Watched this morning on Discovery Plus. (thanks for finally adding some new content..... FINALLY .... Discovery)

If you haven't watched it yet, stop reading here. You've been warned --- spoilers follow and many of you won't watch this until tonight on the Food Network.

First thoughts: This is good. I think it's better than last year's. I'm really impressed by the huge amazing group of chefs they got for this show and the judges. (Okay, not super impressed with Giada, but not hating on her and she is making good comments on the food ... I wondered if she actually swallowed and ate it LOL) I do think the crowd noise and enthusiasm seems cheesy. If they don't have cameras over the cooking stations and are projecting it up on big screens I don't know how they can really see anything going on. Makes me wonder.

It ran about an hour and a half without commercials, and there really wasn't any filler content other than introductions of all the chefs, but it was all necessary. It had four battles and they were all good. None of my favorites went down, but even the people who lose cooked amazingly. I honestly thought we were going to lose a Voltaggio in the first round. Phillip Franklin Lee put up an amazing dish... I thought he had it. Heck I think he SHOULD have had it, and I don't particularly care for PFL. I did think the French Laundry chef won his round, but the judges didn't agree with me. I was kind of shocked on that one. But loved watching Hollingsworth cook. Please bring him back.

They even used Hunter more effectively this year, and for the Hunter haters (and I know they are on this sub) I thought he was much improved and his interactions with the chefs, especially the ones watching on a monitor, added to the discussion.

And as always, Maneet's fashion flair! Her chef's coats are amazing and she did not disappoint.