Thoughts on Top Chef S6Ep7: On washing Picasso’s paintbrushes and the dark horse goes

If you have not seen Top Chef Season 6 Episode 7, read no further. This post contains spoilers!

How’d you guys like the recent episode of Top Chef Las Vegas? Here are my random thoughts. Would love to hear yours!

• Did you guys all see the hearts in Ash’s eyes as he talked about Michael V. during the intro? Teehee. I thought it was kinda cute.
• Poor sick Jen. It looks like our Iron Lady’s got a bad bug, but I’m sure she’ll see through the challenges. She’s about the toughest female cheftestant I’ve seen on the series.
• Quickfire. Guest judge is Tyler Florence. I heart him!!! Why does he seem so stiff though?
• Umami = Mushrooms? Okay, but mushrooms only? Eli and Mike I. both pick mushrooms as the umami part of their Quickfire dish.
• Robin’s Quickfire dish looks weird. I wouldn’t want to taste it.
• But Brother Michael V’s “Adventurous, Tangy, Asian” “Yuzu Curd whipped Greek Yogurt and Seaweed Cracker” looks like a winner. DROOLING NOW. Oh wait, it’s not a winner. Kevin’s Vietnamese dish is.
• Kevin wins the Quickfire and is asked to choose between $15,000 or immunity. He takes the money. That’s a sign of great self-confidence isn’t it? And he’s a really strong cheftestant so good for him!
• During the knife-drawing part of the Elimination Challenge, Mike I. looks like he’s already on the chopping block as soon as he finds out Robin is his partner. That’s pretty much how he looks like throughout the challenge as well. (Is Robin really that bad? I wonder.)
• Ash looks like a puppy dog in love trailing behind his master Michael Volt. Poor Mike though. This is the first time I’ve seen him super rattled. No electricity made for an undercooked fish but mending it overcooked the fish. Yikes.
• Oh no. Ashley undercooked the prawns and oversalted the gnocchi. Where’s Eli in all this?
• Kevin and Jennifer’s “Kobe Beef with Tomato-Cardamom Broth, Petit Bok Choy and Asian Pear” sounds so light AND hearty at the same time. Yum.
• Okay so Jennifer wins for her yummy broth. Good for her! She gets a $10,000 card from Macy’s too! And isn’t that nice, she plans to share part of it with Kevin. Guess this Iron Lady’s got a gentle soul after all.
• In the boiler room (stew room?), I like how Bryan told the others off. “Did you taste their dish? No? Then stop talking about it and taking it apart!!!” Or something like that. He’s got a point.
• Ash says something like working with Mike V. is like washing paintbrushes for Picasso. WOW. I mean, that’s a great compliment, but dude, you’re in a competition. Mike looks genuinely embarrassed and Ash just keeps on going.
• Ashley got booted? Nooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!! She was my dark horse. She was part of my Top 5. Sniff. I hate you Eli. But Ashley did take responsibility for her dish. I salute you, Ashley. You were one of the better cheftestants and I hate to see you go. Arrrrrgh.

My Top 5: Bryan. Mike V. Jen. Kevin. Ashley.

The dish I would love to have tasted: Mike V.’s Quickfire Dish: “Adventurous, Tangy, Asian – Yuzu Curd whipped Greek Yogurt and Seaweed Cracker.”

I’m really sad that Ashley was the one who packed her knives. She’s performed better than some of the chefs on the show (Laurine, Robin…) by landing in one of the top places during the elimination challenges. But oh well. Those spot prawns did her in. Here’s her website if you want more Ashley love.

Can’t wait for next week’s episode!

Hi! I'm Toni Tiu, and I've been blogging at at Wifely Steps since 2003. This started as a blog to help newly weds adjust to married life. It has evolved into a home and parenting blog. I write about things close to my heart -- good eats, good reads, family, marriage, and the little things that make everyday happy.