Top Chef - 11.11.09

Bryan is missing his son (who is super cute).  Jennifer is stunned that Mike I. is gone.  Robin's just happy to still be there.


Quickfire

The Chefs go to the Venetian Hotel kitchen, and they get a phone call from Padma in bed.  Their Quickfire is a room service breakfast in bed for her and Nigella Lawson.  I. Love. Nigella.  Michael decided to clean his section before working and used up 10 minutes of precious time.  He was then a complete jackass and yelled at her when she came to get her stuff.

Robin is up first.  She served up blintz with goat cheese, caramelized pineapples and blueberries.

Eli presented them with a Rueben Benedict.  That looked very very yummy.  I love reubens, and I love eggs benedict.


Michael made a play on heuvos Cubana. 

Red Beard made Steak & Eggs with creme fraiche, aged cheddar and green onion.  Yes, please.

Jennifer made creamed chipped beef - S.O.S (Shit on a shingle).  Nice.

Bryan made them 4 minutes eggs with vanilla beurre fondu, king crab and asparagus.  The vanilla threw Nigella off.

I wish someone had made pancakes or french toast or something.  Robin's Blintz doesn't count.

The least favorites were Bryan's because of the vanilla, and Robin because she was too one note.  Red Beard and Eli were on the top, with Eli winning.  Good for him.  I now want a Reuben.  Or Egg's Benedict.  His recipe is going in the Top Chef Quickfire Challenge cookbook, which is pretty slick.

They draw knives with casinos on them, and they will be catering for 175 guests on top of the World Market Center, and getting inspiration from their casinos and their exploration of the strip.  Some people had no idea what they were going to make after their explorations (Jennifer) and others get lots of inspiration (Bryan).  Eli complained about his inspiration. 

The chefs get to cooking, and seem to do well in the kitchen.  They transfer to the dining area with an hour left to prep.

Serving time!


Jennifer was behind on making her dishes and hand nothing up when the judges arrived. She had a NY Strip with red wine reduction, beets, truffles, and herbs.  It was meant to bring to mind the sword in the stone.  Nigella wanted the sword to cut the beef, but then picked it up and announced it was the stone.  Ouch.

Red Beard made a Wild Alaskan Sockeye salmon with napa cabbage and cucumber.  It looked amazing. 

Michael made boneless chicken wing confit with curry and blue cheese disk.  Pretty neat.  I love wings.

Robin made a panna cotta and had to apologize for the missing sculptural sugar that didn't work.  The judges said it was way too solid, and they weren't sold.

Bryan made a escabeche of halibut with bouillabaisse consome, parsley coulis, and garlic chips.  It got very good marks.

Eli made caramel apple and peanut soup with popcorn and raspberry froth.  Nigella was frightened by it, and with reason.  Padme and Nigella were not fans.  Toby and Tom didn't hate it as much, though Toby said that he gambled and lost.


Judge's Table

Michael, Red Beard, and Bryan are called back first.  In the end, Michael won it.  Yum.  Wings..  Nigella presented him with a monster bottle of wine, and Padma said that he's also won a trip to the vineyard.  Nice.

Jennifer, Eli, and Robin are up for elimination.  Jennifer's dish didn't go far enough, and her beef was not done well.  Toby called it more Spamalot than Camelot.

Robin's panna cotta failed.  I love Nigella.  She said that she wants her panna cotta to have the quiveriness of a 17th century inner thigh.  That's the quote of the night.

Eli's dish was just a failure all around.  Padma would never want to eat it again.  Ouch.

In the end, it was Jennifer looking disgusted with herself, and it was Robin finally going home.

Right decision.  What did you think?