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80 Episodes 2012 - 2013
Episode 1
22 mins
The five contestants for this week are: feedback coach Tim Burns, a statistics and spreadsheet geek; Colleen Campbell, who says she'll try anything at least once, unless it is a head from an animal; sales VP Fraser Lang, who has an eclectic list comprising his dream dinner party guests; housewife Sandra Latcham, who likes doing girly-girl things; and former professional step dancer Danielle LeBlanc, who believes east coasters like herself are generally more fun. Tim Burns is the first to host the dinner party. His menu consists of vodka spiked elderflower water as the welcome drink, shrimp tapas as the appetizer, meat ménage á trois as the main course, and "four-play" for dessert, a quartet of banana offerings. As he waxes poetic about bulbs in the onion family and herbs, he is certain his organization, as shown through a gant chart, will win him the week. He also steers toward the theatrical in terms of his plating. But a focus on the gant chart and not on the falling liquid levels at the dinner table may prove costly.
Episode 2
22 mins
All five diners at last night's party discuss what they hope to achieve by week's end, including winning the $1,000. Danielle LeBlanc is the next to host the dinner party. Her largely east coast inspired menu consists of a cheese plate as the hors d'oeuvres, steamed mussels and stuffed mushroom caps as the appetizer, seafood lasagna as the main course, and Irish cream cheesecake as the dessert. Danielle, who describes herself as being disorganized, may have greater issues with dessert, as she also admits to hating baking. She downplays the party, steering toward the casual and easy-going, which may not play well among those that want her to try harder. The guests' self-entertainment and the copious amount of wine flowing may make them forget about any issues with the meal and party.
Episode 3
22 mins
Colleen Campbell is third on the list to host the dinner party. Her strategy for success is to get her guests drunk so they won't know if the food is good or bad, and thus score her a 10. Irish Colleen's Greek inspired menu consists of ouzo as the welcome drink, saganaki as the appetizer, moussaka as the main course, and light & luscious lemon cake for dessert. She issues a dress code to match the Greek theme, which may now be more associated with frat party than dinner party. She also admits to having an assistant in the kitchen - Sammy - but Sammy may be more of a hindrance than a help if she uses too much Sammy (aka sambuca). The liquor does flow easily during the evening, but will that make her guests forget about the timing and other problems? Her life story and rolling in the aisles laughter may garner a few additional points.
Episode 4
22 mins
Girly-girl Sandra Latcham is the host for the evening. She will be embarrassed if she doesn't win after attending what she considers the train wrecks thus far, and the fact that she is a professional homemaker, who has rubbed elbows with many a celebrity chef. Her menu consists of kir royale as the welcome drink, tarte au chèvre as the appetizer, beef wellington as the main course, and tarte tatin for dessert. Her guests are expecting Sandra to pull out all the stops and will be disappointed if she doesn't or doesn't deliver. One of the first things offered as her guests walk through the door sets some of them aback, but does highlight her attention to detail. Some parting words at the end of the evening also garners some mixed emotions.
Episode 5
22 mins
Fraser Lang is the last of this five to host. He believes the competition is his for the taking. His around the world travel menu consists of a dark & stormy cocktail as the welcome drink, Tuscan tomato soup as the appetizer, steak & ale pie as the main course, and pound cake with caramel apples as the dessert. Fraser shows a different side of himself to his guests, and hopes his party game is a crowd pleaser. Regardless, the five in combination are sad as the end of a fun and friend making week approaches and as Fraser announces the winner of the $1,000.
Episode 6
22 mins
The five contestants for this week are: Susan Haddow, a Vegas fanatic and 80s rocker chick; Terry Lyons-Schram, a dog lover who describes himself as opinionated and wanting his own way; Andy Noseworthy, a trivia buff and video game aficionado; undergraduate student Emma Pelliccione, whose strategy involves coming across as an underdog; and horticulturalist Liz Wilkinson, who is proud of her Highland heritage. Susan Haddow is the first to host the dinner party. Her menu consists of savory pear tart with arugula as the appetizer, slow braised short ribs as the main course, and red velvet cupcakes for dessert. The five end up being an openly but somewhat respectfully and quietly disparate group, each that end up taking jabs at each other when the opportunity arises. Sue may not notice since she is absent from the table often to deal with food issues in the kitchen, and from a slight overconsumption of alcohol. The end of evening entertainment garners mixed results.
Episode 7
22 mins
The four yet to host discuss their strategy for success, while Sue is happy she didn't get wasted at her own party. Liz Wilkinson is second on the list to host the dinner party. Organized control freak Liz believes her laminated "to do" list for the party preparation will lead to victory. Her Highland inspired menu, reflecting her ethnic heritage, consists of haggis and cullen skink as the appetizers, venison stew as the main course, and deep fried chocolate bars for dessert. She is hoping that her welcome adds an extra bit of that Scottish flair. Liz takes a chance with the haggis, of which she is aware, but other aspects of her meal may also be unsuspectingly risky, especially for Sue. And a story about her immediate future may add a few "shed a tear" points.
Episode 8
22 mins
Terry Lyons-Schram is third on the list to host the dinner party. His French-inspired menu consists of cream of watercress soup as the appetizer, veal scaloppini as the main course, and upside-down pear cake with wild boar bacon caramel sauce for dessert. To match the theme, Terry issues a 60s Paris dress code, which most take to mean basic but chic black, with a couple of splashes of eye popping red. Despite the menu being French, most of his guests are unimpressed before they walk through his front door. But after they walk through the door, they find out some additional information about Terry, some that they feel is ripe for public consumption (i.e. that his husband's name is also Terry Lyons-Schram) and some that is not (i.e. bacon flavored lubricant). In return, Terry probes for personal information about the others. And the food? - members of this hypercritical group are not shy to express their views.
Episode 9
22 mins
The five contestants each thinks he or she still has a legitimate chance of winning, based on the individual strengths they brought or will bring to their own party, which were and will be vastly different than the others. Emma Pelliccione is the host for the evening. Her strategy all week has been to fly under the radar as the inexperienced twenty-one year old, then exceed expectations. Her guests indeed do not expect great things from her. Her desire to win is in part because she someday sees herself in culinary school after her academic career. Her Italian-inspired menu, reflecting her ethnic heritage, consists of insalata caprese and deep fried artichokes as the appetizers, braised lamb shanks as the main course, and limoncillo tiramisu for dessert. Emma gets much unexpected praise from her guests, especially considering what she accomplished for her tender young age, but will that be reflected in a winning score?
Episode 10
22 mins
Andy Noseworthy is the last of this fivesome to host. A person who has approval issues, Andy wants to win if only to boost his self-esteem. However, his know-it-all attitude may kibosh his chances before his guests even walk in the door. His menu consists of caprese salad as the appetizer (which may be an issue following the same appetizer from an ethnic Italian last night), veal-stuff agnolotti as the main course, and raspberry chocolate mousse cake for dessert. He hopes that making most things from scratch - including the bread and pasta - will win him extra points. But his guests hopes that he has some problems along the way, which will make him lose his temper at himself (which he does). But as the week comes to a close, the niceties start to wane as the knives pointed in all directions come out. Andy'll soon find out how these knives affected his score as he announces the winner of the $1,000.
Episode 11
22 mins
The five contestants for this week are: marketing manager Barry Arner, an avid curler who used to party too much but still has a weakness for men in uniforms; life saving coach Clotilde Anne-Marie Friedmann, who has given up two of her favorite things - booze and sex - to try and break a world life saving record; unemployed Mona Khorasani, who has a massive sweet tooth; event planner Malaika Palmer, who has a long list of pet peeves; and Dan Yurman, a dog lover who hates negativity. Dan Yurman is the first to host the dinner party. His menu consists of French onion bites as the appetizer, maple glazed salmon as the main course, and on-the-spot extreme ice cream for dessert, which is made with a liquid nitrogen display at the dinner table. Dan expects to hit it out of the park, and by the end of the night, he thinks he did. But a lack of variety of wine colors, simplicity in the food prep, and someone named Maui might temper what the others thought.
Episode 12
22 mins
Malaika Palmer is the next to host the dinner party. She admits to being a little nervous, but hopes she can at least maintain a calm exterior. Her guests hope to see more than a calm exterior as they see Malaika as the boring one in the group. Her menu consists of whoo-hoos as the welcome drink, grilled cheese sandwiches & tomato soup as the appetizer, jerk chicken as the main course, and chocolate cupcakes topped with mint chocolate chip ice cream as the dessert. The dessert will have the unusual twist in that the cupcakes themselves are made with a box mix, while the ice cream is home made. The menu reinforces her guests' view that she is boring and conservative in her approach to life. Much like Dan the night before, Malaika, at the end of the evening, believes she's hit the night out of the park, especially with the entertainment she brings in. But like Dan the night before, will certain issues, such as using many already prepared or shortcut ingredients and not being the "life of the party" type person, kibosh her chances of winning?
Episode 13
22 mins
Zen-like Clotilde Anne-Marie Friedmann is third on the list to host the dinner party. Her menu consists of love from heaven as the welcome drink, cervelle de veau and chevaline tartare as the appetizers, elk & marlin surf & turf as the main course, and baked Alaska for dessert. The guests believe her menu does reflect Clotilde's quirky nature, she who thinks that serving such exotic items as veal brains, raw horse meat, elk and marlin will expand her guests' horizons. Some are dreading the meal, while others are excited by trying some new foods. Clotilde builds upon that anticipation in the way she serves the exotic foods. Reality meets expectations about half of the time. Despite problems, Clotilde remains one with the universe in her outlook of the night, but her guests may have a different outlook with little wine, and a meal that extends into the next day. Emotions run high as the party comes to a close.
Episode 14
22 mins
After last night's party, emotions have settled somewhat, but the next host, Mona Khorasani, is hoping to capitalize on what she considers the not so difficult train wreck of a party last night. Ethic Persian Mona's Spanish-inspired menu consists of white wine sangria as the welcome drink, gazpacho soup as the appetizer, paella as the main course, and churros with hot chocolate for dessert. Mona admits not to being the best chef in the world, but plans on getting her guests drunk so that they won't care. She still expects to win based on her hosting and having everyone believes she is warm and cuddly, which is reflected by her kitchen assistant, Bobo, a stuffed elephant. She also hopes that her Spanish-styled entertainment will cap off the evening. Will underdog Mona surprise?
Episode 15
22 mins
Barry Arner is the last of the five to host. Although impressed by Mona's performance last night, he is still confident he can pull it out of the bag based on his party hosting experiences. And although he considers being friendly a key element in garnering good scores, his four guests state to the camera that they have no intention of keeping in touch with anyone after this dinner is over, with the exception perhaps of the bromance between straight Dan and gay Barry. Barry's high end menu consists of champagne as the welcome drink, lobster cakes as the appetizer, beef tenderloin as the main course, and strawberry heaven as the dessert. Barry's high end menu is accompanied by his high end attire and high end legs, which his guests learn is not the first time he's showed them off in public. He'll find out if his frou-frou evening is enough to take home the prize as he announces the winner of the $1,000.
Episode 16
22 mins
The five contestants for this week are: wedding DJ Andrew Davids, who likes the sound of his own voice and the way his body looks; realtor Shawna Fletcher, who has a long list of dislikes; travel agent Mitch McGraw, a table tennis aficionado who likes to think of himself as straightforward; eco-activist Jennifer Modica, who is vegetarian because she does not believe in animals being raised to provide their bodies as food for man; and retired nurse Rusty Stewart, an ex-Calgary cowgirl who likes watching football to see men in tight pants bend over. Rusty Stewart is the first to host the dinner party. Her menu consists of champagne cocktails as the welcome drink, onion, brie & pear strudel as the appetizer, vegetarian lasagna (to satisfy vegetarian Jennifer) as the main course, and chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate cake for dessert. All five end up being strong personalities who so far hold their tongues until alone in front of the camera. The one person who doesn't hold her tongue is Rusty, whose frank discussions about her sexual history surprises, especially as it is coming from a senior. Rusty also doesn't hold her tongue when it comes to licking all of her kitchen utensils to taste the food as it is being prepared and plated. Rusty takes a decidedly casual approach which may place her guests at ease, or may them feel like not enough effort was asserted.
Episode 17
22 mins
The four yet to host stick to what they consider their game plan both to win and to stay true to themselves, while Rusty believes she had a winning party last night. Mitch McGraw is second on the list to host the dinner party. His Chinese-inspired menu consists of lychee martinis as the welcome drink, wonton soup and pan fried prawn dumplings (vegetarian versions for Jennifer) as the appetizer, General Tso's chicken (a tofu version for Jennifer) as the main course, and peanut butter ice cream with a fortune cookie for dessert. He is hoping that since there are no Chinese or even Asians among his guests, they can't critique his meal's authenticity. He also hopes that a personal story, which is told on purpose to bring another side of himself to the group, the Chinese themed party favors, and the end of the evening paper ceremony will garner him some additional points. But what may end up bringing the party crashing down is some political incorrectness toward the culture to which his meal is based.
Episode 18
22 mins
All five contestants still believe that their party has or will win the week. Shawna Fletcher is third on the list to host the dinner party. Her menu consists of crab cakes (a cheese plate for Jennifer) as the appetizer, wondrous Indian chicken bake (a chick pea and cauliflower version for Jennifer) as the main course, and chocolate cake for dessert. The cake raises eyebrows as the second such for the week. Shawna has been a stickler thus far to using humanely grown animal products and having everything be homemade. Although she sticks to her guns with the first, she doesn't believe that her shortcuts of homemade vinaigrette, homemade candied pecans, homemade chutney - all homemade by someone else - and canned crab meat violate her stance. She requests a feather boa dress code, which garners mixed reactions based on Shawna's own attire. Impromptu entertainment by Shawna by her guests finding some items from her past in her home, and a story by Mitch about an unsavory topic liven up the evening, which Shawna hopes will be attributed to her, but her guests may think differently. Shawna doesn't exactly feel the love as the evening comes to a close.
Episode 19
22 mins
Jennifer Modica is the host for the evening. She believes being true to her ecological beliefs, which is why she's a vegetarian, will win her the week. Her Italian-inspired menu, reflecting her own ethnic heritage, consists of champagne as the welcome drink, beet & buffalo mozzarella insalata as the appetizer, stuffed cannelloni as the main course, and vanilla pannecotta and pear torta for dessert. Jennifer is determined to make everything from scratch, but if certain things fail and she is unable to do so, she doesn't feel it will be the end of the world as everyone else has taken such shortcuts so far. She also takes a very formal "my house is your house" approach with her guests, who find the message somewhat overdone. The end of the evening takes an unexpected turn by a lesson not on wine, or cinzano but rather sake. Trying to avoid the question, "did you make your own pasta?" and her own comment, "I'm sorry I'm so boring" for what her guests deem her holier than thou attitude may be Jennifer's downfall.
Episode 20
22 mins
Andrew Davids is the last of this fivesome to host. His guests don't quite know what to expect before reading his menu as Andrew had never eaten or even heard of such basic ingredients served during the week as brie cheese and beets, but he who still believes he has a sophisticated and winning palate. His menu consists of anchovy-less Caesar salad with chicken (chicken-less for Jennifer) as the appetizer, beef stir-fry (vegetarian for Jennifer) as the main course, and cinnamon raisin bread pudding for dessert. His dress code is red and black, which matches the dining room décor set out. In snooping through his house, his guests find out why he's such a fitness fanatic. That aspect brings the conversation to outward appearances, which Andrew hopes he can capitalize on with three straight female and one gay male guests. He also hopes his high energy will in turn energize his guests into giving him high scores. An issue with strict vegetarian Jennifer may become a problem, which he hopes to overcome with a trick up his sleeve, or someone else's sleeve, near the end of the party. He'll find out if these aspects are enough for a winning night as he announces the winner of the $1,000.
Episode 21
22 mins
The five contestants for this week are: housewife Ali Bisram, a vegetarian who doesn't understand the concept of eating another animal but who also doesn't like many vegetables; skateboarder Emmanuel Pena, who admits to being quiet until you get to know him; cosmetics saleswoman Kirsten Slind-Jaklic, a former model who believes she deserves to win if only to be able to have some R&R away from her four kids; human services manager and 'g-ma' 'don't call me grandma' Deb Slocum, a gambling aficionado who doesn't like to lose; and mail carrier Paul E. Van Buskirk, who likes the simple things in life. Deb Slocum is the first to host the dinner party. Her menu consists of chocolate martinis as the welcome drink, crabby shrimp (cheese bake for vegetarian Ali) as the appetizer, stuffed pork tenderloin (stuffed pepper for Ali) as the main course, and chocolate mousse for dessert. She issues a dress code of black, pink and white, just because they're her favorite colors. G-ma Deb wants to be the life of the party with her pink hair, but admits to the camera that she may be a little more bitchy after she receives her scores.
Episode 22
22 mins
Ali Bisram is the next to host the dinner party. She hopes that being a lesbian won't be an issue in how her guests perceive her or score her. Despite being a confirmed vegetarian, her menu does contain meat, which consists of a mixed green salad as the appetizer, glazed pork tenderloin as the main course (with a chick pea patty for herself, which she does let her guests try), and mascarpone stuffed dates as the dessert. Despite never having made the main before, she isn't nervous if only because she doesn't have to eat it. However, it will provide her guests with a back-to-back comparison with last night's pork tenderloin main. As the evening progresses, Ali becomes more and more confident about her chances of winning. But something somewhat beyond her control, having specifically to do with her house, may place a haunted damper on the evening.
Episode 23
22 mins
Country bumpkin Paul E. Van Buskirk is third on the list to host the dinner party. Unlike last night's host Ali, Paul has no understanding of why anyone would want to be a vegetarian. As such, he makes little effort to cater to Ali's vegetarianism. His menu consists of mint juleps as the welcome drink, lobster stuffed mushroom caps (lobsterless for Ali) as the appetizer, beef tenderloin (stuffed peppers for the second night this week for Ali) as the main course, and chocolate pecan pie for dessert. His dress code for the evening is "a day at the races" with women to wear bonnets, and men country club attire. His guests learn why he has an affinity to his dress code theme. There are plenty of "yee-haws" during the evening, much of it due to the amount of bourbon sprinkled throughout the meal. But will the meal itself garner the same reaction?
Episode 24
22 mins
Kirsten Slind-Jaklic is the next to host the dinner party. She expects to win hands down after the first three dinner parties. Regardless, she herself believes that she can sell her food to her guests, even if they don't think they'll like it. Her menu consists of French bread with mushrooms and caramelized onions as the appetizer, beef tenderloin (with only the vegetable sides for Ali) as the main course, and apple crisp for dessert. Like many before her this week, Kirsten feels more and more confident about her chances of winning as the evening progresses, especially with the added touches of a party game hearkening back to her infomercial days, and a comic roast. But will the relatively simple menu derail her chances of winning?
Episode 25
22 mins
Emmanuel Pena is the last of this five to host. As the young one of the group, his guests are not expecting much to come out of his kitchen. His menu consists of mojitos as the welcome drink, feta and basil bruschetta as the appetizer, sweet & spicy stir fry as the main course, and chocolate molten cake as the dessert. Much like Paul before, Manny is passing off much as homemade, but in reality the bruschetta topping and dessert in its entirety are food factory prepared. But he does admit to his guests that if he had made this meal for himself, he would have taken even more shortcuts, such as using frozen vegetables. A frat house drinking game caps off the evening. He'll find out if frat house reigns supreme for the week as he announces the winner of the $1,000.
Episode 26
22 mins
The five contestants for this week are: produce supervisor Lewis Carlota, an ex-glam rocker; Nia Dempster, a self-proclaimed foodie; male model Jamie Godin, who plans on being sweet as pie in front of the others while being cutthroat underneath; single mom Piret Jõgeda, an ethnic Estonian who relishes her misspent youth as a rocker groupie; and lawyer Janine Liberatore, who was told as a child that she should become a lawyer probably because she yelled so much. Confident Janine Liberatore is the first to host the dinner party. Her menu consists of watermelon vodka martinis as the welcome drink, stuffed pasta as the appetizer, baked halibut as the main course, and sticky toffee pudding for dessert. Janine issues a theme of "Monte Carlo Casino Night". Janine's motto is it's her job to tell you that she's good, it's her guests' job to say otherwise. It doesn't hurt that her revealing dress tells her guests that her breasts are also good. Confident Janine is cool as a cucumber throughout the evening, despite the smoke detector going off a few times. And she caps off the night with a little casino styled gambling, which she hopes will solidify what she believes is a winning night. But will vodka swilling P.J. feeling that she has to break out her own stash thwart Janine's chances of winning?
Episode 27
22 mins
Lewis Carlota is second on the list to host the dinner party. If nothing else, he is confident that he will have the freshest produce for his meal seeing to his job as a produce supervisor. His Portuguese menu, reflecting his own ethnic heritage, consists of mussels as the appetizer, stuffed squid as the main course, and meringue for dessert. Before arriving, his guests don't have much confidence in his cooking abilities. But Lewis' meal may take second stage to the growing rift between his four guests, who don't openly state but do so to the camera that they really dislike the other three, which may ultimately work in his favor. His house-mate, an unexpected guest to the other four, may prove to be a factor in the scoring. But Lewis' glam rock past, of which his guests didn't previously know, may be a new meeting point for him and past rocker groupie, P.J.
Episode 28
22 mins
Last night's four guests review that party hosted by lethargic Lewis. Piret Jõgeda is third on the list to host the dinner party. Her Estonian peasant food menu, reflecting her own ethnic heritage, consists of rolling Estonians as the welcome drink, cream cheese with smoked salmon on rye as the appetizer, stuffed veal shoulder as the main course, and sour cream rhubarb cake for dessert. Before arriving, her guests believe they will be treated to an evening of booze - specifically vodka - and a hard rock vibe. On the surface, P.J. surprises with a sweet demeanor, and standard suburban mom clothes. But the vodka does flow, perhaps not as freely as her guests would have thought. Peer pressure may bring the old vodka swilling P.J. back which her guests know and - ahem - love, but peer pressure has so far not worked on Jamie, who has refused to drink copious amounts of alcohol, or to down any shots all week. P.J. shows a softer side of herself which results in a few tears. And she senses a certain tension which she attributes to gossip about her behind her back about which she is none too pleased.
Episode 29
22 mins
Jamie Godin is the host for the evening. Jamie has been the most openly dismissive of especially the women thus far, and combined with his pretty boy looks, outwardly dumb demeanor (which some of the women believe is all a ploy) and what most see as a dull personality where he can dish it out but can't take it, Jamie may have an uphill climb to impress. His menu consists of mushroom tartlets and squash pepper potage as the appetizers, chicken roulade as the main course, and dark chocolate cake for dessert. Jamie has a few problems with new kitchen gadgets which he thought would make his day easier, but which has the exact opposite effect. Once his guests show up, he decides to show them a little of the world in which he lives by having a photo shoot. Telling a little of his background results in a few more tears, some of the crocodile variety. But the evening ends with an actual physical fight.
Episode 30
22 mins
Nia Dempster is the last of this fivesome to host. After the first four parties, she is confident of success by throwing what she considers a classy dinner party, and by being the true foodie among the bunch. Her Greek inspired menu, reflecting her own ethnic heritage, consists of Aegean seas as the welcome drink, spanikopita as the appetizer, Momma's moussaka as the main course, and Greek doughnuts for dessert. In looking at the menu, her guests believe it is boring and predictable but Nia herself believes her execution of it deserves a perfect 10 across the board. She issues a blue dress code to match the Greek flag. She expects that providing ouzo will also please the confirmed booze hounds among the group. But a heavy handed approach to having fun and her question, "so, what does everyone think about the others?", may have a negative effect on the party. She'll soon find out if especially the question affected her score as she announces the winner of the $1,000.
Episode 31
22 mins
The show goes on the road for the first time to Edmonton, Alberta. The five contestants for this week are: Dajana Fabjanovich, a fashionista who isn't afraid to experiment with food; Barbara Engelbart, a control freak who hates to be called anything but Barbara; esthetician Jana Kelemen, who loves being a mother and who really does believe blondes have more fun; alcohol salesman Brett Lemay, a energetic man with a frat boy mentality; and Philippe Renoir, whose tastes run to those who like his more famous great-grandfather's art. Brett Lemay is the first to host the dinner party. His Alberta barbecue menu consists of strawberry daiquiris and vodka spiked watermelon as the welcome drinks, bison ribs and oysters rockefeller as the appetizers, beef tenderloin as the main course, and margarita pie for dessert. His guests are treated to a frat house party by the class clown, from the sparse décor in Brett's house, to the spiked watermelon, to the drinking game at the end of the evening. Although most would agree that they had fun at the party because of Brett, does that overcome Brett's shortcuts in the kitchen, a shortage of wine and less than perfect food?
Episode 32
22 mins
Barbara Engelbart is the next to host the dinner party. Her menu consists of mini meat pies, deviled duck eggs and vodka spiked cherry tomatoes as the appetizers, roasted elk as the main course, and caramel chocolate cups, berry supreme and lemon sorbet as the dessert. Barbara already has an uphill battle in winning the week in that the other four believe she is the anal retentive, critical one of the bunch who can't let go and have fun. Despite starting the evening off with that impression which is made all the more confusing by the items hanging on her basement wall, Barbara shows a different, softer side of herself as the evening progresses. But she is still Barbara who needs to control the evening, which is made all the more difficult by manic Brett. And whatever Barbara does will not change the initial perception by another.
Episode 33
22 mins
Dajana Fabjanovich is third on the list to host the dinner party. Her menu consists of ogoniok and shrimp bruschetta as the appetizer, baked halibut as the main course, and berry pavlova for dessert. Most of Dajana's guests don't expect much to come out of her kitchen. Dajana also takes a chance by experimenting both with dishes she's never made before and mixing ingredients she's never put together before. If nothing else, she hopes her Croatian liqueurs and a game of bocce will help liven up the night. But what livens up her guests' impression of her is what they find hidden in her drawers. Two distinct camps emerge by the end of the night about what they believe is good food. What also emerges is a frat boy vs. gentleman battle for the affection of the women.
Episode 34
22 mins
Philippe Renoir is the host for the evening. He has been somewhat of an enigma thus far to the other four, just because he has been relatively quiet. His menu consists of kir royales as the welcome drink, corn crusted prawn tacos as the appetizer, chicken tenders as the main course, and "Philimisu" (his take on tiramisu, which has red wine but no mascarpone) for dessert. At the last minute, he adds a sabayon to the dessert as well. The menu surprises his guests in that it is not more refined, but his refined touches to that menu do not surprise. For the three that know who he is, Philippe's guests are in awe when they learn that he is a direct descendant of the famous artist, and can thus understand his high class French flair. Philippe takes a risk in an end of evening "party trick" which may burst everyone's bubble if he doesn't pull it off.
Episode 35
22 mins
Jana Kelemen is the last of this five to host. Jana knows that she is seen as the dumb blonde party girl and as such her guests aren't expecting much in the way of food. In certain respects, Jana fosters those expectations by designating a dress code of pajamas for the pajama party, and having her meal be her death row meal: breakfast. Her menu consists of mimosas as the welcome drink, granola parfaits as the appetizer, eggs benedict with hash browns as the main course, and maple bacon cupcakes as the dessert. Along with her food being different than most dinner party fare to stand out from the crowd, she expects to win by just being so darned fun. The pajama party comes complete with beer pong, tequila shots, truth or dare, and a male waxing session. Jana finds out if her risks paid off by being Jana as she announces the winner of the $1,000.
Episode 36
22 mins
The five contestants for this week are: window dresser Heather Aube, who truly hopes everyone screws up their meals; auto glass technician Dragan Jankovic, who has a long list of dislikes; Kathy Johnston-Henry, doesn't have a filter in saying what is socially right or wrong; Justin Jones, a beer connoisseur who believes his parties are legendary; and phlebotomist Gillian Vander Vliet, a pool shark whose strategy to victory is lots of alcohol. Kathy Johnston-Henry is the first to host the dinner party. Her 1960's retro menu consists of mai tais as the welcome drink, deviled eggs, shrimp cocktail and stuffed celery sticks as the appetizer, beef wellington as the main course, and cracker pie for dessert. She issues a dress code to match the menu. Her perspective of the era, specifically for women, is that they were all drunks but knew how to hold their liquor, which she plans on demonstrating by drinking vast quantities of her mai tais before her guests arrive. Kathy has a few mishaps in the kitchen which don't seem to phase her, but those may ultimately affect what is served to her guests.
Episode 37
22 mins
The five competitors for the week provide their opinions about the other four. Kathy realizes that with a less than perfect dinner party last night, she needs to do some sabotaging to have any chance of winning. Socially conscious nerd Justin Jones is second on the list to host the dinner party. His menu consists of whiskey mint lemonade as the welcome drink, tomato three ways (caprese salad, tomato bisque and bruschetta) as the appetizer, burgers and fries as the main course, and chocolate torte and maple bacon pecan ice cream for dessert. Despite the basic nature of the main, Justin's .guests expect that he will probably place some sort of pretentious twist on it. After his guests arrive, they do learn why he has made burgers for a dinner party competition. The main question they have for him, and which they ask repeatedly because of his incessant asking of it last night, is "is it homemade?" Justin ends the evening with a comic photo shoot. But in the end, can burger and fries win this competition?
Episode 38
22 mins
Gillian Vander Vliet is third on the list to host the dinner party. Her menu consists of a rainbow assortment of fruity martinis as the welcome drink, smoked salmon and pea fritters as the appetizer, herbed ground meat roulade as the main course, and pecan olive oil cake for dessert. Gillian expects to win by serving plain old comfort food done well. But will calling it a roulade hide the fact that her main course is a fancy meatloaf? Gillian hosts a question and answer game designed to learn personal details about each other, which ends up continuing an evening quest by four of them to get Dragan to string together more than five words at a time. Gillian not using a measuring spoon may kibosh what ends up being the catch phrase of the evening: "it's good".
Episode 39
22 mins
Man of few words Dragan Jankovic is the host for the evening. His guests are expecting his meal to be like him: simple. His Serbian inspired menu, reflecting his own ethnic heritage, consists of homemade plum brandy as the welcome drink, fried goat cheese and cured meat as the appetizer, goulash as the main course, and vanilla ice cream and oblande for dessert. Dragan expects to win since he believes that men are better cooks than women. Dragan surprises by making much of his meal from scratch, including curing the meat and making the ice cream. A discovery about Dragan's living situation leads to an evening of other discoveries about each of the contestants. And Dragan may achieve his goal as he makes an admission about this dinner and his reason for entering the competition.
Episode 40
22 mins
Heather Aube is the last of this fivesome to host. Her guests, who see her as the perfect one in the group, believe she may end the week with a bang. Her menu consists of shrimp and lobster salad as the appetizer, roast lamb as the main course, and mango pudding for dessert. Heather is as concerned about how everything looks - what she calls "scaped" - as she is about the taste of the food. As such, she issues a dress code of bohemian, and she hopes that her guests make an effort with that dress code. She starts the evening off some music, which may soothe her guests into submission. But a few laughs, even by Dragan, who gets a severe case of the giggles, tops off the week by the five, who seem on the most part to truly like their new friends. But a malfunctioning meat thermometer may stop those giggles. Heather finds out if she will be laughing after her guests leave as she announces the winner of the $1,000.
Episode 41
22 mins
The show goes on the road to Prince Edward Island for the week's competition. The five contestants for this week are: trailer park owner Michael Creighton, who is proud to be high end trailer trash; jack-of-all-trades David Jabbour, a well-known islander who is confident in his abilities; gardener Alison Mills, a control freak; events planner Emma Rockett, a competitive person who believes she throws the best parties on the island; and assistant road construction foreman Nancy Stewart, a native islander who loves to eat a lot. Michael Creighton is the first to host the dinner party. His menu consists of lobster avocado cocktail as the appetizer, beef tenderloin as the main course (salmon for non-meat eater Emma), and brownies with homemade vanilla ice cream for dessert. His guests are surprised to be eating at a campground, which because of the size of Michael's trailer means an al fresco dinner. Much of the evening conversation steers toward "from the island/not from the island", when one of the five isn't dominating the conversation with other topics. An error in shopping may end up working to Michael's advantage, as may his entertainment by a well-known islander. But not making his main made-to-order and some uninvited guests, namely bugs, may negatively affect his scores.
Episode 42
22 mins
Alison Mills is the next to host the dinner party. Her menu consists of PE Island iced tea as the welcome drink, salmon cakes as the appetizer, paté en crôute as the main course (a veggie version for vegetarian Emma), and hazelnut mousse as the dessert. Alison decides to inject some of her gardening sensibilities to jazz up her menu. An early evening party game causes a bit of a splash, which may or may not sit well with one of her guests. But the evening is dominated by the negativity of one of the five, who doesn't seem to see anything good in the first two nights, at least by the outward comments. But will Alison's meal be derailed if it is learned that she used canned seafood instead of fresh, especially considering that they live on an island?
Episode 43
22 mins
David Jabbour is third on the list to host the dinner party. His Lebanese menu, reflecting his own ethnic heritage, consists of Caesars as the welcome drink, fattoush as the appetizer, stuffed summer squash as the main course, and crêpes for dessert. While one guest says she knows enough about Lebanese food to judge the quality of David's meal, another admits that the menu is her worst nightmare. Emma brings a party favor apropos to the menu theme. Most of his guests come into the evening believing that David is the sweetest person in the world, but will that be enough to garner winning scores regardless of food? What may also affect the night and the scores is the open hostility that one starts to show for another at the dinner table.
Episode 44
22 mins
Nancy Stewart, the host for the evening, is determined to take the high road and not let Alison's open dislike of her ruin her hosting, warm PEI-styled. That open feud is the talk among the other three, who want a peaceful evening. Nancy's menu consists of moonshine with lime rickey as the welcome drink, spinach salad and seafood chowder as the appetizer, chicken marsala as the main course, and raspberry cream cheese pie for dessert. Non-drinking Nancy surprises by serving as strong a drink as there could be. Her guests are also surprised by the locale of her home and thus the dinner. A pre-dinner food activity looks to be a hit. But Nancy's absence from the dinner table for much of the meal may negatively affect her score. Nancy ends the night with a little local music and a literally bright uplifting activity. The question remains if peace will hold for the evening.
Episode 45
22 mins
Emma Rockett is the last of this five to host. Emma's theme of 'royals gone wild' is not only in reference to the recent visit to the island by Prince William of Wales and Catherine Princess of Wales, but also the fact that her family home, where the meal will be served, was the base for the royal couple on their many treks on the island. Her menu, which contains many of the royal couple's favorite foods, consists of gin punch as the welcome drink, high tea as the appetizer complete with an untraditional shot of booze, Cornish pasties as the main course (despite she herself being vegetarian), and sticky toffee pudding as the dessert. Emma's stated dress code matches the theme, with which her guests are impressed when they find out the reason. Emma wants to keep the peace tonight and will do so if tempers start to flare. Emma's party game of a prince picking up a princess also goes to the theme. Emma will find out if her royal party was indeed royal for both her and for her guests as she announces the winner of the $1,000.
Episode 46
22 mins
The five contestants for this week are: office administrator Linda David, whose big mouth often gets her into trouble; student Johnny Gough, a young metal head who believes his forty and fifty year old competitors are old; woodworker Marcel Parent, who wants to shine as a person compared to the other four; Pierre Paris, who will respectfully bite his tongue during the week despite having a critical view of others; and former flight attendant Evi von Sichartshofen, who associates more with wolves than any other animal. Evi von Sichartshofen is the first to host the dinner party. Her Bavarian menu, which reflects her own ethnic heritage, consists of beer as the welcome drink, bacon covered scallops as the appetizer, rouladen as the main course, and apple crumble cake for dessert. Evi has a dress code of dirndls for the women and lederhosen for the men. Evi's guests, in turn, are surprised by the clothes they find in her drawers. Beyond the food, the five disparate people end up bonding thus far, with the two farthest extremes, young metal head Johnny and boisterous Evi bridging their slang language gap.
Episode 47
22 mins
The five contestants, when not nursing hangovers, assess their chances of winning based on experiencing the first party hosted by Evi. Marcel Parent is second on the list to host the dinner party. His menu consists of sparkling wine as the welcome drink, watermelon, feta and black olive salad as the appetizer, beef tenderloin as the main course, and cinnamon rolls and chocolate semifreddo for dessert. Marcel believes that his menu can't be beat, and will be topped off by his presentation skills. As the evening progresses, the differences between the five become more of an issue than it did on night one, which they all try to channel into the competition itself. Marcel's guests leave his house admiring his woodworking skills, but will they say the same of his cooking and hosting?
Episode 48
22 mins
The five reassess their chances of winning based on the first two parties. Johnny Gough is third on the list to host the dinner party. Johnny's head banger-inspired menu consists of "shake hands with the jerky" as the appetizer, hand banger burgers and fries as the main course, and slam dancing sandwiches for dessert. Johnny's guests are not looking forward to tonight's party if only because of not knowing what to expect in terms of food coming from a seemingly inexperienced, vegetable challenged young man. Johnny goes through some ups and downs for the evening, but shows different sides of himself to his guests, some expected, some not so much. But will they be pleasantly surprised by the food? Some stories of his personal life may garner Johnny some sympathy points.
Episode 49
22 mins
Linda David is the host for the evening. Thus far, Linda, who expected to win, believes that Marcel is the person to beat of those who have hosted thus far and as such she needs to raise her game. Her Mediterranean-inspired menu consists of a blue martini as the welcome drink, Mediterranean salad with tiropita as the appetizer, souvlaki as the main course, and pear compote with homemade vanilla ice cream for dessert. She issues a blue dress code to match the Greek flag/Mediterranean Sea theme. She also issues an optional bathing suit, those who bring theirs which demonstrates the adventurousness of the four guests. After the guests' arrival, one fears the unknown and the "warm fuzzies" in the menu. Despite the general enjoyment of the evening from the air hockey tournament to the hot tub party and the food, Evi and Marcel direct their thoughts away from Linda's party to Pierre's hypercritical and know-it-all attitude.
Episode 50
22 mins
Pierre Paris is the last of this fivesome to host. Evi, Linda and Marcel believe Pierre has been overly critical this week and thus will assess his party from a higher standard based on those critical comments. Their attitude is strengthened when they read what they consider his overly pretentious menu. His menu consists of fresh pasta with a choice of sauces, Waldorf salad, quail egg crab cakes and tuna tapenade bruschetta as the appetizer, poulet Parisienne as the main course, and trifle for dessert. Despite his guests' overly critical eye, Pierre is confident he can pull out all the stops as he considers himself to be a good cook who has all the necessary tools to create the perfect meal, including expensive kitchen knives (which is not the only expensive knife collection he does have) and extra burners beyond those attached to his stove. Beyond that critical attitude, his guests want to find out what truly lurks behind Pierre's staid surface, and may judge him further if he can't let his hair down. He will find out if his expensive kitchen knives and extra burners have in part resulted in the perfect dinner party as he announces the winner of the $1,000.
Episode 51
22 mins
The five contestants for this week are: housewife Lisa Del Core, whose husband loves hump day because of her; karate master Richard Hatch, who doesn't get excited very easily; front of house hotelier Rolf Kendra, a proud native Austrian who has high standards for food, especially European food; Erin Plasky, who believes she can be much to take after five days; and lawyer Kate Salter, a rock band groupie who loves especially her drummers. Erin Plasky is the first to host the dinner party. Her menu consists of grilled tiger prawns as the appetizer, two curries - chicken and chick pea - as the main course, and pavlova for dessert. The five quietly and politely size each other up on this first night. Some of the perceptions of Erin are based solely on her British accent, which she acquired on a ten year stint living in England and despite she being a native Canadian. Regardless, those perceptions may factor in how Erin is scored, and how others are judged later in the week.
Episode 52
22 mins
Richard Hatch is the next to host the dinner party. Many of his guests are expecting a dull party if only because Richard has come off as the boring one. His menu consists of prosecco and blackberry as the welcome drink, mushroom and ricotta ravioli as the appetizer (which scares him if only because of Italian grandmother Lisa being a guest), braised beef short ribs as the main course, and strawberry shortcake as the dessert. Some of his guests believe they have underestimated Richard after reading his menu. They also have a different perspective of him after seeing some photos of him from his younger days, but those new perceptions are smashed when they learn the truth behind the photos. Despite the quality or not of the food and the hosting, what may ruin Richard's chances of winning is some self-sabotage.
Episode 53
22 mins
Lisa Del Core is third on the list to host the dinner party. She believes she's already won the week without even having yet thrown her dinner party as she has been cooking longer than some of her guests have been alive. Her Italian menu, reflecting her own ethnic heritage, consists of lobster tails with eggplant caprese salad as the appetizer, orecchietti and beef tenderloin as the main course, and profiteroles with zabaglione for dessert. She issues a black and white dress code, which doesn't sit well with one of her guests. If nothing else, Lisa's guests are overly impressed with her Italian palace house, where gold and bling rule the décor. Lisa would win hands down if the competition was on décor and food quantity. But Lisa's food recycling program may cause some problems.
Episode 54
22 mins
Kate Salter is the host for the evening. Despite Kate believing she has the cooking skills to win the competition hands down, she may have an uphill battle as most of her guests see her as the pretentious cold-hearted snob, which is contrary to her own self-perception. Her menu consists of sangria as the welcome drink, a salt tasting plate as the appetizer, filet of ostrich as the main course, and seasonal fruit panna cotta for dessert. Kate tries to inject a bit of sunshine into the evening, which may backfire. But some of her guests find something in her closet which is contrary to their perception of her. If food presentation was the sole criteria, Kate would probably win, but some sabotage from one of her guests may work and thus ruin Kate's chance of success.
Episode 55
22 mins
Rolf Kendra is the last of this five to host. Many of his guests see him as a big, sweet teddy bear, which could work to his advantage. His menu consists of champagne as the welcome drink, a trio of dips as the appetizer, grilled lamb chops as the main course, and caramelized peaches with mascarpone as the dessert. Many of proud Austrian Rolf's guests may be surprised that his menu does not reflect his cultural heritage, but are still impressed by it. They are however not surprised by his choice of attire and his party game befitting his national pride. Although Rolf states to the camera that he is calm and collected, his guests see someone else entirely. Multitasking issues and a dinner conversation question may place a slight pall over the evening. Rolf will find out if these issues negatively affect his score as he announces the winner of the $1,000.
Episode 56
22 mins
Who would know better about what it takes to combine food and good service than waiters. This week, all five contestants are food wait staff. They are: Italian restaurant server Craig Abraham, a career server who likes to talk; European bistro server Marsha Courneya, who has a streak of mischievousness and who demands quality ingredients at the places she works; fusion bistro server Ryan Egan, a wannabe actor who believes waiting tables is one of two things at which he's good (ahem); casual fine dining server Katherine McRae, a career server who is competitive and likes to keep fit; and sports bar server Jenevieve Narbay, who will wait tables until she finds her true calling in life and who gets angry at receiving anything lower than an 18% tip. Craig Abraham is the first to host the dinner party. His what he considers idiot-proof menu consists of garlic shrimp as the appetizer, salmon Wellington as the main course, and flourless chocolate cake for dessert. Besides the attention paid to Craig's man-cave, much of the focus of the night focuses on waiting tables, where each at one point or another is required to put on their wait staff face. But as each also works in a restaurant, most believe they have a good bullshit meter if Craig is telling a lie about his food (which he does).
Episode 57
22 mins
After the first dinner, the five tell a little more about themselves and their quirks, some which may not be obvious on the surface. Marsha Courneya is second on the list to host the dinner party. Her guests have no idea what to expect from her as they haven't yet figured her out beyond being a little weird. Her eclectic menu consists of beer from her own keg as the welcome drink, savory tarte tatin as the appetizer, roasted elk loin as the main course, and lemon ice pops and ginger snaps for dessert. Marsha may have some issues in getting the meal prepared solely because of equipment. Little do Marsha's guests realize that her attire is only the start of a themed evening, which will consist of play acting, and a WWI revisionist history lesson. The rationale behind the tone of the evening becomes clear to Marsha's guests when she reveals a story about grocery shopping. When it comes to the food, some expected but perhaps not wanted ingredients may negatively affect her score, as do the workouts they receive trying to eat the main course. But the combined workout/music at the end of the evening may redeem her scores.
Episode 58
22 mins
Ryan Egan is the next on the list to host the dinner party. His menu consists of blueberry cosmos as the welcome drink, crab and shrimp stuffed mushroom caps as the appetizer, beer basted hen as the main course, and a "sexy" dessert. Ryan decides to take a few food shortcuts, such as canned crab for the appetizer, and packaged pudding for the dessert, but he hopes his guests' "bullshit meter" won't kick in (as he doesn't plan on telling them of these shortcuts, even if asked) and that other aspects of hosting, such as the immaculate bathroom, and two other unexpected guests - the hunky bartender/drink server and the drag queen entertainment - will overcome those food shortcuts. But will other primarily food problems, such as an unexpected piece of plastic in one dish, burned hens and dirty cutlery balance out what most believe is an entertaining evening? Only Ryan and Marsha's tears may be the true gage.
Episode 59
22 mins
Party girl Jenevieve Narbay is the host for the evening. Jenevieve is hoping that the dumb little Asian girl act she has been portraying all week will help win the week for her by surprising her guests that she can pull off an elaborate menu and host a fun party. Her menu consists of stuffed shrimp as the appetizer, salmon as the main course, and exotic fruit salad for dessert. At the dinner party, Jenevieve dictates a surprise Asian inspired attire which leads to a photo shoot. Tears flow for the second night in a row, although one sees them as being a bit manufactured. A major disaster occurs in the kitchen of which Jenevieve's guests are all aware. Whether Jenevieve can recover as a seasoned waiter should be able to do to rectify this problem may very well be the one item which will determine if Jenevieve has any chance of winning the week.
Episode 60
22 mins
Katherine McRae is the last of this fivesome to host. Katherine realizes that she has come off as the control freak among the group, which may not have been sitting well with the others, but she believes she still can and should win if her guests judge her honestly on the quality of her food and of her party. Her menu consists of heirloom tomato caprese salad with bruschetta as the appetizer, chicken marsala as the main course, and carrot cake for dessert. Beyond feeling that carrot cake is a bit old school, most of Katherine's guests believe she should win if she can pull off the menu, which most expect she will be able to do. A few will also test Katherine's patience - most specifically Marsha who arrives as one of her alter egos, and Ryan in his impersonation of Jenevieve - and whether Katherine will be able to keep her composure or if her controlling nature will take over becomes the question. She'll see how her composure or control affected her guests and if she was able to pull off the menu as she announces the winner of the $1,000.
Episode 61
22 mins
The five contestants for this week are: realtor Carolyn Bickerton, who likes to stay fit especially since she's a grandmother; wine aficionado Mary Brown, who won't say anything negative to the other four but will later spill her guts in confessional; corporate trainer Lachlan McGurk, a proud Scot who believes that everything good in the world originated from Scotland; reiki master Bridgit Miezlaiskis, who believes honesty gets rid of negativity, and construction foreman Matt Thompson, who has been told he's a lot nicer now than the prick he was in high school. Carolyn Bickerton is the first to host the dinner party. Her "healthiest meal ever" menu consists of evening passion as the welcome drink, hummus and tabbouleh salad as the appetizer, salmon as the main course, and chocolate truffles for dessert. Carolyn admits to the camera that she has not made most of the dinner components before and will lie to her guests in "that's the way it's supposed to be" if the dishes don't turn out the way she wants. Carolyn's decision to sit Japanese dinner styled may cause some issue, which may be balanced by her overly affectionate welcome, which Bridgit in turn can feel is or is not genuine. Regardless of the food, Bridgit threatens to overtake the evening with her talk about spiritual energy. Carolyn's party is further threatened by the end of party entertainment.
Episode 62
22 mins
All five diners at last night's party size up their competition after meeting the others at last night's first party. Mary Brown is the next to host the dinner party. Her menu consists of chai with vanilla vodka and amaretto as the welcome drink, a green salad with cheese and glazed pears as the appetizer, veal parmesan with fettucine alfredo as the main course, and vanilla bean ice cream for dessert. This menu scares healthy food loving Carolyn. The welcome drink leads directly into part of the evening's entertainment, which has each person getting their tea leaves read. Mary's guests find their own entertainment while she prepares dinner. But one of her guests dominates the evening by doing a complete one-eighty from last night and nit-picks at every little detail of the dinner, which irks not only quiet Mary, but the other three as well.
Episode 63
22 mins
Most of the contestants are stilling reeling from what they believe was Carolyn's rude behavior last night. Matt Thompson is third on the list to host the dinner party. Most of his guests are expecting a boys' night out type dinner. His menu consists of shrimp-wrapped beef tenderloin as the appetizer, Argentinian chicken as the main course, and pumpkin crème brûlée for dessert. The somewhat refined menu surprises most of Matt's guests. Matt offers his guests an array of choices as the welcome drink, but most choose beer if only because it is being served in Matt's garage converted man-cave. Carolyn, the last to arrive, is forgiven for her behavior last night, which she blames on being drunk. By the end of the evening, Matt hopes he gets a slam dunk in more ways than one. But the question still remains is if the Carolyn from last night will reappear.
Episode 64
22 mins
Bridgit Miezlaiskis is the host for the evening. Bridgit believes she's going to win just because she doesn't believe in negativity within herself. Her menu, which she plans to infuse with positive energy, consists of a special healing cocktail as the welcome drink, butternut squash soup as the appetizer, stuffed pork chops as the main course, and flourless chocolate cake for dessert. Not wanting any of the negative energy that has permeated the last two dinners invading her home, Bridgit plans on literally cutting the cords of negativity for each of her guests once they arrive. But she may not have had the power to get rid of some of that negativity in her meal prep, which is affected by some urban wildlife. But as Bridgit truly believes in everything she does, the skeptics among her guests may find a little Bridgit too much to take. She will also find out if her cutting the cords worked as the evening ends.
Episode 65
22 mins
At the start of the last party, Matt sums up the general consensus of four of the contestants that he is walking away from the week with three new best friends, with Carolyn being the outsider among the group because of her overall negativity, although she is somewhat unaware of her outsider status. "If it's not Scottish, it's crap" Lachlan McGurk is the last of this five to host. Not surprisingly, he is going Highland for his menu, which consists of scotch eggs as the appetizer, haggis as the main course with salmon as a backup if his guests can't "stomach" (pun intended) the haggis, and deep fried chocolate bars and tipsy laird as the dessert. The menu is not the only thing that is Highland this evening as everything is centered around Lachlan's Scottish heritage, including the bagpipes and the ceremony around the haggis. But ceremony may not be able to mask the fact of haggis being offal which is off-putting to some of his guests. Lachlan learns the extent to which the offal was awful or not as he announces the winner of the $1,000.
Episode 66
22 mins
The five contestants for this week are: college professor Anna Bortolon, who believes she's never met a person who didn't like her; underemployed Shawn Collins, who refuses to grow up; non-profit floor supervisor 'Chris McLoughlin', a poker aficionado who calls a spade a spade; executive assistant Nicole Pagnan, whose strategy for winning involves plenty of cleavage; and retirement home cook Amy Pagnucco, who will routinely send back food at a restaurant three or four times until she gets what she wants. Anna Bortolon is the first to host the dinner party. Her menu consists of a manhattans as the welcome drink, cheese stuffed crepes (which she is calling manicotti) as the appetizer, two stews (veal and rabbit) as the main course, and tiramisu for dessert. Anna directs the conversation towards things sexual, which most of the others don't seem to mind. Much of that conversation carries over into dinner. Although Anna's self-perception of being a personable person and hospitable host seems to be holding true with this group (with perhaps the absence of wine service during the meal), it is her food that will make or break the evening.
Episode 67
22 mins
After the first dinner, the five assess the others not as competition but as people. Amy Pagnucco is second on the list to host the dinner party. Her Asian-fusion menu consists of sangria or G&Ts as the welcome drink, ginger carrot soup and Thai rolls as the appetizers, sesame ginger grilled flank steak as the main course, and pistachio ice cream and brownie sandwiches for dessert. Most of Amy's guests believe the menu is an ambitious one, but they aren't sure if she can pull it off, as they see her as the unsophisticated small town girl from the Soo. Getting too involved in the dinner conversation may prove to be a costly error for Amy, as is to use a burnt ingredient. Much of that conversation is seen as a tangent to real life for some. And Amy may be glad that her guests aren't scoring her on what they believe the quality of her artwork.
Episode 68
22 mins
Shawn Collins is the next on the list to host the dinner party. Many of his guests are not looking forward to Shawn's party, as they feel he goes on and on about nothing, and they don't believe he can pull off a winning menu. That menu consists of margaritas as the welcome drink, three things wrapped in bacon as the appetizer, stuffed pork tenderloin as the main course, and apple crisp with caramel sauce for dessert. Shawn issues a rocker dress code, which may be easier to do for some than for others. Although most of his guests like the rocker theme, they may have some issue with the preponderance of pork product in the meal. They also end the evening learning to take what Shawn says about his life with a grain of salt.
Episode 69
22 mins
Nicole Pagnan is the host for the evening. Her Italian-inspired menu, reflecting her ethnic background, consists of caprese soup as the appetizer, prosciutto wrapped halibut with risotto as the main course, and spicy dark chocolate crème brûlée for dessert. Most of her guests believe that this menu has the potential to win the week, only if Nicole doesn't mess it up. Upon arrival, her guests learn of a specific attire they are all to wear which will adorn the center of their face. Although her guests appreciate the authenticity of the execution, a white main course, burnt prosciutto, a dislike of custard based desserts and several dining room mishaps may negatively affect Nicole's scores. But she may be able to redeem the night by her entertainment, which includes a surprise takeaway inside a cupcake shaped piñata.
Episode 70
22 mins
'Chris McLoughlin' is the last of this fivesome to host. His menu consists of blue train specials as the welcome drink, salmon-stuffed sole as the appetizer, osso bucco as the main course, and drunken berry pavlova for dessert. Despite having some tough competition, Chris believes he will still win the week. He hopes the way his welcome drink is served will impress as much as the drink itself. The drink itself starts a themed evening of a VIP train trip. He also uses the tactic of serving vast quantities of alcohol as a way to win. He will find out if his drunken guests have scored him well as he announces the winner of the $1,000.
Episode 71
22 mins
There have been many serious incidents over the episodes, which may have required emergency personnel. As such, the five contestants this week are all emergency first responders. They are: fire chief Don Beam, who says that chiefs don't lose; paramedic Colin Copeland, who admits to requiring the services of first responders when in a drunken stupor he got his head caught between two metal bars; firefighter Michael Kelly, who does most of the cooking at his fire hall; paramedic Mark Litman, who wouldn't change his job because people are always "dying" to meet him; and police officer Deana Velikov, who doesn't like to wear her police hat since it gives her hat head. Don Beam is the first to host the dinner party. His menu consists of martinis as the welcome drink, Caesar salad as the appetizer, pistachio-crusted shrimp with mushroom risotto as the main course, and New York cheesecake for dessert. They all know their first responders as they are all accurate in guessing in which field each works upon first meeting. They are all cordial in person but secretly slag the other two fields behind their backs, albeit in a friendly way. They are all however in mutual admiration of their professional accomplishments. Can the same be said for admiring Don's cooking and hosting prowess, especially from his younger, less experienced firefighting colleague?
Episode 72
22 mins
After the first dinner hosted by "fire", it's time to see what the EMS can do. The tough talk last night has translated into each at least wanting to beat their competitors representing the other fields. Colin Copeland is second on the list to host the dinner party. His menu consists of blood clots as the welcome drink, French onion soup and lemon garlic hummus as the appetizers, glazed pork tenderloin as the main course, and French meringues with raspberry coulis and crème brûlée for dessert. In three fairly conservative professions, social traditions may end up hurting Colin's evening. Colin's affinity for desserts and the sweet shows through his entire menu. However some admitted shortcuts could hurt his chances in winning. Colin decides to end the party with a EMS versus cop versus fire showdown game.
Episode 73
22 mins
Deana Velikov is third on the list to host the dinner party. Deana is confident she can win as she is the sole representative of the female gender and the sole representative of the police. Her menu consists of sparkling wine as the welcome drink, crab stuffed shrimp as the appetizer, beef Wellington as the main course, and chocolate lava cake for dessert. Despite being a cop, Deana considers herself a girly girl who doesn't like to get her hands dirty, which includes handling food, which affects her meal preparation. Deana's party games mock her police profession, the latter of the two which gets her and her male colleague up close and personal. But will a few kitchen shortcuts and less than perfect execution leave her with a non-winning score?
Episode 74
22 mins
Michael Kelly is the host for the evening. Mike may have an uphill battle in winning the week as he has gotten on the wrong side of most of his competitors, who see him as being the immature boring one of the group who has failed to bring a gift to any of the party hosts. This view is even by his fellow firefighter. His Italian inspired menu, reflecting the fact that he grew up in Italy (despite being culturally Irish), consists of limoncellos as the welcome drink, mini pizzas as the appetizer, stuffed chicken as the main course, and white wine poached pears with zabaglione for dessert. While Mike basks in his culinary glory in the kitchen, his guests talk about him behind his back. But when Mike finally reveals a bit about himself which provides a different view than the first three nights, will it make a difference? But what Mike says to Mark near the end of the party may direct the scores more than anything else.
Episode 75
22 mins
Mark Litman is the last of this fivesome to host. Mark is confident about his chances of winning, despite the many components of his meal that he knows certain guests will not like. His menu consists of chocolate martinis as the welcome drink, cream of potato and mushroom soup as the appetizer, apricot chicken as the main course, and chocolate chip coffee liqueur trifle for dessert. After his guests arrive, he is hoping to lull them into a relaxed state. During dinner, his guests like many components of his meal, but will they care if he took shortcuts to achieve the results, including using prepared apricot jam, prepared salad dressing, onion soup mix, instant rice, and packaged cookies? He will see how those shortcuts affect his score as Mark announces the winner of the $1,000.
Episode 76
22 mins
The five contestants for this week are: tool and die maker Edward Gal, a native Hungarian who likes the simple things in life; Sara Meredith, who loves making gift baskets and who doesn't like arrogance; restaurant food expediter Dustin Morrison, who is competitive in any situation; property manager Dawn Muzzo, who has high standards; and actor Rick Simm, who plans to charm his way to a winning week. Sara Meredith is the first to host the dinner party. Although it's the middle of the summer, Sara is going for a Christmas theme, including as much as she can muster of a Christmas menu in the middle of the summer, just because it's her favorite holiday. Her so-called Christmas menu consists of candy cane martinis as the welcome drink, bruschetta as the appetizer, asiago and artichoke chicken as the main course, and chocolate pie for dessert. Sara claims that everything is from scratch, which doesn't include the store bought baguette, store bought salad dressing, store bought onion soup mix, store bought asiago and artichoke dip, and store bought... Sara issues a "secret Santa" gift in lieu of a hostess gift. Beyond the food and hosting, the success of Sara's party may depend on how seasonally festive a mood her guests are in. They may also indirectly score her on their makeshift snack.
Episode 77
22 mins
The five contestants for the week all believe they have natural party hosting skills, so each believes they will win the week. Rick Simm is second on the list to host the dinner party. As he is a native Cape Bretoner, his is going Maritime ceilidh as his party theme. His east coast menu consists of sparkling wine or beer as the welcome drink, seafood chowder as the appetizer, surf & turf skewers as the main course, and blueberry grunt for dessert. To match the Maritime theme, Rick issues a plaid dress code, to which is adds once his guests arrive. He hopes that his strap on toy will add a bit of excitement to his already excitable group.
Episode 78
22 mins
By this, the third night, the contestants are sizing up who they believe to be their real competition. One of those deemed the competition is third night host, Dawn Muzzo, who enjoys the finer things in life. As such, she wants to make her party be special by going high end. Her menu consists of fish chowder with jalapeño corn bread as the appetizer, beef tenderloin as the main course, and strawberry mascarpone and chocolate hazelnut crepes for dessert. To match her high end theme, she issues a black tie dress code. That dress code may work in Dawn's favor if only so that she can dress provocatively to impress her two biggest fans, Eddie and Dustin. But the look of each guest quickly changes after their arrival at Dawn's house. Dawn hopes her poor little rich girl story will tug at their heart strings. But more basic issues with the party may dictate whether Dawn has a chance of winning, those issues which include the back-to-back comparison of the seafood chowders with last night's host, Rick.
Episode 79
22 mins
Edward Gal is the host for the evening. His guests are hoping that his food will smell better than the excessive gas he has been passing all week. His Hungarian menu, reflecting his ethnic heritage, consists of an unnamed cocktail and moonshine as the welcome drinks, chicken paprikash stuffed crepes as the appetizer, venison stew as the main course, and chestnut purée for dessert. His guests are somewhat surprised by the menu, as they figured he would serve something more basic. Although he doesn't issue a dress code, he dons an outfit befitting his menu theme as well as for his entertainment. Dawn also chooses her outfit carefully for a specific purpose. Eddie hopes that entertainment will not only make him jump for joy but his guests as well. But some questionable presentation decisions, especially with dessert, may negatively affect his scores.
Episode 80
22 mins
Dustin Morrison is the last of this fivesome to host. His southern menu consists of bacon wrapped stuffed watermelon as the appetizer, buttermilk fried chicken as the main course, and gingerbread pumpkin trifle for dessert. His guests believe he has been the most hypercritical person of the week, and as such they will not let him get away with anything. Rick and Dawn in particular take some actions which they hope will throw Dustin off his game. There are some tears shed, but they may be of the crocodile variety. Dustin decides that he will stick to the assertion that everything is home made even if it isn't. If he is caught lying, the others may view on the party more negatively. He'll soon find out if his lies were caught as he announces the winner of the $1,000.