MAYHAPS Combining the best qualities of the terms "maybe" & "perhaps" into a single superior word

One Bite To Save Your Life

Previously on Top Chef: The chefs prepared what was essentially a large buffet.  Preeti "I can't shuck a clam" Mistry was sent packing her knives.  It was a pretty boring episode.  The challenge was that they were at an air force base using canned food and large industrial kitchen machines.  This week however, was awesome.

The Quickfire was as high stakes as it gets.  The winner gets immunity and the loser goes home.  To top it off, they are cooking for one of the greatest chefs working today, Daniel Boulud and cooking one of the most difficult ingredients - snails.  They are worked into a tizzy.  I wouldn't even know where to begin, but apparently Kevin did, because his Escargot Fricasse with Mushrooms, Brussels Sprouts and Candied Bacon Jam wowed Tom and Boulud.

It seemed to me unfair to do an elimination quickfire with such a crazy ingredient, but the bottom 3 get one last saving grace.  They each must quickly create an amuse bouche with anything that is in the kitchen.  As Tom puts it, "One bite to save your life and keep you in the competition."  Robin makes an Avocado Soup with Yuzu, Green Apple, Mustard Relish and Crab.  Jesse makes Tuna Tartare with Sorrel, Gooseberries, Fried Quail Egg and Fried Bread.  Ashley makes Foie Gras with Pineapple, Tarragon and Ramps.  After considering, Tom sends Jesse packing.  It had been coming for a while.  She was in the bottom of almost every challenge she participated in.  It seemed to me that she wasn't a bad chef, just out skilled by the others.  She makes her exit and we move right on the the Elimination Challenge.

Each of the chefs except Kevin take turns pulling knives.  Half have classic French sauces written on them and the others have traditional French proteins.  They must now pair up to create dishes together.  They will be serving a table full of the most known and respected French chefs around right now: Hubert Keller, Daniel Boulud, Jean Joho, Laurent Tourondel and the man voted Chef of the Century - Joel Robuchon.  Because he won the quickfire, Kevin is not only immune, but gets to join the chefs at their table and eat with them.  You could feel the other chefs dying inside when they heard that news.

The pairings begin.  Some are obvious such as Laurine's Lobster with Eli's Sauce Americain and Hector's Steak with Ash's Au Poivre sauce.  The rest resulted from who wanted to work together and who nobody else wanted to work with, mainly Ron's Frog Legs and Robin's Meuniere sauce.

The pair of pairs that beat out everyone else were Michael I. & Byan's Warm Cured Trout with Deconstructed Bearnaise and Michael V. & Jennifer's Rabbit Chasseur with Mustard Noodle and Shiso.  They judges were incredibly impressed with this group.  The win ended up going to Bryan for the perfectly cooked Trout and his idea for the deconstructed Bearnaise.

The bottom feeders this week were Ashley & Mattin's Seared Poussin and Ravioli with Sauce Veloute and Green Asparagus along with Hector and Ash's Chateaubriand, Sauce Au Poivre with Confit De Pommes and Spinach.

I really thought Mattin was going to be sent home.  He is French and trained in French cuisine but couldn't deliver.  He had to make a veloute sauce, which is basically a velvety smooth sauce.  Compared to other dishes, that was one of the easier sauces to make.  But alas, the judges spared him.  Instead, the first man sent packing this season was Hector.  He had to cook beef, and he couldn't do that well.  Its a simple thing really but the meet was unevenly cooked and badly cut.

My picks are flat out kicking ass.  Bryan performed well last week and won the challenge this week making him the first contestant with two elimination challenge wins.  Jennifer won the quickfire last week and was chosen by the group to lead them in the challenge and she did awesomely.  This week she was in the top group for the elimination challenge.  Kevin was in the top group last week and won the quickfire this week.  I would predict that it will be my picks plus the two Michaels in the final five.

It was a really exciting episode this week.  It felt good getting rid of two chefs.  It gets better when more of the dead weight chefs get cut and the really good chefs get super competitive.