The cheftestants were roughing it this week as they headed out to the desert to cook a high-end meal. As you might expect, not everything went smoothly.
Note: We reveal the winner and losers below ...
Top Chef Las Vegas: Foam on the Range
The desert was front and center in this episode with guest judge Tim Love, and while there wasn't actually any foam, the chefs did bring their high-end sensibilities to the chuckwagon. Here are a few of our thoughts:
- Cactus should be cured. For the quickfire, the chefs were asked to make a dish with cactus. Michael I. turned out to be the only person who really knew his way around the prickly plant and won the challenge. The best way to get rid of the slimy texture is to cure it in salt, he explained, in possibly the most interesting piece of cooking advice in this episode. Somehow, either through his own efforts or the magic of television editing, Michael I. has seemed less obnoxious and more focused on the food in the last couple of episodes. We hope this trend continues, but we remain cautious.
- Roughing it can be ... rough. A few of the chefs seemed excited by the elimination challenge – cooking a high-end meal for a group of cowboys with little more than a few fire pits and some cast iron cookware. Others were not enthused and even seemed shocked by the sparse accommodations. (What were they expecting?) Eli said he doesn't believe in camping and feared his girlfriend might expect him to go now. (The horror!) Ron built a Voodoo barrier of sticks to keep snakes out of his tent.
- Calling all underdogs. Jennifer, Kevin, Michael I. and the Voltaggio brothers have been regulars in the winning group, but with three elimination wins, Bryan V. seems to be running away with the lead. We'd love to see the other six contestants get in there and really mix things up. Laurine and Ashley made it to the top four this week, so it's certainly possible.
- Enough with the ceviche. This season's chefs are really into ceviche, but when Mattin and Ron announced they'd be preparing it at the hot, dusty camp site, we had a bad feeling. Tom Colicchio ended up walking away from Mattin's rendition and throwing it into the sand. Ron's was deemed too sweet but "edible" though his coconut cocktail was "disgusting." Robin, too, had bad seafood luck with her drunken prawns that Tim Love compared to sucking on a piece of chlorine. In the end, it was Mattin who was asked to pack his knives. Au revoir!
Next week, Penn and Teller in the kitchen.
What did you think of the episode?
Previous Top Chef Las Vegas Roundups
Week 4: All Things French
Week 3: The Best of Plates, The Worst of Plates
Week 2: A Shot At Love With Tequila
(Images: Bravo)
Comments (13)
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Seriously: no more ceviche. It is as though people make ceviche when they don't have any ideas on what to actually cook.
I'm glad Brian V won. I like that he seems to tailor his dishes to each challenge, while his brother wants to make whatever is easiest for him. This is about being a top chef, meaning being able to make great food in any circumstances.
view Detective Ventriloquist's profile
The Greek Chef said jye-ro.
Everybody cooked fish in the desert.
Chef Love got even for losing on TCM.
No beef for the cowboys.
view art's profile
I was surprised the chefs used so much seafood. One thing I don't think of when I hear the word "cowboy" is raw fish. Sometimes I think these chefs are trying so desperately to be "innovative" that they completely miss the target audience they are cooking for.
view Nikita's profile
Seriously, they should just change the name this season to "Top Ceviche" (or "sah-veech" as Jen calls it).
view suthernbell's profile
Anybody else really not like Tim Love? I thought he was kind of jerky on Top Chef Masters and last night he proved even worse. Something about him that reeks of arrogance. And speaking of arrogance I know they are ridiculously talented chefs and all, but those Voltaggio brothers are like weird fancy cookin' robots to me.
view jess pith's profile
Oh my god I couldn't stand it in the first episode when Jen said "seh-veech." Its like when someone says tor-till-uh or fah-gee-ta. Its not an English word. It is not pronounced as you would if it were. You don't call it a gastrick (gastrique) or a saught (saute).
view roseslaw's profile
Tim Love really annoys me, and based on Padma's reactions to his smarmy comments ("you got a sweet tooth?") I think we're not alone in those feelings, Jess. I'm a little sad for Le Petite Prince, Matin. I kind of feel like Robin had the worst plate of food last night but, Matin def had it coming....
view FromTheFuture's profile
OK, is it just me or does Mattin remind anyone else of Spongebob Squarepants. Seriously. Right down to his earnest blue eyes. Vive l'Epongebob!
view LaLisa's profile
roseslaw- how about "whores doovers" for hors d'ouevres?
view Nikita's profile
I actually like Chef Tim Love, and I regret not being able to eat at one of his restaurants when in Fort Worth last month.
But I'm really not impressed with this season of Top Chef. Maybe it's just early, or I've become jaded by the Masters series, but this season seems cheesy and like it doesn't have the talent of past seasons.
view Kakugori's profile
Hey all! I found a behind-the-scenes post from the people who own the Ranch where the episode was filmed...good stuff!
http://www.dahlight.com/top-chef-the-morning-after/
http://www.dahlight.com/top-chef-a-sneak-peak-at-their-western-adventure/
view HarperLee's profile
Kakugori: i agree; after watching TC Masters, the cheftestants on TC seem clumsy and amateurish.
and yes, ceviche seems to be this season's "scallop"
view Supergaijin's profile
I too was so annoyed to hear "jy-roe" instead of the correct "yee-ro". And I knew that I could come to the kitchn and someone else would feel my pain! I agree though, this season just is not doing it for me, I found Chicago and New York to be so much more exciting to watch.
view rach1007's profile