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The capitol of Alaska, Juneau, is the cruise ship’s destination. From this moment forward, the players will be trading in their rain coats for the thickest winter coats they can find. After last season’s snowy fiasco, I am surprised that another icy locale has been selected. Hopefully, nobody is forced to break ingredients out of blocks of ice this season.

As Brooke states, the contestants are in Alaska “five minutes” before their first challenge begins. Padma is standing beside Tracy’s King Crab Shack. Her guest is Sean Brock of Charleston, South Carolina’s Husk & McCragy’s. The man Josh describes as a “culinary idol” is a bit grumpy. As Brock states, he has just taken a 13 hour plane ride in order to taste Alaskan crab. Somebody tell this dude about FedEx.

Sheldon takes the greatest risk of the challenge. He utilizes a technique made famous at Noma. The idea is that grilling some asparagus on top of pine needles can create a distinct flavor as well as a pleasant olfactory experience. It sounds vaguely like eating a Christmas tree. Josh has the worst luck of anyone. His sauce breaks just before his time expires, which means that he has virtually no chance of winning. Worst of all, Josh really wanted to dazzle Sean Brock so this disappointment will leave a mark.

When the chefs present their dishes, Brock proves to be laconic. All he says to Lizzie about her crab frittata is, “This crab is awesome, right?” That statement may not even involve her dish but rather the ingredients used. Sheldon is complimented for his technique but Padma criticizes the texture of the broth in his dish. Brooke mentions a decision to use Dungeness crab as butter flavoring, which causes Brock to perk up with another bit of flowery language: “Expensive butter.” In the L.A. Story vernacular, Mr. Brock is taking a class in conversation.

The judging goes exactly as expected from the above. Brooke and Sheldon are lauded for their inventiveness while Josh and Lizzie have underachieved. In fact, Lizzie absorbs quite a beating because of the volume of capers used in her dish. Meanwhile, Josh should not have used bacon. I know a judge and I can never be friends when the person finds bacon unnecessary. Brooke’s dish sounds like the best; the issue is that she created something too simple. Sheldon may have lost the flavor battle but his decision to attempt a pine-flavored asparagus is endorsed by the judges. He wins the Quickfire challenge, earning $5,000 in the process.

Padma and Mr. Quiet announce the Elimination challenge that will determine the final three. Apparently, Alaskans love salmon and sourdough bread. Mental note: I could never survive in Alaska. If the inclement weather did not get me, the food would. Anyway, the chefs relocate to their temporary home in Alaska. There, they find a sourdough starter that was begun 31 years ago. I’m sure this statement is perfectly reasonable to people within the cooking community. Me, I’d like fresher bread components.

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