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All jaws dropped this week as the most evil competition twist in the history of TOP CHEF was unveiled. The remaining contestants had to open a restaurant, check. They had to create a New-American three-course menu, check. The restaurant was filled with fifty of the New York chefs who tried out for the show, but didn't make the final cut. Uh, not check!
The idea of serving food to a room full of overly critical bitter ex-hopefuls sent the chefs scurrying to create something magical in the kitchen. Radhika, who earned immunity in the quick-fire challenge with her Indian inspired kabob dog, shook slightly less than the rest of the contestants, but everyone was nervous.
Even bosom Euro-buddies Stefan and Fabio, the front runners in the contest, were anxious-and it showed. Shocked that his strange "world" hot dog concept hit a sour note with judges in the quick fire challenge, Stefan snubbed the criticism and gave his best Finnish pout. Fabio, eager to take the lead, couldn't keep the smile off of his face.
Jill, the part-time hot-air balloonist, let her imagination float far enough to select gigantic ostrich eggs for her quiche dish. Not deterred by the fact that scrambled ostrich eggs looks just like chicken eggs and would go unnoticed except for the mention on the menu, Jill plopped the colossal ovals on her cutting board and went to work cracking them open. After watching the clueless girl shake, tap, and poke at the extra thick shell, Fabio, always a gentleman, stepped over to lend a hand. With a downward stab of his blade, the Italian hunk found the yolk.
Grumpy TOP CHEF wannabees filled Tom Colicchio's fabulous restaurant "Craft" in anticipation of a horrible meal. They wanted to hate it, they needed to hate it, and for the most part, they weren't disappointed. Some highlights:
"As a former candidate for TOP CHEF, it angers me to eat this food."
"This looks like dog food."
"I could have done SO much better than this."
It wasn't just the fifty angry chefs, show judges weren't impressed either. "You set American cuisine back about 20 years," lamented Tom Colicchio. Padma even spit one overly sweet dish into her napkin. It wasn't easy to pick the dish most universally hated, but in the end it was ostrich egg Jill that packed her knives and left.
Everyone agreed that the highlight of the meal was Fabio and his innovative olive dish. Now neck and neck for the top spot with his friend Stefan, Fabio crowed in his native tongue. The question on everyone's mind: Will the heavily accented BFFs be able to remain civil as the weeks of competition unfold or will the cleavers fly? (Guess which one I am rooting for!)
Don't miss next week's special holiday edition of TOP CHEF where the chefs make Thanksgiving dinner for The Foo Fighters!
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