Food Network Star – Season 4, Episode 4

We start the night with Tyler Florence, and since he is all about the skills and teaching people, the chefs know that this is a technique challenge, and they are right.  Each person will have one minute to video tape a segment showingg how to do something, they are looking for clear teaching skills, expert knowledge and the abliltiy to relate to the camera.

1. Adam – break down an artichoke
2. Aaron – cut a pineapple
3. Kelsey – french a rib bone
4. Shane – open a coconut
5. Nipa – clean a squid
6. Lisa – tress and chicken
7. Jennifer – shuck an oyster

The winner of the mini challenge will get their technique video on the Food Network Homepage, and the winner is …… Kelsey

Michael Simon, the winner of the Next Iron Chef, is the guest judge on panel this week, and he introduces Chef LaDuke from Red Lobster, who tells them that the winners dish will be features on Red Lobster Fresh Fish Menus.  The challenge, to prepare a fish two ways, one for Red Lobster, that will fit on their menu, and the other with a unique “Iron Chef” type ingredient, which they will serve both dished to the panel and 30 coast guarders ( not that they know they will be the coast guard until the actual serving, but I know, so you know).

1. Shane – fish was Sole, ingredient was Mashmellow Creme
2. Lisa – fish was Artic Char, ingredient was Coffee
3. Adam – fish was halibut, ingredient was carmels
4. Kelsey – fish was Tilapa, and ingredient was white chocolate (as winner she picked first)
5. Nipa – fish was trout, ingredient was grape jelly
6. Jennifer – fish was Mahi Mahi, ingredient was froot loops
7. Aaron – fish was cod, ingredient was cola

JUDGING:

1. Lisa – connect with the camera more, the tar-tar she made realyl missed the boat, but today they saw a different side of Lisa, the human, funny and warm side, mostly because the woman slipped in her three inch heels in the kitche of a boat and spilled sauce all over her, and she make a comment about ruining her shoesa and her $300 blouse….no one needs to be cooking in a $300 blouse and 3 inch heels, really!
2. Shane – in the technique challenge, you convinced us that you knew waht you were doing adn they loved that, the food was good, in fact, judging from the comments, he was in the top on this one.
3. Adam – the mini challenge went great, but on the other, the food was bad and the halibut was dry, and then on his presentation he completely missed, he tried to be a funny guy, tripping over the doorway, and it feel so flat, I thought I heard the crickets chripping.
4. Nipa – totally lacked experince in the mini, and giggled throughout it, and they felt that was disrespectful, the fish was a little over cooked but overall okay, and the presentation was that she was just trying too hard.
5. Kelsey – great engery, she realyl tried to come across more normal and not so cheerleadery this time, and it worked, she didn’t force it and the food was great, the flavors were good.
6. Aaron – missed on the mini, spent most of the time on a garnish not the skill, the food was disappointing, realyl dry and they stil lwant him to share more.
7. Jennifer – apolgizing again, it undermines any authority that you might have, thje food was good, but then during the presentation, she staerted out strong but revertedback to apologizing for the food, little self-esteem issues there.

Winner, and featered on Red Lobster menus…….Kelsey!!

Going home…… NIPA, sorry, but I still didn’t feel that she was realyl all that interested in being there.

During the judges, Aaron finally opend up and told them that his son ran away just before he left to do this show and that he knows that opening up with feelings and about himself is probably part of that problem and he is willing to work at it and he wants to be there. It brought tears to my eyes.