Food Network Star 6/14/15

Now that I'm done watching Starks die on Game of Thrones, it's time to see the ways FNS contestants will murder food tonight.  Ooh, Melissa d'Arabian is back on tonight to watch the contestants make dinner with what's in the random fridges and the pantry.  The rush for the fridges when the challenge starts is reminiscent of the start of the 74th Hunger Games, but Rue is more of a contender here.

Emilia gets to the chicken first and takes Armenian Mama's idea of chicken soup but makes it Libyan with dried mint and harissa.  Mama Sita got the rest of the chicken, but she's putting mayonnaise into her chicken alfredo.  Well, the only thing I can say is that my Italian aunt Rose puts American cheese in her lasagna.  Meanwhile, Mike is grabbing a biscuit and going off to cry about mayonnaise alfredo and Jon Snow.  Rosa's pissed that everyone else got to the pasta first because she's Italian.  Reminds me of Debbie a few years ago, who wanted everyone to know that Koreans use soy sauce and garlic 'cause they're Korean.  She finds flank steak singing to her...honey, if the steak is singing to you, you've got bigger problems.  Brian Boitano says that he has to make something perfectly.  Um, yes, dear, that is the intent.

Presentation time.  Brian Boitano's performance is on ice, and his food should be there too.  Rosa treats the camera like her best friends, but she's way too babbly with her friends.  Let's see how Mama Sita's mayonnaise alfredo with cheddar cheese goes over...hopefully for her, it's better than her performance.  Mike says he wonders why a Jersey Girl can't keep talking for 30 seconds straight.  Mama Sita wants to cry after her performance, and the judges do too.  Matthew rehearsed his part.  To me, it didn't seem to help enough, although the judges liked that he was more focused.  Football Eddie manages to fit Cheat Day into his spiel about 8 times in 30 seconds.  Rue doesn't even get the name of the dish out in 30 seconds.  Sandwich King abandons his sandwiches to make fried rice...doesn't the idea of leftovers lend itself perfectly to a sandwich?  Emilia wants to play with the spices...like in a sandbox?  She slowed down, but she didn't smile at all.  Armenian Mama made pork chop soup since she didn't make it to the chicken in time.  Lenny II made a barbecue salmon hash and presented it perfectly.  Bobby challenges him to show something new about himself each time.  Dom still has STAGE FRIGHT, and his rehearsing really didn't help.  You're killing me, Smalls!

Next challenge: make a savory baked item that is inspired by a sweet baked good.  While you're at it, turn your workstation into a bakery that will impress pastry chefs.  Armenian Mama is lost until she thinks of a traditional Armenian appetizer that is similar to an apple turnover.  Matthew breaks out the science experiments as he makes a blue cheese ice cream with liquid nitrogen to go with his treat.  Brian Boitano makes princess cakes, and Mike wonders whether those aren't just "cakes" coming from him.  Emilia has almost nothing out at the end and is already calling her food a "disaster."   At judging time, in comes Alex Guarnaschelli, because she doesn't spend enough time on the Food Network as it is.  Mr. Stage Fright calms sown, but then he starts explaining himself too much.  If you have to explain yourself, that's not usually a good thing, but it comes across better than expected.  Lenny Jr, on the other hand, is so rehearsed that he comes across as a used car salesman.  Brian Boitano makes up for his previous performance with a turkey meatloaf cupcake.  Emilia is also apologizing for herself and writing her own ticket home.  Mama Sita takes advantage of the fact that there's no time limit and talks and talks and talks and talks.  Alex delivers the ultimate blow: "This dish tastes like something on Chopped, like someone was constrained to use specific ingredients."  Eddie Football makes Caribbean corn muffins, and Alex and Giada rave about him like they're ready to let him at theirs.  Bobby doesn't seem to mind getting some crumbs either!  Rosa seems to engage the judges and is described by the judges as a possible star, but she grates on it.  Sandwich King describes his Vietnamese crepe as a different kind of sandwich.  Alex comments on his sex appeal...man, the girls are ready to go today!!  Armenian Mama puts forth a bland appetizer and admits not making her own puff pastry, but Alex describes her as "genuine,"  Matthew comes across as having NO social skills and calls Alex a "beast."  And his food is just as good.

Judgment time!  This week's winners are Eddie Football and Brian Boitano.  Bottom two are Emilia, Mama Sita, and Awkward Matthew.  Awkward Matthew acts like he knows everything and the judges are just being mean.  Alex describes Awkward Matthew as being like riding a bull at the rodeo...apparently that's one of the guys in the lineup that she doesn't want to ride today!  Awkward Matthew's cocky smile when it looks like Mama Sita is being sent home gets Giada to change her mind, and the judges decide to send him home.  Confidence will get you far, but cockiness will get you an express ticket home, even ahead of Emilia.

Tune in next week to see who's a king and who chokes worse than Joffrey.