Gabriele Corcos is homesick for the beautiful Tuscan countryside and Debi Mazar wants to show him that he can get a taste of Tuscany just by driving a couple of hours north. Debi and Gabriele head to New York's Hudson Valley for some fresh air and good, farm-fresh ingredients. Back home, they settle in and put their ingredients to use by cooking up a big family meal to eat outside in their backyard. After a fun filled day and delicious food, Gabriele will feel like he's home.
Casey Webb's eating adventure takes him to Fargo, North Dakota, for a hearty, German take on a cheesy classic and a breakfast-dessert mashup with a Scandinavian spin. Then he settles in for the Boiler Room's Hot Dish Challenge: a massive Midwestern meal made for the entire family ... or just one man.
Adam Richman is in Indianapolis, Indiana, for the Indy staple pork tenderloin sandwich, some Hoosier home cooking and the enormous Big Ugly Burger Challenge at Bub's Burgers and Ice Cream.
The world of competitive baking is a rapidly growing subculture full of passionate individuals creating masterful bakes from their home kitchens. Three talented bakers enter local competitions for a chance to have their work recognized by the best in the business. RaChelle is a perfectionist and a decade-long competitor who will enter bakes in any and every competition she can. Sumera is a nanny who has found her true calling in baking and is ready to see where her skills might take her. Lili is a unique baking hobbyist who is going to try her hand at competition for the first time.
These days we're all looking for ways to make more out of less. Alton Brown's favorite strategy: flatten meats wafer thin and cover them with flavor. New looks at old classics like Chicken Kiev, Turkey Piccata and Beef Paillard.
Jesse Palmer is in Los Angeles to see which food truck dreamers have what it takes to win their own customized truck for one year. In day one, the newbies learn a love of cooking is not enough to get through the hazards of running a truck, while day two offers little relief when both teams have to compete against not just each other, but also established food trucks for a busy dinner service outside the Farmers' Market.
Andrew highlights San Diego's sun-soaked cuisine, served surfside. The laid-back beach town is known for its Mexican-inspired fish tacos, octopus tostadas, Filipino chicken adobo, So-Cal monster burritos, and a globally-loved hometown salad.
Todd Graves returns to his hometown of Baton Rouge to help Poor Boy Lloyd's, a legendary seafood spot in Louisiana. The owner purchased what is now the longest-running restaurant in downtown with savings from working on oil rigs for 20 years. The restaurant serves as the sole source of income for the family, and the threat of closing down grows closer every day as precious few of their tables are ever occupied. Special guest Shaquille O'Neal joins Todd to help save this beloved restaurant.
Kelsey uses one of her favorite essential tools, the slow cooker, to make some surprising, delicious and versatile dishes. Her spicy and savory pork recipe comes out of the slow cooker fork tender and perfect for any number of dishes. To start, she'll wrap the Pork in a Warm Tortilla and add pickled red onions, pineapple and cilantro and serve it with a side of Black Bean Salad With Mango and Lime. Then, for a twist, she'll make a Thai inspired Pork Summer Roll, filled with mint, cilantro and basil and serve it with rich and creamy Peanut Dipping Sauce. And for dessert, she'll show you how to make a creamy and wonderful Tres Leches Bread Pudding.
In the final week of boot camp, mentors Anne Burrell and Tyler Florence want to remind their celebrity recruits just how far they've come. After watching a highlight reel of their not-so-finest moments, the final two celebrities are asked to recreate their baseline dishes using all the techniques they've learned over the past six weeks. For the final challenge, the two finalists must create a three-course meal for culinary experts Leah Cohen, Zac Posen and Melba Wilson, who decide which celebrity takes home $25,000 for the charity of their choice.