I have to say that the challenges on of Top Chef: D.C. have quite improved. Last night, they brought back the exotic protein challenge for the Quickfire — though bastardizing putting a twist on it by making everyone switch cooking stations halfway through — and for the Elimination, they asked the chefs to create cold dishes for the "Cold War Challenge". No more baby food or one-handed cooking challenges, thank goodness.
We learned that Michelle Bernstein, a seasoned (pun intended) guest judge on Top Chef (and who has no ties to D.C.), and Jersey Bradshaw (Andrea) have/had somewhat of a culinary rivalry going on in Miami. Jersey then continued to bring up this fact throughout the show, thinking she'd be unfairly judged. Okay, you don't like the fact that your arch-nemesis is critiquing your food — we get it.
The main theme of the episode was the Cold War and this was very fitting, seeing as there was a lot of propaganda going on. For the Elimination, they were divided into two teams and then had to critique the opposite team's dishes. The chefs were spying on and plotting against each other, and Angelo and Shaft (Kenny) seemed to be the center of the bad attention. Shaft thought his peers would put him on the chopping block and Angelo was often seen whispering in other people's ears, giving them "helpful" advice (and plotting against Shaft, I assumed). In the end, all of that "helpful" coaching from Angelo sure "helped" Tamesha — helped her to the chopping block where she was then sent packing.
Podcast highlights: Our Top Chef/PeeWee's Playhouse word of the day, the Top Chef Strangler, Ed getting Angelo's sloppy seconds, and my exciting story about my experience at Woodfire Grill in Atlanta and meeting Top Chef: Las Vegas' Kevin Gillespie (a.k.a.: America's Sweetheart Beard).
Want to know what happened? Well, then you'll have to listen to the podcast to find out.
Whether you watch the show or not, our review of it is top-notch snark and an all-around good time. Listen to us (attempt to) recap this episode and the hilarity that ensues.
Tune in to Bravo every Wednesday 9 pm EST/8 pm C, check out our own live Tweets during the show (Jeff: @JeffHouck, Katie: @culinarypirate), and listen to our podcast here every week! (You can even download us on iTunes!)
Check out our fellow Top Chef fanatics' blogs: Please Pack Your Knives And Go's hilarious notes from last night's episode, and All Top Chef gives us their uninhibited reactions.
Hear the hi-larious podcast after the break:
This article appears in Jul 29 – Aug 4, 2010.
