Here we meet again! They all seemed to make it through Restaurant Wars with out to much horror, so what awaits them this week?
Quickfire Challenge:
So everyone shows up in the kitchen to see Padma with Paul Bartolotta. He is a top Italian chef and is in Vegas. They are going to be giving tv dinners a gourmet twist. They are to be inspired by a show: Sopranos, Mash, Cheers, Sesame Street, Gilligan’s Island, the Flintstones, and Seinfeld. Jennifer really seems to have been spirally the last few weeks and seems to be starting down that path again tonight. She really needs to pull herself out of it! Mike I has never seen Seinfeld! Jennifer and Robin were in the bottom. On the top was Kevin and Bryan were the top. Kevin won!
Elimination Challenge:
The chefs are going to cook in Tom’s Craft Steak. They are going to be responsible for serving the 4 judges and 7 others. So they head into the kitchen and start checking out all the steaks. Then in walks Tom. He tells them that they have a guest that everyone will be cooking for, Natalie Portman. Natalie tells them that she is a vegetarian. So this means that everyone’s steak plans are out the window. Natalie is also judging. This means mass chaos. Robin was overwhelmed by all the choices in the walk-in and chose to do a very complicated dish with lots of components. Mike I’s mom is a vegetarian and Kevin is a vegetarian part of the year. I couldn’t believe that Robin asked to have some of someone’s boiling water. Like they have a pot of it because they didn’t need it? Mike’s leek weren’t quite done because the water wouldn’t boil easily. Time was up on Robin before she finish putting garbanzo beans on all the plates.
Robin: Stuffed Squash Blossom, Beet Carpaccio, Fresh Garbanzo Beans and Chermoula
Eli: Confit Eggplant, Lentils, Garlic Puree and Radish Salad
Michael: Asparagus Salad, Japanese Tomato Sashimi, and Banana Polenta
Jennifer: Charred Baby Eggplant, Braised Fennel, Tomato, and Verju Nage
Mike I: Whole Roasted Leeks with Onion JusBaby Carrot Puree and Fingerling Potatoes
Bryan: Artichoke Barigould, Confit of Shallot, Wild Asparagus and Fennel Puree
Kevin: Duo of Mushrooms, Smoked Kale, Candied Garlic and Turnip Puree
Serving:
Tom didn’t get any garbanzo beans on Robin’s dish and everyone agreed that it needed salt. One of the judges got a huge taste of lavender blossom off Eli’s dish and equated it to sucking on soap. Other than that, Eli’s dish seemed to do well. They all seemed to love Michael’s dish. But Gail didn’t like the chunks of banana in the polenta. Natalie said it made her smile and laugh and be confused. Jennifer sauced the plates at the table and was shaking. Gail’s favorite part of Jennifer’s dish was the verju nage but she felt it didn’t seem substantial enough to be a main dish. Many agreed that it wasn’t special enough. People thought it was pretty but not that good. Bryan ran out of time plating so there were things not included. Padma thought the shallots were a bit strong with the garlic blossoms. Kevin felt his dish wasn’t pretty. The smoke on Kevin’s kale was a little strong but it was a substantial, meaty meal.
Judging:
First up for the judges are Kevin, Michael, and Eli! Natalie said the Michael’s dish made you ask who he dealer was and did he want any new clients. The winner was Kevin. Kevin really seems on a streak to possibly win the while thing. Michael was pissed that Kevin won. Then the judges wanted to see Robin, Jennifer and Mike I. Natalie asked Mike I if there was a reason that there wasn’t protein. Mike said that the leeks were going to be sliced like scallops and would serve as the protein. That cause Gail to make sure that Mike knew that leeks aren’t protein. They really gave him a hard time about the raw leeks. Robin went nuts with the talking and went everywhere. Tom pointed out that there was nothing to pull it together. Tom also complained that he didn’t get any garbanzo beans. Padma said that she didn’t see where Jennifer spent her 2 hours. Tom said that it was more of a garnish. Tom said that she had been heading down for a bit. Natalie and Tom said that Mike I’s leeks were not the only problem with his dish. The judges also thought that Jennifer was defeatist. In the end Mike I was sent home. Mike thought that Robin should have been eliminated before him but such is life.