Ep 11. License To Grill

In "License to Grill," the eleventh episode of season 12 of Cutthroat Kitchen, four contestants compete in a grilling competition that comes with a devious twist. Host Alton Brown, ever the cunning and conniving mastermind, challenges the chefs to cook up their best grilling dishes while sabotaging each other with a series of "auctions" that force them to work around unexpected obstacles.

As always, the contestants begin with a cash allotment that they can use to bid on these auctions, which range from relatively benign (forcing an opponent to use a tiny spatula or not allowing them to use a certain ingredient) to genuinely malicious (confiscating a key tool like a grill brush or forcing them to wear oven mitts for the entire round). The auction process itself is always a tense one, as the chefs must decide whether to use their precious cash on sabotages or save it to bid on the later ones, while keeping an eye on what their opponents are doing.

Once the auctions are over, the grilling begins in earnest. The contestants are given a set amount of time to cook up their dishes, using their own equipment and ingredients (with any sabotages thrown in as they go). Brown checks in on them periodically, offering both guidance and snarky comments as he sees fit. Among the featured dishes this episode are grilled tuna steaks, corn on the cob, and a blockbuster sandwich packed with meat and cheese.

At the end of each round, Brown tastes each contestant's dish (including their opponents' sabotage ingredients) and delivers his verdict on who is "cutthroat" enough to make it to the next round. The weakest chef is then "eliminated," though in a twist, they may get the chance to "buy" their way back into the competition with the cash they have left.

Overall, "License to Grill" offers more of the same high-stakes, high-pressure cooking that Cutthroat Kitchen is known for. The grilling theme adds some welcome variety to the proceedings, while the various auctions keep the contestants on their toes. Fans of the show will appreciate the wry sense of humor and clever gameplay that make each episode a must-watch.