Get Real: Foodie Victories and Vices

Welcome back to Get Real! It’s a foodie dream with the finale of Top Chef Masters and the premier of Top Chef: Las Vegas!

Our first course features the final three chefs on Top Chef Masters.

With no Quick Fire Challenge this week, the three remaining chefs joined host Kelly Choi at the Getty Villa in Malibu. They received their final Top Chef Masters elimination challenge: to create the meal of their lifetime. Each chef would need to create a four-dish meal that told the story of their life as a chef.

The first course needed to represent their first food memory, the second course was what made them want to be a chef, the third course would re-create the opening of their first restaurant, and the last course was their future as a chef.

While Hubert, Rick, and Michael prepared their meals, they were surprised by videos from their sous-chefs in their restaurants. Then, the sous-chefs showed up to help these masters in their preparation.

For the dinner, Kelly was joined by typical critics Jay Rayner, James Oseland, and Gael Greene. The diners were there Top Chef judges, Padma, Tom, and Gail plus the five winners of Top Chef.

For the first course, Hubert created a fantastic Baekoffe dish that told the story of his childhood, while Michael made gnocchi two ways and Rick created a BBQ quail dish. The second course was dominated by Rick’s Oaxacan Black Mole, but Hubert’s Salmon and Michael’s Polenta were good as well. The third course didn’t have a clear winner as all three dishes had ups and downs: Hubert’s Lamb Chop was well received but the garlic clove in the middle was a bit too raw, Michael’s Rouget left the critics uninspired, and Rick’s Suckling Pig seemed a little forgettable. The final dish showed the diners the final push from all of the chefs, but Michael’s Short Ribs clearly took the prize over Rick’s Rice Stew and Hubert’s Beef Cheeks.

At Critic’s Table, all three of the chefs received good and bad comments on their dishes and it was the closest round of the show yet. So, who would walk away as the first Top Chef Master? Rick Bayless!

I really hope they do a Season 2 of this show because it was really fantastic! Now for some foodie freshmen with Top Chef: Las Vegas!

The chefs all moved in to a gorgeous house in Las Vegas. Their kitchen will be in the new M Hotel & Casino. As soon as they arrived, they received their first Quick Fire Challenge…the Mise en Place relay! Each of the chefs chose poker chips from a hat to choose their teams. Robin pulled the gold poker chip meaning she didn’t need to compete in the Quick Fire and she gets immunity in the Elimination Challenge!

The first round had the chefs shucking 15 clams. Preeti from the Red team never shucked clams before so she was struggling! Jennifer Z. was also struggling and she had some bleeding fingers, too. The Blue and Black team were neck and neck to the second round of shelling prawns. They also went into the third leg of cleaning five lobsters with Mattin pulling ahead for the Blue Team. Meanwhile, Preeti is still on the clam leg! Bryan completed the last leg of chopping two lambs.

Then, the Blue Team would compete against each other in a cook-off to compete for a $15,000 poker. Robin had the option to trade in her immunity to compete in the cook-off. Naturally, she declined and kept her immunity. Whatever leg of the challenge the chefs took, that was the food item them needed to feature in the cook-off. Jennifer C. created a Clam Seviche, Mattin made a Lobster and Bay Leave dish, Jesse made Shrimp & Grist, and Bryan served Peppercorn Steak. Jen won the first High Stakes Quick Fire and the $15,000.

For the elimination challenge, each team was now competing against each other and one person from each team would be up for a win and another up for elimination. The theme was that each chef had to create a dish based on a vice that they themselves are guilty of. Since Wolfgang Puck was the first guest judge, the chefs cooked their dished in CUT at the Palazzo. So, Michael I. is proving to be very full of himself and I hope that he goes home soon.

The first team to present was the Black Team. Mike’s vice was his temper and foul mouth and his poached halibut represented a bar of soap. Eli made a “Buttered” Scotch Scallop to represent some of his bitterness. Ashley’s vice was Red Wine made into Chicken Liver ravioli. Hector’s vice of smoking played into the smokiness of his dish.
The Blue Team was next and Bryan’s vice of alcohol played into his steak. Mattin’s stubbornness was represented with his beef. Jennifer and Jesse also had vices of alcohol. Robin’s vice of Pork almost made sense but she was missing a key component on her dish.

For the Green Team, Ash’s dish was procrastination and he created a poached halibut. Jennifer Z.’s hot temper showed in her stuffed pepper. Ron recreated his trip from Haiti to the states with his fish dish. Laurine made a strange choice of bacon donuts with a beer sauce.

Finally, the Red Team took their place at Judge's Table. Mike did a tribute to plastic surgery. Preeti also featured an alcoholic vice and made a steak. Eve tried to make a simplistic dish but it ended up being unbalanced and too complex. Kevin’s procrastination was featured in his slow cooked char.

At judges table, one winner and one loser from each team went before the judges to determine the winner and who would be eliminated. For the winners, Kevin, Jennifer C., Ron, and Michael I. were called out from their teams. Wolfgang chose this week’s winner and it was…Kevin!

For the losing group, Jesse, Eve, Hector, and Jennifer Z. were called out. Not too surprising since all of these dishes clearly didn’t wow the judges. All of the chefs were so confused and upset about being in the bottom. Maybe their confusion that they are showing now is what was conveyed in their dish! Having no focus while you’re cooking will never lead to a good dish. In the end, Jennifer Z. was sent packing. Lesson to be learned for all future foodies: taking a risk is not always a good thing!