Top Chef Vegas Episode 3 Obsevations: Thunderbirds Recap

I'm still loving Top Chef Season 6. The competition this year is intense and the dead weight is being weeded out quickly.

Observations during the Quickfire:

1) Mike - You don't have to be a douche. Even if you want to educate the audience on risotto there are considerably more charming ways to do so. Instead you just come off like an asshole.

2) Ashley is really sweaty, but she made her own cheese, so that is something.

3) If I were Ashley I would have beaten the crap out of Preeti for being and idiot and stealing my water.

4) Poor Jesse. She isn't going to last long. I actually almost feel sorry for her. She always knows what she did wrong, but she always does something wrong.

5) Mark Peel seems know that he is a badass.

6) The Essence of the Potato - I changed my mind about what I am going to name my band.

Observations during the Elimination Challenge:

1) Oh, so THAT is what they meant when they called this episode "Thunderbirds". I was picturing these guys.

Ain't that tough enough? (or should I say tuff enuff?)

2) Jennifer might just be one of the best chefs on this season, but she has some issues with grammar.

3) I think I love Kevin even more just because he said he bonded with Eli on "the fat kid level". Self-deprecation can be charming when done properly.

3) Laureen (or was it Preety) was right - that pasta salad looks like it was thrown together in about five minutes.

4) I have difficulty imagining anything I would want to eat less in Las Vegas in the summer than clam chowder.

5) Wait - I take it back. Chili. I would rather eat clam chowder than chili in the desert in the 100 degree heat.

6) Mattin in his kerchief and I in my cap had just settled down to a long winter's nap.

Observations on the Judging:

(spoilers to follow)

1) Well, DUH, Michael V. won. Bacon. That dish looked amazing. Bacon treated like pork belly. Michael might be a genius.

Mmmmm. Bacon.

2) Hey Mike, you know how you were a dick about the risotto earlier? This being in the bottom twist is karmic payback. It could be the editing, but Mike is coming off as very unlikable.

3) Preeti is being a poor sport. They should send all three of these people home.

4) Oooh. I like Padma when she gets angry.

5) Is it just me or are the Bravo cell phone questions getting stupider and stupider? Who would I want as my co-pilot ? a) Gail, b) Padma or c) Tom? Can't I just choose d) anyone who actually knows how to fly an airplane?

6) Remember what I said about karma? See ya, Preeti.

Overview:

I still hold to my predictions from last week. Michael V., Jennifer C. and Kevin will all end up in the top five. Agree? Disagree? Do you have predictions of your own?

[photos: Bravo.com]

Comments

[tonya]

completely agree on the top 3. LOVED Padma's smackdown...she should get angry more often.

Based on Baltimoregal's tweets, I'd say Mike's a douche. We've come to call him that around my house, and it definitely fits.

[TwoBusy]

Padma angry is even hotter than Padma scarfing down a Carl's Jr. burger.

[Darcey]

I really dislike Mike - the sheer fact that he didn't understand that if he doesn't stand behind his dish, DON'T SERVE IT... has he not ever watched the show before? And learned something?

Serves him right for being tossed down to the Bottom 3 so quickly... the bigger the ego...

[Jill]

What I want to know is why Ashley was all up in arms about the wedding challenge last week, but not about a military challenge. I mean, gays can serve in the military, but it's not exactly encouraged... where was her righteous indignation this week?

Padma is my total girl crush.

[Jenn_C]

Oh how much do I love you for the Thunderbirds reference? SO much.

Oh, Jessie. I hope she pulls it together soon.

Totally agree with your predictions for the top five, those three have been the most consistent.

Newsflash: Mike the Douche? Still a douche.

[Sarah, Goon Squad Sarah]

Agreed.

[Sarah, Goon Squad Sarah]

Excellent point.

And they also didn't address anyone opposing the war. I would be shocked if
there wasn't a pacifist in the group.

[kirida]

Angry Padma is my power animal. I will have to channel that energy when I have to stand up for myself and say, "I sooo DO have fewer than 20 items in my cart! I COUNTED THEM!"

[clarabella]

Exactly. In fact, my boyfriend (who is more cynical than obnoxious, I promise) yelled "They don't want you either" at Ashley on screen when they announced the challenge. However, I think it's easy to understand: it's not PC to criticize the military publicly/on TV. And I do believe Ash was saying something about opposing the war in the boiler room, but it was momentary.
Regardless, I loved this episode & thought the Colonel was touching when he talked to the chefs. Also, Mike Isabella can bite me. I KNOW that risotto is just a cooking style. Can't WAIT for him to go.

[BaltimoreGal]

BWAHAHAHA! Picked up my subtle hint, did ya?

Jenn C, Miss Banshee & I really went with it the first night and it kind of stuck.

I've seen it lots of other places too. I think this is one of those instances in pop culture where we all, globally, have the same reaction to a phenomena.

In this case, Mike Isabella = HUGE Douche.

[BaltimoreGal]

Mike the Douche has survived to douche for one more week.

[BaltimoreGal]

Question: What do you do if a soup is too salty or too spicy?
Answer: Put a raw potato in it.
CRUEL IRONIC TWIST!

I was screaming at the TV during that part of the elimination challenge. I still love Jesse but it bugs me that she notices a problem and does nothing to fix it. Even if this hadn't been only the perfect challenge to fix this problem, umm, I don't know- Throw in some chicken broth, add some cream, toss in a bunch o' croutons, DO something. Don't just observe that you fucked up.

There was no way I could clearly tweet this last night.

[Sarah, Goon Squad Sarah]

YES!

Dude, milk... whatever.

Fucking water - just don't kill the judges.

[jonniker]

Jennifer is a mystery to me. Eric Ripert prodigy, clearly an excellent cook ... and yet! Her manner of speaking, pronunciation and general demeanor do not in any way lend themselves to a classically trained French chef, you know what I'm saying? It's BIZARRE. Her personality seems more suited to slinging pancakes in a diner rather than cranking out ceviche.

[Suzy Q]

I Angry Padma'd someone today at the grocery store. She was picking out tomatoes and clearly knocked one to the floor, LOOKED AT IT ON THE FLOOR, then continued picking out her stuff. Wehen she was done, she started to walk away, and I was all, "I guess you couldn't be BOTHERED!" as I picked it up.

God, but people annoy me sometimes.

[Sarah, Goon Squad Sarah]

I know! And yet her food is so refined.

[Sarah, Goon Squad Sarah]

I love Angry Padma'd as a verb.

Sent from my iPhone

[Jenn_C]

I KNOW, RIGHT?! I was YELLING at the TV, "PUT SOME MOTHERF*CKING CREAM IN IT!" I mean, at least TRY. Don't just throw your hands up in defeat - be proactive. Would she have thrown out the whole pot of soup at her restaurant? I highly doubt it.

I think I take this show way too seriously.

[Kyla]

"Mattin in his kerchief and I in my cap had just settled down to a long winter's nap." <--- That made me LAUGH!

I agree with your predictions!

[Sarah, Goon Squad Sarah]

It is as if she enjoys being victimized by her own cooking.

[Issa]

Final three: Jennifer and the brothers.

I love this season. Last season was so painful to watch. This season, they all seem like, you know, real chefs.

[Issa]

I felt like someone started to say something and they may have cut it. I think that even if opposed to the war, it's different to hate on service men and women on television. I'm glad no one did.

[Sarah, Goon Squad Sarah]

I think the Bravo people probably had the sense to edit that stuff out.

The politics they let on air are safe.