Top Chef Recap: Immunity Is Gone and the Competition Heats Up

Buddha Lo is twofold A top chef winner, executive chef at Hūso in New York and brand ambassador for Saratoga Spring Water. He shares his thoughts after each episode of Top Chef Season 21, which takes place in Wisconsin, offering a unique perspective as a former chef.

Warning: This article contains spoilers.

The episode begins with the aftermath of the Restaurant Wars. We’re halfway through now, so things are going to get tougher. There is no more room to play it safe or land in the middle because soon there will be no middle.

What I found interesting in this episode was Savannah’s “war mirror” that she used to brainstorm. This is something I did in my seasons, but I would write it down in my book and keep a chart of previous episodes and challenges. I wrote down every possible challenge I thought possible to the idea and crossed it out when it happened. For example, in my season in Houston, I knew that NASA would most likely be involved in the challenge. I didn’t know when, but I knew the closer we got to the end, the more likely it was. So, I planned multiple ideas for any outcome and possibility.

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I also kept in my book a A top chef fantasy league, where I gave points to the winners and top three chefs in the Quickfire and Elimination challenges so I could see who became a threat.

QUICKFIRE CHALLENGE

At the start of this week’s Quickfire, the chefs were told that there were no more immunities until the end of the season and that their performance in the Quickfire would also affect who goes home. I like this because it makes the chefs accountable for everything they cook until the end of the competition.

All food is taken into account when the judges decide who and how many chefs will be eliminated. You have to go all out with the best in your craft to show why you are a top chef. This will keep them on their toes and is a good addition to the show.

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Also, Quickfires just got more challenging as the chefs now cook for a panel of judges (Tom Colicchio and Gail Simmons join Kristen Kish) and a guest judge, whereas in previous seasons it was just Padma Lakshmi and a guest judge.

Danny Garcia, Soo Ahn, Savannah Miller, Michelle Wallace.

David Moir/Bravo

This Quickfire was to create a unique dish using Wisconsin’s state fruit: cranberries. Overall, the chefs did well, but unlike most challenges, the top three were announced first.

Danny really understood the challenge. He made a cranberry poached sea bass with cranberry bread that looked beautiful and creative. It was topped with Michelle who made a cranberry and beetroot soup with foie gras and maple mascarpone; and Dan who made salt and pepper scallops with cranberry red curry and herbs.

Danny won the Quickfire again and got another $10,000. Amanda, Manny and Laura were at the bottom, making them vulnerable in the Elimination Challenge.

ELIMINATION CHALLENGE

For the Elimination Challenge, the chefs had to cook a modern Native American dish using only traditional Native American ingredients, meaning no wheat flour, cane sugar, dairy, pork, beef or chicken. All the chefs used ingredients selected by guest judges Sean Sherman and Elena Terry. I know a lot about Sean because I studied Native American cuisine when we were on our way to Tucson for the season 19 finale. Before the challenge, the chefs were treated to a feast and left with a ton of information and inspiration.

Danny Garcia, Laura Ozyilmaz.

David Moir/Bravo

WHO WON

The best dishes for the Elimination Challenge were made by Dan, Soo and Savannah. Soo made wild rice gnocchi with glazed sweet potatoes, which was genius. Dan made a dish out of all parts of the sunflower, including the seeds and flower petals, creating sunflower choc with braised goose and aronia puree – and the judges loved it.

But the judges were most impressed by Savannah’s dish: a pumpkin and maple jelly cake with aronia berries, grapes and plum jelly that was completely new to them. All three winning dishes were vegetarian and they crushed her.

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WHO HE LOST

Michelle, Amanda and Laura were on the bottom for this challenge. Michelle made an Acorn Squash Polenta Cake with Braised Rabbit, Smoked Onions and Mushrooms. The judges said her cake was wet and falling apart, but the rabbit was dry. Her juice looked more like soup than juice to me and that’s probably why it was wet.

Amanda Turner.

David Moir/Bravo

Amanda made a moose tataki tartare that the judges didn’t understand. Laura made a mustard-wrapped duck tamale with berry sauce and charoset that the judges felt had too much going on.

Michelle was saved from elimination because her Quickfire performance came into play. All of these curveballs made the episode very interesting and eventually lead to both Amanda and Laura going home.

A top chef airs Wednesdays at 9pm ET on Bravo.

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Source: HIS Education