Top Chef Just Desserts is back with a vengeance this season with a new cast, new challenges and a new hairdo for Johnny (a more deflated-looking version than his former bouffant). But one thing for sure that hasn't changed: the bitchery! (Yes, I made that word up. Deal.)
We could already see some of the strong personalities come out in episode one, like the very forthright Orlando Santos whose shop is named "Orlando's Chocolate Treats" (I swear these jokes write themselves), Sally Camacho who is the head pastry chef of WP24 (a Wolfgang Puck Restaurant) at the Ritz Carlton in L.A., and Chris Hanmer, the youngest American to win the title of World Pastry Champion (in '04). And then there were those who left us scratching our heads, asking, "How did they get on this show?" (*cough* Craig *cough*)
Of course, the chefs were thrown right into the first Quickfire challenge right after their little meet-and-greet. The chefs had to pair up to create a "modern soda fountain treat" at a Soda Jerks ice cream shop. Some looked avant-garde and chic, while others' desserts just looked — as James Oseland would snootily quip — too "pedestrian".
We also learned a new term this episode, "NFG" which stands for "non-functional garnish." It's something I have been very vocal about in past seasons of Top Chef and basically means, "if you can't eat it, then get it the heck off of that plate!"
