This week, the top ten got advice from past winner Guy Fieri, then presented dishes to a crowd of a hundred and fifty Food Network fans.
Similar to their camera challenge with Alton brown, the contestants were each assigned a segment of a Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives feature. Most of them didn’t do very well, they were either bland (Jyll), talked about themselves too much (Orchid), or had to deal with a snippy waitress (Jeff and Penny). Susie, who went first, nailed her segment, and Whitney did much better than usual. Personally I thought Justin D.’s first take was his best so far, but then he ruined it by being too over-the-top after ‘advice’ from Guy.
For the star challenge, they had to use classic barbeque/picnic combinations as inspiration for the dishes they would present to the crowd. Orchid stumbled again by trying to cook brisket in two hours instead of getting a faster-cooking cut of meat, and Jyll had no confidence in making her Spanish dish.
Again, contestants were given a bunch of Fourth of July-themed props to use in their demonstrations. Props are never good in my opinion because they always end up looking silly. For example, Jyll’s Uncle Sam hat was way too big, Penny thought it would be a good idea to dress like Betsy Ross, and Vic wore a ridiculous orange wig (Did anyone who’s ever seen Hannah Montana think of ‘Lola’?). Though the judges loved it, I rolled my eyes when Jeff tried to pull off some loud rock-star persona with a flag cape and guitar. Whitney was the only one who managed to look good in her props, a simple cowboy hat and bandana.
The food presentation to the judges went slightly better. Penny was actually warm and friendly with the crowd, around her table and her lamb kabob was delicious. People loved Vic, and his lobster. Mary Beth’s chicken wasn’t cooked enough. Jyll had one of the worst dishes, and told that to anyone who would listen. But Susie won the challenge because she went on stage with no props whatsoever, and presented her excellent food as herself.
In elimination, Justin D. went home because of his “identity crisis.” I have to agree on this one, he’s had too many chances to prove himself, but couldn’t deliver on camera. He was definitely the least-memorable contestant.
Top Contenders
Susie: A couple weeks ago, I still thought she would be going home soon, especially after her churro fail. But she owned both challenges this week with her bubbly personality. I could easily see her being at least top four.
Mary Beth: Even though she stumbled this week, I still think she’ll last at least another few weeks. Her presentations are consistently decent, and to me she’s one of the most likeable.
Whitney: She seemed to come out of her shell just a little bit this week, and she hasn’t really had a major food disaster yet. If she works on her on-camera presence, she’ll be around for a while.
Jeff: He’s my pick of the three remaining guys. I like his sandwich concept, and he’s comfortable in front of the camera. But if he tries to push his energy to the next level, I worry he’ll start to seem fake (to me, like he did this week).
Middle of the Pack
Penny: I know, everyone wants this drama queen to go home. While her “the other girls are picking on me” pity speech to the judges did get my nerves, I have to admit I’m kind of rooting for her. Her food is mostly good, also in particular I liked how she was with the crowd this week. Sure, she’s not all sweetness and “let’s be best friends!” like the other girls, but it is a competition and she’s treating it as such. Her best move would be to just ignore the other girls while focusing more on the challenges instead of creating drama.
Vic: The judges seem to love him, but I can’t see this guy hosting a Food Network show. Maybe it’s shallow of me, but I really hate the oversized, tattooed arms. I just can’t get past his “tough guy” image.
Orchid: No longer a front-runner, she’s struggling to bring out more of her personality. She doesn’t make the best food decisions either (canned oysters, using brisket instead of another meat). If she really messes up, she could go home in a few weeks.
Going Home Soon
Jyll: She’s never really been a favorite of mine, personality-wise I’ve always thought she was very bland. This week definitely showed that. I don’t think she’ll be able to stand out quickly enough to avoid elimination next week or the week after.
Chris: He’s another one with nine lives. Never one of the best, he can’t seem to pull off a flawless presentation. If his food isn’t excellent next week, he’s going home.
