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Welcome to "Guy's Grocery Games."
Go!
On this show, the chefs are cooking and shopping
exactly the way you do -- with real foods
they're grabbing off the shelves of a real market.
MAN: Go, go, go.
This is getting out of control.
Four competitors will face off
Bring it!
Uh-huh.
Where are the cans?
What?!
Ohh!
Oh, no!
Three of them will be checking out with nothing.
You're killing me.
But the last chef standing
Yes!
We're talking up to 20,000 bucks!
Judges, I hope you're ready.
Fiesta or fiasco?
[ Groans ]
Aah!
Oh, my God.
Aah!
...and let the Grocery Games begin.
-- Captions by VITAC --
Closed Captions provided by Scripps Networks, LLC.
Four contenders are about to
turn this supermarket into a speedway.
Let's meet them.
First up -- Shane Miller,
a corporate chef specializing in Cajun cuisine
all the way from Houston, Texas.
Go get 'em, H-Town.
SHANE: I'm currently in Houston, Texas, but from New Orleans.
And I'm a badass Cajun chef.
I feed anywhere between 1,500 and 10,000 people daily,
including my kids -- Aww, my kids.
I've had a lot of challenges thrown at me,
personally as a father and professionally as a chef,
so I adapt to just about anything
that gets thrown at me in my life.
That's definitely gonna be a huge advantage for me.
Next up -- Daniel Vercher,
an executive chef and father of three,
also from Houston, Texas.
What's going on? Aah!
People call me the happy chef,
but my life has not always been happy.
I grew up a sick boy, and my parents were disabled,
and we were really, really poor,
but I've learned what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.
I'm a fighter, and I'm here to win,
so get ready for the H-Town gun show.
Hope you're ready for this!
Whoo! Whoo!
And then there's Kristina White,
a pastry chef and bride-to-be from Valencia, California.
There you go!
People look at me and they think I'm kind of innocent,
but, really, I have a lot of tricks up my sleeve.
I've been cooking al my life.
I have a more modern cooking technique,
but I also have a lot of creativity and flair
that I throw in there.
I just got engaged, and I'm very excited.
Weddings are so expensive.
$20,000 would help me so much.
And, finally, Quiana Jeffries, a Cordon Bleu grad and caterer
from Gardena, California.
I'm Quiana Jeffries, but everybody calls me Q.
That's what I'm talking about.
I grew up in Compton, California,
where my grandma taught me how to cook.
She taught me at a young age
to be the best that I can be in the kitchen.
She started the foundation
so that I can build a legacy for my life.
I got skills, I'm fearless,
and I'm a beast in the kitchen.
Now, you got to be asking yourselves,
"Guy, what do you have in store for us?"
What I have is three very intense culinary challenges
that have more twists and turns
than a shopping cart with a bad wheel.
[ Chuckles ]
I want to start with something
that's in every chef's repertoire,
and that's an Italian feast.
That's maybe gonna be pizza, pasta,
a classic meat dish, all of the above, you name it.
I don't care, as long as it's molto bene.
Ready!
Great. To your carts.
An Italian feast -- that's simple and easy.
Love Italian food.
GUY: But there's a little catch.
Name of the game is "Can Can."
What the hell is "Can Can"?
GUY: Everything -- and I mean everything --
has to come out of a can.
Yep.
QUIANA: Holy Shish kebab.
Like, what am I gonna make with can only?
Italian feast.
The judges are hungry.
Game 1. "Triple G."
We're going in 3, 2, 1.
Yeah!
DANIEL: I can't believe this! Cans?!
[ Imitates tires squealing ]
Did you hear that?
I'm a chef, and I'm cooking with cans!
Hope you're ready for some of this.
Hope you're ready for the gun show.
Got to check and see if these people have licenses.
What would mama want?
I immediately think salmon
because my mama used to make me salmon patties.
My mama loved salmon patties.
Talk to me, mama. Crab meat.
Mama, you're talking to me!
I'm making a crab and salmon meatball
with a pomodoro sauce and black-eyed peas.
Black-eyed peas.
I'm trying to make it Texas Italian.
Gonna add some fire-roasted tomatoes here.
I was really close with mom,
and she passed away recently,
so these salmon cakes are an homage to my mom.
I don't want any of that.
Ah, here we go.
I think it was bananas to get "Can Can" as the first game.
The first thing I grab are beans,
and then I start thinking, "I'm gonna go minestrone soup."
Beans, beans, beans. Good for your heart.
The more you eat, the more you -- I'm not gonna say that.
My kids -- 19, 16,
and I have a 5-year-old daughter that runs that house.
And they love minestrone soup.
So, I grabbed the kidney beans.
Bam! Kidney beans. Thank you!
Pinto beans, the green beans,
Carrots.
The tomato paste, crushed tomatoes,
and the canned stock.
Who even eats out of a can?!
I got down the can aisle, simply because --
Hello, it's can only.
Y'all hogging down the can aisle.
And I am literally grabbing
every single item that screams out Italian.
Chunky tomatoes, tomato sauce, olives,
spinach, and mushrooms.
Ohh.
I don't know what I'm doing, but I'm not afraid of anything.
I'm never gonna let you see me sweat.
We gonna make this work.
So, I'm standing on the canned-food aisle,
and I'm completely stumped.
Come on.
It is very limiting to work with only cans.
Attention, Flavortown shoppers.
Please know that you're able to choose
one item out of aisle 9 --
one item out of aisle 9 --
and also one herb from the fresh produce department
for your "cantastic" meal.
KRISTINA: Thank goodness aisle 9 opens up, so I rush over there.
Italian meats.
And when I see the sausages hanging,
I knew what I was making.
I want to make a pepperoni Italian ragu
with an olive tapenade to kind of tie in everything.
Now I'm gonna go run over and get my fresh ingredient, which is basil.
Herbs.
And I'm ready to go.
QUIANA: Guy says we can use one item from aisle 9.
One out of 9. One out of 9.
Oh, I love Guy. He's, like, rad.
Like, he's the type of person like, "I'll look out for you.
"I got your back. You got my back.
And we gonna eat real good."
Oh, yeah.
...and I'm like, "Oh, yeah, I got this."
That already got cheese in it.
And I decide I'm gonna make cheese ravioli
with a tomato-basil sauce.
Let's go.
Aisle 9.
So, I bolt over to go find out what was in aisle 9,
and I run across Parmesan cheese.
This is gonna bring it over the top.
And run back to my station.
Where's my andouille at?
Where's my andouille at?
I want to elevate this dish,
so I get sausage -- andouille sausage.
Andouille, baby!
Pink was my mom's favorite color.
I wear pink things to remember her,
and I'm gonna bring it home for mama upstairs.
I grab chives.
Love cooking them in Texas.
Throw them in the basket. I'm ready to roll.
Ultimately, the chefs' fate is in the hands
of our distinguished panel of judges.
So, please let me introduce food blogger and cookbook author
Hi, Guy.
Cooking channel, Food Network host,
mother of four --
Hey!
Food-and-Lifestyle expert and entrepreneur
all the way from Chi-Town --
What's happening, my brother?
"Can Can" is one of the most difficult challenges
here on "Triple G."
When it comes to canned food, there's a moisture issue. Think about that.
You're gonna have to extract all that moisture in order to cook with it,
so making a dish that has a lot of liquid
could be a really great choice.
Shane, what are you making?
I'm gonna make a minestrone soup.
Yeah!
When I get back to my station, the first thing I do
is start opening the cans and draining off the beans
so I can rinse off their syrups.
I'll throw in my crushed tomatoes,
some oil, and tomato paste,
the stocks, and my carrots.
And I'm using the fresh oregano,
again, trying to pull away from any inkling
that everything came out of a can.
QUIANA: Having pasta is definitely an advantage.
Cheese ravioli is an amazing Italian feast.
I get my raviolis going,
marinating in the sauce
because water soaks into the noodles
and it can water down a pasta sauce.
So I'm gonna cook the pasta in the sauce.
Little bit of green.
CATHERINE: I'm a little concerned about Quiana.
Fresh pasta cooks in a lot less time
than a dried pasta.
Quiana has 18 minutes left.
That pasta can't sit and cook like that for 18 minutes.
It's gonna be overcooked if she cooks it that long.
We'll see what happens.
KRISTINA: Cutting up the sausage in big chunks
for my pepperoni Italian ragu because it was a feast.
Pepperoni is not usually used
as, like, a main-course dish,
but I know that if I render out the fat,
if I throw in some more ingredients,
it's still gonna taste great.
And then I start on my olive tapenade.
We're gonna build flavors.
I got some peppers.
We got some black-eyed peas.
I'm gonna bring Italian and Texas flavors together.
When you go to an Italian feast, your main dish is meat.
Any meats from a can really aren't high-end,
except for crab meat and salmon.
I'm also gonna do black-eyed peas
with that andouille sausage.
Mama, I know you'd be proud of me making your salmon.
Got some chives going in there. Mama would be proud of me.
Little heat. Put some flour in there.
It seems like Daniel's really sticking with this roots,
which is sort of that Cajun-Creole, New Orleans style.
This is an Italian feast,
and he really needs to keep that in mind.
Everything's bigger in Texas, baby!
Get ready, Crenshaw! I'm bringing you some flavors!
This guy is crazy.
[ Laughter ]
I love the excitement.
Pretty in pink, what are you making?
DANIEL: I'm gonna elevate my dish a little bit.
Make a little marinara sauce, like an Italian pomodoro sauce,
to go with these crab cakes.
So, what you have here actually
is a grilled salmon-and-crab meatball.
Yes, yes.
I guess he knows what he's talking about.
I want to just bring flavors, baby. Bring flavors.
Bring it, happy chef. Bring it! Bring it!
Happy chef's gonna bring it home.
He's gonna bring the bacon home, and get it going.
You ready? You ready for some Texas showdown?
GUY: 15 minutes. 15 minutes left.
D.C.: This challenge is about canned food.
How do you take your canned foods to the next level?
I mean, this is what we're gonna look at.
SHANE: When I finally give it a taste,
I realize then everything tastes like it came out of a can.
I know I've got to mask the flavors,
so I just start grating cheese.
It's getting there.
DANIEL: I'm gonna put some tomatoes in my black-eyed peas
to kind of bring up some more Italian flavor there for you.
So, I felt like making a classic Italian pomodoro sauce
to give more of an Italian element to my dish.
Got some crab cakes going on. Crab and salmon.
I'm gonna bring Italian and Texas flavors together.
Everything's better with butter in Texas.
See how we gonna get this going right here.
I am nervous -- As my pasta is cooking,
I realize it might be a little bit soggy.
I'm talking to granny, and I said, "Come on, granny.
Give me something. Point me in any kind of direction."
And then I think, "Maybe I should put it in the oven,"
'cause I'm trying to kind of like dry it out
so it doesn't get too mushy.
Haters have doubted me.
Winning would prove they shouldn't have never doubted me.
You can't judge a book by its cover.
I might be from Compton, but I'm still amazing.
3 minutes.
Kristina used fried basil.
It's a really great twist on the fresh
that you're probably used to in Italian cooking.
I realize I needed a few more ingredients for my ragu,
and so I grab some artichoke hearts
because I want to throw those into my dish
to bulk it up a little, because this is a feast.
Yeah, girl.
40 seconds.
SHANE: I cannot be eliminated in the first game.
I really need this prize money.
I've already got one kid ready to go to college,
and I've got two coming up quickly.
20 grand would definitely help make my family
a little bit more comfortable.
GUY: 10...
9, 8...
7, 6...
5, 4...
3, 2, 1.
Stop working!
Good job.
All right, chefs. Thank you very much.
Yes, sir.
You're the one that found the pasta in aisle 9.
Tell everybody about it.
What I have for you is a cheese-ravioli pasta
with spinach and mushrooms.
My granny used to always cook for family functions,
so I had to think of something that would be hearty,
something that would stick to your stomach,
and, at the same time, be Italian food.
I was a little confused as to why you weren't
cooking the pasta in water first.
I chose to cook the pasta in the sauce
because it can absorb the flavors from the pasta sauce.
It doesn't taste bad, but you missed an opportunity
with the ravioli to make it more creative.
There was more room to grow.
Your method of cooking the pasta in the tomatoes
and stirring it made it mushy.
And I'm afraid that, while your sauce wasn't bad,
I don't feel like you elevated the ingredients.
QUIANA: I am pleased with what I gave them.
I think I made a good dish for canned items --
definitely for canned items.
Thank you very much, Chef Q.
Next up -- Chef Kristina.
What I have for you today is
a rendered pepperoni ragu
with an olive tapenade topped with fried basil.
Thank you.
Proportions are a little bit off for me.
Big hunks of pepperoni are kind of awkward to eat,
but awkward can be delicious when it's pepperoni.
The pepperoni is a little bit dry for me.
However, I love that fried basil,
the brine of the olives,
the spice of the sausage, the tomatoes, the artichokes.
And I think the artichoke sort of cut
some of the saltiness from the pepperoni.
KRISTINA: Cutting down that pepperoni into those big portions
might not have been a great idea,
but I still know that the flavors are there.
Thank you very much, Chef Kristina.
Next up will be the wild man in pink -- Chef Daniel.
Chef, what do you have for us?
I wanted to elevate these canned goods.
I just didn't want to throw them in a pot and mix them all,
so I took some crab meat and salmon
and mixed that with some banana peppers and made, like,
a crab-meat-salmon meatball -- Italian meatball,
and then I made an Italian pomodoro sauce
to go with the meatball.
And I did a sausage and tomato black-eyed pea.
In Texas, we call that Texas caviar.
Well, I have to tell you --
everything tastes really good,
but from looking at an Italian feast,
I really don't see anything Italian on here.
This is all really tasty,
and I do feel like you had a feast.
There were several components.
And, you know, there's a lot of Texas here.
I think we needed to bridge Texas
with a little bit of Italy.
DANIEL: What are they talking about?
Tomatoes are Italian.
Beans are Italian.
Sausage is Italian.
Okay?
Chef Daniel, thank you very much.
On now to Chef Shane.
Chef, what do you got for us?
I got for you guys minestrone soup --
classic Italian, straight-up, rustic minestrone soup.
It was a blessing when we got that fresh herb.
I seeped the oregano in the stew,
and as it was reducing down,
mounted it with the Parmesan,
let it stew down just a touch longer, and then plated it up.
Garnished it with the Parmigiano-Reggiano and oregano.
I was really psyched knowing that you were over there
and you were using beans, 'cause I don't think anyone else,
like, really got that and embraced that.
I wish you had thrown that rind right in from the very beginning
because, you know, the rind of that Parmesan --
I just think it would've given a lot more depth of flavor to this dish.
Sure. I see where you're going.
You used the ingredients out of the can effectively,
however, I think you missed an opportunity
to add some flavor to it -- more salt,
more pepper, more spice --
to make it more of a robust, heartier dish.
SHANE: So, I kind of felt that I was definitely not a winner,
but at least it's Italian.
Chefs, we'd like to ask you to retire to the kitchen.
We'll call for you in just a bit.
I'm a chef. I elevate things.
I have the best dish, and it just came out of a freakin' can.
"Can Can" is probably one of the most difficult challenges
that we have on "Guy's Grocery Games."
Unfortunately, one of you has to check out.
Judges have made their decision.
Q, I am so sorry.
You are checked out, unfortunately.
I so wanted you to give me a beautiful, warm pasta,
but unfortunately, it was just overcooked.
Thank you very much. Appreciate it.
QUIANA: What I learned most about myself is that
I realize that I'm stronger than I think I am.
Thank you, guys.
I know my grandma's watching over me.
She was there with me the whole time,
and I feel like I made her proud.
Congratulations, chefs.
You have cleared the first hurdle.
I got to tell you,
this is where you bring it.
Let's see some twerk, baby.
So, here's a chance for one of you
to improve your odds --
Winning a little Culinary Quiz.
So, Guy says we're gonna have to do trivia,
and I'm immediately like, "Crap."
The first chef to bring the correct item back
will earn the advantage in the next game.
Okay. First clue...
That's not it.
And they're off!
Whoo-hoo-hoo! Look at them go!
Soon as I hear "bees," I knew it was honey.
Honey, honey, honey, honey.
I just couldn't find it.
SHANE: Flying around the store,
and I see Kristina standing right in front of the honey.
We're both standing there, and I was like, "Well, I got to go,"
so I grabbed it, and we both take off.
Come on. Where are you? Honey, honey.
She beat me by like half a second.
Congratulations.
Our winner.
Next challenge, you are gonna make
something almost everybody loves.
You're gonna make an all-American classic --
the ultimate hot dog.
KRISTINA: I'm feeling excited about this one.
Ultimate hot dog -- everybody loves hot dogs.
You can do so many things with it.
And we're going in 3, 2 --
Oh, hang on a second.
GUY: One little thing.
What?
Come on, Guy. Come on.
[ Sighs ]
Okay? [ Laughs ]
I don't even know what it is, and it sounds bad.
Sounds so bad.
It's -- It's awesome, though.
You will have 2 minutes to shop
to grab everything you need
to get the super hot dog to blow these judges away.
But the great thing is, Kristina,
Sweet.
I'm so excited I have this advantage.
I'm definitely gonna kill it.
We're going in 3...
2, 1 -- Go, Kristina!
There's her extra 15 seconds.
You boys better think about where you're going.
KRISTINA: My inspiration for my hot dog
was something that I cook with my fiancé all the time,
and that's a Mexican-style, bacon-wrapped hot dog
with pepper jack cheese in it.
He loves them.
Thank goodness I have a 15-second advantage.
You boys are going!
DANIEL: Right off the bat, I haul butt.
GUY: Oh!
Did you see that?!
DANIEL: All this stuff is racing through my mind,
but the one thing that stays there is scratch-made.
I do not want any pre-made hot dog
or pre-made bun on my plate.
It's all about scratch cooking with the happy chef.
So I'm making a hot dog
out of lamb, ground beef, and bacon.
Elevate this baby up.
I grab some pickles, hot sauce,
mayonnaise, and chives
for a scratch-made relish.
The lights are starting to go out.
Minute and 25!
Hot dogs!
When the ultimate hot dog comes up,
I'm like, "I got this one. I know hot dogs."
It's what I do for my kids all the time.
So, I'm making a chili-cheese char dog
with cilantro-dusted home fries and a spicy ranch sauce.
Ohh!
I wanted to go with a natural-casing frank
because I like the snap that it gives.
[ Grunts ]
Whoo!
Mustard.
Chili sauce.
One minute!
KRISTINA: I had my hot dog, my bacon, my cheese, and my buns.
Then I worked on the toppings.
I decide to make avocado and salsa
because that's your typical toppings
on any kind of Mexican food.
Just a simple, easy, refreshing salsa --
That's essential for Mexican flare.
22 seconds.
I think one of the challenges here is
not gilding the lily -- not overdoing it.
So, how do you be creative without overdoing the hot dog?
Going for the ultimate dog in 5, 4,
3, 2, 1.
Stop shopping!
Whoa.
This is gourmet gone wild,
and your time is gonna start --
30 minutes -- right now.
SHANE: For my chili-cheese char dog,
the first thing I do is start the griddle up
so I can get a good sear on my hot dog.
I scored the hot dogs before I seared them
so that way they will open up so when you put chili on it,
the chili actually stays on top of your hot dog.
I'm gonna add lamb and beef to this
and make it into a hot dog.
I didn't want to use wienies and wrap it in bacon
and do your usual suspects.
DANIEL: I wanted to elevate it some more,
but I'm thinking I need a bread component,
because I didn't want them to say,
"Hey, it's not a hot dog," like the last game.
A nice, scratch-made dough with Monterey Jack cheese --
When they bite into it, they're gonna get
that cheesy, crunchy goodness.
I think that Daniel focuses a lot of his time
trying to do something different.
We do want to make sure it's a hot-dog challenge.
KRISTINA: I'm making a Mexican-style, bacon-wrapped hot dog
with pepper jack cheese in it.
I'm using salsa,
avocado crème, a red-pepper sauce.
It just reminds me of Mexico.
Yeah.
So you can eat it?
[ Laughs ]
Yeah, just wanted to blanche them first,
let them set for a little while so the starches relax.
D.C.: Double-fried French fries
so it's crispy on the outside and moist on the inside,
and if he has a really good dipping sauce,
that's gonna be phenomenal.
SHANE: Spicy ranch sauce for your home fries.
I'm making a nice, scratch-made relish.
Put some chives in there, also add some olive,
a little bit of vinegar, and a little bit of olive oil,
and I'm also making a hot-sauce mayo.
I want to stay true to the theme but elevate it.
Could have done this, but I'm doing this.
I'm stepping out of my comfort zone, stepping into that.
Throw that away in the trash.
I have to win this.
When I was younger,
there was things that we wanted, that Mom wanted,
but we didn't have enough money.
If I get the $20,000, I want to go to a store,
and I want to find a family and say,
"Get whatever you want, and I'm gonna pay for it."
That's what I'm gonna do with the money.
GUY: 4 minutes. 4 minutes to go.
I want the bread to be a crispy bun.
I wanted to mark those buns so that
they had a little bit of crispness to them.
SHANE: That's rocking right there, dude.
A dog with a good snap, soft gooey bun --
That's a perfect hot dog.
Leave them in the bag, throw them in the microwave --
30 seconds -- perfect soft hot-dog buns.
One minute!
I'm starting to plate.
I have the nice colors from my tomatoes,
and my avocado crème brings out that green.
It looks so good I want to eat it.
I was a little nervous about it melting all the way,
so I took a torch and burnt the top of each one of the cheeses.
DANIEL: When I'm looking at my dish, I'm going,
"I got it in the bag. I'm gonna win this."
5, 4,
3, 2, 1.
Boo-yah! Yeah!
GUY: Great-looking dogs.
I got to tell you, chefs -- Impressive.
Now let's just see what the judges have to say.
Judges, the chefs are here.
This is the ultimate gourmet super dog,
Hi, guys.
All right. So, for today,
I have a Mexican-inspired hot dog for you.
My first thing that I thought about was
stuff it with cheese, roll it in bacon, and fry it.
So, that's what I did for you.
And then I wanted to give you
a little bit of a salsa on top.
I also made a roasted-red-pepper sauce
and topped it with an avocado crème.
Get after it.
Got to get after that, Catherine.
Own that, Melissa.
This is awesome.
Kristina, muchas gracias.
[ Chuckles ] Thank you.
I bit into it, and I got, immediately,
that burst of the cheese,
I got that crispiness of the bacon.
It's a juicy dog.
Kristina, the presentation on this
was my dream come true.
Your sauces are all so thoughtful.
Each one of them alone was absolutely delicious,
and they worked very well together.
You really elevated the hot dog,
so "A-plus" on playing the game and doing it right.
I'm feeling like for sure I won this one.
Next up is Chef Wild Man -- Chef Daniel.
Hello, judges. I make sausage back at home.
I make all types of sausages and hot dogs.
That's from scratch.
It's bacon, cheddar, lamb, and beef,
and then I topped it with a Texas pickle relish,
with some Cheddar cheese,
and then I got the Louisiana hot sauce
mixed with a little mayonnaise.
I love that you made your own meat.
It almost worked better as sort of a Lebanese take
than really a hot dog,
but your relish worked really well with the lamb.
This dish feels incredibly complex.
My biggest worry when I was watching you make the flatbread is
it doesn't work really well for holding a hot dog.
Having said that, your hot dog
was delicious and cooked perfectly for me.
I'm a little concerned that it wasn't hot-dog-ish,
but I did get those flavors.
Hey, this is the ultimate hot dog.
Looking down at my plates, I see it's the ultimate hot dog.
Thank you, Chef Daniel.
Next up, Chef Shane.
What do you got for us, bud?
Today, I got for the judges a char dog.
It's a chili-cheese char dog
with cilantro-dusted home fries
and a little spicy ranch sauce on the side.
And I picked a natural-casing hot dog
and made sure that I take care of the skin
so you can still get that snap.
You got to have a dog with snap.
Yes.
All right. D.C.?
When I first bite in to this dog,
it's tangy, it's spicy, it's sweet.
This is a dish that I would see
at one of the best hot-dog joints in Chicago.
I would have done a little bit something different with the bun.
If you would have done something like what Kristina did,
it could have taken it to a different level.
Shane, the yellow mustard with the spicy
plus the tangy from the chili -- great combination.
Perfect. Thank you. Thank you very much.
I'm losing my mind!
I'm so hungry!
I saved you half this time.
[ Laughing ] I'm just so tortured.
I'm losing it. [ Sighs ]
Now back to me.
Judges, thank you.
Chefs, this is going to be tough.
So, I'd like to ask the chefs to retire to the kitchen.
We'll call you back in,
and I got to tell you all right now, I'm really sorry.
One of you will be getting sent home.
A lot of creativity, a lot of energy,
a very difficult decision for the judges,
but unfortunately, one of you has to check out.
Daniel.
Daniel, let me say this to you.
If this has ever been a time
I don't want somebody to go home, it's you.
The style of food that you make, your enthusiasm --
I mean, dude, it's a cornucopia.
Don't ever change.
Thank you, buddy.
Good job, man.
Thank you.
I'm gonna put my head high and go back to Houston proud.
I've been through a lot in my life,
and I want to show people, "Look what you can do."
Chef Kristina, Chef Shane, congratulations.
So, for your next challenge, you'll be making your best --
and get this -- best rice dish.
So, it's open to your interpretation.
Now, I love risotto. I imagine you do.
Fried rice, rice pilaf -- I mean, it could go anywhere.
Oh, there's one other part about this.
Of course.
[ Groans ]
This game also includes the responsibility
for you to get a few other key items
that must be included in your rice dish.
We like to call this game "Grocery List"
because you have to shop
and include all of the ingredients in...
[Chuckles] in this list.
[ Chuckles ]
So, we're talking about any kind of rice,
a box of stock,
any bell pepper,
any protein, any alcohol,
something spicy, and scallions.
There we go. There's your list.
You can buy anything else you want,
but it has to have these key seven.
[ Clicks tongue ] Feel good about that?
Yep. Got it.
Oh, one more thing.
Uh, you have to do it with one shoe off.
Oh.
I'm just kidding. Chefs to your carts.
I'm excited. I'm stoked. I'm ready to go.
You have 35 minutes to shop and cook.
In 3, 2, 1, go!
Being from New Orleans, Louisiana,
the first thing that comes to mind is jambalaya.
I've made it for tens of thousands of people.
I've cooked it for family.
I have made jambalaya several bazillion times.
The list says protein, so I grab andouille sausage,
shrimp, and chicken thighs.
Those are the proteins that go
into traditional New Orleans jambalaya.
I grab the hold trinity --
bell pepper, celery, and onion...
Okay.
...and the scallions that are on the list.
I need something spicy.
Crushed red peppers, cayenne.
[ Mimics tire screech ]
For the alcohol, I grab the white wine...
Sauvignon Blanc.
...to deglaze the bottom of the pan,
which I always do for jambalaya.
Rice.
I'm grabbing rice that I know it takes
at least 20 minutes to cook.
Then I started grabbing canned stocks...
Sauce.
...a box of stock,
and booked it back to the station.
Yeah, I'm ready to rock this, dude.
I decide I want to use shrimp as my protein
right when I see my grocery list.
I'm gonna make a tequila lime shrimp rice dish
with stir-fried vegetables.
I work with Asian flavors a lot.
People also use wine,
so I wanted to give it my own twist,
so that's why I used tequila.
I feel really confident.
I think I'm gonna win this round.
In produce, I'm gonna grab my cilantro,
my bell peppers, my lime, my scallions, chili paste.
Because I'm using shrimp, I grab fish sauce and fish stock.
This is a rice challenge, so I have to get my rice.
I have to make sure that that's my number-one thing.
30 minutes. 30 minutes to cook.
SHANE: The way I know how to make jambalaya,
it takes at least 20 minutes to cook,
so I've got to fly through all of this prep.
Did you already get your chicken thighs and your sausage in?
Very nice.
Building that base, deglaze it with the white wine,
hit the tomatoes in it, throw the rice in,
let it pull it all up.
He really leveraged the grocery list he was given.
This is the grocery list for the jambalaya.
I want to use the tequila to marinate my shrimp,
along with cilantro and lime.
Okay, what do we got going, girl?
I'm gonna use a little bit of fish stock.
It's a little strong,
Okay.
I don't want it too fishy.
I want to make sure
that the rice wasn't overpowered with any sort of sauce.
I want that nice, clean flavor.
Both of them have toasted off their rice,
which is gonna help in terms of the flavor
and in terms of the texture.
SHANE: Got my base working in the pan.
The flavors start melding together.
You're building layer on top of layer.
I would be that Shane has made this dish for his family
time and time again.
I bet his kids have had bites of this dish
and given it the thumbs up.
Let this simmer down now.
KRISTINA: I feel very comfortable with Asian flavors.
We do different Asian dishes all the time in catering.
Kristina has some tequila, which is my favorite.
As you're cooking with tequila,
it does intensify the flavors of your dish.
The alcohol burns off but the flavor really stays,
and I chose tequila
so that it would keep that depth and flavor.
Your rice is gonna make it?
I hope so. I think I'm right on the line.
I'm waiting for my rice to finish,
which I was getting really nervous.
I wanted to fortify the sauce
with a little bit of the shrimp shells.
I sautéed them off a little bit
and poured it into my tomato base.
Flare is my secret weapon.
I like to just give that little touch at the end,
so I'm adding some chili sauce into the stir-fried vegetables
to give it a good spice.
GUY: Minute and a half.
SHANE: Just now getting my dollops of the jambalaya base on.
I want to garnish a little bit better with my green onions.
I still don't even have my shrimp on the plate.
KRISTINA: I take a measuring cup,
and I put my rice in there to kind of make a mold.
I wanted to give it a little bit of height.
GUY: What's the dish you're making?
Is it a green onion dish or is it a rice dish?
It's a rice dish.
Rice goes in the center of the plate.
I know plating is very important in this competition,
and I'm getting a little nervous.
GUY: 35 seconds.
I start flicking my shrimps down. It's insane.
KRISTINA: The time is running out
and I have to get everything on the plate
and make it look as good as I can.
GUY: 15 seconds.
5, 4, 3, 2, 1,
stop working!
Wow.
Wow.
[ Exhales sharply ]
Nice job.
Seven items on your shopping list,
making your best rice dish.
Chef Shane, you're up first.
Please tell the judges what they're having.
I got you traditional Louisiana jambalaya.
As soon as you said one rice dish,
I knew exactly where I was going.
Being around after the first couple of games,
I saw the andouille, I saw the seafood,
I saw the chicken thighs, and I went right after it.
Cue the sad music.
Oh, for Guy, who doesn't get to eat?
[ Chuckles ]
My shrimp are cooked perfectly.
Really enjoying the spice on top of the shrimp.
I think you coated it really nice.
Everything was cooked really well.
Thank you.
I love that you gave us a comfort dish.
I feel like we're three-quarters of the way to a great dish.
Right now, there's salt and heat,
and I wish there were some other notes and more complexity.
SHANE: I have no idea.
I totally feel like I'm going home.
Chef Kristina, you're next.
So, what I have for you guys here is a tequila lime shrimp
with stir-fried vegetables,
and I put a little bit of chili sauce in those vegetables
to spice those up.
I have a long-grain rice that I put some lime zest in,
and I fried a little bit of lime, too,
and I put that on top for a little bit of crunch.
I'm smiling because whenever I taste a good dish that I like,
it makes me happy.
I love how you can taste the tequila in the shrimp.
Thank you. Thank you.
Kristina, you picked the right girl to make this dish for.
I love some heat, and you gave the perfect layer of heat.
My only major issue with this --
the challenge was to be a rice dish.
This feels more broken apart than what I would have expected.
But, overall, you produced a beautiful dish.
Thank you.
I agree with Catherine.
I think that the rice was not really the star of this dish,
although I thought you executed the rice nicely.
I don't know what to do with this.
KRISTINA: I'm feeling a little bit nervous,
because the rice wasn't the star of my dish.
I really don't want to go home.
Judges, you got your hands full.
Chefs, thank you very much. You shopped it well.
I think you worked hard.
I think you were down to the last second.
Unfortunately, one of you will go home,
and one of you is gonna get an opportunity
to shop this market for up to 20,000 bucks.
Chefs, please retire to the kitchen.
We'll call you in a bit.
It's so neck and neck.
It's incredibly neck and neck.
Well, I know for sure
I've gotten some pretty crappy feedback.
If I were to lose it, I'm glad I'm losing it to you.
Seriously. Seriously.
Aww, you're so sweet.
I feel like the decision is made.
All right. Thank you, judges.
All right, chefs. Come back in, please.
When I signed up for this job, they didn't tell me
I was gonna have to be the bearer of bad news.
You both battled hard.
Unfortunately, one of you is gonna be leaving.
The chef that will be staying with us will be...
...Chef Shane.
Kristina, I will tell you this.
By no means did you lose this, but you put it all on the plate.
Kristina, you are a talent.
You brought us some of the best flavors I've seen yet.
Trust your instincts, 'cause you've got them.
Thank you.
You're invited.
I'm definitely a fierce competitor,
and I don't like to lose.
Great job. All right.
You know, this is just a step in my career,
and I'm gonna keep my head up and keep going.
You just won!
[ Cheers and applause ]
Aah! I got to cook with this thing.
Hey, how do you feel?
Like a million buc-- or like $20,000.
Well, we'll see about that.
There's a list of 10 items.
You have two minutes to find as many items as possible.
Each item you put in the basket is worth $2,000.
Nice.
You grab all 10 items before the 2 minutes is up,
you'll win $20,000.
SHANE: I'm playing this game for money,
but where the money would go would be my children,
so I'm definitely thinking about my kids.
And we're gonna go in 3, 2, 1, go get them!
He's off!
There we go. There we go.
I knew the jam was right off to the left
as soon as he started me off.
Where's strawberry? Are you serious?!
I cannot find the flippin' strawberry jam.
Every second counts in this game.
Strawberry jam.
Frozen meal.
Looking for a frozen meal.
Enchiladas.
Fantastic. $4,000 in the cart.
I know I've got to hustle, but all of a sudden...
Processed cheese.
...it kind of seemed like time was slowing down.
American cheese slices.
There you go. 6,000 bucks.
I grabbed the American cheese.
I got around to the orange juice
before they even called the minute mark.
Still on the list -- Italian dressing.
He's got white wine. That's $10,000.
Okay, I'm on a good track right now.
Looking for canned salmon, something red, Italian dressing.
Then I just hauled it over to the produce section
and picked up the rest of the items I need to grab.
45 seconds.
Italian dressing.
Going for kale.
Going for kale.
Going for kale. There we go.
Need something red, canned salmon.
Something red.
Something red and canned salmon.
Got red potatoes.
Canned salmon's up.
19 seconds!
Salmon.
Canned salmon. There you go. 10 seconds left.
Last thing -- sour cream and onion potato chips.
I know where the potato chips are.
5, 4...
So, I start running down the aisle.
...3, 2, 1, stop!
Oh, oh, oh. Aw. Good job, man.
That was a good effort, though.
Oh. All right. Nope. Chips don't make it, homey.
So close.
18,000 bucks.
Listen, I got to tell you something.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Give it up for Shane!
I just won $18,000.
I can't wait to tell my wife. She's gonna flip out.
There's gonna be bills that are paid.
It's gonna get my son into college.
It's a huge deal.
Big money. Nice job.