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A fourth chair at the table changes the whole vibe. We welcome John—retired Army colonel, physician, helicopter pilot, and proud Minnesotan—and the night turns into a tour of sharp banter, surprising expertise, and a totally serious soup tournament. Fresh coffee sets the pace, with a decaf that somehow manages real flavor and zero bitterness, and that detail becomes the through-line for a conversation about care, craft, and what makes comfort food actually comforting.

John shares how he picked up curling after retiring in 2019, and he paints the sport in one clean image: putting the rock on the button. We dig into the culture of curling, the hockey overlap, and why grown-up hobbies matter more than we admit. From there, we swing into college football takes with no safety on—Alabama pride, quarterback concerns, coach skepticism, and the eternal SEC vs everyone else subplot. The debate is lively, informed, and just self-aware enough to be fun rather than tribal.

Then it’s bracket time. Chicken noodle faces down lentil, tomato wrestles split pea, beef barley scrums with French onion, and broccoli cheddar picks a fight with cabbage. We argue texture, aroma, and cheese thresholds. We endorse mayo-seared grilled cheese. We admit biases against cream-of-anything. We even settle a semifinal with rock-paper-scissors. The final? Chicken noodle vs broccoli cheddar, comfort classic vs creamy heavyweight. The winner earns its place in the Hall of Fame, and a doctor’s nod doesn’t hurt. Before we wrap, John walks us through the sacred geometry of Minnesota tater tot hot dish: ground beef, sweet corn or green beans, creamy binder, and a roof of golden tots that feeds a crowd and softens the cold.

Pull up a chair, laugh with us, and bring your own rankings—we want to hear them. If you enjoyed the ride, follow the show, share with a friend who loves food debates, and leave a quick review with your top three soups so we can read them on the next episode.