Top Chef Las Vegas

[Sarah]

Can I just say that Chihuly is kind of a douchebag?

Hey, AFK got to sit in on a Chihuly workshop for children. AFK was maybe 11. Chihuly treated him like a king, even painted his deck shoes Pollack style. He was really cool with those kids.

Well, he was a total dick to my mom.

Did he paint her shoes without her permission?

[Martin]

* I loved Padma's heartfelt "Welcome back" upon tasting Jen's dish.  And I was very happy for Jen not only for winning the Quickfire and thus getting a confidence boost but for gaining thereby thirty extra minutes for the Elimination.  And 'twas heart-warming that she ended up graciously using some of that extra time to help out Bryan.  

I want to add that right after Padma's "Welcome back" they cut to Kevin, across the room, winking at Jennifer, smiling, like "Nice going". Fine little moment.

Other than that I don't have much to add. Sarah nailed it as always.

Oh, it took me until today to find the episode online, so in lieu of my Top Chef fix I downloaded and blasted through the entire first season of Top Chef Masters, which for some peculiar reason I hadn't checked out before. An excellent show which really showcases the cameraderie that actually can exist among chefs. I really hope they decide to make another season of it.

EDIT: Gale this week - va va voom! Right? (Don't judge.)

[Sarah]

I didn't notice.  Lots of cleavage, I presume?

[Martin]

Yes.

[jbissell]

I really hope they decide to make another season of it.

I believe it was picked up for a second season, along with Top Chef: Just Desserts.

[MikefromHalifax]

I think what Bryan did was super classy and absolutely the right thing, helping Kevin out with his sous vide. I'm not sure I agree with him, though, that his brother would have done the same thing. Mike V. doesn't really seem like the kind of guy who would step up like that, especially considering his little digs at Kevin in the past few episodes.

My girlfriend and I were saying that Kevin, after the shock of winning the challenge (and a chance to take a spot in the Bocuse d'Or!), would probably offer Bryan some of the money he won, and that Bryan would probably turn it down. It's pretty amazing and heartening to see some real strong talent this season, but even better to see some great people doing well. I would totally hang out with Kevin or Eli.

[Sarah]

Bryan said he wasn't sure that his brother would have agreed to help Kevin.

[MikefromHalifax]

Totally misheard that. We must have been talking about what a nice gesture it was. It loses a bit of the selflessness in that context.

[Sarah]

Yes, my theory is that Bryan struggles to be decent, to Kevin (and I think Jen) decency comes naturally, and, for Michael, it isn't even an issue.

[MikefromHalifax]

Kevin has been captured on camera saying things that, to someone who is struggling with the prospect of getting kicked off, may come off as arrogant. I think, though, that there's a nervous quality to him where he wants to say the right thing to people that are stressing out, and he's also a little embarrassed by his success in the competition.

Jen looks like she just wants to cry all the time, or sleep, or do anything that is not being on Top Chef. She seems like a good person, but the intensity that she brought to the first half of the season has turned into tension.

[senorcorazon]

Hello? Snark? Thoughts on Gail's Hot Pockets (don't judge, my wife pointed it out too)?

RIP Jen. It's a shame a poorly constructed sibling rivalry that we also saw coming from episode one did you in. You didn't plan to make this dish so delicious and you used salt that we even admit is tricky? That is MUCH worse than a slimy egg and bullshit shapes bowl! Colicchio says "It may not make sense to you but it was clear to us immediately that it would be Jen who would be going home" which I still believe means "the producers talked to us and we all agreed that have a sausage off with the Brothers and Beardo would be hot."

The teasers for next week make me think that Owen Wilson is going down in flames, which will be worth it.  

[ben]

I thought it was adorable that Jen still listens to high school mix tapes in her car.  Didn't have a car with a cd player until two years ago, and I miss the tape deck.

[Martin]

Hello? Snark? Thoughts on Gail's Hot Pockets (don't judge, my wife pointed it out too)?

RIP Jen. It's a shame a poorly constructed sibling rivalry that we also saw coming from episode one did you in. You didn't plan to make this dish so delicious and you used salt that we even admit is tricky? That is MUCH worse than a slimy egg and bullshit shapes bowl! Colicchio says "It may not make sense to you but it was clear to us immediately that it would be Jen who would be going home" which I still believe means "the producers talked to us and we all agreed that have a sausage off with the Brothers and Beardo would be hot."

The teasers for next week make me think that Owen Wilson is going down in flames, which will be worth it.  

I'm sorry, what were you saying? I was too busy staring at Gail's heaving breasts. (Too much?)

Yeah, RIP Jen. Saw it coming. Definitely producer's decision. Michael's egg dish looked pretty disgusting. He'll probably win the whole thing though - the teaser for next week is probably misleading. Beardo will "play it safe" (because that's his "story" now), Cary Grant will be solid but not enough, and Michael will do something dazzling and daring, albeit not necessarily super tasty, that will prompt Colicchio to write something to the effect of "we knew all along Michael was gonna win, he was head and shoulder above everybody else" in his blog.

[senorcorazon]

If Michael wins it, I need to move all heavy objects away from throwing distance of me, because I will go all Incredible Hulk and SMASH.

And on Jen's mix tapes, the fact that they started the episode with her talking about her mother had me fearing the dreaded Loser Edit (TM).

No, not too much. As a commenter on Eater said (and I disargee with the first part): "A whole season of me changing channels when Gail is about to speak... Then she goes and wears that blue dress. I cannot stay mad at her. Well played Gail."

[Omar]

Yeah, RIP Jen. Saw it coming. Definitely producer's decision. Michael's egg dish looked pretty disgusting. He'll probably win the whole thing though - the teaser for next week is probably misleading. Beardo will "play it safe" (because that's his "story" now), Cary Grant will be solid but not enough, and Michael will do something dazzling and daring, albeit not necessarily super tasty, that will prompt Colicchio to write something to the effect of "we knew all along Michael was gonna win, he was head and shoulder above everybody else" in his blog.

I am going to open a restaurant called Playing It Safe.  It will serve delicious food that other chefs make on their off days.

As for Gail, I enjoy the infusion of eros she brings to the table.