Watch What We Say: Top Chef

By Jason Lee

January 16, 2009

We knew she was in trouble when Kathie Lee Gifford liked her.

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Tom says that this week's challenge is an example of what happens when good ingredients are in the hands of bad chefs. Ouch. While they give a little bit of consideration to sending Radhika home ("she took a backseat and didn't seem very bothered by it," says Padma) they reserve their harshest criticisms for the Lamb team.

"What is [Ariane] doing here if she can't butcher a leg of lamb?" Tom asks.

Padma feels sorry for her but Toby chides her, "Don't let pity cloud your judgment...she can't cook."

"Well, she can cook. She's made some beautiful dishes before," Padma says, trying in vain to at least stand up for Ariane and maintain her dignity.

"But correct me if I'm wrong, we have to judge only on what we saw today. Everything before is gone?" Toby asks and is affirmed by Tom.

I'm really sweating now, super worried that Ariane is gonna go home. Usually, the chef that makes the most elementary mistakes, the chef that seems like they're least equipped to be in the competition goes home. That certainly sounds like Ariane, though I have a smidgen of hope for Leah to go home instead.

"Leah knew something was wrong and let her teammate take the fall," Padma points out. Dan Barber agrees and says that Leah's refusal to take any responsibility for the bad butchering or tying of the lamb was his biggest pet peeve during Judges Table.

The chefs come back out and the final accusations are leveled at them.




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Radhika didn't contribute enough. Fabio obliterated his dish with pesto. Jeff made the mistake of removing the fat and the bone from the pork but his fried green tomato dish was spectacular, it honored the ingredients and in the end, it saves any of his teammates from having to go home.

For the Lamb team, Leah didn't contribute much to the team and she needs to fight for the dishes that she wants to see on her menu. Ariane demonstrated that she's lacking in butchering experience, the lamb was not cooked well and it was too heavy with the marinade. Hosea had more experience but let his teammate flounder. She got in over her head and he should know better.

It's not even a question at this point. Ariane is going home. And I'm super sad.

Yep, she's asked to pack her knives and go.

"It's been a pleasure having you here," Padma tells her.

"It's been a pleasure, it's been a great experience," Ariane says, though you can clearly tell that she's super pissed off. Jaime is totally shocked that Ariane has been eliminated but Ariane says that she knew it would be her and she's proud of what she's done, even if she feels that she doesn't deserve to go home. She says that she started way on the bottom but made her way to the top and that her family will be proud of her.

I'm proud of you, too, Ariane. And I'm totally coming to your restaurant when I'm on the east coast.


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