The chefs of Around the World in 80 Plates are heading to Barcelona, Spain. All of the contestants are talking mad shiz about their cooking skills…and survival skills. Nookie Postal reveals that he and his wife lived for a year there solely on money from his stellar gambling skills. Nicole Lou is hesitant to return to Spain as that is where she married her now ex-wife. Chevin had an experience with a hermaphrodite upon which I won’t expound.
The first challenge pits every man for themselves. The first five people to reach the goal, which is basically a ski gondola, will be teammates, and the players are trying hard to make it to the gondola with people they want to compete with on a team. The first team, red, ends up being Chaz Brown, Cheven Lee, Gary Walker, Nick Lacasse, and John Vermiglio. The black team is…everyone else. For those of you keeping score at home, that means, Nookie, Avery, Nicole, Jenna Hansen, and Liz Garrett. Nookie is the sole dude with the ladies on the black team. Red team member John is worried about the sausage party in which he’s now involved. The red team arrives first to meet Curtis Stone, and one of the teammates yells, “Boys rule, and girls drool.” I’m taken back to my former first grade student Roy who said that. All. The. Time. The teams must sort and prep different seafood for cash. Whichever team wins the most money will win the exceptional ingredient.
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The red team is working hard, extracting ink and fileting fish. The black team is fifteen minutes behind their counterparts. Avery Pursell’s family is from Alaska, so she is all about breaking down the fish. On the red team, it’s clear that Chaz and Cheven are mortal enemies. Nookie is owning this challenge thanks to monk fish, and Chaz is beyond perturbed. When time is called, there is a lot of crap (carp?) talking between the teams. The red team wins based on the ink they extracted. Nookie is far from happy. He should just be happy he’s still here, right?
Curtis reveals that both teams will taking over the same restaurant at the same time. It happens to be the kitchen of one of Spain’s most renowned chefs, who will also, of course, be judging. The teams must use the seafood they have been prepping to create their menu. The winning team is blessed with the exceptional ingredient, red prawns. The teams are able to use the money earned from the challenge to purchase the food needed for their cook-off. Nookie takes the lead role for the red team, while Cheven is trying hard to be the ruler of the winning black team. Discord abounds. The all male team is floundering…go figure. Perhaps girls rule and boys drool? The black team is all on the same page, which gives them some leverage despite being deprived of the red prawns. It seems that the red team’s ego will be their downfall.
Avery admits that being away from her daughters is hard. Chaz can’t let his competitive nature take a back seat. Survivor-esque strategies are being formed. Alliances are created. The teams arrive at the restaurant take-over, and everyone is excited to go head-to-head at the three-course challenge. Cheven is trying to assert himself as the leader of the red team, and Liz on the black team is concerned about her big responsibility of dessert. Jenna is running the front of the restaurant for the black team, but she’s asking too many questions and not realizing how much work the kitchen needs to do.
On the red team, Chaz is doubting his team’s fish dish. Cheven so sensitively equates Chaz’s cutting skills to a fish Holocaust. He’s got a way with words, doesn’t he? Jenna spends a good deal of time chatting with the waiters…the red team doesn’t do the same. Cheven is supposed to working the front of the house with Jenna, but he’s decided to be a line cook instead. Chaz is fuming. The judges are seated, and Curtis and Cat Cora are excited to be dining with the chefs from the restaurant. I wish I spoke Spanish, but from what I gather, the red team is flailing despite having the exceptional ingredient.
Both teams are going head to head, and red team’s Nick wows the judges with his monk fish plate. The black team’s fish is overcooked. Cat thinks that dessert will be the tie-breaker between the teams. The ladies of the black team are concerned about the dessert after Liz makes a last minute change to the recipe. She’s convinced she’s going home. Nookie tries to comfort Liz when she’s crying in the kitchen…Nookie thinks he’s found a weak spot if they lose and need to vote off one of their team members. Jenna does her best to explain their dessert in hopes that it will help their dessert cause. Of course the red team is worried as Cheven is no where to be seen in the dining area.
The chefs gather for Curtis and Cora’s remarks. Curtis reveals that the winning team gained the honor by a mere two votes. The red team gets peeved when Chaz touts his dish, but it turns out that the judges weren’t fans of his plate. Gary takes responsibility for the monk fish, although it’s clear he doesn’t want to be on the chopping block. No worries! Curtis and Cat praise the dish while the red team seethes that Chaz is trying to take credit.
The black team’s monk fish doesn’t garner much praise. Liz is in tears when she admits that her dessert was lacking. Jenna won’t take the fall for Liz’s mistake, that’s for sure. Cat disagrees with Liz’s confession, saying that the locals loved her dessert. Liz is relieved, Jenna is confused, and the black team wins the challenge. On the red team, Chaz is ready to throw down if anyone crosses him. Nookie wins immunity for the black team, but the red team must now vote off a chef. Nick reminds the team that Cheven wasn’t in the front of the restaurant. Chaz is defending himself far too much. After the red team deliberates, it’s neck and neck as far as votes for Cheven and Chaz. Ultimately, it’s time for Cheven to hit the road.
Next week, the chefs are headed to Morocco. Chaz becomes more intense and Avery loses her beets.
WERE YOU GLAD TO SEE CHEVEN GO? WHO IS SHAPING UP TO BE YOUR FAVORITE?
