Quickfire Challenge:

As the chefs walk into the kitchen there is Tim Love! The quickfire ingredient was cactus due to a audience poll (57%). They just has to make a dish with it. The winner gets $15,000. The bottom were Ash, Michael, and Ron. The top was Laurine, Mike I, and Mattin. The winner was Mike I.

Elimination Challenge:

Well, the cactus was a foreshadowing….The chefs have to prepare a high-end lunch outdoors for 2 dozen cowboys. They are going to stay the night at the ranch to familiar themselves with it. They will start cooking the next morning but they have to shop before they go. They get to sleep in little tents for the night with an outhouse. They have fire pits with cast iron pans with camp plates. They also have a couple prep tables.

I was shocked they all wore their chef jackets to cook in. I am wondering if any of the chef who are making ceviche are going to get dinged for not cooking. It seems that people might be waiting to long to get stuff on the grills.

Mike I: Pork Gyro with Apple and Fennel Tzatziki

Eli: Tuna Sandwich with Sun-Dried Tomato Mayo and Radish Salad

Laurine: Sauteed Artic Char with Tomatillo Salsa, Corn Salsa and Grilled Potato

Ash: Grilled Chicken Paillard with Corn Succotash

Mattin:Ceviche 3 Ways-Salmon with Apple, Spicy Tuna and Cod with Corn

Robin: Grilled Romaine Salad with Drunken Prawns and Spicy Chicken Sausage

Bryan: Roasted Pork Loin, Corn Polenta, Dandelion Greens and Glazed Rutabaga

Jennifer: Snapper with Duck Confit, Daikon, Carrot and Tomato Water Salad

Ashley: Seared Hailibut with Avocada Mousse, Bacon, Tomato and Braised Romaine

Michael: Dashi with Miso and Mirin Cured Black Cod and Watermelon

Ron: Coconut, Lime, Mango and Tuna Ceviche and Haitian Coconut Mojito

Kevin: Roasted Duck Breat with Mole and Tequila Marinated Watermelon

Service and Judging:

Chef Love said Mike I’s was good but not interesting. They liked Laurine’s. Padma thought Eli’s needed more flavor and a rancher said the bread was hard. The cod ceviche was fishy and Tom spit out something off the plate and said it was raw. They thought Robin’s dish was bad. The prawns tasted of clorine, Robin didn’t taste her prawns until after she served them. Gail could tasted the bacon grease in Ash’s succotash. Chef Love thought that Bryan’s dish was well thoguht out and tasted good. Bryan’s plate looked so yummy! Gail liked Jennifer’s slaw. They thought that Ashley’s dish was the best she had cooked to date. Ron’s was the best of the ceviches but the cocktail stunk. Gail said that Michael’s dish was delious and Love said it was unexpected. Kevin’s duck was well cooked.

So Laurine, Michael, Ashley and Bryan were called back to judges table first. The winner was Bryan! Then Robin, Ron and Mattin were sent back. Robin says how she wanted to play off steak. How did that have anything to do with what she made. She got slammed on the prawns. Mattin said he was suprised to be there. Tom said how the cod was raw. Ron’s ceviche and sauce were both sweet. Tom also talked about how bad Ron’s drink was. Ron said he didn’t drink but didn’t want to let the coconut go to waste. They said without the drink he may not have been in the botton. The judges talked about how Robin knew it was bad and didn’t do anything with it. But Mattin didn’t know why he was there. In the end Mattin was sent home.

See you next week to see who will fly and who will flop.