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Anyway, the contestants plan their meals and prepare their used bread. Obviously, this is a slow process and there is a lot of downtime. Part of it is spent discussing Josh’s wife. She is two days past due. The communication between the spouses is less than optimal due to her pregnancy and his Top Chef appearance. The time difference isn’t helping any, either.

After Josh stresses over the lack of information, the chefs go fishin’. They are asked to acquire their own salmon for the Elimination challenge. All four players are enthusiastic about the freshness of their product. Poor Lizzie is once again reminded of her recently departed father. The raw nature of her pain is frankly difficult to watch. My heart aches for the impressive South African woman. As soon as the Top Chef season ends, she desperately needs quality time with her family.

Once the chefs reach the kitchen, Tom Colicchio visits. First, he discusses the impending birth of Josh’s child. Josh reveals that his wife is having contractions. He is clearly conflicted about this turn of events. Meanwhile, when Sheldon reveals his plans to cook pea soup and salmon, the head judge reveals that he was asked earlier in the day what he would cook. The answer he had provided was…pea soup and salmon. I like Sheldon’s chances.

Lizzie and Brooke have diametrically opposed experiences with Colicchio. When Lizzie states that she is doing her salmon whole, he hits the table excitedly. “Thank God someone’s doing it whole!” Don’t make it dirty, people. When Brooke is quizzed (interrogated?), she grows defensive and uncomfortable. She states that she is poaching her salmon. Confused, he ponders, “Why did you go this direction?” He indicates that poaching salmon to order is a questionable decision. Her answers do not placate him, either. I do not like Brooke’s chances.

The event for this challenge is the Gold Creek Salmon Bake. The locals are a congenial bunch who goes out of their way to say a kind word in most instances. Given that there is a bear up in a tree right beside them, the optimistic nature of these Alaskans is impressive. The judges, on the other hand, are understandably disconcerted. Nobody ever enjoys their first bear attack.

Brooke begins the proceedings in this challenge. Her dish is sockeye salmon & seafood broth with mustard seed caviar & dill sourdough. The slice of bread is the star of this dish, and it looks impeccable. Emeril Lagasse and Tom Colicchio enjoy the broth and bread. Hugh Acheson notes that the ingredients are visually unpleasant after sitting in the soup for a bit. Sean Brock somehow strings together multiple sentences, all of which are complimentary. Brooke should be safe and may even win the challenge.

Sheldon’s plate is fairly nasty in appearance; it is green tea & chive sourdough with smoked salmon & pea soup. The break’s coloration is such that I would consider it rancid. And pea soup is…well, you’ve all seen The Exorcist. Gail Simmons laughs at Padma Lakshmi’s expression as she tastes the dish. In the host’s own words, she enjoys the flavors of green tea and chives but not in combination.

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