The first day of the job had me wondering whether or not going to work there was the right idea. The second day was much better. I actually accomplished a lot the second day. One of the partners seemed pleased with how fast that I did a project she gave me. They thought it would take all day, I finished at 3, would have been 2 if I hadn't taken a lunch. I got to go home early because they hadn't planned on me finishing that fast. Just like me they are adjusting too, I am adjusting to them and they are adjusting to me. I am hopeful that it will work out.
The life lessons we learned on Top Chef this week? Sometimes it is better if you aren't spicey, personality often matters, following instructions is sometimes better than putting your own spin on things, it might be better once in a while if you had immunity, sometimes it is better to cut your own meat, and often presentation matters.
The guest judge the week was my man from Dancing With The Stars, Rocco Dispirito. The challenge was to create a breakfast amuse bouche (one bite). Daniel's cornflake crusted zucchinni flower stuffed with hash and Fabio's briuchs with brulee banana and expresso cream left Rocco very disappointed. Leah won immunity with a one bite bacon, quail egg, & cheese with grilled bread just barely edging out Jamie's b,l,t breakfast sandwich.
The elimination challenge this week was to create a two and one half minute dish for a live television presentation. Unknown to the cooks was that the winner was going to picked by the Today Show crew from the Judges' top three.
The bottom three were Alex, Jamie, and Melissa. Alex tried a creme brulee which just couldn't be done in the time they allotted the chef. Jamie blew it with a salad white fried duck egg bacon and caviar because she didn't cook the egg. Raw eggs really don't please the judges. Melissa blew the lid off the judges with a way to spicey blackened mabanero shrimp that made one side of Padma's mouth numb. Packing his knifes and heading home was Alex. I really don't think he was that disappointed considering that he was getting married in twenty days from when the show was taped.
The top three, Ariane, Jeff, and Fabio were awakened by Tom at 2 a.m. in the morning and at that time found out they were going to the studios of The Today Show to cook their dishes for the Today Show crew. Although Meridith doesn't really like watermelon Ariane wowed them with her beef steak tomato salad with watermelon and feta cheese. They also seemed to like Fabio's tuna with roasted carrots and asparagus salad. Jeff pleased everyone but Kathy Lee with is malfauf roll with shrimp and muhmammara sauce. Kathy Lee spit out Jeff's dish. After huddling the crew picked my gal Ariane as the winner! Wow, that woman has made a comeback. I'm glad I stuck with her. As the winner of the elimination challenge Ariane was given a cooking tool kit by Rocco and was on The Today show the day after this Top Chef aired presenting her dish to the millions watching.
I hope that whether there are millions or few watching you that you have a successful day!
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4 comments:
I wish they had more information about the dishes. I didn't get at all what Jeff's roll consisted of, and with the tomato & watermelon salad, it must have been the dressing that wowed the judges, and we had no clue what it was, unless I missed something.
I also thought the "live tv presentation" thing was out of place on this show. It belonged on the now-defunct "Who Will be the Next Food Network Star" show. These people didn't sign up to be tv stars, although most of them probably wouldn't mind an offer.
I'm heading into a round of organization holiday parties next year, with two of them involving lots of eating on the same day. Sigh. Maybe I can take the first meal (probably turkey & fixin's) home in a doggie bag and concentrate on the second one, which will be at a local fondue restaurant. Do I have the self-discipline to do that? Stay tuned...
Hi Pat
I also thought they should have had more dishes. There were also a couple of chefs they didn't even say what they made, like Radhika.
With Arianee is could have been the beef steak and feta cheese!
I never even thought of the live presentation being out of place on Top Chef but you are right they don't go on the show to be on TV, they are already on TV and they are there to win a hundred grand.
The parties sound like fun! Maybe you could eat a little bit at each one or carry a big purse and a doggie bag!
I want to hear about the parties!
Bill
Bill: I can probably tell you about the parties in advance. The first one is a thank-you to volunteers. It's held at the Castaway Restaurant up in the hills and will no doubt be a regular turkey dinner-type meal. There'll be a few speeches (brief) and some local entertainment. One time we had a madrigal group that was probably pretty good, but the sound was so bad in the room that their voices bounced around and it sounded as if they were singing different pieces at the same time. They'll give out some token goodies. The one I missed last week, for another volunteer group, also at the Castaway, with probably the same meal, gives away better goodies, but I just couldn't make it that day.
The dinner will be at a fondue restaurant called The Melting Pot, which sounds like a lot of fun. I've eaten at other fondue places and it's always an adventure. That's my investment group, 9 or 10 people, all compatible and good company. We'll have the kind of gift exchange where you can steal another person's gift, so that will be more fun than the big volunteer party.
Hi Pat
Which hills? Castaway Restaurant sounds exclusive!I hope they give out really good goodies!
The second party actually sounds more like my cup of tea. I like the
steal the gift idea. We did that at a couple of parties that I went to. You could only steal twice, the second time you were stuck with whatever you had then.
Bill
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