It is week 12 of Masterchef US. Eight are left after Ahran was sent home last week.
A cock and a hen roosting together. Photo:Andrei Niemimäki
Ah the humble chicken. So versatile and popular around the world. Before the pig was brought to Mexico by the Spanish, chicken was the meat most ate. Now our brave cheftestants will deal with chicken cut up and randomly assigned to them. In teams. Yes once again the Culinary Trio has decided that this challenge will be done in teams. But instead of making a winner of a challenge decide it (or do it themselves), they have to decide amongst themselves. So that means if you want to pair up with someone who is really good, you had better use your best talking points. The most surprising match up was Elizabeth and Leslie. Elizabeth and Leslie got into it early in the competition. But Leslie made the simple play that he would defer to her in what ever she did. And it worked resulting in one of the best dishes of the night saving them from the dreaded pressure test. Another surprising combination was Courtney and Christian. Both have sparred in the past but worked well as a team producing also a delicious dish that saved them.
But the teams that failed were Jaimee and Daniel & Willie and Cutter. Jaimee and Daniel did chicken wings. They were okay but nothing that screamed Masterchef. Joe said they looked like something he would get at an airport. Ouch. Cutter and Willie were all over the place during the cooking with confusing styles that resulted in a poor dish. So the they all get to face the dreaded pressure test. Except it was actually three challenges and each challenge would have a winner saved. The final two would battle it out as to who would stay.
Now remember in the past they have made people cook the perfect fried egg. Sounds simple until you have to cook a lot of them and they have to meet the exacting standards of Gordon, Graham, and Joe. This first round had them do a poached egg. Tricky but not so hard to do providing you follow some basic techniques. Some hot water, a little vinegar, and some seasoning usually will do the trick. As Daniel found out, stirring the water with the egg can result in a disaster, like the yolk separating from the egg white. I have never seen that before, a poached egg with no yolk in it. Joe could not believe it either. The Cutter Zone pierced the egg during plating so it splattered. Thankfully it was cooked and Gordon liked it. Jaimee did okay as did Willie. And Willie was deemed the best and headed up to the balcony.
The next challenge was egg ravioli. Now I have never seen this type of dish before where you put egg yolk inside a ravioli. It is a take on the poached egg but the twist it is inside the pasta. So both the pasta and the egg have to be done right. Yikes! Turns out it is not that unusual. I found many recipes during a web search. Here is one at Food Network by Mario Batali, and another by Martha Stewart. This is something I might want to try as it sounds like a great combination. Of course you have to get the pasta right, seal the egg yolk inside it so no water can get inside, and have the courage to place it in hot water for a period of time. If it comes out right, bravo! Done poorly and you get the Bronx jeer (look that one up if you are not familiar with that term).
The Cutter Zone did something odd to his ravioli. He used a fork to press down the sides making indentations. It got jeers from Gordon. Yet that was not a problem in the end since his egg ravioli was deemed the best of the lot. Amazing. I thought Jaimee would have nailed it. Daniel’s was not closed properly so water got in turning the yolk not so runny. More like a set fried egg. So The Cutter Zone scores big and heads to safety leaving Jaimee and Daniel at the bottom. Jaimee was a surprise because she is usually a consistently good cook. Not surprised by Daniel being there. Both wish they could do a Harry Potter and wave a wand to disappear. Alas they now face….
The Dreaded Egg Souffle
Photo: Fox
Souffle. Many a chef will perspire making it. And now Jaimee and Daniel now must cook a stunning cheese souffle. Both struggle to get it done and have to watch carefully as it forms in the oven. Will it rise or not? Fortunately both are successful in that regard but, of course, looks are not as important as its taste. Both have their plusses and minuses. Daniel though over salts his souffle. And usually in most food competitions using too much salt not only puts you in the bottom but can often end your chances. For Daniel, it was the end of the road. He gave up his job to enter the Masterchef competition. He has shown considerable talent over many challenges but it is not to be. And so we bid farewell to Daniel. Up on the balcony you know Leslie, who despised Daniel, was gleeful about finally seeing him going. Seven aspiring masterchefs left.
It is week 11 of Masterchef (US). Ten are left after Scottish Francis went home last week.
Photo: Fox
Well it comes down to three–Ahran, Leslie, Victoria–to face the dreaded pressure test this week. And no ordinary pressure test as it was a double elimination. For Ahran, it was more stressful than taking her college admission tests. Victoria had never been in a pressure test before. And Leslie. Well this is his fifth. He really hoped to be on a winning team. And ought to have been that way considering how the two teams were led.
Courtney and Jaimee were team captains and of the two, I expected Courtney’s team to win. Jaimee is a good cook but I was unsure she could lead a brigade of chefs. And she had problems right from the start. They did not like her idea of cole slaw on the burger and went a different direction. Communication was a problem and led to confusion in preparation and serving. Some people gave up waiting for her team’s food. Courtney, on the other hand, was well organized. There were problems with Christian putting to many eggs in the ground turkey making it too moist. And Leslie underseasoned the fish. Both were overcome but, in the end, the disorganized team won.
Not surprisingly Courtney took the lifeboat offered and headed up to the balcony. I suppose for her it was the sensible move but she did not stand with her team. And she wonders why people do not completely trust her?
Christian got a pass because his burgers were good. Or is it because they did not want him in the bottom three when two are going to be eliminated? Never think for a second they do not take it into consideration at this stage. These are three they wanted because none of them are in the top tier or bottom. They are right in the middle. Ahran is young, inexperienced, but shows tremendous talent. Leslie has shown surprising techniques that has keept him around. Victoria has shown she has good and consistent skills as well.
Using spot prawns made three ways made the pressure test even more stressful. Three complete different preparations in which the prawns are the star. My money was on Ahran or Leslie because of the three, they have the most tenacity in my view. If it came down between the two, it would be finesse that would be the difference between staying or going home. And Leslie pulled it off. All three of his preparations were fine, with some quibbles here and there. Ahran and Victoria each had problems with one of their dishes. Victoria served up raw prawns for the butterfly prawn dish. That is a major technical foul. Ahran under seasoned her butterfly prawns.
It was sad to see Ahran go. This young lady has real talent and I expect to be reading of her success down the road. I hope she goes to work for Gordon to get some real world kitchen experience and further her culinary training. And now we have the top eight: Big Willie, Christian, Courtney, Cutter, Daniel, Elizabeth, Jaimee, and Leslie. Wow! It went by pretty fast and will get faster now as we head towards the finale. Right now I see Courtney, Christian, Elizabeth and Jaimee as the top four. Big Willie and Daniel are the second tier followed by Cutter and Leslie. Any little mistake at this point could send you home. My money is on Courtney and Elizabeth to be the top two but anything can happen at this point.
*It is week 10 of Masterchef (U.S.). 11 remain after Christine went home last week.
This week was about choices and pasta, specifically bad pasta. They were given two mystery boxes for the first time in Masterchef history. Under one box were ingredients found in many kitchens and pantries, while the other had upscale proteins, cheeses, and other things you only get at high end grocery or specialty stores. The choice was to select one box to cook from and produce, of course, a stellar dish. Courtney and Leslie, who both cooked from the upscale box, get called up. Victoria cooked from the ordinary box. All three had stellar dishes but Leslie used three proteins to great effect and won the round. Victoria though really showed how cleaver she was in taking tilapia and making it a cut above the ordinary. Courtney loved being able to cook with those expensive ingredients but like Victoria has to wait outside while Leslie goes into the pantry. And you know they were worried because Leslie has some bones to pick with a few of them.
All three judges presented their favorite stuffed pastas. And those can be hard to get just right. He ends up choosing caramelle, a stuffed pasta I never heard of before. According to the website Classic Pasta:
These small, filled pastas, are shaped into tubes or cylinders, almost like mini-cannelloni, and then the ends are twisted. The resulting shape can be compared to (pardon our French): bon-bons., Sometimes they are called (pardon our English): sweeties. These are generally a holiday, or festive, or Sunday brunch preparation, mainly in Parma and Piacenza.
The ingredients are actually very simple. The pasta filling is usually fresh mozzarella, basil, garlic and pepper although you can add prosciutto and ricotto cheese as well. The sauce is also simple ripe tomatos, onions, butter, salt and pepper. The devil, if you will pardon the expression, is how you put it all together. Simple but requires technique and attention to detail. As they prepare to make their pasta, one more twist is thrown in. Leslie gets to decide who will use a wood roller to roll out pasta rather than a pasta machine. Talk about sending someone to old school tech! Leslie walks around and teases them with the roller. He hugs Ahran. Then he hands it to Daniel and takes the pasta maker away. He does not like Daniel much and the feeling is mutual. Daniel promises to be like Babe Ruth and targets Leslie calling him a !@#$%@. Thanks Daniel for showing how mature you are. The word JERK is now firmly applied like a scarlet letter on your forehead.
One person I knew would have a problem was Big Willie. He has never seen pasta like that before and probably not eaten at many Italian restaurants. I had a sinking feeling this could be it for him but never fear, the Scot is here. Scottish Francis that is who decided to use raw beet juice to color his pasta. Meanwhile Daniel is concocting some fantastic caramelle dish that will blow your socks off. Literally. Meanwhile The Cutter Zone looks like he is moving along just fine. Courtney reminds us she is a 3rd generation Italian so she knows how to make pasta. Jaimee is also of Italian heritage but puts her head down to make her interpretation of her father’s recipe.
Now what I think distinguishes the good from the bad in this competition is how they designed the dish. Those that stayed with the essential format did well while those who walked off the beaten path ended up in a bad place. Scottish Francis, never known for being conventional, decided on a weird concoction. He used raw beet juice to color his pasta to make them look like candy. But it was all over the place and turned out poorly for him. The time was not yet right for this recipe. Something popped into my head when that was said by Gordon. It reminded me of something Dumbledore said in one of the later Harry Potter stories. Something about a guy who thought the world was ready for a pot made of cheese. And this was not the time for Scottish Francis wonderland adventure in pasta making.
Big Willie did a dessert. A dessert! Gordon was not amused and upset that with all the ingredients available this is what he did. That is way off the beaten track heading towards the rabbit hole that Scottish Francis fell into. He can make the most wonderful home dishes but clearly when out of his comfort zone he does goofy things like this. Did he not learn from his previous mistakes? It appears not. He joins Francis in the bottom.
And then there is Daniel. This is the guy who promised to knock it out of the park. He is proud of his dish. And it is a smashing failure. It was all over the place with its salinity, acidity, and heat (habanero!). Joe recoils at the heat in his mouth. There is not much more to say here except that Leslie knew Daniel would over think his dish. And now Daniel is on the bottom with Big Willie and Francis-in-Wonderland. Hey if The Cutter Zone could produce a decent dish that got praised, you know something has turned for the worse with these guys.
The two winners though really showed how you make a simple dish exceptional. Jaimee did an interpretation of her father’s recipe. Joe thought it not only visually appealing, but a tribute to her father as well. It was quite touching and I bet her father was pleased at the compliment she got over the dish. Courtney was very good as well using fresh tomatos rather than canned. Joe loved the proportion in the filling and overall how good the dish was. Jaimee was the winner of the two but both are team captains next week.
Leslie was really hoping Daniel would be sent home. Alas it was not to be. Both he and Willie got a pass because Francis-in-Wonderland simply went too far. So he was sent home and the final ten are now confirmed. Ten left and the competition really kicks up now. No room for mistakes, intentional or otherwise. The merciless gaze of Sauron Joe Bastianich is on them now.
Truffles with nuts and chocolate dusting in detail. Photo: David Leggett (Flickr via Wikipedia)
*It is week 9 of Masterchef (US). 12 remain after Elise was sent home last week.
This weeks challenge was to cook a romantic meal for couples in the MasterChef dining room. Each couple was celebrating an anniversary. One couple had been married 65 years! Another got engaged.
Yet this episode seemed off to me. Perhaps it is one of those feelings you get after watching a reality show over many seasons. Perhaps it was a little déjà vu. I could not put my finger on it right away. Both Elizabeth and Ahran are team captains. Elizabeth (Blue Team) picks Francis, Jaimee, Victoria, Courtney, and Daniel. And Ahran (Red Team) picked Big Willie, Christine, Christian, Leslie, and The Cutter Zone. There task was to prepare a romantic dinner for the couples in the dining room. But wait, there is more! Gordon Ramsay’s wife Tana has arrived so he and his very lovely wife will also be dining. Elizabeth says she was recently married and misses her husband. Ahran says she really cannot get into the event since she has never been on a date. Oh boy. You can just see lots of creepy proposals coming her way over the Internet.
Team Elizabeth decided to do a filet mignon for the entrée and and Team Ahran lobster risotto. Unfortunately the filet mignon’s came out rare. They tried heating them up in the oven but it did not work. Gordon and Tana’s filet was rare. Somewhere a cow was mooing. Ahran’s lobster risotto had problems as well. The lobster itself was fine but the risotto lacked a deep lobster flavor. The deserts were mixed as well. Ahran’s tiramisu did not come out as planned so they had to improvise by stacking it like lasagna. It looked rushed and was missing raspberry flavor. Elizabeth’s cake had too many strawberries and Tana said they were eating around the center which was not a good sign.
Each table had to decide on one winner, no split votes. Do you go for the rare filet mignon with an overdone strawberry cake or a lobster risotto (with no lobster flavor in it except the lobster on top) with a clumsy looking tiramisu whose raspberry flavor is elusive? Well the diners went for Team Elizabeth leaving Team Ahran to face the dreaded pressure test. Something rings wrong about this. I cannot place my finger on it exactly but it is too pat. They showed other tables facing the problem of which was really better. And it was not even close with 75% of the vote going to Team Elizabeth. Whatever happened it sent Team Ahran to the pressure test. All of them, no exceptions.
Photo:Fox
Pressure Test From Hell
There are pressure tests and then there are the Pressure Tests From Hell. Most pressure tests are something you would cook at home or something you might find in restaurants. Then there are pressure tests that are designed to make people fail. There is no other explanation for them because what you have to cook would not be done by home cooks. You would never see it on America’s Test Kitchen or even an old episode of Julia Child. If you go to any major city in the US and ask 1,000 people if they make chocolate truffles at home, you would be lucky to find one. And they have to make nine delicious and visually appealing specimens all done to the judges satisfaction.
In nearly all the pressure tests, you could see the judges able to do this themselves. Not this one. I doubt Gordon, Graham, or Joe have ever made chocolate truffles before and could do it to the exacting standards of of Jacque Torres or La Maison du Chocolat. That is why this pressure test told me they wanted them to fail. Not all of them but enough of them so they could make a double elimination. After all we are down to final twelve. And around this time they usually knock off a pair. But in the end a strange thing did happen. The Cutter Zone actually produced good truffles. Whether it was a fluke or simply getting it done right we will never know. The judges were happy and amazed. Less so with Ahran’s and Christian’s but they passed muster. Big Willie made some weird looking ones that prompted Gordon to borrow his glasses to make sure they were not funny ones that changed how one sees the world. Christine’s looked okay but tasted bitter. Which brings us to…
Leslie. His truffles looked like some small mythological creature had stomped on them or as Gordon speculated put under his armpits. They looked horrible. They tasted better than they looked but you get one guess as to which two were on the bottom. I thought they would send both home. But if you are going to save someone, which do you choose? Do you save a gal who has shown considerable strengths and leadership in the kitchen? Or do you choose a guy who does cook well but does not get along with anyone else and is infuriating at the same time? Who do you see in the top four? I wish they would think that way because they sent Christine home.
I think they wanted to do a double elimination but the wrong two ended up in the bottom.
So the rankings at this point are:
The Top
Elizabeth-She has shown considerable skill and tenacity.
Courtney-Those glossy shoes belie a person who can cook real well but will mow down anyone in her way to the top.
Christian-Talented and arrogant.
The Middle
Big Willie-He ought to be in the top section but while he is a good cook, right now he is more comfortable with home and rustic cooking than fine dining. He could break out but for now he is in the middle.
Jaimee-Very good and could move into a top position if one of those guys screws up.
Victoria-A consistent good cook who works well with others.
Daniel-Determined and earnest in his cooking.
Ahran-Her youth and inexperience are made up for with determination and taking risks.
The Bottom
Leslie-He can produce good dishes, no doubt of that. But head to head against Courtney, Elizabeth or Christian he will likely loose. He was a poor team leader and on the kitchen challenge had to be pulled off his station because he got rattled and started producing poor egg dishes.
The Cutter Zone-Though he did good in the pressure test, overall he has yet to either be in top three for a mystery box challenge or win an elimination. At this stage of the game, the field is narrow and he has to prove himself.
Down to eleven now so the competition is going to get even tougher. And it looks like a double mystery box next week.
*It is week 7 of Masterchef (US). 14 are left after Francis B was sent home last week.
*It is another beautiful day in sunny southern California and our cheftestants are on a city bus. Just them, of course. Courtney opines about the challenge and Elizabeth ranks the top field (including herself) as Courtney, Christine, Jaimee and Willie. They arrive at Dinah’s, an iconic classic American diner in Los Angeles. Gordon and Joe are finishing up their breakfast as the cheftestants arrive.
*But hold on, no team selection this time and the judges pick the team captains: Willie and Christine. I think it is a great choice as both have shown great skills but have yet to lead. Teams are boys vs girls EXCEPT Gordon does not like that so much. Each team picks one person they can poach from the other. The girls pick Christian and the guys Victoria. Off to the kitchen to prep and cook for the crowd that is sure to come in. And since a lot of people eat here frequently, they know exactly what they want and how it is supposed to taste. Both teams (Willie is blue, Christine is red) will be cooking during the busiest shift of the day, which is generally breakfast and lunch. As it turns out they work most of the day since when it is over the sun is going down.
*According to their website, Dinah’s is open 6:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. daily. Christine comes across as a good leader, Willie a little less so because he seems disorganized later on when more orders start coming in. Both teams are looking good as they start cooking away. Nothing like being in good diner and hearing that bacon sizzling away!
*Each diner is given a red or blue Masterchef dollar. If they like their meal, they will deposit it in the appropriate jar. If not, no tip!
*Problems start emerging on Team Blue with Willie losing track of orders. Also Leslie looses focus. Unsure whether it was just stress or something else. Ultimately Willie removes him and puts Victoria in charge. Orders are backing up and customers waiting for Team Blue are getting impatient. Elise is having problems with making the Club sandwich. I love the sandwich but if you have never made it before, it could be a little daunting. Christine sends Elizabeth to help.
*One of the customers alerts Gordon her chicken is raw. Gordon is apologetic and heads back to the kitchen. I am surprised it got by Christine and shows both teams are in serious trouble. Meanwhile customers are starting to say adios and head out the door after waiting a very long time for nothing. And since they were Team Blue customers, that means potential tips are heading out the door for the team. When the shift is over, they can all take a breath but the tips will have to be counted up and revealed the next day. Hope they got some good sleep because the dreaded pressure test lies ahead.
Lifeboat Offered, Willie Declines
Integrity and character are words often chided by many today as outmoded values. Team Red wins and gets the safety of the balcony. Team Blue must now face the dreaded pressure test. Willie is offered two options. Option 1: He can select three from the group to be saved. Option 2: Select only himself and everyone else faces the challenge. Not surprisingly Courtney opines she would take the lifeboat when Willie decides to select three and stay in the pressure test. He says since he was team captain, he has to take responsibility. That in a nutshell is integrity over selfishness and why people with integrity and character count while mercenaries like Courtney people are cautious and wary of. Willie selects Francis L., Daniel, and Victoria.
Photo: FOX
The Cake of Doom: Red Velvet
Red velvet cake is delicious but unfortunately Willie, Leslie, Dan and Cutter must cook it. Both Willie and Leslie are confident they can pull it off. Cutter has eaten the cake and never made it. And Dan is just Dan moving along with due speed but his batter is thick. And Gordon reminds us early on that density is important to the cake.
Appearances though can be deceiving. Willie looks slow but that masks the fact he is getting things properly prepped. His calm manner is probably the reason he looks slow. Leslie by contrast abounds with energy and confidence. Both are not worried about producing a good cake. Leslie has been in pressure tests before and this is the second one for Willie. However Cutter and Dan by contrast look more stressed in getting their cakes ready.
In Cutter’s Way
They begin with Willie. Gordon says it looks a little askew but when he cuts into it, the layers are perfect. It is also delicious, a view shared by all the judges. Willie has done good. No need to worry about him going home. Leslie is up next and he has put ground up pistachios on top. Joe did not think he would like it that way but ended up enjoying the cake as do the other judges. And now cue the dramatic music….
Joe asks Leslie why people do not like him. Of course we know the answer: it is the way he comes off when he talks to most people. He says he does not know, which is probably true. Then Cutter interjected with a comment that ended with saying Leslie was a “one trick pony.” Joe looked askance at that and reminded Cutter it is the judges who determine who wins. And then he added Leslie had a delicious cake. Up next is Dan and right away there is a problem. Joe finds it hard to cut through and appears over baked. Joe says it is a boiled wool cake. Yikes! Cutter is smiling but the smile is wiped off when Joe remarks that while Dan’s tasted homemade, that Cutters looks like it was made by a child.
Gordon looks at Cutter’s cake and says it decoration on top (a uncompleted version of American flag) looks different. And then he notes the stuff on the cake side looks like a hairy back! This prompt laughter from Ahran and the others above. The cake is moist but has a lot of frosting. And it is too sweet. Leslie smiles and Graham comes over to taste it. Cutter then starts disagreeing with Gordon’s criticism implying Gordon’s palate is different. Graham tries to get him to distinguish between professional criticism and the personal. Cutter kept trying to interrupt and Graham had to tell him to let him speak. Graham concludes by saying (to Cutter asking about the sweetness) “now you what over sweet is.”
Joe walks over and asks why he is so defensive. Cutter says he does not understand why they consider his cake too sweet. Joe asks if he lives in a delusion and if he will get defensive every time they criticize him. Cutter gets more upset and says he is not a baker and might go home tonight. The tension is palpable to everyone. Joe says he implied Gordon had a poor palate. Cutter retorts back not to put words in his mouth! Gordon cannot believe it, and Graham is shaking his head in disbelief. The verbal sparring continues. Joe says Cutter has to respect the judges which prompts this rant from Cutter:
“I do. I’m doing my best and all I do gets hammered.” More worrisome looks and then Joe says that all he does is interrupt and says “you sound ignorant.” I hear the sound of distant cannon now and getting closer unless Cutter shuts up. Finally Joe asks who he would send home. He says Leslie, which prompts Leslie to laugh. Cutter responds to that by saying it is all a big circle to him. Leslie continues to laugh saying back “you’re still here?”
Judgment
No surprise that both Willie and Leslie are safe. But should one or both go from the bottom two? The angel of death prepares the scythe. Dan is sent home since his cake was more like a biscuit said Gordon. Cutter is spared again but I fear now has been marked in a way no other has before on Masterchef.
My 2¢
The restaurant challenge is a great pressure test on its own. We see how these home cooks work in a professional working kitchen. Christine was the better leader of the two but both teams were close in score at the end. Both teams had problems with a particular station. Team Willie had problems with the egg station and Team Christine with club sandwich. Leslie had a point later that Daniel was not doing much but that appears later. Like everyone else he is working at his station but at some point ends up working as a vice-expeditor next to Willie. Daniel was barking out stuff and not Willie, which was Leslie’s point. He was not doing cooking at that point but acting like he was in charge. I think that tells us a lot about Daniel. He seems to like pushing himself as someone who can be in charge but always does it from a secondary position. He organized the mutiny against Leslie but put Francis B. and not himself in charge. In this episode, he tries to assert authority by standing next to Willie and barking out orders. I think Leslie caught onto his act early on and that may be the reason for deep mistrust between the two.
However this episode will be remembered for Cutter’s meltdown. And it was epic because he reminds you of those stubborn and arrogant chefs Ramsay would encounter on Kitchen Nightmares. You know the ones I am talking about. They would say their food was good and Ramsay would find it wanting in a serious way. That is what Joe openly wondered about when he said Cutter must live in a delusion. And he clearly believes that no matter what he does, no matter how much he puts into it, he gets hammered by them. He clearly has had enough. Joe realized you cannot talk sensibly to a person in such a state. So he asks the trick question of who he would send home. He says Leslie, who no one believes is on the chopping block. Leslie naturally laughs at this and I do not blame him. When someone is this far gone either you ignore or laugh about it. And what Cutter said about Leslie living in a big circle comes from someone in a very different place than our own. Paging Rod Serling–The Twilight Zone has arrived on Masterchef.
Well Cutter has certainly got a big target painted on his back now. I wonder if the judges will try to find a convenient manner in which to dispatch Cutter from the show as quickly as possible. Cutter, Dr Phil is calling!
*It is week 7 of Masterchef (US). 15 contestants remain after Tyler was sent home last week.
*There is an old wisdom to be cautious about volunteering information that will be turned against you. So when a Masterchef judge asks who you do not want to be paired up with, you ought to have the good sense to realize that is a trap. Leslie, who is old enough to know this maxim, of course offers up Ahran. Which he pronounces as Ihran. He seems to have a problem with pronouncing her name. It is a variant of Aaron so think of that name when saying Ahran. It is an uncommon name I grant you (not many boys or girls get this name) but not unpronounceable.
*Courtney really wears those high heels so much that Gordon warned her not to trip on the stairs up the balcony. She says it is like a second home to her. Really? Well do not get that comfortable. Some below want to knock you off that balcony and into a steaming pile of dog poo.
*The teams are paired up by Courtney who loves pulling the strings. Christian and Francis B are both arrogant about their abilities and Courtney hopes they will clash. Christian said some unpleasant things about why he did not want to pair with her. So Courtney would love to see him take the walk out of the kitchen. Victoria and Christine are paired up. Since neither have been in the top three, she probably hopes they will produce a mediocre dish. Jaimee and Elizabeth are contrasts but both will put their heads down and do a good job. Courtney sees neither as a threat right now. Then again pairing up Cutter with Dan was a good move. While both have shown strengths at times, she thinks they will clash and fail. She was right on the money there. Willie and Daniel are paired up. Neither are a threat to her at this point so it will be theirs to loose.
*Surf and Turf is on the menu tonight. The teams, unlike in the past, will not be doing a tag team relay cooking challenge. Instead both are working at the same time to create a harmonious dish to be served to the Culinary Trio. Note that word harmonious, for that really is the key. Merely throwing some fish and beef on the plate with salad is not going to cut it here. You have to give them an impressive dish that gets their attention.
*Watch that clock! You get five minutes in the pantry to select the proteins and other things you want. Most teams come to a consensus quickly (even Ahran/Leslie) but not Cutter and Dan. They each disagree on what to do and waste their time. So in the end they have a fish and meat protein and not much else to go on that plate. It would come back to haunt them later.
Surfs Up!
1. Victoria and Christine-Pork Belly & Monkfish. The best dish of the night according to the judges. It looked fantastic and restaurant quality.
2. Willie and Daniel-Seared ahi tuna with fried chicken with Asian influences. The judges liked it though Gordon did not like the crunch on the tuna. All in all, a good meal.
3. Ahran and Leslie-A pork belly and crab guacamole tostada. Despite Courtney hoping for a clash, they both worked well together and learned to respect one another. The dish looked delicious and got high marks from the judges. And they both hugged in the end. So the hatchet each had in the other’s back is gone. Leslie also knows how to properly say her name!
Low Tide
1. Christian and Francis B-Moroccan spiced rib eye with king crab topping. It looked like something served in a college cafeteria or cheap but pretentious diner. Gordon cannot believe they brought this up saying that individually each one could produce a stellar dish. Together they put this uninspired and bland meal together. A direct hit by Courtney. They are now on the short list for going home.
2. Cutter and Dan-Seared venison with seared tuna. What more can you say when you bring up a plate that has one cooked meat on one side, and fish on the other side and virtually nothing else? This might pass for minimalist picture in some art gallery but not here. Gordon could not believe that with that massive pantry at their disposal this is all they could bring up.Cutter says they could not agree but Gordon points out that each one of them could have filled their carts with all kinds of stuff and brought out to sort later. A total failure and Gordon calls it the worst dish so far. Joe is not amused either and I do not think he actually tasted it. After playing with it a bit, he fetches a trash bin and ask Cutter to do the honors. Yikes!
3. Francis L and Elise-rack of lamb with crab risotto, yogurt and caviar. What went wrong was exactly what Courtney hoped would happened. They overcomplicated their dish making it not that good. The lamb’s fat was not properly rendered off so the yogurt was on top of that. And the sauce Francis L made did not work for the dish. Visually unappealing as well (a dog’s dinner I think is what Gordon said).
When all the other teams but the Low Tide ones are sent up to the balcony, Gordon does the head fake and calls Christian and Francis B out and then tells them they are not saved and in the dreaded pressure test. Saved is Elise and Francis L. And boy are they glad not to be in this dreaded pressure test.
Vegetable spring rolls with dipping sauce. Photo: Public Domain (Wikipedia)
Spring Comes In Roll
I love spring rolls. So does Gordon who points out the light but yet crunchy dough and delicious fillings. Done well it is great treat. Done poorly and you have sticks with weeds in them. And Christian, Francis B, Cutter and Dan all have to make four of them with a dipping sauce (and not from a can!). Dan has the advantage being born in China. And off they go to make the best spring rolls in Masterchef history. Not hard to make but mess up the dough or filling and it is all over. Key is also making sure your oil is hot enough. Too cold and it does not cook right as Francis found out. He did something no one would do: put them in a frying pan to get them some color. If he used just a hot nonstick pan maybe. But he added oil which meant it makes them greasy.
And so the Angel of Death has his scythe ready to go. Christian presents okay spring rolls and that pass muster. They could have been wrapped more evenly and used more herbs. Francis has too much filling in his spring rolls and they are greasy. Dan was just okay but Gordon expected more and was disappointed. Cutter had one spring roll burst in the fryer but managed to get by. His rolls though had an elasticity to them they ought not to have (not crispy enough). The filling needed more flavor and acid. Not a great presentation.
Christian gets the pass, soon to be followed by Dan leaving both Cutter and Francis B to face their fate. Will it be just one or two going home tonight? The scythe falls and Francis B is sent home. This is unfortunate. Francis had shown some real talent and really looked like a strong contender. Something happened though. Perhaps he lost confidence in his abilities or got shaken up by the team challenge. Courtney gets a direct hit here. She wanted Christian out but seeing Francis B go was good as well in her mind.
My 2¢
Over the years of watching food competitions, I often wonder how it is seemingly good cooks end up not making it like Francis B. He has shown considerable talent and wowed the judges early on. Joe thought he was one to watch. So it was sad to see Francis B fall this way. So what happened? Perhaps he had a confidence issue. The wedding challenge saw him flub it up when he became captain when Leslie was replaced. Joe put him the pressure test because of his poor leadership when they (1)did not serve up the original potato side and had to come up with a plan b quickly; (2) they were two plates of fish that did not have whole fish because two fish fillets disappeared. Perhaps this challenge unnerved him as well working with Christian. Both are good cooks but together something went amiss.
There was no obvious sign of discomfort between the two but neither did they want to work together. Perhaps they could not agree on a dish that would have been better. Or they were simply arrogant to believe they could get away with such a boring dish and slide by. I suspect it is something between arrogance and not wanting to upstage. Sort of a balance of power agreement that backfired. Courtney did not get Christian out but she got Francis B, who was a threat. No surprise about Cutter and Dan. Despite having their moments, neither is really that good as to knock your socks off. Dan is an admitted food snob and I suspect thinks little of Cutter. Cutter thought Dan’s ideas were not well thought out. And because they were debating too much, they left the pantry with very little. Gordon was disappointed with Dan not showing some real cooking skills with the spring rolls. He expected Dan to really make them shine as an example of his culinary skills. They fact he made a mediocre batch is a bellwether as to his real skills. The sauce was the only thing that saved him from being in the bottom two. Had he been there, he might very well have gone home.
Next week it looks like a restaurant challenge and breakfast is on the menu. It does not look pretty. And it looks like the pressure test will be a cake.
*It is week 6 of Masterchef (US). 16 contestants remain after Jordan was eliminated last week.
*Graham says the cheftestants have been through a lot already, it is just getting started.
*This was a real Mystery Box challenge for when they lifted up the box, it revealed cans without any labels at all. 52 of them to be precise of various shapes, sizes, and contents. A limited pantry was provided and they could use as many ingredients from the cans but at least one ingredient in the dish presented had to be from a can. So our brave home cooks begin opening cans to decide what they will make. A real test of ingenuity here. Sadly Jaimee has no clue what to cook and decides too late on a soup. Francis L takes the juices from each of the cans and decides to use them in his dish. Bold or reckless?
*Elizabeth gets called up, a first for her. The dish she presents is a Borscht. Now that takes courage to present it. And the judges love the dish. Victoria used potted meat and made fritters. It got compliments as well and a slight complaint the fritters were a little to large. Ahran used only canned fruit salad and used it with a sponge cake. I must say it looked good and judging by the way Joe was eating it up, delicious as well. High marks as well. The winner was Elizabeth.
*Returning Chefs In The House!
Luca Manfe, who won last seasons title of Masterchef, is back and has his signature dish under a cloche. He has been busy with his catering company, setting up a restaurant in Brooklyn, and soon to be a father! His cookbook is out as well. But he is not the only returning winner in the house today. Alexander, who is the first winner of Junior Masterchef, also has his signature dish under a cloche. Elizabeth is going to choose who cooks what. But unlike last season where they decide in the pantry, she has to make her decision in front of the other contenders. Luca has a pancetta wrapped veal while Alexander has a passion fruit panna cotta.
*Elizabeth gets strategic and makes Cutter (who has bearish hands!), Christian, Jaimee, Ahran, Francis B, Victoria, and Tyler cook Alexander’s dish. Everyone else cooks Luca’s dish. The cheftestants taste the dish they will recreate and off they go!
*Willie goes an odd route. He decides to cook his veal twice. He sears it first, then wraps it in bacon, and then puts it in the oven. Gordon cannot believe it warning the veal will be dry. Luca would not do it that way either but Willie thinks it will work. Luca says (repeating Gordon) you have to walk first before you run. Meaning you need to master the basics before attempting a complicated dish like twice cooked veal with pancetta!
*Panna cotta is tricky and requires time. They have to set and need time in a blast chiller. Jaimee finds two of her ramekins are missing and wonders if someone took them.
*Judgment
Courtney brings up a delicious recreation of Luca’s dish. The judges all rave about it. Elizabeth hoped Courtney would fail but this was a miss. Note that the director constantly focuses on Courtney’s very glittering shoes during the show. Willie’s dish, not unexpectedly, is not well received. As predicted it is dry and Gordon comments unless someone has a worse dish, he is going home. Cutter’s dish turns out better than expected, another miss for Elizabeth. However Christian did a poor job. Jamiee’s dish looks bad as the panna cotta collapsed and more of a pudding. It is still good but she is not looking good.
*The Case of the Purloined Ramekins
Tyler brings up his panna cotta, which did not set up well. Tyler says they ought to wear blindfolds. But Gordon makes a startling announcement that for the first time someone brought up a dish they did not cook. Tyler is shocked and Gordon walks back to the food area and brings out a tray of four ramekins from the blast chiller. They are Tyler’s. He thought he had put them on the top shelf, but that is where Jaimee put hers. Wow! Tyler says it was an accident and apologizes. Gordon believes him. Tyler was in a rush and grabbed the ramekins without looking. But the rule is they can only judge what you actually cook. And the result is a sad one. Tyler has to leave the show. Tyler accepts the decision, apologizes to the judges, and Jaimee. It was a sad departure and the only ones to benefit by it were Willie, Christian, and Jaimee who likely would have been in the bottom three. Tyler and Big Willie hug before he walks out of the kitchen. Courtney is proclaimed the winner and it looks like next week is the infamous team challenge.
My 2¢
Wow, what an episode. It was intense right from the start. You have 52 cans in front of you, none with any labels. Do you open them all or just a few? You have vegetables, fruits, olives, potted meat. Spam (or one of its competitors) was there as well as Willie was cooking with it. So it takes some quick thinking and ingenuity to make an acceptable dish from a can. Ahran said they had no cans at home, that everything was fresh. Possible but I suspect there is a can of something in her parent’s pantry. 90% or more people in America probably at least have a can of fruit, vegetables, potted meat, or evaporated milk in their cupboard. I have diced tomatoes, beans, corn, potted meat, Spam, sardines and evaporated milk in mine.
And some of the dishes presented showed serious cooking skills. A borscht, potted meat fritters, and sponge cake with canned fruit and whipped cream were the top three. Willie did a play on eggs benedict with spam, eggs, and english muffin. In many ways, this episode really showed who has serious cooking chops. Having them recreate the signature dishes of Luca and Alexander was a nice touch as well. It forced them to cook upscale and Willie, I am sad to say, took a real tumble here. He has little experience in upscale cooking and that could prove a problem down the line. Absent from any mention except the occasional screenshot was Leslie. We did not see how his dishes were judged nor any commentary from him.
Tyler mistake though is what many will remember from this show. We have seen many exits over the years. Some were well deserved and some were close calls between two very good dishes. This was a stunner because no one before has made this mistake of accidently taking someone else’s dish and presenting as their own. It is no surprise the judges knew about it. There was a behind the scenes guided tour I watched a season or so ago at the Masterchef site. Gordon showed how just about everyplace in that kitchen is wired for sound and visual recording. So obviously one of Masterchefs production staff noticed Tyler taking the wrong ramekins out of the blast chiller. And they notified Gordon and showed him the recording. Some might argue they ought to have given him a chance to correct his mistake. That would open up a whole can of worms if they start doing that (it could lead to accusations they try to fix outcomes).
It was truly sad to see Tyler go. The only ones that benefited from it were Willie and Christian who had poor dishes. Thankfully for them the angel of death did not lower its scythe on either of them. Tyler accepted what he did wrong and the decision that resulted from it. His apology to both the judges and Jaimee was sincere. Now the show moves on on and it appears next week the infamous tag team cooking competition will be the headline. And with Courtney in the drivers seat as to who those teams will be, no doubt she will dish some delightful revenge. It appears from the promo that Ahran and Leslie might be partnered up. Yikes! A match made in hell.
1. National Geographic has decided to look back at the 1990s in an upcoming documentary called The ‘90s:The Last Great Decade? As is usual they send out press releases and even previews to media. Sadly TNC seems to never get those media packets. At any rate James Cameron’s Titanic is tied with Forrest Gump as best movie of the decade. Sadly for Kate Winslet, Jennifer Aniston was the female icon with Christina Applegate coming in second. And a show about nothing about four self-centered people barely beat out the X-Files. While Aniston was the babe, sadly the rest of her Friends were pushed aside by the show about nothing. Then again what was Friends about anyway?
Source:Titanic,’ ‘Seinfeld’ Top Best Of ’90s Poll(25 June 2014, Popwatch)
2.The Titanic Hotel at Liverpool’s Stanley Dock (not to be confused with the other Titanic hotel in the former White Star headquarters) is nearing completion reports Liverpool Echo. The first guests are slated to be International Festival For Business delegates. Prices for staying at the new hotel will be between £129-£200 a night (about $203-$339).
Source: Sign That Liverpool’s New Titanic Hotel Is Getting Ready To Open For Business(23 June 2014,Liverpool Echo)
3. In order to raise money for St John’s Hospice a group of fundraisers decided to have a Sink The Titanic food challenge. The challenge will be to eat a mammoth 3 foot, six inch burrito in 30 minutes at Lancaster’s Go Burrito. Calling Adam Richman from Man Vs Food! It is a daft idea, as one person notes in the article, but it certainly gets a notice and awareness of St. John’s Hospice. Have the antacid standing by. Eating that much burrito is bound to have after effects. You can click here to contribute.
I did not delve into the other team members actions in my write-up. And Joe is right on this. They all wanted to throw Leslie under the bus for the failure not looking at their parts in it as well. Had they been left to their own devices and no one checked them at all, the result would have been very bad indeed. But perhaps they ought to let it happen if nothing else to teach them a lesson in being responsible. In fact, I suggest MasterChef do that at least once or perhaps twice a season. Let them take full and total responsibility for the cooking without any of the Culinary Trio telling them to correct things.
Ahran is still in high school, at least when the show was filming (she may have graduated by now) and pretty young to compete on the show. She already has shown how anger colors her thinking in a previous episode when she wanted to take Courtney down. And she all but accused the judges of favoritism when it comes to Courtney. That she dislikes Leslie is obvious. While he mispronounced her name at team selection, it was not intentional but she took as such. And in her rant against him said that was the reason she did not like him. At that point Leslie ought to have cut it off and walked away. Instead he decided to take her on at told her to get some cojones (paraphrasing again). The other gals did not like that. Ahran has her own problems and Leslie ought not to be sucked into them. He made it worse when he decided to put up three for the pressure test. To the judges, he showed he could be just as immature. Something they are going to be watching down the line. You know Ahran is in trouble when Joe believes 13-year-old Junior Masterchef winner Alexander Weiss is more mature.
5. Caltrain San Bruno Station
Okay for folks in and around San Bruno, CA, this is for you. The new Caltrain station at San Mateo & San Bruno Avenues was opened for use in April. Construction is still going on the underside (putting in steel plates etc). And use of San Mateo Ave at Huntington is still limited forcing drivers to divert San Bruno Ave and turning left to San Mateo Ave. The good news is that the elevated platform is spacious. The shelters are big allowing a lot more people to stand in them during inclimate weather. When it is windy the shelters come in handy. The downside is that there is no crossover to the other tracks, you have to access them from the street. It sucks but they could not build a wide platform that would allow an island configuration (where people can access trains in either direction from the center) for arrivals and departures. Parking is still an issue because Granite Construction still has it office and other things in that area. And both SamTrans 140,141 have Caltrain stops. The eastbound 140,141 stop near Chuy’s while the westbound stop is at Euclid. Unfortunately for eastbound bus riders who get off, there is no crosswalk at Euclid to cross over to the station. You have to walk up to San Bruno Ave for the crosswalk. San Bruno ought to put a crosswalk at Euclid.
Overall the new station is a vast improvement than the old one at Sylvan. There was no direct bus service to it. Of course being elevated means no more risks of cars stalling on the tracks in the downtown area. It has an easy access area for people with wheelchairs (ramps that lead up to the station on both sides of the station). The elevator is not done but once done, people who have problem walking up stairs can use it. Another plus it is a lot closer to Tanforan and San Bruno Bart. Instead of a 30-40 minute walk from Sylvan, it is 10 minutes or less by foot.
6. SamTrans Makes No Changes To 140/141
The recent schedule changes for SamTrans came into effect on 15 June. Neither of these routes had any schedule changes except that with schools out, runs that made trips to schools now run without going to those schools. Unfortunately some transit apps like Roadify seem to think SamTrans has shut down for the summer!
*It is week 5 of Masterchef (US). We have 17 aspiring cheftestants left after Kira departed last week.
*For reasons unclear, they have decided to do a wedding episode early in the season. Nor did the judges, as has been seen in previous seasons, provide their own dishes to the event. No dessert is on the menu either. Strange.
*Leslie and Francis pick their teams having won the elimination challenge. Team Leslie (Red) is Christian, Francis, Tyler, Daniel, Christine, Ahran, Jordan and Jaimee. Ahran did not want to be on this team! And when Leslie calls out her name (incorrectly), she fires back how her name is pronounced. Already this is not looking good for Team Red. Team Francis (Blue) is Willie, Courtney, Cutter, Victoria, Elizabeth, Dan and Elise.
*Team Blue gets quickly organized under Francis while Team Red goes to a beat of a different drummer. In most cases, a good leader can solicit advice and get consensus but provide needed leadership. None of that from Leslie. The team members throw out ideas and go off to do their own thing. Leslie has no real idea what is being cooked, which gets Gordon very upset. Francis easily rattled off what they were doing but Leslie stumbled on saying what they were doing while his astonished team looks on. Leslie walks around trying to look like he was being involved but mostly just gets in the way. He tries to tell Ahran what to do but she just gets angry at his interference.
Bligh and other officers and crew put adrift by HMS Bounty mutineers on 29 April 1789. Painting: Robert Dodd (1748-1815) Public Domain (National Maritime Museum,UK)
*Mutiny On The Beach
Team Leslie is rudderless so Daniel becomes Fletcher Christian (who led the mutiny on HMS Bounty in 1789)and calls the team together and Francis B becomes team captain. At least Leslie is spared having to get in a small boat and sail for 48 days to Dutch East Indies as Captain Bligh had to do. Francis said he once was in a competitive sport so he knows how to lead. Okay. Meanwhile Leslie sulks. Jordan walks around not doing much either.
*Gourmet Dining On The Beach Team Francis: Appetizer is seared scallops on a bed of arugula, papaya and jicama. The main course is lemongrass beurre blanc sea bass served with white asparagus over purple cauliflower puree. At one point Gordon touches a scallop and points out it is cold! Back to the pan! Team Leslie: Appetizer is seared scallops and mango over an avocado-pea puree. The main course is Sea bass over spicy broccolini and an heirloom tomato and cucumber salad. Francis runs into two problems here. First is that original side for the sea bass was not able to be served. So Gordon made them come up quick with the heirloom tomato and cucumber salad. Second when they got down to the end, they were short 2 sea bass. Christian believes Tyler ate them. So they have to cut up the remaining bass into smaller portions to put on plates. Gordon is not pleased. And the missing two sea bass are never located.
*Bride & Groom Differ On Best Team
The bride and groom had a lovely wedding so now they are ready to eat! But the groom prefers Team Red while she likes Team Blue.
*While the diners and lucky couple can tell them who they liked, the final decision is up to the judges. So the bride has two flowers in her hands, one blue and the other red. With a toss she declares the blue team winners. Team Red now goes back to clean up both kitchens. Grumbling continues about Leslie’s lack of leadership. Ahran gets in Leslie’s face and he yells back as well telling her to get some cojones (I am paraphrasing here). Ahran ends up crying and the other team members try to calm Leslie down. He walks off. More on this later.
*Knives Come Out!
Well everyone is assembled for the pressure test. The team formerly known as Blue enjoys their win from above. Down below failed Team Red awaits its fate. Leslie half admits he was at fault. Gordon informs that only three have to take the pressure test. Leslie is asked who he would select to face it. His name is not one of them, but he puts up Christian, Daniel and Ahran (and again but not accidental mispronounces her name). There are shocked looks up in the balcony and Elizabeth calls Leslie a coward for not selecting himself. HEAD FAKE! Gordon announces they will decide which three will be saved. Leslie has been drawn and quartered metaphorically speaking. Gordon selects him, Graham selects Jordan and Joe selects Francis B.
*A perfect steak
Steak Frites. A delicious bistro steak served (usually) medium rare with thin frites as french fries. Delicious. And now the three have to prepare the same. Leslie is the only one that gets his steak perfectly medium rare. It looked delicious and the onlookers above are disappointed. His potatoes are dreadful though, says Gordon. Graham tastes Jordan’s steak but it is over medium rare to medium. Also he did not quite render the fat out. His fries are okay. Francis B had some help from above with others giving him tips, as Courtney did, on using compound butter. The other Francis did not like the advice. At any rate it looks good but it too is overcooked but, as Joe notes, still moist and very tasty. His fries are good too but there are a few mushy ones. In the end Leslie’s steak saves him and he is safe. It comes down between Jordan and Francis B and Jordan is sent home.
We now have sixteen left. And next week a double billing! Luca Manfe, winner of Season 4, stops by. And so does Alexander who won last year on Junior Masterchef. And someone presents a dish they did not make!
My 2¢
Leslie is a dope, plain and simple. I did not think this guy was going to be so feckless as a leader. He contributed nothing to his team but his voice and it was not pleasant. He was more of the child than Ahran! Getting into shouting matches to prove who is better at it never works. Ahran has a lot of anger so it does not take much to set her off. Leslie grates people in how he talks to them. It is not a friendly attitude or how can I help style, but a bark that puts you down. And it gets worse when you decide to challenge him. He does not like people challenging his authority. I could see if he ever owned a real kitchen a lot of people coming and going from him. Most would not want to work under such a person. And like Krissi last year, he has put the bullseye right on his back. Nobody is going to help him unless they have to. Sadly I suspect he will be around a little longer than most people wish. He has good cooking skills that probably will let him go further than others.
It will be interesting to see how he works at the next team challenge. Only Willy seems to like him. Courtney is now in the number 2 spot of the most disliked this season.
Tyler’s eating reminded me of an episode of Kitchen Nightmares–Lela’s–where one of the workers nicknamed “Buzzard” eats a lot of the food. There was one scene where they went to get brownies and someone (Buzzard)had likely eaten them all up. Tyler better watch it or face some wrath from the Culinary Trio
*It is week 4 of Masterchef (US). Sadly Little Gordon got sick and was forced to drop out. He is going to be fine but that means we now have 18 aspiring masterchefs aiming for the big prize.
*Walmart is still hanging around since a commercial ran during a commercial break.
*Courtney reminds us at the top of the show how good she is. She may be so blinded by the lights and not realize it is an oncoming train.
*Ahran really stepped up to the plate in this episode. And really let us know how much she dislikes Courtney. And she thinks the judges show favoritism towards Courtney.
*The Mystery Box challenge was fresh seafood. And by fresh I mean alive and with pincers. Amazing how dealing with live seafood throws some for a loop. Kira was positively frightened by what was in that bag. This is not like the giant crab in Attack of the Crab Monsters! But eventually all just get on with it to make a dish worthy of the Culinary Trio’s respect.
*The top three were Francis B, Ahran, and Christian. Francis has a spicy seafood broth with interesting blend of different spices that seem contradictory. But rather than “fusion confusion” it all worked harmoniously. That is the trick with fusion cuisine. It all has to work together perfectly. Christian did New Orleans proud with his Creole BBQ Shrimp with grits but in the end it was Ahran with her Asian seafood dish that won. For the youngest competitor there, she is really showing some really big skills.
*Off to the pantry! Ahran has to decide which sweet treat the others all have to cook: cupcakes, muffins, or doughnuts. All three can be tricky but she ultimately selects the donut. Oh and mentions she also wants to get rid of Courtney saying “I go to high school and deal with a lot of fake b*tches all the time.” The judges look shocked although Joe looks amused.
Glazed Doughnut Photo:Public Domain
*Gourmet Donuts
They have to make 12 amazing and delicious donuts and put them in a box for presentation. The key, Gordon notes, is getting that dough just right. Do it wrong and you start all over again. To Ahran’s delight, Courtney screws up her first try and has no yeast left. She goes around asking everyone for some yeast and eventually gets some from Francis. Worse though is Francis B who really is struggling. He screwed up his dough so the doughnuts look flat. They end up becoming ball shaped and you can see where it was heading. Time is called and Ahran gets to select one person to be saved. After walking around, she decides on Francis B, who was greatly relieved to not be facing the judges.
The Top Leslie-Malibu sunshine. His donuts were perfectly glazed and the right texture. He did not inject his doughnuts with any filling. Gordon thought them delicious. Francis-Go big or go home is the motto for this Scot. He created 12 doughnuts each with a different flavor profile. Gordon tried the one topped with pancetta. Pancetta! But amazingly it works and Gordon laughs at this revelation. Francis showed he has real talent and the guts to go for it
The Bottom Courtney-One tick of a nervous cook is using the wrong ingredient. In this case she swapped salt for sugar. Gordon could not eat his bite because it was too salty. Graham was not impressed either. Ahran is really happy now hoping she is done. Oh and Gordon noted she was not in heels. Due to all the running around, she changed shoes. Wise choice. Kira-Dense, filling absent (she said it was injected by Joe could not find it) and as Joe said, like a kaiser roll! Ouch! Cutter-This poor guy has so much passion and yet never seems to get it right. Donuts sitting in those little cartons in vending machines probably taste better.
So we have Cutter, Courtney and Kira at the bottom. Cutter gets sent back to his station and the angel of death readies the scythe. Sadly for Ahran, it did not fall on Courtney but Kira. Kira had not really distinguished herself much so the judges probably felt she was done. Courtney had shown some really good cooking in the past and probably why they let her stay. Favoritism? Possibly. There is no written rule that says the worst performer is sent home. That is up to the judges to decide. They probably consider what the person has done up till then as a factor in their decision. Serving up salt bricks is usually a ticket home so she got off while Kira takes the long walk out of the kitchen since she has not done much to impress the judges thus far.
Leslie and Francis are the team captains next week. And next week is a wedding! It looks like the teams will have internal strife. Ahran and Leslie look like they are getting into it. Could it be the pressure test literally from hell?
My 2¢
This was a episode that showed the strengths and weaknesses of various cheftestants. Some are not squeamish with live seafood while a few were most definitely thrown a curve. You have to learn to cook with the real thing–lobsters,crabs,clams,mussels–if you are going to be a chef. Ahran’s anger to Courtney appears visceral, not just seeing her as a competitor. She really dislikes her intensely. Joe Bastianich said in his blog that Ahran really produced some delicious food but had a warning:
Courtney really took a nosedive this week. Quite surprising really considering how talented she is but we have seen this for. Many a good chef makes a stumble or two. The best learn from their mistakes, get right back up, and do better. Christine Ha floundered a bit in the middle of her season and then picked herself up to win the whole thing. Courtney needs to refocus and learn from it. Ahran needs to let the anger go but the promos for next week show her and Leslie getting into it pretty serious. Francis the Scot. What can you say about this guy! It takes serious cojones to do what he did. He did 12 separate flavored doughnuts! And a daring one with pancetta which Gordon liked. Missing from this week was Willie, which Ahran is right to point out is the strongest one their. But he made no appearance this week, except for the obligatory shots of him cooking. One commentator noted the camera always rolls back to Elizabeth because she has the greatest facial expressions. I replayed the episode and they were right. They always pan back for her facial expressions. They are indeed priceless. On to next week and a marriage on the beach.
