Top Chef - 4/9/08

Again, not an in depth play by play, but some general thoughts.

Zoi is still bitter about being in the bottom. She needs to get over it or I am not going to like her for long.

Quickfire Challenge: Ming Tsai is the guest judge this week, and it's all about good taste and palate. Blind folds! Love this challenge. This time they have to distinguish between the high quality and low quality ingredients.

Most people seemed to do really well.

Stephanie got 6/10 and lost. Ick.
runners up with 11/15 were Ryan and Jen. Zoi again is irritated.
12/15 is Antonia, and I was happy to see that.

The Challenge is cooking for the Meals on Wheels Celebrity Chef Ball, creating the first course. There are four different first courses representing the different elements.

Team Water was Richard, Andrew, and Mark. They busted out the circulating water bath and the fish.

Team Air was Jen, Nikki, and Ryan. Duck Breast with pomegranate. Ryan (I think) threw out the pomegranate juice that they were intending to use for a cocktail and Nikki reprimanded Ryan for cursing.

Team Earth was Zoi, Antonia and Spike. Beef carpachio, sunchokes, and marinated mushrooms. Spike was adamant about the butternut squash soup. Zoi spent some more time complaining about the fact that this is a quick competition and she can't take her time. I am readily starting to like her less.

Team Fire was Lisa, Dale, and Stephanie. The most initial drama came from them, I think. Lisa was really annoying. Prawns and bacon, with a chili salad, with a Asian twist. Lisa's bacon didn't come out as she wanted it too.

Time for the serving.

Water: Scales on fish? Not ok. NOT ok. Again with the fake tapioca caviar. Definitely in the bottom.

Fire: The shrimp gets really good marks. Definitely hot and spicy, feeling the fire. I think this is the winner.

Air: Duck skin not rendered off. And Tom was not liking the drink with it.

Earth: They didn't like the spicing at all. Someone from this team is probably going home.

Judges Table

The Fire team was obviously the winner. I want some of Lisa's bacon. She won the trip, and I think it was worth her being a pain because she was right, apparently. Dale was angry at her winning for cooking bacon. But, she cooked bacon in a new and delicious way.

Earth and Water were sent back as the bottom (I predict indignation from Zoi).

Water was in trouble. Parsnip and vanilla? That's an odd one to think about, especially next to mushy salmon and tapioca caviar already done.

Earth had a problem with lack of seasoning, and overkill with rosemary. Spike brought up his soup idea again, and it was actually called a very good idea by the judges. Zoi is really annoying to me. I wanted to like her because I like Jen so far, but I'm having difficulty.

Zoi has to pack her knives, and I was sad for Jen, but really won't miss Zoi much. She had a really high opinion of her cooking and never backed it up on the show.

More pissiness from Spike about his soup. Antonia is bitching right back. This is what happens when the chefs are all locked in a room with lots of wine. Tempers flare. Insane.