This week, we're back for round 3 of the new season on Top Chef. (Editor's Note: Our podcast was more exciting than this episode, so listen to it even if you haven't seen the episode yet.)
The quickfire challenge was to make and "out-of-this-world" potato dish and the cheftestants served up some interesting spuds. I was very impressed with Ashley ("Ben Folds") for pulling off gnocchi in 45 minutes. But Jennifer ("Ceveech") ended up taking the win with mussels in a potato broth (I did not agree with this win, but you'll have to listen to the podcast to hear my reasoning).
For their elimination, the chefs had to cook for 300 airmen and their families at an Air Force base. The catch- they had to use some canned items and their kitchens had no burners, just large ovens and tilt skillets. For some reason, the chefs decided to pair up into teams, even though they were not instructed to. This, obviously, became the demise for a few of them. Highs: The Atlanta "fat kids", Eli and Kevin ("Redbeard"), pulled off some delicious-looking pulled pork and Southern potato salad and the less hotter brother (Michael V.) did some slab bacon in a lettuce leaf – because bacon makes everything taste better, even salad). Lows: Laurine and Preeti's dull pasta salad and Michael I.'s ("Jersey Mike") Greek oil-poached shrimp salad. After not getting why she was in the bottom three again (and arguing about it), Preeti ("Phranc") was sent packing.
I am disappointed in this episode yet again. The dishes in the elimination challenge weren't that impressive – as we said in the podcast: "If you (the viewer) can cook one of these dishes at home, you're (the cheftestant) probably packing your knives." Maybe when they start knocking more people off we'll be able to get down to the more talented contestants and also get to know their cooking styles better.
The only highlights from this episode: Padma's "desert skank" wear and massive amounts of cleavage at the air base, Ron the "Chowder King", and all of our Top Gun jokes (bonus: Jeff sings some more).
Check out season 4's Richard Blais' post on his thoughts about last week's episode, discussing the simple vs. contrived dishes (cooking for the diners vs. for the judges).
Hear the Top Gun Chef podcast after the jump:
This article appears in Sep 2-8, 2009.