Top Chef Masters Episode 7: Reinventing the Meal

August 1, 2009 7:51 pm

Top Chef Masters Episode 7: Reinventing the Meal

For as entertaining (I guess you could say) as it's been watching twenty-four of the world's best chefs compete on the first season of Top Chef Masters, we are finally on the down hill towards who can actually claim the title, Master. This week, episode seven started the true battle to victory with the elimination challenge sending one chef home each week. The heat is way up, and so is the pressure and fear of failure.

The Chefs:

Art Smith – Table 52, Chicago

Suzanne Tracht – Jar, Los Angeles, CA

Michael Chiarello – Bottega Restaurant, Napa, CA

Rick Bayless – Frontera Grill and Topolobampo, Chicago, IL

Anita Lo – Annisa Restaurant, New York

Hubert Keller – Fleur de Lys, San Francisco, CA

Quickfire Challenge:

This Quickfire Challenge was a team effort awarding the winning team five starts at the beginning of the Elimination Challenge and the losing team a mere four. Looks like it can still be anyone's game to me. The chefs drew knives each with either the word "salt" or "pepper"printed on it to indicate which team they would be on. The chef judge for this challenge would be none other than Tom Colicchio! We haven't hardly seen him all season.

Okay, so on with the challenge. In relay race fashion, the two teams were to "mis en place"—four items each person performing one challenge with one person performing two. The items to be "put in place" were: shucking 15 oysters, quartering whole chickens, dicing 5 onions, separating eggs followed by whisking the egg whites to a point where the meringue would hold for five seconds when the bowl was flipped upside down. Working in a kitchen myself, I couldn't help but think how fast I could accomplish each of these tasks. Maybe I will put myself through this wringer...maybe.

At the end of it, Team Keller, Bayless and Lo were the winners. Things started to go downhill for the other team when Chef Art Smith had a few pieces of egg yolk in his bowl when beating his egg whites. This is considered a big "no-no" in the kitchen. However, stars were handed to the appropriate teams and the competition moved forward.

Elimination Challenge:

This challenge was fun and moved quite fast. The chefs were to prepare their "signature" dish for the other fellow chefs to dine on. Many of them more nervous to cook for other chefs than for the actual judges. With 45 minutes to prepare, each chef effortlessly cooked to their hearts content, priming the dish that I am sure they have cooked so many times.

When the timer buzzed, hands went up and the dishes were showcased for tasting. Not to mention the plethora of alcohol resembling a mini bar of sorts set up in the middle of the table. All of the chefs stayed true to their nature of cooking and to the origin of where their cooking talents come from.

The spin on this challenge was that each chef was going to reinvent another chef's signature dish. "That's just mean," Chef Rick Bayless said as Kelly Choi revealed the task at hand. Going forward, the judges would not just be the reoccurring critics of the show but former Top Chef Master competitors that had been eliminated.

How the game would work is that whomever chose one chefs dish, that chef would then be cooking the dish of the chooser. I hope this is making sense. Allow me to break in down as it went on the show.

Chef Susan Tracht's Signature Dish: Chopped Sirloin with Green Peppercorn Sauce and Fried Egg

Chef Art Smith's Reinvention Dish: Ground Lamb Scotch Egg, Sweet Potato Fries and Tomato Tart

Chef Art Smith's Signature Dish: Seared Grouper with Hearts of Palm, Trumpet Mushrooms and Meyer Lemons

Chef Suan Tracht's Reinvention: Roast Grouper with Gnocchi, Peas, Bacon and Parsnips

Chef Rick Bayless' Signature Dish: Rack of Lamb with Black Pasilla Chile and Mission Figs

Chef Michael Chiarello's Reinvention: Fig Stuffed Rack of Lamb with Chickpeas and Fried Rosemary

Chef Michael Chiarello's Signature Dish: Fennel Balsamic Quail with Sautéed Greens and Roasted Apples

Chef Rick Bayless' Reinvention: Quail with parsnip and Prosciutto Stuffing over Sautéed Greens

Chef Hubert Keller's Signature Dish: Lobster and Truffle Cappuccino with Corn Madeleine

Chef Anita Lo's Reinvention: Corn Chawansmushi, Champagne Gelée and Lobster Sandwich

Chef Anita Lo's Signature Dish: Seared Sea Scallops, Potato Purée and Bacon, Sea Urchin Sauce and Mustard Greens

Chef Hubert Keller's Reinvention: Seared Scallop with Cream of Sea Urchin and Fingerling Potato Purée

Each of the dishes were presented and then critiqued with a fine-toothed comb. The two competitors who would later find themselves on the chopping block, that did not do the other's dish justice was Chef Smith and Chef Tracht. The egg that Chef Smith placed inside of his lamb hamburger patty if you will, was over cooked while the meat was under. Stating that she was impatient with her plating, Chef Tracht's take on the grouper was cold which makes for any dining experience to be unpleasing.

As the critics were stating their cases, regular class clown Chef Art Smith was visibly unhappy with his performance. In the end, Chef Susan Tracht was sent home, losing by only a half star. I wonder how Chef Art is going to step up his game for next week.

So, who's the winner you ask? Chef Anita Lo, who was titled a "genius," by critic Jay Rayner. Personally I loved her dish as well. You can never go wrong with soup and sandwich, especially one with lobster.

As the season progresses, I have grown to like the chefs who are competing. Each of them with their own personality that is creatively shown through their unique cooking skills and flavors. They each have a story I find intriguing in which they have taken through their entire cooking careers.

Stay tuned to Behind the Burner to see what happens on next week's Top Chef Masters.

—Hailee Moore