So here we are to find out who is going to win Top Chef. I am rooting for Carla but Stefan has a really good shot.

On a separate Top Chef note. I was watching this week’s Iron Chef America and Arianne was on as a sous chef.

So they start out having breakfast on the Creole Queen paddleboat. Then they go meet Padma and Tom at the New Orleans Collection. The challenge is to create a 3 course tasting menu. It is going to be served head to head and they don’t have to do dessert. They have 2 hours of prep the first day and then 3 hours to cook day of. They brought in Richard, Casey and Marcel from the previous seasons to serve as sous chefs. They had to pull knives to choose sous chefs. Carla got to pull the first knife because she won the last challenge. I would have thought she would have gotten to choose first. Hosea got Richard, Stefan got Marcel, and Carla got Casey.

Then Stefan and Hosea were fighting over foigras. Casey suggests that Carla suvee the sirloin, which she has never done before. Hosea realizes that Casey is throwing in her influence. But I notice he didn’t bother asking Richard for any suggestions.

So day of they find Tom at the restuarant they are cooking at. He is standing in front of an aligator. I am calling a new course. They have to make and appetizer for a tray pass. They will use alligator, crab or red fish. They will use the King Cake to choose. It is a cake that has a prize in it and who ever the prize gets to choose everyone’s protein. Hosea got it. He chose red fish for himself, gave Carla the crab and gave Stefan the alligator.

Stefan is making an alligator soup to pass? What? Now Carla is doing a soup but it is a bite in a Asian spoon. Maybe Stefan is doing the same basic thing. Hosea is not making a dessert because he isn’t good at it and doesn’t want it to be the last thing he serves. Stefan is freezing the fish so he can slice it thin. Marcel doesn’t like that idea but I don’t think he said anything. I think Carla shouldn’t let Casey talk her out of the tart and into the souffle. Carla and pastry are good. Carla ruined the souffle because she forgot to turn the oven down. I thnk that is the end for Carla.

Hosea: Trio of Sashimi, Scallops & Foie Gras with Pain Perdu, Venison with Wild Mushrooms
Carla: Seared Snapper with Saffron Aioli & Crouton, Sous-vide New York Strip Steak with Potato Rod w/Merlot Sauce, Cheese Tart with Apple Coins & Marmalade
Stefan: Halibut & Salmon Carpaccio, Squab with Braised Red Cabbage & Schnupfnudeln, Ice Cream & Chocolate Mousse with Vanilla Syrup & Lollipops

Serving and Judging:

John Besh is one of the guests!!! Fabio is also a guest. Hosea’s passed app seemed to go over well. Stefan served his alligator soup in a little mug. Both Stefan and Carla’s dishes seemed to go well. Then we go onto the plated food. Carla’s fish went well. Hosea’s didn’t do well. He didn’t add enough salt. Stefan turned his fish a bit watery because he froze it. They also thought Stefan’s was a bit bland. Then onto 2nd course. Carla’s steak didn’t go well. Stefan’s went really well. Gail loved Hosea’s dish. Someone thought Stefan’s dessert was the best. Gail thought it was outdated and Tom thought it was eh. Fabio thought that Hosea closed the meal better. Someone else thought that Hosea should have finished with a dessert and that he took the safe way out. Between the steak and dessert, I am pretty sure Carla is out. Since Stefan’s dessert didn’t impress Gail or Tom, I am afraid that Hosea is goign to win this one.

Now onto Judging Table. Tobey thought that Carla’s meat wasn’t her and wasn’t that good. Tom said she let Casey talk out of her out of making the food that got her to the finale. Tobey said that Hosea didn’t add enough citrus to his sashimi. They all liked his 2nd course. They all liked the venison but seemed to be dissapointed about dessert. They thought that Stefan’s fish was watery and bland. They all liked his squab and thought it was the best of the night. When they asked why they should be top chef, Carla cried a little and said when she makes her food she is a top chef. Stefan also started crying for Carla. As soon as deliberation started they said that Carla was out. That just makes me sad, my heart hurts for her. They all think that Stefan’s dessert was pedestrian. Hosea’s procession was good. Tobey really was hung up of the fact that Hosea’s meal didn’t have an ending. They thought that Stefan’s missed soul though he had precision. Tobey said that if you are giving it for soul, give it to Carla. I second that. I feel Carla is the Top Chef here!!!!! But unfortunately Hosea won:(.

I don’t think that Stefan wouldn’t be the easiest to get a long with but he is consistantly good. Sometimes you can afford a huge ego because you really are that good. Hosea, I think, sucks. As both a person and a chef. Carla has the most heart but wasn’t consistent and I believe in constistancy. I think in all fairness Stefan should have won not Hosea at all!!!

I will see you all next week for a little reunion snark!

First off, Leah’s gone!! So would Fabio’s hair be considered a Mohawk? I love Carla’s hair straight. Emeril owns 10 restaurants? Oh my!

Quickfire:

The chefs competing in the quickfire are Jeff, Jamie and Leah. The winner joins the finalists in the elimination challenge. They will each have 1 hour to make a dish with crayfish. Leah says she has never cooked with crayfish. Did she not know that she was going to New Orleans?!?!?! That is one of the most quintessential New Orleans’ ingredients. Leah is making a gumbo she has never made. Jeff is making crayfish and shrimp. Jamie is making an actual original dish with some sort of corn cake with an egg and crayfish. I hope Jamie wins!!!!

Jeff won. He just seems so pretentious. In order to make it to the finale Jeff must win the elimination challenge.

They all are going to Emeril’s Delmonico restaurant. I hope everyone pays attention because the dinner often comes into play for the elimination challenge.

Elimination Challenge:

They will have to creat 2 dishes and 1 cocktail each for a masquerade ball that they will cater for 100 people. 1 dish must be a creole dish. The winner of the challenge will also get a car. Shockingly it is a Toyota and not a Saturn.

Jeff is making his own sausage. Carla is having a dickens of a time to shuck her oysters. Stefan is just screwing off. I wonder if it is going to bite him. Fabio was smart studing flavor profiles before he came. I agree with Tom that Carla should have steamed her oysters because they are going into a stew anyway. Carla gets there at the site and only has a third of them shucked.
They are given a bartender to help them but Fabio wants to mix it himself. I don’t know if he is but he wants to. Hosea forgot ustensils to serve the gumbo (and a whisk).

Hosea’s Menu: Duck, Andouille and Chicken Gumbo, Pecan-Crusted Catfish, Hurricane with Grand Marnier and Rum

Jeff’s Menu: Fryed Oyster with Sausage, Crawfish Pot De Creme, Cucumber Mojito

Carla’s Menu: Oyster Stew, Shrimp and Andouille Beignet, Non-Alcoholic Cranberry Spritzer

Fabio’s Menu: Sausage and Rabbit Maque Choux with Grits, Crawfish and Crab Stew with Caserecci Pasta, Muffuletta Bread, Bell Pepper Martini

Stefan’s Menu: Duck and Rabbit Gumbo with Grits, Apple Beignet, Black Cherry and Rum Cocktail

Serving and Judging:

No Tobey, Gail is back!!! They liked Jeff’s Cucumber Mojito. Fabio didn’t have enough heat in his food. They liked Stefan’s gumbo but the roux wasn’t dark enough. Carla used Emeril’s seasoning. They loved Carla’s food! Hosea studied up on the food and he did a real authentic gumbo.

So back at the Judging table Tom commended Jeff on making his own sausage and Jeff said he couldn’t win if he just stole someone else’s sausage and didn’t make his own. Burn!!! I think at least Hosea and Stefan used premade sausage. There was some dissing on Fabio’s food for not spicy enough and the drink was to sweet. Stefan got hit for not deep enough roux and Tom thought he was just a little to clam in the kitchen. When they got to Carla they asked her what they thought. She thought she might have had to much bay in the stew and both Tom and Emeril told her there was nothing wrong with that stew at all. You go girl! (It is obvious I want her to win;) Emeril even liked her non alcoholic cocktail. Gail loved her beignet and Emeril loved that they were fresh. They really liked Hosea’s roux and his gumbo.

According to the judges there was a clear winner and it was Carla!!! I feel bad for Jeff because I don’t think he lost but since he didn’t win he can’t go on. In the end Fabio was the other chef eliminated.

So who will be Top Chef? I think and hope it will be Carla!!! Join me next time to see!!!!

I still can’t believe that Jamie was kicked off! What is Leah still doing here?!?!? Well, lets see if we can get rid of her this week.

Quickfire Challenge:

Wylie Dufresne!!! This guy totally rocks! Science and food, my favorites. Eggs are the basis for this challenge. They have to just create a dish with eggs. The bottom was Fabio because he danced around the idea of eggs, Hosea because his 3 dishes didn’t flow, Leah because she had a heavy potato ravioli. The top was Carla because of her playfulness and Stefan because of his technique. The winner was Carla with her green eggs and ham!

Elimination Challenge:

They had to draw knives with chef’s names. They are making a “last meal” for these superstars of the culinary world. They even are providing our cheftestants with a basic menu. Carla was allowed to trade since she won but she didn’t want to. So to make things interesting, Fabio bent his finger back and broke it while he was cooking. Now it was just his little one but ouch! 10 minutes before service starts Tom comes back and says not to embarass him. Leah thinks that her Hollandais isn’t quite right but she was going to thin it out.

Carla: Jacques Pepin- Roast Squab with Fresh Peas
Hosea: Susan Ungaro- Shrimp Scampi with Tomatoes Provencal
Leah: Wylie Dufresne- Eggs Benedict
Stefan: Marcus Samuelsson- Roasted Salmon and Spinach
Fabio: Lidia Bastianich- Roast Chicken with Roast Potatoes and a Leafy Green Salad

Service and Judging:

Leah went first. Wylie thought that the egg white was to runny. Samuelsson thought her textures were off. Then Stefan was up. Samuelsson and Wylie thought that the salmon was overcooked. Susan said she wouldn’t have noticed that he did 2 kinds of spinach if he hadn’t said. Then Hosea is up. They seemed a bit dissapointed with it over all. Then Fabio served. I have to say that I am impressed that he kept his injured hand behind his back all the tim. He did a good job and seemed to be the first one to impress anyone. That was with the chicken. Unfortunately the salad wasn’t as big a hit. Then Carla was up. Susan really liked Carla’s dish. Marcus though it was over cooked but Lidia thought it was perfect. So it looks like Fabio, Leah or Carla will win.

So they call everyone at once to the judges table. Jacques Pepin is representing all the chefs as guest judge. Leah’s eggs needed to be cooked and her Hollandaise was to thin. They thought Stefan’s salmon was overcooked and with cream on both the fish and the salmon it was to much. Hosea’s shrimp just wasn’t what she had been looking for and his tomato should have been seared. Hosea said he didn’t want to put out ugly food and Pepin said he should have gone for taste. Fabio’s chicken was a hit. But the salad looked like an airplane salad. Carla said her breats were overcooked but Pepin said by taste you wouldn’t have known. They also liked the peas and were shocked that fresh peas were that good at that point in the season.

Do they know at this point that Fabio broke his finger? It is never mentioned. They say that the top 2 were the squab and the chicken. As they deliberate it is mentioned that Fabio’s finger is broken. The winner was Fabio! He won a bottle of wine and a trip to Napa. Then we came to the bottom 3 of Leah, Hosea and Stefan. Leah is out!!!

So our final 4 going to New Orleans are Hosea, Stefan, Fabio and Carla. I am a little dissapointed the Emeril is going to be the guest judge. I personally think John Besch would have been a better choice.