This episode so far: Tyler Florence with an impromptu 60-second techniques video. Then, Iron Chef Michael Symon with an Iron Chef-style challenge - pick a fish and filet it, use a weird ingredient to cook it with, and serve to Coast Guard personnel.
I wanted to smack Nipa for being squeamish about the trout. I’m a vegetarian and I don’t have problems with dealing with that kind of thing, and really, if you’re going to be a chef you have to deal with all sorts of ingredients. Also, her cutting out a little piece and then throwing the rest away so she didn’t have to deal with it? I’m sorry, that’s just wrong. It’s a waste of food, and as a vegetarian who cooks meat for others, I feel that wasting an animal’s life in such a fashion isn’t ethical. It didn’t even serve as a teaching tool to enable her to learn better how to work with a fish.
And, the right one went.
Nipa showed her lack of comfort with a variety of foods, and it was time to go.
Some impressive work from a few of the contestants, but I wonder when one will actually start to shine. Good presentation from Lisa! The “omg my Puccis and $300 shirt” line had turned me off, but she really showed she could be a professional, and her talk to the crowd was genuine.
I will not miss Nipa
She’s lucky she wasn’t on one of Gordon Ramsey’s shows.
That kind of thing makes all vegetarians look bad, and it’s just unprofessional. If you’re going to be any kind of a professional cook, you’re going to prepare things you don’t personally like.
On a side note, man, that Kelsey is just as cute as button, isn’t she? She can “French” MY bone anytime. 
Nipa was doomed from the second “fish” was announced. I was very impressed with Kelsey’s recipe - very original and creative. Personally, I would have grabbed the cola and the mahi-mahi. Make a sauce of cola, red peppers, garlic and maybe some fenugreek.
The Vulcan finally revealed her human side. All it took was a header and sauce spill. I’d definitely lick it off her.
I wasn’t sure - was she a vegetarian or just squeamish about fish?
She was just ridiculously squeamish about fish - “They’re slimy!!!” OMG. They picked the right one to go.
I was really surprised Nipa survived her tantrum from a few weeks ago. Clearly they had already made their decision and were sticking to it, but were I one of the judges- I may have made an impromptu change on the spot.
Then this week, she really just didn’t seem to do well in either challenge. She had a really specific niche and anything outside of that niche took her so far out of her comfort zone, and she had zero ability to improvize. I’m glad she’s gone.
I had a small hope for Nipa that just got smaller every week. She definitely deserved to go. How one expects to be a food network star without knowing anything about meat and seafood is beyond me. Watching her clean the kalamari was painful. Her ‘product’ last week was a joke also “its the ratio that makes it special” - uh, no.
I am now definitely leaning towards Kelsey. I think she has the right presence and cooking chops. I’m starting to see her as a younger fresher version of Rachel Ray (not that RR is all that old - she is only two years older than me) I would say that it is hers to lose, though Lisa and Shane are pretty good contenders also.
I’m glad I’m not the only one who thinks that the more disheveled the Vulcan becomes, the hotter she gets.
This week both the Cheerleader and the Vulcan toned it down a bit, making them much, much easier to take (and the brief, gratutious, down-the-shirt boobie shot of the Vulcan while she was cooking the first part of the main challenge didn’t hurt). If they can stifle their tendencies to go over the top, they may have a chance. I still want to strangle Kelsey, but I woudn’t do it with so much glee at this point. Lisa was almost endearing in the way she kept her composure after the spill in the Cutter’s galley. For both of them, it looks like they’re actually listening and appropriately responding to the judges’ advice, something dreadfully rare in competition show contestants.
On the other hand, this week Adam needed to take some serious “tone it down” pills. I like his personality, but the pratfall entrance was just stupid. I like Aaron, too, and I hope he finds his groove. He could do well in a regular show. I don’t see Shane having the screen presence to do that, however.
Jennifer was just dreadful, knowing she was lousy and not even trying to fake competence. I see her off next week.
Boy, was this week set up for Nipa to fail, and fail she did. I’ve always liked her, but she had a tough road being a specialized cook in a general competition. I though she might slip through because the judges seemed to really like her food, but the axe fell where it should have.
On a semi-related note, I’m looking forward to a couple of new Food Network shows they’re promoting. I’ve always liked Anne Burrell when she’s been a sous-chef on Iron Chef America (she seems to be one of the few sous’s with a personality), and I’m glad to see she’s getting her own show. I also think that thing where they seem to go to a factory could be interesting.
I was thrilled when Aaron persevered and his vinaigrette won raves after Nipa tried to sabotage him with her complete take over of all the cayenne. Although I started feeling a bit sorry for her because she finally came across as not quite so much of a bitch, I’m not in the least sorry to see her go. As to those left, Lisa has definitely warmed me up and I get a kick out of Adam’s silly personality. I also wish Shane would gain some oomph and Jennifer could find a groove for her perspective (which, to me, seems like it would be a good one.)
However, at the moment my money is on Aaron. 
Oh, and kudos to Kelsey for actually listening and changing according to what the criticisms have been suggesting.
Just watched this. While Top Chef is really about cooking, this is the Japanese game show version of a cooking show. Funny stuff!
Nipa, don’t let the door hit you on the way out! I am so glad they did not string along the Ethnic Chef. They really do need someone to do an Indian food show but she is not the one. Way too whiny. I was also offended when she pitched that beautiful fish in the trash!
Adam… don’t be so desperate for laughs, dude. But in all fairness, that was a harsh Coast Guard audience. They didn’t cut anybody any slack.
Lisa is willing to sacrifice her dignity to advance in the show. How many times did we see her bust her ass in the kitchen? I think it was six times, not counting the show promos, and the one in slow motion. She just looks weird… I don’t know if it’s the makeup or the haircut or both, but I’m seeing a vacuum of sexy over there.
I like Kelsey. I think she is naturally perky and the criticism last week really hurt, because that’s exactly who she is. Fear not, Kelsey, the world of game shows await if you’re not successful with this gig.
The Iron Chef challenge was kind of ridiculous. Seriously, what the hell fish dish is going to taste good with caramel, fruit loops, or grape jelly? My eyes rolled skyward. Gross!
I can’t think of any way to use caramel or froot loops in any kind of main course, but my brother makes killer meat balls with grape jelly and chili sauce.
I have seen 2 or 3 of this season’s episodes, and I am seriously unimpressed. (Is FN making this into a culinary equivalent of Cops? I.e. people broken down to their minimalism for our entertainment?) The last time I saw it, I thought that either San Diego Amy or Tall Blonde Texas Chick could do a watchable show. I wouldn’t watch a show starring any of these knuckleheads if you bribed me.
Maybe Lisa, if she elevates her game a LOT.
I wanted to smack her for not even trying to fake it. It would have been one thing if she’d tried and a tiny shudder had slipped out when she thought no one was looking - but the squealing? Not appropriate for someone who claimed to want the job.
Thank goodness they finally got rid of her.
The Vulcan’s bangs are odd. Once they’re no longer, well, vulcan-y, she looks like a normal person and a lot more like a potential food network star.
I found the cheerleader less annoying than in previous weeks, but I still wouldn’t watch her.
Was the pratfall entrance on purpose? I thought that he’d thought about it - then dismissed it, then genuinely tripped, and finally tried to recover from with a joke that also fell flat.
The Apologizer…I feel sorry for her. She needs more practice speaking on her feet so that she can get some confidence.
She isn’t going to get it. Odds are she’s the one booted next week. Kelsey, Aaron, Lisa and Adam have all won a challenge. That puts Jennifer and Shane behind on points going into Sudden Death. Shane actually has a point of view, and hasn’t gotten reamed by the committee yet. Jennifer gets slammed every week. Unless Adam poisons someone, Jennifer is toast.
Have you seen San Diego Amy’s “winning” show? If you did, you were probably like me and caught it purely by accident. It was on at some unwatchable time like Sunday morning, and looked very much like they said to her on day one: “okay, we didn’t really want you to win, but you did, and we have to give you a show, so here’s a studio, our most generic set ever, and some unflattering lights. The camera crew has the day off so we’ll just set up a couple of tripods, 'kay? Did we mention you will have to provide your own wardrobe, hair and makeup? And that we have no marketing budget to let anyone know that you have a show? No? Well, go get 'em, champ.” Seriously, she clearly gets ZERO support from FN. I wonder if they bothered to make more than one contract-fulfilling episode?
By contrast, I could see a few of the current contestants being interesting television, though I can’t remember their names. I think Miss Self-Hatred might be okay if she stopped taking breaks to go cut herself in the restroom and actually had some fun. Adam’s cute and could do a Tyler Florence type thing if he’d just quit being an ass and learn to cook. Since Cheerleader managed to dial it down a notch, I no longer long to witness her impalement by kabob skewer, and she seems to have the most natural talent in the kitchen. However - and I’m shocked to see myself type this - but after her Pucci-over-teakettle wipeout, Axl “Spock” Rose might end up being my favorite. Her compulsive need to name-check her wardrobe gets old very fast, but there is some personality there, and she seems to know something about food.
Even so, I don’t find myself caring as much for these people, as I would, say, your average Hollywood Week contestant on American Idol.
Yeah, I can’t understand the judges’ love of Jennifer. I don’t see that the camera loves her and her insecurity made her just behind Nipa in the one I wanted to see leave.
Aaron pulling out the story about his son–I’m not saying it wasn’t genuine but what timing. I do like him and I was VERY happy to see Kelsey tone it down this week. I have an ugly feeling she’ll make it all the way but after this week I could tolerate that a lot better than the original Kelsey.
Whatever happened to the “gourmet next door” from last time? Does she even have a show yet because I haven’t seen it.
Yeah, but have you seen the prior winner Guy Fieri’s “winning” cooking show, either. I think I may have run across it once, which was sufficient.
On the other hand, there is that little thing, Diners, Drive-ins & Dives, that’s so hot that they seem to broadcast it continuously from 8 pm to midnight, seven days per week.
Say what you will, but instead of all of the straight up fish dishes that they cooked Kelsey’s Iron Chef challenge tilapia and white chocolate dish was the winner coming to a Red Lobster near you.
And I have no idea why the judges seem to love Jennifer (or at least the editors broadcast what love they show for her). My one guess is that they think they can bring her out to be a homey Rachel Ray sort of host if she would not be so wimpish.