New York's own Ed McFarland of Ed's Lobster Bar is pitted against Seattle's Josh Henderson, founder of the Huxley-Wallace Collective of eateries. Judging this first round battle are James Beard award winner Sue Zemanick and Dale Talde of the Talde restaurant empire. With jellyfish on the menu, things are bound to get salty!

Denver chef Carrie Shores of the WOW Kitchen brings it to Brooklyn to take on Harlem's own JJ Johnson of The Cecil and Minton's. Our judges, James Beard Award winner Sue Zemanick and Dale Talde, chef/owner of Talde, decide who moves on to the quarterfinals. Fish heads are gonna roll!