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...nine aspiring restaurateurs began their journey
for the dream of a lifetime,
the chance to help launch their very own restaurant
at the M Resort in Las Vegas.
[ Cheering ]
I want my restaurant. I want it bad.
IRVINE: Each week, they face challenges
to see if they've got what it takes
to run a successful restaurant.
This is ridiculous.
I'm losing it.
MAN: We need a medic right away.
You're not telling the right table number.
The food has to go out. Nothing else matters.
I'm trying to make you successful restaurateurs.
Look me in the eye and tell me you can do this.
Oh, my gosh, this is good.
Putting out the best damn food out here.
IRVINE: That's the difference between you succeeding
and you failing.
Taking the business from the other competitors.
Hey! Don't rip my [bleep] down, bro.
Don't [bleep] talk to me.
Now we're playing the game!
2,000 restaurants a week open, and 1,000 close.
Do you want to be one of them?
ADAM: Robert's throwing big curve balls at you constantly.
The next thing I know, I could be cooking on the space shuttle.
IRVINE: Ameerah.
Kimmy.
Johnathan.
Bianca.
Patrick.
Eric, your journey on "Restaurant Express" ends here.
Now all it is is kill, crush, and destroy.
Last challenge, I ran out of food, and I ran out of time.
Four fish all day.
IRVINE: That's your inexperience in a restaurant.
ADAM: The last person left alive --
that's the person who should get the restaurant.
In the end, Adam,
you're guaranteed a spot in the final challenge.
Jan, Seonkyoung, you will have to battle each other
for a spot in the final challenge.
Now the final three fight for their dream
on "Restaurant Express."
-- Captions by VITAC --
Closed Captions provided by Scripps Networks, LLC.
This is it.
I brought the Restaurant Express back to Vegas.
ADAM: Ladies, we're in Las Vegas. That's where we are.
I want to know about the last challenge.
This is a culmination
of all their blood, sweat, and tears
from over the past six weeks.
This is most important week of my life.
I don't want to go home.
I left my family. I left my girlfriend.
I left my kids.
I left a good job for possibly nothing at all.
It's scary.
I'm gonna put them through the wringer,
but it's all for a very handsome reward.
One of us actually gets it.
A lot of people got their heads chopped off
for us to be here, you know?
This is it. This is the end game.
IRVINE: At the end of this week,
the M Resort Spa and Casino
will have a brand-new restaurateur.
Second place -- a set of steak knives.
I literally had nothing when I got here.
The chance to have my own business,
it's a game changer.
I want so badly I can taste it.
SEONKYOUNG: Cooking literally saved my life in the United States.
My dream is share my food with as many people as possible.
ADAM: I give them both a lot of credit.
Both, you know, left their families and situations
to come and do this, which is not easy.
But someone's gonna get eliminated.
Then one of them has to cook against me.
Welcome back to Las Vegas.
Thank you.
The Restaurant Express has come full circle.
We're at the M Resort Spa and Casino.
One of you will be hired
to help launch a brand-new restaurant right up there.
Suddenly, it goes from being, you know,
the restaurant you have in the back of your head
to being the one that's right behind your shoulder.
It's tangible. It's happening.
Holy crap.
But earning this dream prize will not be easy.
Follow me inside to see what's next.
So, I've taken you to all kinds of locations,
and finally, we're in a restaurant.
This is where your final challenge will take place.
In just 48 hours, two of you
will be cooking head to head in dueling restaurants.
And you may have noticed there's only one restaurant.
That's because I'm gonna divide the space into two
right down the middle.
Yes, Chef.
You earned the most money on your food trucks last week.
So you are guaranteed one of the spaces.
Jan, Seonkyoung...
...you have to prove to me
that one of you deserves to compete against Adam.
SEONKYOUNG: Going head to head with Jan,
it's the last thing that I wanted to do.
Yes, I want to win, but same time,
I don't want her to go home, either.
I do care a good bit about Seonkyoung.
I call her my eighth kid,
but I came here to do something.
I'm very close to getting it done.
Six weeks ago, I made you pitch me your dream restaurant.
Well, today,
you're gonna do that again,
bearing in mind everything you've learned
over the past six weeks.
I want to see what the menu would be,
and I want to taste the signature dish.
They already have a steakhouse, an oyster bar,
and an upscale Italian restaurant.
So, just like in week two,
your concept should be unique to this culinary landscape.
Your price point should be around $20 to $25 per person.
I'm gonna give you both 30 minutes
to prepare the most important presentation of your life.
One of you will be going home, so you better impress me.
Off you go to the kitchen.
JAN: I want to absolutely mimic
the first pitch I gave Robert six weeks ago.
I would like to concentrate on exquisite comfort food.
But there is no room for error.
So, I'm going to take everything that he has given me,
and I'm going to do my damnedest to put it on a plate for him.
I'm stuffing these beautiful pork chops
with these mushrooms with some thyme and butter,
white wine, garlic, and shallots.
Okay.
This is just like the very first pitch we did.
My concept is all about spicy Asian food.
But this time, I changed my concept
from Ragin' Asian to Jade --
more modern Asian cuisine with more high-end touch.
I had to make something
with these ingredients I have in my hand.
And I saw these octopus,
and I thought they would be really beautiful
marinating in little spicy pans of Asian flavor and grill it.
JAN: 60 minutes that can change your life forever --
We're in it.
I've been renting my brother's house,
and right before I left,
he simply had an eviction order served.
So, I got to go somewhere.
If it's coming to Vegas because we have a job,
you know, okay.
Fine with that.
If I got to move, I might as well make it a good one, huh?
SEONKYOUNG: This is only one spot for one of us,
and to make my dream come true, I have to beat Jan.
You know, I got a bunch of really fabulous young people
that are looking for me to bring this home.
I'm not ready to go home.
I almost can smell it, and I can taste it.
It's right there. I can grab it. I'm almost there.
JAN: It's mine. I can see it.
I can taste it. I can feel it. It's mine.
IRVINE: Time's up.
Chef.
This is a bone-in pork loin chop
that I stuffed with sautéed, wild mushrooms.
I made smashed potatoes, blanched haricot verts,
and I finished it off with the pan sauce
and a little bit of herb butter on top.
IRVINE: So, tell me about your concept.
Well, as you know by now, I love comfort food.
And just because it's a simple food
doesn't mean it can't be done exquisitely well.
And so, I've called it exquisite comfort food.
Okay.
Are you nervous?
I'm always a little nervous.
There is no room for error in this.
There is no room for error.
Okay. Whilst it was good that you stuffed it,
and it's seared nicely, but it's overcooked.
Okay.
But the concept, in whole, is comforting.
That's for sure. Okay.
So, tell me about the menu.
These are dishes that can be costed
and priced correctly without being too fussy
or too perishable
and without being horribly expensive.
Could I get any of these items in a steakhouse or a buffet?
I -- I'm not entirely sure,
but I don't think so 'cause I tried to keep that in mind
of what are the other things
that are available here at the resort.
A pork chop pretty much you can get in any steakhouse.
Thank you for your presentation.
Now, can you send in Seonkyoung for me?
Thank you.
Hello, Chef.
Tell me about your concept.
Jade is a high-end Asian-cuisine restaurant.
What I was focusing on is a mixture --
traditional, authentic and also modern.
So, this is what you mean by "modern cuisine"?
Okay.
I grilled the chicory
so it would be warm underneath,
and I topped with the marinated-and-grilled octopus,
pan-fried sea bass with cooked clams around it.
Are you nervous?
I'm nervous all the time in front of you.
The clams are cooked really nicely,
the fish is done perfectly,
and the octopus has great flavor.
But...
Yes, Chef.
...how do I get a steak sandwich at $20,
this dish is $23, and then I jump up,
and the misoyaki sea bass is $32,
and I gave you a price range of $20 to $25?
Yes, Chef.
You didn't take time to cost things out, right?
That's true, Chef. And I am very sorry about that.
Okay.
Thank you very much.
Thank you.
Yes, Chef.
I really liked both of your pitches, to be honest.
But at this point, it's not about potential.
It's about what I think can work right here
at this hotel right now.
So, with that in mind, Seonkyoung...
Yes, Chef.
...there are no Asian offerings in this hotel,
and the dish was compiled nicely.
Yes, Chef.
But your menu was priced at least $10 higher
than the ideal price point.
I'm not sure that your investors here at the M Resort
would be okay with such uneven price points.
Jan, as for your signature dish, your presentation was great.
Your dish looked approachable and appetizing.
Thank you.
My concern with you is the signature dish
that was supposed represent your restaurant
could be found anywhere.
Now, unfortunately, the tough part.
And I hate to see either of you go at this point,
but it's a competition.
I think you both have the potential to be successful,
but unfortunately,
the owners of this hotel
are not interested in investing in potential.
So, the person I'm gonna have compete
in the final against Adam is...
So, the person I'm gonna have compete
in the final against Adam
is the person that I think
has the best chance of success today.
I'm sorry...
...Jan.
You will not be cooking in the final.
[ Sighs ]
You're a great cook,
and I have had the pleasure of spending
the last six weeks with you...
...and watching you grow.
Yes.
JAN: I'm not gonna stop fighting for what I want.
And the past six weeks
has given me a range of knowledge and experience
that I couldn't have gotten anywhere else.
I hope you're proud of yourself as much as I'm proud of you.
I am very proud.
There's a long way for you to go.
Okay?
Thank you.
SEONKYOUNG: I didn't want Jan to go home.
She's just an amazing woman.
Good luck.
JAN: I'm incredibly proud of what I've done.
I still have pulled off more than most people could do,
and I'm gonna take it home.
This is it.
Adam, Seonkyoung, congratulations.
You are the final two.
Thank you, Chef.
Now it's fight to the death.
Only one person can be left standing.
Tomorrow night, this place will be open for business.
Not only are you serving a restaurant full of people,
but reserve a table for me in both your restaurants
and two top executives from the M, your investors.
I'm going to win this for the home cooks.
I really have to make this happen.
I'm giving you $5,000 each to create your restaurant.
You'll need to create a menu with at least eight dishes.
You'll need to do the decor, manage the staff,
hire your cooks.
This is a real restaurant,
real kitchen with the real chefs.
This is it.
This is big-time.
Both your dreams, your restaurant dreams,
are on the line.
There it is. There's the gold coin right in front of me.
I just have to grab it,
and Robert's gonna give me a restaurant.
If I can do everything, it's right there.
Get to it. See you tomorrow night.
Robert tells us that we have 48 hours
to put together our whole restaurant concept,
and that includes decor.
That includes menu planning, hiring the staff,
pre-prep and prep, and that includes service.
So, that's a lot to do in two days.
So, I'm trying to focus getting right stuff for my food.
My concept of a restaurant would be perfect in M Resort
because they do not have Asian restaurant.
ADAM: My focus is on getting all the food --
properly getting all the food.
I'm gonna do a small-plate concept,
small plates featuring American food with small twists.
So far, I have been running out of my food
every single time.
I'm tired of that.
I would rather have leftovers instead of running out.
I had $4,500.
Now I have about $3,200.
I think I'm pretty good shape. Yeah.
ADAM: I'm gonna say that I'm $1,800 here.
Not bad. $1,851.
The next step is buying plates and cups and other decor.
Do you think I could do, like, a white with a runner on top?
Sure. Absolutely.
I'm going for, like, an American-themed restaurant,
like a slick-looking, American kind of feel.
This one for my mussels.
My restaurant, Jade, will be modern Asian cuisine
with more comfort and elegant feeling.
Do I have any money left, a little bit?
No, you don't.
Okay. Awesome.
ADAM: Cool stuff that I can't afford.
I think I have, like, $2 left.
I could buy a cookie.
No business is successful
without a strong team behind you.
Your staff could make or break you.
Right now, you're going to interview your potential cooks.
I'm giving them 20 minutes to cook a dish
that best represents each one of them.
You'll both have a chance to taste the dishes,
and based on your findings,
you'll each hire three of them.
Go!
ADAM: Frankly, they look like a pretty experienced crew.
They all look like they have kitchen experience.
I'm watching how fast they work, seeing how organized they are.
Are your arms nice and burned up?
I try to look at people's arms,
as bizarre as that might seem,
because any cook that's worth their weight has paid dues.
Okay, good.
SEANKYOUNG: I'm looking for someone
who can move fast and understanding the food,
like the seasoning part, how they trim the vegetables.
Just looking at them have the same mind-set as me.
Okay, gentlemen. Two minutes left.
Time's up.
Okay, so, now we're gonna get a chance, each of you,
to pick three people.
Seonkyoung.
Who do you pick?
I will pick Jeffrey
because he was very helpful in the kitchen.
He was moving very fast. His food was well-seasoned.
Okay.
Adam.
Okay. I'd like to pick D.J.
I thought your plate was one of the first in the window.
It was clean. The flavors were great.
I thought it was a strong, great plate.
Rene.
I loved his sense of the flavors.
I think that he will work really well with my food.
Juan, you seemed to be right on your game.
I like your plate. I like your potatoes.
I thought the chicken was perfectly cooked.
I also want Giuseppe.
IRVINE: So, Seonkyoung, you now have three.
So, you are done.
Yes.
You have one more, Adam.
This is the strongest line of cooks I've ever seen.
I've hired a lot of people. I'm gonna go with Richie.
I liked the authenticity of your dish.
So, I'm gonna pick Richie.
So, you both have your teams now,
and now it's time to prep.
Thank you, Chef.
I'm gonna do small American tapas food.
My time in restaurants --
I've learned how to manage a team.
I can rock these guys, as I hope you'll see, you know?
I can get them to move.
It's gonna be eight items altogether.
Seonkyoung's not ready for a restaurant.
She needs to pay her dues.
Three appetizer, three entrée, and two dessert.
Doesn't matter how many years experience Adam has.
We are here, and we are at war.
High five.
High five! High five!
I like the energy.
I like the energy already, all right? We win!
I can do anything!
IRVINE: Coming up on "Restaurant Express"...
ADAM: Take no more prisoners.
You gonna steal my ingredients?
All right, stop!
It's been decided that the winner
of "Restaurant Express" is...
IRVINE: Adam and Seonkyoung have five hours
to prep for their final dinner service.
So, I'm going to put the menu right up here
so you guys can see what we're gonna do.
I can cut the rib eye.
I'll do the ribs.
Yes.
SEANKYOUNG: This is still last chance
to prove that I deserve to be here.
Go get all the lamb. You're gonna clean it all here.
Come with me. You come with me.
ADAM: A line cook has to be an extension of what you're doing.
If you ever see the movie "Avatar" --
I work like an extension of me.
Go get some chicken stock. We have all our onions.
Now, when you take the shoulders,
they're gonna be hot,
but cut them right in half so they cook faster.
Almost like a puppet situation.
I'll work my guys as a team.
The name of my restaurant is America,
and there are eight different items on the menu.
Chocolate-white shrimp with candied black walnuts,
paprika-crusted lamb chop, filet mignon flatbread,
lobster gumbo, stuffed portobello,
pulled-pork mac and cheese, a chicken sandwich.
I am making berry crisp.
If you'll look what's going on,
I have about a dozen things working.
She has about three.
So, that's -- You know, that's what it is.
Yes, Chef.
IRVINE: ...what type of menu are you going with?
I'm going with an eclectic American menu
and items that are accessible to people
like we talked about once before.
You know, I'm trying to cook for people to eat,
not necessarily for my own palate, but for a customer base.
So, how do you feel that your prep's going?
How do you feel your team is doing?
They're terrific. I made great choices.
These guys are really good, and my prep's --
You feel very confident?
I feel pretty good. I feel pretty good, yeah.
Confident or overconfident?
Overconfident? No. I've learned my lesson about overconfidence.
Okay, well, good luck.
Thank you, Chef.
Okay!
Sure. Thank you.
I never cooked this many menu for this many people.
I have eight items on my menu, four appetizers --
coco mussels, Filipino chicken soup,
turkey lettuce wrap, and mango salad.
For my entrée,
I have spicy soy salmon, Korean-barbecue rib eye,
and Chinese sticky ribs.
For dessert, I have lychee, mandarin, and mango granita.
Very good.
How's the team?
Really?
You feel comfortable?
I feel very comfortable.
They are smart. They are fast.
They just know so much about food,
and it's amazing.
And you feel strong about this menu?
You feel strong about your team?
Yes, I feel very good so far.
I hope everything goes as it is right now.
Well, you've got about 2 hours and 10 minutes left.
Yes, Chef.
Well, good luck to you both.
ADAM: At this point, every second of prep
is going to be tremendous.
And away we go. That's what I'm talking about.
Umm...sugar?
Where did I put my sugar?
Uh, no, not this. I had a big bag of white sugar.
It was on top over here. I saw it on there.
I'm running around and looking for my sugar,
but I cannot find it.
I'm missing my sugar.
I need to find it.
What?
Did you use my sugar?
I took this sugar. Is this yours?
It's my sugar. Did you use it?
How much?
I'll return it. I have other sugar.
He thought it was mine.
Okay.
Now you can have it back.
You don't steal my ingredients.
I'm not nice enough to share my ingredients today.
He knows this is my station, and he grabbed it.
He knows better than that.
He probably grabbed just whatever to make the meal wrong.
A cup of sugar's not gonna make or break somebody
at this point in the competition.
Adam, did you see my bouillon, chicken bouillon?
ADAM: Chicken bouillon? Is this yours?
Yeah, you took mine again.
I don't get it why Adam keeps grabbing my ingredients
from my pantry.
Chicken bouillon, sugar, vinegar --
all three of them, he grabbed it from my pantry, which is --
I saw it was in my pantry.
He got the two vinegars.
Excuse me.
Adam?
What? What do I got now?
Did you get my white vinegar?
I have my own white -- This is mine.
How many did you buy?
I bought one, exactly same thing.
It's not in my pantry, and you have three.
I don't have three.
That's my pantry, not yours.
Okay.
He might be scared of me because I can do anything.
Adam will do anything and everything to win.
This is the most important thing right now --
to win this restaurant right now.
Right now.
And I'm mellow and I'm mellow
and I'm mellow and it looks like I'm mellow,
but, you know, at the end of the day, I'm on fire.
I am on fire like a towering inferno.
This one service will change my life.
It's so important.
No more [bleep] around. I mean, seriously.
Take no more prisoners.
Now it's time to win.
IRVINE: It's two hours till service,
and Adam and Seonkyoung are racing to the finish line.
This is very important. This is for all the peanuts.
I'm making couscous now, and now I'm banging out the filet.
I got puff pastry to make next, tomatillos to fry,
chicken to cook, vinegar cilantro.
I'm a busy boy. Okay, that's good.
SEANKYOUNG: You done with the chiffonade?
Just take the leaves out and put it decorate-ly.
Do not dump it in the water.
I want to drain the lettuce and mix it for the salad.
For her to not have commercial experience, it is --
it's quite impressive
how she is with her attitude and her speed
and her organizational skills, for sure.
That is huge at this point.
Flash over that, like, go one, two, three.
There you go. Awesome.
And what everybody needs is that sense of urgency,
and she obviously has it.
This is the most important food
that I'm cooking in my life.
Well, here we are. The final challenge is here.
Seonkyoung and Adam,
two very different people, very different backgrounds,
and very different styles of cooking.
It's down to the wire.
Take the chicken, put it here, put it in the window.
When we open these restaurants --
the stress of any normal restaurant opening,
let alone in a competition setting,
is absolutely crazy.
Oh, shoot. I didn't even cook the rice yet.
Remember, these are brand-new restaurants,
cooks have never worked with Seonkyoung or Adam before.
No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
You never put oil on the grill. You stand close.
And at the end of the day, one of them
will get to help launch a brand-new restaurant
right here at the M.
Who's it gonna be?
SEANKYOUNG: Aah, ooh!
[Bleep]
Griddle is not hot enough to bring to the hard boil.
How about if I put the rice in here?
It was my first time ever cooking rice in the oven.
Actually taking a risk
'cause it's really, really hot in there.
Seonkyoung, Adam.
Yes, Chef?
These are your host and servers for your service tonight.
Remember, the service
is just as important as the food you put out.
They are your teams. Train them well.
You're going to need them.
Good luck. I will see you later.
Thank you, Chef.
Who's -- who's been in the restaurant industry
for 20 years, raise your hand.
20 years? 20 years?
Do you guys have --
anybody have experience of restaurant?
Everybody? Awesome.
All right, stop, stop!
Would you ever talk to your staff over a press?
Come on this side and treat them like human beings.
Yes, Chef. I'm sorry.
That's not a good way to start your restaurant.
This is our restaurant today, right?
Tonight, we're gonna make the people
who come into our restaurant have the best time
and the best food, the whole entire world, right?
We'll be nice to Seonkyoung after service.
For right now, we want all the customers, okay?
It's okay if her restaurant's empty.
It'll be fine. We'll feed the people,
and we'll buy her a drink after service.
Time, anybody?
Time?
20 minutes, guys.
Rice turned out great. Great!
I didn't burn, it cooked it perfectly.
Awesome.
Let's go.
It's a couple minutes before service.
I'm just showing everybody how I want everything done.
There's my crisp.
Here's the gumbo, guys.
Okay, next is the pita. Watch the pita.
I'm ready. Okay, let's get the plates together.
What else are we thinking about, boys,
that we need to know about plates?
'Cause my whole life depends on it. Okay?
Oh, bread pudding. Bread pudding. Bread pudding.
Go, go, go!
Hippity-hop.
Now we're gonna fly and run.
Oh, my God. This is our restaurant.
It's really a dream come true to be here.
Service is about to start.
Hope I am ready for that.
It's honestly huge.
From Day One of culinary school,
all I wanted to do is open my own restaurant.
This is real.
Right now, I'm not even really looking
for winning or whatever.
I'm just -- I just want to survive.
ADAM: Hi, folks. How are you?
Interested in American cuisine?
Yeah, please take a seat right here.
Anywhere you like. Absolutely.
Service starts.
Zippity-doo-dah.
Everything's going really well.
Small plates, lobster on the menu this evening,
and we have portobello.
The idea was to get as many customers as I could
when I went out for the first service.
I filled the dining room.
I hope you enjoy everything. We're gonna try our best.
WOMAN: Come to our restaurant. We have amazing food.
This is our chef, Adam.
Okay, we're sold out, folks.
All right, boys,
let's make some really, really, really nice food.
Lamb chop and a filet and the gumbo.
Ordering.
Three shrimp, one lobster gumbo. That's course one.
I paid $50,000 to go to culinary school
to learn three words --
preparation is everything.
Gumbo, stuffed portobello, pulled pork, chicken sliders.
'Cause I could be the best cook in the world,
but if I can't serve it to you, what the hell good is it?
I have to get it in your hands.
SEANKYOUNG: Service starts, and I look out...
my tables are empty.
I'm going to be in trouble.
Take that to table 6, please.
No. What?
Very complicated to do the menu this way
when there's really no appetizer, entrée, or dessert.
Table number 6. Are you sure that's not out already?
You're putting in the wrong table numbers.
Adam and Seonkyoung are laying everything on the line tonight.
In just a few hours,
one of their lives is going to change forever.
Order!
One coco mussels and lettuce wrap.
Hello.
Oh!
Ah, they are contestants.
Suddenly I see Jan, Patrick, Eric, Bianca, Ameerah.
I'm like, "Where all you guys come from?"
Now, both of those sound pretty interesting.
Here's the thing -- I really wish I could try both of them.
AMEERAH: I was set on trying Adam's food until I looked at the menu,
and I knew I would have more options at Seon's.
I'm gonna pick Jade.
So, six of us.
I'm gonna go solo over there.
We'll see you on the other side.
I cannot believe the competitors choose my restaurant.
It feels amazing, and I want to make them proud.
ADAM: Kimmy ate in my restaurant,
but the rest of the cast members ate in Seonkyoung's restaurant.
And I just thought to myself, "You know,
"if they were making good choices,
they'd still be on the show."
Well, I'm about to go to the final dinner service
with the President of M resorts, Anthony Marnell III,
and Anthony Layton-Matthews,
Vice President of Food and Beverage.
Well, thank you for allowing us
to come to this amazing hotel and casino.
We're gonna try Adam's food first
and see what you think there.
We'll have a little chat and see how it goes.
Fantastic.
Welcome to Restaurant America.
Follow me right this way please.
Enjoy your evening.
Okay, now this is extra special V.I.P.
Get that in the window.
Come on, hippity-hop. Hippity-hop.
What type of concepts are you looking for?
I think we're looking for a concept
that fits middle America.
I think it's in that $20 to $25 average check range.
Most of our restaurants here,
I think, are a little more higher-end.
We're looking for something that's more middle market.
Adam has named each dish after a different region of America.
Now, that's clever.
It's very modern, interesting approach.
So, if I look at the prices, all are around $10.
Four courses for $40.
That's low price points, so, good.
Small plates. How does that grab you as a restaurant?
I think it's a trend.
I want to do it. I want to do it myself.
I have a true shot at winning a restaurant.
That's huge, man.
This is the Omaha.
This is the filet with the gorgonzola,
the caramelized onions.
You know, Robert, there's nothing worse
than a pizza with soggy dough.
But the flavors are good.
Who doesn't love filet, blue cheese,
and caramelized onions?
The cheese, I thought, took away from the flavor of the filet.
It's not a dish I'd really order again.
The dish itself has potential
if it's executed with the components.
It's just not executed correctly.
This food's getting cold.
MAN: Okay, I'll take care of it, Chef.
Take that -- listen.
I don't care about any other table.
My food can't get cold. I don't care.
Take this, please.
This is the Bayou.
[Bleep] Just take it, please.
Yes, sir.
IRVINE: This is the Tennessee Jedd.
Mac and cheese and slow-braised pork.
The pork is nice and tender.
But the cheese sauce is very gritty.
Another great concept, but not put together correctly.
This is the Haight-Ashbury stuffed portobello mushroom.
Good vegetarian option.
Green tomatoes are wonderful.
It's one of my favorite things to eat.
I think it's actually his best dish yet.
I have to agree. That is his best dish.
Adam is selling his warm Georgia berry crisp for $8.
It's very good. Very good.
This is very Americana.
The flavor's good. The dish is good.
Executed well.
I think this is a winning dish.
Good concept. Got some good ideas.
A few good dishes executed well.
The rest not so well.
He's very, very cost-conscious.
Wanted to prove a point to me in the beginning, saying that,
you know, "I know how to control costs,"
and he's done it very well.
We're looking for that raw talent
that has the flavor profiles that we can work with.
And a lot of these things can be fixed.
I like Adam's concept because I like the tapas.
Like, three out of four dishes, I liked,
so I'm gonna come back.
Vegas is such an eclectic city, right?
People come from all over the place.
The concept of having food from all around America
is a good concept.
It's got legs.
I think the concept
of the restaurant's very interesting.
The best for my palate.
It was fun.
Josephine, one salad, one more rib eye,
and the one ribs.
The only one thing I'm worried about -- expediting.
Mussels.
I have a bad experience at the jacks.
If I'm gonna have this ticket, I need all of the ticket,
not couple of them and mix and matching,
and I'm missing something.
Hopefully I can do a better job this time.
Yellow, leave the yellow.
So we know. Okay.
Absolutely.
Right this way, please.
Bread pudding's up.
Two salmon all day,
two medium-rare, two medium, and two rares.
I could hear Seonkyoung calling tickets from over here,
and I was kind of proud of her.
Like, she was really, you know, commanding the kitchen.
So, obviously, this type of restaurant,
you don't have anything similar here, correct?
We don't.
We have had conversations with coming
with the more Asian- influenced-style restaurants.
It's odd that we're sitting here tonight
not knowing what was coming our way.
And I'd say, "Hey, we've got two solid candidates.
We might be able to make something work."
Is that V.I.P.? This is the V.I.P.?
28? 28's the V.I.P.?
I really believe my food is the best.
I never worry about my food.
Whoo! Let's go.
IRVINE: Seonkyoung's coco-mussels are $16.
So, what do you think of the mussels?
Oh, they're excellent. Very good.
The sauce on the mussels was amazing.
She cares about her food.
You can definitely tell there's love in her cooking.
IRVINE: Is that worth $16?
I think it's a little steep for $16.
This is an $8, $9 mussel dish.
Seonkyoung is selling her turkey lettuce wrap for $12.
The flavor is excellent.
To keep turkey from drying out and give it some flavoring --
Yeah.
So, 12 bucks.
I think she's pushing it.
Her Chinese sticky ribs are $24.
These ribs are very, very good.
I could eat these all day.
They fall off the bone. Great flavor.
I would.
Her lychee mango mandarin granita is $7.
Very good.
And she got the consistency of the granita beautiful.
We seem to have elevated in flavor.
It's progressively getting better.
Jade is unique.
We would certainly come back to eat.
The flavors are really good,
but she's got price-point issues on all the dishes.
That's a big problem when we're trying to run a restaurant
in this price range.
No commercial experience,
never led people,
never worked in a real commercial kitchen
that's producing a serious amount of cover.
It's a big concern.
She's never been there before, whereas Adam has.
SEONKYOUNG: I feel exhausted.
Now I'm not sure if I did enough or not.
We will see.
We have one shot to get this restaurant open, get it right,
and get a reputation going
because this town is so critical,
and once that rumor starts, you're done.
It's over. Forget about all the marketing.
Forget everything that's behind it.
And they really are price-sensitive
in this marketplace.
I was the busiest restaurant by far.
I crushed today.
I did this, you know?
I did "Restaurant Express."
I rode the bus to the end.
I deserve to win the competition.
You can see options.
With both of them, you can see options.
Who's ready for this -- this job,
this opportunity of a lifetime?
They've both dreamt about a restaurant.
I know who I would go with, who I think can execute it.
I think we know who the right fit is for the M Resort.
So, Seonkyoung, Adam...
it's all in the books now.
Well, I got to tell you --
seeing both of you open your very own restaurants tonight
was a great honor for me.
Thank you.
Thank you, Chef.
IRVINE: You've both been through a lot to get here,
and you've earned this chance.
Adam, let me start with you.
First place is a multi-million-dollar restaurant.
Second place, you know,
maybe they'll let me keep my used chef's jacket.
You win, or you go home.
Adam, you kept a level head the whole competition,
and it's very impressive to watch.
And more importantly,
your experience has definitely shown.
Thank you, Chef.
Yes, Chef.
I thought my heart was about to --
popping out from my chest.
Oh, my gosh.
IRVINE: You have grown so much
since we've started this journey.
Your food has always been exceptional.
And your execution has improved tremendously.
Even though your lack of experience
shows from time to time, I got to tell you --
you move around a kitchen like you were born in one.
Thank you, Chef.
When he said that, it cannot be better than that.
I was so proud of myself.
[ Breathes deeply ]
Although you both have really proved yourselves,
only one of you can win this dream prize.
Let me remind you what's at stake here.
One of you is about to be hired
to help launch a brand-new restaurant right here at the M.
You'll work on the concept, the name, the menu,
and you will be hired as the executive chef.
ADAM: My time is right now to open my own restaurant.
I am tremendously ready.
SEONKYOUNG: I deserve to be here.
I deserve to have my own restaurant.
IRVINE: So, it's been decided that the winner
of "Restaurant Express" is...
...Seonkyoung.
[ Gasps ]
[ Applause ]
[ Chuckles ]
Is that real? He really called my name?
Not Adam?
Not Adam? It was Seonkyoung.
Adam, I am so sorry that you weren't the winner.
Always the bridesmaid, Chef.
What can I tell you?
Let me tell you something.
Tonight was not your night, but you're an amazing chef.
She won a restaurant.
I won seven weeks of fun.
I tried my best, and I wish her well.
IRVINE: You did a great job.
Thanks, Chef.
And now I'd like to include Anthony,
the president of the M Hotel,
to say a few words.
Oh, gosh.
On behalf of Anthony Matthews and myself,
the M Resort, and all of our team members here,
we want to welcome you to our family.
Thank you so much.
To wear this jacket is a huge honor in Las Vegas
'cause we are known to have one of the best culinary groups
in all of the city.
We're honored to have you as a part of our team.
Thank you so much.
Welcome.
You know, I will be cooking only three years.
I've never tried before.
I never learned how to cook before.
And they are handing me a -- that chef jacket.
[ Applause ]
[ Chuckles ]
This is the first time ever I won something.
[ Sighs ]
You have no idea what I'm feeling with that.
You really don't.
Remember way back when --
and this seems like a lifetime ago --
I said something to you, right?
What was it?
I can do anything.
I can do anything!
Guess what.
You've done everything.
And you've done it well.
Now follow me.
Let's go and look at your restaurant.
[ Chuckles ]
Every time I just did my best.
Every single time, I did my best.
Well, welcome to your new home.
This is your new restaurant.
I believe that I was born to do this.
I think I can make people happy with a restaurant.
This is gonna be my restaurant?
Yep.
[ Chuckles ]
I'm sure you'll do us proud.
I will try.
I feel like I'm living the American dream.
I can't believe this is happening to me.
Good luck.