This Week's Judge -- Ming Tsai

Aired on: May 5, 2008

After winning the meatball challenge, Pete gets to pick his ingredients for the cooking portion of the competition and then assigns the remaining items to his fellow competitors. Each of them has 30 minutes to create an "express meal" - a dish that's designed to get you in and out of the grocery store by going through the express lane, which means 10 ingredients or less.

The group is in for a big surprise when Rachael introduces this week's celebrity judge: Ming Tsai, owner of the award-winning Blue Ginger Restaurant and host of Simply Ming. The chef explains what he's looking for in the contestants' creations. "There are really three criteria," he says. "One is originality and creativity; one is presentation; and there's also balance -- the balance of flavor, because it has to taste good. If it doesn't taste good, start over. Also, a nutritional balance -- the protein, the veggies, the starch -- what works for your body because you are what you eat and you have to think about that."

Click here to learn more about the contestants, to watch their submission videos and to download their recipes from the challenges!