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The judging portion of the dining experience is unique. The five family members join Tom, Padma, Gail and Dan Barber. Not only will they eat the meals, but they will overhear each and every comment about their loved one’s dish as well as those of the competitors. So, if one dish gets criticized heavily yet does not lead to elimination, everyone will know. This seems problematic, but the issue is avoided in a strange way.

All of the chefs hit their dishes out of the park. We have seen something similar in previous seasons where almost all of the food is delicious, leading to someone being eliminated for a relatively minor mistake. That doesn’t happen this time. With the delivery of each meal, the stakes are raised more and more as the family members find themselves wondering, “If the food is this good, how are the judges going to determine who to send home?” And you probably know by now what happens. Let’s take a moment to build to that surprise finale, though.

Mike is the first contestant to plate. His potato gnocchi with braised pork, shank ragu & burrata cheese is special to him. His grandmother made this dish. He has avoided cooking it since her death, because doing so is too painful to him. His mother comments that her mother’s gnocchi had been the best she’d had, but that Mike has topped her. Mike is clearly not going home this evening.

Cousin Antonia delivers a gorgeous looking dish of braised veal, Rapini Leaf & Fava bean risotto. Her mother reveals that she has been cooking since she was nine-years-old. Both Italian mothers on the show formed an immediate bond from the moment they were made aware of their kinship. They each go out of their way to praise the dish of the other Italian relative, which is adorable. In fact, all of the family members at the table develop a bond in that they relate to how much their loved ones have worked to be in the position to win Top Chef All-Stars. Tom’s vote still matters more, though. When he says, “Antonia’s dish is just packed with flavor”, we can safely assume that Antonia will not be going home tonight.

Tiffany continues to freak out over the fact she is in danger of going home fifth for the second consecutive season. Rattling her nerves even more is the fact that she has decided to honor her roots by making okra, knowing full well that Tom hates okra due to its “slimy quality”. This is the type of bold decision that inevitably wins a challenge or gets the chef eliminated. Her meticulously constructed dish is braised short rib with mustard greens, stewed okra & oxtail marmalade. This particular southerner will testify to the fact that her dish sounds as southern as they come. The people at the table confirm that it tastes delicious. She clears the biggest hurdle when Tom says, “I don’t like okra because of the slime.” Tiffany’s mother, sitting directly to his right, looks on in concern at this revelation. Then, Tom continues, “Tiffany finally made okra that I like.” Her relief is unmistakable. Tiffany seems safe as well.

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