"This week is about creativity, identifying what you see and then making it your own," Guy tells the kids as they stand in front of a table filled with "classics from back in the day," explains Rachael. The two mentors randomly assign dishes to each of the kid chefs, but before they can cook, they'll have to taste.
Vintage Inspiration
Hesitant at first, the kids mostly like their assigned dishes: "This is going to be an easy challenge," says Helen, pleased she got glazed ham. Guy explains the rules: "Make us your dish inspired by the dish that you're standing in front of." The kids can use anything from the pantry for their modern versions.
Lost in Translation
Assigned franks and beans, Sean decides to go a Tex-Mex route, making crumbled Mexican chorizo and pureed-bean burritos. He goes on a search for tortillas, but everyone keeps correcting his incorrect pronunciation: "I always say 'torteela,'" he says. "It's a little embarrassing."
From the Grill to the Oven
"I'm the grill master," says Finn. "I can literally grill anything except ambrosia salad." Unfortunately, he'll have to make it work. He decides to bake ambrosia-filled cupcakes, and he uses his hands to scoop the batter into the pan: "I'm not a baker," he says. He realizes too late that he forgot the baking powder.
Toast to the Rescue
"The worst dish I could possibly get is the stuff on a shingle," says Gibson. But he decides to turn it into chicken-fried steak, breading the meat in panko "to represent the toast," he tells Guy. He plans on serving it with mashed potatoes, but it turns out too soupy, so he ends up plating on toast to save the dish.
Making Mac and Cheese Proud, Literally
Inspired by the cheesy crab dip she was assigned, Lauren decides to make mac and cheese, a dish she loves so much that she named her hamsters after it. "One of your best dishes yet," Rachael tells her upon tasting it, and Guy praises her amount of crab. "My hamsters would be proud," says Lauren.
Rewarding the Best Retro Remixes
Rachael picks Luis' pot pie interpretation of chicken a la king as the best on the team. "This is totally setting me up to rock this main challenge," Luis says. On Team Guy, Helen is rewarded for her dish, ham and pineapple pizza. Both kids win a dining experience at a local 5-star restaurant of their choice.
Southern Persuasion
In front of a table of ingredients, Rachael explains that the main challenge is to cook "your own unique creation of a Southern meal." Madison is excited: "I may not be from the South," she says, "but with my cooking you might think I am." Each team must divide the four proteins on the table: pork, shrimp, chicken and andouille.
Smokin' Out the Competition
At first Amber wasn't sure what she'd make, but with Guy's help she decides on a "smokin' chicken gumbo." Guy shows her how to use a stovetop smoker for the chicken she's seasoned. "I hope that I don't light anything on fire," she says with hesitation after placing the pan into the oven.
Calm and Confident
Rachael stops by to check in on Luis, who's working on his peach barbecue sauce to pair with his sweet tea-brined pork chops. "I'm feeling good, because everything looks good," he says. "The pork is perfectly cooked." Some of the other kids aren't as lucky, running into issues as time counts down.
Sensationally Southern
First up, Luis and Sean present their pork dishes to G. Garvin, who'll be judging the kids. Sean delivers with a Southern accent, "showmanship" that Guy commends him for. G. is very impressed by the dish: "This right here is not coming from a guy your age," he says. "This dish I would eat in any restaurant."
Training Wheels Aside
Helen starts off strong, hoping to make it through her presentation without using notes as her crutch for the first time, but she flubs her lines. "I forgot the name of the sausage," she whispers, but continues on. "It's the bravest I've seen you in the competition," Guy tells her.
Putting On a Show
Finn swaggers over as a cowboy, delivering his performance in a Southern drawl. "You just blew my mind," exclaims Rachael. "I gotta pick it up off the floor and shove it back in." G. calls Finn's andouille slider "well balanced." Guy adds, "The only thing that outdoes your burger is your personality."
Words of Wisdom
Despite running out of time to get her polenta made, Madison turned out an impressive shrimp gumbo, but her presentation doesn't do it justice. After praising her dish, G. tells Madison, "Now I'd love to see you have a little more fun." He advises her: "Don't be so stiff. It's not church."
Leading the Way
On Team Guy, Sean gets best dish and Amber gets best presentation. Lauren gets best dish and Finn gets best presentation on Team Rachael. Ultimately G. chooses Sean as MVP: "The reason I chose you, Sean," G. tells him, "was composure." Sean now leads the pack, with five stars.
More Rachael vs. Guy: Kids Cook-Off
Go behind the scenes of the competition with photos and videos of the kid chefs, Rachael and Guy, and special celebrity guests.
