by Kylene Hamulak

 

Food Network Star is patriotic this week as the final 8 competitors battle each other - and themselves - in live presentations.

 

Mentor Challenge: The chefs will be working live for the first challenge, working alongside E! News host Terrence Jenkins to present a sausage and pepper sandwich. The winner will get an advantage for the next challenge, but what the contestants don't know is that Giada and Terrence have some obstacles planned for them.

 

The Pitch:

 

Viet: Viet's curveball is peppers missing from his frying pan, and he thinks he's going crazy. He repeats "where are the peppers" a few times before improving by making a salad instead.

 

Russell: The lights go out on Russell during his presentation, and he doesn't miss a beat.

 

Stacey: When Stacey reaches for the whisk in her presentation, it's missing. She uses a fork instead, noting that sometimes you just have to use what you've got, and Giada is impressed.

 

Chad: Terrence has a coughing attack during Chad's presentation, leading him to leave the set. Chad thinks maybe the best thing will be to cut the tape, but the show keeps rolling. Giada reminds him that there are no cuts on live tv.

 

Damaris: Damaris experiences falling set pieces, which she blames on poltergiests as she keeps cooking. Giada tells her she did well, and Damaris is relieved.

 

Nicki: An alarm blares and the lights go off during Nicki's presentation, and, like Chad, she sort of stands back before realizing it's part of the challenge.

 

Rodney: Being that Rodney has had a problem rushing in the past, the best challenge they could give him was shortening his time! Giada tells him she had a great time watching him and could actually understand what he was saying.

 

Chris: The curveball for Chris is spilled ingredients by Terrence, and Chris plays it off like nothing. Giada thinks he played it off gracefully, but warns him that he may need to dial down his energy a bit.

 

Mentor Challenge Results:

Giada and Terrence tell the chefs they all did a great job, with Rodney winning the challenge. I'm not really sure I agree with the results - he did a great job, but it seems like not having the ingredients you need to actually prepare the dish would be a lot harder to work with than simply talking faster or working in the dark. Still Rodney will have an advantage in the Star Challenge, though we don't know just what that will be yet.

 

 

 

Star Challenge: 4^th of July Live

Based on Food Network's Thanksgiving Live, the chefs will be preparing food for 4^th of July Live, with Bob back as the "one man focus group." Each chef will be assigned one of 8 cooking stations by Rodney.

 

Rodney, Dessert: When Alton asks Rodney for a tip about meringue, Rodney can't seem to organize his thoughts and ends up talking in circles and using the word sucker. To make matters worse? When a question comes in by phone, he uses it again. Bobby smacks his head in frustration. When they taste his dish, Giada says she likes the idea, but the meringue itself is way undercooked.

 

Nicki, Fried Chicken: Nicki seems to have her fried chicken under control, but Bob isn't buying her authority, even though she's got a likeable personality. When a video caller asks about gluten free fried chicken, Bob describes her response as "girlish" and cutesy. Her chicken, however, is incredibly crispy while also super moist, so "she did something right."

 

Russell, Potato Salad: Russell apparently can't speak and cook at the same time. He's not great in his presentation, but he does a terrific job throwing to commercial. How about the dish? Bobby refers to it as "cold mashed potatoes," while Giada accuses it of "attacking" her mouth. Bob calls it ok, but says he doesn't quite know what he's eating.

 

Chris, Cole Slaw: Chris is doing a good job with his initial presentation, and the panel observes his growth. The slaw, however, is not Giada's favorite, and Alton notes that, for the number of ingredients, he expected more taste.

 

Viet, Chips & Dips: Viet is smoking crab for his dip, and despite his potential for a dynamic personality, it's not coming across in his presentation. When a question about dips comes in from a caller, Viet freezes on the spot and struggles to respond. During tasting, Bob refers to it as "underwhelming," and Bobby makes notes on how it could be improved.

 

Damaris, Cocktails: Has Damaris been sampling the cocktails that her guest Marcus is making? Maybe, considering she's stumbling over her words. She does a decent job responding to a viewer question, but her shimmy does not go over well with the panel. Bobby fears she's not taking it seriously. As for her punch, Giada thinks it works, and Bob notes that it makes sense - Damaris always seems slightly drunk to him.

 

Chad, Veggie Station: Chad is at the veggie station with guest Farmer Lee, but he neglects an introduction and doesn't successfully engage him in the segment. He DOES, however, manage to make a great dish - Bobby and Bob both give it very high marks.

 

Stacey, Butcher Station: Stacey has no idea what she's doing at the Butcher Sation, but she's dressed in a flag sweater, soooo...there's that. She does a great job in her presentation, introducing both the grilling guests and the food with ease and confidence. The panel forgives her overcooked pork because the dipping sauce is so good. "I want to go to her 4^th of July," says Alton.

 

 

Evaluation:

 

Standouts: Stacey is, not surprisingly, declared the winner of the challenge. The panel liked her presentation and her sauces, but also warned her about getting boring.

 

Also Safe:  Nicki, Chad, Chris, Rodney, and Damaris are all safe for this challenge.

 

Up for Elimination: Russell and Viet are the two chefs up for elimination this week. Bobby tells them he had high hopes for innovation from both, but neither has lived up to those hopes. In the end, Russell's throw to commercial earned him another chance on the show.

 

Viet is eliminated.

 

Catch The Next Food Network Star every Sunday at 9/8c on Food Network!

 

(Image courtesy of The Food Network)

 

Follow Kylene on Twitter @keepingupwithky!