Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Recap Roundup: Top Chef Just Desserts 2.9

Picktainment on the challenge: "Anyways, the chefs will be creating a dessert inspired by an international cuisine. Chris picks France, Orlando picks Spain, Matthew takes Italian, and Sally (who worked in Miami for a while) picks Cuba. They must create a dessert that looks like an iconic savory dish from one their country."

TWOP on culinary icons: "The chefs all look like they want to die as Gail adds that they have a whole panel of chefs waiting to judge their dessert on increasingly bizarre unattainable and constantly shifting standards. Orlando is in an extra tizzy because his culinary icon Iron Chef Cat Cora is on the panel! He is obviously totally reading that off a teleprompter because NO ONE has Iron Chef Cat Cora as a culinary icon."

CultureMob on Johnny needs a drink: "Johnny shows up in the kitchen, and you know that he’s pissed Gail didn’t tell him about drinks in time for him to get out of this. He immediately starts taking it out on the chefs, shooting down Chris’ idea to make his dessert look like beef wellington with a terse 'Isn’t beef wellington English?' A quick Wikipedia search reveals that no one’s really sure where it comes from, but I’ll go with Johnny on this. Johnny is more accepting of Matthew’s idea to re-create manicotti, which is undisputedly Italian, so instead goes the old 'man, you must be feeling a LOT of PRESSURE! Do you think you’re going to be in the finale? DO YOU??' route. He also can’t shoot Orlando’s paella idea down, so he continues his tour of terror and asks Orlando who he’s threatened by, forcing Orlando to contemplate everyone else’s dish instead of his own. Insidious, Iuzzini. Sally’s up, and when she reveals that she hasn’t decided which route to go down yet, Johnny pounces. 'Are you tired? Are you stressed out?' he asks, clearly hoping to incite a nervous breakdown. 'Tell me what you’re going to do right…' he pauses, '…to make sure your dessert is better than anyone else’s.' Johnny’s a good mean girl. 'You don’t even have a plan!' he states, relentlessly. 'You’ve only got an hour and a half left!' Don’t keep Johnny away from the cocktails again, Gail. He gets angry."

Eater on "salads": "Sally’s Cuban sandwich is awfully impressive looking, especially for being so indecisive for most of the challenge. Cream cheese and pineapple makes us think of things our grandmothers made with Jell-O and canned fruit cocktail (heavy syrup, of course). We gag a bit at the thought of the combination, but the judges mustn’t have had such a grandmother and thus no such association — so they dig it okay."

Jordan Baker on winning: "They call the chefs back, and Cat announces that the winner of this challenge is… Sally. Boooo. She’s happy to have finally won a challenge. Matthew gently and handsomely says 'I knew it was you' and hugs her. Oh, god, I bet his hugs are so good. I bet they’re like wearing a Snuggie made of cotton candy and dreams."

Posted on AllTopChef.com

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