- I'm gordon ramsay, michelin-starred
Chef and a ceo of a global business empire.
Now, the food and drink industry
Has never been more exciting.
But it's also never been tougher to succeed.
I want to help someone get to the top.
I'll invest a quarter of a million dollars of my own cash
Into their business.
Tonight this challenge is all about customer service
And raising funds.
Succeeding in business is not easy...
- Whoa!
- And neither is this competition.
- You've been giving me attitude
Since we got in this kitchen.
- When gordon pulls you aside, it's no joke.
- Aaron, you're not here attending the party.
You're hosting the party.
- I feel like I put my best foot forward.
- Were you in the same [bleep] room as me?
Waiting for some food? I'm sorry about that.
We've got lots of complaints about no food.
- Oh, my god. - Yes, I got it.
- You just cut right over me.
The end of the evening, I've never felt
So embarrassed in all my life.
Who will be my food star?
[upbeat electronic music]
♪ ♪
- Oh, my god, this is beautiful.
- I know, it's gorgeous.
[engine roaring]
- Now, this week, I'm putting customer service
Front and center.
I've asked my 14 remaining contestants...
- You guys hear that?
- To meet me at an exclusive ranch in california.
- Oh!
- You got to be kidding me. [cheers and applause]
- Looking sharp!
- How are we? All: Good!
- Welcome to the beautiful hummingbird nest ranch.
You are all talented business owners, right?
- Yes. - Absolutely.
- And you know the importance of raising funds.
- Yes. - Yes.
- So, for your next challenge,
You'll be hosting your very own galas
To raise funds for a charity,
With some very special guests.
I'll be expecting food, drink, and a presentation.
These businessmen and businesswomen
Could potentially drop major cash,
But only if they feel that your event deserves it.
Is that clear? All: Yes.
- Now, you're going to be in two teams for this challenge.
- Okay. - Whoo!
- Chanel, megan,
Chris, ashley,
Caroline, jourdan, luther.
Come over together here, please.
You guys are the yellow team. [cheers and applause]
- Yellow team!
- Lan, queen,
Sydney, big tony,
Elisa, aaron, and obviously jake.
- Yes. - You guys are the blue team!
[cheers and applause] - go, blue.
- Your event is supporting a cause
Very near and dear to my heart--
St. Jude children's research hospital.
Please welcome their svp of field development,
Chris boysen.
[applause]
How are you, sir?
- Good, sir.
- So why is st. Jude so special?
- St. Jude is leading the way that the world
Understands, treats, and defeats childhood cancer.
And we do that without ever presenting a bill to a family.
[applause, murmuring]
- Thank you.
The team that receives the most charity donation
Wins the challenge,
But at least one person
Will be going home from the losing team.
I've chosen the party themes for you.
Blue team, I want you to do a magnificent las vegas theme.
All: Yes, chef.
- Yellow team, I want a spectacular gatsby theme.
Think the roaring '20s. All: Yes.
- Let's get going. Off you go, guys.
- Whoo-hoo!
- Now, tomorrow may be one big charity gala.
But this challenge is all about the customer service
And raising money--two key principles in business.
And how they accomplish it, that is crucial,
Especially if we're asking for big donations.
First job...
- Yeah, boy! - I'm excited to plan this.
- The teams must decide on a leader and individual roles.
- I think we just need one clear leader.
I've had so much experience with events.
I've done galas before.
- I would like to nominate elisa to be the leader.
- Are you cool with that? - I'm cool.
[laughs] I'm the owner of confetti cakes.
You can take my cake kit to make realistic-looking cakes.
When I started my cake company,
I would make a cake that looked like sushi or a handbag,
And people would not believe that they were cakes.
I'm happily married, and I have three adorable kids.
I'm honest, I'm hardworking,
And I don't take no for an answer.
Aaron, jake, sydney, you guys are
Going to be front of house.
- I think I can definitely run front of house.
I'm so excited I get to do this,
Because st. Jude became a very incredibly close
Organization to my heart.
So, six years ago, I actually had colon cancer.
I am completely cancer-free now.
[cheers and applause]
- Do you mind sharing that with them?
- Oh, my god. This is an honor.
With the experience that I've had personally,
I really feel like I'm not only going
To be able to connect with people more
But really offer something that's really special.
- So, tony and queen, you're going to be back of house.
And then lan will do cocktails.
- We're going to get them drunk.
[laughter]
- I think everyone's happy that I was elected leader.
Last week I was grilled by gordon.
And this week I really have to prove myself.
- I'm really comfortable with the operations side.
I've done very large events.
- I can take a leadership role.
I've worked in, like, a lot of creative departments,
So I'm happy to do that.
- I've had 900 employees at one time,
So I'm definitely comfortable with working
In different groups and overseeing different tasks.
- I think it makes sense to make ashley the leader here.
- Yeah.
Hello!
I am from norco, california, where there's
More horses than people.
My product is happy grub squeezable
Instant pancake mix.
You simply add water to it, you shake it,
And you squeeze it onto a hot surface.
I'm a mom first.
Second, I'm an entrepreneur.
People do underestimate me.
Because I don't have this college education,
I cannot succeed.
But that is not true.
[upbeat music]
- I feel like I could take, like, a bartender role.
- I feel confident taking a supporting position as well,
In the cocktail space.
- I think back of house suits me
Because I want to make sure the food is as good as possible.
- I work in the back of the house.
So, I mean, I definitely, you know, play to my strong suits.
I'm ready.
Let's do it.
I'm the chef and owner at provaré in chicago, illinois.
We're a black-owned restaurant specializing
In italian-creole fusion,
Making our own pasta fresh in house.
Sales have been amazing.
Our initial investment--
We ended up getting that back in six months.
I think I'm the perfect entrepreneur
Because I'm so fresh into the game still.
I'm betting on myself, so, gordon,
You should go ahead and bet on me.
- Presentation's getting in front of people.
I'm really good at that. - I love that.
- I think I'll be able to schmooze the people.
This challenge comes down to which team is going to raise
The most amount of money.
It's going to come down to the experience
And how engaged the donors are
When they step through those doors.
Over my dead frickin' body am I going to let us lose.
- Oh, my gosh! - Amazing!
- With less than 24 hours to prepare for the gala...
- Ooh! - Oh, my god.
We are going to do such good things with this space.
- I've laid on two prep kitchens...
- Oh, yeah, my domain. Let's get it.
- And props to dress the venue.
- Here we go. - I would definitely--
Look at these. These are beautiful.
- Tablecloths. - We got the food.
- All right. And these are drapes for the side.
- In the kitchen, the teams must create
At least two signature cocktails.
- The luxury lemon drop.
I think that would be really fun.
- Gatsby's garden. Done. - Yes.
- And a selection of canapes--
Exciting, bite-size finger food,
Which will be paired up with the drinks.
- It's absolutely critical for us to send out small bites.
- Okay. - They need to go down quick.
- Crab cake is definitely, like, my specialty.
I love making those. - Mm-hmm. Perfect.
- Two cocktails--I'm thinking one dark, one light.
- Whiskey or bourbon, that's las vegas.
- I like whiskey. - Okay, good.
- So meal, vegas, opulence-- I'm thinking lamb.
- Like a lamb lollipop? - Yes.
- My partner in crime is queen.
I'm fast, she's knowledgeable, and we got
Some team camaraderie going.
I like it. - Oh, nice, nice, nice.
♪ ♪
- All right, guys. We're running out of time.
Let's get to cooking and tasting.
- The teams have two hours to prep
Before I sample their light-bite canapes and drinks.
- Luther, what you can do is take these carrots,
And let's get them boiled and get them soft.
- Creating the yellow team's crab cake canape...
- Give me a bowl, so I can do the apple.
- Chanel.
- Chanel, when you request something,
Just always say "please," okay?
- Please.
- Is this apple?
- Yeah, that's actual apple that I cooked down.
- I feel like cooking the apple
Takes away the freshness out of it.
Do brunoise. - Yeah.
- It's too clunky right now.
- You want to try this, luther? - Yeah, let's give it a bite.
I want more tomato flavor.
- You just think it's too much? - We need more tomato flavor.
The amaranth is very green, and it takes away from--
- Something that I see wrong right now--
You are critiquing the food a little too much for me.
Luther is getting on my damn nerves.
He thinks he understands fine dining.
I own a food truck. I know what I'm doing.
I have a lot of great ideas for the team.
You seem to like the food. - Yeah.
- You seem to like the food. - Yeah.
- And what I can taste, I like.
But every single thing we've put out,
You've overly critiqued...
Like, a lot...
With no real--
- I'm giving you my professional opinion.
- We're all professional.
You've been giving me attitude since we got in this kitchen.
- I'm sorry if you feel like
I've been giving you attitude-- - but you have.
[dramatic music]
- I've selected 14 of america's top food
And drink entrepreneurs...
- Yes!
- To compete for the chance to win
My investment of $250,000.
- Beautiful. Look at that. Look at that. Look at that.
- Earlier, I left the teams to prep their menus...
- What do you feel about that?
You have to trust me.
- And their rooms--
- Okay, you guys keep opening, and I will organize.
- For a charity gala they'll be hosting tomorrow night.
Cooking for the yellow team...
- You've been giving me attitude
Since we got in this kitchen.
- Chanel.
- Hey, hey.
It smells amazing back here, you guys.
What's going on in the kitchen?
- There was an argument between chanel and I.
Her dish wasn't coming together.
- Okay.
- And she blamed me for giving her critique.
- Are you guys in the right positions?
- I think we may need to shift some of the kitchen
To the cocktail. - All right.
I will figure out what's going on.
How's it going, dear? You feeling all right?
- I came up with this crab cake recipe.
We had a little bit of conflict in terms of where
The direction should go.
He's been very over-critical, in my opinion, of the food.
- You are the chef here. You got it.
Right now I'm most worried about the food.
The two people that I need to keep an eye on,
Really, are luther and chanel.
We're going to make it come together.
- I hope they get their [bleep] together.
- Oh, they will.
[mellow music]
- With half their time already gone...
- That's so good!
- In the blue team's kitchen...
- Teamwork is high, morale is super high.
- The sample canapes are coming together.
- Here you go. - Oh. Okay.
Just--it's not a bite.
- Would you like to taste it?
- No, no. I have no doubt that it tastes amazing.
- Ah, no, no, no, I hear doubt.
- It's the fact of that it's going to make a mess.
- Thank you, baby. - Hey, I'm the leader.
- You are, but this is my kitchen right now.
- All right.
- As leader of the team, I'm not feeling 100% in control.
Queen is an amazing chef, but lamb chops--
Not a good idea for a cocktail party.
If we fail, gordon's going to come after me.
- Anything past this lane is my lane.
[upbeat music]
- We got 20 minutes left.
- Transforming the front of house for the blue team...
- We need to make sure when they come here,
They're not feeling like, oh, I'm going to donate $5
For this nice pack of cards. - Cards.
- Jake, sydney, and aaron.
- I got the money, man! - All right!
- What's up?
My product is a shaved-ice drink shop.
I'm known as the snow cone king on tiktok.
I had 247,000 followers the last time I checked.
My first viral video got 600,000 views.
That is where I got the snow cone king name.
I'm 20 years old.
I'm younger than everybody else in this competition.
I love being the underdog.
It's where I thrive.
When everything's on the line, I know I have nothing to lose,
So I work harder than everybody else.
- These people are going to be spending thousands of dollars.
- Mm-hmm.
- So we need that high elegance.
- We got to work out what we're going to do.
I'm pumped. I'm ready.
My product is smart cups technology.
Smart cups is a sustainability-driven
Technology that can print any type of product.
We print the ingredients of an energy drink inside of a cup.
You add water, and then you drink it.
We were recognized by "time" magazine
And listed on their best inventions of 2021.
My wife, she's beautiful--
6 foot tall, I'm 5'4".
I've got a 13-year-old who is almost 5'11".
I get hand-me-downs from him from the fifth grade.
[laughs]
Gordon, the first winner of "food stars"
Is sitting right here.
♪ ♪
- Prep time over.
- Shazam!
- I've come in to check on how the teams are doing.
- Incoming, chefs.
- First up, it's vegas with the blue team.
Food-wise-- - yes, chef.
- Give us a little insight. What are we doing?
- We have lamb with a mint churri-churri.
- Do I really want to walk--
Once I've had a bite of that, I'm walking around with a bone.
- Yes. - And trust me--
No one's bringing their dog tomorrow night.
So I'm going to tell you the truth.
- Yeah. - There's nothing wow.
- Okay. - I've seen this stuff before.
Start getting that a little bit more glamorized, understood?
- We'll step it up.
- Cocktails. What's the execution on these?
- About 30 seconds.
- Is that all? - Yes.
- Front of house, I'm the customer coming through.
Give me a little 30 seconds, okay?
Wow me. - You got it. You got it!
- Good evening. - Good evening, gordon.
Welcome to vegas.
Be swarmed by our unbelievable crowd of lights.
- Holy [bleep]. - Taste our delicious--
- It sounds like you're selling me a timeshare.
Remember, we have a big presentation
In front of an esteemed, esteemed guest list.
Who is on that presentation?
- Me, jake, and aaron. - Right.
Do not waffle.
The more fun, the more funds.
Get it together.
Vegas.
- All right. Let's regroup.
What are we going to do about the lamb?
I'm not walking around with a bone.
- I will concede and say you are correct.
- When I think of vegas, it's glamorous, it's full-on,
It's in your face.
And it just felt flat in there.
And elisa, she needs to lead.
Let's bring in some wow factor.
Next up, the yellow team and their gatsby gala.
Okay, food-wise, when I look at those canapes,
I don't think of those roaring '20s.
This one here, that looks very awkward.
What's in here?
- It's a crab cake topped with, like, an apple kind of relish.
- So it needs to be petite.
[dramatic music]
It's nicely seasoned, but it needs a punch.
So we got some work to do on there.
The cocktails--pickup time on this, what is that?
- I could do a minute, minute 30.
- There's 100 guests arriving,
And they're here to offload cash.
What you don't want is a blockage for the drink.
Front of house, welcome me into your experience.
I want to hear it. - Yes. Okay.
- Good evening. - Good evening.
Tonight we have a tequila cosmo--
Or martini, rather.
♪ ♪
- We want you to enjoy yourselves and under--
Blah, blah, blah. Yeah, we need to work on it.
- Holy [bleep].
You just need to wow them.
Fun, witty, and gracious.
Thank you.
- All right, can we have, like, a quick, little powwow?
- We need to figure out what we're doing right now, right?
- Kitchen swap?
- We can decide that tomorrow morning.
I think I have to pull chanel out of the kitchen,
Because she can't handle it.
Since I'm in charge, that's going to be on me.
Right now we need to decide what we're doing for our meals.
- I feel like he liked the flavor of the crab cake.
- Yeah. Okay.
- It's more about presentation, if anything.
- I'm worried about everything tomorrow--
My teammates getting along, food coming out good.
If things don't start coming together,
I'm like, this close to losing my [bleep].
- Yellow team--right now it's all a little bit flat.
So I'm slightly concerned,
Because they need to up their game quickly.
- It's day two of the challenge.
In order to get the rooms ready in time,
I've had an expert events crew
Come in overnight to finish off
The yellow and blue team's visions.
- It literally looks like champagne
Is falling from the ceiling.
- This is definitely, like, the glam and decadence
That we were talking about.
I feel like we really nailed it.
- In just a few hours' time...
[cheering]
They'll be hosting a vip charity gala...
- We really vegas'd this out.
- To see which team can raise the most donations
And win the challenge.
- Today I'm going to be a leader that listens.
It's all about execution and hearing who needs help
And being there for them.
- While the blue team starts prepping...
- Yes! - Yeah.
- Let's make this magic happen. - All right.
- Over on the yellow team...
- The pressure is building.
- Team leader ashley has called a meeting.
- We have esteemed guests attending this event tonight.
So, when it comes to the roles...
[dramatic music]
Based on experience,
I think that it is best that you will be in the kitchen,
And chanel will be up front.
Chanel and luther switching spots needed to be done.
Tensions rise quickly in the kitchen.
We want to make this night as easy
And fun for everyone that's attending.
We all need to come together as a team,
And we need to really build these donations
From these guests that are attending tonight.
Let's set the tables up. Here we go.
♪ ♪
- There's just two hours before the guests arrive
For the teams to prep their canapes...
- So we have our tuna tartare.
- Got ya. - And then we go lamb tartare.
- Drinks...
- One tablespoon of the orange bitter.
Oh, wait. Ice.
- And the all-important presentation.
- You opening with comedy is going to be amazing,
And then you are obviously going to bring us all home.
- Yes, I am.
- Practicing for the yellow team...
- How you feeling? - Good.
I feel great. I'm excited.
- Chris and caroline...
- You guys got this?
- Under the watchful eye of team leader ashley.
- Good evening.
Um...
I'm just hoping that I don't freeze.
I'm stressed about it.
There's a lot riding on this,
And I don't want to let my teammates down.
You want to see it one more time from the beginning?
- Let's do it again.
♪ ♪
- With only 30 minutes until guests arrive...
[whirring]
I've come to check in on how the teams are doing.
Right. Blue team, how we feeling?
- Great. - Changes.
What have you done since yesterday?
- We took the lamb, cut it up, did a tartare.
- A lamb tartare? - Yes, sir.
- You're only sending one cold out first.
- Correct. We're only sending one cold out.
- We're doing two colds.
- They're telling me they're sending one cold canape first.
Please get on the same page.
♪ ♪
Yellow team, any changes? - Big changes to the menu.
- Luther, are you in the kitchen now?
- Yeah, I'm in the kitchen.
- So you have three in the kitchen now?
- Yep. So we switched. I'm the bartender now.
- Have you ever worked behind a bar?
- No.
- You got to think of your execution--
The shape, the magic, the energy.
You're under pressure.
Just under five minutes, guys, yes?
♪ ♪
With the clock counting down to service...
- It's time to start plating.
- The teams need to be ready
For the guests in the kitchen...
- Send your runners. Send your runners.
- Two and a half.
And the front of house.
Are those hands shaking? - I'm a little nervous.
- One minute. They're walking through the door.
- Whoo!
- We're going to be right on time.
- Two really energized teams.
But it all comes down to who's going to execute the best
And who's going to raise the most amount of money.
7:00 p.M.--
With guests arriving for the charity gala...
The teams only have two hours to wine and dine them.
- Welcome to the roaring '20s.
- Welcome to vegas!
- Guests will have time to visit both galas...
- Cheers to you guys.
- Caviar?
- To decide which event is best
And deserves their donations.
[jazz music]
Over with the yellow team...
- We're just going to keep rolling food out.
Hot, cold, out it goes.
- Canapes are coming out.
- Oh, my god, how do I get out of here?
- But there's a problem at the bar.
- You guys, it's getting really backed up.
- On the drinks? - Yeah.
It's amazing how busy it's getting so quickly.
- Megan. - Yes?
Yes, chef. Yes, chef.
- Work and talk.
- When gordon pulls you aside, you need to listen.
We had some trouble with the drinks.
Now I think everybody's having a good time.
- You need ice? I got it.
[dramatic music]
- Over with the blue team...
- And this is your whiskey.
- Drinks are being served...
- It's going to pair very well with the lamb tartare,
If that's come out yet.
- But there's a problem with the food.
- There's three tartares that were sitting out too long.
Got to trash them. - [bleep].
- I'm sorry. There's one left, but I will come back.
- Excuse me interrupting.
Let's talk about experiences
With the food and drink in vegas.
You haven't eaten anything here?
- Maybe one thing. - Right.
Aaron. No.
My apologies. - Thank you.
- Where are you guys from? - I'm from seattle.
- Just turn around and look at aaron.
Watch him stand and talk and talk and talk and talk.
And he should be circulating the room.
- So that they're not waiting. Yes, I got it.
- You just cut right over me. - I'm sorry.
- Right now he's ignoring everybody.
- Okay. - Look at me.
Nobody's getting fed. Far table, far table.
- So sorry you're waiting.
Can I offer you this?
This is our vegas illusion.
♪ ♪
- Guys, I got lots of complaints about no food.
Here's the thing-- all the food's here.
Whatever you've got there, just plate up.
Get the main canape out, please.
And look at me.
Whoever's dropping drinks and food off at a particular table,
They're just standing there talking.
There's no food.
- At hummingbird nest ranch, california,
I'm tasking two teams...
- Hello, welcome!
- To host charity galas for vips...
- One gatsby garden-- let me get on that for you.
- And secure their donations
For st. Jude children's research hospital.
But for the blue team...
Nice to see you. Waiting for some food.
I'm sorry about that.
There's an issue.
Guys, I got lots of complaints
About no food. - [bleep].
- Whoever's dropping drinks and food off at a particular table,
They're just standing there talking.
There's no food.
[dramatic music]
- How are you doing tonight? - Aaron.
- Yes, sir?
- There's tables here that haven't been fed.
And you're not here attending the party.
Remember, in 45 minutes' time, you want money.
Bounce, bounce, bounce.
Get in the kitchen. Get some food out.
- Yes, sir. Yes, sir. - Let's go.
- Throughout the evening...
Enjoy next door. - Thank you.
- The teams have been making sure my guests
Have been looked after...
- I'm going to do my best to bring you some--I got ya.
- As they visit both galas...
- Welcome to the roaring '20s.
- To decide which event
Will earn their charitable donations.
- The biggest issue right now is the cleaning up
And the bussing of the tables.
We need to make sure that everything
Is cleaned and prepared, ready to go for them.
- What the teams don't know is that I've invited
Two of america's top event experts--
Party planner to the stars mindy weiss...
- The first thing I look for is being welcomed.
A nice, warm welcome, you can remember that the whole night.
- And celebrity wedding
And party designer courtney ajinca.
- I want to see that the guests are being accommodated,
Because when guests are comfortable,
They spend more money.
- I've asked them to check in on the galas
Before reporting back to me.
First up, vegas.
- Do you have anything vegetarian?
- Vegas illusion.
Everyone's loved that one so far.
- Delish.
- Next, the bar.
- Do you have mocktails?
- So I can make a mocktail for you, like, makeshift it.
♪ ♪
- It's been a long time. This is a very long wait.
♪ ♪
- Ladies, nice to see you both. - Nice to see you, too.
- Wow. Blue team-- were you welcomed properly?
Were you greeted?
- I don't think we were greeted.
- Wow.
Did we have anything to eat? - We did.
I'm vegetarian, and it was delicious.
- It was awesome.
- And the bar? - The bar experience was long.
Our wait time--we waited for about five minutes
At the bar. - Just for a mocktail.
♪ ♪
- Next up, the yellow team.
- Welcome! - Oh, hi!
- Welcome to the roaring '20s.
So let me get you some food. - Amazing.
If you have vegan options, that would be amazing.
- Both vegans. I'll be right out. Enjoy.
- The trash on the table is definitely a huge no-no.
- I need vegan options, now. - I'm doing it right now.
It's going to take 35 seconds. I'll make it delicious.
- Hello. So tonight we have two specialty cocktails--
- Do you have any mocktails? - Yes.
- That's perfect. Thank you.
- I have for you your vegan option.
- Amazing. - Thank you.
- That is flavorful.
- Thank you so much.
♪ ♪
- Ladies, the 1920s fair-- how was the welcome reception?
- She saw us and ran.
Very big, yes. - A bit over the top?
- It was over the top.
- Did we have anything to eat?
- We waited less than five minutes for a vegan option.
- Right. Nice.
Let's talk about the drinks.
How were the drinks of the yellow team?
- Amazing.
- The one thing that drove me crazy--
They didn't clear the table.
- No, we need that level of finesse.
And also, it's a cocktail party, right?
- Absolutely.
- Ladies, your feedback has been crucial.
Thank you so much for coming. - Thank you.
- 90 minutes into the event, and the teams
Have had enough time to impress their guests
With their themed canapes...
- Oh, here we go.
- And cocktails.
- The roaring '20s party had absolutely the best food.
- Exquisite.
- And the service was much more professional.
I also liked the atmosphere better.
- At the las vegas party,
I thought there was a lot of energy.
There was one young lady there, her name was sydney--
I really thought was adorable, and I enjoyed talking to her.
[jazzy music]
- Next up is the presentation.
Really haven't had that much time to really work on it,
But hopefully I can remember all my words.
- It's time for the big presentation--
The teams' last chance of wowing the guests
In hope of raising cash.
The team with the most donations will win,
With the losing team facing the grilling.
Thank you all for coming this evening.
Our teams have some very important final words.
First up, the hosts of the gatsby party.
Please welcome the yellow team.
[cheers and applause]
[upbeat music]
- What an amazing night!
[cheers and applause]
And I heard some of you whisper.
I am not a child, okay?
I unfortunately look like this.
We're all here for a great cause--st. Jude.
The only difference between me and you?
Gordon ramsay hasn't crushed your self-esteem yet.
[laughter]
- Wow.
- But, seriously, tonight is not the night to be cheap.
I'm looking at you over there. You had seconds.
Open your wallet.
- Each and every one of us in this room tonight
Has, in one way or another, been affected by cancer.
I thought about my own baby girl this morning.
I thought about what I would do
If isabella was diagnosed with cancer.
No parent going through this
Deserves to feel helpless.
So tonight I'm going to ask you all
To open your checkbooks and donate.
- Especially you over there that had seconds, all right?
[laughter] I saw you all night!
- Give it up for the yellow team.
Well done. All right. Thank you.
[cheers and applause]
- Great job.
[dramatic music]
- Now, are you ready for the second presentation?
They were themed with the vegas event,
And that was held by the blue team.
[cheers and applause]
♪ ♪
- Take it away from here?
- When you're ready.
♪ ♪
[thud, feedback whining] - hello, is this thing on?
♪ ♪
- Over the last 48 hours,
My two teams have been preparing a vip gala
To compete to raise the most donations.
[cheers and applause]
Taking to the stage for the final presentation
Of the night...
- We can take it away from here?
- When you're ready.
The blue team.
[thud, feedback whining] - hello, is this thing on?
Hi, everyone.
Wow, jake.
What an amazing event!
- And what an incredible organization
In st. Jude for us to be supporting tonight.
- [imitating elvis] thank you, thank you, thank you very much.
How's everybody doing tonight?
[cheers and applause]
Welcome to vegas.
Now, I know we gave you more drinks than that.
I said, how is everybody doing tonight?
[scattered applause]
- About six years ago, almost to the date,
I was planning my 21st birthday.
And I was so excited.
But, unfortunately, that birthday plan
Never quite came to fruition.
Shortly after I turned 21,
I was diagnosed with colon cancer.
[somber music]
And in that moment, in those three words--
"you have cancer"--
I realized just how precious life was.
♪ ♪
As I stand here tonight in front of you
Completely cancer-free...
[cheers and applause]
I can tell you and assure you that your support
For this organization is everything.
Thank you very much.
[cheers and applause]
- Sydney, well done.
Please give it up for the blue team.
[applause]
[laughter, chatter]
- We did it!
- Amazing.
- Wow, what a night.
Now it all comes down to those donations
And whose theme party did our guests prefer.
But the good news is, that money was rolling in.
All: Blue team!
- I think we frickin' rocked the presentation.
I mean, I gave them the hunka-hunka, you know.
- Let's go. - Go, go, go.
- I'm feeling so confident going into the grilling.
I know my team won this.
- Good job, guys.
- Thank you all for being phenomenal.
- My fingers are crossed,
Because I got grilled last week.
If I get grilled this week,
I have no hope of winning this competition.
[dramatic music]
♪ ♪
[indistinct chatter]
♪ ♪
- How we feeling?
All: Good. - Good.
This week was all about knowing your clientele,
Great customer service, and raising funds.
Incredible news--
In total, both teams raised...
♪ ♪
$110,000.
[cheers and applause]
On top of that, unbeknownst to you all,
I brought in two undercover party planners to the stars.
- [gasps] - okay.
- So what I didn't see, they saw.
Let's start with the yellow team.
Let's go back to day one. Chanel, what happened?
- We had three chefs in one kitchen,
And everybody had so many ideas.
- Where was the tension coming from?
- It came mainly from me and luther,
In terms of trying to decide
How the menu should be presented.
- We need to put egos aside and think of the bigger picture,
And are we going to get thousands of dollars donated?
That is it. - Yeah.
- Yes. - Right.
- Blue team...
Elisa. - Yes.
- You're in charge of this challenge.
- Yes.
- Why were you in that position?
- I felt in the last challenge, I didn't step up enough,
And I have event experience with my business.
- Right. Queen, what are your thoughts
On elisa's performance? - We had a clash.
But there was a mutual respect.
- Okay, I've heard enough.
Time to reveal the results.
It was a landslide.
♪ ♪
One of the teams only raised $20,000.
♪ ♪
And the other team raised a staggering $90,000.
♪ ♪
The team...
♪ ♪
Who raised the most money
For st. Jude children's research hospital...
Congratulations goes to...
♪ ♪
[exhales deeply]
[dramatic music]
- The team...
Who raised the most money
For st. Jude children's research hospital...
Congratulations goes to...
[exhales deeply]
The yellow team. - [screams]
- Oh, my god, sorry. [crying, laughter]
♪ ♪
- When I say a landslide, I mean a landslide.
Our undercover party planners praised your performance.
And then that presentation was short, but it was powerful.
Well done.
Blue team...
You were disorganized.
Hungry customers waiting for food,
And the front of house seemed to be more focused on chatting
As opposed to hosting.
There are two individuals--
They're going to stay safe from elimination tonight.
Sydney, you were praised with your warmth.
Tony, thank god you were in the kitchen,
Because we were sort of all over the place in there.
The rest of you five, I'll see you in the restaurant.
♪ ♪
Jake, sit down, please.
Queen, sit down, please.
Elisa, take a seat, please.
Lan, sit down, please.
Aaron, how you feeling right now?
- I'm not feeling good.
This is not where you want to be,
Sitting right here in front of you.
- You took a big risk.
You jumped out as the leader. - Correct.
- What happened there?
- Look, I feel like you could have the best coach,
And if you have inexperienced players,
Then your team is going to suck.
- Was there any direction in your performance?
Did anyone guide you? - No.
We had a lack of direction.
It's a leader who's supposed to step up,
Recognize where we're having those issues,
And make the adjustments necessary.
- Why wasn't there more cohesion?
Why were we so fragmented?
- I think that my leader had no confidence in me.
My leader had no confidence in the kitchen,
And she chose a role that she wasn't ready for.
- Queen said she's done events before,
But the first day we're fighting over
A four-inch lamb chop, a canape.
I don't know.
It was like she didn't know what it was.
- You weren't listening to your leader.
Is that correct?
- No, not at all.
- You guys had really poor communication from the get-go.
Everything felt disjointed.
Why wasn't there more cohesion?
- Elisa really took the forefront.
And we really trusted her to really lead the team.
- I'm going to be honest with you.
We didn't serve enough food.
- There were so many issues with that kitchen.
I was embarrassed by not only what we put out
But also how slow it was.
- When you came back in the kitchen,
You told us that stuff is not coming out fast.
That was news to us.
If we would have had any inkling
That there was an issue, we would have fixed it.
- Several times, I watched and witnessed your performance--
Like you were attending the party.
- This is the first time I've ever been at a gala like this,
And I was not led in the direction
That I think I needed the whole night.
- In my absence, my secret shoppers,
Mindy weiss and courtney ajinca,
Complained that the drinks were taking way too long to execute.
- Gordon, what I can tell you is that I'm not a bartender.
The biggest issue we had was organization.
- That presentation I witnessed--
Aaron opening up, trying to be funny
With some dreadful, ridiculous impersonation of elvis.
I've never felt so embarrassed in all my life.
- Reading the room, the jokes did not play off.
- What were you thinking throughout that presentation?
Did you have a rehearsal? - Each member of my team--
- Did you see it before I did?
- No.
- Wow.
I was dying.
- I felt that I did lift the spirits in that room.
People were clapping. They were applauding.
- Were you in the same [bleep] room as me?
How did the other team
Gain so much more dollars than your team?
- When you expressed to us the landslide,
I was mortified as well.
- Obviously, it was a landslide in the wrong direction,
And therefore, we didn't execute the--
- Has that registered? Do you know that?
- Yeah, I-- - okay. Right.
So hello.
Who would you send home? - I would send home elisa.
- Who let you down the most on your team?
- Aaron--
Very inexperienced--or queen.
- Our leadership failed. I would get rid of elisa.
- Queen, thank you.
Elisa, thank you.
Thank you, aaron.
♪ ♪
[door closes]
You've all had a chance to open up and talk honestly,
And I've now made my decision.
Succeeding in business is not easy.
The failure across this challenge
Falls on one individual.
♪ ♪
The person I'll not be investing in is...
♪ ♪
Elisa.
- It's okay.
- Young lady, unfortunately,
You seemed to be the leader in title only,
And your team's many problems
Could have been fixed with much better,
Stronger communication.
I wish you the very best of luck.
You have an amazing business--
Confetti cakes, the cake-kit business.
But if you're going to take those reins as a leader,
You need to lead.
Now, for those reasons, we're done.
♪ ♪
[door opens]
Elisa is a smart businesswoman,
But, unfortunately her leadership qualities
Across that gala dinner were not apparent.
She should have been fixing problems as they arose.
And for that reason, we're done.
- You all should be so proud of yourselves.
I'm feeling really disappointed.
I gave it my all, I tried my hardest,
And it just wasn't my time.
- Gordon ramsay lit a fire underneath me.
I have to show him
That I am worthy of his investment.
- To think about going back home,
I'm not ready for it,
And I had to prove that to gordon tonight.
♪ ♪
- Next time...
You'll all be creating your very own wine brand.
- Ooh!
- I've designed a challenge for me to know
That they really understand marketing, branding...
- That's our logo.
- And pitching skills.
- We are about to go on, and where's sydney?
- I don't really think any of us
Have any idea what's going on.
- You not once asked if she was okay.
I just don't like the fakeness
Going on here right now-- I really don't.
- I'm going to invest a quarter million dollars
Of my own money into one of these contestants.
Right now I'm worried.
- [bleep].