Often it’s easy to guess who might be the final four on “Top Chef” after watching the first one or two episodes. Certain personalities emerge, and the judges tend to show favoritism early on.
But with the exception of frontrunner Brooke Williamson, I have to say I’m a little surprised at the final four chefs after the end of Thursday night’s episode. But it’s “Top Chef” – twists, turns and unfortunate mishaps happen along the way.
Tonight is no exception as two talented chefs are sent packing as we get closer to the Mexico finale.
Our recap focuses on local chef Shirley Chung, former executive chef at Twenty Eight in Irvine. The Newport Beach resident is back for redemption after competing in Season 11.
From the very beginning, Chung set a high bar for herself. She wanted to place as good, or better than Season 11, where she made it to the top four before getting eliminated.
Will she make it?
Let’s find out.
Warning: Spoilers ahead.
Quickfire: Head Judge Tom Colicchio takes the chefs on an early morning shrimp boat excursion. Chung and Williamson, who don’t have sea legs, begin to worry.
“My stomach is turning even before I get in boat,” Chung says. She pops some motion sickness pills to guarantee she doesn’t “puke.”
Back on land, the chefs are greeted by host Padma Lakshmi, who orders them to create a dish from their shrimp catch.
But this is no regular Quickfire. It’s Sudden Death, which means one chef goes home before the main Elimination Challenge. The three chefs with the least appealing dishes will cook to stay in the game.
Chung gets off to a slow start. The sea-sick pills are starting to kick in. Gone is the spunky, fast-talking, quick-on-her feet chef. Replacing her is a woozy, clumsy mess. She struggles to get a hand mixer to work.
“I’m not thinking clearly,” she says. “This is torturing me.”
She makes a garlic shrimp dish with charred sea bean with jalapeno and habanero peppers. The dark dish doesn’t look as pretty as her rivals. She senses trouble.
Sheldon Simeon poaches shrimp in tomato water after smoking them in a hibachi fueled with pine needles. The aromatic technique earned him a win during Season 10, so he takes a risk and repeats the method. It pays off. He wins.
Sudden Death: Chung, Casey Thompson and Sylva Senat are on the bottom. Senat’s dish is too salty as is Thompson’s shrimp. She understandably gets perturbed at the critique. Last week, she’s dinged for undersalting; this week, she’s over-seasoning.
I’d throw my hands up, too!
Lakshmi tells Chung her dish lacked finesse. Colicchio calls her shrimp rubbery. “It wasn’t something I’m used to getting with you,” he said.
Ouch. It’s like your favorite uncle scolding you.
Chung is kicking herself. “I can’t believe I put myself in this situation. I don’t cook like this, but now I might get kicked off.”
For the Sudden Death, the chefs must make a dish from the unwanted fish caught on the boat trip. The selection ranges from squid to shark and skate.
Chung’s dish: Despite feeling like a “cotton head,” Chung finally shifts into fifth gear and survival mode. She goes for a squid dish. “This is calamari. I can do this with my eyes closed,” she says –her confidence returning.
She grills baby squid, and floats it in a spicy broth with roasted fennel, mirin and ginger.
Thompson makes a similar dish, but with a soy mushroom broth.
Senat serves seared red fish with tarragon butter.
Each plate is given a thumbs up by the judges. The decision is close, but Thompson is sent packing because her calamari is too chewy.
Chung – always a good sport – cries and gives her friend a big hug.
“It really sucks to see her go,” Chung says.
Elimination Challenge: French chef Dominique Ansel, famous for creating the mashup Cronut, shows up as guest chef.
He challenges the chefs to devise their own hybrid brunch meal.
The groaning begins.
We eventually see why as most of the chefs struggle to be creative in the kitchen. Two chefs come up with egg dishes that don’t follow the mashup rules. In fact, Sylvan’s dish has to be re-conceptualized last minute because he didn’t allow enough time to cook his salmon frittata. He ends up scrambling eggs.
Williamson is also off her game, creating a deconstructed yogurt parfait that doesn’t seem like a hybrid dish, at all. Her saving grace: it tastes good.
Simeon and Chung are the only two bringing their A-game. In a twist on chicken and waffles, Simeon dimples his Korean fried chicken by pressing it in a waffle iron. The twice fried chicken is topped with crumbled waffles and served with a side of seaweed butter.
Chung makes a cheeseburger dumpling. She is commended for marrying a traditional Chinese brunch meal, dim sum, with an American classic. She serves the homemade dumplings with a tomato relish.
The winner: Chung nabs her second win for embracing the challenge, while making a tasty dish. “It was really juicy. It was nice that you made your own dough,” Ansel said.
Packing knives: The judges argue intensely over who to send home because the three worst dishes bombed in so many ways. “You missed what we were looking for,” Ansel tells Williamson, Senat and Tesar.
Senat, the lone rookie, falls short. He is sent home for overcooking his fish and eggs. Too bad. He was an underdog we were rooting for. Judge Gail Simmons states what we all feel: “I’m so sad about it.”
Next week: A chance to prepare a James Beard House dish.
Last Chance Kitchen: Thompson and Senat battle the noble Jamie Lynch. Will Chung reunite with her buddy Casey? Tune in.
Contact the writer: nluna@scng.com
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