The journey of the chefs on Around The World In 80 Plates take us from Barcelona last week to Africa tonight, as they head out to Marrakech where the Course takes them on a perilous trip through the Medina. Drama will ensue, as one team’s ingredients go missing in the kitchen.
We start out with the chefs heading from Barcelona to their new destination…Marrakech in Africa. They meet up with Curtis Stone and Cat Cora, where the chefs will get started on the Course to find the exceptional ingredient. The first team to complete the Course not only gets the exceptional ingredient, but they also win $15,000!
For this task on Around The World In 80 Plates task, the remaining chefs will break into teams of three…quicker you choose your team, the quicker you can head out on the horse and buggies waiting for them.
The teams are: White Team: Chaz Brown, Gary Walker and Nick Lacasse…Red Team: Jenna Johansen, Liz Garrett and Nicole Lou…Black Team: Steve “Nookie” Postal, Avery Pursell and John Vermiglio. The first task on the 80 Plates Course is to find the Ben Boubker Spice Shop within the Medina.
The Red Team on Around The World In 80 Plates is a little worried about their gender playing a role while being in Africa. The Black Team is the first to arrive, but the others arrive shortly after. It is a rush to see who can find the spice shop first in Medina. They all just start running around in hopes of someone helping them out.
The Black Team is the first to arrive at the Ben Boubker Spice Shop and get the next task. They have to find the nine spices found in the Ras El Hanout spice blend. They have barrel after barrel of spices and somehow have to figure out the nine spices on the list needed for the blend.
Next to arrive to the Ben Boubker Spice Shop on this 80 Plates episode is the Red Team…I guess the gender did not hold them back. The White Team arrives shortly after and they all are working on finding the ingredients. Even though they are the last to get there, the White Team is the first to checkout…with Nookie and the Black Team right on their backs as they checkout…this sets Gary Walker off!
The next task for the Course on Around The World In 80 Plates…find the El Waha Restaurant. The White Team heads out first and followed by both the Black Team and Red Team. All the teams use residents to help them get there as they all are rushing to get to the restaurant.
The White and Black Teams both arrive at the same time to the restaurant and get the next challenge…fill all the tea cups using the traditional Moroccan style. All the teams are present and pouring their tea. Despite a close finish, the Black Team wins, so Avery Pursell, Nookie Postal and John Vermiglio win $5,000 each and get the exceptional ingredient, which is a guide to show them around and help them with the language and culture of the area.
For the Takeover, the teams will have to create a menu featuring Moroccan Tagine and two additional dishes…the winning team is safe and the remaining chefs are all up for elimination. For the remainder of the day, the chefs are to walk around and immerse themselves in the Medina…soak up the culture and the cuisine to help prepare them for the next day.
The Black Team meets Ahmed, their local guide…he gives them pointers on how to make the tagine and takes them to a restaurant to try some local cuisine. Meanwhile, the Red Team of all women are walking around the Medina and getting hissed at by the local men…they are not happy.
The White Team heads out to a restaurant and orders and checks with the server to see if their menu is acceptable in Morocco. The Red Team get to a restaurant to sample some local cuisine.
The chefs of Around The World In 80 Plates finally head to their place of residence for the night…complete luxury. Jenna Johansen gets to skype with her fiancé, which is much needed after the day the Red Team had. Meanwhile, the White Team is strategizing on who they will vote off if they lose the next day…they decide on Avery Pursell, since she is a threat to all of them.
It’s the next day on Around The World In 80 Plates and the teams head out to shop for their ingredients…they have 30 minutes to get everything they need.
After getting all the ingredients, the three teams head to the restaurant they will be taking over for this 80 Plates episode…Palais Soleiman…it is absolutely amazing and so classy. The teams head back to the kitchen to get started on their menus.
As the teams prepare the meals, things get heated as Avery Pursell has lost the beets she was cooking. She questions if anyone took them. Gary Walker asks the front of the house to find them and they brought them back. This sets Chaz Brown off because the beets are found and everyone is still focusing on them…a shouting match between Avery and Chaz takes place and Chaz says it is the end of the line for Avery.
Meanwhile, Curtis Stone and Cat Cora arrive at the restaurant and helping them judge this week are Chef Moha and his wife, Khadija El Gabsi. Up first in the Black Team…Nookie made a Beef and Vegetable Tagine, John Vermiglio made Saffron Stewed White Beans and Avery Pursell and John made a Trio of Moroccan Salads. Chef Moha said it is hot, but the spices are very well mixed. The beans are too hard and some customers didn’t like the tagine.
The White Team is struggling to finish their plates in time…they get it plated, but they are not happy with what they are putting out. On their 80 Plates menu is…Chicken Tagine with Green Olives and Preserved Lemons by Nick Lacasse…Couscous with Roasted Vegetables by Chaz Brown…Chickpea, Carrot and Tomato Salad by Gary walker. Curtis Stone said the couscous is very strange. Khadija said the spices are not mixed very well. The White Team goes outside and argues about Gary helping out with the beets, but they decide if they lose they are still sticking to the plan…vote for Avery.
Now to the Red Team…Liz Garrett is the front of the house for them and this is her first time as front of the house and she is nervous. Their menu consists of…Lamb Tagine with Garden Vegetables by Jenna Johansen…Saffron Couscous with Onions, Vegetables and Harissa by Liz Garrett…Rice Pudding with Orange Flower Water by Nicole Lou. Cat Cora loved their couscous…very sour and sweet. Chef Moha said everything is perfect. Tables are asking for more of their food…they love it.
They head out to ask the patrons what was their favorite and it is looking like the Red Team is going to run away with this Takeover…everyone seemed to enjoy them. Time for the results…the Black Team had issues with the beans not being done and the tagine being too spicy. Chaz Brown brings up the damn beets again…move past it. For the White Team, they did not like the couscous, which was Chaz and he says it was a perfect dish. For the Red Team, they loved the dessert that Nicole Lou mad. In the end, the locals liked the Red Team the best…Nicole Lou, Jenna Johansen and Liz Garrett are the winners this week. Most valuable chef this week due to her enthusiasm is Liz…she will have immunity next week.
Now time for the Black and White Team to discuss on who to vote off…Chaz calls out Avery…he needs to work on that aggression. Nookie Postal brings up the fact that Chaz screwed up the couscous, which takes five minutes to make…this gets Gary Walker thinking that Nookie is right and maybe it is time for Chaz to go home. Time for the Around The World In 80 Plates vote…Nookie, John and Avery all vote for Chaz…Gary, Nick and Chaz vote for Avery, so it is a tie. Since it is a tie, the most valuable chef for the night will make the decision…that leaves it to Liz Garrett. She feels they have to work in teams a lot more, so she votes Chaz, which sends Chaz Brown home! The rest of the chefs will be headed to Florence, Italy next week.
Join us next week on GossipandGab.com for more Around the World in 80 Plates 2012 recaps! Bookmark us or friend us on Facebook or Twitter for all our latest updates. Read more from contributing writer Todd Betzold at his blog, http://topicaltodd.blogspot.com.
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