A group of shadowy cowled figures prowls at the outskirts of Kitchen Stadium, peering over shoulders, sampling scraps, noting fragrances. They begin to speak to each other in hushed voices, so as not to distract the competitors.

"An impressive display out of the gate."
"Yes, very impressive. Many new chefs this year."
"New, but not naive. They are bringing solid techniques to the table in their efforts to integrate these ingredients."
"True. I've noticed a lot of cardplay, both in using playing card mechanics and player-generated cards for randomizing elements."
"It also fits the theme. Some of these dishes are incorporating a lot of "period" ideas, like cardplay and the humours. Too obvious? Or perfectly seasoned? We will see."
"As usual for Game Chef, many short-form game ideas with definite act structure. Are those chefs playing it too safe?"
"It's all in the implementation. We won't be able to tell until the final dishes are served."

In another corner...

"Many of the chefs are diving into specific Shakespearean plays as their inspiration. The distinct aromas of A Midsummer Nights Dream and The Tempest are wafting throughout kitchen stadium!"
"I've also noticed some other trends - time travel, sonnets as structure or mechanics and playing or creating Shakespearean characters are all on a number of chopping blocks."
"I'm happy to see some more deconstructed dishes, where the theme is being expressed by the dish, rather than dominating it."
"Yes, but do those dishes run the risk of abandoning the theme entirely?"
"Time will tell. It is a welcome mix of approaches, certainly."
"And there a number of chefs cooking outside of Kitchen Stadium. There's still plenty of time for anything to happen in this challenge...."