With a focus on flavor, chefs Anne Burrell and Cliff Crooks test the recruits' palates with a variety of new and fun ingredients. After plunging face-first into pasta bowls, it's time for the recruits to create their own. The chefs teach them how to make loaded mac and cheese, and in the main dish challenge, the recruits must put their spin on an elegant rack of lamb dinner. While some of the amateurs have palates bursting with potential, it's time to say farewell to one recruit.

Chefs Anne Burrell and Cliff Crooks introduce their recruits to cowboy cuisine, starting with a game showcasing Southwestern flavors and ingredients. After a tough morning on the ranch, it's time for a hearty breakfast, so the chefs teach their teams how to make eggs Benedict with a Southwestern twist. For the main dish challenge, the recruits tackle a classic Tex-Mex dish, chile rellenos. While some recruits really pull themselves up by their bootstraps, the least successful recruits are put to pasture.