Top Chef Recap

By Jason Lee

January 30, 2009

I love me some me.

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First up, we have Leah vs. Nikki playing in the style of the NY Giants. Nikki is doing chicken livers and an arugula salad . . . Leah disapproves of those ingredients and thinks, in the cockiest way possible, that she'll have no problem beating her. I hate Leah. Unfortunately, Nikki's livers lose to Leah's NY strip steak and creamed corn three judges to one (with only Toby liking Nikki's dish and Padma, Tom and Scott going for Leah). Thankfully, Nikki wins over the culinary students and the score is 7-3 in favor of Season 5.

Miguel and Hosea go next in the style of the Seattle Seahawks. Hosea criticizes Miguel for having too many elements in his dish and again, unfortunately, the Season 5 chef is right as Miguel's cedar plank salmon loses to Hosea's crispy salmon roll 3 judges to 1 (with Padma, Toby and Scott liking Hosea and Tom liking Miguel). The students go for Hosea as well (ARGH!) and Season 5 is up by 14 points.

I realize at this point that I'm really rooting for the All-Stars to win this. Plus, I just hate Leah and Hosea.

Carla goes up against Andrew next in a battle of the south. Andrew is doing a crawfish crudo and Carla, in a fit of total ambition, is going to make a gumbo in 20 minutes. The audacity of her dish is leaving me speechless...but it turns out great! Carla sweeps the judges, the first to do so thus far! Of course, the tasters are less impressed and they go for Andrew four to one. 24 to 6 in favor of Season 5. This could be a runaway.




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Stefan goes up against Andrea next and I'm praying that our favorite healthy-eating chef gives Stefan a taste of humility. He's doing prime rib with sliced pork (meat two ways) and Andrea is doing a tex-mex chili with crispy corn chips. Andrea talks a little smack with him and Stefan proclaims his love for her. "Call me!" he says in the backstage interview. Gross. I hate him.

The judges, on the other hand, are SPLIT!! Padma and Toby go with Andrea while Scott and Tom go with Stefan. What happens now? Apparently, whoever wins the student tasting panel gets ALL TEN POINTS.

Holy cow, and the winner is . . . . Andrea, who wins every student vote!!! She's beaten Stefan! WOOHOO!!

Stefan is stunned. He's not the only one.

"Who got the points?" asks Jaime as Stefan re-enters the kitchen.

"Andrea!" exclaims Stefan in disbelief. Andrew takes a moment to make fun of Stefan's German accent. Hosea is just happy to see him get beat.

My sister, upon seeing this, exclaims, "If he's the only one from Season 5 who loses, he HAS to go home!" I'm suddenly rooting for Season 5 to pull through. We have three chefs left.

Jaime is up next against Camille and I think this should be an easy win for Jaime, who's putting up a crab cioppino against Camille's sweet potato and miso hash. Wow, it's a tie, with Padma and Toby going for Jaime and Scott and Tom going for Camille. Will Jaime follow in Stefan's footsteps? No! Jaime wins all the testers and takes home ten points. It's 34-16 with Season 5 ahead.


Continued:       1       2       3       4       5       6

     


 
 

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