In last week’s episode, “Cold War,” we saw Tamesha go home instead of Kenny in the most nail-biting elimination of the season.  Kenny claimed, “I’m just too much a beast in the kitchen to go home,” and I agree; but I would argue that more than just cooking ultimately decides who stays and who goes, especially at this point in the competition.  And let’s be honest: Kenny’s competitors have it out for him.  It may be time for him to step up and start playing a little more of the “game,” like, for example, Angelo has been doing.  This deep into the competition, people must start watching their backs, lest a competitor stab them (with a very sharp kitchen knife).

Quickfire Challenge:  the Humble Toothpick

-Create an Hors d’oeuvre on a Toothpick that Packs as Much Punch as a Full Entree

The chefs wasted no time heading to the Top Chef Kitchens, and Padma promptly introduced the contestants to their guest judge for the Quickfire Challenge: Aaron Schock, a representative from the 18^th District of Illinois and the youngest congressman in the House.  Schock gave the contestants a spiel about ethics (little did we know just how unethical tonight’s episode would turn out to be) and Padma translated this to their challenge, which she referred to as “the humble toothpick.”  To make sure that “elective representatives [weren’t] swayed” by a lavish meal, Padma challenged the chefs to devise a delicious hors d’ouevre that “pack[ed] the punch” of a whole dish.  The chefs had 30 minutes to create their bite-sized pieces, and the winner was promised immunity and a cool 20 grand.

Here’s a rundown of each contestant, their tasty little bite on a toothpick, and some thoughts on how they fared:

Alex:

-Scallops with Crispy Bacon, Strawberries, and Basil Essence

Padma making a sour face is usually not a good sign, and it turned out not to be, as Alex found himself in the bottom three.  Schock said there were too many flavors going on and that he “didn’t enjoy it especially.”

Amanda:

-Lamb Kabob with Heirloom Tomatoes and Salsa Verde

Schock said, “Truth be told, lamb is one of my favorites,” but he didn’t specify whether or not that included Amanda’s bite-sized offering.  Did anyone else find the back and forth shots between Schock and an overly smiley Amanda quite disturbing, though?

Andrea:

-Buttermilk Fried Chicken, Pecan Cheddar Waffles, and Black Pepper Maple Gravy

I thought this was a very creative (even if a little odd) offering from Andrea, but the judges didn’t offer much critique on the dish.

Angelo:

-Cucumber Cup with Spiced Shrimp and Cashew

Angelo called his own dish “old-school” and expressed embarrassment over using a cucumber.  Looks like it paid off, though, as he won the Quickfire challenge with what Schock described as “fireworks in [his] mouth.”

Ed:

-Duo of Tuna: Crunchy Tuna Confit, Grilled Tuna with Avocado, and Sweet and Sour Watermelon

Schock originally made a witty analogy, claiming that he “like[d] Asia without the long plane flight,” presumably denoting Ed’s flavors, but he later clarified that he liked the look of Ed’s dish better than the taste, which justifies the dish’s ranking in the bottom three.

Kelly:

-Scallops with Watermelon, Pickled Watermelon Rind and Watermelon Vinaigrette

Although Kelly’s dish looked refreshing, Schock thought it “lacked a little flavor” and picked it as one of his least favorite morsels.

Kenny:

-Tandoori Spiced Sockeye Salmon and Shrimp with Mango-Mojito Relish

Schock complimented Kenny as being “pretty clever” for combining liquor and meat onto one toothpick.

Kevin:

-Grilled Pork and Mushroom Kabob With Sherry Vinegar

Schock simply said “wow,” which we later found out was a good thing, defining Kevin’s dish as one of the top three for the week.  Schock later added that Kevin’s dish was the first he tasted and that he “thought about it all the way around the room.”  I found this to be one of the best compliments of the whole season.

Stephen:

-Scallop and Beef with Crispy Potato and Bearnaise Sauce

“Wow, there’s a lot on that stick,” Schock said.  Apparently, a lot = good, because Stephen found himself in the top of the pack for the first time.  (FYI, Stephen fans: I have doubts this will ever happen again, so enjoy it while you can.)

Tiffany:

-Crispy Pork Roulade with Prosciutto; Date and Red Pepper Coulis

The judges didn’t comment on Tiffany’s dish.

Losers and Winners

After judges’ tasting and commentary, the results of the Quickfire were as follows:

BOTTOM THREE = Alex, Ed, Andrea

TOP THREE = Kevin, Angelo, Stephen

QUICKFIRE WINNER = Angelo, who earned immunity and $20,000.  He seemed more genuinely surprised than normal to get the win here, maybe because of his embarrassing use of cucumber, but he claimed that he was already looking forward to the upcoming challenges.  Kevin was resoundingly upset (and rightfully so, I’d argue, after that amazing compliment); he claimed that Angelo “keeps making the same things over and over.”  Agreed, but he’s also been winning over and over.

Let’s see if he (Angelo) could come up with something a little more “inventive” in the elimination challenge.

Elimination Challenge:  the Power Lunch

-Cook a Power Lunch for Two Tables of Food, TV, and Political Powerhouses at the Palm Restaurant

After the Quickfire Challenge, Padma moved on to explain the next elimination challenge: to take over one of the prime restaurants in the lunch scene, the Palm D.C.  The chefs would be required to serve 24 diners each, and would be using 5 of the main ingredients from the Palm’s menu (lamb chops, lobster, swordfish, porterhouse, and salmon).  The chefs drew knifes to determine what main ingredient would be the star of their dish: Kevin and Kenny chose lamb; Ed and Angelo chose lobster; Andrea and Tiffany chose swordfish; Kelly and Amanda chose porterhouse; and Alex and Stephen chose salmon.  Padma clarified that this was NOT a head-to- head challenge; each contestant would be competing against everyone else, regardless of their assigned proteins.

After shopping at Whole Foods with a $300 budget, the chefs headed back to the TC Kitchens for 2 hours of prep time.  Here, we saw Amanda taking her meat off the bone, which Kelly claimed “was no longer a porterhouse,” Angelo admitting that he “wasn’t familiar with the concept of a power lunch,” and Ed (back at the house) discussing his “pea puree” with Tiffany.  Don’t forget about that puree, folks.

The following day, the chefs arrived at the Palm restaurant to complete their dishes after being welcomed by Bruce Bozzi, the vice president of the Palm Restaurant Group.  Bozzi told the chefs that this was the first time they had “handed over” their kitchen in the restaurant’s long history.  Pretty darn cool, don’t you think?  He also described the group of elite individuals that would be dining and pleaded, “please, please, do not let me down.”  He also informed the contestants that the winner of the elimination challenge would find their dish featured on the Palm menu and their picture adorning the Palm’s prestigious wall.

Here’s a rundown of the chefs, their dishes, and some thoughts on how they fared:

Alex:

-Applewood Smoked Salmon with Black Forbidden Rice and English Pea Puree

Alex’s dish was an all around hit; the judges loved—surprise!—the English pea puree!  One diner said his dish “was in symphony,” and that he could have eaten a whole bowl of the puree.

Amanda:

-New York Strip Steak and Filet Mignon, Red Wine with Pomme Parisienne, and Arugula

The diners thought Amanda’s meat was cooked well.  Gail found her sear to be “delicious.”

Andrea:

-Swordfish with “Risotto-Style” Couscous, Asparagus, and Beurre Blanc

The consensus was that her dish was too heavy, and the judges thought the fish was “overcooked” and reflected the fact that it was something she wouldn’t normally make.

Angelo:

-Poached Lobster with Lobster Froth and Jicama, Arugula, and Asian Pear Salad

The diners weren’t a fan of the texture or the foam on Angelo’s dish.  Good thing Angelo had immunity, eh?

Ed:

-Poached Lobster Ballotine with Eggplant and English Pea-Asparagus Fricassee

Was anyone else really happy to see Ed in the top despite his missing puree?  The peas he added at the last minute weren’t a favorite, but the judges noted that he “felt very challenged…but didn’t show it on the plate.”

Kelly:

-Porterhouse with Crispy Potato-Arugula Salad and Roasted Shallot Demi-Glace

Salt, salt, salt.  ‘Nuff said.

Kenny:

-Peppered Lamb with Fig-Pistachio Bread Pudding, Fig Jam, and Vanilla-Morel Demi-Glace

The judges thought the “sauce was interesting,” but one diner wished he had some spinach leaves.  He gave Kenny’s lamb an “Oscar for best actor…but the supporting cast was not there.”

Kevin:

-Double-Cut Chops with Olive and Goat Cheese Rissole, Mache, and Tomato Concasse

Gail’s meat was “overcooked” and several other diners thought it was too spicy.

Stephen:

-Salmon with Warmed Vegetable Salad and Worcestershire Vinaigrette

The judging panel thought Stephen’s dish was a mess compared to Alex’s.  I thought the chefs weren’t competing head to head?

Tiffany:

-Swordfish with Olive-Raisin Tapenade with Broccolini and Bacon

One dinner called Tiffany’s dish “distinct” and said she had never “tasted anything like it.”  Tiffany thought for sure she was on the bottom, yet the moisture and great flavors of her dish sent her straight to the top.  It was nice to see her genuine surprise and tears of happiness –and relief.

The Results

After judges’ tasting and commentary, the results of the Elimination Challenge were as follows:

BOTTOM THREE = Kelly, Andrea, and Kevin

TOP THREE = Alex, Tiffany, and Ed

ELIMINATION CHALLENGE WINNER = Alex.  Here’s my beef with this win, and the whole “peagate” scandal.  I don’t know for sure whether or not Alex stole the puree.  But as a longtime Top Chef fan, I feel I have a right to know.  If Alex made the puree, I want to stop blaming him.  And if he stole it, I want him to go home.  Tom Colicchio (who I’ve always been a HUGE fan of) claimed that he didn’t know what was going on, and yet if you watch the episode back, you see him in the background in every shot of Ed asking people about his puree.  Honestly, how could he not have seen or heard something?  Something doesn’t add up here, and I—and I’m guessing most of you­—won’t be satisfied until it does.  I’m holding out hope that it will somehow be brought up in next week’s episode.

Please Pack Your Knives and Go

I personally thought that Stephen should have been sent home (again), despite the fact that he wasn’t even in the bottom three, but the judges decided that Andrea’s dish was “totally unfocused” and chose her for elimination instead.  Andrea, please pack your knives and go.

Quote of the Episode: “They were just so impressed with how silky and delicious his English pea puree was…I’m like this is f#$%^& bull#$%^!” –Kenny, after hearing the judges’ reaction to Alex’s dish.

Join me next week for another review of ‘Top Chef D.C.’ and remember to play along all season using our Hail to the Chef Top Chef Bracket.

Until then, happy cooking! Tune in to ‘Top Chef D.C.’ every Wednesday on Bravo, DISH Network channel 129.