Thoughts on Top Chef Season 7 Episode 4: Room Service

If you have not seen this week’s episode of Top Chef, read no further. This post contains spoilers!

How’d you guys like this Top Chef episode? Here are my random thoughts. Would love to hear yours!

Quickfire challenge: Hey it’s Tom! And baby toys in the Top Chef kitchen. Oooh, is there a baby shower challenge?

Padma says “I want you to create a dish that satisfies Tom & I…” Shouldn’t it be Tom & me? Ah, what do I know.

The challenge: Create an adult dish & a baby-friendly puree version. I’m so looking forward to this challenge. Maybe I can replicate it. As if!

High stakes quickfire! 10k! No immunity? 45 minutes to cook.

“I practice making baby but not baby food.” It sounds crass coming from Alex.

Angelo’s son is soooooooo adorable! His name is Jacob Elias. I hope I spelled that right!

Kenny made Curried Chicken, Mango Salad, Confit of Butternut Squash and Maitake Mushrooms. I think my baby would like that. I know I’d like that! Stephen’s right though, the baby’s dish doesn’t look too pureed. Chunky.

Timothy made sauteed lamb with mushrooms, shallots and ginger. Can infants eat lamb?

Kevin didn’t get all his components on his plate. He made pan-seared duck with baby carrots, and the plate looks depressing, poor guy.

Kelly made a roast pork loin with grilled peaches and ginger. Yum! Uh oh, Padma got a lemon seed in her puree.

Lynne made chicken with sweet potato and fruit compote. Now this one I know babies will really like! Timmy loves sweet potato and compote.

Angelo made a poached tuna with fenugreek broth, tomatoes, soy sauce and honey. The tuna looks too pink, that’s a no no for babies!

Alex has seared duck with spinach, basil and mushroom.
Tamesha made a salmon with vegetable chowder and lobster stock, thai basil and licorice oil

Hey, how come they didn’t feature the other chefs?

Okay bottom chefs: Timothy had overcooked lamb. Alex’s puree was watery, herbaceous. Kevin, had a pool of blood. Kelly, bland.

Top chefs: Lynne: Great flavor, translated well to baby food. Tamesha’s puree had a texture, licorice oil was nice work. Angelo’s baby food looked elegant. Kenny’s bulgar wheat gave him an advantage.

Who’s getting 10 grand? LYNNE? She’s my bet. Who? Who? Tom goes, “If I had to walk over to one of the dishes now and try it again, I’d go to Tamesha’s.” And Padma picked Kenny’s. They each got 10k! From Dial Nutriskin, the sponsor with the best brand fit in the show. Yes, I’m being sarcastic. 😛

And who is this lady who magically appears by Tom’s side? Someone from Hilton.
Elimination challenge: Create breakfast, lunch and dinner courses for the Hilton. Winning dish will be incorporated into the Hilton menu.

They’ll be working in pairs and I get lost in the mechanics. Ending? TWO CHEFS are going home. Woah.

“They might think I’m more than a Louis Vitton bag.” Arnold says of himself if he wins.

Here we are at the Hilton Washington. SPIKE! JERSEY MIKE! BRYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!

And the breakfast contest begins!

Okay we’ve got our quote for the night. “Tamesha is really sexy.” Angelo says. Where’d that come from? Tamesha rolling her eyes is funny. “There’s no way it’s going to happen. No way!”

Breakfast dishes. Oh I love breakfast. Here we go:
Alex & Ed: Prosciutto Potato Cake, Egg with Lemon Pancake, Bellini Cocktail. It looks like a mess. Well to be frank, I’m not fond of Alex so…
And then there’s no cake on Spike and Beth’s plate. Yak.

Angelo & Tamesha: Egg, Bagon and Cheddar Broth. OMG THAT LOOKS SO DANG GOOOOOD. Give me my coffee and I’m in breakfast heaven. The judges think the egg is not cooked well. Hey was that a Bryan laugh? I feel strange that I missed hearing that. Last season really rocked.

Lynn and Arnold: Tortilla Espanola with Chorizo and Bacon, Olive-Pear Salad and Papas Bravas. I want to try this also! Tom finds the texture weird though.

Kenny and Kevin: Poached egg on herb brioche, prosciutto, manchego and spanish olive tapenade. There’s a brown blob on the plate that looks like a cockroach to me. Eek. It’s the tapenade I think.
Too much going on, no texture.

Amanda and Stephen: Poached egg, pancetta, potato rosti and grape ragout with hollandaise. Looks like a delicious mess! Mmm!

Kelly and Andrea: Bacon, cheddar and wheat waffle, poached egg and mango, lime and mint yogurt smoothie. This looks like refreshing but it didn’t please the judges. The eggs have no seasoning.

Timothy and Tiffany: Crab Cake Eggs Benedict, Asparagus and Bacon Potato Hash in Hollandaise. Gah, that looks VERY GOOD. Crabcakes got good feedback.

And… Amanda & Stephen, Tim and Tiffany are SAFE! Favorite dishes from the judges!

The rest have to move on to lunch service. 45 minutes to cook lunch? That’s fast!

Wait wait wait, did Angelo say KIMCHI VINAIGRETTE? I’m drooling at the thought.

Round 2 Lunch:

Alex and Ed: Sea Scallops with Ricotta Gnudi and broccoli rabe (what’s gnudi?) Gnudi’s really well made say the judges.

Tamesha and Angelo: Slivers of beef, jicama-asian pear salad with mint, cilantro and kimchi vinaigrette. Sounds refreshing and sour. Haha. Lotz of onionz in thiz dizh says Eric Ripert.

Arnold and Lynn: Tuna Cannelloni with Forbidden Rice Salad and Tomato Vinaigrette. Looks so good!

Kenny and Kevin: Chickpea pappardelle pasta with grilled chicken and tahini sauce

Kelly and Andrea: Crispy skin red snapper and panzanella salad with mustard vinaigrette Fish is overdone. Canned beans team… ah so they’re the ones pointed out in the previews.

Best lunches are Angelo Tamesha and Alex and Ed. And they’re safe! I think Kenny and Kevin are going home at this point.

60 minutes to cook dinner. Two teams are using the same ingredient, short ribs. Battle of the short ribs.

Th judges are coming in!

Dinner is served:

Kevin and Kenny: Braised beef short rib, squash, potato and carrot confit and tempura horseradish Delicious, good feedback,

Kelly and Andrea: Braised beef short rib, polenta, shiitake mushrooms and citrus gremolata Judges say this has a shortrib dark flavor.

Arnold and Lynn: Pineapple red curry mussels with squid ink pasta and focaccia The pasta’s not cooked, but sauce is great balance. Tsk. Arnold was pestering Lynn to put her pasta on the plate already and she gave in.

Judges table! One team had the best dish for dinner: Kelly and Andrea. They get their dish on the Hilton menu, one goes to Italy, the other goes to Spain.
Sweet prize!!

Bottom two: Kenny and Kevin: Horseradish kick was gone. Needed more glaze.
Arnold and Lynn: Pasta undercooked. Took a risk, as mussels and squid ink pasta is a hard sell in hotels. Oh no Arnold and Lynn look like they’re going home.

Aaaack who are packing their knives? Lynn and Arnold. CRAP. I liked Arnold.

Letting a younger chef take the lead is her mistake, Lynn shares.

In his closing interview, Arnold is maintaining such a positive outlook it’s great. But I guess he’s not worth more than a Louis Vitton bag after all. His words, not mine!

The dishes I would love to have tasted:

Breakfast: “Creole Style” Crab Cake Eggs Benedict with Asparagus & Bacon Potato Hash in Hollandaise (Tiffany and Timothy)

Egg, Bacon & Cheddar Broth (Angelo and Tamesha)

This was a tough challenge for some of the cheftestants! Cooking for three meals straight? Sounds really tiring. Congratulations to all of them!

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.