
[WARNING: Spoilers for “Wolfgang Clucks” and “Chefs at Sea”]
Confession: I just couldn’t bring myself to watch Kristen pack up her knives and go at the end of last week’s Restaurant Wars challenge. I’m such a wuss when it comes to my favorite player coming up short, especially when someone else (I’m talking about you, Josie), should have gone home instead.
But I knew that Kristen — as the captain of one of the teams — was vulnerable. It was her concept that Josie and Brooke were trying to execute. I knew that there was a good chance she’d be the one going home. Having said that, I was in complete denial after someone broke the news to me. To this day, the most I’ve seen of this year’s Restaurant Wars is what was in the recap at the beginning of “Wolfgang Clucks.”
This latest Top Chef was entertaining and, might I add, a bit brutal. We’ll get to the brutal portion of the episode a little later. Let’s start with the Quickfire Challenge. I commend all the chefs for having to make sushi on demand in such a quick amount of time. It wasn’t everyone’s forte. I can’t imagine having to create it for a sushi master like Katsuya Uechi, when you’ve hardly ever made it before. By the way, I’ve been to Uechi’s Katsuya in Hollywood a couple of times. The sushi there is simply amazing.
Anyway, Stefan wins his first challenge. In his confessional, he’d been talking about how he hasn’t won a thing yet. Which is odd for him, considering he was such a force during his original season. But good for him for finally earning himself a win. I felt bad for Josh, he went with what he knows. Turning a bacon and egg sandwich into sushi has to be an incredibly difficult feat — I’m giving him an A for effort. It doesn’t really matter since he goes from knowing next to nothing about making sushi to knowing everything about making fried chicken, which is the crux of the Elimination Challenge.
The cheftestants have to make fried chicken for some masterful experts in the industry. I didn’t envy them at all. The pressure to make food for such an esteemed group of diners has to be high. Unfortunately, a few of the chefs achieve epic failure. Some of the issues: over thinking the dish; not cooking real fried chicken; or coming up with inferior (read: nasty, greasy) chicken.
At the top of the heap:
- Josh’s Smoked Fried Chicken with Hot Sauce and Blue Cheese.
- Sheldon’s chicken done two ways –Umami Drumsticks and Thighs; Wings with Usukuchi and Grape Seed Oil
Winner: Josh — it was sort of a given. He is the kind of guy that knows fried chicken inside and out. In fact, I believe he said his grandfather made the best he ever tasted. Josh gets a year’s supply of wine for being the fried chicken champ. Seems like a year’s supply of beer would have been a better pairing for fried chicken, don’t you think?
The Bottom 3:
- Josie’s Chicken with Black Garlic, Cayenne, Thyme, and Hot Sauce with Daikon Salad
- Brooke’s Dukkah-Crusted Chicken Breast with Wilted Escarole, and Tomato
- Stefan’s Chicken Cordon Bleu with Garlic Aioli, and Lemon
Yeah, I’m not sure what Stefan was thinking. And it felt Brooke was trying to make a healthy fried chicken. But, come on, when you’re on Top Chef you go all out and just make a good dish that you know people will like. Tom pretty much asked them not to get too fancy schmancy with their dishes. Yet they did. Brooke knew she over thought her dish.
I’m wondering what the chefs are thinking when they finally get to see these episodes. Padma, Tom, Wolfgang, Emeril, David Chang and the guys from Son of a Gun and Animal were brutal when discussing the dishes that weren’t up to par. Wolfgang’s Top Chef/The Apprentice comment — wow. I can’t even…I know you have to grow thick skin when you’re on a reality TV show where your food is being judged. But I don’t think I could have handled hearing the stuff that was said. Some of that hurt me and I wasn’t even the chef.
Sent Packing: Josie was so sure her dish was good. Once again, those eating her food weren’t able to finish it. She had the same excuses. It all boils down to the fact she wasted time. The Josie Show couldn’t save her from elimination. It’s still a couple eliminations too late for my taste, but at least she won’t be in the finals.
Last Chance Kitchen: Kristen vs. Josie

Tom’s challenge to Josie and Kristen is to break down a salmon and cook 10 identical-sized pieces of fish in any style of their choosing. Kristen’s ready to go. She says she had a feeling she’d be going up against Josie. Both chefs plate everything even though it looks like it could go either way. Josie manages to get her tenth piece of salmon (she dropped one on the floor and had to go back and cook a replacement portion) on the plate for Tom to judge and the peanut gallery of former finalists to eat.
Winner: Kristen gets her second win in a row. I’m hoping for a Kristen/CJ rematch in the Last Chance Kitchen finals.
Save a Chef Voting: It’ll be CJ versus Josie. We know who will be winning that round, right? I want to take a chance to say goodbye to Chef Kuniko. Her chances for redemption in the LCK finals were dashed the moment Kristen beat CJ. I really wanted to see her compete again, but it won’t be happening.
Top Chef: Seattle airs Wednesdays on Bravo at 10/9c. On Jan. 30, look for another super-sized episode. Top Chef will run 75 minutes long.
Clip from the next episode “Chefs at Sea”
Synopsis: Chefs, ahoy! The cheftestants are setting sail for Alaska. While aboard, they’ll tackle a Quickfire of cruise ship proportions, elevating iceberg lettuce into a flavorful amuse bouche. For the Elimination Challenge, they must create a new spin on the cruise ship classic, Surf and Turf. The pressure is on to make the final four, and one cheftestant disembarks in a heartbreaking elimination. Guest judge Curtis Stone joins Hugh Acheson, head judge Tom Colicchio and host Padma Lakshmi.
Content and/or other value provided by our partner, Bravo.
Related posts
Classics
George R. Olson, Tim Rozon, and Sarah Levy Talk the SurrealEstate S2 Finale
[Spoilers for the SurrealEstate Season 2 finale.] How’s everyone doing after the finale? As we close out the second season of SurrealEstate, some of our merry band of misfits are scattering to the winds–Zooey to law school, Phil to the Vatican, and Augie back to his think tank with Rochelle,…
Previewing SurrealEstate Season 2 Finale + Revisiting the Season with George R. Olson
[Warning; General spoilers ahead.] Strap in, SurrealEstate fam, because we’ve arrived at the Season 2 finale, and it’s a doozy. As we saw in the closing moments of last week’s episode, Susan is back. But because we have one more episode left, it’s not as simple as all that, as…
Tyler Hynes Talks Through His Eight-Film Hallmark Holiday Library
Things you realize when you have to re-record your shows on a new DVR – just how many Hallmark movies your people have done. Fan favorite – and one of ours – Tyler Hynes has done eight Christmas movies for Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries since 2018. Alongside…
Spencer Creaghan Talks About Creating SurrealEstate’s Signature Sound
SurrealEstate is winding down its second season, with two episodes left, and just as in Season 1, Spencer Creaghan’s music continues to be a character unto itself. And every week, he shares tidbits with the fans via his s social media channels, something he started to help give them an…
Andrew Walker Talks Christmas Island and the Magical Hallmark Community
[Warning: Spoilers for Christmas Island.] Now that the Screen Actors Guild strike has been resolved, we’re able to resume regularly scheduled programming and interview our favorites and yours. Up first, earlier today, I spoke with Andrew Walker about Christmas Island, which premiered last weekend and encores tonight and through the…
George Olson and Danishka Esterhazy Talk SurrealEstate “I Put a Spell on You”
[Warning: Spoilers for the episode.] Tonight’s fun new SurrealEstate found Luke caught up in an especially bewitching woman, Kay, played by Tara Yelland, Susan trapped in her house, and Zooey learning the ropes. In the next part of my conversation with showrunner George R. Olson and producing director Danishka Esterhazy,…
Danishka Esterhazy Talks SurrealEstate: “The Butler Didn’t”
[Warning: General spoilers for the episode]. Tonight’s new SurrealEstate, “The Butler Didn’t,” follows the team as they investigate the years-earlier mysterious death of a woman whose ghost now reenacts her hanging by dropping over the banister from the second floor to terrify anyone on the landing or at the bottom…
Scott McCord and Elizabeth Saunders Talk the From Season 2 finale
[Warning: Spoilers for the season finale.] How’s everyone doing after that finale? While we wait and wonder and hope for a third season announcement, soon, here’s what Scott McCord and Elizabeth Saunders had to say about their parts of the finale, and where they hope they get to go next….
Scott McCord and Elizabeth Saunders Talk From Season 2 + A Season Finale Preview
[Warning: General spoilers ahead.] It all comes down this, #FROMily. As Sunday’s episode wraps up Season 2, we begin with the aftermath of the terrifying onset of seemingly simultaneous attacks on Julie, Marielle, and Randall, which accelerate the “We gotta get out of this place” of it all. Sara comes…
Alison Sweeney Talks About What’s Next for Hannah and Mike After Carrot Cake Murder: A Hannah Swensen Mystery
[Warning: Spoilers for Carrot Cake Murder.] Everybody OK after that Hannah Swensen Mystery twist? Thankfully, our favorite crime-solving couple is still on speaking term, even if they’re on a break (hopefully not that kind of break). Most importantly, we already know this isn’t the last film in the series. No…
What They Said: Three Revealing Conversations from Survivor’s Remorse “Closure”
WARNING: Spoilers for Survivor’s Remorse “Closure” The latest episode of Starz’s Survivor’s Remorse featured conversations that showed characters really digging deep into their thoughts, emotions and motivations.
Two Takes: The Catch “The Knock-Off”
Who can you trust? If this episode of The Catch was any indication, the answer is just about nobody. Betrayal was running rampant as Felicity (Shivani Ghai) arose from the dead to seduce-con Margot, Gretchen (Maria Thayer, Gotham, The Mindy Project) played gold-hearted Alice 2.0 before swindling Ethan, Tessa jumped…
What They Said: Top 3 Quotable Moments from Preacher “El Valero”
Both Quincannon and Jesse refuse to give up on what they each think is rightfully theirs. While Jesse is struggling to face the consequences of his actions, Quincannon has laid his past demons to rest and is hellbent on moving forward and putting Annville on the map again. Despite a…
What They Said: Favorite Quotes from Supergirl “Worlds Finest”
Oh, Supergirl. That ending was cold. But I can’t hate on you because the latest episode has quickly become one of my favorites.
What They Said: Top 4 Quotable Moments from Black Sails “XXIII”
The dialogue in “XXIII” is phenomenal. It’s always a fun ride when Black Sails carries its viewers along without giving them the chance to catch their breath. When an episode moves at this unforgiving pace, there is no chance for a breather nor is there a respite from the information…
What Lucifer Said: Favorite quotes from Supernatural “O Brother, Where Art Thou?”
Supernatural episodes are almost always funny but thanks to the dialogue and a certain man speaking said dialogue, I laughed a lot during “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” You know, when I wasn’t busy fearing for Sam’s life or wondering what in the world was going on with Dean and…
What They Said: The Flash, “Legends Of Today” and Arrow, “Legends Of Yesterday”
Two nights of Arrow + The Flash = what more could we ask for?! I don’t know what it is about blending these shows, but I can’t help but feel that every time they come together, they somehow become greater than the sum of their parts. And that’s saying a lot…
What they Said: Top 4 Quotable Moments from Graceland “Little Bo Bleep”
Shoot outs. Fake outs. And long-awaited revelations. “Little Bo Bleep” was a jam-packed episode that wrapped up some loose ends and totally frayed others. Â It finally gave us one Sarkissian in jail and pulled back the curtain on Briggs’ master plan, but it also set up Jakes for a world…
What They Said: Favorite Quotes from Poldark “Part 4”
“What have I told you, I don’t require my wife to crochet and sip tea, but I do require her to remember she’s not a beast of burden.†No, I’m not talking about The Rolling Stones! I have to admit though, just for a second, the lyrics popped into my…
3 Moments of Goodness from Brooklyn Nine-Nine “Johnny and Dora”
The most satisfying part of this season’s finale has to the Jake and Amy kiss. Well, they kiss three times but the last one is the best one — and it means something. The Charles and Rosa dynamic was also great. I love how she’s convinced he doesn’t know anything…