Top Chef Masters Recap

By Jason Lee

July 28, 2009

Unlike the regular Top Chefs, these guys drink water while they hang out.

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Finally, we have Art, who got the grains aisle. He makes a risotto with a crispy rice salad, professing that he made the whole thing with "love." This, of course, reminds me of last season's wonderfully spazzy Carla. The diners seem to love the texture of Art's dish.

The scores come out as follows: Jonathan gets three and a half stars. Roy gets a surprising four stars. Art gets four and a half and Michael gets a very surprising five stars for his parfait (guess that lady got tipsy enough to forgive the rum).

The Elimination Challenge is an interesting one: the chefs draw knives with the names of their fellow contestants' name on it. They each get to shop for their selected chef to form a "Mystery Box" filled with 11 ingredients. That chef will have to use at least seven out of the 11 ingredients in their dish. I can easily see how any one chef could absolutely sabotage another chef through this challenge.

But Jonathan doesn't buy it. Though all the viewers already know that this is going to be a lovey-dovey group (they're apparently all in awe of each other), he tells us bluntly, "sabotage doesn't existing in the professional culinary world." Ummm, Jonathan, let me introduce you to my friend Spike. He has a chicken salad that he'd like you to try.




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The ingredients are purchased and the boxes are filled. It is revealed that Roy had drawn Art and Art had drawn Roy and thus, they shopped for each other. The subsequent scene unfolds like the politest Christmas morning that you've ever seen. "Ohmygosh, I love this! Thank you! Oh wow, I'm really happy to have this. You did a really great job shopping. How did you know that I wanted this? Thank you!"

As they (and we) have already guessed, Michael and Jonathan have drawn each other. There's not much drama here except that Jonathan, the Godfather, has given Michael, his old line cook, no seafood in his box. None. And Michael is a seafood expert. Oh boy, looks like Darth Vader just pwned Obi-Wan (am I mixing up too many characters from different movies? Oh well).

The Masters get cooking and we have our typical montage of chopping and sautéing. Roy is preparing a marinade of some short ribs, which he's pairing with some mahi mahi for a surf and turf. Michael is doing medallions of lamb. Jonathan is complaining about his bad eyesight and Art is babbling on about food being love again. Yes, yes, we know that you and Carla are culinary soulmates with the same philosophy about food. Now quiet down, Team Rainbow.

The judges today are Gail Simmons from Food and Wine Magazine, Gael Greene whose the food critic for the NY Times and James Oseland, some food writer. Typical panel but minus Jay, the caustic Brit. Also dining are a bunch of culinary students, though not many details are given about them.


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