Top Chef: Seattle Recap

By David Mumpower

January 22, 2013

I'm gonna pick one of you, and I'm gonna pick wrong.

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Josie requires all of one second to become annoying. At the rental store where they are choosing store decorations, Josie selects the splashiest (read: ugliest) place settings possible. Brooke politely points out that a classic French restaurant should be designed with understated elegance rather than loud colors. Josie immediately pouts because she does not get her way. I am not saying this to be mean but rather as a simple statement of fact. In a lot of ways, Josie is a four-year-old.

During the next statement, Stefan refutes a preconceived notion you may have. Not all Europeans are gay. In his particular case, he simply happens to be good at “flowers and pebbles and little vases and stuff." Do not let his interior design skill fool you. If you are a woman, he will still flirt with you in the creepiest way possible. Remember that time he sniffed Kristen’s feet? I think we all learned a valuable lesson about inappropriate reality television editing that day.

Filipino foods are soulful. Sheldon explains the why of this and while I know you expect me to be sardonic about this, his sincerity prevents me from doing so. He is proud of his heritage and so he is driven to create a meal that embodies his familial love. The primary concern is that Stefan and Joshua have never served Filipino food before. If Sheldon cannot relay his instructions properly, this team has a chance to go down in flames to an epic degree.

Good news, Top Chef obsessives! Kristen’s restaurant has a name. It’s Atelier Kwan. No, I don’t know what it means. I presume it’s something like Hot Model Who Can Cook But Who Inexplicably Flirts with Ugly Bald Guys. The news is not positive at the grocery store despite Josie’s absence. There is an issue with the number of rabbits available. Lizzie believes there will be enough to serve 120 people but I think the rabbits should have been allowed to breed more first.




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Josie is not the only forceful personality involved in this challenge. Stefan also assumes command in a lot of instances. He chooses a lot of the rental furniture for the event. Sheldon stands to the side and appears displeased by some of the selections. In a monologue, he states that he is carefully choosing his battles with Stefan. If Josie and Stefan had been on the same team, the other players may have chosen to eliminate themselves rather than put up with this much ego.

When they return from the stores, Kristen explains her plan to Josie. The top player this season has a daring plan to prepare all the dishes a la minute. The lack of advance prep work could lead to crushing delays during the dinner service. Josie questions this decision and, God help me, I agree with her.

Josie is not done being a problem child, either. Kristen asks her to start roasting some of the bones for the bouillabaisse. Josie walks away, claiming that she will start at that point. Hours later, Lizzie has finished her preparations early to give Josie time to prep her dish as well. Josie announces that she has decided that she will wait until the following day.


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