Join me on my blog for Top Chef Tuesdays, as I recap each episode. I'm aware that Top Chef All Stars has already been airing in the US and we Canadians are a couple (*ahem - maybe more than a couple) episodes behind. So please, all you folks who are ahead of the watching, please, no spoilers. I'm recaping in my own personal opinion and it is all in good fun. Please join me in the comments....
The chefs come into the kitchen and are faced with making a unique fondue as their quickfire challenge. Peeps, I don't know why, but I got really excited! Maybe because the last couple episodes were a snore or maybe I just love the idea and creativity associated with this challenge but I started clapping and cheering watching the chefs run a muck in the kitchen. I instantly messaged the hubby telling him we need to do a fondue get together with friends. FUN!
No immunity for this challenge and the chefs would be judging each other. Tiffany's apple fritter dipped into a hazelnut chocolate fondue was one of the bottom 3. Sounded boring to me too. Though, Fabi'
oh's creme fraiche/fromage blanc/bourdain wine fondue sounded very delicious and promising, I imagined all the billini's topped with caviar weren't the best thing to dip. Little fish roe swimming against cheesy fondue currents, meh. I also was very excited about Mike's spiced lamb kebabs with feta cheese fondue. It looked so appetizing but he rounded out the bottom 3.
Angelo's endive with walnuts dipped into goat cheese fondue followed by a beet juice shooter just looked clunky to me but he actually was one of the top 3! Antonia's cream fraiche/fromage blanc fondue with smoked salmon on toast dippers sounded comforting. But it was Dale's "Pho-ndue" of beef and bread in pho broth that won.
I thought it was funny that everything I seemed to dislike/like were the opposite picks for winners and losers. But then, I'm not a chef or professional foodie. Still had fun guessing who would be the winner.
The chefs are told to head to Rockefeller Center and they find themselves on Late Night on Jimmy Fallon's show. Their elimination challenge is to cook one of Jimmy's favorite dishes for his birthday lunch.
I always think these kinds of challenges aren't fair. Making beef tongue delectable sounds much more challenging than pulled pork or chicken pot pie. I often think that they should have more challenges like they do on the show
Chopped, where they are given the same ingredients and have to come up with something creative and delicious.
I'm sure Antonia is very grateful for Richard's help with the using a pressure cooker to cook her beef tongue, as she makes the top 3. The judges were impressed with it, especially since she's never even make or ate beef tongue before herself. How stressful would that be!
Angelo's pulled pork with coffee, dill and cilantro shocked the judges considering they (and I) would never think those ingredients would be good together. Love how the table of judges and Fallon's friends were laughing so hard over the one diner's comment that Angelo can "pull his pork" anytime and how he really enjoyed Mike's sausage. Good ole raunchy jokes always a winner amongst folks. haha.
But, in the end it was Carla's chicken pot pie that won her 3rd challenge. The lucky gal is pretty much travelling around the world with her 3rd travel win to Toyko this time. You have to love Carla, she may be crazy but its' a good crazy. The woman nearly hyperventilated on just getting to make chicken pot pie and with the win... I thought they would have to bring out a defibrillator!
Tiffany, Dale and Fabi'oh were brought in for the least favorite dishes. Tiffany's chicken and dumplings was nothing what it should have been. The dumplings were flat, there were too many elements that basically masked the chicken and it wasn't even comforting. All the judges felt as if it was just a clear soup with flat noodles.
Dale's philly cheese steak could have been decent if he only tasted it. Every element had salt and when put together, it was over kill. They all were so thirsty from eating the salt lick.
This is where I screamed out a loud "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO". My fave, Fabi'oh', non-hamburger dish sent him home. He made a what the judges called meatloaf with chuck brisket. It didn't have the texture or juicy moistness of a good burger and the curdled cheese sauce sent him packing his knives.
I really was hoping it was Tiffany that would be going home but I do admit, Fabi'oh' definitely hasn't been pulling his weight in the kitchen this season. I'll miss you Fabi'oh. Arrivederci, Ciao, Bye :(
