Quick Take: Top Chef: Just Desserts, “Sweet Symphony”
The pastry chefs have to think progressive and together.
Review: Top Chef: Just Desserts, “Sweet Symphony”
(S0202) Last week, Rebecca took a crack to the wrist and it turns out that was no euphemism. An x-ray confirmed the chef actually fractured it. While some might have taken that as an excuse to quit or work the system to her favor, Rebecca stepped up like a boss and wrapped that wrist and got back to (painful) work.
The Quickfire Challenge was delivered by Gail and noted cake designer/baker Margaret Braun. The chefs were to create a dessert featuring lemon that would reinvent the notoriously tricky, tart fruit. From the start Rebecca looks like she wants to die squeezing lemons with her broken paw, while Orlando admits he’s actually allergic to lemons. Yet no one backs down and Margaret is actually blown away by the quality of the entries all whipped up in a speedy 45 minutes. Matthew wins immunity and the challenge bragging rights.
Immediately after the results, Gail informs the contestants that four of them have been randomly selected as Team Captains and they are to select their fellow chefs for the Elimination Challenge.
As the winner, Matt goes first for Team Red and picks Megan, Chris and earns last woman standing Melissa to round out the group. Melissa is not happy being the last one left, and doesn’t compute that the rest of the chefs think she threw Lina under the bus at the last Elimination so she isn’t to be trusted.
Blue Team is led by Vanarin and includes Katzi and Amanda.
Black Team is fronted by Orlando and includes Nelson and still behind-the-curve Craig.
Lastly, Green Team is led by Carlos and rounded out with Sally and Rebecca.
For the Elimination Challenge, all four teams must create a mult-tiered cake in honor of the Disney Hall Orchestra. At a party at the famed LA concert hall, the teams will serve their creations to 150 guests and each tier in their cake will have a different layer made by each individual chef. The overall look and design of the cake is a group effort.
With only eight hours to produce the cake, the teams fan out to sketch, plan and integrate their ideas into one cohesive creation. The chefs race around stirring, icing and crafting ganache figures with various levels of success. As the time draws near to head to the Concert Hall, the chefs all fret about getting their pieces to the venue safely. What they quickly realize is that the venue is even more brutal because of the SoCal heat baking their fragile creations in the open air. Cakes start melting, accessories start to droop and the teams are sweating big time trying to remedy their mini disasters.
Before any true meltdowns happen, the judges including, Braun and Hubert Keller, arrive to look at the finished cakes and then sample each and every layer. In theory that sounds divine, but I bet you all the judges needed a forklift to get them off-site afterwards.
Back at Judges Table, the Red and Green teams are summoned first and given the good news that their cakes were best. The judges think Team Green had the most cohesive cake, while Red’s elegant white contemporary design captures an impressive look and balance. Melissa is cited for her ballsy cardamon cake which earns her respect again from not only the judges but her peers. It also helps to earn Red the win.
On the bottom end of the scale are teams Black and Blue (oh, irony!). The judges deem the Black team’s odd-tiers and broken top to be disjointed in taste and execution. But Team Blue gets more guff for its weaker tasting cakes and Vanarin’s inability to pull back on their cake’s poorly made instruments and the overwhelming inclusion of too many elements. Disappointed, but aware of his dry cake and ugly inelegant artwork, Vanarin says goodbye.
I'm watching Hell's Kitchen this season and that's kind of taking up all my energy in watching food-centric shows at the moment (if it can be called such). Something tells me that TCJD might have been a better choice !