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The three players demonstrate different levels of awareness in planning their meals. Brooke never seems to know what she will cook until she actually plates the first dish. Sheldon, confident over his practice over the past few months, intends to be daring. Rather than cooking the same heritage-inspired meals he has prepared all season, Sheldon wants to go outside his comfort zone to impress the judges. This is a risky decision with a lot of upside/downside. Kristen falls somewhere in the middle of her opponents. She seems hesitant and unsure of herself during the planning phase but she does have a strong idea of the three courses she will build.

The aggravation during the evening largely stems from Tom Colicchio. I am unsure of the cause for his behavior, but he is particularly aggressive toward the remaining Top Chef candidates. It is possible that Colicchio wants to protect the Craft brand he has worked so hard to establish. It is equally likely that he simply wants to keep the pressure on the players throughout the night to see whether the participants can weather the storm. I think it is probably a bit of both. Tom’s emotions may be every bit as erratic as those of the contestants. Whatever the reason, he comes across as a nasty boss, which is surprising since he is ordinarily such a kind and thoughtful man on the show.

The judges this evening include Emeril Lagasse and Hugh Acheson. Also participating in semi-finals criticism are Martin Yan and John Besh, the respective owners of M.Y. China and Besh Restaurant Group. No Wolfgang Puck? Boo!

The judges have nine plates of food to evaluate. The first is Sheldon’s sashimi spot prawns, court bouillon, radish & Asian herbs. There is universal praise for the dish. Next up is Kristen’s chestnut velouté, duck rillette & Brussels sprouts. Hugh Acheson quickly points out that the dish is too plain on its own, desperately needing a hit of acid. Brooke finally settles upon a crispy veal sweetbread salad with kumquat, beets & mustard. Everyone loves the flavor but the beet’s presence is considered questionable.

As the main courses begin, Kristen presents seared Ahi tuna with veal mustard jus & Meyer lemon purée. Padma is nonplussed by her lemon curd while John Besh finds the dish a touch salty. Brooke delivers what I consider to be the best looking dish of the night, braised short ribs, parmesan sauces, nettle purée & squash dumplings. The judges and the guests rave about this dish. Sheldon finishes the course with roasted quail, pine nut purée, garam masala & tangerine. The following statements are made regarding the dish. “This is not Sheldon.” “He’s been brainwashed.” “I want the old Sheldon.” I had thought after the first course that he was going to earn a spot in the finals. I am now 70% sure he’s going to be the odd man out, and not just because he’s the only man remaining.

The dessert course makes me very hungry. Brooke creates this majestic brown butter cake, whipped goat cheese & blackberry sauce. It is decadence on a plate. The judges adore it. Brooke is going to the finale, as she should. Kristen also serves a tasty looking dish, curry chocolate with cashews. Padma loves it but Hugh firmly states that chocolate and curry are a mismatched pairing. In addition, “It’s a really basic dessert.”

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