Top Chef Recap
By David Mumpower
January 6, 2014
The challenge preparations involve a lot of evaluation about the intent of the rules. Shirley is convinced that Carrie has gone down the wrong path because the Seattle chef is not highlighting the local fish properly. Carrie believes that since she has prepared this dish before, she knows that the flavors are tremendous in combination. Several people choose to do cold dishes, so the best one will win while the others are probably going to look terrible by comparison.
Nick believes that the oysters are the key to the dish. Alas, he has a setback when he notices that the oysters previously shucked have a briny flavor. He has to waste a great deal of time shucking his own. Carlos and the man he threw under the bus are experiencing an oddly symmetrical pair of challenges today. He too winds up wasting time on something he had not expected. Carlos chooses to craft sushi in order to redeem himself after Restaurant Wars. He has the wrong knife for such a task, though.
Carlos boldly asks Nick to borrow his knife. Some chefs would put said knife in Carlos’ back after what transpired in the previous Elimination challenge. Nick is classier than that. After initially saying no, he eventually provides Carlos with his prized possession, noting that it was a wedding gift. Nick expects Carlos to take great care of his knife. If that sounds homoerotic, you are watching too much Bravo TV.
Before the meal begins, judges Hugh Acheson, John Besh and Tom Colicchio engage in a discussion that is worrisome for Carrie if it is foreshadowing. Besh mentions that some contestants will focus more on preparing a dish for 200 guests rather than calculating whether their flavors are ambitious enough to win the challenge. He notes that he is sure that someone will play it safe. Tom resoundingly rejects this sort of tactic, stating firmly that he would rather suffer #EpicFail than run to the middle of the pack. Carrie was the only person specifically mentioned as playing her menu safe.
With only seven chefs left, the editing team does not bother to hide who does well versus who struggles. Brian has shown the ambition the judges wanted, and is praised appropriately for the effort. Nina, as usual, is spot on with her flavors. Last week’s hiccup notwithstanding, she is one of the most consistent chefs in the history of Top Chef.
Stephanie redeems herself with John Besh by crafting a delicious plate of food. She may be crestfallen to watch the episode air, however, as Tom seemed to like it more than he did. The judges and guests all love Shirley’s presentation. Padma even compliments her for looking happy when she presented it. Okay.
Nick has demonstrated wonderful technique yet the results bore the guests. Imagine what the judges think of them. Don’t get too down, though, Nick! Carlos has not seasoned his dish enough, and his fish is too briny, the very issue Nick worked to avoid. Even if both of them wind up on the bottom, I would have to think that Nick is safe because he anticipated the issue that has set Carlos. Plus, Nick has demonstrated much more technique. The burgeoning feud between them also has not settled because Carlos inexplicably fails to return Nick’s knife. In fact, he hasn’t even cleaned it. Carlos is not coming across well over the last three episodes.
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