Alabama cook drops the ball on âMasterChefâ during challenge at Dodger Stadium
Savannah “Sav” Miles had a chance to be the MVP on “MasterChef” this week, leading a team challenge at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.
The home cook from Alabama — one of 14 remaining contestants on the Fox reality series — has “flown under the radar” this season, according to chef Gordon Ramsay, and it was time for Miles to step up and excel.
READ: What’s happening with the Alabama contestant on ‘MasterChef’?
On Wednesday’s episode, the contestants were split into two seven-person teams and given this assignment: Prepare a lunch basket filled with items children would like — a protein, fried side, slaw and sauce — and feed more than 100 youngsters on an outing at the ballpark. They had 75 minutes to do so.
Miles was named captain of the Blue Team by Ramsay and two other judges on the show, Aaron Sanchez and Joe Bastianich. James Barfield — a home cook from Oregon who’s been keeping a low profile this season — was named captain of the Red Team.
Bastianich said he was looking for Miles to show leadership during the challenge, guiding her teammates to victory. “I want to hear her voice and give direction to the other cooks on her team,” the judge said.
As it turned out, however, the Blue Team made several errors. For starters, Miles chose a grilled chicken sandwich that lacked kid appeal as the centerpiece of the basket. Also, her team prepared the food in an inconsistent way, especially at the grill.
“Start demanding a standard,” Ramsay told Miles at the start of the lunch service. “Now.”
Kendal Adair, a barbecue champ from Mississippi, was in charge of the grill on Miles’ team, but he seemed overwhelmed during the challenge and required help from another teammate, Reagan Sidney of New Orleans. Despite Sidney’s efforts to save the team, the chicken sandwiches weren’t a hit with the children. (”It was dry,” one of the young taste-testers said. “It was like dust in my mouth.” Ouch!)
The Red Team, which served the kids a savory smash burger, had its own issues during the challenge, but eventually triumphed. All seven cooks on that team were declared safe.
Miles, as captain of the losing team, was on the chopping block, facing elimination along with Adair and Sidney.
“There was a mistake in strategy, a mistake in execution, there were mistakes all the way through,” judge Bastianich said. But Sanchez advocated for Miles, saying she tried to “salvage” the situation.
As it turned out, Miles and Sidney survived the cut, but Adair — who should have been in his element as a grill master — was sent home.
“Given my experience … I should have dominated this challenge,” Adair said. “But ultimately, I didn’t execute. And if you don’t execute, you’re definitely going home.”
Miles, for her part, seemed humbled by the team’s defeat. “I should have thought more about what kids want, than what I want,” she said.
But Miles is still in the running on “MasterChef,” and moves on to compete next week as one of the top 13 contestants. Fox plans to air two back-to-back episodes of the series on Aug. 23, starting at 7 p.m. CT. (Episodes are filmed in advance.)
In the first episode, called “Military Rations Mystery Box,” the contestants will be asked to prepare a gourmet meal using U.S. Army rations. Chef Andre Rush of “Kitchen Commando” will be on hand as a guest judge. In the second episode, “Tag Team,” the contestants will work together to prepare dishes for a three-course meal.
Miles, 27, is a Gadsden native and the co-owner of In the Pines Produce in Ballplay, a company she founded in 2021 with Cory Shands. In the Pines, linked to their farm in Etowah County, offers farm box subscriptions, sells produce to restaurants, organizes pop-up dinners and more. Miles would like to add a farm-to-table restaurant to the business, as she told the judges on “MasterChef” during her audition episode.
The winner of “MasterChef” will receive a trophy, kitchen gear and a $250,000 prize.
READ: Look for Alabama farmer Savannah Miles on ‘MasterChef,’ competing for $250K prize
If you watch: “MasterChef” airs Wednesdays at 7 p.m. CT on the Fox network. Episodes have been filmed in advance.