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40 Episodes 2010 - 2011
Episode 1
22 mins
The five contestants for this week are: photographer David Hawe, who isn't looking forward to being "trapped" with five strangers for the week; media consultant James Marshall, a food snob who is especially critical of food aimed to impress and that doesn't; PR consultant Marsha Mowers, a black dress and shoes person; lawyer Holly Rasky, a single woman who hopes her television exposure might attract a potential partner; and Scotswoman Jennifer Reimer, a meat and potatoes kind of woman. Holly Rasky is the first to host the dinner party. Her menu consists of vodka spiked lemonade as the welcome drink, mango pockets and goats cheese balls as the appetizer, vanilla miso black cod as the main course, and cheesecake lollipops served on cat grass for dessert. She is hoping that her creativity will earn her some extra marks from her guests. Although she doesn't have any major disasters either in the kitchen or the dining room, her guests do comment on the creativity and effort of the meal. And Jennifer hopes to take something else home with her besides the memory of the evening.
Episode 2
22 mins
All five diners at last night's party discuss their chances of winning in light of the quality of the first party. Holly herself, in hindsight, believes her night "bombed". David Hawe, the next to host the dinner party, plans to "wing it" for good or bad. In certain respects, he has to since he doesn't have a standard kitchen but rather just a hot plate, microwave and toaster oven. His hot plate, microwave and toaster oven menu consists of watermelon snappers as the welcome drink, pig and a pokie as the appetizer, gazpacho with cheesy crisps as the main course (yes, as the main course), and red velvet cake as the dessert. David is hoping to make magic in the kitchen with his limited equipment. He probably can't have a disaster in the kitchen since there's nothing with which to create one. Perhaps the biggest disaster of the evening is Marsha's hair. And Holly is surprised to see something familiar in David's house.
Episode 3
22 mins
Jennifer Reimer is third on the list to host the dinner party. After eating many "foreign" and unknown foods over the first two parties, Jennifer wants to get back to her own roots and comfort. Her Highland inspired menu consists of blue lagoon as a welcome drink, heavenly prawns in rose-marie sauce as the appetizer, steak and mushroom pie as the main course, and tipsy trifle for dessert. She also mentions a surprise food item, about which most are not surprised but disgusted. As she is running a little behind schedule with the food, Jennifer lulls her guests with some soothing music and much liquor. But will the timing problems and the fact of some of the ingredients be her downfall?
Episode 4
22 mins
James Marshall is the host for the evening. He has felt confident right from the start of the week about winning, and is feeling even more certain now after the first three dinner parties. Because of his superior attitude, his guests expect nothing but the best and if he doesn't deliver, he may feel their wrath. His menu consists of fish & chips (pretentious styled) as the appetizer, pork belly with braised cabbage and dumplings (and pan roasted duck breast for Jewish Holly) as the main course, and croissant custard brulée for dessert. James admits to feeling stressed and having a few disasters in the kitchen, but will these translate to what his guests see and taste in the dining room? By the end of the evening, his guests leave his house with a sense of satisfaction, but for an unexpected reason.
Episode 5
22 mins
The five reflect on the disasters from the evening before, although James feels he still has a good chance of winning. Marsha Mowers is the last of this five to host. She believes that not only does the food need to be good to win, but that the conversation needs to be good and the booze needs to flow. Her New York City inspired menu consists of Mott Street martini as the welcome drink, Waldorf salad as the appetizer, Battery Park beef and Chelsea potato cake as the main course, and SoHo cheesecake as the dessert. In some respects, Marsha is winging it as she doesn't like to follow recipes, does as little work as possible, and if she does have to do work, complains about it. Like some of parties before, timing becomes an issue for Marsha. And being the last party of the week, the five are a little more candid about their thoughts not only of this party but of the other four, with James and Jennifer in particular having a special moment. Marsha finds out if her game plan and execution are enough as she announces the winner of the $1,000.
Episode 6
22 mins
The five contestants for this week are: hypnotist Beth Bovaird, a glamor girl; recent college graduate Alex Bruvels, who people often see as being over confident; street performer and carny Jackson Mann, whose job requires him to speak quickly; DJ Tania Morano, a party girl with a penchant to use four letter words; and touring Broadway production company employee Simcha Snell, a bubbly person. Beth Bovaird is the first to host the dinner party. Her menu consists of lime margaritas as the welcome drink, tequila and lime scallops as the appetizer, smoked back ribs with beans, coleslaw and corn bread as the main course, and pendulum parfait for dessert. As Beth deals with an issue in the kitchen with what she ultimately coins her possessed ribs, Jackson takes over personality-wise in the dining room, which exhausts the others. Alex and Jackson each get something unexpected on their plate, which may hurt Beth's chances for winning. As the evening comes to a close, Beth hopes the one major disaster of which she is aware will not ruin her chances of success.
Episode 7
22 mins
The five contestants assess their chances of winning based on experiencing the first party hosted by Beth, who is reeling over the error she made with her ribs, which she blames on no one but herself. And the other four are still trying to understand Jackson's unusual style of engagement. Tania Morano is second on the list to host the dinner party. Her Italian-inspired gangster menu, which mixes her own ethnic background with her DJ lifestyle, consists of espresso martinis as the welcome drink, gnocchi mafiosi as the appetizer, cottolette à la funghi as the main course, and tiramisu à la puntana for dessert. She is hoping that two of the three food courses will go well as she's never made them before. She uses the gangster theme to welcome her guests in an unusual way. And Alex and Beth find Tania's ultimate plan for winning in her bedroom.
Episode 8
22 mins
After last night's party, Beth doesn't believe she has a chance of winning anymore, while the remaining three hosts still believe they have a chance but need to step up their game plan due to Tania's impressive party. Jackson Mann is third on the list to host the dinner party. Regardless of the food or the party, will Jackson's unapologetically loud and overbearing personality factor in on how he will be scored? Jackson's Asian-inspired menu consists of "tank car" agedashi tofu and lo mai gai as the appetizers, five-spice Crystal prawns with "we lost the dog" ramen as the main course, and mango mousse for dessert. This menu surprises his guests, who expected more down home cooking from Jackson. Jackson being the evening's entertainment doesn't surprise his guests, but some of the content of that entertainment and what follows his performance do catch his guests off guard.
Episode 9
22 mins
Simcha Snell is the host for the evening. Although she states she's a confident person, she confesses that she doesn't want the expectation of her party to be too high and not live up to it. Her Mexican-inspired menu consists of basil infused shrimp over Tijuana salad as the appetizer, perrine chicken with coco rice as the main course, and Oaxacan chocolate cheesecake for dessert. A usually reserved Simcha surprises by being part of the evening's entertainment, but as usual, Jackson has the last word. But she's glad when the evening's over so that someone else can be in the spotlight instead of her.
Episode 10
22 mins
Alex Bruvels is the last of this fivesome to host. A competitive person, Alex is still out to win and will be disappointed if he doesn't. His menu consists of shucked raw PEI oysters as the hors d'oeuvre, pan seared mahi-mahi as the appetizer, rabbit in Cabernet jus with risotto as the main course, and strawberry and sugar cookie parfait for dessert. He realizes that he is taking a risk by serving cute bunny rabbit in his meal about which he doesn't care, but he doesn't realize the equally risky maneuver in his dress code of white attire. Even after these knowns, his guests don't have high expectations for the evening due to his young age (twenty-three) and still "frat boy" mentality of life, so are surprised that Alex is going for the fine dining theme. But they're lucky that they don't spot Alex's food preparation, which would cause fine dining restaurants to close. He'll soon find out if his fine dining evening worked as he announces the winner of the $1,000.
Episode 11
22 mins
The five contestants for this week are: blogger Dez Diaz, who hates boring things and people; Kathleen Douglass, a tai-chi enthusiast who loves food; jazz musician Carson Freeman, who likes the spotlight all to himself; IT manager Joe Guidarelli, a competitive person who isn't used to losing; and legal assistant Deborah Murphy, a self professed bitch, snob and flirt whose signature accessory is a pearl necklace. All five expect to win, with second place, in Carson's words, being first loser. Joe Guidarelli is the first to host the dinner party. His menu consists of spumante and grapefruit as the welcome drink, butternut squash risotto as the appetizer, julienned vegetable stuffed chicken breast as the main course, and tiramisu for dessert. He wants his food not only to taste good but look like works of art, just as he believes himself to be (he believes his good looks will wow the women). He risks having a wine tasting not knowing anything about wine and placing home made labels with photos of him on the wine bottles. Joe admits to having timing issues with the food coming out. By the end of the evening, the five have formed very strong and definite opinions of the other four.
Episode 12
22 mins
Deborah Murphy is the next to host the dinner party. Her tequila infused menu consists of margaritas as the welcome drink, salad wedge with tequila bread as the appetizer, tequila lime chicken as the main course, and key lime pie as the dessert. She admits never having been to Mexico and not having a desire to go to Mexico, but she loves her tequila which accounts for the Mexican flavor to the meal. If it doesn't taste "right", she will hear the wrath of ethnic Mexican Dez. Throughout the cooking process, Debbie shows just how much she loves her tequila by the quantity she consumes, which makes her "happy" by the time her guests arrive. Beyond the Mexican theme, Debbie's guests are surprised by some of the unexpected things on their plates. After all is said and done, will Debbie's self-infused main ingredient help or hinder her?
Episode 13
22 mins
Dez Diaz is third on the list to host the dinner party. After yesterday's Mexican themed menu by non-Mexican Debbie, Mexican Dez vows that she will show her guests what real Mexican food is supposed to be. She also doesn't get drunk while cooking like Debbie was when she cooked her meal. Dez's Mexican-inspired menu consists of arugula and watermelon salad with shrimp as the appetizer, pollo con mole as the main course, and pastel Maria for dessert. She is confident that her cooking skills and her menu are the week's winning ones even before she begins. As such, her guests have high expectations as she has been the most critical all week. In an effort to engage her guests, she has them prepare their own tortillas, but will they appreciate being part of the food prep or would they have preferred to be totally pampered? The guests leave satisfied, but not because of the meal itself.
Episode 14
22 mins
After Debbie and Dez both served Mexican themed meals, the differences between the two, not only in their food, is apparent. As the next host, Kathleen Douglass is hoping to that her hosting is an extension of herself. Her menu consists of pink diamond fizz as the welcome drink, pear and peach curry soup as the appetizer, seared tuna as the main course, and mojito freeze for dessert. The evening ends up being one of extreme contrasts. Dez ends up being the center of attention for all the wrong reasons. Kathleen's overly positive demeanor, regardless of what is thrown at her, garnered mixed results. And her party favor, while touching some more than others, was also seen by some as being too positive in its approach to the night. Will all that combined result in a middling score?
Episode 15
22 mins
By this, the last party of the week, two distinct factions have emerged, the line based on generation. Debbie was offended by the way Carson, Dez and Joe acted toward both herself and their host Kathleen at yesterday's party. Carson, Dez and Joe, conversely, were digging the knife into Kathleen whenever she was not present to hear. Carson Freeman is the last of the five to host. His 100-mile menu consists of handmade ravioli as the appetizer, braised veal chops as the main course, and warm peach cake as the dessert. The food takes a back seat to the issue of guest relations, with Debbie venting her feelings about some of her younger companions. Carson hopes that his entertainment, some jazz music, will soothe the atmosphere. He'll find out if his music is enough to overcome the animosity as he announces the winner of the $1,000. The eventual winner does a surprising thing despite the animosity that emerged between the five.
Episode 16
22 mins
The five contestants for this week are: graphics designer Lynne Dalgleish, who doesn't like to be called eccentric or wacky even though she knows she is; marketer Santo Ligotti, who doesn't like anything plain; mover 'Walt Medeiros', an ex-biker who hates people who always need to be the center of attention; go-go and burlesque dancer Holly Van Drat, who doesn't like what society deems traditional; and homemaker Rosamund Witchel, an aerobics addict. Lynne Dalgleish is the first to host the dinner party. Her menu consists of beets, chevre, asparagus, olives and bread as the appetizer, seafood pastichio as the main course, and lemon tart for dessert. If first impressions hold true, one of the four is the obvious outsider amongst the group. As dinner progresses, that impression holds true to form. Lynne may not notice as she's mesmerized by something in the wine, and forgets a few things in the kitchen.
Episode 17
22 mins
The five contestants assess their chances of winning based on experiencing the first party hosted by Lynne. 'Walt Medeiros' is second on the list to host the dinner party. His menu consists of beet, honey and goat cheese ravioli as the appetizer, rainbow trout as the main course, and baked pears for dessert. The four guests are surprised by the menu as it doesn't seem to match Walt's personality. Beyond the issue of the food, his guests notice a few things missing from the dining room table. And Lynne and Rosamund may have lost their appetite by what they find in Walt's drawers.
Episode 18
22 mins
After last night's party, both Lynne and Walt believe they are in the lead, with Santo, Holly and Rosamund believing they can beat whoever is currently in the lead. Holly Van Drat is third on the list to host the dinner party. Her cheesy 1960's beach party inspired menu consists of a flaming crouton topped fruit punch as the welcome drink, capsized cucumber soup as the appetizer, grilled mahi-mahi as the main course, and "all pineapples go to heaven" cake for dessert. Some go-go dancing before dinner turns up the heat, which is what Holly will need as her stove doesn't seem to be working as she tries to cook dinner. As Holly deals with the issues in the kitchen, the other four quietly muse about how much they don't have in common with the others, especially Rosamund, who considers Holly's spare room to be a "freak show".
Episode 19
22 mins
Santo Ligotti is the host for the evening. He believes he has the perfect combination of skills to win this competition hands down. His "Mama's boy" Italian-inspired menu consists of eggplant Parmesan, stuffed artichokes and risotto balls as the appetizers, Neapolitan stuffed veal (stuffed pepper for vegetarian Holly) as the main course, and orange zeppole for dessert. Cooking food on which he grew up on has mixed reactions to his guests. The highlights for the evening seem to stem from the misfortunes of one of the diners, the first of which the others seems somewhat happy about, the second which sheds some new light for the previous reaction to that person.
Episode 20
22 mins
Rosamund Witchel is the last of this fivesome to host. The outsider from the start, she doesn't care if the others don't like her, but she still believes that will not hinder her chances of winning. Her menu consists of mixed greens with peaches and buffalo mozzarella as the appetizer, grilled sirloin steak (baked salmon for vegetarian Holly) as the main course, and flourless chocolate cake for dessert. She spares no expense on the meal, especially on the wine. One surprising aspect of the evening is Rosamund's directive of no snooping in the house. Her country club suburban activities for the evening include badminton, and her favorite activity: step aerobics. And as Rosamund tries to be a good host - regardless of it's an act or sincere - Walt is having none of it. She'll find out if her evening is enough to overcome the animosity as she announces the winner of the $1,000.
Episode 21
22 mins
The five contestants for this week are: customer services representative Andrea Degirmenci, who likes the finer things in life; Cathy Habus, whose fears in life are to die alone and go to dinner parties without alcohol; criminal defense lawyer Sayeh Hassan, who aims high in whatever she does; entrepreneur 'Jonathan Lamb', a British ex-pat who places good food as being on par with good sex; and merchandise buyer Bill Minna, who admits he appreciates his obsessive-compulsive disorder. Andrea Degirmenci is the first to host the dinner party. Her menu consists of sexy seafood cakes as the appetizer, Armenian beef kabobs as the main course, and angelic berry blast for dessert. Andrea focuses her evening on the food and self-presentation to the detriment of other aspects of the party. Her guests notice what she has not paid attention to (some of which gets into the food) which could negatively affect how they score her. Andrea, however, is oblivious to any problems in the dining room, except for the one food issue that she is queried about which she hoped no one would ask.
Episode 22
22 mins
Bill Minna is the next to host the dinner party. He believes his obsessive-compulsive disorder i.e. what he considers his perfectionism, will win the competition for him, especially after the first dinner party. His tongue-tying Italian inspired menu consists of I tutti spaghetti ubrianchi as the appetizer, grilled lamb chops as the main course, and torta amore Italiano as the dessert. When his guests arrive, two of them, seeing that he is a perfectionist, decide to play a few mind games with him. Bill's perfectionist mentality causes a slight problem when he hits the grill. And because he set the expectation so high, he is brought to task when he is asked about the preparation of the dessert.
Episode 23
22 mins
Chatty Cathy Habus is third on the list to host the dinner party. Cathy believes she has the menu and capabilities to win, despite having a minor kitchen disaster within the first five minutes of cooking. Her strategy is to be creative and get her guests drunk, the latter which does not surprise her guests. Her menu consists of cherry mojitos as the welcome drink, crusted scallops as the appetizer, Asian-spiced leg of lamb as the main course, and "the mystery" enigmatic duo for dessert. Unknown to her guests, some of who are highly anticipating what it is going to be, Cathy is making beet cardamom mousse and black forest trifle made with black bean brownies for dessert, the enigmatic part being that she is making desserts with vegetables and beans. To assist in her meal preparation, Cathy consumes a vast amount of alcohol. The amount of alcohol served is another matter as an equipment malfunction nixes a planned second drink. Cathy celebrates what few victories she ends up having in the kitchen. She decides literally to toot her own horn in hopes of lulling her guests in submission. And her presentation of the mystery desserts has mixed results.
Episode 24
22 mins
As the next host, Sayeh Hassan admits to the camera that she has a long climb to win since she has never cooked before, only having recently been taught by her father. But she still does expect to win. She believes her food will be excellent as she considers herself a quick learner. Her Persian inspired menu, which goes to her family roots, consists of olovlyeh salad and kashke bademjoon as the appetizer, stuffed chicken breast as the main course, and saffron, rose water and pistachio ice cream and pomegranate gelatin for dessert. While she cooks, Sayeh learns that she's not as quick a learner as she thought. Mother Nature may have something to say about Sayeh's plan for an al fresco dinner. Although Mother Nature ends up cooperating, some of the guests have a few unwanted outside visitors. And a party question and answer session initiated by Bill brings tears.
Episode 25
22 mins
'Jonathan Lamb' is the last of this five to host. He believes nothing but first place is good enough. His ostentatious (at least by his guests' perception) menu consists of ostrich meatballs and kangaroo burgers as the hors d'oeuvres, orange carrot ginger soup and Asian duck salad as the appetizers, "east meets west" halibut as the main course, and a trio of chocolate mousses as the dessert. Beyond the food, Andrea and Bill find something in Jonathan's medicine cabinet that puzzles them and freaks them out; they are slightly embarrassed when they find out what it is. And Bill and Cathy have a plan for Sayeh for the evening. Through it all, Jonathan tries to be an attentive host. He'll find out if he is attentive enough as he announces the winner of the $1,000.
Episode 26
22 mins
The five contestants for this week are: photographer Mary Armstrong, who curses profusely to relieve stress; set designer Graham Caswell, whose signature accessory is a hat; former stripper Mandy Halpern, who got into the business when she saw how much money she could make; floral designer Annabel McMahon, a straight-laced and competitive person; and light bulb salesman Jonathan Wilson, who uses humor to win over people, but who also easily offends just for the sake of it. Confident Mary Armstrong is the first to host the dinner party. Her cardamom infused menu consists of arugula salad as the appetizer, Asian spiced brisket as the main course, and cardamom ice cream cake for dessert. While Mary is in the kitchen, Jonathan and Annabel clash over some artwork in the house, and Mandy demonstrates her dominatrix side over Graham. Some people are shocked by an admission each by Jonathan and Mary. And Annabel and Mandy bond over being "ginger".
Episode 27
22 mins
The five contestants assess their chances of winning based on experiencing the first party hosted by Mary. All realize that Annabel has set herself aside as the prim and proper outsider of the group. Mandy Halpern is second on the list to host the dinner party. Her comfort food menu consists of pear & prosciutto bites, cranberry pinwheels, and as an unexpected homage to last night's host, Mama's mother-f'ing tomato salad as the appetizers, gourmet beef stew as the main course, and sweet potato tarts for dessert. Mandy is banking that the love all have individually shown her, especially from Graham, will garner her extra marks regardless of the success or failure of the party. She also discloses her previous profession, which surprises some but not others. But all get to let out their inner stripper by either practicing on the stripper pole in Mandy's bedroom and/or doing pretend lap dances around the dining room table. And Mandy accommodates a suggestion from Mary to perk up a less than well feeling Annabel.
Episode 28
22 mins
Each of the five assess their chance of winning after the first two dinner parties, and the expectation of the final three parties based on now knowing the competition. Jonathan Wilson is third on the list to host the dinner party. He is feeling even less confident than he was at the beginning of the week as the first two dinner parties have taken their toll on him. His menu consists of seared lamb with mint gazpacho as the appetizer, roasted lime chicken as the main course, and pound cake for dessert. Much of the evening's conversation stems from a book Jonathan has in his bathroom, which raises a few eyebrows. Regarding the conversation, all Jonathan cares about is being the most offensive with his comments by the end. And Graham feels out of sorts by a private conversation between the three women concerning a "female" issue.
Episode 29
22 mins
After last night's party, a new outsider amongst the group has emerged instead of Annabel: Graham, who is starting to get on the women's nerves. Annabel McMahon is the host for the evening. After the first three parties and knowing the last of her competitors, Annabel is even more confident that she has no chance of losing. She vows to make her party more sophisticated than her competitors. Her menu consists of prosciutto wrapped asparagus as the hors d'oeuvres (which ultimately doesn't come to pass), seared foie gras on toasted brioche as the appetizer, cassoulet as the main course, and chocolaty bread pudding for dessert. The dinner gets off to a rocky start when Mary rallies in defense of the animals used to produce foie gras and the inhumane treatment they receive. Mary's plan to increase her chances of winning the competition backfire. And all have a slightly different perspective of Annabel by the end of the evening than they did at the beginning of the week.
Episode 30
22 mins
Graham Caswell is the last of this fivesome to host. He wants his party to be memorable in every respect, which means equal part food and equal part performance. His tapas bar inspired menu consists of ajo blanco gazpacho & jamon Iberico as the appetizers, blood sausage and stuffed quail as the main course, and fig & marzipan bread pudding for dessert. In looking at the menu, his guests believe he could either produce a spectacular meal, or fail miserably since he's bitten off more than he can chew. The latter option looks like it may come to fruition as he puts off making dessert since he has too many other items to prep for the meal. The performance side of the evening has mixed results. And he decides to serve the meal according to Spanish time. He'll soon find out if his risks paid off as he announces the winner of the $1,000.
Episode 31
22 mins
The five contestants for this week are: on-line manager Karen Ahmed, who has an A-type personality; opera singer and B&B owner/operator Cassandra Bourne, who likes any food high in fat and that is bad for you; holistic healer Brian Gangel, who espouses a diet of whole and organic foods; mortgage specialist Graham McWaters, who is self-admittedly arrogant; and part-time real estate agent Pixie Roney, who doesn't understand dinner parties without alcohol. Brian Gangel is the first to host the dinner party. His whole-food, modified raw menu consists of elderflower and aloe juice as the welcome drink (he will not be serving alcohol as he is a non-drinker), carrot and squash soup as the appetizer, double smoked salmon as the main course, and heavenly spheres for dessert. His food beliefs result in the use of unusual equipment and items in the kitchen to remove the harmful effects of and on certain foods. He ends up breaking down and serving wine - gifts that were brought for him by his guests. And he presents a meal different in western convention by serving dessert first as he doesn't believe fruit should be consumed after the protein. By the end of the meal during which he explains his many food philosophies, will he have any converts to his way of thinking?
Episode 32
22 mins
All five diners at last night's party discuss their chances of winning in light of the quality of the first party. Brian believes he did well, based on his standards which are different than most. Pixie Roney is the next to host the dinner party. Her menu consists of paté, smoked salmon & egg mimosa as the appetizer, filet mignon en croute as the main course, and chocolate mousse as the dessert. Upon arriving at her house, her guests are surprised in the dichotomy that is her life. Pixie seems to be making up for the lack of alcohol at yesterday's dinner by dousing most of her food with it and consuming a great deal of it during the meal preparation. And Brian's philosophies on food hijack the evening.
Episode 33
22 mins
Graham McWaters is third on the list to host the dinner party. Having experienced the first two parties but not yet knowing what's to come, Graham believes he already has the $1,000 in his pocket. His menu consists of bouillabaisse (which he has given the redundant name "bouillabaisse seafood soup") as the appetizer, rotisserie chicken and leg of lamb as the main course, and baked pineapple with ice cream and meringue for dessert. This menu shows the extremes between Graham and Brian, who sees it as a carcinogenic nightmare. Graham plans to wow his guests not only with the food but the presentation, both as the food is being prepared as well as how it is served. Presentation is the top priority for Graham as demonstrated by the magic he hopes to create after the meal. Fussy Brian surprises the others, and the women are disappointed by the number of unapologetic "no"s Graham answers to their questions.
Episode 34
22 mins
Karen Ahmed is the host for the evening. She likes to celebrate every moment of life, but ramps it up especially for parties. Her global menu (what she calls "around the world in one night") consists of American dream as the welcome drink, Turkish pizza and Chinese won-tons as the appetizers, Caribbean jerk pot roast with a Thai seafood & mango salad as the main course, and Indian kulfi for dessert. She sets an international dress code to match the menu. Unlike Pixie did, Karen is not kowtowing to the exacting food standards that Brian wants, he who is dreading the meal looking at what he considers the confusing and colon toxic menu. But Karen does decide to alter her cooking to what she believes Brian will eat, which takes its toll on Cassandra. Karen hopes her after-dinner entertainment will raise the heat of her guests, for the men and the women in different ways.
Episode 35
22 mins
Cassandra Bourne is the last of this five to host. She believes that a host should cook what he/she likes and is comfortable with, which means that she will not pander to Brian's fussy food habits, nor does she want him to dominate the conversation with his lifestyle thoughts. Conversely, it means lots of butter. Her menu consists of a blend of madrigal mead and ice wine as the layered welcome drink, soup à l'onion gratinée as the appetizer, carbonnade of beef & wild mushrooms with crepes as the main course, and mocha meringue torte as the dessert. Cassandra takes the risky approach of making her guests do some of the work that is usually the responsibility of the host, including pouring drinks and preparing, serving and plating food. It also includes a family-style main course. Her philosophy is that the host should not be the slave, but that the party itself is a time for people to enjoy each others' company, which means spending time together doing whatever needs to be done. She ends up doing some of the work for the party as she is the evening's entertainment. Cassandra finds out if her risks paid off as she announces the winner of the $1,000.
Episode 36
22 mins
The five contestants for this week are: avid sailor and ex-pat Brit Jerry Brown, who, in his younger days, was often out at the pub for a pint and some curry; tai kick-boxer Raj Dhillon, who's not a girly-girl and who admits getting scattered when multi-tasking; aerobics instructor Tamar Fradkin, who has a short attention span; former Texan Duaina Kirby, who still retains her southern hospitality and Texan mentality that everything bigger is better; and hot yoga instructor Andrew Moniz, who considers himself entertaining, which includes being able to tie a cherry stem in a knot with his tongue. Raj Dhillon is the first to host the dinner party. Her South Asian fusion menu consists of fusion samosas as the appetizer, saag stuffed chicken breasts as the main course, and the self titled Raj Mahal (which is really apple crumble with rice pudding) for dessert. Raj has to do some improvisation when she runs into some problems with two of the dishes. Raj also has some problems due to the small size of her kitchen, but will that translate into what her guests see in the dining room? Raj also doesn't want to make the food too spicy, but she ends up having a group of spice lovers. That may be the only similarity between the five, who quickly come to the realization of how they are all so different from the others. These differences are highlighted by Raj's idea of entertainment, and the very nature of the dinner party conversation concerning showering behavior.
Episode 37
22 mins
The four yet to host outline their game plan for success, while Raj, last night's host, recalls her worst moments of the day. Jerry Brown is second on the list to host the dinner party. His guests are expecting something traditionally British as the meal, and he doesn't disappoint in that respect. His old-fashioned British menu (with recipes from his grandmother's 1913 cookbook) consists of crab cakes as the appetizers, braised lamb shanks as the main course, and caramelized oranges, meringue beds and chocolate log for dessert. Some of his guests are not looking forward to the evening as cultural and generational differences make Jerry seem old and boring in their eyes. Raj and Duaina get a glimpse of a different side of Jerry from what he has in his bedroom. But Tamar ends up being the most disparate of the group, she the polar extreme from Jerry.
Episode 38
22 mins
Tamar Fradkin is third on the list to host the dinner party. Her menu consists of yin-yang soup as the appetizer, citrus infused halibut as the main course, and apple pie cheesecake for dessert. Tamar averts a near disaster at the several fishmongers she visits, but hits some disasters in the kitchen with her bread and some overdone pine nuts. She's hoping that she will be able to dazzle them with her attire and her tranny eyelashes. Much of the conversation for the evening goes to what Duaina and Jerry find next to Tamar's elevated bed, that is when Jerry is not dominating the conversation. And Andrew manages amazingly to stump Jerry about a subject of which he's never heard.
Episode 39
22 mins
Andrew Moniz is the host for the evening. Andrew expects to win as he once thought about going to culinary school to become a chef, before deciding that that lifestyle was too hard on the body in so many different ways. His menu consists of lychee saketinis as the welcome drink, roasted butternut squash soup as the appetizer, balsamic glazed halibut as the main course, and gooooorgeous fruit meringue and ice wine for dessert. All five of the contestants now see the battle between Andrew and Tamar due to the many similarities between their menus, especially as they are served on back-to-back nights. They also get to weigh-in on the battle of the meringues between Andrew and Jerry. Tamar and Duaina are intrigued by some very small items they find in Andrew's drawers. And by the end of the evening, all have come to the realization how they appear to the others, which allows Jerry to get in his digs openly at the night's host.
Episode 40
22 mins
Duaina Kirby is the last of this fivesome to host. She is tapping into her Texan roots, believing that everything big is better, but her guests are a bit worried that going Texan may be too heavy for their palates. Her southern inspired menu consists of Texas pecan crab cakes as the appetizer, fried chicken as the main course, and Tennessee whiskey bread pudding for dessert. She believes she has at least an upper hand on Jerry as she will be using freshly cooked Dungeness crab for her crab cakes as opposed to the canned crab and imitation crab that Jerry used. She is confident of her cooking skills, but is uncertain whether she can complete all the dishes in time for dinner. Duaina being a bit flustered and stressed is not lost on her guests. Jerry tries a bit of sabotage, but will any of the others buy into it? And conversation steers to what her four guests find on the walls in Duaina's bedroom. Duaina's stressed out evening will come to close after she announces the winner of the $1,000.