Top Chef Masters 6.24.09

The chefs tonight are

Wilo Bennet is a chef in Puerto Rico, and he's been a chef for over 20 years. He's playing for San Jorge Children's Foundation.

Cindy Pawlcyn is the "queen of Napa Valley cooking." She's competing for a charity that helps the underinsured.

Ludovic Lefavre is the next subtitled chef of the night. He's playing for C.H.A.S.E for Life, to teach people how to do CPR to help save children.

The last chef tonight is Rick Bayless and he's competing for the Fronteir Farmer foundation, which gives grants to small farmers.

Not-Padma welcomed the chefs and introduced the Quickfire Challenge,and the chefs had to draw knives, which were different colors. They have to create one-colored dishes, and they are being judged by food photographer and stylists.

Ludovic's Red Dish: Steak Tartare with watermelon, red onion, and beet gazpacho. He was freaking out because the waiters didn't bring the beet gazpacho. The judges didn't like the gazpacho when it was poured on the plate, because it looked a bit like blood. Oops.

Cindy's Yellow Dish: Yellow vegetable curry over sweet corn grits, fried corn tortillas. I would eat that. They liked the different colors of yellow and different textures.

Rick's Green Dish: Roasted vegetables on a banana leaf, with tomatillo, green chili, and pumpkin seeds. They seemed to like it.

Wilo's Orange Dish: Smoked Salmon tartare with coconut milk and tomato paste sauce. The plating ring was left on the plate, and that's a mistake, but the judges liked the flavor.

Not-Padme announced the scores. Ludovic got 3 stars. Cindy got 3.5 stars. Rick got 4 stars. Wilo got 4.5 stars, ring mold and all.

For the elimination challenge, they have to create street food dishes to serve to the general public at Universal Studios. They will be using unique proteins, which they drew knives for.

Wilo got beef hearts. Rick got tongue. Cindy got tripe. Ludo got pig's ears. They have $300 to shop for additional ingredients, access to the entire Top Chef pantry, and 3 hours to prep. Ludo was upset because he was planning a quesadilla and Rick was planning a taco. Cindy was excited to work with offal, because she has actually started a club called "Girls Who Eat Guts." She's kind of awesome.

They have to use pressure cookers to get the offal cooking right (or it's a good idea to), and Cindy got help from Rick in setting it up. Ludo had a hard time getting everything done and refused help in packing up.

Ludo also had a hard time getting his stuff cooked at the event.

Gael Green's Hat made an appearance for judging again. How lovely!

Rick served up a tongue taco, and it sounded pretty good. The judges called it brilliant and melt in your mouth tender. Gael Green's Hat would like a second one.

Wilo was serving a Puerto Rican Tripleta with Heart in pita bread. Some of the judges thought it was a bit too much toppings, but the heart was cooked well.

Ludo was having a terrible time getting things cooked. He used his accent to try to get on the waiting diner's good sides. The judges said the quesadillas were kind of like a grilled cheese sandwich with pig's ear.

Cindy was serving Menudo. The judges liked the tripe, but some seemed to think it was a little underseasoned.

Not-Padme brought the chefs in front of the critics.

Total Scores are:

Ludovic: 16.5 stars
Cindy: 15.5 stars
Rick: 22.5 stars
Wilo: 19.5 stars

Rick wins this round, and I think deservedly.

Until next week!