Top Chef Boston Recap: Episode 4

By Jason Lee

November 11, 2014

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But, of course, today it is “Top Scallop.”

The judges try out the purple team’s food first. Annoyingly, they all like Aaron’s seared scallop dish, with Tom declaring that it’s “a really nice dish.” America lets out a collective groan. For the pasta, Emmy throws a wrench into the team’s plans by informing them that she has a gluten allergy. Katsuji, who was making ravioli for his team’s pasta dish, is totally flustered and puts on the plate all of the ingredients of his ravioli in a little clump, but without the ravioli casing. The judges are blown away by the stupidity of such a move... and by the fact that the ravioli that they received was very, very dry. Katsuji doesn’t care. He has immunity.

Greg finishes off the purple team’s food with a peppercorn-crusted strip loin, which gets raves from the judges. Yep, he’s the front runner right now. He’s this season’s Nina.

The judges ask for the orange team’s menu next. Mei Lin is pissed off that no actual diners are ordering their menu, but she’s confident that their food is “stellar.” She’s right. Cook stellar food and no one on their team is going home.

Doug offers up a radicchio salad with warm pancetta. Emmy states that it looks like coleslaw - and she’s right - but Richard says that its flavors are “not bad.” Adam offers a bay scallop with fennel linguine, and a polenta cake for no-gluten Emmy. Emmy loves her polenta cake. Finally, Mei offers a branzino with lemon jam. Tom says that it’s exactly what he expects from her - well conceived and well executed. Padma loves the crispy skin. I think Mei is this season’s Shirley Chung, but less chatty.




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The judges try the grey team next. James offers a chilled wild shrimp with mussels and clams. Though Richard and Padma compliment his plating, Tom says in offhand fashion, “I’m not loving this dish at all.” Alarm bells go off in my head. Almost without exception on this show, Tom gets what he wants (just keep an eye out for this yourself). The panel almost always will agree with him, and at every point in the season, whether first episode or finale. Thus, “I’m not loving this dish at all” is all but a death sentence for James as far as I’m concerned.

Melissa offers up a pea ravioli with ramps and Tom declares it “much better than Katsuji’s.” Padma loves the crispness of the green beans. Gluten-free Emmy gets a pea risotto and loves it. Finally, Keriann serves a pan-seared halibut with olive oil potato. It looks and sounds absolutely delicious - I would have definitely ordered that. Tom loves her puree.

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Stacy is getting concerned about her veggies. Though they were fine at the start of service, they’re getting overcooked. I hear a second set of alarm bells go off in my head.

The judges sample the blue team last, and they start it off with a seared scallop (yep, another scallop dish) with charred fennel from Rebecca. She says that it’s “her type of cooking” - straightforward and seasonal. The judges are less than impressed, though. There’s no evidence of charring on the fennel they receive, Padma and Tom find the scallop too salty, and Richard says that he wishes her dish showed more creativity. Katie serves gluten-begone Emmy a zucchini pasta that all the judges adore. Emmy says this was her favorite pasta dish. Katie is seriously stepping it up after failing to send Aaron home last week.


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