Tue, Mar 8, 2016
The competing chefs aren't happy with a slimy surprise in the appetizer baskets. Later, the judges are eager to taste Cornish hen entrees; and are curious about a bold choice made with a nostalgic treat in the dessert round. Judges: Maneet Chauhan; Aarón Sánchez and Chris Santos.
Tue, Mar 15, 2016
Four college kids, with solid pedigrees in cooking, try to make the grade, beginning in the appetizer round, when they face turning chicken and tomato soup into something worthy of an "A". Later, a hot drink and frozen side dish show up in the entrée round; and desserts are created using a tropical fruit and tasty topping.
Tue, May 31, 2016
Ingredients, that are actually dangerous, are found in the baskets, beginning with poisonous seeds and rattlesnakes in Round 1. Later, a potent alcohol and shellfish put fear in the chefs; and some ugly fungus and deadly fruit keep the finalists on their toes, when making desserts. Judges: Aarón Sánchez; Marc Murphy and Marcus Samuelsson.
Tue, Jun 21, 2016
A priest, a nun-in-training, a rabbi and a pastor compete. In the first round, one of the cooks shocks the judges, by admitting they have never worked with the basket ingredient of salmon -- or for that matter any fish -- before. Later, fruit and wine must be incorporated into entrée dishes; and yummy desserts represent the heritages of the finalists.
Tue, Jul 12, 2016
Part 2 of 5. Outdoor grilling in Napa Valley, California, begins with baked beans and lamb belly. Later, a seafood-heavy basket requires a lot of work and creative thinking for the competing chefs; and in the dessert round, one of the mystery ingredients shows a tendency to char quickly.
Tue, Jul 26, 2016
Part 4 of 5. Four grillers compete for the final spot in the grand finale. Ingredients in the appetizer round include beautiful mushrooms and a strong jam; fish butchery and flavor balancing come into play, when making entrees; and a yummy cake needs to be reworked for a winning dessert.
Tue, Aug 16, 2016
A seventy-something competes. Included: in the appetizer round, trout dishes must include dill pickle soup as a component. Then, a weirdly spicy beer is one of the entrée basket ingredients. And finally, dough and sugar in the dessert basket give the chefs a false sense of security.
Tue, Aug 23, 2016
Part 1 of 5. A teen tournament begins with the challengers having to create an appetizer with a strange hybrid snack and a decadent pork product. Then, in the entrée round, poultry must be combined with a weird casserole; and desserts are made using a spicy nut and a savory green fruit.
Thu, Sep 8, 2016
Teams of twins compete. For the first round, they face some improbable eggs and incomplete crustaceans. Things get interesting when making entrees with a royal-inspired meat product and a soda shop staple. And some surprising choices are made, when pastry dough is found in the dessert basket.
Tue, Sep 13, 2016
Part 4 of 5. Teen chefs battle it out for the last spot in the $25,000 finale. First, they must deal with a can of something strange and a bottle of something sour, when making appetizers. Later, one competitor decides to deep-fry the entrée round's protein. And finally, the big challenge is how best to re-purpose cake.
Tue, Sep 27, 2016
Anne Burrell helps judge, when former winners and runners-up of Worst Cooks in America (2010) compete. Challenges include frog leg appetizers; cooking steak entrees correctly; and making desserts with ready-made dough, cocoa powder and pears.
Thu, Sep 22, 2016
Fermented milk drink kefir and a basket ingredient with a "secret" history are at the forefront of the appetizer round; a strange blue drink trips up the chefs, when faced with deceptively simple entrée components; and the two finalists decide to go in similar directions, when making desserts with something normally not found in a can.
Thu, Sep 29, 2016
Fresh sardines make the judges happy, and a little bit nervous that the competitors won't know how to treat the ingredient properly. Then, pricey basket items, including sweetbreads, offer the chance for luxurious entrees. Finally, time is of the essence when both chefs decide to make ice cream for dessert.