TCFL 19 Houston // Episode 5 & 6 Recap

Hello TCFL! I'm coming to terms with the fact that I may only have time to write every other week nowadays. Thanks for sticking with me. As always, the Standings can be found HERE (updated through Episode 6). Let's get to it:

Episode 5

I've made it well known over the years that I hate when Top Chef changes their format or tries to fix stuff that isn't broken. But I do love when they'll tweak when it makes sense. Episode 5 finally gave us what we all knew was coming: brisket. It makes complete sense that they needed a lot more time than a usual Elimination Challenge. Of course they had to get their briskets on early in the morning. But this slight changeup messed with some of the Chefs in such profound ways.

Being lulled into a false sense of security of no Quickfire is the only reason I can think of for not one, but two Chefs thinking mille-feuille is a good idea when you are trying to do Texas Toast. And the fact that they were afforded so much time for the Elimination is what made some Chefs successful and some not so much. To me, this wasn't so much a brisket challenge (since for the most part, all of theirs came out at the very least, "fine") as it was "we're gonna give you 12 hours to out-think yourself, good luck." Random thoughts:

• Every time Brooke is on the show now, Mrs. Commish makes a semi-sarcastic comment. I think I've swooned over her too openly over the last couple of seasons. More from Mrs. Commish later...
• Super cool that they had "20 of the best pitmasters in Houston" to take part in the meal. But I want to know who that unlucky 21st pitmaster is.
• I think everyone who goes on Top Chef anticipates and is used to the usual briefs: "Put your own spin on it.", "Show us your culinary point of view." But I do think that when they say: "Show us something we've never seen before." it really messes with them.
• As impartial Commish, I never really root for anyone anymore, but I made an exception this Episode for Buddha and his going-blind pug.

• Evelyn is absolutely killing it. It's one thing for Tom to call your food "destination food" and Padma to ask where she has been all her life, but to get both in one Episode is another. I think she is one of the most genuine and endearing "hometown Chefs" in recent Top Chef history.

 

Episode 6

This is going to feel like I'm dumping on Ashleigh, but I'm not (though her freestyle in the middle of the Episode makes me want to be a little harsher than I will be). I've just never seen (or remember) what happened to Ashleigh at Judges Table happen to anyone else before. Firstly, good on her for being our first LCK returnee. And it's awesome that she not only took on Nick and his pork rinds, but turned it into a win and immunity.

Usually when you have immunity and you put up a bad dish, you get let off the hook with a passing "You are lucky you have immunity, otherwise you'd be one of the people up here." from Padma and you get to stay on the sideline. Not this time. Ashleigh had to endure the firing line with Luke and Monique all the same. I don't know that knowing she couldn't technically be Eliminated made a lick of difference. Do I like that they did this? Not sure yet. If the dish was that bad, by all means, let her hear it. But that's tough for Luke and Monique who had a 50/50 shot of going home instead of a one in three. Random Thoughts:

• "It's hard to feel like your friends are being legislated against. But my presence matters so much more here. You don't make a difference in places that are like-minded as you." Amen, Jo.
• When I saw some of the Chefs going in on a pint of Talenti in their residence a couple of weeks ago, I (super wrongly) thought that that was the end of their product integration for this season. At least they're going to have to figure out how to put pork rinds into one of their flavors.
• I thought I had a problem with Bangs Padma. Little did I know that Slickback Padma wasn't far behind.
• What an awesome collection of ladies (plus Tom) at that table for the Elimination. My favorite was definitely Sheryl Swoopes, and not only because it gives me an excuse to throw in a Parks and Rec clip.

• Jackson is a little hokey, but he's genuine. It was awkward, but I don't care that his connection was "heart and guts". On the other hand, Luke's connection was himself, and Jae's was connecting to a different person altogether. I'm glad at least one of them was in the bottom.
• And lastly, a word from Mrs. Commish: When I heard the name "Bessie Coleman," I automatically went into Buddy the Elf mode: "I know her! I know her!" Like many other Basic Bs, I have a murder podcast (or six) in regular rotation. For those of you who are not fellow Murderinos, I must direct you to the "My Favorite Murder" podcast, specifically, Episode 312 that was released on February 3rd, called "Ad Infinitum" where host Georgia Hardstark spends an awesome 30 minutes on the featured fierce lady, Bessie Coleman. Thanks to that episode, I was fully prepared to bombard Mr. Commish with fun facts all during this segment while he avoided all eye contact with me because he cares about what's happening on the show. [Ed. Note: I wish it was because I was taking notes. Obviously the lateness of this post says otherwise.] I also told him about how I was conceptualizing my dish and how I would make sure it included French elements. It was cool to see Buddha follow that same path for his dish and it left me feeling the warm glow of personal triumph... which if you pay any attention to the Standings, you will see have been pretty much nonexistent for me so far this season.

Evelyn, Jackson, and Buddha have been at the top of the Elimination Challenge two weeks in a row. Only one TCFL entrant has that combination of Chefs: Defending Champion, Top Cat. Might this be karma for not yet being in possession of the Cutting Board? Jon W. better hand that thing off before we have a back-to-back situation on our hands...