New at BOP: Review: Matrix Resurrections Movie Review: Moonfall Movie Reviews: Scream The #1 Movie in America November Forecast The Many Saints of Newark October Forecast New Trivia Question All site updates Share & Save   Tweet Print this column

Meanwhile, Jennifer seems to have pulled herself together. She serves a beautiful looking calamari steak with scallops, salmon, shitake and shiso with a cold rice noodle salad. Gavin asks her why she chose to do seafood and she responds by saying that seafood is her strength. As Padma walks away, she says to Jennifer, "Welcome back." Jennifer beams. And so do I.

Gavin takes a moment to provide his thoughts to the chefs. He found Kevin's catfish to be overcooked and the breading to be dried out. Kevin disagrees privately but holds his tongue. Bryan's lamb tenderloin was risky but he pulled it off. He liked Eli's concept. He thought Jennifer's calamari would be tough but found it very successful. Finally, he contends that Michael didn't make an actual balantine, and thus, didn't deliver what they were looking for.

Michael greatly takes offense at this charge, contending that they were never asked to make a balantine. He says that had he truly been asked, he would have made a balantine. And his balantine would have been just as good as the one that Gavin made at the Bocuse D'Or.

I'll say one thing, Michael surely doesn't lack for confidence. And if you're wondering why, given this behavior, I haven't dubbed him "Pompous Michael," it's because Michael, unlike Pompous Mike, has the skills to back-up his boasting.

In any case, Gavin is about to announce the winner of the challenge. We know Michael and Kevin are out . . . I totally have my fingers crossed that Jennifer brings this one home, simply because she was innovative enough to make a successful seafood balantine.

AND SHE DOES!!! JENNIFER WINS THE QUICKFIRE!!! She looks so happy. She says that it feels good since she hasn't won a Quickfire in many, many episodes. She says it gives her a boost but she still needs to stay focused (amen, sister).
For the Elimination Challenge, the cheftestants will have to endure their own version of the Bocuse D'Or. They will have to put together a presentation platter of one protein (either lamb or salmon) and two knock-out garnishes. They will have to create intricate dishes that show off a variety of techniques and methods. The cheftestants are appropriately stunned. This is a HUGE challenge.

And to make matters worse, they will be cooking for 12 judges, including representatives to the official American Advisory Board of the Bocuse D'Or. This will include chef Thomas Keller, the only chef ever to have two restaurants with three Michelin Stars. Again, the cheftestants are floored. Kevin says that Thomas Keller changed his life. Michael calls him the most famous American chef in the world.

This is an incredible challenge. In past years, the pre-finale episode has had the season's best Elimination Challenge. In Season 3, they were cooking for the French Culinary Institute in New York. In Season 4, the chefs cooked for the past three Top Chef winners. Last year, they had the brilliant Last Supper challenge. The producers of Top Chef have created another winner this year.

Continued:       1       2       3       4       5       6