It's Revolt Vs. Mission in Top Chef's Restaurant Wars
COMPETING WITH KNIVES
Food Fight: A Top Chef Recap
TONIGHT IS HARDCORE FOODIES' DELIGHT: RESTAURANT WARS!
Working in teams, the chefs create a mock restaurant for the judges. It's the most anticipated -- and heavily critiqued -- challenge of the season.
First off, the Quickfire challenge. Judge Rick Moonen tests the teams in a cook-off. Each chef must create one dish in 10 minute without speaking to one other. And to turn up the heat, the chefs not cooking wear blindfolds so they can't see what their teammate is doing.
The winners of this challenge: the Blue Team with Jennifer, Mike I., Laurine, and Kevin with a sablefish with sauteed mushrooms, shiitake broth and radish salad.
The Blue Team gets the option of winning a combined $10,000 or to "let it ride," awarding each team member 10 grand if they win the contest. They're in Vegas, baby, so they are smart and greedy and choose to let it ride!
The teams get together to discuss who's doing what. Mike V. tells brother Bryan V. knocked down his dessert choice.
The Red Team: The V bros., Eli and Robin chose the name "Revolt" for their restaurant. Which is dumb because suggesting your food is "revolting" doesn't make long lines out form out doors. Eli takes the reins in working front of the house to represent the restaurant.
Their menu includes: Chicken and calamari "pasta", smoked arctic char, duo of beef, cod and billi-bi sauce, pear pithivier and chocolate ganache.
Dessert has always derailed dreams in Top Chef history. The Red Team swears to break that curse.
The Blue Team name their restaurant "Mission" and choose Laurine as their frontman. Their menu: Asparagus and six minute egg, artic char tartare, bouillabaisse consomme, seared trout, pork three ways and lamb with carrot jam.
When the restaurants open, patrons are confused what "Revolt" has to do with the dishes. The judges aren't too happy with the name either. Eli brings out each dish and explains what they are. He browbeats the chefs to get everything out on time. Mike V. snaps at Bryan's about his dish timing and spars with Robin over plating, but she just argues around him.
The judges enjoy the meal and move on to Mission. The first thing they notice is there is no dessert on the menu. They secretly want to run back to Revolt to order some to go. Laurine delivers their dishes then disappears. She explains nothing and ducks out whenever there's a hint of trouble. Miffed, the judges revolt and pick the Red Team as winner. Mike V. pockets 10 grand and immediately decrees that he wants to split it with the team. This dish is called "compensation" among shrinks. But Bryan falls on his knife and refuses his share to protest his brother's bad kitchen manners.
Though Tom Colicchio deems " best Restaurant Wars restaurant" in six seasons, the Mission team gets reamed. Jennifer's seafood seemed undercooked, Kevin's lamb dish was too chewy and Laurine's front-of-the-house "presence" was lacking. Laurine gets sent packing.
Robin earned her stay this week with her dessert, and the V. brothers are closer to stabbing each other with forks.
Next week brings dish Natalie Portman as guest judge. Can't wait!
Nicki R. is a Southern girl living in the big city of Chicago. She loves quiet evenings a home watching horror films with her dogs Jezebelle and Zombie. Check out her blog, Hey, Look Behind You!
Tags: Television
