The chefs do some bar bonding and commiserate over the loss of Dale L. Particularly Casey who was so bummed to see her good friend depart.
The Swanson Broth Quick Fire Challenge:
- Chef/Owner of Spiaggia, Tony Mantuano, is the guest judge
- The prize: $20k + immunity!!
- The chefs have to make thanksgiving stuffing – their version of the “best”… And without their knives or any kitchen tools! Many of the chefs sport “WTF” expressions upon hearing this.
- Fabio compares making stuffing without kitchen tools to performing open-heart surgery with only a surgeon’s finger. Hmmm…
- Tre uses liquid nitrogen to smash his ingredients (by far the SMARTEST tactic)
- Marcel uses plastic wrap to squeeze his stuffing inside his bird – sounds dirty.
- Carla makes an “undone-té” quinoa stuffing. Tony Mantuano says “don’t you mean aldenté?” and Carla (knowing that her dish was less than) responds light-heartedly with “I said undoneté – need some floss?”
- The top 2: Tre and Marcel. Tre wins the quick fire with his cheddar and jalapeno bread pudding (rock it Tre!)
- The bottom 3: Carla, for under-cooked quinoa, though Mantuano thought it would make a great cereal. And Tiffany F. for overly sweet stuffing & Casey for her dish being closer an appetizer than a stuffing.
The elimination challenge: - Cooking at the home of the US Open! The dishes must be healthy, high-energy food.
- They break the chefs into 2 teams. Team yellow and team orange. They must compete in a game of culinary tennis and serve their dishes, one at a time, head-to-head on the court. Each winning dish scores one point and the first team to score four points wins. The players with the losing points (dish by dish) are up for elimination.
- Carla cuts her half her finger nail during preparation (part of her nail w/blood dripping everywhere), but mans-up and keeps going – more shame thrown Jamie’s way. Go Carla!
- Spike has to re-make his shrimp, but doesn’t have time to make them with love and season them well.
At the US Open - On the tennis courts:- (Yellow team) Casey’s braised and grilled pork tenderloin vs. (Orange) Fabio’s whole wheat gnocchi: Fabio wins – ungracefully, setting the theme or winner/loser behavior.
- (Yellow) Tiffani’s sashimi of black bass vs. (Orange) Dale T.’s edemami dumpling: Tiffani wins.
- (Yellow) Angelo’s smoked tuna w/yuzu gelée vs. (Orange) Marcel’s cauliflower couscous: Angelo wins.
- (Yellow) Tiffany’s spiced tuna w/fennel vs. (Orange) Antonia’s diver sea scallop: Antonia wins (but it was damn close!)
- (Yellow) Spike’s tomato tamarind soup w/poached shrimp – which Angelo tampers with vs. (Orange) Richard’s “Thai-Bouleh” with lamb: Richard wins
- Jamie is trying to cop-out at this point (literally hiding behind her table!!), for lack of chickpea confidence.
- (Yellow) Tre’s Coho salmon w/parsnip purée – which Angelo tampers with vs. (Orange) Carla’s African groundnut soup: Carla wins
- The Orange team wins. Jamie and Angelo, you suck!!
The elimination prize: a 5 day/4 night trip to Italy!
- The winner of the elimination round: CARLA!!! Congrats, Carla! You deserved it.- Richard calls out Jamie for not "manning up" – at lease Richard has the courage to call it!
- Casey, Tre, Tiffany & Spike are up for elimination – even though Jamie had the worst dish.
- Casey defends her dish – I would have. It looked delectable!
- Who had to pack their knives? The ever fun-loving Spike… While we could see this one coming, we’re so sorry to see him leave… And following the lovable Dale L.’s footsteps, Spike left with class and grace. AND… he called out Jamie’s cowardice.
So excited about next week’s episode!! Looks like the Top Chefs may be cookin’ up a storm at my favorite NY dim sum spot: Jing Fong! Damn, I miss that place…
More on Top Chef:
Sweet!
ReplyDeleteWell, no new ep this week but I blobbed anyway...
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