COMPETING WITH KNIVES

What Whine Goes With Portman? A Top Chef Recap

By Nicki R

THE CHEFS HAVE RECOVERED FROM LAST WEEK''S THE BRUTAL EXPERIENCE OF Restaurant Wars and they are ready to face another day, cook another meal and one-up each other.

For the Quickfire Challenge, guest judge Paul Bartolotta will decide which chef makes the best revision of a classic TV dinner based on a TV show.

The shows are The Sopranos, M*a*s*h, Seasame Street, Cheers, The Flintstones, Gilligan's Island and Seinfeld.

Jen struggles with her Flinstones dish but then again she always struggles.

Mike I. has never laid eyes on a Seinfeld episode so he doesn't know to serve boxed "cereal" or scrambled "diner food." He serves a pretty plate that has nothing to do with the show.

Kevin and Bryan have the best dishes but Kevin wins the challenge with his Sopranos-inspired meatballs with polenta, roasted cauliflower and roasted pear dish. (Yum, pretend mobsters eat well!)

I'm certain Mike V. aches for his brother but is also glad that Bryan can't rub the win in his face with a victory dance.

For the Elimination Challenge, the chefs take over Craftsteak at MGM Grand.

The surprise guest for this challenge is the beautiful and talented Natalie Portman.

Natalie says she's a foodie, she's adventurous and oh yeah, she's a vegetarian.

You can hear the chefs' hearts break.

Their chance to cook in a steak house, explore all cuts of meat, yet, they might as well pull some carrots on a farm.

The chefs scramble to the kitchen and re-work every meat-loving dish they had in mind.

Robin's up first with a stuffed squash blossom, beet carpaccio, fresh garbanzo brans and chermoula. The judges think it's too salty. Natalie tries to be nice by saying it's a beautiful-looking dish.

Eli makes a confit of eggplant, lentils, garlic puree, and radish salad. Natalie loves the salad and Gail Simmons of Food and Wine love the texture of the eggplant.

Mike V. wows everyone with his Asparagus salad, Japanese tomato sashimi and banana polenta.

Jen struggles again to make a charred baby eggplant, braised fennel, tomatoes and verjus nage dish.

Jen puts sauce on everyone's plate and shakes the whole time. The judges notice but still enjoy her dish. Jen didn't need to struggle to stay on top this week.

Mike I. throws together a whole roasted leeks with onion jus, baby carrot puree and fingerling potatoes.

Even though Natalie loves leeks and purple is her favorite color, it isn't enough to improve the taste of Mike's dish.

Bryan let time beat him and serves his artichoke barigoule, confit of shallot, wild asparagus and fennel puree dish with missing carrots. Everyone enjoys the playfulness of the dish.

Later Mike V. lets his dear brother know it was okay that he didn't serve it… it was too greasy!

Kevin makes a hearty dish of mushrooms and smoked kale, candied garlic and turnip puree. Natalie thinks it's a manly dish and she says she doesn't feel like she was missing anything by not eating meat.

The best chefs are Kevin, Michael and Eli. And the winner of the challenge is -- Kevin.

That's right Voltaggio brothers, Kevin beat you both! Mike V. hisses that he could do Kevin's dish faster and better, that it was something he learned how to make his second year of apprenticeship. Bryan would have thought it was too greasy anyway so suck it up Mike!

The losers of the challenge are Jen, Robin and Mike I.

And to make Mike V. happy, he's now the only Mike in the competition. Mike I. packs his knives and goes home.

Six chefs remain in the battle for Top Chef, and the V. brothers are still butting heads, Jen's still floundering and Robin's hanging on by her fingertips.

Just a few weeks left till the finalists are announced. Who are you voting for?

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!