The Taste (2013) s02e01 Episode Script

The Taste is back.
Culinary legends Season 2, the revenge.
Just make it [bleep.]
delicious.
That's all that matters.
I'm hungry.
Without a little bit of pain, there can be no pleasure.
Right.
Feels good to be back.
Test it! Test it! What you think?! Test it! And new mentor Let's get ready to rumble.
The Oscars of food is the James Beard Award, and I got six.
Tonight, they're going head-to-head to build teams of four gifted cooks to join in the kitchen and guide through the competition.
Cheers, and good luck.
I need to know! - That's sabotage.
- Just do your food! I don't know what happened there.
C-c-c-crazy.
Professional chefs and home cooks from across America must impress the mentors with just one bite to win a place on their team.
I'm a professional chef.
I'm a writer.
I'm a home cook.
Everything is tasted blind, so the mentors have no idea what they're eating or who cooked it.
Eat this while watching, like, porn Perfect.
After eight weeks of stiff competition, one cook will rise to the top, taking home $100,000 to stand alongside America's most gifted cooks.
One bite, one chance.
May the best taste win.
It's audition day.
The mentors must each find four cooks to join their teams by the end of the day.
I definitely want to be on Anthony's team because he totally reminds me of my dad.
The cooks have one hour to prepare one complete show plate and four identical bites.
The mentors taste the food blind without knowing anything about who made it.
They must decide whether they want the cook on their team based purely on the taste.
We're just born to cook together.
Food is never just food.
It's exquisite, and it appeals to every sense.
It can change your life.
Who got heart? Who got gut? Who's taking a chance? The competition starts now.
My potatoes are perfect.
I'm very happy.
My name is Jeff Kawakami.
I live in Hollywood, California, and I am 32.
I've been working in restaurants for 16 years, and I've been doing catering for 14 years.
Ever since I was a kid, I've always loved food.
I love being in the kitchen.
Are you excited? Are you nervous? I'm totally nervous.
I don't know what I'm gonna do.
Having to overcome what I have throughout my life, I think, has really prepared me for this competition.
I started using drugs and alcohol at a very young age and struggled for about five years.
I I cleaned myself up, and so I've had to rebuild my life.
I got a job working in the kitchen.
And cooking really makes me happy.
Really helped me pull my life together.
- Cheers.
- Thank you very much.
- Cheers.
Good luck.
- Cheers.
Thank you.
I've been able to prove to myself that I'm a strong person and I can't be beat down.
I don't know if necessarily me being a professional gives me an advantage, but I'm just hoping that my dish turns out really well.
Today, I am going to make a deconstructed bacon fried rice.
It's gonna have the crispy rice cake with a little soy sauce, bacon, and then sautéed mushrooms and then quail eggs.
I'm excited about meeting the mentors.
Nigella is really fun.
She's You know, she's beautiful, and she's all about eating things that taste good, and so, I mean, she'd be fun to work with.
Ludo seems like he has a gruff demeanor, and I don't like working with people who are kind of gruff.
Hey.
You know, this is really a once-in-lifetime opportunity to start my life in a really amazing direction after everything I've gone through, so I'm really hoping they like my dish.
My biggest fear is that they won't get me.
Maybe my food will be too simple.
Oh, my God.
Oh, my God.
Oh, my God.
How'd it go? I feel like I really did really well.
Yeah.
- Like, it'd be crushing to not get through.
- Yeah.
Egg, bacon.
This is a hipster dish.
A what? Hipster dish.
"Hipster.
" - A professional, I think.
- Yeah.
Who else is messing with quail eggs? If I eat that in the morning, I'm going to have a great day, you know, not like this morning.
You all locked in? - Yeah.
- Locked in.
It'll be quite interesting to see the plate.
This is not what you call presentation.
However, you know, the whole point here is about the taste.
Welcome.
What's your name? My name is Jeff Kawakami.
I'm from Hollywood, California.
Understand we've already locked in our decision before we met you.
- You're a professional? - Yes.
I do catering currently.
And this dish With my family, we have fried rice at, like, every family event.
That's our thing.
And so I decided to deconstruct it and do a crispy rice cake with sushi rice and then the sautéed mushrooms, the chives, and then bacon and little quail eggs.
You executed that fried quail egg perfectly.
Thank you.
I wanted it to be the sauce.
But it was a little sticky for me.
I was looking for a little more.
Just because the rice cake for me was a tad dry, I have to say no.
Um, I didn't think the rice was too dry because it needed not to be mushy.
I thought the crispiness but with a slightly - Did you get the chewiness? - toothsome interior.
I mean, that, for me, was the holy trinity.
And I would be so honored if you would come and cook in my kitchen.
Oh, my God! Oh, my God! Oh, my God! Jeff, the rice was a little too crunchy, but it's okay.
At the end of the day, the taste was there, so, you know, I hope I can have you in my kitchen because it's a yes.
- All right.
- Oh, my God! Tough decision for you, sir.
Yeah.
Um, well, one yes One yes is amazing.
You know, it It's not easy.
I think you have something that is so special.
If you were in my kitchen, the food would be mind-blowing.
Look, you need to decide.
You know, you can be with a beautiful woman in the kitchen.
- Don't do that.
- My God.
That's some sexist [bleep.]
right there.
A beautiful woman who's proved herself, though.
That's my man.
You know what? You know what, Jeff? I'm very bad.
Don't take me.
I'm an [bleep.]
.
I scream a lot.
Go with her, please.
I'm just an [bleep.]
.
And I won't lie.
I'm a little scared of you.
You come off very gruff.
But actually, I think I'm gonna pick you because I know you're technical, and maybe you'll push me, you know? And I'll do something really great.
My first one.
I'm so happy.
Yeah! Thank you.
Thank you.
We're going to have fun, bro.
Don't worry.
Yeah.
Thank you.
This guy you got to watch.
I liked him.
I liked him.
Two chefs picked me.
Oh, my God.
Oh, my God.
Who? Ludo and Nigella picked me.
Oh, God.
You go You picked Nigella.
- I picked Ludo.
- You picked Ludo? I completely surprised myself.
I didn't think that I would choose Ludo, but I want the push, I guess, so that I can take myself to the next level.
Food is like music.
You know, you hear a good song, and that gives you - That's a riff into another good song.
- Yes.
That's true.
It's so important to be surrounded by other mentors who have gifts that you admire.
Excited? - I'm hungry.
- I am excited.
I'm a little hung over and hungry.
Tony is the Keith Richards of food.
I started in the restaurant business at 17 years old as a dishwasher, worked my way up to chef.
And then, at age 44, I got successful for writing a really obnoxious book, and I ended up doing what I've been doing ever since.
I travel around the world, eating and drinking to excess.
Tony, for me, is very inspirational.
He's a wonderful chef.
He know a lot about food, about people, about life.
Congratulations.
I'm all for the home cook.
Nigella is the only mentor who has not been a professional chef, but to assume that that is in any way a disadvantage would be a big mistake.
She's a diva, you know, of home cooking.
She's a very natural cook, and she's so elegant.
I started life as a journalist, but I've always loved cooking.
I'm not even a trained cook, but I love flavor.
She's funny.
She's ridiculously talented.
Did I say smart? She's, like, ridiculously smart.
Well, ça va.
I love Ludo.
He's my brother from another mother.
He's the chef of probably the best, hottest restaurant in Los Angeles Trois Mec.
He's an important innovator with the trucks and pop-up restaurants.
I'm 100% French.
Best place in the world to learn about food.
You can tell, like, this is his element.
That's the last time I'm gonna say anything nice about him.
Ludo's strength is his passion.
Ludo's weakness is his passion.
Aah! The guy's got a temper.
Aah! It's particularly exciting having Marcus joining us.
He really is a culinary citizen of the world.
Feeling good! I was born in Ethiopia, adopted by a Swedish family.
I worked in France at three star Michelin restaurants.
And now he has a wildly successful restaurant in Harlem called the Red Rooster.
I once ate so much food there that I almost had to be carried out on a gurney.
Marcus is a great chef, and he's like me.
He don't like to lose.
It's game on now.
Yes! What are you guys looking for? Do you have a dream team? Four hardened professionals.
That would be bad.
That would be bad.
I would say two and two.
A little bit of offense and defense both.
I think I'm just going to go with my gut.
I'm not going to think too much it is a home cook or a personal chef.
Are you going to go with home cook again? Who knows? Or have you learned your lesson? My name is Reina.
I'm 53.
And I'm a professional home cook for my kids and my family.
I'm making a Mediterranean dish.
It's called Mediterranean beef.
It's an explosion of flavors, just like I am.
We are under this pressure, cooking.
I mean, I'm ready to Boom! Explode like a dynamite.
Come on, Reina.
You can do it.
You can do it.
Tzatziki, baby! Oh, my God.
I'm so sorry.
I love Nigella because she is a lot like me Comfort foods, you know? I would love to work with Nigella because she and I have a lot in common.
She is a home cook.
I think they love to use the flavor of my fingers.
And she's very vibrant beautiful lady Exotic.
I guarantee you theye gonna love this.
It's all about flavor.
It doesn't matter how it looks.
Come on! What the heck? Look at what I'm doing.
This is not right.
Oh, my God.
Oh, my God.
It's all about the taste.
Remember that, right? Just take it, baby.
Take it.
And I'm sorry about the mess.
I'll clean it later.
I promise you.
What I want from the chefs when they taste my food is to close their eyes and have a minute of silence and go, " Mmm!" Chew, chew, chew, and then go, "Wow! What is this?!" It wasn't pretty, but it had some type of texture there that's interesting.
Frankly, I thought it had good flavor and texture.
To me, if you're gonna do tzatziki, it's more like it should be lamb.
We've all decided here? - You locked in? - Yeah.
That's my dog poo-poo in the morning.
Hey.
Hello.
My name is Reina Bazzi.
Reina, where are you from? I'm originally from Caracas, Venezuela.
Are you a home cook? I'm a professional home cook for my family.
That's the answer.
I love that! What exactly is your dish? I call it a Mediterranean filet tenderloin.
Use some eggplant with tzatziki and beef.
I think it tasted good, so This dish could use some fine-tuning.
Uh, I have to say no.
Thank you.
I think you made one mistake Your choice of a protein.
It shouldn't be the tenderloin.
It should be more fat.
Yeah.
So I have to say no.
Thank you.
Look, I love the tzatziki, but for me, the rice was too dry.
It's a no.
Sorry.
Thank you.
I would have added a bit more chicken stock to the rice, just to give it a bit of oomph.
But the thing is you've got cooking in your blood and in your heart, and you actually have it in your fingers.
You know, you can do it.
So, if you don't mind me occasionally being, like, a bit bossy, I k you and I would be a very good fit in the kitchen.
- I would love it.
- Oh, my God! Oh, my God! Nigella, I wanted you from the very beginning.
- I love you! - Oh, well, I love you.
- Oh, my God.
I'm so excited.
- So thrilled.
I'm so glad.
Oh! Bless you.
Oh, my God! The party hasn't even started yet.
Wait till you see what's next.
You've got your hands full there, my friend.
I'm just gonna let the party roll.
I'm Don.
I'm from Mason, Texas, and I'm a Texas wine maker.
Wine and food are perfectly complementary.
I never eat without wine.
I never drink without food.
I'm a home cook.
A home cook's not a bad thing.
An amateur is someone who loves to do what they're doing.
They do it for the pleasure of it, not for monetary compensation.
And that's what I do.
I met my wife, Diana, in high school.
We were high-school sweethearts.
I was 15 years old, and she was an older woman.
She was 17.
We fell in love pretty quickly, and we've We stayed together for 41 years.
I lost Diana nine months ago to A.
L.
S.
, Lou Gehrig's disease.
It's a horrible disease.
I was numb.
When her ability to swallow started to deteriorate, I stopped cooking.
But I realized, you know, I got a choice.
Do you live or not? It was cooking that refocused me and And helped me get out of that depression and become me again.
Opportunity to audition for The Taste came at the right time.
I'm doing a Thai-based gastrique, a jalapeño hot sauce, and a deep-fried oyster.
These oysters are huge! Cooking makes me joyful again.
I cook for my friends.
I don't simply cook for myself.
Voilà.
It's done.
I may not make the prettiest dish.
But you know what? This isn't about a pretty dish.
This is about the taste.
I can deliver on the taste.
Nice.
Cheers.
Well - Anything? - The cooking's over.
Okay.
Now it's in someone else's hands, but I did get a nice glass of wine.
- Oh, my goodness, me.
- Mmm, I love big spoon.
It's an oyster.
It's big.
It's unwieldy.
I mean, it's crunchy.
- The proportions are off - Yeah.
but I do think that the flavors are interesting.
Could have used a little more heat.
- Yeah, it's a difficult one.
- With Tequila, no? We're all locked in, right? - Yeah.
- Yeah.
All right, let's see what's going on here.
- Hello.
- How do you do? - Welcome.
- Thank you.
Well, first, the most important question.
What are you drinking? It's a nice sauvignon blanc.
Thanks for sharing.
What's your name? My name's Don Pullum.
What did you make for us today? I made you a Texas-Thai oyster.
It's a deep-fried oyster with a Thai-based gastrique with a little jalapeño sauce on top.
What's your background? I'm a wine maker in Texas.
- Huh?! - Fabulous.
They have wine in Texas? - They have wine over there? - They do.
I never heard about that.
Get that straight in your mind there, Frenchy.
Texas Great state.
All right.
Personally, the taste was a little unwieldy for me.
I think perhaps larger oysters than you might have liked.
I have no doubt that you're a terrific cook, but in this case, not what I was looking for.
I'm sorry.
I felt there was too much sweet in the sauce.
In the end, I hovered, I hovered, I hovered.
I sadly said no.
Oh.
It was a big spoon, bro.
No finesse.
But it's about the taste.
And when I put your dish in my mouth, I like it.
You have some big ball to do that, bro.
It's great picnic.
Thank you.
You need some help, but I want to make you better, so I want to spend time with you.
It's a yes.
Oh, wow.
Wow.
Okay.
You know, cooking for me has a lot to do with a push and pull, and this was missing that.
It was more fried on more fried on more fried, right? However, I think that your Your sauce is very interesting, so I think, Don, if you want to cook, come to my team, and we're gonna have a lot of fun.
Wow.
Thank you.
Oh, my word.
Thank you.
- I hope you're feeling good right now - I am.
because you have two of the best chefs in America vying for your favors here.
So, Don, you don't realize, but we have a lot of thing in common Wine.
I love wine.
I'm from Burgundy.
- Look.
- Yes.
Burgundy.
Here.
But the most important thing Marcus He's a rookie.
He never played this game before.
Last year, I win four straight team challenges.
Nobody can say that in this panel Nobody.
Because you know what? I cook with my guys.
I teach you guys.
I make you better.
You know, I hate to pull this out, but, yes, I'm a rookie in this game, but, you know, for us, the Oscars of food is the James Beard Award, and I got six.
So I know how to win a game.
So I think that, Don, just based on what we got You and me Let's cook together.
Let's have some fun.
And then, once you win, we go to France, to Burgundy, and we drink some wine.
How about that? Oh, I'm so glad I'm not a man.
Sir, it's up to you.
Chef Ludo, I'd absolutely learn a tremendous amount from you.
It would be painful learning, I think.
And, Chef Marcus, I saw you do a demonstration at the Austin Wine & Food Festival Oh, nice.
and really, really appreciated - the way you taught how to make dishes - Yes.
So cheers to you, Chef Marcus.
Here it is! Yes! Yes! Mwah! - Welcome to my kitchen.
- Thank you.
Yes.
Well, I had Chef Ludo and Chef Samuelsson wanting me on both their teams, so Marcus Samuelsson! I had two great chefs fighting over me, and I was just a little bit embarrassed about it.
I've never had people fight over me like that before.
My wife is absolutely proud of me being here, and I know she's here with me and she wants me to be here.
I love you, Diana.
As audition day continues, Ludo, Nigella, and Marcus have one cook each.
Anthony still has four cooks to find.
They've got to come here with their showstopper.
I need to feel hungry to have more of their food.
I'm looking for the statement, something that takes you there and wants you to feel, like, the true passion behind the chef.
I'd definitely be a powerful asset to anyone's team.
I'd be their high bishop.
Chef Sevan Born and raised Hollywood, California, 36 years old.
Showstopping dish that I'm gonna win with is called the tower of power.
How would people describe me? Uh Pompous, arrogant, exciting, sophisticated, well-traveled, stylish Eclectic, and excellent.
The competition is actually very weak.
It's a lot of home-chef-based stuff, a lot of women in heels.
I don't feel it has any competition whatsoever.
My dish is completely raw.
Basically, what it is, is a tuna tartare, and it tastes just like pure heaven.
I'm on six minutes.
I've only been cooking for six minutes.
My God.
I've got 54 minutes left, and I don't know what to do with myself.
I am gonna run Taste season 2 and annihilate all humanity.
It's gonna taste like a tropical spoon of love with the ocean inside it.
Ooh, there's a tower.
Dramatic.
Once they take a look at it, they're gonna be like, "Wow.
" It's the leaning tower of [bleep.]
.
- Too much acidity for me.
- Disgusting.
Speechless.
I mean, it's just like every food crime in one.
Welcome to The Taste.
- How are you? - Hello.
Thank you for having me.
I do I don't want to rude.
I just didn't get it.
I did not like it at all.
Sorry.
I feel like I'm getting an education in California cuisine, circa 1991.
No, no, no.
No, no, no, no, no.
Thank you.
- Just go.
Yeah.
- Thank you very much.
I'm wondering if I ram this pen into my cerebral cortex if I could, like, obliterate the memory of that mouthful.
Tony, do you know how much I wanted to stretch my hand and press "yes" on Ludo's button there? Today, I am doing a seared lamb loin with a chermoula sauce with cilantro.
This bite has to be the most perfect bite of food in my life.
I'm cooking a sea-urchin mousse.
I'm not loving the way it's looking right this second all I can do is wait and see what happens.
My food option that I've chosen is a seared black cod with a savory miso soy cream sauce.
It's passion on a plate.
Here we go.
I feel pretty confident.
I know all the flavors were there, and I'm really happy with my dish.
Down the hatch.
I wish it were more beautiful, but I'm confident it tastes fantastic.
I'm feeling awesome.
I think my dish is really spot-on.
I want them all to choose me.
In the words of Marky Mark, "If you're not in it to win it, then get the hell out.
" - Hello.
How are you? - Good.
How are you? Hi.
Glad to see each and every one of you.
What'd you think? - This is a yes, my dear.
- Yes! - Crystal, I liked it.
- Oh! Yay! - Welcome to my kitchen.
- Thank you.
I would be very pleased if you joined me on my team.
Don't do this! Don't do this! Anthony, I'm going with you, buddy.
Oh, my God! Very happy.
Thank you.
Get used to that feeling.
Aah! I'm there! I did it.
Yeah! Of course you did.
Hi.
Welcome to Brass Knuckle.
What can I get you? My name is Shellie Kitchen.
I'm 41 years old, and I'm from San Francisco, California.
I'm the owner of Brass Knuckle food truck.
My food is stoner food.
Like, if you're wasted at like 2:00 in the morning, go see my truck.
Here's your fryin' maiden with bacon.
Thank you, sweetie.
My husband, Shane Honestly, if I gave him a blowtorch, he would blow that thing up in flames.
I don't care.
I'm not gonna quit my passion 'cause somebody else doesn't like it.
We have three little kids.
Are you guys hungry? Two little girls and a boy.
My kids mean the world to me.
When I go home, I hug them.
I tell them I love them.
I spend as much time as I can.
But at the same time, I got to work and give those kids whatever they want.
I want to be on The Taste 'cause I think I can blow people out of the water.
My dish today is a chorizo beer-blanc prawn.
I am definitely a sink-or-swim person.
You just got to go for it, or you drown.
This competition is all about the food and the perfect bite and the perfect taste, and that's what I do every day.
I'm nervous.
Oh, my God.
Thank God that this is just based on a bite alone because I didn't get to finish my show plate.
Lucky I got a big mouth.
Look at this.
- I forgot one dish.
- You forgot a dish? Oh, well.
The life of Shellie.
She doesn't pay attention.
It was challenging.
Quite a mouthful.
I thought it was aesthetically beautiful but it was missing salt for me, and the flavors were kind of all over the place.
Everyone locked in? Hi.
What is your name? Shellie Kitchen.
Well, what was your bite? Chorizo butter-sauce prawns.
Are you a home cook or professional chef? I own a food truck.
What kind of food are you doing in your food truck? Stoner comfort food.
There was no show plate.
There would be no connection between the stoner nature of your business and the non-arrival of the plate? I was pressed for time, and I I looked at the clock.
I thought I'd just get the four spoons out.
For me, the shrimp was overcooked, and I think it was bland.
So, for me, it's a no.
I'm so sorry.
I like a big mouthful.
I like that a lot.
Somehow, the balance wasn't held together.
- So, I'm sorry.
For me, it's a no.
- All right.
The dish was not focused enough, so for me, it has to be no.
The dish was a little sweeter than Than I generally like.
You may or may not be a stoner.
You didn't finish your presentation plate.
That said I think you'd work out real well in my kitchen.
- I said yes.
- Oh, my God! Oh, really? Oh, my God! I may or may not have once been stoned in my life.
But get your work done on time.
- Welcome.
- Thank you! - Congratulations.
- Congratulations.
Well done.
I got it! I got it! I think I could work with her.
I've had a career working with, managing, and manipulating stoners, so This proves to my husband that this is what makes me happy, and I just want to prove to him and my kids that you can do things that you love and and succeed.
Anthony, Nigella, and Marcus each have two cooks on their team.
Ludo has just one.
What do you feel like right now, like, in a perfect world? You know what I want now? Chicken liver.
Kidney.
I love kidney.
Some well-handled hooves or snouts are are nice.
Yes.
Any entrail.
I'm Vidya Krishnan.
I'm 26 years old, and I'm a home cook.
I am making my own version of chaat, which is an Indian street food.
Today, I will be cooking vegetarian.
I definitely think vegetarians have a bad rep in this competition.
My antipathy to vegans and vegetarians is well-known.
This competition is extremely important to me, but sometimes I don't know what the heck I'm doing.
Oh.
I got a biology degree, but it just wasn't for me.
I just didn't feel passionate about what I was doing.
And now I want to do culinary art, and that's why I'm here.
I really want my parents to be proud of me.
My parents don't really see cooking as a professional career path.
They'll be like, "When are you going back to school, and what are you going to do with your life?" And I'm just like, "I want to cook.
" This is the perfect competition for me because I can finally show my parents that I'm not crazy and this is what I'm meant to do.
Oh, please.
My Indian food has a lot of spices and flavor that they won't even realize that the meat is missing.
What is that? Chickpeas? Yep.
- Yogurt? - Chickpeas, yogurt.
- So, it's a vegetarian dish.
- Yep.
That's one for you, Tony.
It's good flavor.
"Can I risk taking on a vegetarian?" Is really the only question in my mind.
Yes, quite.
A vegetarian is a difficult one.
Can't wait to see who did that.
Hi.
Hello.
Hi.
What's your name? Vidya Krishnan.
Are you a professional or a nonprofessional? I'm a nonprofessional cook.
What do your family think of your cooking? Are they supportive? They want me to go back to school and stuff like that, but I want to pursue cooking now.
Well, it was a very hard decision for me, but I felt the chutney just slightly overwhelmed.
Oh, man.
I just felt that, for me, it's a no.
But good luck, and, you know, you should carry on cooking, I think.
I will speak to your parents if you need me to.
Thank you so much, Nigella.
So, you make me smile today.
I almost push "yes," but I push "no.
" I'm sorry.
You know, the problem is I'll be honest with you It was too sweet.
Ohh.
It was too much chutney on the spoon.
I almost say yes Almost.
The chickpeas were fun.
I loved the yogurt in there.
You're not gonna be happy about this, but your parents are gonna be very happy.
I have to say no.
For me, it was just too sweet.
I thought it was an outstanding-tasting dish.
Truly, one of the tastiest things we've had today.
Thank you so much, Anthony.
I really regret that I could not overcome my fears and prejudices as far as vegetarianism.
And for all the wrong reasons, I said no.
It's a delight to have been fed that.
- Thank you.
- Thank you so much.
Thank you.
You know what? I feel bad because I should go with my gut and take her because that's our job, too, as a mentor.
It's very difficult having someone who doesn't cook meat in all these different challenges.
But I liked that dish a lot.
Hey.
I didn't get picked.
Okay, girl.
You tried, okay? Everything in life is an experience, okay? It was a huge risk for me to come out here, but this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I took it.
And I'm glad I did it.
I'm Cassandra.
I'm from New York City, and I am so excited to start tearing it up and make some cupcakes.
I really believe in a plant-based diet.
This is my fish, Terminator.
He is 4 years old, and he is vegan.
I love juicing.
I wrote a book called Juicespiration on juicing.
They asked me to speak for national kale awareness.
All right, so, here are my cupcakes.
Okay.
I make a really kick-ass vegan cupcake.
You're going up against the bacon.
She's gonna take a cupcake against bacon, which is gonna be tough.
It's like bringing a knife to a gunfight.
I did not get this from my parents.
I'll say that.
Cassandra's kind of crazy.
We deal with it.
All right.
Mr.
Bourdain does not like vegans.
Now, where's the thing? I respect, you know, that that's not his thing.
I wish he wouldn't be mean about it.
I think this mixer hates me.
I hope that he really enjoys the cupcakes and maybe it opens his eyes a little bit to vegan being delicious.
I love that it's a blind taste testing.
They can just have the experience and judge that for what it is, which, I think, will be wonderful.
I've only got one minute left, and everything's plated, and I think they look super-cute.
It's my fate in a cupcake.
If there was anything I'd put my fate in, it would be a cupcake.
- Pastry.
- Dessert.
This is one for Tony.
Making sweet things Everyone always thinks it's difficult.
Actually, it's very, very easy, so it doesn't take a lot of technique.
It's not dry at least.
But you're talking like I just came up to you with an amputated arm, squirting blood all over the stage, and you're saying, "At least it's not cancer.
" I mean, something sweet has to seduce.
It has to seduce.
Hi.
How are you? Hi.
I'm good.
How are you guys? - Welcome.
- Thank you.
How's it going? What's your name? My name is Cassandra.
So, are you a home cook or a professional? I'm a home cook.
And who do you cook for? I am a happy, healthy living guru.
I have a bunch of clients, and I help them eat healthier without giving away the naughty things they absolutely love.
Is there no flour? Have you taken the fat out? It is a vegan cupcake.
Vegan cupcake.
So eggless.
It's eggless.
But I don't only cook vegan.
I cook all sorts of things, but I just felt like this particular dish represents what I do.
Well, there's something off about this.
It doesn't really speak to my sweet tooth, so I have to say no.
Thank you.
We're here to live, to love, to die with rich, fatty, delicious food.
I'm deeply prejudiced against pastries, baked goods, desserts, vegans, and healthy stuff.
Not for me.
To me, if you're gonna make something sweet, you need to seduce with it.
I wanted to be swooning.
I'm afraid I wasn't.
I'm sorry.
Look, I don't mind about the vegan or people don't cook with fat 'cause you know what? I'm tired of fat.
Cooking with fat is easy.
It's very difficult to cook a little cake like this.
The texture of the cake It was great.
But the flavor I mean, the flavor it was very A lot of lime.
But you know what? It's a new world we're living now.
And we're eating vegetable, and I'm very more healthy.
So you know what, Cassandra? You know what? It's a new world we're living now, and we're eating vegetable, and I'm very more healthy.
So you know what, Cassandra? I take a big risk.
I'm gonna accept you on my team, and we're going to cook together.
Thank you so much.
Whoo! I can't even tell you how much this means to me.
I am so excited to work with you.
Congratulations.
- Congratulations.
- Congratulations.
Aah! I am the first vegetarian and the first person to make a vegan dish and actually get on The Taste, with Ludo, nonetheless, out of everybody.
I am so honored.
J'accuse.
Traitor to France.
Because of fat? I don't need fat anymore.
I'm all about the vegetables and the clean living.
You know what? You have clasped a viper to your bosom, sir.
And it will bite you.
Okay, boss.
She don't put fat, but whatever.
I'm going to tell her to put some fat in her food.
That's it.
Flowers.
Wow! My name is Audrey Johns.
I'm 33 years old, and I live in beautiful Atascadero, California.
Maybe we should get some peppers, huh? I have a little girl.
Her name is Sophia.
She's a little fiery redhead.
And my husband, Chris, is such an amazing support system.
You want to wear one, too? They don't make my size.
I want to get into Nigella's kitchen.
I am so in awe of her.
She can teach me a lot.
I love to take really naughty things you're not supposed to have every single day and turn them into something you can have every single day.
I know that Nigella loves meatballs, and I hope everybody loves my food, but I'm cooking for Nigella today.
I learned this from Nigella How to get a pretty little egg yolk out.
I want to get into Nigella's kitchen more than anything.
It's all I have thought about for weeks and weeks now, and it's pretty much all I'm thinking about right now.
When I was in college, my mother was diagnosed with cancer.
They gave her six months to live, but she only lasted three.
So I dropped out of college.
I spent three months in bed with her.
All we did was watch Nigella all day, all night.
She died in January.
Her last gift to me Sorry.
My mother's last gift to me was Nigella's beautiful book, and it felt like she was passing the baton.
And I feel like, if I meet Nigella today, it'll be like seeing my mom again.
Please, Lord, give me something good.
I know this flavor.
Homemade flatbread.
How you know it's homemade? How you know? I don't.
I'm just guessing.
I felt like that.
I think it's missing a little salt.
Acid and salt for me.
Yeah, but it was good.
Did you choose, guys, already? - I have chosen.
- Yeah, I picked.
Hello.
How are you? - Hello.
- Hi.
- Hi! - How are you? My name is Audrey.
I'm so excited to be here with you guys today.
Are you a home cook? You're a home cook.
I am a home cook.
So, what did you make today? Tell us about your dish.
I made you guys a Greek meatball, and then I made my own flatbread chip.
Told you.
And then, along with that, I went ahead and just kind of threw it into a nacho.
'Cause who doesn't love a nacho, right? I made my own homemade tzatziki sauce with Greek yogurt.
This is actually healthy for you guys, but I hope you couldn't tell, Tony, 'cause I know you like some of the naughtier stuff.
Where did you learn to cook At home, family? - I taught myself.
- You taught yourself? I taught myself how to cook, mostly from your books, Nigella.
Oh, thank you, Audrey.
But I did not know how to cook about three years ago.
For me, the pita The chips was too - What is it, flatbread, huh? - Flatbread.
A little too hard for me.
I had a bit of the problem with the broiler, unfortunately.
I apologize for that.
I don't want to break my teeth on it.
And the lamb is a bit bold.
I mean, I chewed it up pretty bad.
Oh.
I'm so sorry.
I need to say no.
I'm an old-school guy.
And I like my lamb meatballs 100% with all fat included.
It was a little too healthy for me.
I'm sorry.
No.
I understand.
I understand.
Thank you, though.
So, Audrey, I found this really difficult.
I didn't mind the dry flatbread, like a little canapé.
It worked well for me.
But generally speaking, I would put a bit of oil in the flatbread.
This has nothing to do with you or anything.
You know, we have already locked in our decisions.
I'm sorry.
It didn't work for me.
So, Audrey, here it is.
There's a lot of technicalities in this dish that is not good.
The onions is black, and there's not enough salt, but I don't care.
- I love it.
- Oh, my God! - I love you! - You're coming with me.
I like this dish.
Oh, my God! Thank you.
Thank you.
Let's cook together.
- Wow.
- Let's cook together.
Let's cook together.
Let's do it.
I cannot wait to make you so, so proud.
Thank you.
Thank you.
- Thank you, Audrey.
- Thank you.
Thank you.
I did not see that coming.
There's a humbleness here, and there's a willingness to learn.
- She does want to learn.
- And I liked her flavors.
A little bit different.
Yes! Yes! I got on Marcus' team! Oh, God! They tore apart my dish.
They tore it apart.
And he told me he wanted to help me make it better.
Oh, my God.
Oh, my God.
Oh, my God.
Marcus chose me.
I am so excited.
My cheeks hurt.
I'm smiling so big.
I've come here to get on Nigella's team, but Marcus is such a genius, and he's got so much knowledge.
I know I'm gonna learn so, so much from him.
Let's go! I know my mom is watching right now.
I know she's so proud.
My name is Lee Knoeppel.
I'm 27 years old, and currently, I'm a waiter.
Hello.
How are you guys doing today? Since I was a kid, I've been wanting to cook.
I dropped out of high school to go to culinary school.
Finally, I got the opportunity to start cooking at a restaurant, and I worked my way up.
I made it to executive chef at a young age 23 years old.
Being 23 and being in charge It was pretty big.
The last professional kitchen, I didn't love what I was doing anymore.
You know, when the love comes out of it, it's like, "What's the point?" Bring your food out to the table, like, placing orders, and it feels so wrong.
Like, it's not me.
I'm a chef.
Right now this is, like It's not what I want to be doing.
I want to get on The Taste 'cause I know that there's still passion for cooking inside of me.
I want to find it again.
Today, I am making a ghee-poached lobster tail with a bacon-and-jalapeño corn chowder and a fines herbes oil on top.
So, right now I'm making my potato-chive crisp.
Come on.
Come on.
This is the most important one bite of food I've ever made.
It's in the mentors' hands now.
Nothing I can do.
Cheers.
I want them to love me, and I want them to love my food.
What's up, guys? That was the fastest hour of my entire life.
Your food is so good.
And you cook from the heart.
Oh, Mom.
- I'm so proud of you.
- Thank you.
I want every judge to pick me.
I want it to be my decision solely.
And I want them to be so pissed off when I pick somebody else and they didn't get a chance to get me.
- Lobster.
- It really is tender.
- It's cooked perfectly.
- He's a professional.
Tasting masa, corn, some kind of corn.
- You're right, yeah.
- It was very seductive.
Hello, chefs.
Hello.
What is your name? And tell us everything about yourself.
My name is Lee Knoeppel.
I'm 27.
I'm a former executive chef.
Right now I'm waiting tables in Manhattan just to pay the bills.
And what did you make us? Today I made a ghee-and-butter-poached lobster with a little bit of lime and garlic in a bacon corn chowder with a potato crisp and a fines herbes oil.
How is it that you were an executive chef and you are now out on the floor? It's 85 hours a week.
You know, when it becomes the time where you start dreading going to work.
Say no more.
Yeah, we understand.
What I want to say about that simply is that it utterly seduced me.
You know, without wanting to do anything as unseemly as beg, I would like to invite you to come into my kitchen.
My God.
Thank you very much.
I actually liked the surprise element.
You balanced it between the professional chef, but also, you made it feel very homey.
You are so talented.
I'll make sure if you join my team that you are not gonna leave the kitchen.
Thank you, Chef.
Your dish was great.
I mean, it was very comfortable in my mouth, very delicate, but I don't like your attitude.
My attitude? Yeah.
I mean, you quit cooking.
I mean, I would never do that Me.
But, I mean, look, it doesn't matter.
I mean, I like your dish, so I push yes.
Ah.
You remind me of me earlier in my career young, directionless, already burnt out.
That said, this was a perfectly executed dish.
Look, we're at an awkward situation here.
I said yes.
Oh, my God.
You've made history.
Congratulations.
You are the first cook to ever receive four yeses.
You know, the thing is, you've got to make this decision because you know exactly what you want.
Look, Ludo's like an expensive automobile with two gears angry and angrier.
Nigella's European.
She doesn't understand you like I understand you.
And he's Swedish.
He eats herring all day.
I would be honored and delighted to have you.
I think you're an extraordinary, talented young man, and I think you can go all the way.
Thank you, Chef.
In my kitchen, we have a spot reserved exactly for you.
I think, with the additions that I already have, you would be a perfect fit.
I'm French.
I learned from the greatest master chef in France.
Anthony He's great guy.
Know how to cook very well.
I'm sure you're going to have fun with Tony and drink some good beer in the kitchen.
Attends! Let me finish! Don't start to cut me, guy! He's angry already.
You're not even in the kitchen.
He's blowing a blood vessel.
Yeah, I mean, I'm like this.
I'm so passionate.
I want to win this thing.
And I see on you good potential, and you can win this game.
I would love to have you.
I haven't trained with anyone.
I cook because I love it, and I want people in my kitchen who cook because we love it.
Before you make a decision, all I can tell you is, look, I was in the business 30 years.
And as I like to say, old age and corruption beat youth and beauty every time.
Keep that mind.
Please let us know what you think.
Congratulations.
You are the first cook to ever receive four yeses.
You know, the thing is you've got to make this decision because you know exactly what you want.
Please let us know what you think.
I'm so ecstatic to be picked by all of you.
But I am gonna go with Anthony.
- Oh, my God! - Oh, my God.
Well, you want to drink some beer in the kitchen or what? It's over.
Move past it.
Thank you.
Very happy.
Welcome.
Thank you very much.
Three months ago, I was an executive chef at a restaurant, and last week, I was waiting tables.
I dreamt about this, and that dream came true, and I'm so happy.
I am so proud of you.
Each mentor is building a team of four cooks based on a blind tasting.
They have no idea what they're eating or who made it.
Chicken? I couldn't tell.
Is it chicken or pork? The kitchens are filling up.
Time is running out to join a team.
My name is Jay Qualls.
I'm 45 years old, and I'm a fabulous wedding-cake designer.
I don't call myself a cake decorator.
I'm a cake designer.
It's fine art of decorating.
My goal was to do one wedding cake for one country artist in my career.
In the past five years, I've done Jo Dee Messina, Sara Evans, Hillary Scott from Lady Antebellum, Kellie Pickler, Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton.
I've proven myself in cake, and now I want to prove myself in food.
I hope I impress the judges.
I am making a ginger-pork pot sticker.
It's one of my favorite dishes.
It's a little tricky.
I'm hoping that the won tons turn out.
That's the biggest thing, you know? I've gone through a lot in the past 10 years.
I used to be really, really heavy.
I was like 400 pounds.
After having bariatric surgery in 2003, I lost 180 pounds.
And I came out.
I'm gay.
If I could add glitter to this, I'd be a happy man.
I was married, and I was blessed to have two wonderful children Which are the love of my life.
I tried to eat away the gay.
I tried to pray away the gay.
But I am who I am.
I'm more than just a Southern cook.
I'm more than just a wedding-cake designer.
I'm going to show who I am and represent myself through my food.
Having lost all that weight and coming out, I have something to prove.
I want to show America that I've got more under my sleeve than just cake.
There's a lot of water in that dumpling.
There's something wrong with the dough.
Yes, but I like a dumpling that explodes slightly.
The dough was a little chewy.
I don't know exactly what kind of meat it was.
I'm all over this.
Do you think it's a professional chef or a home cook? I don't care.
I will beg and plead if necessary.
So will I, and I'm gonna lose to you.
No, go, Nigella.
Go for it.
- Everyone locked in? - Yeah.
All right, here we go.
How are you guys? All the better for seeing you.
Tell me your name, please.
I'm Jay Qualls.
I'm from Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
Are you a professional chef or a home cook? I'm a home cook.
What would you call these dumplings? What are they? A ginger-pork dumpling and an Oriental cole slaw.
It has a little bit of honey.
It has a little teriyaki.
How wide is your repertoire? Are you a strong Southern cook, would you say, as well? Oh, yeah.
I'm a guy from, you know, right outside of Nashville.
And I've taught myself everything I've done.
And all my successes come from my heart, my passion, and my drive.
I love your style.
However, for me, there's one ingredient here that takes over, - and it's ginger.
- Yes.
And I think the dough is not really right.
For me, it's a no.
Sorry.
Thank you, Marcus.
I appreciate your opinion.
As my colleague has pointed out, - it's a little strong on the ginger.
- Yeah.
However, I'm crazy for dumplings.
I would be very pleased and honored to see what you do on my team.
Wow.
Oh, my God.
That's awesome.
Thank you.
I'm flattered beyond belief.
I think the dough was a little chewy, but you know what, Jay? - I don't know how to do dumpling.
- Yeah? I think you're probably better than me.
Oh! Oh, my gosh.
I'll take that.
Hey, I know where I'm good, Jay, and I know where I'm very bad.
So do I.
I think we can have fun together, so I would love to spend time with you in my kitchen.
- It's a yes.
- Thank you so much.
- Jay.
- Yes? I think you know that you and I are meant for one another.
We were just born to cook together.
You know it's true.
Jay knows it's true.
You can't fight this.
You can't.
Oh, my God! I'm in love.
Thank you.
Jay, Jay, Jay, you need to be very smart.
You are a home cook.
Yes.
Okay, so, just so you know, last season, I bring a home cook into the final.
Do you want to win this thing? Do you want to win this thing? I don't I don't think he shares your love of aggression.
You're not helping yourself, Ludo.
I relate very much to this type of cuisine.
If you can do this, coupled with your background, I think that, together, we can conquer the world.
Jay, not bad, huh? Three mentors.
The choice is yours.
I appreciate all the feedback.
I really, really do.
Like, it means a lot to me to have three of you picked.
I'll be honest with you.
I had somebody I wanted to cook with when I came into this.
And that person is going to be Nigella.
Oh! Come on, give me a kiss.
Can I? Can I? Can I? We have a dream team, guys.
We have a dream team.
Mwah! Mwah! Thank you so much.
I will work very hard for you.
And I will work very hard for you.
We're gonna do great.
I was hoping to get one mentor to choose me, and I just got three.
This is crazy.
I made it.
This is another opportunity that I am going to seize.
You know, I want Asian.
I'd love a fantastic Chinese soup.
I'd like a runny egg.
We have an incredibly high standard of food on The Taste.
We had some great dishes.
But bad food or a bad cook you can't hide.
My name is Sean.
I'm gonna give them island flavor.
I can't wait for Nigella and them to taste this.
It's gonna be a coffee-encrusted seared rib eye with dark chocolate.
I can just hear Nigella now.
"I love the flavor.
Oh, that is quite nice.
" One bite, one taste.
I'm looking for "shut the front door.
" You know, it's just not a pleasant taste.
I think you should take this one.
Did y'all like it? Ooh! Anyone got any questions? One has to always ask oneself, "Am I improving a wonderful cut of meat?" The problem was the flavor don't work at all.
It's a no.
For me, it's a no.
I said no, but, from my heart, I want to tell you, please, persist, continue, learn.
And come back next year.
I am Kyle Schutte.
I'm 31 years old.
I'm an executive chef in Los Angeles, California.
Today, we're doing a reconstructed caprese salad, which is gonna be a cherry tomato injected with a balsamic pudding and then wrapped in a basil-infused fresh mozzarella.
Season 1 and went home because I did a conceptual dish.
What did you just serve us? Chicken-fried watermelon with pickled watermelon rind.
Very creative dish.
I made a mistake.
I pushed my button "no.
" They all voted no and were confused by it.
They all obviously thought they made a mistake, and so I'm back to do another conceptual dish.
It's a risk, but go big or go home.
I think it's fun to have a little surprise in eating.
I'm back for one reason Unfinished business.
And I'm here to prove to myself and other people I can do it.
If I didn't come back, it'd be saying, "Oh, I should have gone home," which is ridiculous.
If I get on a team, look out.
I'm not stopping.
I could have played it safe this year, but I'm betting the house on myself.
Oh! I don't know if this is a bonbon or an egg.
How'd it go? I think it went pretty well.
I feel like this could be my time, you know? I feel like everything's kind of lined up.
This is disgusting.
Food need to taste good.
Disgusting.
Remember that one last year with the melon thing that frightened me, too? Oh.
We've met before.
Have we not? We have.
I was on last season.
I did the chicken-fried watermelon.
- Chicken watermelon.
Yeah.
- I remember.
Yeah.
And what have you done for us this year? This is a reconstructed caprese salad.
So it is a skinned cherry tomato injected with a balsamic pudding, wrapped in a basil-infused mozzarella.
Technically here, you did an extraordinary thing, but it doesn't taste good.
It just doesn't taste good.
I'm sorry.
It's a no.
You clearly are very skilled, but the outcome is not good.
Do not try to make cool food.
I cannot pick you on my team.
This isn't my attempt to make cool food.
My intention is never, ever to do something because I think it's the cool thing.
We're not saying here you need to learn how to cook.
We're saying you need to learn how to eat.
After I ate this, I said, "This reminds me of watermelon guy from last season.
" Did you really? I'm afraid it elicited a very similar response namely, fear.
I didn't get it.
Sorry.
The problem here It don't taste like a caprese salad.
I think you need to focus on the taste.
So, you know, it's a no.
Thank you very much.
Never has the name of this show been more applicable The Taste, The Taste, The Taste, The Taste.
This tastes like food made by a person - who's never had sex in their life.
- Yeah.
It was very frightening.
I fear for humanity.
- They hated it.
- Really? I'm mad at myself.
I came back to redeem myself, and I made an ass of myself.
I'm going home again.
My name is Dana.
I'm from Chicago, and I'm 39.
Today, we have steak tacos My version of it A little onions, a little lime juice, some pickled radishes with corn and serrano and a little cotija.
It's a steak taco.
Just put it in your mouth and eat it.
It's perfect.
- That's a good little taco.
- Taquito.
It has some good flavor.
May I ask your name? Dana.
Are you a home cook, professional chef? You know, I had brief experience in restaurants.
I didn't enjoy it.
No offense, guys I don't love working with male chefs.
The good news for you I did not pick you.
Thank God.
It didn't quite work for me.
I'm sorry.
I know, because I'm the only non-male here.
Sorry.
The taquito is quite small, and that makes it a very difficult dish to eat, but you found some nice notes there.
The crunchiness with the corn versus the two chilies, I thought, was a very brave move.
By the way, do you salsa on weekends? I mean, if I drink a lot, I can kind of dance.
Good.
'Cause I need you to drink a lot Okay.
and dance with me in the kitchen, 'cause we're gonna have a lot of fun.
You're kidding.
You and me.
Male chef.
You and me.
- Let's go.
- Thank you.
I fully understand the pain of finding yourself in an over-testosterone, submental kitchen with people talking about their groins interminably and, worse that that, sports.
Trust me That will not happen on my team.
I would be delighted if you came aboard.
Are you kidding? Are you serious? Now the fun part for you You get to ask Marcus and Tony to sell themselves to you now.
Okay, Marcus, you first.
Do you remember your first love? - Yeah.
- How did you feel? - It was very special, right? - Yeah.
Yeah, when I picked you, you went from being nervous to confident.
Your eyes were glowing.
It was a good feeling, right? Okay.
All right.
That's good.
- Did you like that feeling? - That's good.
You're working it.
- I like it.
I like it.
- He's a smooth one.
- We're gonna do this You and me.
- I like it.
I know! So, you need to be on my team.
I need you.
Okay.
All right, Tony.
I love this.
I love what you made.
I think the fact that you made it the way you made it says a lot about you as a cook, as a person, as an eater, as a liver of life, and I think we will do very, very well together.
You've got to make this decision.
- I'm ready.
I'm ready.
- But can you make the decision? Okay.
Shh! I have been a huge Tony Bourdain fan for, like, as long as I can remember.
When I was flying here on the plane, I was reading one of your books, and you said that you loved Cleveland.
And I love Cleveland.
Saved by Cleveland.
Is that what you're telling me? Don't keep me hanging on here.
I would love to be on your team.
Thank you so much.
Congratulations.
Get this over with.
Get this over with.
- I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
- All right.
All right.
All right.
Don't be mad.
Don't be mad.
Thank you so much.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I appreciate it.
Stop looking at me like that.
I'll see you in the kitchen.
I'm Shehu.
I'm a professional chef.
I'm from Staten Island, New York.
This is where I grew up The projects.
You can see, like It kind of looks like a prison, but to me, it's home.
My motivation for being on The Taste is, obviously, I want to go out there and compete with some of the nation's best.
And also, I want to do this for my daughter.
My daughter means the world to me.
She just turned 5 years old.
Everything I do, I do for her.
My daughter loves to cook in the kitchen with me.
It's a really good bonding time.
We get to talk with each other, and, you know, it's kind of like our little special moment.
I just want to make everything better for her when she's growing up.
She has the best life she could possibly have.
Daddy, you're a pretty good chef.
Yeah? Think so? Thank you so much.
Today, I'm making seared scallops with a celery-root puree and a red-wine reduction.
I want to make it to one of the New York chefs' kitchens so bad You know, representing New York all the way.
Anthony or Marcus That would get me stoked.
Bottom line I just want to get any kitchen, first of all.
I love cooking with scallops.
It's one of my favorite dishes to make Very simple.
I want to get everything in that one bite.
Phew! - Nice little scallops.
- With a puree.
Scallops and? Notes of celery puree underneath.
Mine was very crispy.
I thought there was a good texture.
So, for sure, it's a professional chef.
All right, here we go.
Welcome.
What's your name? Shehu Fitzgerald.
- Where are you from? - Staten Island, New York.
Staten Island, New York.
- I like it.
I like it.
- Hey.
New Yorker.
To New York.
Tell us a little bit about what you made for us today.
Well, today, I made sautéed bay scallops with a celery-root puree and a red-wine reduction.
Very impressive dish.
You a professional? Yeah, I'm a professional chef.
I've been working Been cooking for about 20 years.
New York City hotels, restaurants.
You've been around.
I've been around.
Definitely been around.
I have to say, it was just such a delight to eat your food.
I would be so honored if you came into my kitchen because I really feel that, you know, each week, you'll just get higher and higher.
I feel that you've just got it all.
Thank you so much.
For me, it was a little too flat.
It was missing some texture.
So it's a no.
You clearly know flavors, seasoning.
I just think in this case, you overworked it a little.
Regret to say I passed.
You remind me of a really good Wu-Tang song from Staten Island.
Yeah.
You know "All I Need" with Method Man and Mary J.
Blige? - The perfect song, right? - Yes.
Yes.
I just feel like you and I can keep creating incredible music.
You have all the skills.
You have all the passion.
I would love for you to join my team.
I think you have something that is so special.
You just need to show that.
I think you and I would be a very good fit.
The choice is yours, sir.
Your words are very, very kind.
I'm very appreciative.
But I'm gonna have to pick Marcus.
Yeah, chef! Yeah, chef! Congratulations.
I've been to your Red Rooster.
I'm a huge fan.
I love your Scandinavian techniques.
I would love to learn from you.
Good job, man.
I'll see you in the kitchen.
All right.
See you at the stoves.
Team NYC.
You are so stupid.
I hate you.
I was gonna say, "Oh, no!" I had to go to Wu-Tang.
That was not fair.
That was not fair.
You're shameless.
That was shameless.
I couldn't look at Nigella.
- I was like - No, I know.
I got skills that pays the bills.
So I'm ready to get busy.
I feel very good about my team.
A little bit Texas, a little bit of New York, and just very, like, new American feel, I feel.
Anthony and Marcus' teams are full.
Nigella has one more cook to find.
Ludo still needs two.
As audition day draws to a close, Anthony and Marcus' kitchens are full.
I would never in a million years have figured that I would fill my team first.
And with the addition of professional caterer Jacquelyn I did a rib eye here with parsnip-celery-root mash.
I loved it.
Thank you so much.
Mwah.
Team Nigella is also complete.
I am thrilled.
We will make sexy food.
Oh, my God.
Your kitchen is like an almodovar film.
I know.
It is.
It's gonna be just so good.
The pressure is on for Ludo, who still needs two cooks.
My name is Louise, and I live in L.
A.
, and I work as a food stylist.
Right now I'm here in Tennessee visiting my parents before going to audition for the show.
It's kind of ironic considering what I do for a living.
Because the show is called The Taste, and it's all about the taste.
I make food for photographs, film, commercials.
Generally, the food that you see that's in a commercial is inedible.
Hey, I'm a food stylist.
It's all about the look.
And now I'm going on The Taste.
See you in L.
A.
I really love food.
It's my whole life.
It's what I spend my money on.
It's why I'm broke Because I like to eat at good restaurants.
$100,000 is a game-changer for me.
I could do a lot with that money.
I'm making beer-braised pork meatballs, and I'm serving them with a cabbage, apple, and radish slaw.
I would choose either to be probably on Nigella's team or on Marcus'.
I definitely don't think it would work if I ended up on Ludo's team.
He would be like "Oh, you are a food stylist.
You don't know how to cook.
" He would not take me seriously.
Your friends and your family tell you your food's good, but whether they're telling the truth or not, you don't know.
I would want to sit down to a beer and eat that right now.
And I might.
I don't know if they'll look down on the fact that I'm a food stylist, but I think that they will definitely think that I don't know how to cook.
The meatball, for me, is too dense.
There wasn't a lot of flavor inside the meatball.
The meatball was very soft.
It was.
With a slice of sweetbread or grain on top of it.
Still waiting for the magical pony.
It would be nice to have some sweetbreads.
It would be nice if it was a slab of gold bullion under there, too.
- Welcome.
- Hi.
Can you tell us your name? My name is Louise Leonard.
Are you in the business? You professional, nonprofessional? I work as a food stylist.
What did you make for us today? It's a pork meatball, so it's ground pork, and it's Italian sausage.
I can see that would look beautiful in a magazine.
Will you just walk me through how you make this meatball? Sautéed them in a little bit of clarified butter mixed with olive oil, and then they're beer-braised, so I used chimay double-fermented ale.
A little Belgian there.
Nice.
I love beer.
I'm a beer drinker.
- I think it's an underused ingredient.
- I agree.
You have really good instincts, and you're creative.
Thank you.
My team's full, so to my regret, I have no option.
I love your style.
I love your energy.
But my team is full.
Can I just say that this entirely won me over, but I'm full in my kitchen, so we have to hope our confrere here has some sense.
So, yeah, my turn.
I mean - you're a food stylist.
- I am.
Yeah.
- Are you ready to learn? - Absolutely.
You work with French people before? I have I went to the French Culinary Institute in New York.
Welcome back with the French.
You are on my team.
I say yes.
I like the meatball! I like the meatball! Hello.
I made a team! What's so interesting is that we've made assumptions about the people we've chosen, but we actually have no idea how it's gonna play out when they're in the kitchens.
Your very best cook could just have a bad day and be gone day one.
With the additions of Jacquelyn and Louise, three teams are now full, and Ludo has the pick of all remaining cooks to fill his final spot.
Ludo is intense.
I know that if he picks me, he's gonna crack that whip.
But I would be honored to have him as a mentor.
Ludo I love him.
He's just, like, super sexy, super confident.
He's passionate.
So I love the passion.
I need some garlic.
We have any fresh garlic in the house? I can relate to Ludo.
I like his no-nonsense Your dish sucks, he's gonna tell you.
And that's how I am.
Today, we're cooking lamb chops with a Moroccan sauce.
Normally, I do shrimp and grits, but I wanted to do a nice twist on it with a fried oyster.
I have a love of oysters.
I'm going with the chicken a la Valentina.
Hi.
How are you? Can you tell me a bit about this dish? In front of you, you have some lamb chops with a Moroccan sauce.
I did an old twist on my grandmother's favorite.
I did a blue-cornmeal fried oyster.
The dish is called chicken a la Valentina.
My sauce is a little sweet, so the spicy and the sweet go together pretty good.
Very surprised about all the flavor you tried to put together.
The problem here was the flavor don't work at all.
Thank you.
Just I did not get it.
I'm so sorry.
Thank you.
For me, it was just a miss.
You should stop cooking.
Sorry.
There's an English saying Good things come to he who waits.
I know.
For me, it was a little boring.
I'll be honest with you Fflat.
This dish was very sad.
Look at Ludo.
Not good, disgusting, not edible.
I refuse to eat that.
With the other three teams full, Ludo has one last cook to find.
Pick somebody, Ludo.
Monsieur Ducasse is not coming today, okay? Stop.
So, are you saying he's not walking into the building? Stop.
He's waiting for a mystery date here.
Seriously, I'm looking for something different.
My name's Marina Chung.
I'm 53 years old.
I'm from city of Duarte, California.
I'm a home cook.
I've been cooking for almost 40 years.
I like everything about cooking.
I like shopping for the grocery, to pick the best ingredient.
Can I have a pig blood, please? I'll cook anything Raccoon, whatever.
I can hunt and cook and kill the animal Drink the blood.
I think I can win this competition because I can use a lot of parts that people discard.
I can use them and make, like, gourmet food.
Everybody cook this part of broccoli.
I'm cooking this part of broccoli.
I'm Michele Wilson.
I'm 42 years old.
I'm from Oakland, California.
Yeah, I'm about to make a dish that they're gonna love, okay? I'm about to knock it out the box.
It'll work.
I own a restaurant called Gussie's Chicken and Waffles.
This is my fifth restaurant that I've opened.
Don't get it [bleep.]
up.
Because my restaurant is chicken and waffles and soul food doesn't mean that that's all I know how to cook.
I'm cooking jalapeño corn cakes with a chili-peanut sauce with filet mignon, cotija cheese, and some cilantro.
I'll be cooking a fresh-pickled broccoli stalk and fried shrimp, fried rice, a little bit of a garnish on top, like carrots and chilies.
Hello.
Jalapeños.
Almost forgot.
I was on my way to law school, met my ex-husband.
He was starting a restaurant, so we did it together.
When he and I divorced, I started over from scratch as a single mom.
Whoo! 11 minutes.
I think me working in a professional kitchen does make the difference.
Two seconds makes a big-ass difference.
Five seconds is a long-ass time.
I'm not worried about the other chefs.
Ah.
There's no hole in here.
Five minutes.
I don't know about Ludo.
I don't do the kicking and screaming.
But the mentorship It's a one-in-a-lifetime chance.
I can be his team.
He's good-looking, and he's serious about what he does, right? This is my chance to shine.
Whew! I did it! Oh, my God! My kids are supporting me today, and I have my son's girlfriend.
So, how was it? How'd it go? I'm in it.
I know they're gonna love my food.
I guarantee you.
Hey.
Hey.
Hi, honey.
My daughter's here to support me today cooking.
It means so much to me.
I tell my husband, "I love you to death.
I love nobody like I love my daughter.
" Let's find out who made this.
I did not decide yet.
Hello.
Welcome.
Hi, judges.
Hi.
Welcome.
Thank you.
- What's your name? - Marina.
I'm Michele Wilson.
Are you a professional chef or a home cook? Home cook.
I'm not a home cook.
I'm a restaurateur for sure.
So, what do we think? My team is full right now, but you can teach us all a lot about cooking not just flavor, but also what to use.
For me, there were some proportion problems.
It was a very big spoon.
I think there's one really big star here.
It's the corn cake.
Oh, well, thank you.
Perfectly cooked filet mignon.
We're all full up at my end, so I can't pick you for my team.
I think the flavor was great.
In a way, filet mignon on top of that corn cake you don't need it.
Ludo, what are you doing? I'm dying to know.
Look, I don't like to agree with you guys 'cause I don't think I have the same palate like you.
But, yeah, your spoon was way too big.
You're right.
It was way too big.
I mean, look, I like it.
I like the corn fritter.
It was great.
And you know what? I mean, very flavorful.
It was good.
But just way, way, way too dry.
I need to pass.
I'm so sorry.
Okay.
Thanks.
I don't know what they're looking for, but I know they made a mistake not choosing me.
I mean, seriously, it was way too big to eat.
But you know what? They totally missed the point.
They did not understand what is this game.
This game It's all about the taste.
I like it.
So, you know what? I will tell you, welcome to Team Ludo.
It's a yes.
- Thank you! Yes! - Yes! We'll have fun together, sweetie.
- Thank you.
Thank you.
- Congratulations.
We're very happy for you.
Thank you.
I'm so thrilled.
- Guess what.
- What? I'm in! Oh, my God! As her daughter, just It's so, like, wonderful to see, like, where she came from to where she is now.
I'm so proud of you.
Oh, thank you.
Thank you.
I know before I die, something like this would happen.
I just didn't know it was this time.
I'm feeling very, very, very good about my team.
Shellie, Lee, Dana, Brad All very confident.
I came into this competition.
I wanted to have a diverse team.
And I feel like with Sarah, Audrey, Don, and Shehu, I accomplished that.
I've got Crystal, Jacquelyn, Jay, and Reina.
So, for me, I feel very, very happy.
It's gonna be fun.
It's gonna be such tremendous fun.
I think I have a very, very, very interesting team, too.
Marina, Louise, Jeff, and Cassandra? You never know, guys The end of the show, maybe I'm gonna be a vegan.
Be careful, Tony.
It's gonna be a great season.
May the best woman win.
Game on.
- We're all looking to win.
- I want fire.
It's not just the cooks in competition.
We need to take this guy down.
It's the mentors, as well.
I love you, Ludo.
I need to win this competition.
Go.
Bake, bake, bake, bake.
Bake! We're blind-tasting the whole way through this competition.
We don't know what we're eating.
We don't know who made it.
- Chewy? - No.
Eggplant? It's very hard to tell, isn't it? You can actually vote your own cook off.
This is making me feel sick.
The stakes can't get higher than this.
One of our contestants has withdrawn from the competition.
I don't understand what's going on.
Everybody, stop! I don't care who's [bleep.]
whom, frankly.
Just don't [bleep.]
up.
- The battle - Listen to me now.
will be fought in the kitchen.