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I mention this because this week’s challenge offers a similar impediment. As Richard summarizes, the chefs have “no electricity, no gadgets, no toys, no liquid Nitrogen, this is like survivalist cooking here. I mean it’s really, really tough, a woodfire grill, some pots and pans and a table. And that’s it.” Once again, chefs will be tested upon their improvisation skills and their luck as much as their cooking, which is unfortunate. A couple of Top Chef producers have indicated that they read and enjoy BOP’s recaps, news that pleases and humbles us. We as a group would ask that you please take into account appliance related misfires that directly lead to eliminations as you plan future seasons. The need for unexpected twists is gradually moving the competition away from determining who the Top Chef is.

In terms of meal preparations, the lack of electricity is not proving to be a huge impediment. In fact, Richard is more concerned about the technical language of the challenge. He is making a conch dish that will not be Caribbean in style, which strikes me as a needless risk. As is always the case with Richard, he does have a brilliant plan, though. He noticed that the insides of the conch shells mirror sweet potatoes in color. In a burst of inspiration, Richard decides he will make sweet potatoes that mimic linguine, thereby creating a pasta noodle from a potato. This is the reason Richard Blais intimidates other chefs. He cooks without boundaries and his mind is always working.

As the All-Stars finalize their dishes, a group of 11 judges stylishly dressed in all white garb take their seats under a tent. Two of them are “commodores”, the current and former leaders of the Nassau Club. They are almost immediately greeted by Richard and his brilliant dish, sweet potato linguine with conch & spiny lobster. Lorena Garcia immediately notes that her lobster is undercooked. I don’t think Richard will be appearing as a guest star on her NBC series. In only a few shared moments of screen time, it’s readily apparent that the two intensely dislike one another. Everyone else is in awe of the dish in terms of its underlying ingredient and its incorporation. I am not sure if it’s a winning dish, but Richard will not be going home tonight.

Antonia is next on the docket as the wind starts to whip. I mention this for a reason; going earlier this week may prove to be an advantage if rain starts to fall on the grills and plates of the later contestants. Antonia avoids this fate through luck of the draw, delivering a plate of red snapper with conch tartare & lobster nage. The ceviche at the top of the dish causes Gail Simmons to dive for her glass of water. Even the locals are impressed by the heat of the dish. In fact, a divide occurs as the members of the Nassau Club demonstrate their respect for her accomplishment while Tom Colicchio focuses on the lack of conch flavor in the dish. He also notes that the fish is unevenly cooked with his being overcooked and the gentleman to his right having a protein that is undercooked. I think Antonia is safe unless the two remaining contestants deliver grand slam dishes.

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