Posts
The Top 20 Revealed! Finally!
(And I think the final show that Mia is going to be on - because she let the world she quit via twitter, in case you didn't know)
Too Young To Audition last season, Straight to Vegas Nathan is up first. He's in.
Montage of nameless disappointment. It's hard to feel sad losing people when I don't remember them.
Ballet David is not going to be in this season. Mary told him he needs to come out of himself a little more.
Katheryn McCormack auditioned in LA but is from Georgia. She's really cute. She's also quick to cry and she squeaks when she cries. That could get annoying. In fact, before she was even done with the judges, it's gotten annoying. The judges even commented on her squeakiness, but she's in the Top 20.
Channing Cook is also really sweet. Nigel told her she is almost too strong and needs to work on working with a partner. She's into the Top 20.
Quick yeses to Ariana Dubois and Eleanor Scott. I liked both of them a lot, so good.
Early judge favorite Billy Bell o' the bloodied nose would have his scholarship held from Juliard if he gets in - and he's going to have to do that, because he's in.
Jake Gidry and someone else I don't recognize are not in.
Amber Jackson is not on this season. Mary wants her to find her star personality.
How about Crumper Russell? He seems a shoe-in to me, because he has blown me away the whole time. He is indeed in the Top 20. Hooray!
Hip Hopper Kevin Hunt joins him.
Bianca Revels, Philip Atmoore, and Peter Sabasino are all tappers and are all waiting to find out their fates.
Bianca is up first. Nigel told her that she would make it in for her tap alone, if that's how it worked. It doesn't, though, and contestants have to be versatile. She turns out to be versatile enough and she's in! Yay! I love her!
Philip is up next. His attitude was questioned, but he's in. Good. He was excellent.
Finally, Peter's turn. He's going to be the third tapper in the Top 20! Awesome.
It really is looking to be the Year of the Tapper. Slick.
Montage of other rejectees. I didn't recognize any of them, so it doesn't bother me.
Victor Smalley who had a faux-hawk and was basically asked to shave it off is in, though.
Jakob Carr (?) who I think I remember liking also made it.
Mollie Gray is up next. Has she learned to dance like a woman instead of a little girl? I don't know. Neither does Nigel. She got some no's, but she's in.
Her new best friend Noel is hoping to also make it to the Top 20. First, though, it's Golf-Ball Ankle Girl Pauline Marta. Pauline is through, despite not being able to do the last round. Cool. I liked her.
Noel was cut in Broadway in Season 5, but she's in the Top 20 this season. I forsee tears when she or Mollie is cut.
Montage of more disappointed anonymous folks.
Legacy is up next. He is also in.
Paula is also in. I like her a lot, too.
Ryan and Ashley Dilello don't know if they will both make it.
Ryan is up against Gene Bursley, who is also a ballroom dancer. Ryan has made it. I liked him better than Gene, so I'm glad for that.
Ashley is up against Karen Hauer, who also auditioned with her husband (though he was cut earlier). Karen is in, which means the married couple is split up. I feel very badly for her. She was in tears, and so was her husband.
Or are they????
She's in as well! What?
Paula turned down the spot in the Top 20! She decided to drop out because she got a contract for a movie. Good for her, and good for Ashley! Slick!
I can't wait for the performances!
Did your favorites make it?
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Amazing Race 10.18.09
From Cambodia, they have to get to the Burj Dubai, with only the clue of flying to the Persian Gulf and going to the world's highest building (still under construction) in Dubai. They have to get there, and take an elevator to the top.
Thank goodness for the internet cafe, and teams were able to do some easy research. Ericka knew it was in Dubai, and the Globe Trotters were able to get their research down in no time. Sam and Dan think that the Persian Gulf is a country, but discover that they need to go to an actual country. Lance & Keri plan on getting married no matter what because they have non-refundable deposits for the wedding. They get bad connections at the Internet cafe, but end up getting on the same flight as everyone else.
Maria & Tiffany get to the list for sign ups first, followed by Brian & Ericka and then Dan & Sam, and they get signed up for the 5:30 AM ride in the elevatore. Cheyne & Megan manage to get the last spot on that elevator ride. Mika & Canaan did some yelling at their cabbie, and get the next group, along with Lance & Keri, The Globe Trotters, and Gary & Matt, who are all taking the 5:45 elevator.
The 5:30 AM group headed up, and, waiting for her trip up, Mika was crying at the base of the building. She hates heights. The first group got the next clue, and they don't have to jump off the building or anything.. they have to go to marked cars and go to the Dubai Dessert Reserve.
There is a Fast Forward - the only one in the race. They can go to the Dubai Autodrome, drive a F1 race car, and complete the lap in 45 minutes.
Hilariously, Lance & Keri again take a wrong turn in the parking structure and can't find the marked cars. Bwah ha ha. It took them a long time (seemingly) to find it, and then Lance didn't want to ask for directions.
Cheyne & Megan hopped in to the fast forward, and they were the only ones who went for it.
Sam & Dan, Ericka & Brian, and Maria & Tiffany got to the Dessert Reserve first. It's a Roadblock.
Who thinks they can beat the dessert heat?
One person will choose a traditional bag, and search for buried water urns in the dessert, and fill their bags. It is insane to try to find the urns. Tiffany, Dan and Brian went off in search, followed by Big Easy. The first couple urns didn't have any water, and they had to search a seemingly long time for them.
Cheyne's first trip around the track at the Fast Forward was 40 seconds - they passed the Fast Forward, so to the Pit Stop with them - and they get to ride in a Mazaratti. Nice. Megan didn't like having to give up control while Cheyne did the task by himself.
Brian got the water first, and told Tiffany and Dan where the water was. Good for him. Dan broke his ladle, but Tiffany let him use hers. Nice.
From there, on to Ski Dubai, an indoor ski area. On the way there, Brian told Canaan & Mika how to get to the desert reserve. He believes in karma.
Problem in the parking lot - Maria backed over something and her radiator was gone in the car. Ouch. Punctured. Sam & Dan decided to wait with them because of the ladle incident. That might be a bad decision. A new car is dispatched for Maria & Tiffany.
While Lance & Keri were still lost, Megan & Cheyne got to the mat first and Phil congratulated them with a trip to Jamaica.
After being super hot, the Ski Dubai was welcome.
Detour
Build a Snowman - Teams have to carry snow from inside to outside and build a traditional snowman before it melts.
Find a Snowman - Teams must sled down a ski hill, find a tiny snowman inside a hill and turn it over to a polar bear to get their next clue.
Meanwhile, back in the dessert, Lance was finding empty urns and throwing them in the dessert. Real mature. Mika was confused by the metric speedometer.
Brian & Erika were the first team to find the snowman. It was tiny. Good job for her. Off to the pit stop with them.
Lance & Keri whined about going the wrong direction, and finally turned around.
At the detour, a couple teams switched to the Building of a snowman. The Globe Trotters found the little snowman. When they were leaving to get to their car, they ran into Canaan & Mika, and warned them to go back to the car and get their cold gear. That was nice.
The Globe Trotters came in next, followed by Gary & Matt, Sam & Dan, Maria & Tiffany, and Mika & Canaan. Lance & Keri came in last. I was almost sure that they were going to end up with a non-elimination leg, just because the world is unfair to me, but happily, they are out. Now who am I going to root against? I kind of like everyone else...
What do you think?
Lance & Keri took a wrong turn because Lance wasn't listening to Keri.
Thank goodness for the internet cafe, and teams were able to do some easy research. Ericka knew it was in Dubai, and the Globe Trotters were able to get their research down in no time. Sam and Dan think that the Persian Gulf is a country, but discover that they need to go to an actual country. Lance & Keri plan on getting married no matter what because they have non-refundable deposits for the wedding. They get bad connections at the Internet cafe, but end up getting on the same flight as everyone else.
Maria & Tiffany get to the list for sign ups first, followed by Brian & Ericka and then Dan & Sam, and they get signed up for the 5:30 AM ride in the elevatore. Cheyne & Megan manage to get the last spot on that elevator ride. Mika & Canaan did some yelling at their cabbie, and get the next group, along with Lance & Keri, The Globe Trotters, and Gary & Matt, who are all taking the 5:45 elevator.
The 5:30 AM group headed up, and, waiting for her trip up, Mika was crying at the base of the building. She hates heights. The first group got the next clue, and they don't have to jump off the building or anything.. they have to go to marked cars and go to the Dubai Dessert Reserve.
There is a Fast Forward - the only one in the race. They can go to the Dubai Autodrome, drive a F1 race car, and complete the lap in 45 minutes.
Hilariously, Lance & Keri again take a wrong turn in the parking structure and can't find the marked cars. Bwah ha ha. It took them a long time (seemingly) to find it, and then Lance didn't want to ask for directions.
Cheyne & Megan hopped in to the fast forward, and they were the only ones who went for it.
Sam & Dan, Ericka & Brian, and Maria & Tiffany got to the Dessert Reserve first. It's a Roadblock.
Who thinks they can beat the dessert heat?
One person will choose a traditional bag, and search for buried water urns in the dessert, and fill their bags. It is insane to try to find the urns. Tiffany, Dan and Brian went off in search, followed by Big Easy. The first couple urns didn't have any water, and they had to search a seemingly long time for them.
Cheyne's first trip around the track at the Fast Forward was 40 seconds - they passed the Fast Forward, so to the Pit Stop with them - and they get to ride in a Mazaratti. Nice. Megan didn't like having to give up control while Cheyne did the task by himself.
Brian got the water first, and told Tiffany and Dan where the water was. Good for him. Dan broke his ladle, but Tiffany let him use hers. Nice.
From there, on to Ski Dubai, an indoor ski area. On the way there, Brian told Canaan & Mika how to get to the desert reserve. He believes in karma.
Problem in the parking lot - Maria backed over something and her radiator was gone in the car. Ouch. Punctured. Sam & Dan decided to wait with them because of the ladle incident. That might be a bad decision. A new car is dispatched for Maria & Tiffany.
While Lance & Keri were still lost, Megan & Cheyne got to the mat first and Phil congratulated them with a trip to Jamaica.
After being super hot, the Ski Dubai was welcome.
Detour
Build a Snowman - Teams have to carry snow from inside to outside and build a traditional snowman before it melts.
Find a Snowman - Teams must sled down a ski hill, find a tiny snowman inside a hill and turn it over to a polar bear to get their next clue.
Meanwhile, back in the dessert, Lance was finding empty urns and throwing them in the dessert. Real mature. Mika was confused by the metric speedometer.
Brian & Erika were the first team to find the snowman. It was tiny. Good job for her. Off to the pit stop with them.
Lance & Keri whined about going the wrong direction, and finally turned around.
At the detour, a couple teams switched to the Building of a snowman. The Globe Trotters found the little snowman. When they were leaving to get to their car, they ran into Canaan & Mika, and warned them to go back to the car and get their cold gear. That was nice.
The Globe Trotters came in next, followed by Gary & Matt, Sam & Dan, Maria & Tiffany, and Mika & Canaan. Lance & Keri came in last. I was almost sure that they were going to end up with a non-elimination leg, just because the world is unfair to me, but happily, they are out. Now who am I going to root against? I kind of like everyone else...
What do you think?
Lance & Keri took a wrong turn because Lance wasn't listening to Keri.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Project Runway - 10.15.09
Heidi introduced the designers to their next challenge. She told them if they really want to shine, their look must upstage the rest. She sent them to meet Tim and a special guest at an undisclosed location, and reminded them that there is no immunity from here on out (although Gordana has immunity for this one).
They went to the Fashion museum and met Tim with Bob Mackie, king of Sequins. They will be creating an extravagant stage look. Bob reminded them that this is not normal design, and told them to just go for it. They will be designing a look for Christina Aguillara.
To Mood with them and looting for shimmer and shine. They have $300, which is lots more than normal, but shummery fabric sometimes cost more... They have 2 days.
Carol Hannah got a lot of random fabric and seemed to be playing with Logan's fur instead of actually working. Gordana's fabric was shedding beads like crazy. It's a shame because it was looking pretty cool before the beading debacle. The next day, there was more scrambling. Shirin was making something that looked like a ball gown. Nicolas thought his look was like a skating look.
Tim came for his look see and worried that Christopher's outfit should have been super slut instead of 90's prom, and thought they were both prim. Althea also had a reveal planned, and Tim worried that they thought they both envisioned her coming out of a pumpkin. Gordana has a lot to do, and Tim worried that Nicolas' look is too much of a re-do of his Ice Princess look. Nicolas is the king of white frilly. Carol Hannah was thinking of doing a reveal, but Tim told her that it looked fine. He thought that Shirin's looked like student work, vampira meets 16 year old prom.
More work, and enter the models. Shirin changed hers up a lot and it looked better for a start. Logan thinks that Carol Hannah is fun and an unorthodox Southern Belle. Flirty flirty flirty.
Irina has a high opinion of herself and a low opinion of everyone else. It's annoying. Even annoying Nicolas is annoyed by her.
Runway Show
Joining Heidi are Bob Mackie, Nina Garcia, and Christina Aguilera.
Althea's dress is neat and long and slinky with lots of silver, kind of liquid.
Logan's look was short and sassy and I kind of liked it.
Shirin's look was absolutely not a stage look.
Christopher's look was really kind of neat, I thought, for the stage. The reveal brought sparkly hot pants. Slick.
Nicolas' looked just like so many others. Yawn.
Gordana's look was totally badly sewn and I think she's lucky to have immunity.
Irina's was way too short and ice dancer to me. I did not like it.
Carol Hannah's is long and black and mixed sequins with feathers really well. I loved how it moved. Not sure it was a good stage outfit.
Irina was middle of the road, and Gordana was also sent to safety (but was told she was lucky to have immunity).
Christina loved Carol Hannah's look, and Nina called it glamorous, but wished it had come off into something sexier. Carol Hannah told her that she tried that, but thought it looked too ice skater-y. The judges agreed it was better as it is, and loved the textures of black she used.
Heidi called Shirin's look a bad witch halloween costume. Christina worried she would trip in it. The bottom of it was the mess.
Althea's use of back and front sides of the fabric was clever. Heidi liked the way her bum looked. Nina didn't like the train for logistic reasons. Christina thought it was a beautiful dress.
Heidi wasn't loving Christopher's revealed look, and Nina worried it was a revisit of Lady Marmelade. Bob Mackie didn't think the corset was well done, and wouldn't put it on a chorus girl. Christina gave him E for Effort.
Christina liked Nicolas' outfit. Bob thought it needed just a little something else.
Logan wanted to create a punk rock princess outfit. The judges worried there should have been more chains. Christina was getting cave woman, but liked the color. The lining of his green dress is pink, but it was not shown, and the judges wished there had been more of that drama.
In the end, Carol Hannah won the challenge and I am thrilled. So was she. Nicolas and Logan were also safe. It was between Shirin and Christopher. Let's see if Christopher's got more tears for us.... not tonight. It's Shirin that's out. I think it was the right choice. I still like Christopher.
They went to the Fashion museum and met Tim with Bob Mackie, king of Sequins. They will be creating an extravagant stage look. Bob reminded them that this is not normal design, and told them to just go for it. They will be designing a look for Christina Aguillara.
To Mood with them and looting for shimmer and shine. They have $300, which is lots more than normal, but shummery fabric sometimes cost more... They have 2 days.
Carol Hannah got a lot of random fabric and seemed to be playing with Logan's fur instead of actually working. Gordana's fabric was shedding beads like crazy. It's a shame because it was looking pretty cool before the beading debacle. The next day, there was more scrambling. Shirin was making something that looked like a ball gown. Nicolas thought his look was like a skating look.
Tim came for his look see and worried that Christopher's outfit should have been super slut instead of 90's prom, and thought they were both prim. Althea also had a reveal planned, and Tim worried that they thought they both envisioned her coming out of a pumpkin. Gordana has a lot to do, and Tim worried that Nicolas' look is too much of a re-do of his Ice Princess look. Nicolas is the king of white frilly. Carol Hannah was thinking of doing a reveal, but Tim told her that it looked fine. He thought that Shirin's looked like student work, vampira meets 16 year old prom.
More work, and enter the models. Shirin changed hers up a lot and it looked better for a start. Logan thinks that Carol Hannah is fun and an unorthodox Southern Belle. Flirty flirty flirty.
Irina has a high opinion of herself and a low opinion of everyone else. It's annoying. Even annoying Nicolas is annoyed by her.
Runway Show
Joining Heidi are Bob Mackie, Nina Garcia, and Christina Aguilera.
Althea's dress is neat and long and slinky with lots of silver, kind of liquid.
Logan's look was short and sassy and I kind of liked it.
Shirin's look was absolutely not a stage look.
Christopher's look was really kind of neat, I thought, for the stage. The reveal brought sparkly hot pants. Slick.
Nicolas' looked just like so many others. Yawn.
Gordana's look was totally badly sewn and I think she's lucky to have immunity.
Irina's was way too short and ice dancer to me. I did not like it.
Carol Hannah's is long and black and mixed sequins with feathers really well. I loved how it moved. Not sure it was a good stage outfit.
Irina was middle of the road, and Gordana was also sent to safety (but was told she was lucky to have immunity).
Christina loved Carol Hannah's look, and Nina called it glamorous, but wished it had come off into something sexier. Carol Hannah told her that she tried that, but thought it looked too ice skater-y. The judges agreed it was better as it is, and loved the textures of black she used.
Heidi called Shirin's look a bad witch halloween costume. Christina worried she would trip in it. The bottom of it was the mess.
Althea's use of back and front sides of the fabric was clever. Heidi liked the way her bum looked. Nina didn't like the train for logistic reasons. Christina thought it was a beautiful dress.
Heidi wasn't loving Christopher's revealed look, and Nina worried it was a revisit of Lady Marmelade. Bob Mackie didn't think the corset was well done, and wouldn't put it on a chorus girl. Christina gave him E for Effort.
Christina liked Nicolas' outfit. Bob thought it needed just a little something else.
Logan wanted to create a punk rock princess outfit. The judges worried there should have been more chains. Christina was getting cave woman, but liked the color. The lining of his green dress is pink, but it was not shown, and the judges wished there had been more of that drama.
In the end, Carol Hannah won the challenge and I am thrilled. So was she. Nicolas and Logan were also safe. It was between Shirin and Christopher. Let's see if Christopher's got more tears for us.... not tonight. It's Shirin that's out. I think it was the right choice. I still like Christopher.
Survivor Samoa: 10.15.09
At Galu, after their first tribal council, their was still an ember of fire. Shambo is feeling out of the loop. Everyone else was happy when Shambo went to bed. The other girls are feeling like Shambo just doesn't fit in. Monica knows that Shambo was the only one who voted against her and is on a mission to get rid of her.
In the morning, Erik had a battle with the ocean. How dare it have strong waves when he was trying to wash himself? Over at Foa Foa, the ocean was also wreaking havoc on their camp.
Tree Mail indicated a gross food from the ocean challenge. And they have to keep it down. Ashley thinks that she'll be great at the challenge because she'll eat anything once. Liz told Evil Russell that Ashley was going to suck at the challenge. Evil Russell told the other men that Liz was trying to sow seeds of dissent. He didn't like the competition at the mind game.
Reward Challenge
Jeff is making a smoothie of several different ocean ingredients (as determined by a throw of a ball, roulette style). Each person who gets it down is a point (no time limit), and the first to five points wins a Survivor BBQ. The person sent to the other tribe has to miss the reward.
Now, I would like to think that I could eat almost anything, but a smoothie would be much harder.
Kelly, Laura, and John sit out for Galu.
Shambo and Jaison got giant clam and Jeff's choice. He added octopus, sea snails, noni juice, and a seaweed garnish. Shambo rocked it out without a problem. Jaison struggled, but kept it down in the end.
Next was Evil Russell vs. Not Evil Russell. They both got jellyfish, which Jeff blended with milk. Not Evil Russell had no problem, and Evil Russell had a harder time, but got it down.
Mick vs. Brett, and they got giant clam with sea cucumber, which Jeff mixed with milk. Dr. Mick got it first. Brett licked his glass and kept it down.
Monica and Liz faced each other next and both got sea urchin. Jeff garnished with seaweed. Both of them got it down, with Monica finishing first.
Ashley and Dave were up next. They got sea slug guts. Jeff blended it with water. Will Ashley live up to her claim? Dave was making vomiting sounds and Ashley turned her back and plugged her ears. She was having a seriously awful time of it. Are Liz's claims warranted? Yes, indeed. She was super close to finishing it, but gave up. That does not bode well for her. Galu won the challenge. Russell decided to send Shambo over to Foa Foa, and she let it be known that she didn't think it was very fair, and asked him to spread the love. He denied it, and muttered that she has to pay for the chicken she lost.
Back at Foa Foa beach, Shambo said she would take a group hug instead of a steak. Dr. Mick was disappointed in Ashley's inability to finish the shake. She said she was close to passing out from her attempt. Natalie was all happy and encouraging to her, but in the end, it was her fault that they lost.
Before the feast at Galu, Russell told the tribe that he sent Shambo because she needed to pay for losing the chicken. They couldn't eat, though, because Russell messed up the fire. Dave wanted to fix it, but said he had to ask the chief first. Russell, in his kind of passive aggressive way, told Dave to go ahead and fix it. Fix it, he did, and the Survivor BBQ was on. Dave said that he planned on downplaying his awesomeness, because actions speak louder than words.
Back at Foa Foa, Shambo told the tribe she was going to share her clues with the whole tribe, because they are more of a tribe to her than her own was. Of course she did not find it, and the rest of the tribe thought that Ben might have had it. Liz suspects that Russell has it and confronted him. He threatened her and told her she was walking on thin ice for confronting him.
Oh, how Galu wished they had the tarp that Russell turned down when the rain came down in sheets. For hours. And hours. Dave waded through flood waters to get tree mail.
Immunity Challenge
Shambo returned to Galu and got almost no welcome, which Probst recognized. In the pouring rain, Jeff told them that one man and one woman from each tribe will hang onto a rope connected to a net, while the other tribe tries to fill the net with coconuts. The person who holds the net the longest wins.
Dave, Shambo, and Brett sit the challenge out.
Liz and Russell held ropes for Foa Foa. Other Russell and Laura held ropes for Galu. The rain poured down as the nets filled with coconuts. Galu is scoring more than Foa Foa, and Ashley is missing all of her throws. The rain poured down more. Probst blogs that he loves rainy challenges, so I bet he was just in love with this one. Russell was the first one down, with a huge net full of coconuts. Liz hung on for dear life. In the end, her net was just too full, and Galu was back on their winning streak.
I think that Ashley is going to be in trouble for her poor performance at both challenges. I bet that Evil Russell will go after Liz. Jaison's hands and feet were completely waterlogged, and he claimed to want to get out of there. They were all huddled in the shelter, with little room for secret strategy. Ashley wanted to know if they should talk about it in the open, or if they should just all vote individually. They decided to keep quiet and vote on their own. Ought to be interesting. Russell is not happy with the rain delay of his strategy. He is unhappy with Liz, but she is strong.
Tribal Council
Jeff asked Jaison what the toughest thing pre-Survivor he had done, and it was intense training for the US National team of water polo. Jeff asked Ashley if the warm fire and shelter of Tribal was somewhat welcome. Ashley says that her biggest connections on the tribe are Natalie and Russell. Liz thinks that the adversity of always losing has brought them closer.
Votes went to Ashley and Liz. (And someone spelled Ashley's name Ashlie. That's a new one). She of the mispelled name is out. I think she deserved to be out, because she did not hold her own in the challenges. She was a cutie, but cute doesn't win challenges. Even her buddy Natalie voted for her. So much for no united front!
Next week, more storms and a call to medical!
In the morning, Erik had a battle with the ocean. How dare it have strong waves when he was trying to wash himself? Over at Foa Foa, the ocean was also wreaking havoc on their camp.
Tree Mail indicated a gross food from the ocean challenge. And they have to keep it down. Ashley thinks that she'll be great at the challenge because she'll eat anything once. Liz told Evil Russell that Ashley was going to suck at the challenge. Evil Russell told the other men that Liz was trying to sow seeds of dissent. He didn't like the competition at the mind game.
Reward Challenge
Jeff is making a smoothie of several different ocean ingredients (as determined by a throw of a ball, roulette style). Each person who gets it down is a point (no time limit), and the first to five points wins a Survivor BBQ. The person sent to the other tribe has to miss the reward.
Now, I would like to think that I could eat almost anything, but a smoothie would be much harder.
Kelly, Laura, and John sit out for Galu.
Shambo and Jaison got giant clam and Jeff's choice. He added octopus, sea snails, noni juice, and a seaweed garnish. Shambo rocked it out without a problem. Jaison struggled, but kept it down in the end.
Next was Evil Russell vs. Not Evil Russell. They both got jellyfish, which Jeff blended with milk. Not Evil Russell had no problem, and Evil Russell had a harder time, but got it down.
Mick vs. Brett, and they got giant clam with sea cucumber, which Jeff mixed with milk. Dr. Mick got it first. Brett licked his glass and kept it down.
Monica and Liz faced each other next and both got sea urchin. Jeff garnished with seaweed. Both of them got it down, with Monica finishing first.
Ashley and Dave were up next. They got sea slug guts. Jeff blended it with water. Will Ashley live up to her claim? Dave was making vomiting sounds and Ashley turned her back and plugged her ears. She was having a seriously awful time of it. Are Liz's claims warranted? Yes, indeed. She was super close to finishing it, but gave up. That does not bode well for her. Galu won the challenge. Russell decided to send Shambo over to Foa Foa, and she let it be known that she didn't think it was very fair, and asked him to spread the love. He denied it, and muttered that she has to pay for the chicken she lost.
Back at Foa Foa beach, Shambo said she would take a group hug instead of a steak. Dr. Mick was disappointed in Ashley's inability to finish the shake. She said she was close to passing out from her attempt. Natalie was all happy and encouraging to her, but in the end, it was her fault that they lost.
Before the feast at Galu, Russell told the tribe that he sent Shambo because she needed to pay for losing the chicken. They couldn't eat, though, because Russell messed up the fire. Dave wanted to fix it, but said he had to ask the chief first. Russell, in his kind of passive aggressive way, told Dave to go ahead and fix it. Fix it, he did, and the Survivor BBQ was on. Dave said that he planned on downplaying his awesomeness, because actions speak louder than words.
Back at Foa Foa, Shambo told the tribe she was going to share her clues with the whole tribe, because they are more of a tribe to her than her own was. Of course she did not find it, and the rest of the tribe thought that Ben might have had it. Liz suspects that Russell has it and confronted him. He threatened her and told her she was walking on thin ice for confronting him.
Oh, how Galu wished they had the tarp that Russell turned down when the rain came down in sheets. For hours. And hours. Dave waded through flood waters to get tree mail.
Immunity Challenge
Shambo returned to Galu and got almost no welcome, which Probst recognized. In the pouring rain, Jeff told them that one man and one woman from each tribe will hang onto a rope connected to a net, while the other tribe tries to fill the net with coconuts. The person who holds the net the longest wins.
Dave, Shambo, and Brett sit the challenge out.
Liz and Russell held ropes for Foa Foa. Other Russell and Laura held ropes for Galu. The rain poured down as the nets filled with coconuts. Galu is scoring more than Foa Foa, and Ashley is missing all of her throws. The rain poured down more. Probst blogs that he loves rainy challenges, so I bet he was just in love with this one. Russell was the first one down, with a huge net full of coconuts. Liz hung on for dear life. In the end, her net was just too full, and Galu was back on their winning streak.
I think that Ashley is going to be in trouble for her poor performance at both challenges. I bet that Evil Russell will go after Liz. Jaison's hands and feet were completely waterlogged, and he claimed to want to get out of there. They were all huddled in the shelter, with little room for secret strategy. Ashley wanted to know if they should talk about it in the open, or if they should just all vote individually. They decided to keep quiet and vote on their own. Ought to be interesting. Russell is not happy with the rain delay of his strategy. He is unhappy with Liz, but she is strong.
Tribal Council
Jeff asked Jaison what the toughest thing pre-Survivor he had done, and it was intense training for the US National team of water polo. Jeff asked Ashley if the warm fire and shelter of Tribal was somewhat welcome. Ashley says that her biggest connections on the tribe are Natalie and Russell. Liz thinks that the adversity of always losing has brought them closer.
Votes went to Ashley and Liz. (And someone spelled Ashley's name Ashlie. That's a new one). She of the mispelled name is out. I think she deserved to be out, because she did not hold her own in the challenges. She was a cutie, but cute doesn't win challenges. Even her buddy Natalie voted for her. So much for no united front!
Next week, more storms and a call to medical!
Top Chef: 10.14.09
Quickfire Challenge
The guest judge this week is Charlie Palmer, "pioneer of American cooking," and Bryan and Michael have worked for him in the past, but he promises no favoritism.
The challenge is about the art of pairing. They have to make a dish incorporating Alexia snacks - which look delicious, and I wish I had a bag right now, but have never tried.
Eli made a warm potato clam salad with cold fennel salad Alexia onion crunchy snack.
Red Beard made a warm bean confit tomato salad with frech herbs and creamed corn to go with the Alexia onion crunchy snack.
Bryan made a seared rib eye with pickled onion, sauteed mushrooms, chive puree to go with the onion crunchy snack.
Robin made a sweet corn pana cotta with an avocado moussiline with the jalepeno crunchy snacks.
Mike I. made chiliquiles wth waffle fries.
Michael V. made tuna tartare with avocado, pickled onions, and jalapenos.
Ash made chilled cucumber avocado soup with creme fraiche, crab, and red pepper, with the barbecue golden spicy waffle fries.
Laurine made swordfish with spinach, asparagus, and fava bean puree, paired with onion strips.
Jennifer C. did a sauteed pork chop with tomato sauce and feta cheese and was worried it was overcooked.
Robin, Ash, and Jennifer ended up in the bottom. In the top were Eli, Bryan, and Red Beard. Eli brought in the win.
For the Elimination Challenge, they drew knives for different parts of the pig. I love Red Beard more because he has a pig tattoo. Because Jennifer pulled "wild," she got to choose anything, and picked belly. They have to pair pig and pinot noir. They have to do 150 tasting portions. I think we've seen this restaurant before - it features a three story wine tower and wine angels flying to get the right bottle. The chefs got to do a pinot tasting. Each chef picked a wine to go with.
Cooking dinner at their apartment, and there as a lot of drama. Robin got on Eli's nerves something awful. She mumbled to herself a lot about every little thing.
Cooking time!
When Tom comes around for his look around, Mike I has a ton of little tiny meatballs to make. He is sure of himself. The brothers were swearing at each other and getting on each others nerves. Michael was the instigator. It was clearly meant to annoy his brother.
At the event, the chefs were nervous about the huge groups of people. When the judges showed up, the chefs got to present their food.
Michael had pork cheeks and made Root beer braised pork cheeks. I will not be outlining what pinot they paired with. I simply do not know enough about wine for it to make any difference for me.
Ash made a chilled pork tenderloin with a cherry and corn salad. His pork was called clammy and overcooked and oversalted. Not good.
Eli made a roasted pork belly with roasted root veggies. It got some good reviews, but the pairing was questioned.
Red Beard made a pork leg pate with cherry salad and sauce with pork fat. It was called smart and punched up.
Mike I. made stuffed pork shoulder over orange blossom yogurt. The orange was called overwhelming by one of the judges.
Bryan made a braised pork spare rib with parsnip puree. It got good marks.
Jennifer made a braised pork belly with a salad. It made Padma go mmmmmm.
Laurine did pork bytt rillettes with a salad and pearl onion chutney. One judge said it was like cat food. Not good.
Robin did a brined center cut pork chop with a coffee cherry sauce. Toby thought it was slimy and Tom thought it was too thin.
Judge's Table
Bryan, Michael, Red Beard, and Jennifer were called back first for the top of the pack. The judges were happy with all of the dishes, but in the end, Red Beard won it. Go Red Beard! He was invited to come back as guest chef the next year at the Pigs and Pinot event. As a pork lover and holder of a pig tattoo, that's wonderful for him.
Going back in the bottom of the heap were Ash, Laurine, and Robin. Robin stood by her dish. Toby didn't like the thin cut of the meat. Tom thought her sauce was gummy. Ash didn't have enough notes from the wines in his dish. He told them about the original dish he was going to make, which sounded delicious, but he changed his mind and did the less than stellar dish. The judges thought that something had gone wrong with Laurine's rillette, and she made it wrong, if she was going for traditional rillette. Back in the holding room, Ash lamented that his vital mistake was forgetting flavor. Oops. Robin forgot the pig. Oops. Laurine forgot to make food fit for human consumption. Oops.
In the end, Ash's lack of confidence doomed him, and he was gone. I think it was a good decision. He plans on making his original dish at his restaurant and inviting all the (male) judges.
Next time? Restaurant Wars!
The guest judge this week is Charlie Palmer, "pioneer of American cooking," and Bryan and Michael have worked for him in the past, but he promises no favoritism.
The challenge is about the art of pairing. They have to make a dish incorporating Alexia snacks - which look delicious, and I wish I had a bag right now, but have never tried.
Eli made a warm potato clam salad with cold fennel salad Alexia onion crunchy snack.
Red Beard made a warm bean confit tomato salad with frech herbs and creamed corn to go with the Alexia onion crunchy snack.
Bryan made a seared rib eye with pickled onion, sauteed mushrooms, chive puree to go with the onion crunchy snack.
Robin made a sweet corn pana cotta with an avocado moussiline with the jalepeno crunchy snacks.
Mike I. made chiliquiles wth waffle fries.
Michael V. made tuna tartare with avocado, pickled onions, and jalapenos.
Ash made chilled cucumber avocado soup with creme fraiche, crab, and red pepper, with the barbecue golden spicy waffle fries.
Laurine made swordfish with spinach, asparagus, and fava bean puree, paired with onion strips.
Jennifer C. did a sauteed pork chop with tomato sauce and feta cheese and was worried it was overcooked.
Robin, Ash, and Jennifer ended up in the bottom. In the top were Eli, Bryan, and Red Beard. Eli brought in the win.
For the Elimination Challenge, they drew knives for different parts of the pig. I love Red Beard more because he has a pig tattoo. Because Jennifer pulled "wild," she got to choose anything, and picked belly. They have to pair pig and pinot noir. They have to do 150 tasting portions. I think we've seen this restaurant before - it features a three story wine tower and wine angels flying to get the right bottle. The chefs got to do a pinot tasting. Each chef picked a wine to go with.
Cooking dinner at their apartment, and there as a lot of drama. Robin got on Eli's nerves something awful. She mumbled to herself a lot about every little thing.
Cooking time!
When Tom comes around for his look around, Mike I has a ton of little tiny meatballs to make. He is sure of himself. The brothers were swearing at each other and getting on each others nerves. Michael was the instigator. It was clearly meant to annoy his brother.
At the event, the chefs were nervous about the huge groups of people. When the judges showed up, the chefs got to present their food.
Michael had pork cheeks and made Root beer braised pork cheeks. I will not be outlining what pinot they paired with. I simply do not know enough about wine for it to make any difference for me.
Ash made a chilled pork tenderloin with a cherry and corn salad. His pork was called clammy and overcooked and oversalted. Not good.
Eli made a roasted pork belly with roasted root veggies. It got some good reviews, but the pairing was questioned.
Red Beard made a pork leg pate with cherry salad and sauce with pork fat. It was called smart and punched up.
Mike I. made stuffed pork shoulder over orange blossom yogurt. The orange was called overwhelming by one of the judges.
Bryan made a braised pork spare rib with parsnip puree. It got good marks.
Jennifer made a braised pork belly with a salad. It made Padma go mmmmmm.
Laurine did pork bytt rillettes with a salad and pearl onion chutney. One judge said it was like cat food. Not good.
Robin did a brined center cut pork chop with a coffee cherry sauce. Toby thought it was slimy and Tom thought it was too thin.
Judge's Table
Bryan, Michael, Red Beard, and Jennifer were called back first for the top of the pack. The judges were happy with all of the dishes, but in the end, Red Beard won it. Go Red Beard! He was invited to come back as guest chef the next year at the Pigs and Pinot event. As a pork lover and holder of a pig tattoo, that's wonderful for him.
Going back in the bottom of the heap were Ash, Laurine, and Robin. Robin stood by her dish. Toby didn't like the thin cut of the meat. Tom thought her sauce was gummy. Ash didn't have enough notes from the wines in his dish. He told them about the original dish he was going to make, which sounded delicious, but he changed his mind and did the less than stellar dish. The judges thought that something had gone wrong with Laurine's rillette, and she made it wrong, if she was going for traditional rillette. Back in the holding room, Ash lamented that his vital mistake was forgetting flavor. Oops. Robin forgot the pig. Oops. Laurine forgot to make food fit for human consumption. Oops.
In the end, Ash's lack of confidence doomed him, and he was gone. I think it was a good decision. He plans on making his original dish at his restaurant and inviting all the (male) judges.
Next time? Restaurant Wars!
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
So You Think You Can Dance - 10.14.09
Final Vegas Night!
77 dancers are left at the beginning of Day 2, and the first choreography up was Laurie Ann Gibson's Jazz. She took no prisoners.
The husband and wife team (Karen and Matthew) were split up for the routine. Karen seemed to do a really good job. She has stage presence, that's for sure. She is safe, but Nigel let her know that it was close. Matthew seemed to be struggling mightily. He's out. Poor Karen was so sad for him.
Others also had big problems with Jazz. Nigel looked disgusted. The feelings were just not there. By the end of the round Iveta and Willem were cut. So sad! I loved both of them.
Mollie Gray and Billy Bell were up in the last round, as was krumper Russell. I continue to be blown away by Russell. Mollie was told she has to start dancing like a woman instead of like a little girl. The judges were astounded how well Russell does with no formal training. They are all through.
Oh no! Mollie hurt her foot, claims it doesn't hurt. She doesn't want the judges to know about it, but she ended up calling in the medics.
69 dancers are left, and they are broken up in groups and have to choreograph their own routines to show to the judges in the morning. I love this show because they don't go into all the drama like AI does...
Russell and four contemporary dancers had to choreograph a Broadway routine. They only took an hour to work on their choreography night night before. They did a very good job and had some fun moves. Go Russell! Love him! They got wonderful reviews from the judges. Nigel thought it was inventive and creative. The whole group is through. Yay!
We saw very few of the rest of the routines. I wish we had see more of it.
Mollie was in the last group. She had gone to the hospital the night before, and they choreographed it without her. She was able to come back after only 2 hours of rehearsal and she was determined to stay in it. They had her in a chair for the choreography, but she was determined to get up and go for it. They were up for a lot of the night. They worked her hurt foot into the routine and she did a realyl cool split between the two guys. Mia was making faces throughout. She thought it was dumb. Nigel thought that they hid beneath their characters, but didn't show their dancing so much. They still got through the round.
Next up is contemporary with Mia. Everyone was scared, but she had them meditate or something in the beginning and seemed to be going for a kinder, softer Mia.
Kevin Hunt was in the first group. They loved his feet whle he was dancing (and so did I). He is a hip hopper, and you would never know it. He's through.
Lots of people seemed to do very well, and up last was Legacy's group. Though I thought he was pretty bad, Mia called him perfectly imperfect and he was through.
11 people got cut in contemporary. Lots of people who made it through did some crying.
For the final round, the girls and the guys were split up for a Broadway routine from Tyce.
In the first group is Pauline Marta who almost made the Top 20 last year. In her final jump of the routine, she landed wrong and broke her ankle. Holy crap, it looked like her foot almost fell off. She sat and watched the rest of the girls. (And in the end - she returned from the hospital and found out it was just a bad sprain. Holy cow, that's one awful sprain!)
Ashley Dilello was in the final group (and she is the one who was kind of fake and weird in the ballroom with her husband, Ryan). They told her that she's probably grown the most this week, and she is safe in this round. Her husband (who is still in it, too) is super proud of her.
The girls went to play in the pool while the guys did their routines. Montage of bikini clad young girls.
The boy's turn brought Ryan Dillelo out in the first group, and he ripped off his shirt to no one's disappointment. He is already playing Skin to Win. He's through this round. there was a montage of other fantastic men.
Dominic Pearson (who injured himself in the final round of Season 4's Vegas Week) is back. He was feeling confident, but seemed to be completely off in the choreography. In the end, he fell of the stage on purpose. He only got 2 votes and he's out. In tears, he crumbled to the ground. Nigel told him that he needs to buck it up and not cry when he gets cut, because dancing is a tough game. 6 more guys got cut before the round was over.
Final Solo time!
38 dancers are left, including poor Pauline.
Billy Bell's solo was up first. It was a beautiful solo that made Adam Shankman lose his cool. He was in tears. I don't think it was quite that beautiful, but I could be wrong.
Montage of solo bits. Wish we had seen more of them. They looked fantastic. There was one boy channeling Rocky in his gold underpants. Mia threw her comb at one person.
And who's in the Top 20? We won't know until next week!
77 dancers are left at the beginning of Day 2, and the first choreography up was Laurie Ann Gibson's Jazz. She took no prisoners.
The husband and wife team (Karen and Matthew) were split up for the routine. Karen seemed to do a really good job. She has stage presence, that's for sure. She is safe, but Nigel let her know that it was close. Matthew seemed to be struggling mightily. He's out. Poor Karen was so sad for him.
Others also had big problems with Jazz. Nigel looked disgusted. The feelings were just not there. By the end of the round Iveta and Willem were cut. So sad! I loved both of them.
Mollie Gray and Billy Bell were up in the last round, as was krumper Russell. I continue to be blown away by Russell. Mollie was told she has to start dancing like a woman instead of like a little girl. The judges were astounded how well Russell does with no formal training. They are all through.
Oh no! Mollie hurt her foot, claims it doesn't hurt. She doesn't want the judges to know about it, but she ended up calling in the medics.
69 dancers are left, and they are broken up in groups and have to choreograph their own routines to show to the judges in the morning. I love this show because they don't go into all the drama like AI does...
Russell and four contemporary dancers had to choreograph a Broadway routine. They only took an hour to work on their choreography night night before. They did a very good job and had some fun moves. Go Russell! Love him! They got wonderful reviews from the judges. Nigel thought it was inventive and creative. The whole group is through. Yay!
We saw very few of the rest of the routines. I wish we had see more of it.
Mollie was in the last group. She had gone to the hospital the night before, and they choreographed it without her. She was able to come back after only 2 hours of rehearsal and she was determined to stay in it. They had her in a chair for the choreography, but she was determined to get up and go for it. They were up for a lot of the night. They worked her hurt foot into the routine and she did a realyl cool split between the two guys. Mia was making faces throughout. She thought it was dumb. Nigel thought that they hid beneath their characters, but didn't show their dancing so much. They still got through the round.
Next up is contemporary with Mia. Everyone was scared, but she had them meditate or something in the beginning and seemed to be going for a kinder, softer Mia.
Kevin Hunt was in the first group. They loved his feet whle he was dancing (and so did I). He is a hip hopper, and you would never know it. He's through.
Lots of people seemed to do very well, and up last was Legacy's group. Though I thought he was pretty bad, Mia called him perfectly imperfect and he was through.
11 people got cut in contemporary. Lots of people who made it through did some crying.
For the final round, the girls and the guys were split up for a Broadway routine from Tyce.
In the first group is Pauline Marta who almost made the Top 20 last year. In her final jump of the routine, she landed wrong and broke her ankle. Holy crap, it looked like her foot almost fell off. She sat and watched the rest of the girls. (And in the end - she returned from the hospital and found out it was just a bad sprain. Holy cow, that's one awful sprain!)
Ashley Dilello was in the final group (and she is the one who was kind of fake and weird in the ballroom with her husband, Ryan). They told her that she's probably grown the most this week, and she is safe in this round. Her husband (who is still in it, too) is super proud of her.
The girls went to play in the pool while the guys did their routines. Montage of bikini clad young girls.
The boy's turn brought Ryan Dillelo out in the first group, and he ripped off his shirt to no one's disappointment. He is already playing Skin to Win. He's through this round. there was a montage of other fantastic men.
Dominic Pearson (who injured himself in the final round of Season 4's Vegas Week) is back. He was feeling confident, but seemed to be completely off in the choreography. In the end, he fell of the stage on purpose. He only got 2 votes and he's out. In tears, he crumbled to the ground. Nigel told him that he needs to buck it up and not cry when he gets cut, because dancing is a tough game. 6 more guys got cut before the round was over.
Final Solo time!
38 dancers are left, including poor Pauline.
Billy Bell's solo was up first. It was a beautiful solo that made Adam Shankman lose his cool. He was in tears. I don't think it was quite that beautiful, but I could be wrong.
Montage of solo bits. Wish we had seen more of them. They looked fantastic. There was one boy channeling Rocky in his gold underpants. Mia threw her comb at one person.
And who's in the Top 20? We won't know until next week!
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Finale Alert: Hell's Kitchen 10.13.09
Kevin, Dave, and Ariel are feeling pretty good after seeing their loved ones.
Ramsey introduced them to their challenge - there were three domes with international cuisine, and they have to cook something from that region of the world. Ariel got China. Dave got Indian and was a little scared. Kevin got Mexican. Dave was jealous of the Mexican pick. They have 45 minutes to make one stunning entree. They have ingredient shelves stocked with their regional items.
Oh, crap. Dave chose pork. Most Indians don't eat pork. Ugh.
Ramsey brought in experts from each cuisine to judge.
Ariel presented her (very nervous forgetting what she cooked) duck with lychee plum marinade. She then said that she ordered Chinese food all the time, but it's been a while since she's had Chinese takeout. It was called not balanced enough, pleasantly sweet, with a watery sauce. Mixed.
Kevin did an orange and cumin pork tenderloin with .... no sauce. He forgot to plate the mole. Ouch. The Mexican judge thought that it would have been astounding with the sauce. The Chinese judge liked it even without the sauce, as did the Indian judge.
Dave made a mung bean puree with seared pork tenderloin. He admitted that he didn't really know if pork was ok. The Indian judge told him that he should have gone with chicken or seafood. The Mexican judge liked his flavors. The Chinese judge liked it. The Indian judge really liked his lentils.
The Chinese judge gave his vote to Dave. The Mexican judge also gave his vote to Dave. The Indian judge also gave it to Dave, because he loved his ability to work with the spiced for the first time.
As a reward, Dave got each of the three judge's signature dishes prepared for him at the Chef's Table. He also got a full set of beautiful cookware (missed the brand - did anyone catch it?). As a surprise, his sister and his fiancee got to join him at the Chef's Table.
The punishment was to polish silverware and get the dining room set up.
Dave took some time to chat with the chefs and learn some things.
Ariel and Kevin got nagged by JP as they ironed tablecloths. They got to see Dave and his loved ones in the kitchen enjoying the reward. They certainly didn't enjoy that.
Time to get ready for service. Each of them will take a turn running the pass.
Kevin was up first, and there was the expected sabotage. Kevin was running the pass well, and he caught the first sabotage (halibut instead of sea bass). Ariel had some lamb that wasn't cooked right, and then she couldn't debone them properly because they were falling apart. Kevin kept sending the lamb back and wasn't listening to her complaints. Then, her lamb sauce went missing for a couple minutes. In the end, Kevin did a decent job.
Dave's turn up at the pass, and he was taking some crazy charge. He was whipping a towel around and swearing. He was rude to JP. Not sure if it was the best attitude, but the food was leaving the kitchen. Sabotage time - spinach puree instead of asparagus puree. He missed it. His second sabotaged dish was also missed. The tuna was not seared and had no sesame seeds. He got spanked verbally by Ramsey. He recovered well, and spotted some cold tuna, and some undersalted food. He hit his groove and the food kept moving. I think he did a good job.
Ariel took her turn at the pass. Her first sabotage was parsnip puree instead of mashed potatoes. She missed it. The next one was salmon instead of seabass, and she caught it (it was covered in garnish, so the pink was hidden). Then, she started yelling out too many orders at the same time. She complained the Kevin was dragging. Ariel lost control of the kitchen. Ramsey was not happy. Kevin was slow on cooking scallops, and wasn't getting them out at the right time.
Still, service was completed with minimal drama.
Ramsey asked each of them to tell them the one person who shouldn't be in the final.
Kevin thought that Ariel should not be in the finals. Ariel chose Kevin. Dave chose Ariel. Ramsey said that their answers didn't help him, and asked them each to tell him why they DO belong in the finals. Everyone basically said how great they are. Dave said that he has grown tenfold in the competition, and he has led himself. Ariel thinks she should be int he finals because she is young and creative.
Dave is in the finals! Woooooot! The second person in the finals is Kevin. Not a surprise to me. Ariel just didn't seem on the same level as either of them.
They have 30 minutes to get changed and get ready for their limo.
They have 45 minutes to do a menu item worthy of the Araxi, with 5 highly regarded judges.
Kevin is making a petite clam bake with poached lobster and corn pudding.
Dave is rack of venison with parsnip puree.
Alain Gayot (guide book author, food critic) really liked Dave's dish. He liked Kevin's presentation, but went for Dave's dish with his vote.
Jamie Maw (Canadian food critic) gave his vote to Dave as well.
Tanya Steel (Editor in Chief for Epicurious) was impressed with both dishes, but chose Kevin for her favorite.
Warren Garraty (Executive chef at West Restaurant in Vancouver) gave his vote to the lobster.
The final guest is Coleman something (from the now defuct Gourmet magazine) gave the win to Dave. Wooooot!
The cheftestants worked on their menus. Heather will be working with Kevin, and Scott will be working with Dave. In addition, they have some "secret ingredients" - some of their former competitors.
Dave got first pick and grabbed Ariel. Kevin chose Van. Dave's second choice was Robert. Kevin chose Amanda, because his menu was fish heavy, and she's good at fish. Dave's next choice was Suzanne, who expected to be picked last. Sabrina was the last member of Kevin's team.
Kevin's menu was intricate, but his plating was beautiful. Dave's menu was simpler.
Kevin's menu features caramelized scallops, coffee cured beef tenderloin, and a trio of creme brulee for dessert.
Dave's menu featured a wild mushroom risotto, venison, and a layered mousse for dessert.
Ramsey thought that Kevin's menu might be too complicated. He worried that Dave's might be too pedestrian. Then, he presented both of them with their white jackets.
Time for service! They skipped the restaurant design portion this season. I don't think I missed it so much.
Dave's kitchen was getting orders out quickly, with Robert making very good risotto. Amanda, over in Kevin's kitchen, was sinking the scallops. She asked "how cooked do you want the scallops?" and ended up sending up rubber. Ramsey told him to not be afraid to switch people up. He pulled Amanda and brought Van onto scallops. He finally got food out of the kitchen.
Dave, unfortunately ran low on mushrooms near the end. He told Robert to go a little lighter on the mushrooms. From that, Robert got that he should barely add any mushrooms. Robert took it as a personal insult when he got talked to about it, and started messing with Dave, making him drop things. Nice. Nice, to the guy with the broken wrist.
Amanda's switch to risotto didn't end well - it was sent back because it was crunchy. Dave's food wasn't coming up to the pass right, either. Ariel sent up overcooked venison. He caught it, though (whereas Kevin didn't catch the bad risotto), and she fixed the problem quickly.
The chef at the Araxi is eating at Hell's Kitchen tonight, too. Kevin was calling out different meat temps and confused Amanda. He blamed her. It was totally his fault. He called medium rare and then medium well and then back again a couple of times. No wonder she was confused. He did start to yell at Amanda, but then caught himself and helped his sous chefs instead of hollering at them. Good job.
Kevin tried to catch up to Dave (who was 2 tables ahead of him) by firing two tables at once. Dave's kitchen, meanwhile, started to have some problems. His kitchen seemed to start falling apart just as Kevin's hit it's stride. They managed to pull it together and finished pretty much right at the same time.
The Moment of Truth came. Ramsey told them that their comment cards were both amazing, and it was the closest finale yet. They stepped up to their Doors of Destiny. The door that opened belonged to ....
DAVE!!!!!
Yay for Dave!!! Kevin was a gracious loser, and I sure do hope that Dave didn't do irreparable damage to his wrist during this ordeal. And, I hope that his wife is happy moving to Whistler! I'm thrilled.
How about you? Do you think the best chef won?
Ramsey introduced them to their challenge - there were three domes with international cuisine, and they have to cook something from that region of the world. Ariel got China. Dave got Indian and was a little scared. Kevin got Mexican. Dave was jealous of the Mexican pick. They have 45 minutes to make one stunning entree. They have ingredient shelves stocked with their regional items.
Oh, crap. Dave chose pork. Most Indians don't eat pork. Ugh.
Ramsey brought in experts from each cuisine to judge.
Ariel presented her (very nervous forgetting what she cooked) duck with lychee plum marinade. She then said that she ordered Chinese food all the time, but it's been a while since she's had Chinese takeout. It was called not balanced enough, pleasantly sweet, with a watery sauce. Mixed.
Kevin did an orange and cumin pork tenderloin with .... no sauce. He forgot to plate the mole. Ouch. The Mexican judge thought that it would have been astounding with the sauce. The Chinese judge liked it even without the sauce, as did the Indian judge.
Dave made a mung bean puree with seared pork tenderloin. He admitted that he didn't really know if pork was ok. The Indian judge told him that he should have gone with chicken or seafood. The Mexican judge liked his flavors. The Chinese judge liked it. The Indian judge really liked his lentils.
The Chinese judge gave his vote to Dave. The Mexican judge also gave his vote to Dave. The Indian judge also gave it to Dave, because he loved his ability to work with the spiced for the first time.
As a reward, Dave got each of the three judge's signature dishes prepared for him at the Chef's Table. He also got a full set of beautiful cookware (missed the brand - did anyone catch it?). As a surprise, his sister and his fiancee got to join him at the Chef's Table.
The punishment was to polish silverware and get the dining room set up.
Dave took some time to chat with the chefs and learn some things.
Ariel and Kevin got nagged by JP as they ironed tablecloths. They got to see Dave and his loved ones in the kitchen enjoying the reward. They certainly didn't enjoy that.
Time to get ready for service. Each of them will take a turn running the pass.
Kevin was up first, and there was the expected sabotage. Kevin was running the pass well, and he caught the first sabotage (halibut instead of sea bass). Ariel had some lamb that wasn't cooked right, and then she couldn't debone them properly because they were falling apart. Kevin kept sending the lamb back and wasn't listening to her complaints. Then, her lamb sauce went missing for a couple minutes. In the end, Kevin did a decent job.
Dave's turn up at the pass, and he was taking some crazy charge. He was whipping a towel around and swearing. He was rude to JP. Not sure if it was the best attitude, but the food was leaving the kitchen. Sabotage time - spinach puree instead of asparagus puree. He missed it. His second sabotaged dish was also missed. The tuna was not seared and had no sesame seeds. He got spanked verbally by Ramsey. He recovered well, and spotted some cold tuna, and some undersalted food. He hit his groove and the food kept moving. I think he did a good job.
Ariel took her turn at the pass. Her first sabotage was parsnip puree instead of mashed potatoes. She missed it. The next one was salmon instead of seabass, and she caught it (it was covered in garnish, so the pink was hidden). Then, she started yelling out too many orders at the same time. She complained the Kevin was dragging. Ariel lost control of the kitchen. Ramsey was not happy. Kevin was slow on cooking scallops, and wasn't getting them out at the right time.
Still, service was completed with minimal drama.
Ramsey asked each of them to tell them the one person who shouldn't be in the final.
Kevin thought that Ariel should not be in the finals. Ariel chose Kevin. Dave chose Ariel. Ramsey said that their answers didn't help him, and asked them each to tell him why they DO belong in the finals. Everyone basically said how great they are. Dave said that he has grown tenfold in the competition, and he has led himself. Ariel thinks she should be int he finals because she is young and creative.
Dave is in the finals! Woooooot! The second person in the finals is Kevin. Not a surprise to me. Ariel just didn't seem on the same level as either of them.
They have 30 minutes to get changed and get ready for their limo.
They have 45 minutes to do a menu item worthy of the Araxi, with 5 highly regarded judges.
Kevin is making a petite clam bake with poached lobster and corn pudding.
Dave is rack of venison with parsnip puree.
Alain Gayot (guide book author, food critic) really liked Dave's dish. He liked Kevin's presentation, but went for Dave's dish with his vote.
Jamie Maw (Canadian food critic) gave his vote to Dave as well.
Tanya Steel (Editor in Chief for Epicurious) was impressed with both dishes, but chose Kevin for her favorite.
Warren Garraty (Executive chef at West Restaurant in Vancouver) gave his vote to the lobster.
The final guest is Coleman something (from the now defuct Gourmet magazine) gave the win to Dave. Wooooot!
The cheftestants worked on their menus. Heather will be working with Kevin, and Scott will be working with Dave. In addition, they have some "secret ingredients" - some of their former competitors.
Dave got first pick and grabbed Ariel. Kevin chose Van. Dave's second choice was Robert. Kevin chose Amanda, because his menu was fish heavy, and she's good at fish. Dave's next choice was Suzanne, who expected to be picked last. Sabrina was the last member of Kevin's team.
Kevin's menu was intricate, but his plating was beautiful. Dave's menu was simpler.
Kevin's menu features caramelized scallops, coffee cured beef tenderloin, and a trio of creme brulee for dessert.
Dave's menu featured a wild mushroom risotto, venison, and a layered mousse for dessert.
Ramsey thought that Kevin's menu might be too complicated. He worried that Dave's might be too pedestrian. Then, he presented both of them with their white jackets.
Time for service! They skipped the restaurant design portion this season. I don't think I missed it so much.
Dave's kitchen was getting orders out quickly, with Robert making very good risotto. Amanda, over in Kevin's kitchen, was sinking the scallops. She asked "how cooked do you want the scallops?" and ended up sending up rubber. Ramsey told him to not be afraid to switch people up. He pulled Amanda and brought Van onto scallops. He finally got food out of the kitchen.
Dave, unfortunately ran low on mushrooms near the end. He told Robert to go a little lighter on the mushrooms. From that, Robert got that he should barely add any mushrooms. Robert took it as a personal insult when he got talked to about it, and started messing with Dave, making him drop things. Nice. Nice, to the guy with the broken wrist.
Amanda's switch to risotto didn't end well - it was sent back because it was crunchy. Dave's food wasn't coming up to the pass right, either. Ariel sent up overcooked venison. He caught it, though (whereas Kevin didn't catch the bad risotto), and she fixed the problem quickly.
The chef at the Araxi is eating at Hell's Kitchen tonight, too. Kevin was calling out different meat temps and confused Amanda. He blamed her. It was totally his fault. He called medium rare and then medium well and then back again a couple of times. No wonder she was confused. He did start to yell at Amanda, but then caught himself and helped his sous chefs instead of hollering at them. Good job.
Kevin tried to catch up to Dave (who was 2 tables ahead of him) by firing two tables at once. Dave's kitchen, meanwhile, started to have some problems. His kitchen seemed to start falling apart just as Kevin's hit it's stride. They managed to pull it together and finished pretty much right at the same time.
The Moment of Truth came. Ramsey told them that their comment cards were both amazing, and it was the closest finale yet. They stepped up to their Doors of Destiny. The door that opened belonged to ....
DAVE!!!!!
Yay for Dave!!! Kevin was a gracious loser, and I sure do hope that Dave didn't do irreparable damage to his wrist during this ordeal. And, I hope that his wife is happy moving to Whistler! I'm thrilled.
How about you? Do you think the best chef won?
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