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Top Chef

Week 10

This was the tenth week of Top Chef Season 5, New York.  8 chefs are still in the house after Arianne was sent home last week.  Tonight's guest judge is: Stephen Starr.

Tonight's episode features an emphasis on the romantic sparks between Hosea and Leah.  They're even caught by a distant camera cuddling and kissing on a couch. The next morning each of them does a one-shot explaining that they regret what happened.  Hosea hopes he'll still be with his girlfriend.  Leah hopes she'll still be with her boyfriend but seems pessimistic that they'll stay together after this.

The other cheftestants are noting that Hosea and Leah threw Arianne under the bus last week.

Quickfire Challenge

To start the show the contestants have to do a "Quickfire Challenge" which is generally a skills test. Today's was a cooking challenge - the contestants have to do a tasting for Stephen Starr.  They have to create one dish to showcase their prospective restaurant.  There are TWO winners of the Quickfire and those winners will be the "Chef/Owner" of the fictitious restaurants to be featured in the elimination challenge.

Fabio decides to do a lunch plate for his Mediterranean themed restaurant.  A high-end "cheesesteak" as Stephen describes it.  Fabio is a little offended by that description.

Radhika is nervous because of the pace of Quickfire - ironic since she's won a couple of times.  Stephen says her dish is well-seasoned.

Jamie wants to showcase "local, sustainable" foods and admits that she really doesn't want to win because she doesn't want to be the "Owner" in restaurant wars  She does chilean sea bass.  Stephen "

Carla is doing "homemade foods" and makes a cod with italian salsa.  Stephen remarks that it's not salty enough.

Hosea wants to do a "World Cuisine" seafood restaurant.

Leah seems sort of ditsy and lost in this challenge.  Stephen says it's "tasty" and Leah goes to hug Hosea.

Stefan does a trio of asparagus.

Jeff does "seasonal and fresh" with a grilled salmon.  Stephen comments that it's "a little mushy".

Winners: Radhika wins again.  Leah is the other winner - which we knew because of the teasers for the episode which indicated she'd be one of the "Owners".

Elimination Challenge - Restaurant Wars!

The team captains pick their teams and it falls like so...

Sahana

Radika wants Jeff to go front of house but he makes it clear he wants to be in the back.  Finally Radhika agrees to do it herself.  Radhika's team is off to Pier 1 to find ethnic items to match their middle-eastern theme.  They have $5000 to spend and they very nearly do.  Jamie is showing a lot of leadership - sort of like being the chef-du-cuisine.

Jeff, as always, wants to do a sorbet of some kind.

Sunset Lounge

On the other team Hosea is quick to Leah's defense so she doesn't get "run over" by Fabio and Stefan.  Stefan is living up to his reputation to be hard to work with - we can see what Radhika didn't pick him.  Hosea and Leah are both glad that Stefan is doing desserts because he's so hard to work with.  Leah is freaking out about kissing Hosea and it's definitely affecting them. 

Fabio is taking front of house and Stefan is going to expedite in addition to doing desserts.

So it Goes...

Sahana is having major problems with service.  The waiters aren't getting the orders quite right and Radhika is not showing much leadership.  Jamie has to try and keep the ship righted - luckily for them their food seems to be well-received. 

Radika and Carla are the weak links here.  Carla's chocolate cake is not good and her "frozen yogurt" didn't freeze.  Radhika is clearly out of place running front of house - as a test at the end of the meal the judges actually get up and leave just to see if anybody notices.  They don't -- Radhika is in the kitchen at the time.

Sunset Lounge is in Fabio's charming hands at front of house and the judges are immediately impressed with his manner.  The first round of dishes is poorly received however - Tom says he's had frozen eggrolls that were better.  The second course isn't great either but at least they don't hate it.

Judge's Table

At Judge's table it's revealed that by a very slight margin Sunset Lounge was the favorite restaurant on the strength of Stefan's desserts and Fabio's service.  Ultimately it's Stefan who gets the win.

On the losing side it comes down to Radhika who was perceived as having taken no leadership role in her own "restaurant" and falling down on service and Carla whose desserts were disastrous.  During the discussion Carla makes some bizarre statements about "sending happiness" with the food and how she believes that if she's having a good time in the kitchen that the diners will have a good time too.  Jaws drop in amazement.  It doesn't help that Carla LOOKS a little crazy, when she starts talking a little crazy too...

But ultimately, as it usually does, it's the chef/owner who takes the fall for the losing team in Restaurant Wars and Radhika gets sent home.

Observations and Random Stuff

• Lots of product placement for the Toyota Sequoias.  This time they also make a point of pointing out some of the features of the vehicle on-camera; like the power outlets and the power-reclining back seats.
• Toby was a lot more reserved this week - or at least we didn't see as much of it.  He makes a couple of sharp comments, but otherwise is relatively polite.

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