Not Like Mama

Aleen and her mother, Rania, are here for a showdown over the classic Middle Eastern staple, chicken shawarma. Aleen is known to be heavy-handed with the garlic, but she's ready to prove that her shawarma can stand shoulder to shoulder with mama's.

Alma and her mother, Sharon, take on the West African delicacy jollof rice. The approach can vary from country to country but Alma proudly considers her family's Liberian jollof to be the best. Will her version reign supreme over mama's?

Itali's mac n' cheese is known far and wide as a dish not to be missed. But her daughter, Keyana, wants a shot at the crown. With the ooey gooey delicious reputation of Itali's recipe, Keyana's got a lot of convincing to do.

Joseph attempts to recreate one of the many dishes made famous by his Zia Lolly. She taught him how to cook pasta alla salsiccia e funghi when he wasn't even tall enough to reach the counter. Now he's convinced his version is better!

Aliyah is challenging her dad, an award-winning chef, to the family's favorite dish: chile verde. Aliyah is still learning how to perfect her dad's famous stew, but cooking skills are not all she got from Cruz. She inherited his confidence, too!

Sandra is mixing things up by infusing Italian flare into her mother's traditional Vietnamese egg rolls. Will this cultural fusion win over the judges, or has this challenger bitten off more than she can chew?

Karim has built a loyal audience of followers with his comedic approach to cooking. But his most popular post is the recipe for his grandmother's hummus, which mama has also perfected. Can Karim's dish transcend social media and impress the family?

With an aromatic broth of poblano and tomatillo, pozolillo is the perfect comfort food. Tessa utilizes a variety of fresh and unexpected ingredients in her version of this Mexican classic. But will it hold up to her mama's more traditional take?

Darla is in the kitchen to make her mom's famous Thanksgiving leftover turkey and dumplings. This soup has been a family staple that friends travel far and wide to savor. But will Darla's gluten-free twist be the reason her dumplings sink...or swim?

Elizabeth and Raya are in the kitchen for a showdown over the Middle Eastern staple ghormeh sabzi. This savory stew is gaining popularity in the US, but this family has been perfecting it for over fifty years. Who makes it better, mother or daughter?