Mia Malkova and Lexi Luna launch season five as the first contestants, ready to bring the heat. Chef Jojo starts the competition with a fan favorite challenge: gourmet burgers and fries.

Both Mia and Lexi feel the pressure of cooking without recipes. Chef Jojo has high expectations for perfectly seared burgers, elevated toppings and golden fries.

While they’re no strangers to eating burgers, neither contestant has much experience preparing this American classic. The stakes are high and the griddles are sizzling!

There are no premade patties here–Mia and Lexi must grind the perfect blend of meat themselves.

Lexi accidentally adds too much egg to her mixture, leaving it overly wet. Thinking quickly, she grinds more meat to balance out the texture and save her patties.

Meanwhile, Mia stares at her bowl of raw meat, unsure of her next step. But with time running out, both need to pick up the pace.

Lexi gets her burgers sizzling on the griddle, while Mia struggles to salvage her watery mixture. Chef Jojo wonders if Mia is spending too much time perfecting her patties, neglecting her fries, toppings, and buns.

Meanwhile, Lexi drops her fries into the fryer and starts sautéing mushrooms and onions to top her burger.

As the clock winds down, Lexi notices her fries turning mushy and scrambles to fix the issue in the nick of time.

After both contestants plate their dishes, the moment of truth arrives. Chef Jojo applauds their hard work.

While Lexi's burger is slightly overcooked, Chef Jojo praises its rich flavor and well-chosen toppings. Mia's burger is juicy, and her fries, though unseasoned, still impress with their crispiness.

Surprisingly, Chef Jojo names Mia Malkova as the winner! As she advances to the semifinals, she’s already thinking about what she needs to refine to claim the $20,000 prize.

The competition heats up between Elly Clutch and Adria Rae. Both contestants can cook for themselves, but now they must impress Chef Jojo with their pad thai. 

As they prepare their woks, Chef Jojo offers helpful tips for mastering this traditional dish. He is particularly impressed that Elly’s using a separate cutting board for her raw chicken.

Meanwhile, Adria focuses on shallots and other ingredients to create the perfect blend of spice for her meal.

Adria is confident in her chicken-cooking skills, but is less certain about handling the tofu. Meanwhile, Chef Jojo must remind Elly to let her chicken cook thoroughly.

Adria enjoys cooking eggs, one of her specialties, while Elly chops vegetables to recreate some of her favorite pad thai dishes from the past.

Chef Jojo's silence while tasting Adria’s roasted peanuts leaves her confused, but she hopes that no news is good news.

Adria pours chicken broth into her wok, but is quickly overwhelmed by the smoke. Has she made a big mistake?

Fortunately, Chef Jojo reassures her that having a hot pan is essential for this dish. And, with only five minutes on the clock, Elly and Adria scramble to get their pad thai across the finish line.

Elly is nervous, but believes her dish includes all the right elements. Meanwhile, Adria is relieved that her dish is further along than her opponent's.

As Chef Jojo announces that time is up, both Elly and Adria feel proud of what they’ve accomplished. Now, it’s time for Chef Jojo to judge their dishes!

First up is Elly. Chef Jojo is impressed by the taste of her chicken and tofu and loves the balance of flavors in her pad thai. Next, he samples Adria’s dish. While her chicken is well-cooked, her noodles are overly drenched in soy sauce.

There can only be one winner, and it’s Elly Clutch! Heading into the next round, she hopes to maintain her momentum and bring even more heat.

Hayley Davies and Adam 22 are ready to face off in episode three of This Is Fire. The challenge? Mexican street food.

As a vegetarian, Hayley feels unsure about cooking meat for the first time. On the other hand, Adam hopes his beefy knowledge will carry him through.

Hailing from Australia, Hayley is determined to return home as a This Is Fire Champion. All that stands her way are tacos, burritos, quesadillas—and, of course, Adam.

Luckily for Hayley and Adam, they have the freedom to choose from a variety of dishes and meats. Adam selects carne asada, while Hayley opts for chicken.

Both decide against tacos or burritos, setting the stage for a true quesadilla cook-off. Adam is determined to season his food properly and impress his wife, This Is Fire alum Lena The Plug.

As the competition heats up, Hayley and Adam work to perfect their quesadillas—and they aren’t above borrowing ingredients or strategies from each other.

Alexis Fawx and Vanna Bardot face off in the final preliminary matchup. For a spot in the semifinals, they’ll need to nail an Italian classic: shrimp scampi.

At home, Alexis blends her passion for food with her love of gardening. Vanna also enjoys cooking, but she feels most confident with a recipe.

While both contestants are comfortable with pasta, the shrimp is bound to test their skills and creativity.

Both Alexis and Vanna decide to cook the larger, shelled shrimp. This requires extra effort, but they’re betting it will elevate their dishes. Chef Jojo is impressed!

What else catches Chef Jojo by surprise? How clean and organized Alexis and Vanna are in the kitchen. It's a welcome change to the usual chaos of This Is Fire.

However, disaster strikes when Vanna accidentally dumps an entire container of red pepper flakes into her sauce, forcing her to course-correct.

When it’s time to choose their pasta, Vanna goes with dry linguine, while Alexis opts for fresh pasta, hoping it will cook more quickly. 

Unfortunately, both contestants struggle with nailing the perfect pasta texture. So much for the smooth day in the kitchen.

Vanna finishes her dish with time to spare, even adding a touch of caviar. However, Alexis barely manages to finish before Chef Jojo calls time.

Although her plating didn’t go as planned, Alexis keeps the entire crew laughing. Presentation is important, but it’s the taste that truly counts.

Alexis's shrimp are perfectly cooked, and despite the noodle drama, Chef Jojo praises her dish. Next is Vanna’s turn, and Chef Jojo is impressed by the herbs and spices that elevate her meal.

Chef Jojo declares that these are two of the best dishes he’s ever tasted on This Is Fire. Ultimately, he declares Vanna the winner.

Vanna hopes she’s made her dad proud and is determined to carry this momentum forward.

The semifinals have arrived! First-round winners Hayley Davies and Elly Clutch must bring their A-games to impress Chef Jojo and secure a coveted spot in the final. Their challenge? Crafting the perfect Wagyu Katsu Sando.

It's a steep learning curve, but with $20,000 at stake, they’re ready to push their limits and deliver their best versions of this Japanese classic.

Elly thinks she has an edge, knowing Hayley has never cooked red meat before. Wasting no time, she dives into preparing her wagyu, while Hayley strategizes.

Elly sprays cooking oil on the grill but quickly learns this is a big no-no when the grill bursts into flames. Thankfully, no one—and no wagyu—is harmed.

Meanwhile, Hayley begins tenderizing her meat, hoping for a bit of beginner's luck. Chef Jojo reminds them to season their beef well and aim for the perfect “ruby red” center.

Elly’s troubles continue when she mistakenly places her panko-coated meat back on the grill instead of in the deep fryer, setting her back once again.

Hayley’s first attempt at cooking beef is going surprisingly well. Now, she takes on another challenge: the deep fryer. Unfortunately, when Elly samples her sauce, she declares it "very bad."

With 15 minutes left on the clock, Chef Jojo tastes Elly’s second attempt at the sauce and notes the improvement. He also praises the golden crust on Hayley’s wagyu.

As the clock winds down, both contestants shift their focus to sides, plating, and final touches, each determined to secure their place in the final.

At first glance at their plated sandos, Chef Jojo is excited to dig in. Unfortunately, Hayley and Elly still can’t shake their nerves.

Although Hayley's day was full of “firsts,” Chef Jojo is impressed by her presentation, the cook on her sandwich, and her coleslaw.

Next, it’s Elly’s turn. While her dish shows promise, Chef Jojo dings it for lacking seasoning.

It’s Hayley Davies who earns a spot in the finals! She vows to bring even more flavor to the Season Five Finals.

After their first-round victories, both Mia Malkova and Vanna Bardot are brimming with confidence. But only one can advance to the Season Five Final.

Today's menu: chicken wings and beer-battered onion rings.

Although both Mia and Vanna love chicken wings, neither has experience frying them. Chef Jojo urges them to embrace creativity and keep it simple.

Mia dives straight into preparing her batter, while Vanna takes a step back to visualize her dish’s presentation.

Vanna plans a slaw to brighten the plate of fried food and opts for a dry rub. Mia, on the other hand, chooses barbecue sauce. While their approaches differ, Mia doesn’t hesitate to seek tips from Vanna.

However, Mia isn’t relying solely on Vanna for advice—she's also looking to Chef Jojo. Yet, Vanna faces her own challenges when she tests her batter and decides to start over.

As Mia begins frying her onion rings, she second-guesses every step she takes. Vanna also struggles, unsatisfied with her seasoning blend.

Not wanting to waste any more time, Vanna shifts her focus to the dry rub. She takes another bold step by opting for red onion in her onion rings.

Mia, on the other hand, catches Chef Jojo off guard by suggesting she might mix flour into the sauce… a truly baffling move.

With just five minutes left on the clock, both Mia and Vanna work frantically to bring their dishes together, determined not to forget any detail. 

In the frantic final moments, Mia confidently plates her dish with time to spare. Now, it’s up to Chef Jojo to decide who will advance to the final.

Despite the messy plating, Chef Jojo praises Vanna's wings. However, her onion rings needed more time in the fryer.

Chef Jojo commends Mia's elegant plating and the flavor of her wings, but her onion rings lack seasoning.

The contestant advancing to the Finals for a chance at $20,000 is… Mia Malkova! She now moves on to face Hayley Davies in an epic final showdown.

Mia Malkova and Hayley Davies have dominated the competition all season long, but to claim the $20,000 prize and advance to the Grand Championship, they'll need to turn up the heat one last time.

To win, they must pull off a perfectly grilled octopus paired with a creamy risotto. Chef Jojo warns that achieving perfection hinges on nailing the octopus' temperature.

Hayley is intimidated, while Mia embraces the challenge enthusiastically. At least they won’t have to handle the octopus preparation themselves.

Both contestants dive in, chopping vegetables and prepping their risottos. Hayley confidently opts for mushroom risotto, while Mia wonders aloud, “What even is risotto?”

With just 20 minutes left, both have their risottos simmering on the stove and their octopus grilling. Their techniques may still be a work in progress, but their determination is clear. 

As Hayley sautés mushrooms in butter, Mia takes a more herbaceous approach, infusing her dish with basil, thyme, and rosemary for a fresh, aromatic twist.

Tasting her dish, Hayley feels her confidence grow—it’s coming together. Meanwhile, Mia focuses on her sauce, but panics after accidentally over-seasoning it.

Thankfully, Chef Jojo steps in, guiding her to regain composure and refocus on the task at hand.

The kitchen turns frenzied in the final five minutes. With $20,000 and the coveted This Is Fire Championship Cutting Board on the line, Mia and Hayley are determined to deliver dishes worthy of the title.

It's time for Chef Jojo to crown a winner. Mia is up first. He praises Mia's risotto for its al dente texture and well-balanced flavor. While her octopus is slightly overcooked, it still delivers an impressive taste.

Chef Jojo is equally impressed with Hayley's risotto, commending the umami from the mushrooms. Her octopus has great flavor too, though it’s a bit overdone.

The Season Five champion is… Hayley Davies! She earns her spot in the Grand Championship, where a showdown with This Is Fire Season Four champ Luna Star awaits.

Reigning This Is Fire Season Four champ Luna Star is back, facing off against newly crowned Hayley Davies in the Grand Championship. With $10,000 on the line, the stakes are high.

Chef Jojo challenges them to prepare jambalaya, a vibrant Creole classic packed with authentic New Orleans flavor. While Luna is known for bold, spicy dishes, neither she nor Hayley has ever cooked—or even heard of—jambalaya, making this battle even more intense.

Who will rise to the challenge and take it all?