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Melissa’s mom talks about how surprised she was when Melissa told her that she wanted to enroll in culinary school instead of college. Though her mom eventually came to support her decision, her father never has. Her parents are divorced and her mom still resents the fact that her father has never once visited her restaurant. Melissa comments that she’s not sure if her father’s reaction is due to her chosen profession or her sexuality.

Mei can sympathize. Though she does not share this with the rest of the group, she tells us that she had the same upbringing as Melissa, but both of her parents turned out like Melissa’s dad. Neither supports her choice of profession. But she’s long gotten over it. “Approval would be nice, but I don’t need it,” she says. You can see why she’s developed the hard shell that she carries around her.

For his part, George talks about how his dad used to own a diner but sold it to invest in George’s new restaurant. George’s dad is proud of his son but is not sure what to make of his high-end culinary food. It’s a far cry from diner fare.

The next day dawns and the cooking starts. Mei kicks things off and immediately gets frustrated with her little brother/sous chef. He’s just too damn slow. Greg starts up 30 mins later - he says that he’s not playing it safe with his dish. He’s going for a more umami flavor this time, as opposed to this typical spice/herb cuisine.

Melissa is next up and has a very ambitious appetizer for her mom to make. She’s give her mom a 27 step recipe for a chawanmushi - an Asian egg custard. George starts up last with his dad.

Before we know it (honestly, not much happens in this episode - it’s just a lot of commentary by the chefs about their family member), it’s time for service. Mei’s brother has an oyster with soy/yuzu vinaigrette and radish for his appetizer. Padma loves it. Mei’s entrée is surf clam and lobster with a tomato/coconut broth. It’s a huge hit with the table. People adore the raw surf clam. Tom says that the dish’s balance is its strongest point - sweetness from the coconut, acid from the seaweed, seafood perfectly cooked. Ashley loves the broth.

Greg is next but has spent more time focusing helping his sister with her appetizer. He realizes too late that his oven has been too hot for his halibut. He pulls it out but knows it might be overcooked. He’s not sure that it’ll be enough to get him a spot in the finale.

His sister serves up a tomato/watermelon soup with pickled cucumber and shrimp. The diners love the flavors of the shrimp and soup. Tom predicts that Greg’s sister will no longer be a mere bystander in the kitchen after this.

Greg’s entrée, on the other hand, is not such a hit. He has halibut with oysters, mussels, and dashi. One diner immediately asks whether Greg was happy with the cooking of his fish (he wasn’t). Tom comments that while everything Greg serves is usually clean and tight, “I gotta say, this wasn’t.” After Greg walks away, the diners all agree that Greg’s entrée was a letdown after the appetizer. “Complexity gone wrong,” one person notes.

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