Michael Symon heads to Breaux Bridge, Louisiana, for the exciting 3rd Annual Operation Smoke Sheaux, where over 60 teams compete for a share of the $10,000 total payout. It's an intense battle featuring chicken, spare ribs and brisket categories, along with a mouthwatering gumbo cook off. From the smoky flavors to the friendly rivalry, Operation Smoke Sheaux is the ultimate showdown for southern pitmasters.
Chef Emeril Lagasse makes his way down to South Florida to explore three original establishments in Miami. He sits down at Joe's Stone Crab in South Beach and learns the history behind the restaurant's signature crustacean dish. He stops by the kitchen to see how Joe's makes its famed Key Lime Pie and discovers why the place was a favorite of G-Men and mobsters alike. Emeril also travels to northwest Miami to taste a true Cuban original, Casa Larios. Find out why a dish translated into English as "fried cow" actually makes Miamians' mouths water. Then Emeril pulls up a stool at the bar that received the very first liquor license in the city -- Tobacco Road. Emeril is in food heaven as he samples ribs and chicken that have been in the Road's own smoker for hours. In fact, he's so happy he sits in on the drums with a local blues band playing at Tobacco Road.
Mentors Anne Burrell and Tyler Florence introduce a game in which the recruits meet some magical and mysterious kitchen gadgets. The recruits become fast friends with the most important tool of all, a knife, to make fajitas while demonstrating their knife skills. Then boot camp transforms into a fish market, and the recruits get up close and personal with the catch of the day as they learn to fillet and prepare fish. The recruits who don't get along with their new friends end up sleeping with the fishes.
Noah Cappe feels the brotherly love at the RiverRink Festival in Philadelphia with the Ultimate Crab Fries, a classic Philly street eat, and the Brewed Awakening Shake, where French toast and bacon meet a milkshake in the best way possible. Noah also checks out the South Florida Fair in West Palm Beach for the Pizza Supreme Blossom and the riveting Rosie's Sweet Potato Ribbon Pie. Then, Noah gets dealt a great hand at the Great American Foodie Fest in Las Vegas. On offer is the Quattro Queso Taco, where crispy cheese makes the best taco shell, the Jamaican-inspired Dutty Fries and the truly divine Lobster 'n Waffles.
We're tracking down the crunchiest, flakiest and noisiest favorite foods. In New York, Justin Warner shares a pizza completely enclosed in the ultimate crispy crust. Alex Guarnaschelli heads down south to New Orleans for her favorite bite at Turkey and the Wolf, and Fanny Slater travels all the way to Hawaii for her favorite Crispy Tuna Roll.
Host George Duran explores the history of one of the oldest and most versatile of prepared foods -- bread -- by examining some of America's contributions to this "staff of life." After sampling San Francisco's sourdough bread, George learns how bread can be baked and distributed by both massive, computer controlled bakeries and unique, nurturing artisans. Finally, a whirlwind tour offers little known bread secrets and international varieties that contribute to local customs and holidays.
In FoodNation U.S.A., Bobby Flay takes to the road to explore the greatness of America's food. Traveling the country by bus, Bobby goes coast to coast through the heartland of the nation, sampling the culinary diversity that is so unique to the United States.
How can Tyler turn the humblest of peasant food into the Ultimate? Don't worry, he's about to pump some new life into an old bird: Tyler's Ultimate Chicken Cacciatore!
Alton Brown "reloads" this show on "budget" steaks with new ways of cooking his favorite: top sirloin steak. Then there's a close look at why we "flip" meat and a new angle on the broiler.