This week we get to see Gavin Kaysen in the Quickfire. I have seen him before and read about him but he seems so short. Bocuse D’or? It seems to be a food Olympics. How come I have never seen that in the midst of the food tv? They are making ballentine or protein in proteins in an hour and 1/2. Mmmmm, bacon wrapped Scotch egg. Padma told Jennifer, “Welcome Back” during the tasting for the Quickfire. Jennifer won! Maybe she is going to pull this game out.

This presentation platters that are required for the Elimination Challenge should be good. Thomas Keller will be among the 12 judges they have to serve (he wrote the French Laundry). They have to put the food on mirrored platters and then plate in front of everyone. Jennifer got the best prize for her which is an extra 30 minutes to cook (everyone else gets 4 hours). I am not sure why they could only cook salmon or lamb as their proteins. Maybe so they can do an apples to apples comparison. I think Kevin doing a suvee may be a huge mistake! This isn’t something he normally does. Tom tells everyone when he visits the kitchen that the winner of this challenge gets $30,000.

Kevin served first and his platter looks pretty. Keller thinks it is too elementary. But everyone thought it tasted good. Then comes Michael, who is the only one with competition experience. Michael’s Mediterranean theme shot him in the foot because they weren’t Mediterranean flavors. Someone also found a bone in their fish. Bryan once again did a garlic chip. He seemed a little in the weeds in the last 10 minutes but seemed to pull it out. Keller did say that Bryan undercooked his lamb. Eli’s lamb sausage around 3 loins I find a little odd. Eli undercooked the lamb and didn’t carve it well. Jennifer wasn’t 100% about her salmon. Des Jardin thought things tasted good but the dishes weren’t well thought out. Padma thought Jennifer’s platter was the most intriguing visually. Apparently 1 of them will be on the US team for the competition. I wondered why someone asked if Bryan was coachable.

I like that Kevin played it safe because he got the flavors he wanted and his lamb was the only lamb that was cooked right. Michael was the one with the experience but he had some big flubs. It seemed the lamb being under cooked was a common thing. Jennifer’s fish not being cooked all the way and not being cut evenly is all on her. The winner was Kevin! I guess that simple and right is better than fancy and wrong! I kind of want to see Michael get bounced. But that is because he acts like a jerk. But it is Eli who is sent home.