Top Chef: Crouching Chef, Hidden Dish

Top Chef: All-Stars
Advantage Chef

Here is a quick run down on the two challenges:

  • Quickfire Challenge: Create a stuffing to win the great stuffing debate.
  • Elimination Challenge: Create a healthy dish to be served head-to-head at the home of the U.S. Open

What is up with Jamie this season? She was my favorite the season she was on. I loved the bickering between her and Stefan. Now, it seems like she doesn’t even want to be there. She runs off to the hospital after cutting her hand and avoids elimination. Then she avoids it again this time around. She doesn’t want to be a team player. She is just hiding from everyone and trying to be invisible. I’m curious why she’s back on the show. I wish Stefan was back on since he might get her riled up and start a fire under her butt, like she needs!

Quickfire Challenge


The chefs came into the Top Chef kitchen to find Padma standing next to Tony Mantuano, chef/owner of Spiaggia in Chicago. Padma said the challenge was to see how well the chefs could make a classic seasonal dish–stuffing. Since so many households and regions have different stuffing recipes with each claiming theirs is the best, the chefs were going to prove that their own stuffing recipe was the best. To make it harder on them, they were taking away their knives and kitchen tools so they would have to be resourceful and imaginative to get the task complete. The winner would get immunity and $20,000.

The chefs were using a grated table top to grate cheese, banging onions with pots to break them apart and using a corn on the cob to stir their stuff in a pan. It was pretty entertaining watching them make the food with no utensils.

Losers


Carla
Thai Inspired Vegetable Stuffing with Black Quinoa Salad

She said it was “undente” and then described her dish. Tony asked her why she was calling it al dente and she said, “No, I said undente.” She didn’t have enough time to cook her quinoa so she knew it wasn’t done. She was still in good spirits and laughed at her dish. When he picked her dish for the bottom of the pack, Tony said Carla did not make a stuffing. If she put it in a bowl and poured milk over it, it would be delicious.


Tiffani
Soy Maple Stuffing with Quail, Grilled Mushrooms & Quartered Grapes

Tony said it was overly sweet.


Casey
Mushrooms with Crispy Chicken Liver, Miso Cake, Mushroom Dashi

She said she wanted to make an Asian dish so it was Asian-influenced using all the components that she likes in stuffing. Tony said it didn’t come off as a stuffing, but came off as a plated appetizer.

Middle of the Road


Jamie
Stuffing Crepinette with Pork, Lemon Oil, Broth


Spike
Stuffed Quail with Raisins, Herbs, Port & Apricot Glaze

Tony asked him what he used to plate his dish. Spike pulled out some lemongrass spears.


Richard
Pressure Cooked Onion, Nitro Fried Fennel, Raisins & Pine Nuts


Dale
Spanish Influenced Stuffing with Crab, Oysters, Chili Lemon Aioli, Grapes, Olives


Fabio
Polenta Bread, Vegetables, Smoked Bacon & Grated Parmesan

Winners


Tre
Southwestern Stuffing with Bacon, Cheddar, Bell Pepper, Chili Powder

Tony said it had a nice kick to it. He said it was spicy, but well-balanced spicy.


Marcel
Whole Squab, Stuffing with Raisin Brioche, Cherries, Currants & Ras El Hanout Gravy

He said both the stuffing and the bird tasted great.

Quickfire Winner: Tre

Elimination Challenge

Padma told the chefs they would be cooking at the home of the U.S. Open for their elimination challenge. She said the tennis players were on a strict diet of healthy, high energy food. The chefs had to come up and get a Top Chef tennis ball can. They pulled tennis balls out of cans and they were either orange or yellow. That’s how the teams were divided up. Each team would be competing head to head with a person from the other team. If the chef has the dish that won that battle, their team would get a point. The first team to four points won the match. The players on the winning team would be up for the win and the players on the losing team would face elimination.

The orange team wanted to just concentrate on winning dishes so they could all be considered strong dishes. The yellow team wanted to put up the weakest dish first so the other team would waste a strong dish, but what if the other team is thinking the same way? Spike brought up the weak dish first idea and Angelo agreed with it. Jamie told the camera later that she didn’t agree with it, but she didn’t say anything. She just didn’t seem to care and didn’t want to fight.

The chefs  had three hours to prep before they serve their dishes. Fabio was making gnocchi for the millionth time. Antonia thought that wasn’t the wisest idea since it would fill up the athletes, but it might also weigh them down. The pasta machine didn’t have a paddle attachment so Fabio had to make his gnocchi by hand. He said if he got it done in time, he was “the man.” Jamie was worried that her dried chickpeas wouldn’t get done in time in her dish. Angelo looked at the mackerel he bought earlier that day and it had some weird mucus all over it so he didn’t even want to use it. He tried to grab some of Tre’s salmon since Tre had immunity but Tre wasn’t having it. He directed him over to Tiffany who gave him some of her tuna.

While chopping away, Carla cut off half her fingernail. She talked to the medic who said she could go to the hospital to get stitches. She said she was fine and to just bandage it. They did that and she put some gloves on to get back to work. Antonia and Dale were impressed that she got right back to it and didn’t disappear like Jamie did a couple episodes ago. Just before time was up, Spike went to check on his shrimp and realized he overcooked them. He threw in another batch, but didn’t have a lot of time left so he didn’t season them up as much as he did for the first batch.

Joining the judges of Tom, Padma, Tony and Gail was Taylor Dent, professional tennis player.

Fabio vs. Casey

The yellow team wanted to send up Jamie’s dish first since it wasn’t ready in time so they figured it would be the worst. She said she wanted it to cook a few more minutes to soften up the chickpeas so she didn’t want to go first. They just stared at each other while the other team sent Fabio up first. Casey finally said she would just go so they would quit staring and doing nothing.


Fabio – Team Orange
Whole Wheat Gnocchi with Pork Loin Ragout, Caramelized Fennel & Zucchini


Casey – Team Yellow
Grilled Pork Tenderloin Salad with Farro, Cherries, Sugar Snap Peas & Vinaigrette

Padma asked Taylor which one he liked best. He said he liked Fabio’s gnocchi. He liked that he didn’t use that much protein. Padma told Casey that she thought she had a heavier plate. She also chose Fabio’s plate. Tom said he never had a whole wheat gnocchi that had any flavor, but Fabio’s plate did so he was giving him the point.

Team Yellow – 0 points
Team Orange – 15 points

—-

Dale vs. Tiffani

It was supposed to be Marcel up second for the orange team, but Dale’s dumplings were dying so they switched it up to him. Marcel wasn’t pleased since he was halfway done plating when the team decided to switch. The other team decided to ignore their strategy since they already weren’t following it and just sent up what they thought was a strong dish.


Dale – Team Orange
Edamame Dumpling, Spicy Carrot Froth, Crispy Soy Nuts


Tiffani – Team Yellow
Sashimi of Black Bass, Avocado & Ponzu Vinaigrette

Tom said they were both strong dishes. Gail said she loved the sea bass. She thought it was light, refreshing, and great. She was going to go with her dish. Padma went with Dale’s dish but didn’t say why. Tom said Tiffani’s vinaigrette was great so he went with her. Tony also went with Tiffani. That gave her team the points.

Team Yellow – 15 points
Team Orange – 15 points

———

Angelo vs. Marcel

Angelo was excited to go up against Marcel since he knew his own dish would win. Ah, Mr. Humble.


Angelo – Team Yellow
Smoked Tuna, Yuzu Gelee, Red Onion & Capers


Marcel – Team Orange
Cauliflower Couscous with Pomegranate Seeds, Golden Raisins & Yellowfin Tuna

Taylor loved them both. Tom said he had a hard time tasting the tuna on Marcel’s dish since the cream that he added at the end got in the way. He went with Angelo. Tony liked Angelo’s dish best too.  Gail agreed. Angelo got all the votes and the point for his team. Going back to his team, Marcel was upset he lost to Angelo saying that he “always plates on a damn spoon!”

Team Yellow – 30 points
Team Orange – 15 points

———

Tiffany vs. Antonia

The yellow team was freaking out when they thought Richard was going up next since they saw him as the biggest threat on the other team, but then they saw Antonia going up next and they calmed down a bit and picked Tiffany. Jamie was hoping her team would win and she wouldn’t have to go up at all.


Tiffany – Team Yellow
Spiced Tuna with Fennel, Peppercorns, Coriander Seeds & Lentil Salad


Antonia – Team Orange
Scallop, Indian Lentil Puree, Mint, Dandilion Greens, Cilantro & Chives

Tony picked Tiffany’s dish. Gail liked Antonia’s dish the best. Taylor liked Antonia’s dish best and Padma went with Tiffany. It was tied! Down to Tom’s vote. Tom said that they were both great dishes, but for all around flavor, he went with Antonia. That  gave the point to the orange team and tied the teams back up!

Team Yellow – 30 points
Team Orange – 30 points

———

Spike vs. Richard

The orange team finally sent up Richard. The best that was left on the yellow team was Spike since Jamie’s lentils were still not done. Before going up, Angelo and Tiffani start telling Spike what the judges were looking for and adding things to his dish while he was plating. Spike tried to take his dish away before they add anything else to it.


Spike – Team Yellow
Tomato Tamarind Soup, Olive Oil Poached Shrimp, Pineapple, Tomatoes & Dill


Richard – Team Orange
“Thai-Bouleh” with Lamb, Herbs & Yogurt

Tony said the proteins of both dishes were both downfalls of the dishes. He said Spike’s shrimp was bland (probably from his lack of seasoning when he did the second batch really quickly) and he found Richard’s lamb really gamey. Tony did find that Richard saved the dish so he gave the point to him. Padma did the same.  Tom told Spike that he loved the soup, but he hated the shrimp. He gave the point to Richard.  That gave the overall point to the orange team.

Team Yellow – 30 points
Team Orange – 40 points

———

Carla vs. Tre

Carla was the one that they hoped would give the orange team the matchpoint and the overall win. If not, Mike would go up last. The yellow team had to pick between Tre and Jamie so they went with Tre, hoping he would keep the team in the game. Angelo asked Tre if he could help him so Tre let him cook his salmon at the last minute. I know he had immunity but he wasn’t going to even make his own food?


Carla – Team Orange
African Groundnut Soup with Baked Sweet Potatoes, Adzuki Beans & Peanuts


Tre – Team Yellow
Coho Salmon, Parsnip Puree, Olive Oil Sauce with Citrus, Tomatoes & Olives

Taylor loved the salmon dish. Tony loved Carla’s soup. Padma also went with Carla. Gail thought the salmon was a little bit overdone, but it was seasoned well and had a nice sear. Gail found the soup really spicy. She also went with Carla. That gave the orange team the win.

Team Orange won so they would be up for the win and Team Yellow would be up for elimination, except for Jamie would didn’t even put a dish up.

Judges’ Table

Winners

The ones that won a point from the winning team were called in to see the judges. Fabio, Carla, Richard and Antonia were called in. Padma told them that the overall winner would win a trip to Italy. Gail said it was some of the best food they had been served across all the seasons. She found it beautiful with every bite. Padma asked Richard what their team’s strategy. He said they all cooked the best food and then randomly chose people to send up there. He said they had no strategy and that probably helped them. Tony told Carla that the soup she made could be seen as homey, but the steps she took really elevated it. It was a real surprise to him. Gail told Antonia that the layers of flavors were really interesting to her and she thought the raisins were a great touch. Tom told Richard that he thought he did a great job with his dish. Tony told Fabio that light gnocchi is a miracle. It was really, really good.  Tony said the winning dish that stood out was balanced and elegant.

Elimination Challenge Winner: Carla

Losers

Casey, Tre, Tiffany and Spike were called in since their dishes did not win a point on their team. Padma asked what strategy did the team employ. Spike said they thought the other team would put their best dish up first so they would put the worst dish up first. Gail said, “You thought Casey’s dish was the worst?” Casey shook her head and Spike said no, they thought Jamie’s dish was the worst. Tom said that strategy backfired since she wasn’t even up for elimination.

When asked what happened, Spike said that he had his dish all ready to go with a spicy salmon roe on top of the salmon. He said that Tiffani and Angelo got in there and said it was going to be too spicy so they tossed the first three dishes he had prepared. He then said Angelo added something else to his dish that he had used in his dish. Padma said, “He added something without asking?” Then Spike started to back pedal and say “Well, no, but….” and blah blah blah…excuses. Gail said it was a little out of balance towards the sweet end. Tom said it was out of balance because it was so bland. Tony told Spike that he thought he had a good soup, but too many other hands got involved.

Tom said since Tiffany cooked with Angelo before and he had been accused of sabotaging other people’s food for his own gain, if she thought he was doing that. She said she did think that during her season a bit, but looking back, she thinks that we all have to take responsibility for our own food and follow our own instincts. Tom chuckled a bit as Tiffany just proved the point he was probably going to make to Spike. Gail asked Tiffany if she tossed the fennel in the dressing before putting it on the plate. She said she did toss it in the walnut salad and then squeezed a bit of lime. Gail said it was a bit flaccid and overdressed. Gail said there was something off about the rub that was on the salmon. Tom agreed said it just dropped off and he wondered what was missing.

Tony told Tre that his salmon was overcooked and it was oily. It was their least favorite dish. It was good he had immunity. Padma told Casey that her dish felt heavy. She said it was supposed to be hearty so you could eat a lot without feeling guilty. Padma said the hearty grain with the pork loin was too much of a good thing. Tony said it was probably more of a perception thing. If she had more faro, it would have appeared healthier. She said she didn’t see it that way, personally. Tom told her she just got beat out by a better dish.

The chefs were sent out. Padma said Tre was lucky he had immunity. Tony asked if he put up enough of a fight because he had immunity. Tony said Spike’s dish did not need the thing that Angelo added to the dish. Tom said Spike said he wanted to do one thing and they all jumped in and changed it. Tom said he couldn’t let that happen. Padma said she didn’t think Casey understood the issues they had with the dish. Tom said he thought she understood it, but she was disagreeing. Gail said she thought it was a little protein heavy. She wanted more of a salad. She loved the faro and didn’t get enough of it. Tom said Tiffany’s dish was underseasoned. He thought it just missed the mark. Gail said the dish was lacking something more that she just couldn’t find in the dish.

The chefs were called back in. Tom told Casey that she gave them a great dish, but she went up against someone that was a little better. Tom told Tre that he had given the main part of his dish to someone else and someone that he was ultimately competing against. He didn’t think that strategy was good.  He does have immunity but he did let his team down. Tom told Spike that they all enjoyed the soup, but the shrimp was underseasoned. Tom told Tiffany that the downfall of the dish was a bland piece of tuna. Padma told Spike to pack his knives and go.

Questions

  1. What do you think about Spike going home? Do you think the seasoning he didn’t put on when he was originally making his shrimp led to the downfall or was it Angelo and Tiffani messing with it while plating?
  2. What do you think about Jamie avoiding going up to compete? There did not seem to be a backlash against Mike not going up on the other team, but Jamie was asked to go up and she refused saying her chickpeas weren’t ready yet. Should she have been forced to go up?
  3. What did you think about the tennis match elimination competition altogether were it didn’t force all the chefs to cook so one could hide from getting eliminated if they wanted?

Images: Bravo

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