Paul Kahan, who owns Blackbird and Avec in Chicago, was the guest judge this go-round. Dale's ribs looked awesome — they seemed to satisfy that craving for the bad-for-your-thighs food you expect to partake in at a football game, and yet brought something new to it (tandoori marinade). Antonia's chicken sandwich and Richard's pâté burger looked just as lovely. Meanwhile, Ryan was penalized for food that one fan dubbed ''a little more fancy than what I would expect''; Andrew may have had that helmet on too tight (''He's a trip, man,'' Gail laughed); Nikki ran out of her store-bought sausage; and Mark had the ''testicular fortitude'' to cook with charcoal but lacked a feminine touch for organization and cleanliness. (Also, what's up with all of the parsnip this season?)
Before we discuss the judges' table, we need to address all of the sexual innuendo in the show's promos. Padma shooting champagne at the camera. Padma taking big bites out of apples. Padma twirling around with cold steel knives. And then there was this week's commercial break multiple-choice question. In case you missed it, it was ''Who would you most want to touch in touch football?'' (a) Padma; (b) Tom; or (c) Yourself. The results: 50 percent of America chose Tom, 34 percent chose Padma, and 16 percent chose themselves. No joke. But damn, was it funny.
So Stephanie made it to the winner's circle again, along with Dale and Antonia. Dale came out on top, but I'm sure his excitement was tempered when he remembered that last week the prize was a trip to Italy, and all he got was a jersey and grill. In the bottom three were Mark, Nikki and Ryan. No big surprises. Mark tasted something and used the same spoon to dish it out — that's cooking 101. And Nikki, I mean, really, what did she do? She ran out of her peppers, onions, and sauce, and her sausage was pre-made. It was lazy; she just chilled and grilled. Ryan, well... Gail was apt when she said, ''He didn't actually want to do tailgating at the tailgate party.'' Ryan though it'd be ''f---ing bulls---'' if he had to go home because he didn't run out of food the way Nikki did. But isn't that telling? She ran out of food, because it tasted good.
So my roommie called it — but Ryan wasn't pleased pack his knives and go. ''I don't just cook with my hands, I cook with my heart.'' Sniff. But it was the right call. Thoughts? Anyone surprised that nobody took on the Chicago hot dog? Who do you think is the weakest link? Will Nikki be the next to go? Or could it be Mark?
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