Cook Off! 2017

In Minnesota, the two very different Solfest sisters, Sharon and Pauline, win entry into a lucrative, nationwide cooking showdown hosted by Van Rookle Farms. Sharon enters a dazzling multi-chocolate dessert, while Pauline submits a dish designed to be easy for seniors to digest. Sharon is engaged to Lars Hagerbakke, described as a black Swede, and they have vowed chastity until their wedding, whereas Pauline’s sisterhood life is consumed by work and little time for romance.

From the outset, a colorful cast of contestants is introduced. The first ever African American participant, Ladybug Briggs, is a wheelchair-bound mother whose life threads through the narratives of a preacher son and a charming rogue. Connecticut native Cassandra Dougherty finds herself under the strong influence of a domineering mother, Victoria, who pushes her into the competition. Across the country, Patty Pasternak, a pregnant Arizonan mother, joins the fray. Daneel Kuhar, a former contestant with a complicated history, nudges in, bringing along her apparent influencer, Del Crawford as her ally in the contest.

At the welcome event, Victoria makes it clear that Cassandra will have no male company to interfere with the proceedings, setting the stage for tense dynamics. Daneel moves through the room, reminding everyone of past years while several contestants seem to barely recognize her.

On day one, the competition encounters a late entry when Amber Strang and her husband Cameron burst onto the scene. Their tardiness makes them eligible for disqualification, but the crowd’s support sways the decision, and Amber is eventually admitted to the contest.

Tensions rise as Sharon remains oblivious to Lars’s true orientation, while Pauline seeks guidance on how to help her sister. Cassandra’s dish ends up burned, partly due to her mother’s overbearing presence, prompting Cassandra to rebel and label her mother a controlling force. Amber is disqualified for the delay, while Cassandra’s disqualification follows later, leaving both contestants unsettled but liberated in their own ways.

That evening, the contestants unwind at a social event. TV presenter Christine Merriweather and Sharon both sense that something is off with [Del Crawford], and the chemistry around him alongside Cassandra’s guardian-like mother adds fuel to the suspicion. After a moment of mounting tension, Sharon suggests that she and Lars consummate their relationship, prompting Lars to slip away with Del to a bar called Bananas, where he believes he will find companionship. The camera crew follows discreetly and captures the moment of Lars’s return.

Back at the hotel in the early morning, Sharon scolds Lars, who finally confesses that he is gay. Sharon’s disbelief gives way to a fragile attempt at conversation, and Lars asks her to return the engagement ring while maintaining his presence in her life.

The finale, titled The Ring of Fire, features Sharon and Pauline, Lady Briggs, [Del Crawford], Patty, and two other contestants. Sharon breaks down in tears, but Pauline and Lady Briggs offer support as the competition closes in. Del receives a harsh call from Daneel and notices Patty’s waters break, moments before the judges announce Del’s dish as a winner. Daneel jumps in, declaring victory, and footage from Bananas confirms Del’s collaboration with Daneel. Chaos erupts as Del flees with the prize. The studio locks down while Patty’s husband sneaks in wearing the Muffin Man costume. Paramedics arrive, and the judges reevaluate the entries, ultimately declaring Pauline the victor.

Six months later, Cookoffgate becomes front-page news. Daneel Kuhar and Del Crawford have been imprisoned for fraud: Daneel’s conviction stems from entering the contest through Del with a recipe that had already been used in previous years, exposing a long history of manipulation.