'Top Chef': Don't Get Comfortable Just Yet
Hot-tub-lovin' Brian follows up on last week's win with a quick-fire victory. Lucky for him, the challenge was a softball lobbed right into his wheelhouse—fresh shellfish. The chefs had 30 minutes to shuck and prepare a net-full of aquarium dwellers. Howie and C.J. also got high marks from guest judge, Alfred Portale, owner of the Gotham Bar and Grill.
The elimination challenge shifted gears to the proverbial "update classic American comfort food, give it your own twist, and make it healthier." Each chef is asked to pick a different dish from a lineup that included franks and beans, meatloaf, fried chicken, tuna casserole, etc., and they are given specific instructions about "lowering cholesterol." Besides the judges, the chefs will need to impress the members of the local Elks Club.
Long story short: Just about everyone disappointed, despite having ample funds ($75) and ample time (this was the first week that all dishes were actually plated as intended). Padma and Tom seemed surprised, shocked even, that the chefs didn't get more "creative" and deliver more appealing fare. [Warning: Spoiler after the jump.]
To me, it seemed like a classic case of you get what you ask for—a muddle. There were too many constraints in this challenge, clearly, and the majority of 13 talented chefs couldn't handle it. Blame the producers on this one—it was a dumb challenge. They should have just let the contestants update the American classics and handed out Brand-Name Cholesterol Medicine to the retirees at the Elks Club. That's a win-win for everyone.
After the judges had their say, Howie got his groove back and ended his run at the bottom of the totem pole. His Pork Chops and Applesauce (updated, twisted, and healthy) is available on the Top Chef web site for unhealthy Americans everywhere to re-create and feast upon.
It's safe to assume that Micah won't be indulging in good ol' fashioned comfort food any time soon, since her dry, cylindrical meatloaf and mashed potatoes with the funky aftertaste sent her packing.
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4 Comments:
Here's a question. They kept harping on Brian about using lobster. Is it inherently high in cholesterol or is it just all the butter and cream usually associated with it?
SoundBitesNYC at 10:55AM on 06/28/07
Judging by a survey of online resources, the consensus seems to be that 3 oz. of lobster has about 61mg of cholesterol. Not all that bad considering a low-cholesterol regimen probably aims for under 200mg of cholesterol intake per day. A lot of resources seem to acknowledge that lobster has taken a bit of a bad rap as far as its cholesterol content is concerned, and compare it favorably to skinless chicken breast, pointing out that it offers fewer calories and the same amount of cholesterol. Shrimp, on the other hand, genuinely do seem to be a bad choice for arterial health, tipping the scales at 166mg of cholesterol for the same caloric amount as the lobster. See this study for more.
Harold Check at 12:22PM on 06/28/07
I agree that this was a dumb challenge. No sooner than when Colicchio was complaining about the fact that the contestants approaches were too literal, and unimaginative in the kitchen,he was smacking down Sara M's unconventional approach to Chicken Alla King.
If a dish doesn't taste good then by all means slam it, but he and some of these guest judges are way too hard in assessing the judgment of these competitors under the duress of a challenge. And can the people at Bravo allow these people to cook and showcase their talents?
While it is beneficial to pull these people out of their comfort zone at times, no one wants to see these people designing a nursing home menu.
Anthony A at 2:23PM on 06/28/07
Actually, I don't think it was a dumb challenge -- in fact, it's something that people all over the country struggle with all the time: How do I get the same satisfaction I get from eating tuna casserole, fried chicken, whatever, while staying within whatever dietary guidelines I've set for myself? If home cooks have figured out how to make healthier casseroles (veloute instead of white sauce! boost the vegetable component! use canned salmon -- with all those omego-3's -- rather than canned tuna!, thicken a low-fat white sauce with pureed white beans!), it should be a snap for trained chefs. And reducing the fat-content in ANY dish based on ground meat -- sloppy joe's, meatloaf, tacos, whatever -- is incredibly easy; it's one of the reasons God invented lentils, mushrooms, bulgur, etc. Not to mention the fact that simply sauteeing up a bunch of veg -- onions, corn, brunoised zucchini, peppers -- in olive oil and adding it to your meatloaf will boost the flavor and the moisture. Sorry, I thought the cheftestants totally tanked on this one.
maggiesara at 8:14PM on 06/28/07