Jenn is back with her review of “The Taste” Episode 3…things are getting interesting!  

Tonight the competition began where, for the first time, the cooks and mentors went head to head and in the end two cooks would be sent home. It started with a team challenge and the theme was “comfort food”. The cooks were given one hour to create their comfort food dish using at least one of the three ingredients of bacon, eggs and cheese. With the help of their mentors each cook prepared their tasting spoons and then each of the teams chose one spoon from their own team to be judged. The winner from these spoons would claim immunity and the team would gain the help from the guest judge for the solo challenge!

Tonight’s guest judge was Gabrielle Hamilton, chef and owner of Prune in New York City. As the first hour came to an end each team tasted each others’ spoons and chose which to give to Chef Gabriella for judging. Brian’s team went with Jeff’s Macaroni and Cheese, Anthony’s team picked Ninamarie’s Walnut Pesto Israeli Couscous with Bacon, Nigella’s team chose Lauren’s Chicken Stew and Ludo’s team decided on Sarah’s Macaroni and Cheese. Chef Gabriella felt Jeff’s mac and cheese was light and creamy, she wasn’t sure what she was eating with Ninamarie’s walnut pesto Israeli couscous, she enjoyed Lauren’s chicken stew saying it had a pleasant finish with the crispy chicken skin and thought that Sarah’s mac and cheese had a chemical or plastic taste to it. In the end Lauren won the team battle earning herself immunity and for her team, the help of Chef Gabriella for the solo challenge.

When it was time for the cooks to start their solo challenge, the mentors exited the kitchen in order to do the blind tasting. Again the cooks were given one hour to complete this challenge again creating what they considered a comfort food dish. The following dishes were prepared by these chefs:

Huda- Roasted Chicken with Chimichurri Sauce

Ninamarie- Chicken Scarpelli

Jeff- Braised Short Rib

Sarah- Shrimp and Grits

Micah- Mediterranean Israeli Chicken

Gregg- Chicken and Dumplings

Lauren- Shepherd’s Pie

Diane- Spicy Korean Bibimbap

Erika- Ribeye Stew

Shawn- West Indian Curry Chicken and Dumplings

Khristianne- Uni Seafood Chowder

Adam- Fried Chicken with Slaw

Uno- Spicy Chicken Wing with Papaya Salad

Paul- Potato Flaked Halibut

Renatta- Apple Crumble

Mia- Rice Pudding 

The mentors had to taste and judge each of these spoons and choose the best and worst ones, hoping not to send home a member from their own team. As the tasting went on the cooks stood behind their mentors in the distance and either excitedly or painfully watched and listened to what was said about their tasting spoons. Brian’s best spoon came from Khristianne and worst from Shawn. Ludo’s best was Sarah’s and worst Micah. Anthony’s best was Diane and worst Lauren and Nigella’s best was also Diane and worst Renatta. The top three to move on was Khristianne, Sarah and Diane. The unlucky bottom four was Shawn, Micah, Lauren and Renatta. Since Lauren had won the team challenge she was immune, and lucky to be, from being sent home. After learning more about each of the bottom dishes the mentors deliberated further and came to a final decision of which two would be sent home. These two were Micah and Renatta. It was odd the mentors, at this point, knew who they were choosing the send home but it seemed they kept it fair only basing their decisions on the taste alone.

Come back next week to see what challenges the cooks will be faced with and who will remain and be sent on their way.

Tonight’s Blue Ribbon moment was Lauren’s Chicken Stew dish where she took it from good to great by adding the crisp chicken skin to finish it off. For a chance to win a trip to Los Angeles to cook with one of The Taste mentors enter your recipe using Best Foods mayonnaise.  Check out the details here! 

Happy Cooking,

Jenn