The Big Mistake People Make On Guy's Grocery Games, According To Antonia Lofaso

"Guy's Grocery Games" likes to push its contestants to get out of their comfort zone and deliver under pressure. The challenge? Get through a selected list of available groceries at the supermarket to cook something delicious in a short time period. The groceries may or may not be convenient to work with, making it a difficult task to accomplish. In addition, according to Delish, it's next to impossible to know what to expect beforehand, which means that participants on the Food Network series have to keep an open mind throughout the process.

Shepos Cenami, a former contestant who managed to enthrall the judges and emerge victoriously, once shared the secret to her success on the show. "I wanted to be very clearly representative of myself and not do anything I wouldn't normally do," she revealed to Delish. Basically, the chef stuck to the dishes and ingredients she was confident about, instead of experimenting under time constraints. Renowned chef Antonia Lofaso, who has served as a judge on "Guy's Grocery Games," also highlighted another factor that can make a huge difference for competitors on the show.

According to Lofaso, contestants should follow the rules. "Most of the time people are out to make the best dish so they don't follow the criteria of what the actual challenge is, but that's what the competition is about," she explained to Insider, adding that she's failed at other competitions simply because she didn't pay attention to the rules. 

In fact, Lofaso thinks that even if a participant manages to make something extraordinary and exceeds expectations, they may end up losing the challenge if their dish doesn't adhere to the guidelines. Ouch! Guy Fieri, the host of "Guy's Grocery Games," also shared a few tips with FN Dish on how contestants can survive the competition. Per Fieri, it's best to make a dish that doesn't have too many flavors. He also suggests participants only add garnish as needed, stick to the less is more strategy, and regularly taste their food to make sure it's properly seasoned. Interestingly enough, Fieri believes that it's acceptable to take risks with dishes instead of being overtly cautious. But hey, as Lofaso advises, it still pays to follow the show's rules!