This week on Top Chef Masters, the following chefs were on board to compete: Wilo Benet from Puerto Rico, Cindy Pawlcyn from Napa, Rick Bayless from Chicago, and Ludo Lefebvre from Los Angeles.
The Quick Fire Challenge asked the chefs to create a dish inspired by the colored knife they pulled from the block. Wilo had orange, Cindy had yellow, Rick had green, and Ludo had red. Their judges were food photographers and people who focus their attention on the way food looks and tastes. Ludo was running out of time and forgot to add some items to his plate at the end, even though he had help from Cindy. And Wilo forgot to remove the metal ring around his Salmon Tartare. Even with his metal ring, Wilo walked away with 4.5 stars and the lead going into the elimination challenge.
The Elimination Challenge was to create a street ready dish to serve to pedestrians. Sounds simple enough, but they were each given strange proteins such as Heart, Tongue, Tripe (stomach), and Pigs Ears. They were given $300 to shop for additional items for their dish.
Ok, quick side note, but I love how they bleep out whenever anywhere swears, but they don’t bleep Ludo when he says “Merde!” Uh, do they not know that he is saying “Sh*t”?!
Ludo decided to do a quesadilla, Cindy did menudo, Rick did a taco, and Wilo did a street sandwich. I was surprised to see that each chef’s protein on display at their stand. I was thinking that they would serve the dish and then they would find out what the protein was! I don’t know if I would have even been willing to try the dish if I knew it was made out of Tripe! Rick’s taco looked pretty good and if I hadn’t known it was tongue, I would have wanted to try it. Oh, I was just cringing for Ludo because he was a little slow with his quesadillas. Ok, and I admit that if I weren’t a judge I would totally have fallen under Ludo’s spell and wouldn’t have minded waiting if he kept talking in his French accent! Haha.
At the critic’s table, none of the chefs seemed to have a standout review. It seems like it will be another close race. Actually, it wasn’t as close as I thought it would be. Rick won by 3 stars and I think his experience in cooking Mexican food as part of his regular menu definitely helped him compete in this elimination challenge. So, Rick Bayless will be the third chef in the Champion’s Round.
Now it’s time for the top 16 on So You Think You Can Dance.
Joining Mary and Nigel on the judging panel this week was Toni Basil of Hey Mickey! fame. The first couple to perform was Karla & Jonathan and they performed a Dave Scott Hip Hop routine. I’m not so sure that Jonathan is going to be able to handle the gangsta thing…he’s too cute and young looking! The routine was okay but it wasn’t hard enough! Jonathan got all of his moves right but it just didn’t look right. Nigel was in a bit of a mood tonight and he was not proud of this dance! And I was looking for Karla to bring out her training with Boogie Bots and it wasn’t there! Maybe that’s why Boogie Bots didn’t last that long on ABDC. I agree with Nigel that these two will be in the Bottom 3 tomorrow night.
Asuka & Vitolio were up next dancing a Mandy Moore Jazz routine. I personally didn’t like the routine but I think it was the dancers. It was just missing a little bit of the 80’s edge and rocker appeal that Mandy choreographed and that the costumes suggested. I don’t think it was as great as Nigel thought. Depending on the other routines to come, I think they could be in the Bottom 3 tomorrow night.
A spicy Rumba was next and Melissa & Ade were the ones to dance it. Tony Meredith choreographed the routine was and very patient with them since neither of them had very good basic ballroom technique. Ok, as far as I’m concerned, these two can’t do anything wrong! It was so beautifully danced and they had wonderful emotions. It seemed liked they had been dancing the Rumba forever!Stupid Janette & Brandon were next. Fingers crossed that they mess up! Oh, I’m so mean. These two were also doing a Dave Scott Hip Hop routine. Unfortunately for me, they did well and it was a good routine. These two are definitely a good dancers and I wish I could like them but I just can’t. I don’t know what it is about either of them but I just don’t like them!
New couple Kayla & Kūpono was up next to do a Viennese Waltz, choreographed by Jean-Marc Généreux. Knowing nothing about ballroom technique, I thought that the dance was really nice. Visually, it was beautiful and stunning. And they seemed to work well together and it didn’t seem like it was a new couple. I like this new couple a lot! I can’t wait to see them in the future.
Oh, this next one I am excited about! Evan & Randi are dancing a Mia Michaels Contemporary routine. Ugh, this I better be sooo good! Hmm, the concept of this piece was strange, and that’s saying a lot for a Mia Michael’s routine. Randi was totally the fancy French poodle and Evan was the strange man that that was mesmerized by it. But the strangeness was what made the piece so wonderful! And when I thought that it was getting strange and weird, it made it that much more special and interesting.Caitlin & Jason danced a Paso Doble next, choreographed by Jean-Marc Généreux. The piece was definitely fierce and as very medieval and gladiator-esque. I really love this couple and I hope that they won’t be in the bottom again. I want to see more them and see how they do in other genres since they are both clearly just such good dancers.
The last couple was Janine & Phillip and they were doing a Tyce Diorio Broadway routine. Oh, it was so cute! I felt like I was taken back to the times of I Love Lucy and they danced it so well! They didn’t get too charicatured with the piece to make it seem unbelievable or that they were playing characters. It just seemed so real and that this was actually who they were. I can forgive Phillip’s character struggles because I just think that he is fantastic.
Next up on Get Real, another episode of The Fashion Show and the results of So You Think You Can Dance. Stay tuned :)
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