Judges’ recipes put home cooks to the test on The Great American Recipe episode 4

The Great American Recipe returned with episode 4 on August 1, 2025, bringing a new challenge for the home cooks as they reached the halfway point of the competition.

In this week’s episode, titled “Recipe Swap,” the theme focused on adaptability.

For the first round, contestants had to prepare dishes created by the judges, Francis Lam, Tiffany Derry and Tim Hollingsworth, putting their skills to the test with unfamiliar cuisines and techniques.

“This is the biggest test of your confidence and ability to adapt in the kitchen,” the judges told the contestants as they revealed the twist.

From biscuits and gravy to Bangladeshi chicken korma, each cook received a surprise dish from a judge's personal recipe collection.

In round two, the twist continued with a recipe swap between the home cooks in The Great American Recipe. Each contestant was randomly assigned a fellow competitor's signature dish to recreate, further testing their adaptability.

Despite the tough tasks, no one was eliminated this week, allowing all contestants to move forward after two intense rounds of cooking.

Home cooks tackle judges’ personal dishes in round one of The Great American Recipe

 

 

 

 

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The first round required each contestant to prepare a judge’s signature recipe in The Great American Recipe. Kobe took on Francis Lam’s Bangladeshi chicken korma and admitted,

“I know absolutely nothing about Bangladeshi food.”

With Francis assisting in smashing cardamom pods and blending the base, Kobe learned new techniques while staying close to the original recipe.

Swani was assigned Tim Hollingsworth’s biscuits and gravy. She confessed, “I don’t bake,” but with Tim guiding her on dough lamination and seasoning, she managed to deliver soft, herb-filled biscuits.

“I absolutely cannot believe this is your first time making biscuits,” Tiffany commented during tasting.

Rex prepared Tiffany Derry’s crispy duck with dirty rice. A self-described expert in Filipino food, Rex said,

“I have not had any dirty rice before,” but adapted the recipe by adding Filipino seasoning.

Tiffany praised the duck skin but found the rice’s seasoning slightly off, saying the oil flavor overpowered the Creole notes.

Anika made Tiffany’s chicken and dumplings, adding turmeric and coriander for a personal twist. Tiffany said the dish hit all the marks while noting the garnish size needed adjusting.

In the end, Swani and Wal were named top performers. Swani’s biscuits and gravy earned praise for flavor and technique, while Wal’s adaptation of chicken and dumplings stood out for its well-cooked chicken and unique seasoning.

Round two recipe swap brings new challenges and no eliminations in The Great American Recipe

In the second round, The Great American Recipe contestants swapped recipes with each other, creating even more unfamiliar territory. Fran attempted Rex’s relleno bangus, a Filipino stuffed milkfish dish.

With Rex guiding her through deboning and stuffing the fish without tearing the skin, Fran pushed through the difficult process. “This is a labor of love,” Tiffany noted, though the judges agreed the fish could’ve been cooked longer.

Rex received Fran’s homemade pasta with tomato sauce. Though excited, he struggled with pasta thickness and noodle separation. “The sauce was great,” Francis said, “but the pasta was uneven and cooked inconsistently.”

Suani cooked Kobe’s shrimp creole with fried fish and impressed the judges by adding oyster sauce and fish sauce to the batter. Tim commented,​

“The fish was cooked perfectly. The sauce had a lot of flavor, but the, shrimp was like a little bit overcooked.”

Wal took on Anika’s baroy kata, a Bangladeshi salmon dish with juju berry broth. He added coconut milk, saffron, and sumac to create a fusion version.

Francis praised the tart and creamy broth, though Tiffany noted the salmon was slightly overcooked in The Great American Recipe.

Anika interpreted Wal’s Afghan oshak potstickers, reducing the spice with labneh. Tim complimented the filling and balance of flavors but mentioned the ground beef needed more tenderness.

Despite missteps, no one was eliminated due to the difficulty of both challenges. Suani was declared the overall winner of the episode, securing top honors in both rounds. Wal was also recognized for his creative spin on Anika’s dish.

Stay tuned for more updates.

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