We love a good pairing, so this week's episode was right up our alley. The challenges featured both high- and low-end combinations, both good and bad.
Note: We reveal the winner and losers below ...
Top Chef Las Vegas: Of Pigs and Pinot
Chef Charlie Palmer was this week's guest judge and the challenges were all about pairings. For the Quickfire Challenge, the chefs had to create a dish using Alexia Crunchy Snacks. The Elimination Challenge went a little more high end, pairing various cuts of pork with Pinot Noir for the annual Pigs and Pinot event. Here are a few of our thoughts:
- Mmm ... green bean casserole. A lot of the chefs went with the Onion Strips Crunchy Snacks for their Quickfire dish. Kevin said they reminded him of green bean casserole so he made a variation of that dish. We found ourselves wanting to eat those snacks and make a green bean casserole of our own.
- Pinot Noir is a complicated wine. It can be a bit of a challenge to pair with, and describe. Tom Colicchio explained in his blog:
"It can be very feminine, with sweet, bright red notes like strawberries or cherries, or it can go to barnyard complexity (as Toby was trying to articulate) with cooked fruits and wet hay-like notes … and it runs everything in between. Chocolate notes, leather notes, stewed fruits, tar … all kinds of stuff."
- But there's only one way to make rillettes. As Laurine learned at judges table, it's not made by braising the meat – as she did, prompting Dana Colwin to describe her dish as "cat food." Ouch. Instead, it's poached in fat.
- Robin vs. everyone. Robin is clearly the house villain this season, and while we'll admit to loving a good fight in past seasons (see: Lisa, Marcel, Dale, etc.), her confrontations with Eli just aren't all that interesting. Perhaps the civility of Top Chef Masters has taken all the fun out of petty bickering for us. We did find it amusing, however, that Robin used not one, but two classic reality show lines in this episode: "This is a competition and someone is going home," and, of course, "I'm not here to make friends." Mission accomplished.
- And, indeed, someone did need to go home. That someone was Ash, who second-guessed himself too many times and served a dish that was deemed underseasoned and "clammy," which isn't the best way to go with pork tenderloin. Kevin won the challenge for his pork leg pate.
What did you think of this week's episode?
Previous Top Chef Las Vegas Roundups
Week 7: Like No Dinner Party We've Ever Had
Week 6: Angels and Devils
Week 5: Foam on the Range
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)
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As much as Robin is clearly in over her head, Eli was in the wrong in last night's episode. Eli, maybe Mommy cleans up your widdle messes and wipes you wunny nose at home, but in the real world a chef leaves a clean workspace. Don't be a slob.
view Cupajo's profile
I'm just really looking forward to next week's episode...I'm looking forward to Robin getting yelled at by Brian..
view Steve L. L.'s profile
I always want to eat Kevin's food. Always. Except maybe this pate. I can't do the texture of pate. But would devour some green bean casserole.
view percent's profile
Also, they need to have another episode where two people go home.. Robin and the other female (not Jen) are weak and are constantly on the bottom.
view Steve L. L.'s profile
Hy husband and I were laughing at Robin's tendency to TALK TOO MUCH. We thought about the poor camera people who had to do the interview her - and just can't get her to stop. Also the editors having to sort through all the gab.
Eli's got issues though, and living with his parents is not even part of it...
view jgphotomom's profile
Ash should have left a long time ago. I think there is a huge disparity between talent - the brothers, Kevin, and Jen are all really great chefs, and then there is the rest. I will be surprised if the final four isn't the brothers, Kevin and Jen.
Robin is awesome for drama though. I thought it was weird Eli got mad at her for suggesting he use a plate - it was kind of gross when they ate out of a frying pan. Ew.
view Nikita's profile
I loved that the top and bottom this week were SPOT ON! The top 4 should be the final 4 in the competition i my opinion.
view kellybelly223's profile
Robin is awful - she is definitely the one on the show that somehow squeaks by every week...It's awful. They just want to keep her on the show for her drama because that is what people want to watch.
I can't stand the woman. I think that if you are on the bottom two like 4 or 5 episodes, it's your time to go.
view amiebarber8's profile
Seriously, who is not rooting for Kevin? He is far and away the best on the show. As talented as anyone and zero drama/attitude.
And Eli sure talks a lot of shit for not having accomplished very much in this season. Has he won anything? One quickfire?
view hyperRevue's profile
hyper, i completely agree about kevin - he consistently cooks good food and is the nicest guy there!
view ponka's profile
Eli won the quickfire with the crunchy treats - clam chowder and celery salad. I liked that the brothers treat him like an annoying little brother. When he looks back on this show, he'll hopefully realize he acted the part. And then, he'll go on cooking and maybe grow up when he is in his 40's. I pity the girl who takes him on.
view ts's profile
I love Kevin, and not because I'm named Kevin. He was more excited about winning a Pigs and Pinot spotlight as he was the $15K last week.
Ash seems like a nice guy, but all he talked about was that he can "prepare" good food. This is Top Chef. Not Top Cook.
When Padma asked for the first four to come in, I turned to my wife and said, "There's the final four." I feel like any of them would have cleaned up last season. Jen would have mopped the floor with a douche like Stefan.
view Detective Ventriloquist's profile
I ate at the Woodfire Grill in Atlanta a couple of years ago. I'm not sure if Kevin was there then, but it was delicious - I had a chicken stuffed with goat cheese that was just spectacular. I've had dreams about that chicken. I checked out their web site and I don't see it on the menu now, but if their current dishes are as good, then it's well worth a trip. I'm rooting for Kevin to win!
view toberead's profile