Previously on “Top Chef”: Sara returned from Last Chance Kitchen, and it's sad because I like Charbel but I also like Sara. The Quickfire involved making jellies, but they had to be sweet and not savory which I feel is a missed opportunity. Buddha won, because of course he did. Then everyone had to make prank food. Well, “tromp l'oeil” food, which is food that looks like something else. Buddha won again. I mean it's just...I get that he's doing very well but also it's a less interesting show when the same person wins all the challenges? Anyway Tom overthought his dish and basically made caviar-flavored caviar, which is not surprising, so he was eliminated. (click for more)
Everyone packs their stuff, as Sara interviews that she's the only one left who didn't win her season. She wants to win for all the people who think they have to choose between career and family. We're acting like they went straight to Paris, which I guess they could have.
Gabri is so amazed to be in Paris. They drive up to a courtyard by the Eiffel Tower, at what I'm sure is a carefully measured distance so you think they are there but in reality they are far enough away not to interfere with anything. This is a place with a copyright on their nighttime light show, which allows them to sue anyone who posts a video of it. You think they let some American TV show just film there? Anyway, Padma says it's their 300th episode. It's time for the final Quickfire. The guest judge is Greg Marchand. Padma starts talking about the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics, and something about competing or whatever. It's time for the Wall Challenge, which somehow none of the final four have done. Basically you have to make a dish, and your partner also has to make the exact same dish, but you can't see each other. In every version of this that I've seen, the partners are loved ones, but today they are random athletes. I wonder if they are expecting loved ones.
30 minutes. While blindfolded so they can't see who's walking up, Gabri pretends to be a mime in a box. No one can hear, and we're made to believe the girl paired with Gabri can't understand his accent, which is perfectly understandable. Sara says that during Covid she taught cooking classes so she's pretty comfortable with this. Buddha's partner doesn't know what leeks are. Ali is actually using measurements instead of doing things by taste because that way the dishes will taste the same. Gabri's partner has used the wrong pepper, because I think he said use the poblano and she didn't know what that was. They really should figure out a way to get headsets or something so people don't have to shout through a door.
Everyone meets their athlete partner. Hilariously they have all put their medals on. Sara already knows who her partner is. Buddha: cauliflower puree, bacon, croutons, leeks, and capers. They look pretty close. Gabri: roasted baby corn with pine nuts and poblano sauce. The two sauces do not look the same at all, because I think Gabri's looks like it's supposed to, and his partner's sauce is burnt and she didn't put any pine nuts. Ali: potato leek soup with crème fraiche. I mean they're going to look the same. Maybe a slight shade different in the color. Sara: spiced chicken with sweet and sour cauliflower and herb salad. They look pretty close.
Gabri of course had the worst dish, because it wasn't the same. Sara's chicken was dry, but the cauliflower was good. Ali's choice to use actual measurements for the seasoning has paid off. Buddha's dish is creative. The winner is Ali. Woo! Buddha didn't win! Listen he's probably going to win it all but it's nice for someone else to win. Ali wins some money from the product placement airline to fly somewhere.
The Elimination Challenge is about French food. Create a dish using button mushrooms, aka “champignons de Paris”. But it must be Michelin-star quality. First a field trip to where they are growing the mushrooms, then to a store for the rest of the ingredients. Not Whole Foods. Three hours cooking time, on a boat. Alain Ducasse's boat. Hilariously he won't be on his own boat.
The field trip is to some caves, with a bunch of jokes like it's a horror movie. It's a family business, and this guy I think might be the only employee. They get to pick their own mushrooms. Gabri interviews that harvesting your own ingredients is the most humble thing you can do as a chef. Ali wants to make a mushroom steak. They also have shiitake mushrooms in another room. When they go to the store Sara tells Gabri not to run and he does that thing where he starts walking very fast. Ali wants panko breadcrumbs but no one seems to know where they are. Buddha of course is trying to speak French and failing. Gabri is more confident in his French. Buddha is going to “French up” mushrooms on toast.
The hotel suite is amazing and probably bigger than my apartment. Gabri calls home and shows his family the view from his room. He says in confessional he had a rough childhood and working in a restaurant let him move out of his bad neighborhood. Buddha also calls home and does the exact same thing.
This boat kitchen is huge. I still find it hilarious that Ducasse isn't going to be here but they're bragging about using his boat. Buddha makes a roll of several layers. Gabri is making chicken because he grew up on a chicken farm? But with Mexican peppers? He's kind of everywhere. Sara is making mushroom soup, and she's now worried she's not doing enough. She admits she didn't buy any spices. Gabri cures egg yolks in salt. Buddha has tuiles and pastry and whatever.
Tom Time! And Greg the guest judge. And then Alain Ducasse shows up. I thought he wasn't coming? They don't say anything, just let him wander in and stare at everyone until Gabri starts because he's right there. Hee. Buddha actually looks shocked and not in total control, because he thought Tom was joking about Ducasse being there. Tom is like “no I'm not joking, when do I joke?” which is hilarious. Ducasse says Sara's soup is good and she should peel the mushrooms. They like Ali's idea I think. Buddha also gets approval. Tom reiterates Ducasse is not going to be judging, or dining with them, but he wanted to come by. OK I do believe that because if he was going to be there, Tom would totally spring it on them as a twist just to fuck with them and laugh about it later. They are pretty thrilled with everyone's plans.
Everyone talks about how much work they have to do. Sara warns Gabri that if he puts something on the induction burner it automatically turns on high. I knew it was important because after he has a confessional about all the things he's doing, he burns whatever he put on that burner. The judges arrive, and Ducasse is still here, sharing stories. Gabri tries to save some of his sauce, because if he has extra he can leave the scorched part in the pan.
Buddha: champignons de Paris en croute, chicken farce, mushroom puree, and pommes puree. With mushroom tuile leaves. So this is puff pastry wrapped around mushrooms, chicken forcemeat (like a puree), mushrooms and potatoes. No one talks until the plates are empty. They are impressed with what he's accomplished in three hours.
Sara discovers her pear mushroom puree is gritty. She's going to throw it out and put raw pears instead, because you can't use something gritty. She hasn't won any Elimination Challenges yet. Ali is worried he might go home so close to the finale. Ali: mushroom steak, mushroom croquette with za'atar and goat cheese, mushroom jus and pickled mushrooms. The mushroom steak is a good idea but one of the chefs says he's bored after a few bites. There is pomegranate in the croquette, and it's a little gritty. Also, if you wondered what flavor grenadine is, knowing that's the French word for pomegranate should help you. Overall, though, it respects the ingredient.
Sara: mushrooms, beef leg marmalade, pears, and pickled mushrooms. It's a soup with chunks which looks pretty good. It's very clean and also a risky dish, but you can taste the mushrooms and Tom points out how hard a soup is at this level of cooking. Super cozy.
Gabri is still flailing right up to the last minute. I do notice no one is helping him plate, and when the timer goes off he's left like three components off the plates. Gabri: “nest in the woods”: potato nest, chile morita champignons de Paris puree, shiitake broth, and cured egg yolk. Padma asks if he thought the dish came out the way he wanted, which I am sure the producers whispered to her to ask. The one person who left something off the plate gets asked if the dish is how it's supposed to be? Unless they ask everyone and only air the one time it's important. So he does admit some things are missing. Mainly I think some herbs? Padma says it's the spiciest thing he's served all season. Someone says he'll give Gabri a job. It's a good flavor, but maybe not a mushroom flavor.
After service the final four go up to the top deck and hang out. Three of them have champagne, and Ali is drinking water, which is only noticeable because it's the sponsor of the show and they make sure to get a shot of Buddha pouring it for him. But not the champagne, they didn't sponsor shit.
Judges' Table. Tom says this was very good. They all deserve to be in the final four. Straight into the winning dish, made by Sara. So much mushroom flavor and textures. The pear was a great addition. She's thrilled to make the finale. The other person in the top is Buddha. Shocking. Lots of techniques but he didn't let all the fancy shit get in the way of the mushroom flavor.
Gabri says he was behind because he had so much going on with his dish. There was plenty of chicken flavor, but maybe less mushroom flavor. A good dish but maybe not a mushroom dish? They all liked the spiciness though. Ali's dish was intense, but Tom says when you bite into a croquette you expect it to be smooth, and then it had pomegranate seeds in it. Gail thinks if he had used regular breadcrumbs instead of panko it would feel more refined? I think that's what she's saying. But the “total experience” was wonderful according to Padma. Gabri and Ali would both love to move on to the finale, obviously.
Tom says maybe the croquette was a bad decision, and the guest judge thinks a pan-fried mushroom steak isn't enough at this point in the competition. But there were other things too. Upstairs Gabri is emotional about being here from where he started. Gabri's dish was unconventional and exciting, but was it a mushroom dish? Gabri's dish was better tasting, but Ali's dish had more mushroom flavor. They don't want to make a decision, because of course they don't. No decision incoming? Surprise final four for the finale? I mean it's certainly possible.
Tom talks about reaching for your dreams, and how great it's been to watch them both, and they pause for way, way too long, and then Ali is eliminated. Boo. He says sometimes you find rejection in life but you can still make it. He's proud he represented his culture. Gabri is sobbing about making the finale. The final three spray each other with champagne which seems like a waste.
Next week: cook whatever you like, one of those dumb meals where they like, plate on your hand, I spy former contestant sous chefs, something burns.
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