TOP CHEF – Latin Lunch

TELEVISION: First the news: Congratulations on the first of many Emmy nominations! According to bloggingtopchef, the Top Chef Miami finale will air live, raising the cloche on the winner to both the audience and the cheftestants at the same time. Bravo also announced that season four’s location will be Chicago. Information on casting, which begins this month, can be found at BravoTV.com/casting.
But most importantly, according to viewers who answered the text poll, the sexiest judge is, without a doubt, Tom Colicchio, with 48% of the votes. Padma came in second with 38% and Gail, with the sparkling personality, came in third with only 14%. She can still come to my place for lunch.
Before the Quickfire Challenge begins, Joey states he’s the gray horse and no one sees him coming while Hung tells us the competition is all about finesse, style, grace and elegance. Are their comments spot-on? Tonight’s QFC has the flavor of Dale’s debacle from last week: create a dish using the widely used, timesaving innovation, the frozen piecrust. Serving as guest judge tonight is top pastry chef Maria Frumkin, owner of Miami’s Duo Café.
With only 90 minutes to roll them out, this challenge offers more range as the options can swing from sweet to savory. The least favorite dishes included mad man Hung’s runny Banana Rum and Chocolate Cream Pie that didn’t set properly. Dales was told the saffron was overwhelming in the Spinach and Salmon en Croute accompanied with Strawberry, Pear and Saffron Tart with Vanilla Goat Cheese Cream. (I’d love to taste his tart!) And Lia was told the flavors in her Artichoke Chorizo and Pork Tart with Fennel Pear Salad didn’t marry well together.
Best of the bunch was Sara M’s Rabbit Stew and Tre’s Apple Tarte Tatin but topping the tarts was gray horse Joey’s Tart Trio, guaranteeing he won’t be cut from tonight’s competition.
The Elimination Challenge required catering a Latin lunch for Latinos – 20 people from Telemundo’s popular telenovela "Dame Chocolate." Everyone went shopping for 30 minutes then returned to cook for three hours – until Chef Tom announced that lunch had been pushed up and they now have half the prep time! First there is dead silence then it’s fast-forward motion, especially for Hung, who is already cranked up and nearly slices Casey with a cleaver. Guess his earlier comment can go down the garbage disposal.
The luncheon seemed jovial and the guests were good critics but had to return to the set, leaving the judges at the chopping block. There was the good, the bad and the ugly, but nary a sign of what Brian prepared. Did I miss something?
The top two were new best buds Joey and Howie who couldn’t quit lapping up each other’s meals. Joey, who is now on a winning streak, created a Bean Stew with Lobster, Shrimp, Chicken, and Chorizo. But Howie won, again using Braised Pork Shoulder but adding Yucca Sour Orange Mojo. His prize was "a very, very nice" bottle of wine from Argentina that he shared with Joey. All the tension from the past seems to be released and hopefully they got a private room to sip the sweet stuff.
At the bottom of the barrel was Sara N, whose Avocado, Shrimp and Scallop Ceviche was more like a guacamole dip, and not a meal. You’d think if you couldn’t master basics like rice and chicken, it would be enough to get axed. Hung’s Arroz con Pollo was dry and under seasoned as was Casey’s, but her Coffee Molasses Glaze, which was supposed to be a variation on mole and sounded good, was called bitter. I was surprised that it was last week’s champion, Lia who was sent packing. Perhaps her Smoked Rainbow Trout with Pablano Polenta was the least Latin. Told it lacked flavor and was mushy, Padma said it was inedible but Tom said just wasn’t good.
This season, the chef’s seem more helpful and supportive, hugging and applauding each other. And given the name of the telenovela, it’s interesting that no one incorporated into his or her dish, known for euphoric and aphrodisiac qualities, chocolate…