Top Chef Washington DC: Of Thee I Sling
Rankings and Commentary by Donna Emery
September 16, 2010
This week on Top Chef, the cheftestants made a four-course meal to vie for the final prize.
And the result left the winner incredulous – and me, wishing fervently for a “do-over.”
The three finalists had all proven they deserve their spots. Angelo began the season strong and showed some amazing skills with Asian cooking.
Despite his occasional bad behavior and odd quirks (like hanging pictures of previous Top Chefs in his room, like religious icons) he had obvious skill – and the ego to go with it.
Ed didn’t strike me as a winner, in the beginning, but his consistently hard work and steady rise to prominence made him the favorite, going into tonight’s episode. Having won a double-header last week, he was the chef to beat.
Kevin may not have shown the consistency of the other two chefs, and his temper may have distinguished him to viewers more prominently than his cooking skills, but last week he showed the judges he’d studied and learned how to incorporate the flavors of the Singaporean region into his cooking – with panache.
The episode began where the first part of the finale had left off: with the final three basking in the warmth of their survival. But Padma called them all back to the judges’ table for an announcement: they would be told their challenge right then; and have that night to begin their mental preparation.
The assignment was to cook a four-course meal. And, to make sure there would be no misunderstanding, Tom told them the four courses would consist of a vegetable dish; a fish course; a meat course and a dessert.
Gail was smiling about the dessert. It’s as if she knew her spin-off show: Top Chef -Just Desserts would be premiering right after the finale. And, as it turned out; the finale would not only precede that show, but highlight the importance of the dessert course, to the overall meal.
Desserts have been, traditionally, Top Chef Jinxes. Many an excellent chef has been felled too early by preparing a bad dessert. But these chefs had to make one, as part of this meal.
To help them prepare and make their meals, they needed sous chefs. The producers had brought back former Top Chef winners Hung Huynh, Ilan Hall and Michael Voltaggio. Kevin was very excited to see Michael, since they’d worked together. Angelo wanted Hung, since he was in an Asian country and was a self-proclaimed Asian cooking maven. Ed wanted Voltaggio, too; he was no dummy.
But the selection came down to drawing knives and Ed got Ilan. Kevin and Angelo got their wished-for partners. And the race was on. Tom said he and Eric would be shopping for their proteins in the morning – and that he’d heard monkey was “in season”.
Oh, my. That might have been more interesting.
When they went back to.....
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