Top Chef

View Date: 9/2/09

Chefs: Jennifer C., Laurine, Preeti, Ash, Jesse, Hector, Ashley, Ron, Robin, Mike I., Bryan, Mike V., Mattin, Kevin, Eli

Quickfire Challenge: The guest judge for this challenge was Mark Peel. The chefs were challenged to create an out-of-this-world dish using potatoes. Mark's least favorite dishes were from Eli, Ron, and Jesse. Favorites were Jennifer, Ash, and Ashley. The winner of the Quickfire was Jennifer, who also gains immunity for the elimination challenge. She certainly is racking up the wins.

Elimination Challenge: The special guest brought in to describe the challenge was Colonel Dave Belote. The chefs had to prepare a meal for 300 of the country's finest air force airmen. The chefs all cooked as a single team, but they would not find out their ingredients or cooking apparati until the next day. The group decides that there would be one head chef (Jennifer because of her immunity) and the others would split into pairs to cook together.

After entering the kitchen, they find that they will be working with canned foods, but in a kitchen without pots or burners. There are lots of concerns about cooking time, and cookware in general, but the group seemed to pull it off.

Once again, the guest judge is Mark Peel. The top dishes were Mike/Michael's pork belly and Eli/Kevin's pork and potato salad. The pork belly started as a smoked slab bacon that was then worked up as a pork belly. They also did a Greek shrimp salad. The winner of the challenge was Michael V. with his pork belly. Preeti/Loreen and Mike I. were sent back in as the least favorite dishes. As the judges pointed out, Mike looked downright pissed when brought back to the bottom group. The girls seemed a little confused, but neither really seemed to remember that this was a competition. Tonight, Preeti went home. Of the bottom three, I pretty much understand why she was chosen. I think it was a combination of the bad dish she made tonight, being in the bottom last week, and just not understanding the judges' comments.

10 words or less: Padme's getting really feisty this season.