Top Chef: Vegas – Week Two & Three Recap…

Since I was busy tasering people last week, I missed the “Top Chef” program.  Thanks to the miracle that is DVR, I watched last week’s episode right before this week’s.  Here’s the bullet recap (don’t read if you haven’t seen the show yet):

Week Two – Bachelor/ette

• Stop offering money for the Quickfire Challenges!!  It’s really annoying me this whole $15,000 thing.  Once or twice throughout the season, fine, but in the first two episodes???
• I thought it was funny that guest judge Todd English ripped Jesse’suse of chiracha (sic) as the flavor of the moment and then the bachelorette said she LOVED it!!  Funny!!
• I was getting annoyed with all the love shown to the brothers this ep.  They owned just about all the talking head segments,  But then, with what they both cooked, I can see why they producers featured them so heavy.  They really did tear it up.
• Hector deep fries and ruins a steak in a Wolfgang Puck steakhouse but he can make a wicked Tofu dish???  Seriously???  Surprise!
• Jesse keeps shooting herself in the foot.  I want her to get it together cause I’m really diggin’ her. 
• Ashley get over yourself!!  This whole “I don’t want to cook for a wedding party because gay people can’t get married” thing was ridiculous!!  By that logic you would never cook for anyone celebrating any sort of special moment in your restaurant?? It so offended you, really??? REALLY???  Ugh!  Then the producers had to play it up.   It was just ridiculous.  Tom Colicchio speaks much more eloquently that I on the subject on his “Top Chef” blog. 
• Finally, poor Eve.  She seemed like a fish out of water right from the start, produced some uninspiring dishes both weeks and was mercifully told to pack her knives.  I was really rooting for her as she was the first Michigan chef to appear on the show.  Regardless of her TV outcome, I still want to try her restaurant.

Week Three - Thunderbirds

• For me, a nice touch by the producers to have a potato challenge for the Quickfire preseeding a military themed Elimination Challenge.  I thought it was funny.
• Mark Peelwas guest judge this week.  It was interesting that he reference his own experience with Quickfire’s on “Top Chef: Masters“.  I think he was able to bring to the table some level of understanding on just how hard it is to come up with something that fast.  He’s got a great personality and hope he comes back.
• RON – he had a talking head this week!!!  He was shut out last week.  I like Ron.  Don’t think he’s going to far, but he seems genuine!
• Direct quote – “Balls!”  HA!!  Jesse rocks and she escapes Judge’s Table this week.
• Everything in that potato challenge looked great!  I was seriously getting hungry.
• It was a great Elimination Challenge.  First cooking for the troops, nice.  Then to have to work from what canned and boxed food they had in the military kitchen, with no conventional cooking equipment or stoves, brilliant!  That’s a challenge!  Going to Whole Foods with you little shopping list…whatever!
• Boy were the judges HARSH!!! Even Padma!! I loved that they pulled Michael I. back in to judges table for his bad shrimp salad.  He thought he was scott free, riding the coattails of Mike V.’s pork belly dish.
• Another quote –  ”We bonded on a fat kid level.”  Kevin, I thought you were going to annoy me this season, but I’m coming around on you!
• Chowder and Chili???  In the desert??  Well it worked!  The servicemen seems to really enjoy those dishes.
• Preeti – bye bye!  How could she really stand at Judge’s Table and say her weak pasta salad (which took two chef’s to make) had more flavor that the dishes from the other chefs??  Just for that line, she had to go.
• Finally – YEAH BACON!!!  It truly won the day.  Kevin made a terrific Bacon-Braised Yam with Potato Sauce in the Quickfire and Mike V. knocked the cover off the ball with his soy and mustard glazed pork belly “taco”. The photo is below, just ignore Michael I.’s salad.  Gail is still dreaming about that dish!  Oh to have tasted it.  Rock on bacon, rock on.

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• December 3, 2009 -- Top Chef – Finale Part 1
• September 10, 2009 -- Top Chef…Now We’re Cookin’