Top Chef - S6E8 Power Rankings
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PLEASE READ BEFORE COMMENTING!!!
There's a lot of sneaky intel out there, but I'm endeavoring to keep this blog a spoiler-free zone. This isn't just for the readers, but for me, too -- I don't want to know what happens! As such, anything that's already been broadcast or has been posted on the official Bravo site is fair game for discussion. I will, for example, discuss the preview of next week's show at the end of the post. But if you've heard rumors that one chef has been hosting a lot of dinner parties, or that another chef was spotted boarding a plane to an exotic locale, please keep them to yourself... thanks!
We've been building towards this for weeks. Early on, though there were some favorites, it looked like a season where just about anybody could go deep. But even though the collective talent of this season is head and shoulders above the previous five -- a sentiment that's been confirmed by the judges in no uncertain terms -- those divisions between the tiers came together pretty quickly. And not that there's been any doubt for a while now, but this is the episode that hammered it home. Judges' Table top four: Voltaggio, Gillespie, Carroll, Voltaggio. Boom, boom, boom, boom. We don't know if all four will make the finals. (In fact, Tom sure seems to imply they don't -- more below.) But from a culinary standpoint, is there anybody out there who doesn't believe these four are the ones who should be in the finals?
Aside from Eli's mom, I mean.
One thing I'm not going to address this week is Robin vs. Everybody. I'm done with it. I should have been done with it a couple of posts ago. As embarrassed as I am to say it, she's not going all the way, so I hope she's gone ASAP just so we can stop hearing about it. Who's right, who's wrong: don't know, don't care. Just want it to end.
I am, in parenthetical fashion, going to jump in on Aureole, Charlie Palmer's outpost in Vegas where this week's wine selection took place, because I feel compelled to. You have to respect Charlie Palmer. You have to. And I haven't been to any of his other restaurants. But I have been to Aureole in Vegas three times, and each and every time it was a mistake of increasing severity. I first went shortly after they opened. I'd never had a chance to eat at one of Palmer's restaurants, so this was a total gimme. We went, we ate, we were totally underwhelmed. Three star cuisine masquerading as four star cuisine with a hefty price tag. It was competent. And competent is not what you're looking for in a place like that. A year or two later on a subsequent trip we figured, hey, maybe it was an off night. It's Charlie Palmer. Let's try it again. Same result. About four or five years back, I was discussing dining options for a trip with a couple friends of ours, and I mentioned Aureole. I said I'd had two mediocre experiences there, but hey, it was a long time ago, I was but a wee food nerd back then, maybe I just couldn't appreciate it at the time, so if it really interests you, I'd be up for giving it one more shot. Mediocre meal again. One of the few times where I've experienced true buyer's remorse upon being presented with the check. I just felt like I'd been taken. Never again, I swore! I'll check out his NY operations, but Aureole in Vegas? Never again! This was the information I passed onto my brother and sister in law when they went to Vegas for their honeymoon. Go here, go here, go here, do NOT go to Aureole. They stayed in Mandalay Bay. Their first night in, they arrived late, they had no plans, they saw Aureole, it looked like fun. The result? A mediocre meal and buyer's remorse. Long story short, it's as much a function of my multiple visits as anything, and I can't say the food was ever bad, but I can unequivocally state that noplace has made me feel like I was throwing my dining dollars into a black hole quite like Aureole in Vegas. You've been warned.
That said, I like Charlie Palmer, I'd love to get to his other restaurants, I've no doubt he's worthy of his reputation (Vegas celebrity chef outposts are always a toss-up -- some capture the food, some just capture the name), and I like him as a guest judge. Too bad they stuck him with the snack food challenge. You knew it was coming. We know and love the show. It's kind of a given at this point. Once or twice a season, you'll just have to roll your eyes, grit your teeth and suffer through the product placement challenge. And I love that some of the chefs seemed to basically set their snacks aside and call it a day. "Yeah, that goes with this dish." Some made a valiant effort at working them in, and some even seemed to have met with some success, but really, I wasn't going to hold an inability to pair their dish with BBQ waffle-cut snack chips against them.
The elimination, however, boy howdy, you'd better be able to pair your dish with wine. And I say this as somebody who doesn't know a damn thing about wine. It's embarrassing to admit. I know my food. And if you give me a dish and six or seven glasses of wine to try with it, I can tell you which one works and why. But give me a bite of a dish and an encyclopedic wine list and ask me to pick something to go with it? Forget it. I'm totally useless. So it's always with a bit of chagrined envy that I watch folks who know their wine working pairings. And it's a little heartening when chefs who probably should be able to stumble a bit. And the pig. Hooray for the pig! The point was raised by an old compatriot last week that it's a shame the chefs were pulling their pig parts out of cryovac bags, indicating that this was a lost opportunity for a true snout-to-tail exercise. And I agree to a point. But I think it's also important to remember that this season is taking place in Vegas. Is there really anyplace in the Nevada desert where Lee Anne and her crew could have driven to go pick up a pig that wasn't trucked or flown in? And if it was trucked or flown in, does it really matter if it was partially disassembled first? Methinks the constraints of geography might have been at play here (though I'd love to be corrected by any folks who have spent time cooking in Vegas). Anyway, great premise, great challenge, expected results.
On with the rankings...
The power rankings are not purely a prediction of who is most likely to win, or an assessment of last episode's dishes, or a reflection of the contestants' historical performance, but rather a nebulous amalgam of all three, combined with a little bit of gut feeling, to provide a relative measure of current awesomeness.
Last week, in this case, means two weeks ago owing to my week off. But I'd already pegged Kevin for the number one slot last week, and him nailing the pig challenge only solidified his number one spot for me. If you're a numbers person, he has two more total wins than anybody else in the field, he's won three of the last five challenges and been on top of them all, and he's the only one who has never -- never -- been on the bottom of a single challenge. And if you're not a numbers person, watch how he's kicking ass with utter confidence. For the quickfire this week, he won friends with salad. But he did so by making an interesting salad. Corn, sugar snap peas, fresh herbs, tomatoes... nothing revolutionary there. But here's how he did it. He made a light creamed corn with bacon, shallot, garlic and lemon and laid that down as his base. He blanched his sugar snap peas, slathered them in olive oil and stuck them in the oven to confit (can confit be a verb?), and he did the same with the tomatoes. Then he topped it with the crushed onion strips for a little texture. And this is his interpretation of green bean casserole? And his elimination dish, yeah, it's "just a pate", but a great pate is no easy feat, and he didn't exactly slack on the creativity either. He topped it with a mushroom salad, cooking down an assortment of mushrooms, cooking them up with butter, toasted hazelnut flour and shallots, and then tossing them with a fresh mayonnaise that substituted pork fat for oil (it rocks... trust me). And he also pickled up some cherries with sugar, red wine vinegar, cinnamon and star anise to pick up a lot of the notes in the wine. I mean, yes, his food is "simple", but only in appearance. Put a little better, I think, his dishes read simply, but when you get into them they're just as complex and thoughtful and creative and refined as anything the Voltaggios are doing. He's just very non-flashy about it. Plus, he's calm, he's confident, he's only getting better as the competition goes on, he isn't letting any of the BS going on around him distract him, and he's making the kind of food that the judges won't tire of, but rather will come to appreciate more and more as we near the finish line. And that's why I'm going to go out on a limb a little earlier than I probably should and officially making Kevin my pick for this season's winner. I'll knock him down from the top spot if he deserves it, don't worry. But I'm going on record. Dude can start thinking about how he's going to spend that Macy's gift card. |
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Bryan does some amazing things and the guy's cool and focused (mostly), but he just can't hold the stop spot in the face of Kevin's charge. Which isn't to say that his streak of three top appearances isn't worthy on its own. But Kevin's just in the zone right now, if I may make some questionable use of the sportstalk vernacular. Bryan had a formidable week himself, also on top of both challenges. He did a nice job with the quickfire, and the fact that Palmer called his dish a little conventional says something about this season. The thing about Bryan, at the risk of being redundant, is that even though his technique is sometimes wild, his flavors absolutely are not. It's a matter of philosophy with him. He's not stretching your palate. He's stretching classic flavor combinations to find interesting ways to make them fresh and new for your palate. So he's going to give you steak, sunchokes, mushrooms and brown butter. He's just going to serve them with a little chive smoothie and a soy sauce thickened with soy lecithin. He's in the box flavor-wise, but even for one of his tamer dishes, he's working in some funky technique. His elimination dish was even a little more conventional, so maybe this isn't the week to be making this point, but oh well. The ribs were very traditionally braised with some mirepoix and fresh herbs and put over a bacon-studded parsnip puree. The interest for me was in his mostarda, which was a little unconventional, containing honey, fennel, onion, orange rind and celeriac. And for garnish he made a chicharron finishing salt by crushing pork rinds with Maldon salt, and he also added a little black garlic. Sounds and looks like a killer dish. I'm still a little worried about his propensity to trip. He doesn't seem to have much in the way of technical oopses, but there have been a few times when something that he seemed pleased with just didn't click with the judges. In this field, that could get him sent home. But if he hangs around and can continue cooking his food -- and he's doing just that -- he'll be cooking the final meal and will probably have to be considered a favorite along with Kevin. |
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Michael V. is getting on my nerves a little bit, doubly so because I had such a positive impression of him while doing the preseason rankings, but despite a little stumble he's still clearly top tier. I don't want to look back to the week I missed too much, but it's still unclear to me whether he was simply stymied by the equipment malfunction, or if his theory really wasn't sound. And what I mean by that is that the judges have said in the blogs that even if the cooking had been spot on, they felt the dish had conceptual problems. What I wonder is if they wouldn't have been won over had it been firing on all cylinders. But in any case, Mike has enough of a track record that we can consider that a momentary lapse, especially since he got right back on the horse and got another elimination top mention this week. In any case, Mike's the wild man and he's showing it again. At the center of his quickfire was a tuna tartare wrapped in avocado. Topping that tuna tartare was a caramelized onion pudding that had been set with agar agar and gelatin, set in the fridge, diced and bruléed. Wait, what? His elimination was a root beer braised pork cheek, and if it sounds weird to you, it's a practice that's been picking up steam, and it works. But whatever degree of originality you want to place on that, I like that he's willing to go in that direction, and the rest of the dish looked great with a fresh truffle bun and a cherry-vanilla coulis. I want to see Mike in the finals because I want to see what he does. My sense is that he isn't quite as mature -- from a culinary standpoint -- as Kevin or Bryan, but he needs to be there because he's putting out some fantastic stuff. |
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Okay, she's back to being Jennifer Carroll, if only because Jennifer Norris would have roundkicked her sickness into oblivion (if I stole that from somebody, I apologize... I can't remember). In all seriousness, I still love Jen, but I'm a little concerned about her -- buuuuuut it's a conflicted kind of concern. I'm not sure whether I should be worried about the fact that the Queen of Quickfire has suddenly bottomed out on the last two, and that she's starting to look haggard and stressed out and... well... a little neurotic, or if I should be encouraged that despite fighting off illness, she's only bottomed out on quickfires, and has topped out the last two eliminations, winning one. I do have to say that despite doing well, she doesn't seem the completely worldbeater that she did early on. Let's hope that's just the little viral beasties having their way with her, and that the swagger will return along with her health. But looking at this week, overcooked pork. Okay, she blew it. And she knew it. And really, it could happen to anybody, even though I'm sure she'd be the first to say that it should never happen to her. Of course, this also means that of the two non-braised chunks of protein she's cooked (it sounds like the meat was Kevin's responsibility last week), she's botched one of them. Is that question of how she handles non-seafood going to sneak back into-- no, no, let's not go there. Sample too small. For the elimination, I'm going to take issue with òste e còc's criticism, talking about how she removed the "importantly gelatinous skin". Obviously it wasn't that important. Palmer called it the lightest pork belly dish he'd ever tasted, and considered that a good thing. Unconventional, perhaps, but she achieved what she set out to do, and I think you can only say that a cook "should" do something right up until something else works, which is what appears to have happened here. Especially in light of a rather colorful online conversation that I let myself get dragged into over the past two days, I find that I'm just no longer interested in hearing about what cooks should and shouldn't do, and solely interested in whether deliciousness results. Traditional technique is important -- perhaps even undervalued -- but we can also get hung up on that to our detriment. Bottom line, you can't argue with results. |
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Pop quiz: Kevin aside, who has had the fewest appearances on the bottom? Okay, it's not that hard when his picture is just to the left. But still, does that surprise you? Mike I. has only been on the bottom once -- the Greek salad debacle -- and that's not a tie. He's in sole possession of second place on that count. And he's been a steady performer the rest of the way, which I think clearly refutes the claim of some that he's all sizzle and no steak. Rather, it would seem he's firmly cemented his place as first alternate for the finals should one of our frontrunners stumble. And what's more, hey, he wouldn't be a bad fill-in. I mean, clearly I want to see our top four make it, but setting aside my disappointment over losing one of those top four, I, for one, feel that Mike I. would make an entirely worthy entry in the finals. I don't give him a snowball's chance of winning, but I wouldn't feel like he didn't deserve to be there. All that said, this wasn't his strongest week. His quickfire I find a little odd. It's pretty much straight-up chilaquiles that substituted the waffle chips for tortilla chips. I mean, full marks for integration of the theme, but I find the thought of snack food-based chilaquiles a little off-putting. No strong assessment in either direction. And his elimination was ground pork and bulgur wheat kibbeh stuffed with prosciutto, onion, dates and pine nuts, atop Greek yogurt with rose water and orange zest. Sounds good. Doesn't seem to be at the level of refinement of those above him. And though he throws it out there as a positive this week, I'm not enthused by the litany of ethnic foods in his Top Chef portfolio. Versatility is great, but to win this thing you have to cook your food. If he wants to have an outside shot, he needs to get back to his core and get back to it quickly. Basically, he's the guy who you can pretty much count on to make a good dish no matter what the circumstances are. Which, as I say, makes him the perfect first alternate for the Olympic Top Chef team. |
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Another win somehow eludes the grasp of the four horsemen of the chefpocalypse and lands in Eli's lap. It's a nice, refined-looking dish. A leek and potato soup with clam and truffle, a salad of fennel, celery, cilantro and bacon, clams and sliced potatoes atop -- this is a very elegant dish, which is almost a bit of a departure for Eli, and it nets him his first win. His elimination dish is more the Eli we've come to know, using ginger ale instead of root beer for his braising soda of choice. With a carrot puree, fennel, fresh herbs and ras el hanout, it sounds like a spiffy dish and judges seemed to feel so. Too bad he botched the pairing. I'd also be happy to see Eli in the finals if one of the big four stumble. He's had some nice peaks that seem to match Mike I., but he doesn't quite seem to have Mike's consistency, so I'd have to call him the second alternate. |
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It may look like a move up, but losing two contestants since the last rankings renders that illusory. Laurine and Robin both seem to be on the ropes. Who to put in the basement was a tough call, but not THAT tough, despite Laurine's terrible, terrible mistakes in the elimination challenge. Laurine's quickfire was very conventional, a grilled piece of swordfish with fava beans, mushrooms, spinach, asparagus, wine, stock, parsley, mint and lemon. Very traditional, very spring. Very Antonia, actually, is how it strikes me, but a little less refined. Certainly not enough to stand out in this crowd. The elimination, though? Total meltdown. A crime against pork. Though I'm reluctant to come down on her too hard -- I mean, you can't know everything and there will be gaps in every chef's knowledge -- but how do you not know that pork rillettes are braised in fat? The explanation on her blog makes sense. She's used to doing rabbit rillettes, where the rabbit really is typically braised in stock and later blended with fat. But still, there's a part of me that wants to say that even if it was reasonable for her not to know this by training, shouldn't she be able to divine that by instinct? Presumably she's eaten pork rillettes, from the way she talks about it. Did she really think that braising pork in stock and then blending with fat was going to achieve that end? Troubling. In any case, it really was a four alarm disaster. She even resorted to blending in butter to try to get the consistency right. Let's just say that I think Ash was probably a cumulative elimination this week. But that said, Laurine has met with success at times, and she's staying frosty, and -- bonus -- everybody doesn't hate her. Even though Robin's the one with the win, I have to give the nod to Laurine. |
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Robin's under siege and on life support. I mean, she seems like a fine cook. Everybody is at this point. And in other seasons, I think we'd be considering her and Laurine outside shots for the finals. Her dishes both seemed fine... the corn and avocado mousseline, the pork chop with sweet potato, apple and fennel roulade and cherry-coffee demi. But when you hold her dishes up to the folks nearer the top, they just look clumsy. And perhaps that's the case only when judged comparatively, but it's an inescapable truth. Right now, even if she cooks her heart out (and I mean generally speaking, not Restaurant Wars specific), Robin's going to be on the bottom. There's just no way around it. She's put out some good food, but it isn't that she's landed in the basement so much as the basement has caught up to her. Next week is Restaurant Wars, and hey, anything can happen in Restaurant Wars. But if she survives next week, barring shocking meltdowns from some of the others, she'll be a goner shortly thereafter. And for those who fear a Lisa scenario and the Robin vs. Everyone BS carrying over into the finals, don't worry. It won't happen. Lisa survived long past her time by always being a touch better than somebody else who screwed the pooch. But this crowd is too strong and too consistent to provide Robin (and Laurine) with that kind of opportunity. |
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Can I just say that Ash might be the single most refreshing contestant that has ever been on Top Chef? Watch his exit interview. Seriously, he's just so personable, so likable, so easygoing, so subtly funny, so modest, and he keeps everything in perspective. It's really too bad he wasn't a better cook. And I don't mean that in a snarky, insulting way. He made the same assessment of himself, in one of the most refreshing exit interviews ever. No excuses. He was outcooked by better chefs, plain and simple. The only thing I find unfortunate is that you get the sense -- and he's said this, too -- that we never really got to see his food. And the fact that he didn't lean on that as a crutch after the fact is admirable. But if he won't say it, I'll say it for him. I bet we didn't get to see Ash's true potential on Top Chef, and that's too bad. Of course, I don't know that his true potential would have allowed him to survive more than a couple more episodes anyway, but at least he wouldn't have looked so lost over the past few weeks, and maybe we would have been able to enjoy having him around a little longer. So long, Ash. Sad to see you go. |
And looking forward to next week...
WARNING : MINOR EPISODE NINE SPOILERS AHEAD
Okay, the quickfire looks awesome. Blind relay? Love it. It's challenging without being crippling, and it should be really, really interesting to watch. Looking forward to it. Restaurant Wars? Well, we'll see. Tom closed his blog with some vaguely ominous comments that seem to suggest a surprise elimination is on deck. Maybe it's a red herring. Or maybe we're just paranoid because it's Restaurant Wars. One thing I do think is that the Robin and Michael V. blowup has been exaggerated. In the online video they get into it, but they also seem to quickly get it out of their systems and move on. Get the win, get the win, get the win. So I wouldn't read too much into that little spat. But our teams appear to be Robin, the Volts and Eli vs. Kevin, Jen, Mike I. and Laurine. I'm thinking the latter is actually the stronger team for Resturant Wars, especially since harmony and collaboration are so key and, well, with the Volts and Robin all in the kitchen together, it just seems like the sniping and bickering potential is high. Eli's clearly FoH (suit and all), and if he's on that team, smart move staying the hell out of the kitchen. My best guess is that Kevin, Jen, Mike I. and Laurine win, also because I see their styles meshing a lot better. And I just don't see either of the Voltaggios botching their dishes in a restaurant scenario, so as long as there isn't some kind of complete structural meltdown in the kitchen -- and with Bryan there I don't see that happening -- it comes down to Robin or Eli. Robin's on borrowed time and the judges know it, so unless Eli totally screws up FoH, I'm guessing Robin goes and we can all breathe a sigh of relief.
But as usual, who the hell knows?
Discuss!!!
Great review. Welcome to the "Kevin's going to win" club. Competitive BBQ background is the key.
I think Tom C. was throwing out a red herring. Can't see any of the top 4 leaving yet. I also don't think it is a lock as to which team will lose RW. This time, the kitchen may be so strong (with the Vs carrying Robin across the finish line) that FOH for the losing team may be gone.
Posted by: gilmore | October 21, 2009 at 03:43 AM
On the raw numbers alone (3 wins, 9 tops, 2 bottoms -- beats all save Kevin) plus her demonstrated ability to prevail in the face of adversity, Jen should own second place.
Posted by: Duffy | October 21, 2009 at 03:50 AM
Excellent rankings. Excellent commentary. Thanks. Your description of Kevin's food really helps me understand how he dances along the fine line between simple and complicated. I have sometimes wondered exactly what "refined" meant when it comes to food, and I think Kevin gives me that perfect example. As impressed as I am with everyone in the top four (and to a lesser extent, the top eight) Kevin makes the food I really want to taste. The rankings this week do make me kind of wish Ashley and Hector were still around; they could be making dishes to rival Mike I and Eli. But oh well-- that's the game...
Posted by: timothy | October 21, 2009 at 04:12 AM
"On the raw numbers alone (3 wins, 9 tops, 2 bottoms -- beats all save Kevin) plus her demonstrated ability to prevail in the face of adversity, Jen should own second place."
Yeah, but if it were just about the numbers, the rankings would be impossibly boring.
That's why it's the power rankings and not the standings :-)
Posted by: Skillet Doux | October 21, 2009 at 04:54 AM
Hey gang, sorry to be off topic so early in the discussion, but as this is easily my favorite food blog (and favorite group of commenters), I'm hoping for some suggestions. Taking a week long trip to Seattle and Portland in a couple of weeks and looking for must try dining experiences. Will be on a budget but should be able to get at least a couple of nice meals in too, and judging by my early research, good cheap eats shouldn't be too hard to find. Any suggestions would be so appreciated.
Thanks in advance!
And back on topic, Dom, think the rankings are spot on. I think I'd rather see Mike V in the finals than Bryan, but I think both are deserving (as is Jen, of course). And Kevin is definitely who I'm pulling for to win it all.
Posted by: Mann of Sandd | October 21, 2009 at 05:58 AM
I'd still place Robin over Laurine. Robin strikes me as someone who'd be more willing to take a risk on a plate than Laurine, and even in failing, would still come out with something more interesting and dynamic than an anemic dish (by comparison) from Laurine.
As for the Robin drama - I was thinking about this over the week. Earlier this season, I had been saying that I wanted to see more personality from our chefs. This season is so, so bland in comparison to the New York and Chicago seasons, personality-wise.
But now that this drama has erupted, I don't like what I'm seeing. There's a difference between drama and personality. Any time Carla, Fabio, Stefan, Andrew, Spike (and a few others) came on screen, I knew I was about to see something interesting, be it a watermelon carving or an off-handed remark about mountain goats on a beach or having a "culinary boner" or something.
That I miss. So yes, I want the drama to end (it's just way too awkward and mean-spirited for me), but I still want to see the chef's personalities. The only person who I feel like really does that is Kevin, and I love him for that. He's become my favorite contestant. The Voltaggio brothers have mumbled their way along this season, Jennifer's deflected any personality by focusing completely on her dishes. Ash showed personality, but he's gone. Mike I. can be funny, but it just erupts in controversy.
I realize that most people commenting here are in it for the food and not for the personality/drama, so I realize I'm in the minority here.
But I bet most of Top Chef's viewers wouldn't understand 90% of what Dom is talking about when he describes their dishes. In other words, I think the drama is here to stay, because Bravo has to retain a larger audience. Don't believe me? Look at the poll questions they ask during the show. "Who's more annoying?"
Even if Robin gets eliminated tonight, there will be more drama next week. What I'm arguing for is less drama and more personality. Why? Because while I really like the caliber of the chefs this year, I'm having a hard time watching it. Yes, the food is much, much more interesting, but the people are not.
Except for Kevin. He's too damn likable.
Posted by: Bart | October 21, 2009 at 06:11 AM
Meaty writeup. My favorite after your pre-season preview power rankings. Doing without PR last week made the hunger and satisfaction that much greater.
ITA top 2 are Kevin, in the zone, followed by Bryan stability. I want to put Jen 3rd... but I'm also getting the concern her stress-outs isn't all just show and passing illness, that she really is in danger of red-line snap and shutdown. And there is her narrower area of culinary expertise, which is the conventional done superbly, versus Michael V, who has broader range of expertise culled from working in many different top kitchens.
Posted by: dc | October 21, 2009 at 06:13 AM
You had me at "chefpocalypse."
Posted by: Jon Olsen | October 21, 2009 at 06:26 AM
Laurine, Robin or Eli? Who cares? Time for them to go. It is clear who the top chefs are.
Posted by: Steve | October 21, 2009 at 06:51 AM
You had me at "chefpocalypse."
Now I'm kicking myself for "loaning" away my copy of Good Omens. There's a great passage at the end (where the four horsemen and their various hangers-on make their steady approach to the final battle) which would be absolutely perfect for quoting in this context.
Posted by: Independent George | October 21, 2009 at 07:05 AM
Does anyone have recommendations for excellent restaurants in Vegas? I've only been to Table 10 (last winter) and while the food was ok the poor service distracted from the whole experience. Maybe they were just having an off night. But it fit my image of Vegas: we'll make things look pretty while we give you no substance and mercilessly drain your bank account. Or maybe I'm just still miffed that the week we were there Cirque du Soleil was on their pre-holiday break.
If there are any exceptions to my image of Vegas, I'd love to hear about them.
Posted by: TokenOmnivore | October 21, 2009 at 07:21 AM
Thanks for another excellent power rankings, Dom. I'm inclined to agree with your no. 1. Unless Kevin makes some serious error in future episodes, which doesn't look like he will, your prediction of him winning it all is definitely most plausible. I'm fine with him winning, he's a very talented chef & seems like a super nice guy.
However, I don't know. I feel like it's too soon to call it, like you yourself said. Even though we're already at the middle of the season, I feel like there's still some hidden talent & chops waiting to be unleash.
I'm ready, though a little scared for Restaurant Wars. Bring it, Bravo!!
Posted by: Dawn | October 21, 2009 at 07:35 AM
The chefpocalypse is coming, and it is dee-licious.
Posted by: Anne | October 21, 2009 at 07:39 AM
Token,
When my wife and I hit Vegas last year we went to Joel Robuchon...I don't know if I can justify the expense but the meal was extraordinary.
Also, I've heard great things about Firefly, and then off the strip, Lotus of Siam is purported to have some of the best Thai food in the country. We were all set to check it out but unfortunately the party that we were with kaboshed that plan. Still resent them for it.
Posted by: Mann of Sandd | October 21, 2009 at 07:40 AM
TokenOmnivore: My wife and I dined at Boulud's place in the Wynn last fall. Food was spectacular; service less so but not horrible by any means. Great food, plus you get to eat where they did the snails quickfire. What's not to love?
Posted by: Coelacanth | October 21, 2009 at 07:41 AM
TokenOmnivore: Rosemary's. Four-star food and service, zero pretension or attitude.
Posted by: Pants McCracky | October 21, 2009 at 07:47 AM
nothing to argue with, dominic. in terms of cookery, i think you're spot on. and, though i have sympathy for her, i hope robin goes soon, too. the soap opera has already marred this season for me. but i just wonder what this soap opera means in editing terms. why play up the robin, robin, robin and michael i's sexism and eli's ugliness if there weren't some payoff coming? robin gets eliminated this week? it's a damp squib. relief all around, but a big "why put us through all that, just so we can watch the woman be booted about?". i'm betting she sticks around a little longer, though it's one of those bets seriously i hope to lose.
Posted by: aaalex | October 21, 2009 at 07:57 AM
"but i just wonder what this soap opera means in editing terms. why play up the robin, robin, robin and michael i's sexism and eli's ugliness if there weren't some payoff coming?"
Could be there's something big coming. Also could be that they're desperate for DRAMA and this is all the cast is giving them, so they're flogging it.
Posted by: Skillet Doux | October 21, 2009 at 08:02 AM
First-time poster. Long-time lurker. I just wanted to say that I took a foodie trip to Atlanta this weekend. Had lunch at Flip(got to meet Blais) and then dinner at Kevin's Woodfire Grill.
My friends and I did the 5-course tasting, and it was hands-down, one of the best meals of my life. That said, I'm a newbie foodie. Regardless, it was incredible. I'm happy to share details of each course if anyone is interested. Overall, it was a thoughtful, delightful meal that started and ended beautifully with many surprises along the way. It made me fall in love with Kevin even more.
Posted by: SouthernGal | October 21, 2009 at 08:07 AM
The one interesting thing I'm wondering about is why Eli as FOH and not Robin? From the preview, it looks like Robin had some key part of the dessert course (which makes sense given her partial catering background), but dessert usually can be made ahead of time and finished ala minute. Robin also strikes me as someone who could be more personable in that roll than Eli. I'm sure he'll be capable, if not effusive. I don't anyone will ever pass the Fabio gold standard for FOH.
The reason I find this interesting is that you would think that if (as the editors want us to believe), Robin is not considered a strong cook by the others, you would not want her in the kitchen.
On food, I think I missed the part about a bacon/pork fat mayo. Oh.My.God.
Posted by: anon man | October 21, 2009 at 08:12 AM
southern-gal: yes, please do desribe your experience chez kevin in greater detail. what did you have and what was on offer?
domonic: yeah, you could be right. it may be that rVe is all the high school bullshit they had to work with. in narrative terms though - and it's pretty clear the editors do think narratively with character arcs in mind - it seems a cheap thing to do to the parties involved and a bit of a waste if robin is going out tonight.
Posted by: aaalex | October 21, 2009 at 08:23 AM
Not sure the concern about the pork sourcing for this past challenge. I was worried at whole foods they'd have to get the grocery store pork. If it was just that then there might be a concern.
I think the closest dense livestock region seems closer to Reno than Vegas, but I would have no issue if they got a boutique pig from SoCal. Maybe they will answer those questions later, but it's a strange nit to pick here.
The rankings are fine. I miss Ashley already. Without her everything is pretty well set in stone, but do recall that the consensus leader at restaurant wars has not fared well in some time. Only Hung (and at that time his hold on the lead was tenuous) has carried pre-RW momentum onto the title.
Posted by: babyarm | October 21, 2009 at 08:28 AM
BTW, I read yesterday that Boulud's place at the Wynn will be closing (actually, the Wynn won't be renewing their contract w/ Boulud) next year.
I am glad to hear that other(s) are having problems with the Reeality TV Drama this season. IMHO, it is the worst since Season 2, and if Robin sticks around too much longer I can almost see something bad happening (as it did in S2.)
~EdT.
Posted by: EdT. | October 21, 2009 at 08:30 AM
I almost entirely agree with your rankings, Dom, but would switch 3 & 4. Really, a tiny nitpick since I can see it going either way, but if I were listing them, I'd put Jen over Mike V by a hair. I agree, Kevin's created a bit of separation at the top for himself and maybe Bryan as well at a firm #2 spot.
I firmly believe EC performances are far, far more important than QFs and should be "weighed" more. In fact, I pretty much give a pass for any QF bottoms since a lot of them are alsmost arbitrary (seriously, snack foods?). So while Mike V has 1 more EC top appearance than Jen, he has that all important bottom appearance as well. Yeah, it was a legit equipment failure and all, but he's still the only one of the top 4 to really stumble, i.e. almost get sent home. Meanwhile, even though I weigh them less, Jen does have a decent QF edge over Mike V.
BTW, nice discussion you linked us to at LTHF. Also, damn you for that bacon mayo recipe! I'm gonna have to try that, but my arteries aren't going to like it. :)
--
Dave
Posted by: Dave_P | October 21, 2009 at 08:46 AM
Mann of Sandd,
In Portland, check out three places: Half and Half Bakery, located downtown near Powell's bookstore, which has fresh and tasty sandwiches and delicious homemade Oreo cookies; Lovely Hula Hands (not Hoolihan's, which is what I thought when I heard about it), located in North Portland serving fresh, organic, and innovative food,
http://www.lovelyhulahands.com/; and Clyde Common, connected to the Ace Hotel in the downtown area. I had lunch here and really enjoyed it, http://www.clydecommon.com/
Posted by: hayamyma | October 21, 2009 at 08:47 AM
My Experience at Woodfire:
Some of the dishes we were served were not on the menu. Most were slight adaptions to the regular dinner menu. I’ve described each course below.
Amuse bouche- fresh beets with olive oil, balsamic and micro greens. Nothing fancy...just clean and crisp flavors.
First Course- Crisp fried rock shrimp on top of chilled confit shrimp salad. All was served on a
butter toasted croutons and drizzled with lemon oil. This course may have been the best single bite of the night. The fried shrimp were warm, while the salad was very cold, and the oil provide the perfect bit of acid.
Second- Pan seared scallop served over butter beans in a shrimp-brandy herb broth. I am not a scallop person, but this one was cooked perfectly. The best part of this course was the butter beans. I grew up shelling fresh butter beans and eating them the same day. But, when I tasted these I thought, “So this is how butter beans are supposed to taste.”
Tasting course- fennel and potato soup with pickled watermelon. Probably my least favorite dish, but it was a very intense favor with the fennel and pickled watermelon at the same time.
Third course- Wood-grilled bobwhite quail with squash puree and roasted sunchokes. What was incredible about this course was how much meat there was on the quail because they had butterflied them. The slightly sweet squash puree was the perfect compliment to the crispy skin of the quail.
Fourth course- Pork belly with roasted brussel sprouts and toasted pecans. All severed with ham jus. INCREDIBLE. The brussel sprouts were not overwhelming and were complimented by the jus. The pork belly was...well, it’s pork belly:)
Final Course- (got this straight from the menu) Banana fritters with milk chocolate mousse, banana bavarian cram, salted caramel and candied bacon. This was the best non-chocolate desserts I have ever had. It was so sweet and so salty at the same time. The fritters were light, fluffy, and dusted with sea salt. The salted caramel made this entire dish. Finally, the candied bacon was just so interesting and clever. The co-owner who brought out this course said, “You can’t be in Kevin Gillespie’s restaurant with having bacon.”
Overall, it was a wonderful dining experience. I am sure that the dishes were much more complex than I described, but I was too busy feeding my face to pick up on all of the nuances.
Posted by: SouthernGal | October 21, 2009 at 08:49 AM
Sorry, the ; messed up the web address, try this one
http://www.lovelyhulahands.com/
Posted by: hayamyma | October 21, 2009 at 08:50 AM
re: anon man
I too noted Eli was FOH and Robin was kitchen. This is my first TC season, I don't know how RW roles are assigned.
If the teams themselves decide, did Eli talk his way into FOH to be "safe" like he did with Ashley with their prawns? Or perhaps they or Robin herself insisted she do dessert, influenced by her QF win was in large due to her apple crisp.
Posted by: dc | October 21, 2009 at 08:54 AM
DC,
Maybe they were assigned this year, but usually the QF determines the captains, and they pick. Assuming that Robin is the last pick, that means someone on the other team is the winner of the QF. That said, some contestants in previous years have said that they don't want to be the EC in RW because the EC can get whacked (which I believe Dom noted is a bit of an old wives tale based on the Tre offing a couple seasons ago), and tank the QF. So, maybe the producers decided to mix that up a bit.
Once picked the team discusses dishes, various stations and positions in the restaurant, etc. Maybe someone can do a statistical analysis here, but my sense is there is NO safe position, per se. The EC can always get the "did you taste that?" or "you're supposed to be in charge" speech. The others get the "Its Top Chef, not top sous/waiter/baker" version. Rhaddika was the last FOH to go home, which I believe was because she so completley botched the reservation book (and was otherwise a terrible hostess) that the restaurant was doomed to fail. One subtle formula in recent seasons is the everyone gets a dish to call their own. So, if the restaurant fails, they can still point to their cheese tart and say "My cheese tart rocked. I can't do everything..."
Anyway, that's a long-winded way of saying that we won't know why Eli is FOH until tonight. I just thought it strange. They may hate Robin personally, but no one is going to let her lose the contestant for them, just on the off chance she gets booted.
Posted by: anon man | October 21, 2009 at 09:10 AM
This is a stupid question, but are brussels sprouts traditionally a southern thing? Being Asian, I didn't eat my first sprout until I was in my twenties. Until then, all I knew about them was that everybody hated them, so I never wanted to try it. In the end, I figured that if I loved lima beans and broccoli, maybe I'd like brussels sprouts, too. Nowadays, I try to eat them with every meal.
The weird thing is that nobody else I know likes them, but they always seem to be available at the grocery store, so somebody is obviously eating them. All of my northern friends hate them, but most of my southern friends can recite a half-dozen brussels sprout recipes from memory.
Posted by: Independent George | October 21, 2009 at 09:38 AM
as ever, love love love this blog.
bart: i think you're right. i imagine most of us who read skillet doux care about the cooking and the artistry...but we also want to know what drives the chefs and delights them and informs their food. and they have to be able to communicate that! that's what you mean by personality, right? watching eli/isabella being tools toward robin? FEH. that's what we hate about reality TV. we're charmed by kevin not just b/c his food looks awesome, but because he DOES show passion and spark and he's articulate about why he makes the culinary choices he does.
i last ate at aureole in nyc in 2007, when dante boccuzzi was the chef. it was amazing then. i hear great things about christopher lee there now. i've eaten at aureole in LV twice, once in the late 90s and once in 2001, and both times, zzz. with crap service and nosebleed-inducing pricing. so i blame the vegas curse rather than charlie palmer not being in teh kitchen -- so many casino restaurants overcharge and underdeliver because they CAN. i'm sure there's great, affordable ethnic food off the strip, and would love to hear more suggestions, should i ever have to go there again, god help me. (and mann, i too have heard that lotus of siam is great.)
Posted by: marjorie | October 21, 2009 at 09:47 AM
I think assigning the teams tonight (or the 2 captains)will be a knife draw or producer pick. We know there's already a relay race QF so I don't think there is enough air-time to also add a QF to determine captains or teams and then do a full restaurant wars episode.
In the Chicago season, I think they did the mise-en-place relay during wedding wars (with teams assigned randomly) and then did an egg-QF to pick 1 team captain (Antonia) for restaurant wars. They may have had both a QF and a relay-race in Tre's season (I can't really remember) but they also had a cold-open so they didn't need much time for the Judge's Table.
Posted by: rab01 | October 21, 2009 at 10:07 AM
Mann of Sandd, Re: Seattle restaurants-- This is a second hand recommendation, so take it for what it's worth, but a friend of mine with good taste used to live in Seattle and he told me that if I ever go there I have to eat at a place called "Serious Pie." Apparently it's a pizza place with an epic beer menu. Like I said, I have never been there but based on my friend's raves, I plan to one day.
Posted by: timothy | October 21, 2009 at 10:10 AM
Independent George,
Ironically, your situation mirrors mine. I grew up in the South, and I never ate brussel sprouts or collard greens as a child (not in my ethnic and family repertoire of cooking), and always heard complaints of those foods, though many of them came from the school cafeteria. I also didn't eat them until my twenties (recommended them to me by a Russian friend), and like both of them, especially brussel sprouts. I think the bad wrap of those veggies often come from the preparation. I think some people are turned off by brussel sprouts because of the slight bitterness, and overcooking them heightens the bitterness and loses the natural sweetness and crunch.
Then again, I am a fan of bittermelon soup...
Posted by: jh | October 21, 2009 at 10:14 AM
@IGeorge,
I don't think of Brussels Sprouts as a Southern thing. I'm from California originally and I've eaten them most of my life. My impression is that its a vegetable that went violently out of favor in the 60s because so many people had them forced down their throats in a 1950s mush, boiled style. It took awhile for that collective childhood trauma to ebb from the national memory.
Posted by: anon man | October 21, 2009 at 10:15 AM
Indeed, it looks like a knife draw for teams. They're already split up into their teams for the quickfire relay.
"I almost entirely agree with your rankings, Dom, but would switch 3 & 4. Really, a tiny nitpick since I can see it going either way, but if I were listing them, I'd put Jen over Mike V by a hair."
Yeah, I might have if I'd thought about it for another ten minutes. Of course, if I'd thought about for another ten minutes, I might've switched it back. That one was more of a gut call. Mike kinda got hosed with his griddle, so I was reluctant to weigh that too much, and Jen just seems to be a little off-kilter lately, so I gave the nod to Mike. The other thing, and I'll get more into this next week or the week after, I'm sure, is that we're reaching the point in the competition when everybody (basically) can execute. Certainly among the top 5-6, they're all skilled, all talented, all creative. So that final piece of the judging puzzle starts to come into play: are they really expressing a personal style. I think it's very, very easy to put a finger on precisely what comprises Kevin, Bryan and Mike's respective styles. Jen, to me, is a little more nebulous at the moment. She's no less of a chef, but I think the judges find it easier to advance people in the later stages when they can not only say "that's a great dish," but also "that's a great Kevin dish," if that makes any sense.
"i last ate at aureole in nyc in 2007, when dante boccuzzi was the chef. it was amazing then. i hear great things about christopher lee there now. i've eaten at aureole in LV twice, once in the late 90s and once in 2001, and both times, zzz. with crap service and nosebleed-inducing pricing. so i blame the vegas curse rather than charlie palmer not being in teh kitchen -- so many casino restaurants overcharge and underdeliver because they CAN."
Glad to hear I'm not the only one. Interestingly, last year we ate at Dante in Cleveland, which is (was) Bocuzzi's place (he moved back home). I was surprised by how lousy it was. Lackluster dishes, nothing exciting, and execution problems left and right. I was going to write them up, but something like two days after we ate there, they announced that they were closing up shop and would reopen downtown. So I opted not to write about it. First, because you wouldn't be able to go, and second because it made me wonder if the problems we were having were due to the transition. But it was definitely a total waste of money. Very disappointing.
Posted by: Skillet Doux | October 21, 2009 at 10:27 AM
In seasons 3 and 4, I believe the QF winner got to choose both teams. This should have been a huge advantage, but was screwed up by CJ when he took personality over talent by skipping Hung. Antonia had the fortune of being able to get both in selecting Richard + Steph, more or less assuring victory before the battle even began. In my opinion, that was an unfair advantage; under those rules, can you imagine if one of our top four got to choose both teams? On the other hand, I think the talent pool this season is deep enough that personality might actually be the difference maker.
S5 went back to alternating picks, which led to an interesting strategic choice of Stefan going last because it was obvious that Radhika wouldn't take him (repeating CJ's mistake of choosing personality over talent).
Thinking back to S4, I can't help but think of what a huge mistake it was letting Antonia get control of both teams. If she and Dale would have alternated, I'm 99% sure it would have been Antonia, Steph, and Lisa vs. Dale, Richard, and Spike. The downside would have been an endless parade of 'battle of the sexes' cliches, but it would have made a much more interesting contest. Both teams may well have succeeded under those circumstances.
Posted by: Independent George | October 21, 2009 at 10:32 AM
Then again, I am a fan of bittermelon soup...
Ugh. I think bittermelon soup may be the Asian equivalent to brussels sprouts. I still can't bring myself to order it, no matter what anybody else says.
Is there a word in English to describe that sort of culinary rebellion against your parents' palate? French? That seems like the kind of thing the French would have a word for.
Posted by: Independent George | October 21, 2009 at 10:40 AM
Count me as a northerner who loves brussels sprouts. My wife and I can't get enough of them this time of year.
IG: "Is there a word in English to describe that sort of culinary rebellion against your parents' palate? French? That seems like the kind of thing the French would have a word for."
Yes, I'm sure for the English the English word for rebelling against your parents' palates would be "french." Said as snidely as possible. Oh that's our lad, he eats french.
Posted by: Jon Olsen | October 21, 2009 at 10:55 AM
It never ceases to amaze me how badly Americans ate in thoe days. I don't just mean in terms of variety (I wouldn't expect there to be a lot of fusion from that time period), but the actual recipes from that era seem as though people wanted food to be boring, bland, and overcooked.
The first time I ate brussels sprouts (pickled, served cold as a side to some ribs), I knew exactly how I wanted to cook it: blanched quickly, with a light sauce of lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, and black pepper. I've since seen roughly a bajillion different variations on the same theme - quick cooked to preserve the texture, some acid to contrast the bitterness, some light the oil & seasonings to complement the natural flavor. It's not an especially difficult or exotic concept; I came up with it independently within the first minute. It's definitely not beyond the reach of a 50s housewife. Why was bad food not merely tolerated, but actively encouraged in that era?
Can any food historians answer the question? I know James Beard and Julia Child were instrumental in moving Americans away from the 'canned mush' era, but the question remains why we ever in that era in the first place, and why it was so difficult to break away from it. It's not just anathema to modern plates, but also to the rich New England and Southern traditions that survived industrialization in the 19th century.
Posted by: Independent George | October 21, 2009 at 11:48 AM
Jon Olsen - your comment almost got me in trouble on a teleconference when I couldn't stop laughing...he eats FRENCH....
Until that comment, I wasn't going to post, since I pretty much agree with Dom's rankings, and I really, REALLY hope that Kevin doesn't go home tonight.
Now, if only I can stay awake long enough to see TC tonight. Being sick SUCKS!
Posted by: Amanda P. | October 21, 2009 at 12:00 PM
Yes, I'm sure for the English the English word for rebelling against your parents' palates would be "french." Said as snidely as possible. Oh that's our lad, he eats french.
That is way, way, way better than anything Toby Young has ever contributed to the show.
Posted by: Independent George | October 21, 2009 at 12:03 PM
Mann of Sand:
I'll keep the Portland reccos short since it's easy to get overloaded with suggestions in that town.
I absolutely loved Beast. Just fantastic food, open kitchen, communal tables. Beast serves food that reminds me of what Kevin is cooking this season. To be fair, I'd say Kevin's "straighforward" approach belies the true sophistication that is readily apparent from his recipes; Beast may not be at that level. But it was fantastic food and the wine pairings were unusually good while still being challenging and enlightening.
Being a cocktail fanatic, Clyde Common is a must-go everytime I visit Portland. Google Jeffrey Morgenthaler to see the thought and care that goes into the mixology there. Handsome zinc bar, great 'repurposed-chic' ambiance. Great time. Oh. And they can cook! I've had some beautiful meals there (including a house made morcilla that will change your mind about eating blood).
On the mid-range end, I'd give Pok-Pok a go. They've got some beautiful Thai food there as well as some very thoughtful asian-inspired takes on classic cocktails (tamarind whiskey sour? YES!) Best to go with a group of about 4 so you can try several dishes, but still good with 2.
On the cheapest end, food carts. As an Angeleno I revel in our embarassment of riches I call our taco truck scene. But even I get a little envious when I think of Portland's food carts.
Quick Seatle hits: For the cocktailian at heart, you MUST visit the Zig Zag Cafe and Vessel. And do go to Armandino Batali's (yep, that one) salumeria. Wow! Best domestically produced salumi that I've had. Makes some mean traditional entries but his wilder experiments more than work, they elevate.
And nice blog Dom. Been reading since I googled "Thomas Keller and Roast Chicken" years ago and I continue to check in regularly. Write more during the off-season, will ya? It's your best stuff.
Posted by: Frommtron | October 21, 2009 at 12:05 PM
It's funny--Kevin's the one of the top four that I just can't see making an elimination-worthy mistake. He's just so thoughtful and adaptable. I sincerely hope I'm not wrong.
Posted by: Anne | October 21, 2009 at 12:06 PM
Dom, you've previously raised your point about chefs and their distinct "style", or lack thereof. I always thought it's a good one, and I'm wondering what Jen's might be. Maybe her sauces and/or broths (if you can call that a style)? This is where I wished I took/kept better notes, but I seem to recall that other than her usual exacting execution (esp on seafood), she seems to have garnered quite a bit of praise for her saucework. It's somewhat telling that I can think of more of Kevin's dishes than Jen's just ottomh though.
Having said that, and I know it was against a lesser field, but Hung got very far (i.e. all the way to the finals) before really developing his own signature, even to the fact that he was backhandedly complemented as a (merely) technically superb chef. He did end up winning after breaking out some Asian flavors at the end (playing hindsight, I would've added a hint of ginger to his chocolate dessert at the end, mostly to shut Tom up about how it didn't "fit" with an Asian-themed meal), though who knows how he would fare against this season's top 4 (I still maintain Hung & maybe Blais are the only TC chefs who could potentially beat the top 4, assuming everyone brings their A game).
--
Dave
Posted by: Dave_P | October 21, 2009 at 12:13 PM
That commentary always bothered me a bit. I actuallly think that a technically perfect chef who prepared boring & uninspired, but technically sound food would get pretty far in the competition.
Imagine you had a hypothetical, technically perfect chef without an original thought in his cranium. He never overcooks or underseasons his meat. Everything is prepared perfectly, but he only prepares recipes he's memorized by heart, and can only make direct, boring substitutions (chicken for duck, etc). How far would this hypothetical chef - this ROBO-CHEF, if you will - have lasted in various seasons?
I think in every other season, somebody else has always screwed up worse leading up to the final cut. For example, in this current season, ROBO-CHEF would have placed at the bottom of the escargot and cactus quickfires, but a boring, but properly executed dish would not yet have been eliminated.
Posted by: Independent George | October 21, 2009 at 12:32 PM
"That commentary always bothered me a bit. I actuallly think that a technically perfect chef who prepared boring & uninspired, but technically sound food would get pretty far in the competition."
You mean Antonia?
:-)
(I exaggerate, but... not completely.)
Posted by: Skillet Doux | October 21, 2009 at 12:35 PM
I like Hung and I can't fault him for trying to do just enough to get into the finals. I don't think he doesn't have a personal style, he's just playing with his brain and not with his heart. Perhaps he saw his ol' friend Marcel burn out with all his foams (a style that I did not enjoy) and decided that he should just try his best because a victory in top chef is more important than people like you.
Onto this season, I too have Kevin number one and Bryan number two. I'd also have put Jen at number four because, as much as it pains me to type this, she's the ONLY one I can see get eliminated before the finals. if i would bet on percentages, I'd say if someone in the top four will be eliminated, Jen would probably have 75% chance, Mike would have 15% while Bryan and Kevin would have 5% each.
This is the first preview I remember in a while where there hasn't been much "preview" of the judges table, but instead is focused on... ROBIN. Yes. I too feel like this better lead somewhere interesting because they're milking this drama a little too far. Case in point, I think all of us are tired of Robin talking about cancer, we get it. I'm also wondering how many off-handed comments Michael I can come up with. (rotten, robin? That wasn't even funny). I'm thinking it could either lead to someone leaving by choice, or it'll lead to some sort of reconciliation that's nice to see. I don't see the second choice happening though.
Anyway, it seems like the entire focus is on the Voltaggio team, we hardly saw what Kevin and Jen are doing (so excited for this match up). I'm hoping that this means there will be a good restaurant wars for once. It also appears that it might be the episode where the Robin drama might finally spill into judges table (hasn't before). It'd be interesting to see how it works out.
Posted by: Scott | October 21, 2009 at 12:57 PM
To partake in the side conversation - I'd love to hear what other folks have done with brussel sprouts. I have a bag of them in my fridge from our CSA share and not a thought in my head of what to do with them.
Posted by: Megan H. | October 21, 2009 at 01:02 PM
Independent George: I've often wondered, too, why mid-century American cooking (home cooking, at least) was so awful. I just finished reading David Kamp's "The United States of Arugula," which chronicles the emergence of mainstream American foodie culture -- including the influence of James Beard and Julia Child -- and it might help answer that question for you. Very detailed, but a fun read. (Sorry, I haven't yet figured out how to do hyperlinks in these posts, but it's easy to find this title at Amazon.)
Posted by: Katherine | October 21, 2009 at 01:04 PM