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Thursday, February 24, 2011

Top Chef All Stars Episode 11: Southern Love, a Bromance Renewed and Dale Talde Packs His Knives

Chef John Besh

What an amazing episode of Top Chef! I don’t even know where to start…

We’ll start with the light stuff: Props to Top Chef for the Gulf Coast-themed episode. And seeing the Food Network’s ever-so-lovable Paula Deen on Top Chef All Stars was fantastic. But why keep the James Beard Award winning John Besh under wraps? I’m really surprised that Bravo didn’t advertise him more prior to airing the show…

And how much did you just love having the former cheftestants back in action? Watching Richard Blais and Fabio Viviani rekindle their bromance gave me the warm fuzzies… And it totally helped to soften the tension around the Mike Isabella/Richard food theft fiasco.

Fried Chicken Oysters w/Mustard Gravy & Oyster Liquor

Speaking of which, what was up with the recipe robbery? Mike can be a bit dense sometimes, but to blatantly steal Richard’s Fried Chicken Oysters idea was stupidity on a platter. You’re on national television, dude, and you’re taking credit for someone else’s work - that's retarded… BTW, Antonia’s McNasty comment to Mikey about his belching, farting and flicking his nose bits – was that really necessary?

And I absolutely loved how Tiffany Derry handled Marcel Vigneron. It’s a rare person who can shut that guy down without causing any major tension. But then again, maybe he overcooked her shrimp and screwed up her sauce on purpose. We’ve all seen Marcel in action and the boy can cook…

Last, but most definitely not least: Dale Talde’s departure. I have never been quiet about disliking Dale and his incessant bitchiness, but seeing the tears in his eyes after he was asked to pack his knives totally tugged at my heart strings. I wasn’t expecting to feel even a twinge of disappointment and now I feel guilty about ripping on him as much as I did. Oh well… What’s done is done.

Top Chef's Richard Blais, Angelo Sosa and Tiffany Derry

So now there are just 5 chefs left and it’s very likely that Richard Blais, Carla Hall and Antonia Lafaso will be three of the final four in the Top Chef All Stars showdown. And while it’s very unlikely it’ll happen, I can’t help but hope Tiffany Derry at least makes it to the finale. To be cut from the competition at 5^th place again would bite.

Well, I guess we’ll just have to wait until next week to find out…

More on Top Chef

Top Chef All Stars Episode 11 Recap: For the Gulf

Food Network's Paula Deen on Top Chef All Stars

On this week’s Top Chef All Stars, episode 11 (“For the Gulf”), the chefs get paid a very special visit from Paula Deen, who is a guest judge, along with fab New Orleans chef, John Besh. And we see the return of some of our favorite former Top Cheftestants and a far more satisfying ending than we’ve seen for the past three weeks. This may have been one of my all-time favorite episodes of Top Chef All Stars yet! Six chefs remain… And here’s the Top Chef All Stars Episode 11 Recap:

The episode starts with the chefs commiserating in the pantry over Angelo Sosa's departure. Mike Isabella looks as though he’s about to cry, Richard Blais and Dale Talde are blown away, and Tiffany Derry is still trying to grasp the fact that she’s still there. Dale goes off on another one if his cocky rants about winning both of last week’s challenges. Reality is setting in and if someone as talented as Angelo can be sent home, nobody is safe.

Back at the house, Richard takes solace in planning (he’s filled 2 notebooks during this season so far) and Tiffany tries to spruce up her spirits by sprucing up her face (eyeshadow) – she’s worried she’ll be nixed just before the final four, like her last season.

Our favorite Food Network celebrity chef, Paula Deen, joins Padma Lakshmi as guest judge in this week’s Quickfire challenge. And Tiffany Derry and Carla Hall go ballistic the second they see the Southern chef. Hootie!

Richard Blais uses liquid nitrogen to make Fried Mayonnaise

The Quickfire Challenge:

It’s all about good ol’ fashioned Southern cooking. The chefs have 30 minutes to whip up a deep fried dish that will impress Paula Deen. The prize for the best dish is $5,000. Paula stresses: No calamari sprinkled on a salad – come on.

Dale Talde makes Fried Steak-wrapped Oysters and thinks it’s a winning dish. Have you never been to a KFC, Dale? Umm… Yuck.
Antonia Lafaso makes a Fried Shrimp, Avocado and Jalapeno. Didn’t Ms. Deen stress the “no salad” rule?
Mike Isabella decides to take an idea he saw in Richard Blais’s notebook and make Fried Chicken Oysters. Using someone else’s idea, Mikey? I’m so disappointed in you.
Richard Blais makes Fried Bacon with Fried Mayonnaise, using (wait for it)… Liquid nitrogen. Richie just loves his nitro – and I’m pretty blown away by the fried mayo concept. Headline reads: “Foodgasm leads to Coronary Embolism”
Carla Hall makes Fried Catfish and hush Puppies that don’t turn out the way she wanted them to.
Tiffany Derry makes Fried Chicken Wings & Pickles. She’s sticking to what she knows and what she loves.

Antonia notices that everyone else has two dishes and she only has one. She says “did I forget to plate a second plate? OMG, I did”. I don’t remember Paula telling the chefs to make two dishes. Did I miss something?

Dale and Carla are on the bottom – Dale’s beef-wrapped oysters lacked flavor that “wow’d” Paula Deen and Carla’s hush puppies were compared to spitballs, kinda (owch).

Antonia, Richard and Mike are on the top. Antonia’s dish was Paula’s absolute favorite – but she didn’t follow the rules. Paula thinks Richard’s fried mayo is out of this world. And Mike’s chicken oyster nailed the presentation. Richard is pissed because he’s actually competing against his own dish.

And Mike Isabella wins 5 grand – and the honest thing to do is split the dough with Richard, but we all know he won’t. Congrats for the shady win, Mike Izzy.

My favorite New Orleans chef and restaurateur, John Besh, walks in to announce the Elimination Challenge!

Former Top Chef contestants add some heat to the kitchen.

The Elimination Challenge:

The chefs will prepare Gulf Coast seafood for 300 people at a Greater New Orleans Foundation fundraising event. And then six of the former cheftestants walk into the room: Angelo Sosa, Fabio Viviani, Spike Mendelsohn, Tre Wilcox, Tiffani Faison and Marcel Vigneron! Kinda bummed that Casey Thompson wasn’t part of the mix, but was so thrilled to see some of my beloved chefs return. The chefs each get to pick a former cheftestants to partner with. And here are the teams:

Mike Isabella goes first. You would think he’d pick Angelo Sosa, after sharing such a beautiful bromance, after all, who else would want to work with him? But no! Mike Izzy picks Tiffani F. and brown shrimp. He says that Tiffani F. is a beast in the kitchen. I agree (love Tiffani), but isn’t it “bros before hos”?
Richard Blais picks next – and of course he picks Fabio Viviani. Bromance lives again. Snapper’s good – Fabio’s great!
Carla Hall picks Tre Wilcox and the red grouper.
Tiffany Derry picks “the white shrimp”… Oh ,and Marcel… (**giggle**)
Antonia Lafaso takes “Spike and his crabs” (that didn’t sound right).
And Dale Talde is left with Angelo Sosa and the amjack. Poor Angelo is picked last? Still trying to make sense of that.

The chefs collaborate with their partners. Dale is over-confident. Richard works in the fact that his dish is a "new" dish that has never been done before and is not stolen from any of the other chefs. Carla thought Tre understood Southern food, but it turns out that he’s just a city boy.

The Richard/Fabio Bromance is Alive and Strong!

The chefs go shopping at Restaurant Depot and only 30 minutes to shop. Fabio and Richard’s bromance is beyond endearing and Carla decides to retry her fish. The chefs say good night to their sous chefs and head home for the night. Carla is stressed, Richard gives Mike the cold shoulder and Antonia gossips with Carla and Tiffany, telling them about Mikey’s recipe-stealing antics. Mikey has been branded by “chef law”.

The next day at the fundraiser, the chefs have two and one half hours to prep. Everyone is rushing and Marcel keeps bugging Tiffany about shrimp heads – but she shuts him up with all the grace of a butterfly. Dale bitches about the crowded kitchen, Mike needles Richard. It’s fun to watch the pressure build.

At the Greater New Orleans Foundation fundraising event, the chefs finish their dishes just as the attendees arrive.

Mike Isabella prepares a Grit-Crusted Gulf Shrimp, served over Sour Cream & Chive Potatoes.
Richard Blais prepares Crispy Gulf Snapper with Pulled Pork & Citrus Grits.
Carla Hall prepares Fried Grouper with Collard Greens & Chow-Chow Pico.
Tiffany Derry prepares Honey Glazed Shrimp, Grits with Jalapeno & Cheese, Shellfish Sauce.
Dale Talde prepares Amberjack Stew with Andouille Sausage & Potatoes, Creole Mustard Crouton.
Antonia Lafaso prepares a Blue Crab Cake with a Corn, Jalapeno & Andouille Relish.

Chef John Besh, Paula Deen, Tom Colicchio & Padma Lakshmi

You can tell by the diners’ and judges’ comments which dishes were on top. The judges were either really impressed or really disappointed…

The chefs say good bye to their former contestants and head back to face the judges table.

The Judges’ Table:

The chefs are in the pantry and commiserate over such a touch challenge when Padma walks in and tells Antonia, Richard and Mike to go to the judges table. Funny how this is a re-do of the Quickfire challenge. At least Mike Isabella is competing with his own dish this time. John Besh gives Richard high praise for pairing red snapped with pulled pork. Paula Deen thought the way Mike Isabella coated the shrimp with the grits was genius – and his face turns beet red. John Besh thought Antonia’s Andouille sausage was just special. And the winner is…

Richard!! This totally makes up for his stolen Quickfire recipe. Richard wins a trip to Hilton Barbados and $5,000 for airfare. He plans to invite Fabio to join him and his family. The bromance lives on! They return to the pantry and send the other three chefs back. When the other chefs leave, Antonia asks mike to move away from her if he plans on belching, farting or flicking boogars… Really?

Tiffany, Carla and Dale stand before the judges in shame. Tiffany tells the judges that Marcel cooked the shrimp for her (and that really helped her), but the judges inform her that the shrimp were overcooked. She says “it’s still my dish”. Way to own up Tiffany (even though it wasn’t your fault)! Dale is told that the potatoes in his dish were raw and there was too much mustard. Carla is told that her dish was too spicy and none of the veggies complemented each other.

Dale Talde packs his knives and goes.

And Padma says…

“Dale, please pack your knives and go.”

Dale, you saw this coming before we did. I’m a little surprised, but kind of relieved. I won’t be missing his nasty comments, but did he have to cry?? Now I feel bad about ripping on him so much.

Next week on Top Chef All Stars Episode 12: 5 chefs are left. Padma shows up at the cheftestants’ apartment, surprising the hell out of them. It looks like they’re preparing dishes on a NY ferry boat? And the chefs are reunited with loved ones – Tiffany feels rejuvenated by this.

More on Top Chef

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Top Chef All-Stars Episode 10 Recap: Lock Down

The Muppets Take Top Chef!

In tonight’s Top Chef All Stars 10^th episode, there are only seven chefs left and we can almost predict the season finally. But this Top Chef episode has all the makings of an amazing drama: Sesame Street's Elmo, Telly Monster & Cookie Monster judge the Quickfire, another Top Chef Bromance blooms and the Chefs tackle America’s monster chain store, Target. And here’s the recap for Top Chef All-Stars Episode 10 Recap: “Lock Down”.

The first scene opens in the pantry with Richard Blaise and Mike Isabella reminiscing about Fabio Viviani. Mike Izzy says Fabio is an impressive guy and Richard says that Fabio turned him into a "Fabio Fan" - he wishes Fabio had asked him for help... Ahh... The bromance lives on. Carla brags about her win (just a little) and dreams of a woman winning Top Chef All Stars. I'd love to see that too, but I'm not getting my hopes up (just yet).

The chefs then move to the bar for cocktails and toast to the "Magnificent Seven". Richard and Dale agree to be allies until one of them goes home or they make it to the end. Please let this treaty end next week!!

Quickfire Challenge
The chefs walk into the kitchen to find Padma Lakshmi rhyming with Cookie Monster, Telly Monster and Elmo. Padma tells the chefs that they have 45 minutes to make their best cookies. The winner will take home $5,000.

- The chefs are a bit lost since none have honed their cookie-making skills. Really? My baking skills suck and even I know how to whip up chocolate chip cookies.

- Richard Blais decides to make the zucchini cookie that Elmo wanted. It's clear that he's aiming to impress his 2-year-old daughter's idol, and I totally respect that. But have you noticed that he seems to be going a bit overboard lately?

- Antonia Lafaso makes a Dark Chocolate Cookie with white chocolate chips, a caramel glaze & sprinkles.

- Carla Hall makes a Chocolate Chip Cookie with cinnamon.

- Dale Talde makes a Pretzel & Potato Chip Shortbread Cookie with salted caramel chocolate ganache.

- Richard makes an Ice Cream Cookie with chocolate chips, zucchini & mint. I’m trying to imagine that tasting good… Still trying… Still trying… Nope! Not gonna happen.

- Mike Isabella makes an Almond & Dried Cherry Cookie with rose petal powdered sugar.

- Tiffany Derry makes a Shortbread Cookie with lemon zest, rosemary, thyme & coconut milk.

- Angelo Sosa makes a Chocolate Chip, Belgian Hazelnut Cookie & a Chocolate-Banana Milkshake.

- On the bottom are Richard (the Muppet monsters didn’t think his cooking was cookie-ish enough) and Angelo (for making a dry cookie).

- On the top are Dale’s sweet and salty cookie and Antonia’s chewy gooey cow-shit cookie.

- And Dale wins the Quickfire and takes home $5000. Yay Dale. Sorry Antonia. Even if it tastes like heaven, the Muppets still thought your cookie looked like cow-shit.

Richard Blaise, Angelo Sosa & Tiffany Derry think this
Top Chef challenge is tricky

Elimination Challenge
This week’s elimination prize is $25,000! The chefs have 3 hours at Target to shop for the items they need. Then they have to serve a meal for 100 Target employees the next day. Then the show seems to convert into a target commercial for a couple minutes – which I think we could have done without, since the entire show pretty much is a Target commercial.

The chefs arrive at Target just past midnight and go zooming down the aisles with their carts gathering all the appliances, utensils, food and furniture they think they’ll need.

- Dale makes rude comments about Tiffany as he shops for irons.

- Antonia pretty much grabs everything.

- Angelo and Mike shop together. Gotta love the bromance

- Tiffany shops for clothes as she shops for food.

- The chefs begin cooking… But Carla is still shopping. She finally joins the group after everyone else is already well on their way. Richard shows concern for her (but I think he’s just secretly threatened by her).

The 100 Target employees arrive, along with Padma, Tom, our favorite grouch-monster Anthony Bourdain, and this week’s guest judges: Ming Tsai (owner/chef of Blue Ginger) and Thomas O'Brien (home designer for Target).

- Richard makes a Pork Tenderloin with Green Chilies, Apples, Braised Pork Ribs & Corn Pancakes.

- Dale makes a Rib Eye Grilled Cheese Sandwich & Spicy Tomato Soup.

- Carla makes a Curry Apple Soup with Tomato Ginger Jam & Cucumber Apple Slaw.

- Antonia makes Parmesan Eggs on Garlic Crostini with Almond, Tomato & Apple Salad.

- Mike makes a Spicy Coconut Soup with Mushrooms, Scallops & Lime.

- Tiffany makes Jambalaya with Chicken, Sausage & Shrimp, and serves it with a Summer Salad.

- Angelo has Baked Potato Soup with Bacon, Sour Cream, Potato Skins, Scallions & Cheddar Cheese.

- The judges aren’t so impressed with everyone’s dishes – Anthony Bourdain thinks the chefs toked up the cheeba before they started cooking. And EVERYONE seems unhappy about the early hour.

The Elimination…

Padma walks in and announces that the judges would like to see: Dale, Antonia & Richard.

And the winner is… Dale again! When was the last time we saw a Top Chef win both the Quickfire AND Elimination in a single episode? I can’t remember.

Farewell, Angelo. It shoulda been the other way around.

The chefs are sent back and tell Carla, Tiffany & Angelo that the chefs would like to see them. The three face the judges and an endless barrage of insults: Carla’s dish didn’t develop and needed protein, Angelo’s soup was too salty, and the dried spices Tiffany used highlighted her dish’s deficiencies. And then Padma says:

“Angelo, please pack your knives and go.”

Mike Isabella is far more crushed that Angelo is being sent home than Angelo is – he’s lost his friend. Another bromance comes to a close.

And I would personally like to emphasize my own disappointment. It’s impressive that Dale won both challenges, though $25k for a grilled cheese and tomato soup sounds fishy. But seriously, he is a rude dude. And the same goes for Antonia. I know this is reality TV and some people like the drama, but then nix those two and bring Marcel back. He’s double-dipped in arrogance, but he’s entertaining as hell!

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