Better episode, I thought, despite the vile quickfire challenge. I was even surprised by the loser: I was rooting for Leah to be booted (I dislike her more and more, which causes me to dislike Hosea more and more by extension). I would also have been glad to see Radhika go. To paraphrase Omar paraphrasing Fabio, "Hey, Radhika, it's Top Chef not Top Bread Pudding." Her "for some reason they don't have figs here!" really annoyed me: she's got masses of fresh ingredients grown or raised right on the farm where she's to cook, and she's miffed at the absence of figs? What, does she expect a fig orchard in New York?
It was distressing to see two of the teams screw up the beautiful meat they were given to prepare. Jeff, I think, was trying to make the pork healthy by removing the fat. Hasn't the ninny learned by now that the Top Chef judges aren't watching their figures? And, Fabio, really: a strong pesto on a ravioli stuffed with a mild pork filling? Dumb. Dumber, though, was Ariane's slathering of her lamb with yet more pesto. As for the butchering (and later tying), what a joke.
Both teams stupidly and arrogantly thought they could improve the meat. Stefan, Jamie, and Carla had the wisdom to realize they should do something simple. Their menu didn't appeal to me much when it was flashed on the screen, but when I saw it I dearly wished I could have had some of it. Especially the soup and the tart.
Next week I hope to see the axe fall on Leah's spoiled neck.
