‘Next Food Network Star’ Recap: 'Dueling Desserts'

[Next Food Network Star – Season 7 Episode 3]

Chris woke up in hopes that the new day of challenges would be better for him. He tried to get everyone in his room excited but Justin B. wanted him to be quiet. After last week's challenge, Penny was over even trying to make friends with the rest of the contestants.

The contestants started this week with their camera challenge. For the Camera Challenge, Giada explained that the contestants have to turn chocolate into dinner. Each contestant got a random Hershey related chocolate ranging from bites to normal bars. As the contestants began, Jeff wore a headband to collect the sweat from his food. He claimed of a story that his sweat was part of his mojo. Chris decided to make a mint chocolate pesto sauce. Vic decided to make chocolate covered asparagus as part of his dish. Jyll decided to merge the concept of Almond Joys with Coconut Shrimp.

For presentations, the contestants went one by one. Chris decided to write notes on his hands before he went in front of the camera. As he started talking, he flailed his arms and Giada noticed the notes on his hand. Not only did she call him out on the distracting notes, but his lamb was raw. Chris was trying too hard to be mature. Vic's chocolate asparagus was bad, but his presentation improved. Justin B. wasn't as nervous as he normally was but he was still wooden. His food was still good. Jyll's dish was as good as her performance. Orchid's personality was great and Mary Beth's story was good. Whitney had a winning personality. Alicia started to get nervous as she started and mumbled her way through. To make it worse, Giada hated Alicia's food.

The contestants came back for the results and the worst dishes were Alicia and Vic. Vic was criticized that his food was too complicated. The winner of the challenge was Jyll. As part of her win, Jyll got an advantage for the next challenge.

Duff Goldman and Robert Irvine arrived and explained to the contestants that the Star challenge would be a dessert challenge. The contestants would be broken into two teams of six and they had to create a large display for the food. They will also have to feed 150 guests (Mary Beth notes that they had to make 1,200 desserts. People on Team Robert had to create "Impossible" flavors and Team Duff needed to combine sophistication with the spirit of a 6-year-old's. Jyll used her challenge win to select her team.

Team Duff: Jyll, Orchid, Mary Beth, Alicia, Whitney, Susie
Team Robert: Penny, Chris, Vic, Justin, Justin, Jeff

The contestants ran to the kitchen warehouse and Penny decided to grab boxes for height. Chris decided to take leadership, though Justin B. didn't listen to him again. As for the women, Whitney took charge of the team when they were looking for supplies, citing her control freak attitude. While Mary Beth was looking for boxes, Penny and Mary Beth bickered about box ownership. The contestants went back to their home and Penny exclaimed again how she was happy to be with the guys. Alicia created the concept of a cupcake on a stick, but couldn't remember her recipe. Vic explained that Robert Irvine was his Food Network idol.

After some mental warm up at their home, the contestants arrived in the kitchens and started preparing. Penny wanted to make a saffron & rice pudding with a Penny twist of pistachios and other flavors. Chris tried his best to take responsibility by not only making several dishes but by helping others. He wanted to make an apple tart, homemade ice cream, and a ganache. Jeff thought he was doing too much. Vic wanted a puff with tequila; Chris came in to help with suggestions.

The girls were a bit upset on how loud the other kitchen was. The boys started getting louder as their drain started to overflow. Jyll noted that the girls were working as a team and didn't need a leader; possibly an excuse for her not to take up leadership. Alicia was nervous and frazzled because of her recipe. As much as Whitney wanted to help, Alicia wasn't having it. Mary Beth worried about her butter being too cold so she placed it in a mixer. Susie went with the classic Mexican churro. On the men's side, Chris's cakes had too much baking soda and decided to make another batch. Jeff made a whoopie pie with strong flavors; it still fit his sandwich concept. Justin B. wanted to do a kennel corn mix. His collaborative dish was a chocolate-bacon on a stick.

Duff arrived to talk to his team and each of his team members and he definitely was confident in his team. Chris continued to be scatterbrained when Robert arrived to look at his team. He was upset that everything was a mess. Robert wanted to find the leader and Chris chimed in. Robert shot him down and Justin B. took over after the team, especially Penny, suggested him. Robert started to critique his team's food: Chris had no impossible elements, Penny needed to taste her food, and Justin D. had the most original flavoring with a corn-basil pudding, but was challenged to put corn in his food. Chris felt dejected, but Justin B. came in and got focused and on task.

Chris pulled out his second chocolate plates and they turned out horrible; Justin rejected the cakes without hesitation. Justin D. decided to create a fennel ice cream mix to compensate. As time started running out, the contestants started to panic. Susie had no cooking oil for her churros so Orchid and Susie discussed and she decided to create pancakes with her churro batter. Alicia's chaotic nature started to stress out the girls. Mary Beth was upset because she had one cookie but her team suggested a cookie crumble. Chris tried to place his apple tart in the fridge but while trying to go for the door handle he dropped his pie tray. Not only did he lose part of his food, he burned his hands. Chris was upset that his pie didn't turn out the way it should have.

The teams set up their food and Chris had to mentally compose himself. With time up, Susie was upset about her Churro. The girls were impressed by the visuals of Team Robert. Slowly the guests came in and started grabbing food. They noted that the girls would be like hanging out with friends. Chris schmoozed with the women. Both Jeff and Vic had great personalities. Alicia and Susie got negative reviews; Alicia's cupcake was bad and the lollypop was even worse. Penny went through the trash and realized that no one was finishing the women's desserts.

Robert, Duff, and the judges arrived for their evaluations, starting with Team Duff. Mary Beth was wary about her milkshake and her performance. Alicia's nervousness was making the judges nervous; her explanation of the lollipop cupcake was odd. They claimed to the judges that the lollipops were the best. In the table, Mary Beth's crumbles got stuck in her thin milk shake. Susie's dish was too dense. Whitney's cream puff was great, but still a bit robotic. Alicia's cupcake was bland and she's a bit manic. Jyll's sandwich was delicious. Orchid’s pie with bacon worked really well and she was natural. The team dish brownie didn't have enough mint. The second dish was a bit undercooked.

The judges moved on to Team Robert's table. Each contestant explained their dishes with some their personality. Chris stumbled through his explanation and he focused on Bobby Flay and not the other judges. Justin B. didn't explain the team ice cream well at all. Jeff's whoopie pie was a bit bland and was a bit forgettable. Justin B.'s kennel corn seemed like he didn't spend enough time on the competition and was still wooden. Vic's puff had a great combination of flavors. Justin D's pudding was flavored, but lacked texture. Penny's pudding was pretty and got great comments. Chris' dish was ugly and a bit tasteless; his performance was negative. The chocolate bacon didn't work. The ice cream with fennel and orange worked well.

The contestants returned home and the girls made some sangria and chatted the night away. The guys thought they were the underdogs, but they thought their dishes were better.

The contestants arrived for judging and Team Robert started judging first. Penny was happy to be part of the "other" team. They discussed that Chris was supposed to be the leader, but Justin B. came in. The judges thought the bacon was a lazy dish, but the group ice cream was great. Penny's dish was considered five-star. Jeff's whoopie pie wasn't soft enough and wasn't exciting enough for the judges. Justin B's popcorn was good, but he didn't spend enough time. Justin D's pudding was elegant; he needs to find his personality. Vic's puff was risky but the best dish of the day and he had personality. Chris's dish was the worst. He had heart, but he needs focus. He was criticized by his presence in front of the judges. They were declared the winners.

Orchid and Whitney were disappointed that they lost because they had fun. Alicia explained that her team dish was the cupcake on a stick; the judges spit out the food. The brownie lacked any creativity. The team needed a leader to match the experience. Jyll was called out for not being a leader. She explained that her competitive nature was not as intense as Chris or Penny. Interestingly, Jyll's dish was amazing. Orchid's pie was awesome and her personality was great; she wasn't growing her personality. Susie's dish was too heavy and the sauce didn't taste good at all. Alicia's cupcakes were a miss. The cupcakes were dry and crumbly. She broke into tears and her nerves were getting to her. Whitney's cream puffs were great; her personality needs to go up a level. Mary Beth's cookie crumble didn't work into the milkshake; the shake was really thin as well. When Mary Beth wasn't confident, she oozes the nerves. The judges announced that Jyll, Orchid, and Whitney were safe.

The bottom three were Alicia, Susie, and Mary Beth. The judges started to evaluate. Susie had personality, but her dish was a horrible decision. Alicia has passion, but her skill sets were questionable. Mary Beth continued to go up and down in her personality and her dish wasn't worthy of taking six hours to make. The judges conferred and the person going home was Alicia. Both Susie and Mary Beth were safe. Alicia was happy to be there, but was in tears as she left, embarrassed by her elimination at the dessert challenge. Chris was equally ashamed of his performance.

Next week: Burned food. Paula Deen. Cougar Town.