Serious Eats
'Top Chef' Season 5, Episode 5: Stefan Is a Snarky Button-Pusher, But Knows Turmeric
Much better episode this week. It started off with a bang: "Does the word lesbian mean anything to you?" That was Jamie talking about Stefan. And it went up from there.
The quickfire challenge was righteous. Testing a chef's palate is totally legit. Stefan impressed me when he identified turmeric in the Thai green curry. But, and there's a big but here, nobody should get credit for identifying salt and pepper as ingredients in a dish. Would someone have gotten credit for air? Maybe, and that's scary.
I was looking forward to the aspirants cooking for Gail's bridal shower. I know quite a few of those women, and they are not to be trifled with—they are in fact fierce.
Daniel's reaction: "I think she (Gail) will be a hot bride." Daniel, I don't have a good feeling about you this episode. Your bravado and cockiness is unappealing, I started to actively root for you to go home from the start of tonight's episode.
[Warning, spoilers ahead.]
The "new" and the "blue" teams were clearly sucking wind. Deconstructed, make-your-own sushi, Eugene (who was on the blue team). What were you thinking? Not throwing out overcooked rice? What were you thinking? I'm on your side, but you're making it hard for me. Danny, could you have made more tactical and strategic mistakes? I don't think so. Your judgment, palate, and cooking chops didn't add up to much.
I liked Tom's post-cooking, pre-presentation analysis. He's really good at it. I like his bemused smile. It makes him far more likable.
Stefan is not what you call generously spirited. In fact, he's kind of a dick. His take on one of his fellow contestants: "That douchebag Hosea has immunity." Snark to the nth power.
The "borrowed" and "old" teams' food clearly stood out. I want some of that lamb and or carrot puree now. Ditto for the tomato sorbet and the gazpacho.
I wanted to hear more from my friend Nilou Motamed of Travel & Leisure Magazine. She has an acidic, sharp-tongued sense of humor, but not on this show.
Fabio's charm finally wore thin. The Chilean sea bass was a terrible idea. Nobody should cook Chilean sea bass in a Top Chef episode. As Gail said, it's a politically incorrect and boring ingredient.
I knew it was going to come down to Eugene and Danny, and to me, when Danny said he made a yuzu "granada" instead of granita, he should have been sent packing right then and there. It turned out to be an accurate bit of foreshadowing.
Tom's best line, to the "blue" team: "Your food gave me the blues. It was a sad plate."
This was a fine all-around Top Chef episode. Legit challenges, zingy one-liners, and some real tension combined to give the show some real punch and substance.
Next week? Martha is going to make the Food & Wine ladies seem like Mother Teresa. I can't wait.