Friday, October 15, 2010
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Congratulations, Chef Morgan Wilson!
Congrats to you, Chef Wilson! You definitely had every right to be pleased with yourself this week. :)
This post is only for positive comments about Chef Morgan Wilson. If you have anything negative to say about him or his competitors, please do so here.
ATC Love to Chef Heather Chittum
It must be quite difficult to have to create an outfit out of edible products. After all, even fashion designers on Project Runway have had issues with such challenges. Chef Chittum chose produce, which may have been easier to work with than chocolate, but didn't do the trick of wowing the judges.
Chef Heather, we're so sorry to see you leave (again). Much luck in your future.
This post is only for positive comments about Chef Heather Chittum. If you have anything negative to say about her or her competitors, please do so here.
Reactions to Top Chef Just Desserts Episode 5
With the departure of Seth last week, we are left with a relatively drama-free episode. Well, as drama-free as pastry chefs can be. Heather H, Yigit, and Zac decide to form their own little pastry clique, Team Go Divas, and annoy all and sundry by chanting "go Diva!" every few minutes. Unfortunately, that wasn't quite enough to cause anyone to smack anyone in the head with an offset spatula.
Wolfgang Puck's corporate Queen of Pastry Sherry Yard was guest judge for this episode. In the Quickfire Challenge, she had to judge the pastrycheftestants abilities with that tricky baked product - the souffle. Zac goes rogue and makes a frozen souffle, while the rest of the gang stick to the real deal. Sherry tells Heather H that the perfect souffle is like a unicorn - she's never seen one.
On the bottom are Zac, Erika, and Heather H. - wow, two members of "Go Diva." However, member 3, Yigit, makes it into the top three along with Danielle and Morgan and ends up the winner with his chocolate souffle.
Next up - the Elimination Challenge is to celebrate the upcoming LA Fashion Week by creating edible fashion. Each pastrycheftestant is responsible for making an edible garment AND two petits fours that act as "accessories" to serve sixty fashionistas at an event. The inspiration? Women's shoes, which Gail is quick to point out do NOT come from her personal collection. Gaygasps all around, including from straightboy Morgan. When it's his turn to choose, he makes a beeline for a pair of Spiderman-esqe red platforms with black piping. He's practically petting and drooling on the shoes as he takes them to his table.
After a shopping trip to Albertsons, the pastrycheftestants will have 8 hours to work on their items, and then two more hours the next day at the venue. Zac's an old pro at making edible fashion, and he says it's "bananas" that the producers expect them to get something so complicated done in a mere 8 hours. But he's plugging away at his "showgirl warrior" costume, using plungers for breast cup molds.
With scant time left on the clock, Johnny Iuzzini and his pompadour come in with a twist. But it's not a twist - it's an incentive. The winner of this challenge will receive $20K. Everybody drools, apart from Morgan who has used most of his saliva on his pumps.
Eric is making a dress for a trashy housewife out on the town - in other words, something for one of the Housewives of New Jersey/Atlanta/New York/DC/Orange County/Beverly Hills. Morgan creates a "little black dress" of chocolate paillettes, plus a matchy-matchy black-piped red purse for the Spideyshoes. He finishes early [insert rude comment here] and seems quite proud of himself.
Eventually all the time is up and the pastrycheftestants set up their dress forms and petits fours to be gobbled up by the hungry guests. Heather H's dress looks like a turkey prostitute. Yigit's dress of white chocolate feathery things is insanely short. Eric's is a bloody mess. And both Heather C and Danielle eschewed using their pastry skills and opted to make fashion out of salad.
After tasting everything, the judges select Morgan, Zac, and Yigit as the top three. At one point, Johnny calls Zac a "silly little bastard," which Zac seems to take as a compliment. Ultimately, Morgan takes the win and the $20K. On the bottom are the salad girls, Danielle, and Heather C., and Eric. Although Eric's dress is a disaster, he at least made cookies. Heather C put the least amount of work into her dress, and the judges weren't keen on her petits fours, so she was given the boot.
Again. Sucks to be her.
So what did you think about this episode? Please tell us in the comments!
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
TC News and Information 10.12.10
Wow, a bulging in-box this week. First up, the New York City Wine & Food Fest took place last weekend - lots of chefs with TC connections made appearances and offered commentary. A few morsels.
Top Chef Just Desserts judge Johnny Iuzzini dished to the NY Post that upcoming JD episodes will include drama (despite Seth's departure) and fashion (no surprise if you’ve seen previews for Wednesday’s show). Perhaps more interesting are his thoughts on what to serve at such an event, as Iuzzini handed out “caramelized Godiva chocolate mousse on a stick, with salted walnut nougatine, dried cranberry, a Godiva pearl and a gold leaf.” Hmm, we just know there are bound to be more catering challenges coming up on this season of Just Desserts, and it's always helpful to know where the judges are coming from.
In an interesting panel discussion about the meaning and importance of eating locally, TC head judge Tom Colicchio mentioned that one of the reasons he chose the location of his new NYC restaurant RiverPark is "we're looking to actually grow food in soil. Majority of it will go to schools and educating kids about nutrition."
Eater.com caught up with TCJD judge Eric Ripert’s pastry chef at Le Bernadin, Michael Laiskonis, who will appear as a guest judge in his own right during this season of Just Desserts and offered his observations about TCJD and pastry chefs’ time in the spotlight in this interview.
Speaking of The Ripper, he will prepare a five-course dinner featuring sustainable seasfood with his protoge, Jennifer Carroll - much-rooted-for Top Chef Season 6 contestant and member of the upcoming TC Season 8 All-Star cast - this Thursday in Philly.
And re: sustainable seafood, TC Season 7 contestant Tamesha Warren will prepare an entree Nov. 16 for Baltimore’s National Aquarium Fresh Thoughts series, while Season 1 finalist and returning All-Star Tiffani Faison recently appeared at Boston’s Museum of Science, where she demonstrated how to make “meatballs” from scallops and monkfish, two fish that “tend to be a bit sweeter” and appeal to kids, commenting that it can be hard to get kids to eat fish. Guess it depends on where they grow up and what they’re used to as a kid.
Traveling further along the science – and TV series – train, according to this item, Season 6 finalist and returning All-Star Richard Blais has just wrapped production on a couple of pilot episodes for a show on the Science Channel. And lest we forget Chef Blais’s heavy-duty background, here’s a photo Alinea’s Grant Achatz recently tweeted from years gone by of Blais, Achatz, and the renowned Thomas Keller.
TC Season 3 contestant Brian Malarkey seems to have landed himself a show on TLC called Kick Off, Cook Off, traveling around the country as “cheferee” to judge football tail-gate cooking.
In news about a TC chef who did not try to boost her recognizability by wearing hats, Season 5 chef and All-Star contestant Jamie Lauren has a new gig.
Top Chef Masters contestant Graham Elliot & TCM Season 2 winner Marcus Samuelsson are among the chefs to be included on A&E’s Ikea-sponsored “Fix This Kitchen” makeover show premiering October 16th, along with TC guest judge Charlie Trotter and a couple of other chefs you may have heard of, Ming Tsai & Lydia Bastianich.
Enough media, shilling, and hype, you say?
How about the great news that TC Season 1 winner Harold Dieterle is opening his second restaurant, named Kin Shop? Grub Street has early photos here, and Feast has a mini-interview with H here.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Recap Roundup - Top Chef Just Desserts Episode 4
Jordan Baker on breakfast with the pastrycheftestants: "Seth and his magnificent but psychopathic torso shave...in the kitchen. I am torn between the yummy of the shirtless and the ew of the kitchen shave. Zac asks for 'a bagel with cream cheese and stubble, please?'"
Culture Mob on Seth's final breakdown: "It seems that Seth is having a mental breakdown again; I’m honestly not sure what it’s about except that I know it has something to do with paper cups that he brought from home, that he threw out in response to some misinformation from the TC producers. He calls the producers liars. He says it’s not fair that he doesn’t have his paper cups. And then, as Zac states…'he disappeared.' For a moment I’m hopeful that we’ve actually gotten into the Harry Potter universe and Seth disapparated and splinched himself, but my hopes are dashed when suddenly everyone hears sirens. Seth has merely given himself an anxiety attack and is passed out off-set. Luckily, at this point, even the Bravo producers have to admit that they have a liability on their hands and send Seth packing; my guess is that a lawyer over there got a hold of some footage and hit the 'Eject Crazy' button."
My Monkey Could Do That on the Quickfire Challenge, once the dust settles: "Everyone pulls ice cream scoops to be assigned a flavor. Winner gets immunity and they have 30 minutes. Eric likes sundaes but not wacky sundaes. He wants to focus on 'traditional American baking.' Malika is in a good mood. Morgan is thinking 'Sunday' because that’s the day he spends with his son who has inspired him today. Danielle has always wanted a soda shoppe. Yigit hasn’t grown up with fancy ice cream like cookie dough, but he seems to be in good shape."
After Elton on the Elimination Challenge: "First, the chefs are going to visit something called the “Lucent Dossier.” Gail describes it as some sort of performance art collective involving circus acts, fire, and whimsy. Even after she’s done describing it, I have no idea what it actually is; as best I can tell, they’re planning on pumping the chefs full of Ecstasy and shipping them off to Burning Man. But wait, there’s more! Inspired by the performance, they’ll work in teams. Each team will pick a theme AND create an architectural showpiece AND each create a related dessert AND also a flaming dessert. Whew! That’s a lot."
What'ere Jane Eyre on the return of the Unhappy Heather C.: "What's the point of leaping back into the fray if all you're going to do is complain about how much you hate it, and by the way, drag all your teammates down with you? Heatherh feels pretty much the same way, but while I'd just seethe silently, she out-and-out takes Heatherc to task for wasting her second chance so frivolously. She tells Heatherc that she's letting her teammates down, and that she's being a spoiled brat, closing by telling Heatherc's retreating figure that she needs to suck it up."
TWOP on Heather H's reaction to Morgan's win: "Back in the stew room, Heather H. pissily tells Morgan 'You're welcome.' She thinks he didn't deserve to win since his time wasn't divided like hers. A dynamic she aggressively set up, it's worth noting. She refuses to "carry anybody ever again," a.k.a. be a team player. Sour grapes much?"
and last but not least...Creative Loafing's Top Chef Podcast covers both episodes 3 and 4.
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Friday, October 8, 2010
All Top Chef Interview with Malika Ameen
Chef Malika Ameen talks about her experience on Top Chef Just Desserts and about her decision to leave.
Malika's new venture is called ByMDesserts.
Click here for the podcast.
Thank you Chef Malika.
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