TOP CHEF – Sunny Delights

TELEVISION The show got off to a swift start, first showing everyone rising up with the sun, Micah wanting to spend more time to stay in bed, and then whisking off to meet Padma and guest judge Chef Norman Van Aken for the Quickfire Challenge. The competing chefs had 30 minutes to incorporate Florida citrus fruits, like blood oranges, tangelos, key limes, grapefruits and Meyer lemons into their dishes. If they looked like chickens running around with their heads cut off it was due to the fact that all 14 were in the kitchen together at once.
At the bottom of the QFC, Sandee’s key lime mojito and pink grapefruit brulée thingy didn’t wow Chef Norman, who complained he had to pull out the flower out from the dish. Sara N flubbed when she couldn’t come up with a name for her blood orange and tangelo shrimp salad, which the judges called unfocused. Micah’s spicy avocado and red grapefruit soup became thick as pudding (yuck) and was told it was unremarkable.
Tre made it into the QFC top three and CJ’s sea perch with carrots, radicchio, oranges and hazelnuts looked yummy but seeds were found in it which may have cost him. It was Hung who won immunity with his slow roasted sea bass with blood orange and tangerine sauce. Hung has a lot of self-confidence and had earlier predicted his win, smiling all the way to the finish line.
Onto the gourmet barbecue Elimination Challenge where 6'8" CJ wished he was 5’3" to be closer to the grill and Sara N lit charcoal for the first time. Hung wasn’t buying Micah’s grumpiness at missing her daughter, saying she was down because of her low show in the QFC. During the preparations, Joey slings a crude remark to Hung about stealing his idea for serving watermelon and berry champagne. This is a drink anyone could have served and I don’t think Hung was out of line. Joey also mentioned after the QFC that he was pissed off because he wasn’t selected. This guy has a bit of an attitude problem, and it comes back to bite him.
At the judge’s table, Sara N and Micah make a nice recovery from the QFC to be in the top three, even though Sara N had left the Scotch Bonnet peppers for her Vietnamese BBQ in the sauce overnight. Since they were hot enough to burn her hands, wouldn’t the sauce have been too hot to eat? But it was Brian who had the winning Chino Latino dish that I would like to have tasted – Scallops, Shrimp & Sea bass Sausage with Ginger Slaw & Chili Glaze.
Tom was very complimentary tonight, saying that no one was particularly terrible, but earlier he did compare Sandee’s Vanilla Poached Lobster to putting lipstick on a pig. (Huh?) Tre, Howie and Joey joined Sandee in the bottom four. I didn’t understand how Padma and Tre thought his peach salmon was salty while Tom, Norman and Gail thought it was without flavor. In front of the judges, Joey recommended that Howie go home without having tasted his Jamaican Jerk Pork; then while waiting for the final decision, they verbally slam each other about not being a man. Their confrontations won’t last much longer as both will be out soon enough and crying like babies.
In the end, the remaining 13 were surprised that Sandee’s dish, though upscale, didn’t meet the grilling criteria and was asked to pack her knives and go. I’ll miss her sunny disposition and Mohawk, but perhaps Dale’s will make a flaming substitution.

Check the Bravo site for videos and more info on the “cheftestants.”

http://www.bravotv.com/Top_Chef/index.php