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The preparation portion of the challenge begins with chefs declaring a need for either a hot or cold work station. Carlos is asked if he wants to man the hot station. He states that his fish dish requires a specific plancha station. Shirley becomes annoyed once again, this time for a justifiable reason. She had previously claimed said work station. She states that Carlos’s true nature has come to light. I initially believe that this is a harsh accusation, but the rest of the episode is not Carlos’s finest hour.

As the chefs ready their dishes, a key aspect of the challenge is revealed. People with a lot of college experience understand the dietary habits of students better than those who skipped school. Justin, may God have mercy on his soul, is building a cauliflower and asparagus dish, even as she acknowledges that the 500 students would probably prefer chicken tenders. Almost simultaneously, Justin diminishes Brian’s dish for its simplicity. This is like a car wreck where everybody sees the collision coming but nobody can stop it from happening.

A couple of surprising chefs experience a rare degree of difficulty with their dishes. Stephanie, ever the planner, wants to plate a cheese dish. She is sandbagged by the types of cheese in the LSU kitchen, which forces her to use unplanned flavors. Even worse, she makes a last minute decision to emphasize the soup and sandwich nature of her dish by placing the sandwich in the soup bowl. It sounds greasy, it looks greasy, and I am worried she may be going home.

Nina’s plight is no better. After being close to perfect for the body of the season, she decides to double down on chicken this week. Her dish is intended to shine due to a corn puree that will make the flavors pop. What Nina had not anticipated is that the LSU kitchen lacks an appropriately sized blender. She is trying to cook for 500 students using a blender no larger than the one in your kitchen right now. She knows that the puree is far too coarse. I suspect that if Nina finishes in the bottom group, she would get a mulligan due to her dominance thus far, but the editing strongly indicates that the bottom group is likely to be Justin, Stephanie and Nina. While Justin has struggled lately, that is a combination of three very strong chefs.

The students receive their dishes and excitedly chow down. The editing shows that Brian’s shrimp cake is worth the hype. A large line forms at his counter. Meanwhile, Carrie’s line is less popular with LSU students than Nick Saban. She is serving blanched broccoli, and she defensively states, “It’s not my fault the kids are stupid and don’t eat their broccoli.” The winner tonight receives a new car but Carrie’s prize of immunity tonight looks to be the even bigger reward at the moment. It probably keeps her in the competition.

The worst moment of the episode and probably the season occurs in an oddly non-confrontational manner. Carlos is still worried about preparing his fish. He asks Nick to remove his bowls from the oven. Nick states that he cannot do so, and since Nick claimed the area first, that should be the end of it. When Tom Colicchio and Emeril Lagasse reach Carlos’ station, the contestant is not ready to plate the judges’ dishes. They ask about his tardiness. Carlos replies, “They, uh, steal my oven. Nicholas started warming up the plates so…sorry.” Nina and Stephanie’s heads snap up in shock over the baseless accusation of dirty play.

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