NFNS 5: Episode 7

One Of You Will Be Going Home Tonight

The gang is still down in South Florida and it’s nitty gritty time.  There are two true contenders, Jeffrey and Melissa and two contestants that should have been booted weeks ago but for some reason the judges have kept protecting them, Jamika and Debbie.

Tonight featured the worst challenges I’ve ever seen.  Deliberately sabotaging the contestants in both rounds was not the least bit interesting.  The only thing that could have made tonight’s episode watchable is if Melissa gave Bob Tuschman a good, firm junk punt.

Thoughts:

• Brett – went home week 2.
• Teddy – went home week 4.
• Katie – went home week 5.
• Michael– went home week 6 despite easily beating out Jamika & Debbie.
• Debbie – did supiciously well.
• Eddie – went home week 3.
• Jamika – fell apart again.
• Jeffrey – was the best contestant from day 1 and nothing has changed.
• Melissa – still the only other true contender – she fills a nitch.
• Jen – went home week 1.

In the first challenge each contestant had to do a four-minute live cooking demo.  What they didn’t know was that their segments were going to be sabotaged.  The person who came up with this idea should be clubbed.  Debbie did well, too well.  It was almost as if she knew what was coming.  Also the degree to which she was sabotaged was considerably less than the others.  Guess what? Debbie won the first challenge.  Hmm.

The second challenge was another sell-out to one of those corporate restaurants that puts profit above the health of their consumers, Red Lobster.  Ask any US fisherman or shrimper what they think of Red Lobster and they’ll tell you that old RL hasn’t used domestic seafood since 1971.  And we all know (or at least should) that foreign seafood is killing us.  If you want to know more about this issue read HERE.

Each contestant was lead to an outdoor kitchen where they were asked to prepare a seafood dish for the Red Lobster menu “in their style.”  Halfway through the challenge Bobby Flay and guest Michael Symon took away all of the elements that defined their style and gave them flavors from outside their comfort zone.  Well, all except Debbie who had her Southeast Asian ingredients replaced with Middle Eastern ingredients, ones you would still see in Southeast Asia - capers, anchovies and olives.

Despite lobbing Debbie an underhanded pitch she forgot to use the capers.  First she said they were in the her dressing, then she said she wasn’t given capers at all.  Then the tears started to flow.  If she wins her show should be called “Lyin’ and Cryin’ with Debbie Lee - Adventures in Korean cuisine with a Korean flair in a Korean kitchen – you know, cuz I’m Korean.”

Jamika fell apart on this challenge just like she did on the last eight or nine.  Too bad, she seems like a doll but the pressure of this competition really got to her.  She really should have gone home weeks ago – she did not deserve what they put her through.  Melissa did quite well and Jeffrey blew the judges away.

As of Last Week – Who should win based on what we’ve seen so far: Jeffrey or Melissa (and it really isn’t debatable.)

After This Week – Who should win based on what we’ve seen so far: Jeffrey or Melissa (and it still isn’t debatable.)

As of Last Week – Who will win based on what we’ve seen in the past: Jamika or Debbie.

After This Week – Who will win based on what we’ve seen in the past: Debbie.

Winner(s) this week:  – 1st Challenge – Debbie.  2nd Challenge – Jeffery.

The finalist who will be going home is . . .

 

Jamika