Top Chef Recap: Around the World in 150 Bites

by

If I were to compete on Top Chef, the Elimination Challenge I’d both look forward to and fear more than Restaurant Wars would be the one where you have to prepare over 150 miniature dishes for a crowd of eager, camera-loving, impatient people. These spontaneous food carnivals are just as common on Top Chef as they are lengthy, and it’s evident that the chefs share this dislike.

The Elimination Challenge is where I dive headfirst, as that’s exactly what the episode does too. The tension in the kitchen has been palpable since Zubair was eliminated, and Kristen and Gail entering with the knife block only intensifies it further. Their response to their $1,000 budget – a mix of educated fear instead of relief – reflects the underlying unease among the contestants.

Kristen clarifies that there won’t be a Quickfire challenge this week. Instead, they plan to spend the following morning working at a local restaurant, gaining inspiration from Toronto’s diverse culinary scenes before preparing dishes for 150 guests. It can be quite exasperating when you yearn to create a standout dish but are forced into a continuous production of “palatable morsels” (a shiver runs down my spine). To add to their misery, an entire team of two stands the risk of elimination, making this competition as daunting as the most terrifying nightmares from high-school memories.

To decide teams, they resort to drawing knives. In the end, Kat is paired with Corwin, Katianna with César, Vinny with Lana, Shuai with Henry, and Paula with Massimo, earning them this week’s Oddest Couple title. Following Bailey’s impressive comeback from Last Chance Kitchen (leaving many astounded and appreciative of her courage), she is paired with Tristen by default to preserve their immunity without disrupting the double-elimination strategy. This means that each chef, numbering 12 still in the competition, now has a one-in-five chance of being eliminated. As this truth sinks in during the episode, I could sense the tension through my screen, and it wasn’t just because Tom seems to be refusing hats this season when he clearly needs them for warmth! Let the bald man wear his hats!

In this episode, we delve deeper into showcasing local and Canadian culinary talents by having them work in Toronto’s kitchens to learn as much as possible before crafting their unique interpretations. This format mirrors other Top Chef challenges, such as the one in season 13 that explored various Los Angeles neighborhoods, or was it season 17 where the All-Stars traveled all around… I believe it was L.A. again, correct me if I’m wrong!

In a curious twist, these pairs of chefs, despite seemingly unrelated, always capture our attention as they tackle challenges that push them beyond their familiar territory. For instance, Katianna and César, while working at Thai restaurant Kiin, display a silent admiration and meticulous approach, sharing insights about preferred ingredients and cooking techniques. Meanwhile, Shuai and Henry, at BB’s Filipino diner, seem thrilled to collaborate as part of their “Asian Sensation Redemption Tour.

On the cautious end of things, we find Vinny and Lana, exploring Dil Se’s Indian kitchen to learn a cuisine they’re not overly acquainted with, labeled as a “crash course.” Paula and Massimo manage decently at Miss Likklemore’s, but they remain uncertain about incorporating Caribbean flavors into their own culinary style. If Tristen didn’t have immunity, his apprehension about Greek food would be part of this mix, but since he does, his visit to Soulas Modern Greek with Bailey is rather uneventful. Interestingly, the other chefs notice a significant change in Bailey post–Last Chance Kitchen; she’s no longer the tense ball of anxiety that once prepared “Korean shrimp arrabbiata poutine.” And let me tell you, that transformation is what we call growth!

While Kat and Corwin’s relationship is devoid of conflict, it might have benefited from a touch more tension. Instead of adapting the Portuguese cuisine to suit their preferences at Mercado, they seemed more interested in imposing their own sensibilities onto it. Rather than being inspired to experiment with new ideas, they were fixated on recreating salt cod with arancini, which is an Italian dish, albeit a flexible one. When they couldn’t find salt cod at Whole Foods, they simply opted for regular cod, hinting at potential challenges down the line.

The method they adopt, which is somewhat cautious, differs significantly from other teams such as Katianna, César, Bailey, and Tristen. These teams often opt for riskier approaches, experimenting with new techniques, and reaping the rewards of their daring choices. For instance, Katianna colors her iconic daikon flowers purple using Thai pea-flower powder, César prepares a pad Thai dish with glazed pork that Tom praised as delicious last week, Bailey concocted an “olive tapenade caramel” that left me yearning for more, and the judges, including Sara Bradley, World All-Star from Kentucky, confirmed it tasted as good as it looked. Tristen even excelled while grilling his brined octopus over charcoal, expressing a desire for sandals, a beer, and a serene setting, much like a star he is (although I must stress, I don’t play favorites, but I must admit, he’s my favorite).

Throughout the festival, Shuai and Henry become so engrossed in their various seasonings that they overlook preparing the main dish properly. A noteworthy instant (but unfortunate for Shuai and Henry) occurs when Gail and Sara are praising the flavors, but Kristen looks at Tom and queries, “How do you prefer your meat cooked, Tom?” with a subtle squint that clearly reveals her feelings.

As I flash a smile, I say, “All good,” echoing the easygoing rapport between Padma and Tom. They’ve got a deep-seated respect for each other, but Kristen and Tom share a playful, kitchen banter that suggests they were both born chefs at heart. Even though they didn’t cook side by side, their intuition aligns in a unique way. This bond is reflected in their judging style, quite distinct from when Tom was the sole chef gracing the table permanently.

In this episode, Paula and Massimo found themselves embroiled in a moment reminiscent of the heated exchanges seen on Top Chef. Given that Massimo started the day frustrated with himself (“I worked hard but not smart”), it’s no wonder he became tense throughout the week. Worried their short rib might not be fully cooked, Massimo removed the lid despite Paula’s objections. This action understandably angered Paula to the point that Katianna caught her eye in a shared display of disbelief, a silent nod to “Can you believe this guy?” To his credit, Massimo acknowledged his mistake, apologizing to Paula by confessing, “I was an asshole.” Fortunately for both chefs, their dish’s slight overcooking wasn’t severe enough to result in elimination.

In summary, all judges concur that no team really messed up their dishes significantly. However, this means two contestants will be eliminated despite delivering good dishes, which can be hard to accept. This situation leaves me apprehensive about Lana, with whom I have connected so far but who hasn’t had much chance to speak until now, specifically about a dish that placed her at the bottom. Both Lana and Vinny were taken aback by this outcome since they collaborated effectively, swiftly adapting elements of Dil Se’s signature “chicken kamasutra” into something that highlighted their individual skills — although I felt it was necessary for someone to correct Vinny when he referred to it as “chicken kar masastra,” a mispronunciation that weakened the humor in his joke and the flavors in their dish. It’s fortunate Padma wasn’t present, or else they might have faced her wrath for such errors.

Initially, I was eager to taste Vinny’s “curry hollandaise,” but the judges mentioned it was hidden beneath another sauce, which I hadn’t even noticed was part of the dish. He also faced some criticism for trying to recreate his past Nomad magic, with Sara saying something that likely left an impression on the other judges: “You’re aiming for Top Chef; you’re not aiming for Top Worked for Many People and Re-creating Their Dishes.” Phew.

I was keen to sample Vinny’s “curry hollandaise,” but the judges pointed out it was concealed under another sauce that I hadn’t even recognized as part of the dish. He also received some flak for trying to replicate his past Nomad culinary magic, with Sara commenting something that probably left a mark on the other judges: “Your goal is Top Chef, not Top Cooked for Many and Re-created Their Dishes.” Whew.

Despite their impressive performances the previous week, Corwin and Kat surprisingly got eliminated. Their arancini dish was far from perfect, turning into a soggy mess. The judges’ comments such as “watery,” “mushy,” and “gummy” didn’t paint a pretty picture. It seemed they were in trouble when they opted to play it safe by simply preparing a croquette, which unfortunately wasn’t well executed. With a robust group of chefs, we can expect strong competitors leaving each week, and that’s exactly what happened.

Leftovers

It’s great to see again that both Bailey and Tristen have won immunity once more. Watching their jubilant celebration of victory is heartwarming, but it does seem rather unusual for the same pair to be immune from elimination two weeks consecutively, doesn’t it?

If the editors could kindly extend the duration of the on-screen captions explaining dishes and judge comments beyond about 2.3 seconds, it would be a big relief to me and my frequently used pause button.

• Kristen Kish’s Pinstripe Cream Suit Catches My Eye:

Her pinstriped cream vest and trousers certainly catch my attention, but they are not the most striking outfit she’s ever worn. However, is it also precisely what I’ve been searching for these past three summers? Absolutely, it is. Therefore, it earns a perfect score of 10/10 from me, buddy.

was Gail perhaps even more adorable when she disclosed that Vinny was talking about his “karmasutra” to her father? (“Her family lives in New York. It’s me! That’s my dad! And my brother! This is MY FAMILY.”)

It was heart-wrenching to watch Corwin and Lana give each other a quick, emotional hug in the kitchen area just prior to the last elimination, which unfortunately ended up eliminating one of them.

• “This is my second time being on the bottom. I guess I’m just a bottom queen.”

Read More

2025-04-11 05:54