Previously on Top Chef: Casinos are inspiring! Michael is a dick but also a winner! Buh-bye Robin!
It's morning in the chef'testant house. Bryan tells us it's the last challenge in Las Vegas and that winning $100,000 would be a big deal to him. Kevin tells us he's glad he made it this far but he misses his wife. Kevin is the red herring this week, America. Eli tells us his mentor is Richard Blais and he wants to win the competition for the both of them. Jenn reminds us that she's had performance issues.
Continue reading "Top Chef Las Vegas Episode 12 - Risky Simplicity" »
Previously on Top Chef: Natalie Portman is a vegetarian but so are a lot of people and the cheftestants need to shut up and accommodate them. Jenn had confidence issue. Robin still didn't pack her knives and go. Buh-bye Isabella!
In the house, Bryan is missing his family. He has an adorable conversation with his son. The editing spends so much time on him I start thinking he's going to blow it and be sent home. Robin and Jenn are getting ready and Robin turns to Jenn and tells her, "I'm glad we're still here, Jennifer." In a talking head, Jenn says it's a big deal that Isabella's not there and she needs to stop worrying about other people and worry about herself. Yes. Do that. It's time for the Quickfire!
Continue reading "Top Chef Las Vegas Episode 11 - Death or Glory" »
Fabio is hosting a dinner! He looks cute in his pink shirt, black jacket and cuff links. He's standing in Social restaurant in Hollywood. Tiffany is first to arrive. They greet each other warmly, then Harold The King comes in, followed by Ilan and they are all graciousness and contentment. Marcel's entrance on screen is preceded by the Top Chef this-is-serious-music. Fabio and the guests greet him nicely and Fabio even compliments his work. In a talking-head, Marcel proves he is utterly lacking in self-awareness when he says he learned a lot from watching himself on Season Two. He learned he was young and was a force to be reckoned with and that's why people hated him. A clip of the Season Two stew room shows Ilan yelling at him to learn how to use salt and paprika and until then shut the f up. I don't remember that scene but I'm sure I loved it just as much then as I do now. Fabio tries to stir it up between them but neither bites. Marcel says he and Ilan and "...culinary brothers of other mothers..." He really did say that.
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Previously on Top Chef: Michael was a dick to Bryan and Robin but his team rocked it and the other team sucked. He won because acting like a professional is not part of the criteria. Buh-bye Laurine!
We open on the chef house, where Michael is literally sharpening his knives. Jenn is sharpening her self-flagellation tools. On to the M Resort! What is it with Padma and jumpsuits? The guest judge for the quickfire is Paul Bartolotta. Isabella tells us Paul is one of the top Italian chefs in the country. The challenge is completely unrelated to his specialty. It's a TV challenge, America. TV! They have 60 minutes to cook dishes inspired by TV shows and served in divided trays kind of like you would get with a TV dinner. During the cooking time, we learn from Michael that he and Bryan used to live with their Mom, then went to live with their Dad where they ate TV dinners. There's a really adorable picture of them as kids. Jenn has to cook a dish inspired by The Flintstones. She tells us that The Flintstones character she identifies with most is Pebbles due to the cute, strong boyfriend and even the club and hair-pulling could be fun sometimes. Now that Jenn is forever second-guessing herself and making mistakes, I like her even more because I'm constantly worried she'll be leaving us. Eli reminds us that his show, Gilligan's Island was way before his time. Kevin has The Sopranos and he's inspired by the importance of family on the show and in his own life.
Continue reading "Top Chef Las Vegas Episode 10 - Steak Through the Heart" »
Last week: Eli bitched at Robin, Michael messed with Bryan. Kevin won and Ash went home.
This week opens on the pool at the chef house. Jenn looks great in a bikini. Laurine tells us she feels lucky to still be there, so we know she'll be the one leaving. Kevin tells us everyone misses Ash, especially because the Voltaggios are always at each other. He's too nice to say he's sick of it. Michael admits that between him and Bryan he's the dickhead...I mean instigator.
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Last week on Top Chef: Isabella thinks Robin doesn't know how to cook tuna, but hey...even Michael can overcook a fish. Bye Ashley!
The chef'testants are hanging around the house. Michael reminds us that being in the bottom was a new experience for him. He follows that up by comparing himself to Babe Ruth. Eli sits on his bed and talks to his mom. He and his mom are close. Because he still lives with his parents. He's stressed about having been in the bottom on the last challenge. Robin does Pilates in the backyard. They're off to cook!
Continue reading "Top Chef Las Vegas Episode 8 - Swines and Whines" »
Previously: Jenn had confidence issues, Robin survived cancer in order to annoy everyone. Bye Ron!
It's been two weeks since we've seen a new episode. I have never loved Top Chef as much as I do in this moment. Here we go!
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Previously on Top Chef: Teepees! Sand! Raw fish! Buh-bye Mattin and Mattin's scarf!
At the house, Isabella is leading a movement to get everyone to wear a Mattin scarf. In the girl's room Robin is annoying. When all the chef'testants enter the Top Chef kitchen, she's the only one not wearing the scarf around her neck. She has it folded and tucked into the pocket on her chef's coat. Michelle Bernstein is the guest judge for this episode. She's really cute. Padma tells them the quickfire challenge is to make a dish that represents the angel on your left shoulder and the devil on your right. Are there actually specific sides assigned to angels and devils? Extensive 30 second searching finds that yes, there are, but Padma reversed them. Did Padma pick out her shirt intentionally because it has excess shoulder poof on which angels can stand? Anyway, they have one hour, winner gets immunity.
Continue reading "Top Chef Las Vegas Episode 6 - Deconstruction Worker" »
Last week: Intimidating French Chefs! Sibling rivalry! Bloody meat! Buh-bye Hector!
The chefs are hanging around the house and getting ready for the next evolution. The big news this week is that Michael may be emerging as the bad guy. He points out in a talking-head interview that there are some chefs still there that are less talented than chefs that have gone home. He uses Robin and Hector as his examples. He then tries to make us hate him by listing the most talented chefs as himself, Isabella and Bryan. He has either not been paying attention enough to notice Jenn and Kevin kicking much ass, or he has already discounted the accolades they have received. Then he goes on to tell us that he's worked for a lot of great chefs and when he was 26 he received one Michelin star but he wants us to know he doesn't brag about that. FYI Michael, telling us about it is bragging about it. The only way you could work that into conversation without bragging about it is if someone were to specifically ask you, "Have you ever received a Michelin star and if so at what age?"
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