The new recruits enter boot camp with dreams of becoming great chefs, but their dreams become nightmares when they see photos of their culinary failures mounted on their stations. To start off, mentors Anne Burrell and Rachael Ray have the recruits cook their signature dishes so that they can assess their skills in the kitchen. Then, the recruits dive headfirst into a main dish challenge where they must cook shrimp and live lobster. The recruits with the least successful dishes on each team will be sent home.

Anne Burrell and Rachael Ray teach the recruits all about flavor, starting with a skill drill that puts their tongues and taste buds to the test. For the main dish challenge, the recruits put their newly-learned flavor combination skills to work as they take a culinary trip around the world and make a roulade inspired by a basket of ingredients that corresponds to the cuisine of a foreign country.