| 10/22/2009 |
TOP CHEF 5.9 - The Hostess With The Mostess (SPOILERS)
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Previously on Top Chef... Everybody hates Ro-... You know what? Just go back and read my last two or three recaps. They've all been pounding in the same point to us. Robin is disliked. Strongly. And Robin is well aware of it.
I found out an interesting fact on Padma this week. I've always wondered what her cooking background was, or if she even had one. She had a short lived cooking show on that other 'network' about 'food'. Even had a few recipes listed on their website. She's written a book on food/travel. Until very recently she was married to Salman Rushdie. Yes, THAT Salman Rushdie. So she's not just a talking head.
You might remember this weeks guest judge from his shot on Top Chef Masters. I've come to the conclusion that they must've filmed both TCM and TC at the same time. Because there have been a LOT of guest judges who were on both. It would also explain why the regular Top Chef judges weren't available to judge Top Chef Masters. But I digress...
The cheftestants are asked to draw knives. As they go down the line, most of the chefs are drawing blanks. Literally. There is nothing written on their knives. It isn't until they come to Jennifer who draws a knife saying "First". Moving on down the line... a few more blanks pulled and it's down to the last two knives. Bryan and Brother Mike are left. Bryan asks his brother which knife he wants. Brother Mike snips at him to just pick a knife. Bryan pulls a blank. Brother Mike pulls "Second". What this means is that Jennifer has first choice of three other people she wants on her team. Brother Mike will choose second. It's a schoolyard style pick.
Jennifer, after some debate about whether or not to split up the Voltaggio Brothers, picks Kevin, Laurine, & Mikey. Brother Mike takes Bryan (obviously), Eli, and Robin. Robin was the last one to be picked. So I'm not sure I can say Brother Mike actually selected her. Robin's self-awareness of her order in the food chain seems to be shown a bit more. She knows where she stands with these people. Yet, she is still there and she's going to cook the best food she can. She's a brave little toaster...
Padma explains the rules to this Highstakes Quickfire. It's a relay. Each chef will have 10 minutes to cook. A whistle will blow and the next chef takes over. Each team will be preparing one dish in 40 minutes. They can not speak to each other. They can not see each other, because if you're not cooking yet, you're blindfolded. The team with the best cohesive dish after 40 minutes will win $10,000 to besplit amongst them. They're given 30 seconds to decide the order that they will be cooking.
For Jen's Team (Blue) - Jen, Laurine, Mikey, & Kevin. The idea being that Jen can whip out the mise en place quickly and get things started. Laurine and Mikey will keep things moving. Kevin and his plating skills will wrap things up.
For Brother Mike's Team (Red) - Eli will start out of relay since he can easily see what the fridge would have and make good selections. Robin is placed safely in the middle where she isn't responsible for picking anything goofy or a final product. Bryan will go third and team leader Brother Mike will plate the dish. There is some tension running between the brothers today and it's getting thick.
Jen and Eli are ready to run to their stations. The other chefs are blindfolded. Aaaaaand COOK!!!
Jen manages to set her team up pretty quick. She grabs some fish and scallops. Gets a sauce started. And has some olive oil ready to poach her fish in. Laurine comes in and takes over. She figures out the sauce pretty quickly, but the olive oil confuses her. Is it for frying? She powers through the best she can. Mikey is up to bat and he too in confused about the oil, but presumes Jen wanted them to poach something. He keeps on going with the cooking, but it isn't until Kevin comes in that you can see the dish come together. The olive oil is too hot to poach anything so he lightly fries the sablefish in butter. He doesn't use the scallops, and brings the sauce into play on the dish.
On Brother Mike's Team... Eli is quick to grab what he needs from the fridge and pantry and has set a good pace. Strip steak, veggies, avocado. Robin comes in a seems a bit confused by all ingredients, and manages to baby most of the food and not screw anything up. Bryan comes in and puts together a avocado puree (GUACAMOLE!!), and starts a whipped miso. Brother Mike swings for the fences pulling all these ingredients together.
Red Team has cooked a Pan roasted NY strip with whipped miso, avocado purée and pickled vegetables. Blue Team has prepared sablefish with sautéed mushrooms, shiitake broth and radish salad in yuzu vinaigrette. During Jen's explanation of the dish she calls the fish trout. "On national TV," she laments and gives a thumbs up.
Chef Moonen picks the Blue Team as the winners. Padma explains the Highstakes part of the challenge now. They can either take the $10,000 and split it or let it ride and if they win the Elimination Challenge they EACH get $10,000. They choose to let it ride. I can't say that I blame them. They have a strong team. While Laurine is the weakest link on the team she's no slacker. The other team has Robin. Laurine comments that it's nice to be on the winning end of things.
I do find it interesting that the only time Laurine has won has been when she's been on a team. It's not for her own individual cooking abilities, but for what she's contributed to the overall dish. Which brings me to another point. There is a very clear line between who's good and who's not this season. The Voltaggio Brother, Kevin, and Jennifer are clearly in the top. While everyone else is not. Not that they aren't good chefs, but they aren't going to win. Id on't recall past seasons being so divided.
Padma starts 'splainin the Elimination Challenge. They will be using Chef Moonen's Las Vegas restaurant as the location for Restaurant Wars. This challenge has easily become the one challenge that all chefs look forward to. It is a badge of honor to win this challenge. This is what these people do for a living. Open up restaurants and serve customers. So hopefully they will be rock stars at it.
The teams go off to their separate corners to discuss their menu. Brother Mike and Bryan are getting in to it again, this time over dessert. Bryan wants to make a dessert that he did in a previous challenge. Brother Mike turns up his nose at it. Claiming it didn't work last time and landed him in the bottom, which is true. But still... He's learned from that, hopefully, and can make it better. Also, this is your brother as well as your competitor. And for this challenge he's your teammate. Maybe a little less attitude is called for? The decide on the restaurant name Revolt... which is a horrible horrible idea. (R)obin, (E)li, (Volt)aggio is the inspiration. I immediately jump to revolting as do several others along the way. Yet no one seems to think this is a bad idea. They try to spin it as tho it's an uprising a rebellion. Yeah... Not so much.
The Blue Team is very confident going in that they are going to bang out some great food. Jen is great with her sauces. Kevin can cook a piece of meat to perfection. They're stoked. They decide to steer clear of a dessert since that is always a good way to shoot yourself in the foot. Which is an admirable idea, but in a restaurant to not have a dessert option isn't going to sit well with judges or patrons. You just know it. Hell... Make a cake. Make Jell-O for Pete's sake. I'm not a pastry chef and even I can tell you that there are some very simple desserts out there. The decide on the name Mission, based on the simple Mission-style furniture and as a comforting way of life.
Off to Whole Foods they go. Robin seems some strategy in not letting the other team see what's in the shopping cart. I don't know that I understand why. Two people could each pick an ingredient and prepare it in completely different ways. The judges aren't going to be comparing them side by side. Oh... and what was that ingredient she didn't want them to see? Sparkling water. Robin's going to win the challenge with sparkling water. *slow clap* You're next Top Chef, ladies and gentlemen.
Once at Chef Moonen's restaurant it's a two level kitchen/dining area. The Blue Team takes the upstairs restaurant while the Red Team takes the down stairs restaurant. I don't know that there was any strategy behind it, but that was the Blue Teams advantage because they won the Quickfire. Maybe someone else can explain that to me.
In the Red kitchen there is definitely a leader. Even though the brother do get into a few arguments it is what I imagine a big-time restaurant kitchen feels like. Robin is constantly being questioned on what she's doing. Which, I can understand. It may not be nice, but if you don't have confidence in one of your teammates and you don't want to lose because of something they do... I'd ask too. As Robin is plating her dish, there is an argument between her and Brother Mike. He starts to take over the plating of her dish after telling her how to plate it. There is cussing, which is called out for being unprofessional. Raised voices. Hurt feelings. It's a mess.
I can understand Brother Mike's viewpoint as a leader in the kitchen. He doesn't want to lose. He clearly doesn't trust Robin's ability. He's also being unemotional about it. Unemotional, in the hurt feelings sorta way. Robin on the other hand isunderstandable upset that someone is trying to bulldoze her. I don't see her as the competitive type tho. So instead of seeing this as Brother Mike trying to make sure they have a winning dish, and restaurant by extension, she sees it as being stifled and walked over. It's a tough call. In the end, they both need a good shot of tequila and a shag.
The Blue kitchen seems a little more frantic, but for different reasons. Kevin and Jennifer are running behind on their dishes. Prep timeactually runs out as Jennifer is working ao she decides that she'll just have to make her dishes to order. This will cost them some time as diners will have to wait longer. There doesn't seem to be a real leader in the kitchen. While everyone may be working well together, no one is really stepping up and taking the leadership mantle. I'm surprised Jennifer didn't do it. When they had to feed the troops buffet-style. Robin stepped up and really showed that she can take control and get thigns done and on time. What's happened to her? She seems to be losing her edge a bit. I'm worried for her.
Here come the judges! Red Team, Go! Eli is working the front of the house. He greets the judges and present them with the following food. Brother Mike made chicken and calamari 'pasta.' Eli, not only being host, makes a smoked arctic char. Bryan present a duo of beef. Brother Mike has also made cod and billi-bi sauce. Robin makes pear pithivier with vanilla bean ice cream. Bryan makes chocolate ganache. A nice well rounded menu and the judges seem to love everything that comes out. Eli has a good personality and is working the room without showboating.
Blue Team, Go! Laurine decides to work the front. No one had to talk her into it. I only mention it because it's sometimes a dangerous place to be. Also, most chefs want to be hands-on with the food they're presenting. Something to keep in mind. Mikey cooks asparagus and six-minute egg. Jen presents arctic char tartare, bouillabaisse consommé, and pan-seared trout. (Not sablefish? You sure this time Jen?) Kevin makes pork three ways. Laurine prepares lamb with carrot jam. As she is presenting the food to the judges she doesn't even explain what it is. Which... is 'fine' for a regular diner, but these are the judges. These are the people you're REALLY trying to impress. She seems to be falling apart and just ready to go to her secret crying place.
Just seeing Blue's dishes... Wow... It's REALLY meat heavy and there doesn't seem to be anything light. I know you don't win Top Chef with salads. Yet, still... I'm bloated just seeing it.
The judges are less impressed with Mission's menu and food. Toby is missing a dessert to wrap up the night. Padma needs more salt for Mikey's opening course. Jen's butter has separate and it's just grease now. Kevin's meat is all over the place. He's executing Laurine's lamb dish. Some are over cooked. Some are undercooked. Kevin claims that what he calls rare and what she calls rare are two different things. Seems nitpicky, but I see his point. They need to be clearer and what is what.
You can tell it's going to be a long night.
Back in the Stew Room Mikey says that if Red Team loses, then their food must've really sucked because Blue Teams food was not good. Everyone was off their game. I get the point, but the way Mikey says it really is a backhanded compliment in it's truest form. Tact, Mikey... Tact!
The Red Team is called out first... Sure enough they are the winners. They are SO winners they are called the best restaurant that Top Chef has seen in six seasons. Which is high praise considering some of the past winners. Not to mention having Robin on their team. Overall, they loved the food. Brother Mike ends up being the big winner. And what does he win!? Chef Rick Moonen's latest book! YAY?! I hate when guest chefs do that. Padma sweetens the deal be saying Brother Mike also wins the $10,000 that the Blue Team gambled. Brother Mike offers to split it amongst his team since it was a team effort. That's nice of him, but does everyone feel that way?
Back to the Stew Room Eli delivers the news and Blue Team goes before the judges. Mikey's food is called out for being ok, but not really excellent. Everyone had execution problems. Laurine was responsible for a dish, but didn't really make sure it was done right. Jennifer is embarrassed by her dish. Where's your edge, girl!? In the end because of poor service all around and a poorly planned/executed dish... Laurine goes home.
I was truly worried. I didn't dislike Laurine, but she didn't stand out for her dishes. She was on a team with Kevin and Jennifer, whom I like. Mikey was the other person, but his food was safe. Literally... I'm glad she went home instead of someone who could potentially win it all this season. Sorry Laurine. I'm sure you are going to be upset that you were out lasted by Robin. I'd hate to be anyone in the Top Chef Secret Barbie Hideaway House that has to listen to you rant about that. Good luck!Labels: top chef, tv |
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I posted this @ 10/22/2009 08:23:00 AM.............Need a link?..........
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