the chefs work up some magic

Some magic is brewing in the kitchen of Top Chef.

Kinda lame…Michael Isabella decided that everyone should wear red scarves to honor Mattin. Um, he was not as good as you think. But Padma got a laugh out of it…mostly because she was surprised by how many scarves Mattin had packed!

Michelle Bernstein greeted the chefs and gave them their challenge. They needed to create a duo dish that represented their struggles as a chef to fulfill the devils and angels on their shoulders.

Many of the chefs were surprised to find out that Robin’s simple dish won the Quick Fire. I think perhaps they all underestimate her simplicity as a chef. Being simple can be a really good thing sometimes but it can also be bad and I think the other chefs are resentful of that.

The chefs then got another surprise when Penn & Teller met them in the kitchen. They presented the chefs with their Elimination Challenge, which is to deconstruct a classic dish. Some of the chefs felt really good about the challenge, but others, like Jennifer are really struggling with the deconstructed part of the challenge.

While serving the dishes, it appeared that a lot of the chefs misinterpreted deconstruction with reinvention.

Kevin, Ashley, Michael V., and Jennifer were called out to judges table as the winning dishes! Jennifer’s surprise at being up there was a little insulting. She kept thinking that it was not up to her standards but maybe she just doesn’t fully understand how deconstructed is supposed to be. I’m glad she didn’t actually win for that. Instead, Kevin won! I’m glad that Ashley was up there, too, because I want her to keep getting better and better.

On the flip side, Ron, Ash, and Laurine were in the bottom. Ash really tried to convince the judges that he deserved to stay despite his poor dish. Laurine may have saved herself by knowing the problem of her dish was overcooked fish since the judges tend to feel for the chefs who know what their problems were. Ron’s inability to deconstruct his dish at all should send him home but I think they may send Ash home. Oh, surprising! They actually sent Ron home and I’m happy with their decision.