Restaurant Express, Season 1: Top Moments of Episode 6
Get an inside look at the contestants' challenges and relive the most-memorable moments from the sixth episode of Food Network's Restaurant Express, Season 1.
The pressure is high as the top-three contestants are vying for one of the two places in next week's finale, and Robert greets them with a doozy of a challenge: They must launch food truck eateries in three different locations, each with a different clientele. Adam, Jan and Seonkyoung will be required to tweak their menu items and prices.
Cooking for Kids
The first spot is the kid-packed Santa Anna Zoo, so each contestant opens with a child-friendly menu. Seonkyoung's Chicken Teriyaki is the talk of the event, so much so that she sells out of it early. "What do you mean no chicken?" Robert asks her. "There's all these people waiting for chicken." She's forced to go shopping for more meat, then returns to cook it on the spot.
Waiting on Nuggets
"It never occurred to me which areas of prep I should have gotten on the way," explains Jan, who subjects her customers to long waits for chicken nuggets. Once her food is ready, however, guests and Robert alike are pleased with the results. At the end of the first challenge, she's earned the least amount of money, behind Adam in second place and Seonkyoung in first.
Marathon Selling Spree
Set up at the Fashion Island Shopping Center for their second stop, the food trucks open with more high-end cuisine tailored to the sophisticated palates of the local shoppers. Adam impresses the crowd with a corn-laced crab salad with macadamia nuts, a dish that Robert deems "very fresh and very light." Adam ultimately earns the most amount at the mall.
Wow-Worthy Flavor
"You should be cooking things continually, not waiting to put more on and on and on and on. That's your inexperience in a restaurant," Robert says to Seonkyoung, who's facing a line of customers waiting to try her shrimp-mango salad and sandwich of seared duck breast. Her food may make up for the wait, though, as Robert finds elements of the sandwich to be "exceptional."
Learning from the Past
This time Jan gets a jump-start on her prep work before customers arrive, and she turns out a chicken sandwich and a French dip-style sandwich with filet mignon, but Robert questions whether the latter offering is worth its hefty $15 price tag. There are "a few people complaining about the price," he tells her. She once again finishes the contest in third place, although now trailing Seonkyoung's total by just $30.
Late-Night Bites
The food trucks roll up to the Orange Country Beach for the third stop and attempt at sales, and here the rivals must cater to a younger crowd leaving the local bars. Adam's making a Short Rib Flatbread Sandwich with Scallions and Hoisin Sauce, and he's confident in his demand so far. "I sold 70," Adam notes. "That means I sold to 80 percent of the people."
Familiar Scene
Although she's once again struggling to quickly turn out a product, Seonkyoung eventually dishes out Korean Short Ribs with Kimchee Slaw and Korean Fried Chicken Bites to customers who have been waiting a long time. Robert praises both dishes for their flavor and texture, and customers agree, calling the ribs "amazing."
Mixed Results
"Good idea, poorly executed," Robert says after tasting Jan's Pork and Chicken Tacos. Given the textures of the pork and tortilla, he finds the end result to be akin to "sawdust," and he questions her choice to sell a sweet drink like hot chocolate. "I am still getting food out," she explains, despite the wait at her truck, "and the line keeps replenishing."
Finale-Bound
Jan, Adam and Seonkyoung all struggled at times this week, but ultimately Adam's sales are highest, so he's automatically guaranteed a spot in next week's final challenge. In a dramatic surprise twist, Robert announces that both Jan and Seonkyoung will also be on the bus to Vegas, where they'll face off in a head-to-head cook-off for the chance to battle Adam and claim the win.
