whole beef tenderloin in the fryer." Her retort: "I'll drop you in the fryer."
Reinventing at a Moment's Notice
"You've done that in the wrong order," Curtis tells Mimi. "Next time, ask me," he says, trying to redirect her Asian patty, a take on chicken and waffles. Sharon has trouble getting her waffles out of the machine. "Just crumble it over the top and you've got a nice crouton," Curtis recommends.
Not Using Your Noodle
"I just don't think roasted peppers will be able to take the place of pasta," says Bobby of Angela's decision to reinvent spaghetti and meatballs with no noodles. Bobby's more pleased with Joseph's progress: "Look at that, it's luscious," Bobby tells him, advising Joseph to add more lemon.
A Competition Show First
As the mentors judge their team's dishes, Curtis is taken aback by one of his cooks. "I'd like to nominate myself for the elimination round," Mimi interrupts him before he can choose who to send to the cook-off. "If Mimi's got this courage and this determination, I actually think she is [making] the right move," he says.
"I'm not going to let you lose this, OK? You're my first pick," Alex tells August as the cooks in the elimination challenge take on the controversial food pairing of seafood and cheese. But August isn't the most receptive to Alex's coaching: "I want to trust Chef Alex," he says, "but I know my food."
Misled by Just One Ingredient
"I think there are a lot of great flavors here," says guest judge Geoffrey Zakarian of Bill's shrimp with feta. "But," Geoffrey continues, "I think the addition of the cinnamon threw me off." Michael jumps in to defend Bill: "The cinnamon was actually my call."
Proving Themselves Worthy
"There was one dish that stood out in my mind," says Geoffrey, announcing that Angela has won the cook-off with her cheesy grits and chile-rubbed shrimp. She earns an advantage for her team next week. Geoffrey also announces that Mimi is safe. "Her courage has paid off," says Curtis.
Safe for Another Week
"I hate to see that Bill's fate may be decided by advice that I've given him," says Michael. "For me, it's all about the flavors," says Geoffrey, announcing that Bill will be going home. "August, by the skin of your teeth, you're the first draft picked and almost went home as quickly as you got here," says Alex.
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