Top Chef - 4/16/08

Spike starts out the show half naked and pissed That people wanted him off last week. Ryan did some yoga and Zoi's girlfriend is sad. Dale and Lisa have totally different personalities and don't get along. On to the Quick Fire.

Lots of Beer. Each chef can taste three beers before choosing one. The theme is Simple Pleasures.
Richard made a Grilled Tuna sandwich. No smoker in sight.

Andew made a Trout with Gastrique.

Dale made a Pork tenderloin dusted with pretzel dust. oops.

Antonia made Miso glazed Cod

Nikki - Citrus shrimp.

Stephanie - mussels with vinagrette

Mark - Juniper Lamb and honey

Ryan - lamb something

Spike - not sure what it was, but it was odd.

Lisa - Bacon Cheeseburger, with chips.

Jennifer amde seafood beigets. I can't spell that. They looked yummy.

Nikki, Spike, and Dale are in the bottom. Richard, Stephanie, and Jennifer get top marks, with Jennifer winning Immunity.

They are going to the Bears game to cook for a Tailgating party. The fans will pick top 3 and bottom 3.

30 minutes to shop, $350. Spike grabbed up 350 wings. Wow. Mark is feeling intruded upon when other people take shrimp, and with the best quote ever, "How can I throw a shrimp on the Barbie?"

The prep work for the Challenge was quick and pretty well done, including Mark exploding a blender. At the end, they run out of room in the fridge, and they actually tape the thing shut. Hope that the tape doesn't break.

Back at the apartment, there is some drinking and some men in a bubble bath. Wait, what?

At the challenge, they can choose between gas or charcoal grills, and Mark says he is the only one with "testicular fortitude" enough to use a charcoal grill. Funny.

Stephanie made a Pork Tenderloin with bacon something.

Dale made Ribs in a tandoori and potato salad. That looked amazing. I love Indian food, so hey...

Spike made wings with jicama pineapple slaw. That also looks good.

Antonia made jerk chicken. Mmmmm.

Ryan made bread salad, chicken, and poached pear and had the fans help him serve it. He was working the crowd, that's a plan.

Andrew made beer mustard glazed shrimp with potato parsnip puree with apple chutney and bacon. He's wearing a helmet and I am embarrassed for him.

Nikki made a pathetic portion of sausage and pepper, with store bought sausage, and she ran out of peppers and onion before the judges got there.

Lisa made Skirt steak and corn cake

Jennifer made chicken and quinoa tabbouleh

Richard made a Pate Melt. I want that.

Mark on his manly grill make chicken skewers with chowder, and it was a mess presentation-wise. That could bite him.

Time for Judges Table.

Antonia, Dale, and Stephanie go back first, and they are the Top 3. The winner was Dale, and I am happy with that. I want his recipe. I love Tandoori Chicken, and I would love to try ribs like that. Also, he is a Chicago native, and I think he wanted this win more than almost anyone.

In the bottom 3 are Mark, Nikki, and Ryan. Nikki's store bought sausage and lack of condiments and random shrimp was criticized. Ryan's elitist non-tailgate food with poached pears was criticized. Mark's rough chowder ("I didn't feel like straining it") and lack of presentation and tasting off a serving spoon was criticized. Any of them could be going home.

I was happy to see Ryan gone, he was really annoying. He refused to cook Tailgate food, for a Tailgating challenge. Stupid. Buh-Bye.

Next week is a Pastry challenge. That could be dangerous. The improv looks interesting.

Good week!