Episode Report Card Monty Ashley: A- | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Bickering Isn't Going to Solve Anything!
By Monty Ashley | Season 3 | Episode 17 | Aired on 03.05.2009
Daniel and Wili are in a restaurant talking about things other than business. Wili doesn't want to talk about Connor, and Daniel doesn't want to talk about Molly. He tells Wili that Molly is dying, and Wili feels awkward. So she orders some wine. "Lots of it."
As the episode of Kitchen Rumble gets underway, there is a lot of chopping and blending. Both chefs are using the Suarez kitchen at the same time, which is a nice touch. [Wait, this show takes place in the challenger's kitchen? Not in some kind of arena? What if they have a tiny kitchen like I do? - Z] Mo Rocca explains to the camera, using the hushed voice commonly seen in cooking commentators, that Ignacio is making a traditional molé poblano (yum!), while Frankie is making a molé of peanuts. There are ten minutes to go as Ignacio grinds chile powder, and Mo gets very excited about Frankie using breadcrumbs. Suddenly! Ignacio's back goes out and he has to lie down. But there are no timeouts in Kitchen Rumble. Frankie will allow a substitution. Both Hilda and Justin say they just did their nails. So the replacement is Betty! Lying on the floor, Ignacio gives her the instructions to stir the molé and turn the chicken. Mo commentates: "Smart move. They tapped the sturdy girl to step in." Betty: "I can hear you, you know!"
The bell rings and the judges taste the dishes. Mo says the judges don't know whose dish is whose, but it seems like they should be able to tell which one has peanuts in it. And the winner is... Frankie Burrata! The Suarezes get nothing except for Frankie's leftovers. Sad music!
At Mode, Daniel tells Betty those shows are all rigged. He also starts to offer to help them out, but Betty rejects his offer. And Wili makes Daniel leave: "Chop chop. We have millions to collect!" Betty looks worried.
At the governmental panel, Daniel says he wants $75 million. But the chairman has a copy of the New York Post where Page Six is headlined "Daniel and Wil Fiddle while Mode Burns..." and there's a huge picture of Daniel and Wili enjoying their wine and laughing it up. Daniel protests that they were commiserating. Chairman: "This is a $400 dollar bottle of wine." Wili: "To be fair, Congressman, it was the only drinkable thing on the menu." So they're not getting anything. Also, "Shame on them!"
Marc and Amanda are walking through the halls as Marc hands out orange papers to extras. Apparently the play date will be an actual play date. With babies. Amanda thinks this will not be a problem, since all Marc has to do is borrow Wili's baby for the afternoon. Marc: "But what do you even do with a baby?" Amanda: "I don't know. Lie to it. Pretend it's yours. Never tell it it was adopted." Amanda is still angry about working next to her real mother (Fey Sommers, remember?) and never knowing the truth. Marc: "Downer." Amanda: "I know, right?"