Going into the finale, Team Guy's Sean is leading with six stars. Behind him is Team Rachael's Amber with five. But the stars "are just one element," Rachael says. "This is still anybody's game." Sean's banking on his banh mi tacos with pork shank and bone marrow to hit it out of the park at the food festival.
Precise Preparation, Plus Confident Cooking
"I think that I have a chance to win the finale," says Amber, who's marinating flank steak for her spring rolls. The kids have only 90 minutes to cook. "This type of dish is requiring some precise maneuvers," Guy points out, reminding her, too, that she needs 35 servings for the festivalgoers.
The Latin Ladykiller
Pegged as the romantic from the beginning, Luis decides to keep with his Latin roots and cook pulled pork tostones with mango BBQ sauce, "something a little sweet and spicy — like me," he says. "The women are gonna drop," Rachael says while watching his practice run, nicknaming him Suavesito.
Primed and Ready — Almost
"It's a Philly cheese steak ... egg roll ... on a stick," announces Gibson during his practice performance in front of Guy. "I'm gonna bring it all the way back home to the East Coast," he says of his recipe. Although his presentation is flawless, Gibson's overwhelmed at the amount of prime rib he must cook.
Practice Makes Perfect
"I need to change my mindset about my camera performances," says Helen, who's had issues every time, from flubbing her lines to freezing up. Guy gives her some extra attention, telling her the key is to rehearse. "This finale is the biggest deal ever," says Helen. "All those other challenges were like kid stuff."
The Competition Gets Real
With their coolers full of food in tow, the kids head to their outdoor cooking stations, where they have an hour to finish their dishes before the festivalgoers and the guest judges, Curtis Stone, Haylie Duff and Brian Malarkey, arrive. "This is amazing," says Amber of seeing her booth emblazoned with her name overhead.
Camaraderie Across Teams
"I'm really excited to be outside," says Finn, "and I'm finally getting to use my charcoal grill." He's making grilled paella with Spanish rice. Hoping to get the grill really hot, he lights it right away, but it's not getting hot enough. Luckily Team Guy's Sean offers up his without hesitation.
Rockin' Out with Food
"Since I play drums, I'm gonna be making my polenta into mini drums, and I'm gonna use pancetta cymbals," Lauren says, planning an impromptu jam session to match her rock 'n' roll-themed dish, which she's calling Ozzy-ago (Asiago) polenta with pulled drumsticks and tomato jam.
Cooking with Southern Soul
"That's a lot of people," says Madison, noticing that festivalgoers have begun to arrive, along with the judges. She's finishing up her shrimp and pimento cheese with fried okra, a dish that plays up her Southern theme. "My strategy is to stick to my culinary point of view," she says.
Stars in the Making
After everyone, including the judges, has tasted the kid chefs' creations, Rachael and Guy announce the beginning of the camera presentations. "Now, ladies and gentlemen, they're gonna tell you about themselves and tell you about what their show might be like," Guy tells the crowd.
Nerves of Jelly Turn to Steel
"Throughout the entire competition I was the best at the camera challenges, but this is different," says Amber, nervous of going out on stage and talking in front of the crowd. But she manages to sail through without a hitch, presenting her fresh and healthy concept to cheers.
Delivering a Smashing Fusion
"You, like me, live in the best country for flavor, but where I'm from, the East Coast, that's where the flavor's at," Gibson begins his presentation, coming out of the gate running with his theme. Curtis tells him, "When you described the dish, I thought 'That's not gonna work for me,' but it's actually delicious."
The Comeback Kid
"I am a rebel," says Helen, taking of her eyeglasses and tossing aside a cookbook, proving her point that she's cooking without boundaries. She presents her lobster mac 'n' cheese and filet mignon chili-filled, deep-fried burrito. "You're making us all hungry," Guy yells out.
Deliberating the Kids Cook-Off Winner
"How are we gonna make this decision?" Curtis asks his fellow judges, who will base their choice on what they've seen at the food festival. "There's some true talent going on here," adds Brian. All three discuss the pros and cons of each kid chef's show concept, the dishes they offered and their presentations.
And the Winner Is ...
"The thing that I love the most about you," Guy tells the kids, "is who you are as people." Rachael adds: "You are all winners to us." But the time has come to announce the winner of Rachael vs. Guy: Kids Cook-Off, and without further ado, it's Gibson. "You just owned that stage," Brian tells him.
The Rachael vs. Guy: Kids Cook-Off Winner
"I just want to show kids who have been bullied or have been put down in life that they can do what they want in life," says Gibson, earning his own show on FoodNetwork.com.
