Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Last Week's Top Chef Recap - Finally!

Top Chef Pictures, Images and Photos

And then there were four! And I'm sure none of you were disappointed with the outcome of last week's episode of Top Chef, appropriately titled "The Last Supper."

The show started off back at the apartment with the remaining cheftestants dealing with the loss of Jaime. Arrogant Stefan, who previously expressed a serious crush on her, easily dismissed her, saying "she had to go."

At the Top Chef Kitchen, hostess and Elfman's desire Padma showed up with guest judge, Chef Innovator Wylie Dufresne, who has an affection for eggs. The chefs were tasked to make an egg dish to "Wow" Wylie and given a whole hour to do it!

Wylie's innovation is Molecular Gastronomy -- ????, OK, you got me on that one. He's been on the show before and I still don't get it ...

Anyway, here's what the final five came up with:

Fabio made Eggs Sunnyside, Two Ways
Hosea made a Trio of Japanese-Style Eggs, a roll, tempura and fried egg salad.
Stefan came up with a Panecota and poached eggs with mango sauce.
Leah whipped up Quail Eggs Benedict with bacon Hollandaise.
And Carla (who was on fire last week), was not optomistic about her Dr. Seuss-inspired Green Eggs and Ham, stating her and molecular gastronomy were like "oil and water."

Fabio proclaimed himself to be "running like Flash," while Carla compared herself to the tortoise in the famous children's fable "The Tortoise and The Hair" ... and we all know how that turned out.

Carla won out -- Wylie really dug her innovation with the Seuss classic. Fabio was, pissed "I'm on the friggin bottom for what?" Hosea and Leah managed to join him.

On to the Elimination Challenge: Cheftestants drew knives, each with the name of a highly regarded chef in the TV world.
Fabio drew Lidia Bastianich, who he called the "Queen of Italian cooking in this country!" (Lidia's a big star at my house, we almost never miss her PBS show!)
Hosea paired with Susan Ungaro.
Stefan got Marcus Samuelson.
Leah drew Wylie.
And Carla couldn't believe her luck when she pulled superstar chef Jacques Pepin.

Each celebrity chef was asked to come up with their perfect "last supper," and the competing chefs were tasked to create these dishes.
Jacques chose Roast Squab with fresh Peas.
Susan asked for Shrimp Scampi and Tomatoes Provencal.
Marcus wanted Roasted Salmon with Spinach.
Lidia picked perfectly Roasted Chicken with Roasted Potatoes, Caramelized Onions and Salad.
And Wylie went with his fave, Eggs Benedict.

Carla, who won the right to swap dishes with anyone from the QuickFire Challenge, couldn't have been happier about her luck -- "Peas and I are like this," she said, while crossing her fingers. She couldn't wait to cook for Jacques!

Chefs were given $300 and 30 minutes to shop for ingredients at Whole Foods and two hours to cook.

Hosea proclaims "Stefan is without a doubt the guy to beat." While Stefan countered, behind Hosea's back, that "I don't think he has the balls to be a chef." Snark!

While preparing their meals, Carla decided "less is more," and Leah realized she had "something to prove." Yeah right Leah, you do, you should've been gone a few weeks ago ...

Stefan preened that there's "nothing I could possibly screw up with this dish." Careful Stefan, you may be the one to beat, but don't get to cocky, remember Richard from last season? He was undoubtedly the best of the cheftestants throughout the whole season, and completely blew it at the finale!

In the middle of everything, Fabio breaks his finger!!! I've watched and rewatched and still can't figure out how this happened ... Unbelievably, he decides to press on, saying "I'll chop it off and sear it so it doesn't bleed anymore -- I'll deal with this tomorrow!"

Over-confident as usual, Stefan decides to change his dish by making two different creations with spinach -- "What???" said Carla, completely perplexed by his decision.

Fabio has goosebumps over cooking his "home" food. His grandmother made this dish all the time ...

Chef and cohost Tom Colicchio shows up in the kitchen just in time to beg the cheftestants -- "Do not embarass me!"

And it was time to serve ...

Leah's worried about her overly thickened Hollandaise sauce over the Eggs Benedict, although Wylie was more upset over the egg whites being "runny."

Stefan (Roasted Salmon) brought about confusion with the two spinach sides. Marcus thought he nailed the sauce, but the fish was overcooked. Lidia thought that ruined the dish.

Jacques thought that Hosea (Shrimp Scampy) did not make a proper Provencal (tomatoes), and judge Toby Young was "not a fan of this dish."

Fabio had a hard time butchering his roasted chicken, due to the broken finger, comparing himself to "Jason on Friday the 13th!" But Lidia loved it, saying it was "something I was hoping would be just like this." Wylie also thought the chicken was "awesome and super tasty." Fabio's salad, however, didn't go over as well -- this is Top Chef folks, salads are never welcome here!

Carla told the judges she tried to "stay true to what I was told," adding that "I'm in awe of this man," referring to Jacques. Susan, who wasn't a fan of squab before, stated, "Carla has made me a convert!" Colicchio praised the simplicity. But the greatest compliment of all came from Jacques Pepin himself, who said he "could die happy with that (dish)!"

After the tasting was over, Colicchio congratulated the chefs for not embarrassing him!

Back in the Stew Room -- Fabio was grilled about his broken finger and claimed it wasn't a big deal -- "It's Top Chef, not Top Pussy!"

All cheftestants were invited to Judges' Table for review at the same time.

Leah was criticized for her runny eggs and the problem with the consistency of her sauce.

Stefan's overcooked fish was deemed poor and judges couldn't tell that the spinach was two separated dishes. (Ha-Ha Stefan, not impossible to screw up was it? ... I type in my best Yoda-style.)

Hosea's tomatoes were too refined, although Susan liked her dish.

Fabio's chicken was highly praised. Young said it was "like something you produced from your own childhood." However, the salad was compared to airplane food -- "I'm sorry, I'm gonna go shoot myself" over his airplane salad, Fabio shrugged.

Carla's squab was brought under fire for being overcooked, which she admitted she knew. However, Pepin told her "it was very tender" and she had made "incredible peas. I loved it!"

In the end, Fabio won the challenge and a huge bottle of wine. "I think it's gonna be gone in few hours!" he proclaimed. "Tonight we drink in Hell!" he said in homage to 300's King Leonidas ("Tonight we dine in Hell") -- Love ya Fabio!

fabio viviani Pictures, Images and Photos

And finally, Leah was asked to pack her knives and go, leaving what I think is one of the best final four in Top Chef history to compete this week for the title of Top Chef!

This Wednesday, the cheftestants will fly to New Orleans for the finale to be guest judged by, who else, but New Orleans Chef Embassador Emeril Lagasse!

I promise to update better this week!
Up Next -- Survivor: Tocantins Recap

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