The Best Cocktails to Sip While Watching Season 2 of 'Wildcard Kitchen'

Wildcard Kitchen is a poker-style cooking competition of high-risk, high-reward buy-ins and difficult challenges hosted by Eric Adjepong. Each round, seasoned Food Network chefs face wild-card twists that throw a wrench in the competition. No card night is complete without a cocktail to sip on while making your ultimate poker face, so we've paired each Wildcard Kitchen competitor with a drink. Pick your fave to enjoy while bingeing Season 2.

Chef Rocco DiSpirito brings his Italian American heritage to every competition in the form of delicious pastas, hearty soups and rich sauces. Enjoy a taste of Italy from your own sofa with this classic negroni recipe made with gin, sweet vermouth and Campari.

This refreshing nonalcoholic cooler is easy to whip together right before watching Andrew Zimmern's surprising creations in the Wildcard Kitchen. Tomato, basil, balsamic vinegar and sparkling water combine for a savory and balanced beverage.

Michael Symon's cooking takes a Southern twist in the Wildcard Kitchen with creamy shrimp and grits. If you find yourself craving a different kind of taste of the South, try a quintessential bourbon peach smash — made with muddled peaches, mint, lime and sugar.

If you prefer getting your Wildcard Kitchen fix on a slow Sunday morning, try pairing your episode binge with one of chef Alex Guarnaschelli's citrusy muddled screwdrivers. In addition to the usual vodka and fresh orange juice, orange wheels are muddled into the drink. Just like Alex, it packs a zesty punch.

Enjoy this subtly sweet cocktail while watching 24 in 24: Last Chef Standing judge Esther Choi serve up comforting dishes like kimchi fried rice and lemongrass fried chicken. Our tip: Use canned lychee if you can't find it fresh.

If you find yourself excited over Marcel Vigneron's crispy fish dish from the fifth episode of Season 2, try this cocktail featuring a mix of dark beer, bourbon, chiles and chilled maple syrup. The varied ingredients combine for a full-bodied drink that's equal parts sweet and spicy.

This Bloody Mary is the liquid form of chef Jonathon Sawyer's grilled cheese and tomato soup school lunch recipe — as seen in Season 2 episode three of Wildcard Kitchen. Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, horseradish and celery seed combine for a drink layered with deep flavor. Don't forget to add all the fixings. (This cocktail basically doubles as a meal.)

For a cocktail as fiery and dynamic as chef Karen Akunowicz's fish tacos from Season 2 episode three, try this twist on a paloma. The grapefruit drink is made with mezquila, a liquor comprised of both mezcal and tequila offering a less smoky flavor than pure mezcal.

Chef Stephanie Izard takes a classic and versatile approach with her lamb dish in Season 2 episode three. If you're looking for something equally traditional to sip while watching her work magic, go for an old fashioned. This recipe combines traditional bourbon, bitters, orange and cherries — but you could also mix in maple syrup, espresso or elderflower.

Throwing three seasoned Vegas restaurateurs and high-rolling chefs into the Wildcard Kitchen means the competition heats up fast. Cool off from the excitement of brothers pitted against one other with chef Michael Voltaggio's refreshing watermelon rebujito made with frozen watermelon cubes, sherry and lemon juice.

If chef Bryan Voltaggio's surf and turf from Season 2 episode one has you dreaming of an old-school American steakhouse, then try sipping on this equally classic cocktail. Rob Roys are made with Scotch, sweet Italian vermouth and orange bitters, making them exceptional for watching Wildcard Kitchen on the sofa.

Like all of chef Jet Tila's creations, this French 75 recipe crafted with his fellow chef and wife has a fun twist. Hibiscus flower syrup instead of simple syrup gives the traditional cocktail a summery flavor. Top it off with a fresh hibiscus flower for an Insta-worthy moment.

During the first round of his challenge, chef Brian Malarkey pulls a card that requires him to make a cocktail for host Eric Adjepong. He chooses a classic gin martini: a satisfying balance of dry vermouth and gin with an olive garnish. Make one for yourself and sip along with Eric as you judge the competition from home.

Chef Tiffany Derry is known for her careful use of Creole seasoning — which adds bold flavors to her cooking. Enjoy this classic New Orleans cocktail made with rye whiskey, cognac, vermouth and bitters while dreaming of Mardi Gras in the Big Easy.

Love it or hate it, there's no denying blue cheese and martinis go together like peanut butter and jelly. So, if you find yourself craving a taste of the divisive cheese after watching Mei Lin use it in her episode, try this vodka martini with hand-stuffed blue cheese olives.

Enjoy this particularly spicy margarita while watching the competition continue to heat up in the Wildcard Kitchen between three veteran Chopped judges — one of whom is chef Amanda Freitag. Here, she adds a funky spin with cinnamon candy ice cubes and blood orange juice.

Like Food Network veteran and seasoned Chopped judge Geoffrey Zakarian, this amaro Manhattan is a staple. Swapping sweet vermouth for amaro gives the sophisticated drink a bittersweet Italian twist.

Boston chef Tiffani Faison combines vodka, lime juice, Aperol, elderflower liqueur and passionfruit puree in this bright and fruity cocktail that will have you yearning for balmy temps and salty sea air.

Named after her home state, chef Damaris Phillips' Kentucky mule recipe is as refreshing as her Southern charm. Sip on this cocktail of bourbon, crisp ginger beer and lime while watching Damaris battle against fellow comfort food connoisseurs during Season 2 episode nine.

Chef Eddie Jackson has a knack for crafting feel-good foods — and cocktails. This boozy milkshake mixes vanilla ice cream with bourbon for a sweet, creamy treat that's complemented by spicy Mexican chocolate and a cayenne pepper pretzel garnish.

Just like Molly Yeh's comforting take on classic foods, her red wine slushie recipe is a comforting dessert version of a cozy beverage. Frozen mixed berries and condensed milk sweeten up a bottle of red wine, making it downright perfect for a Wildcard Kitchen viewing party.

Born in Dothan, Alabama, chef Kelsey Barnard Clark is known for her down-home recipes. This Southern driver cocktail is a refreshing take on an old fashioned — and will certainly complement all of her charm in the Wildcard Kitchen.

Chef Crista Luedtke is known for her ability to pair fresh farm-to-table foods with sustainable wines local to her Sonoma, California, restaurant. So, enjoy a cozy mulled wine recipe while watching Crista's Wildcard Kitchen episode. This one combines red wine with winter spices like star anise and allspice berries.

Inspired by chef Carlos Anthony's modern cowboy steakhouse that he opened in partnership with Brian Malarkey, this bourbon sour is as smoky as the tomahawks they serve. Smoked maple syrup and lemon juice give this drink a balanced flavor.

If you're not already warmed up and ready for Antonia Lofaso's Wildcard Kitchen battle, her hot apple toddy recipe is sure to get you there. It's made with crisp apples, cream and cinnamon and can be served with or without alcohol.

To complement the rich and zesty flavors of chef Claudette Zepeda's Wildcard Kitchen dish from episode six of Season 2, kick back with a refreshing michelada while watching. This recipe includes a classic Mexican lager, lime and tomato juice — plus seafood seasoning, like Old Bay, for a flavorful punch.