The brothers and Jenn are supremely talented, even to my inexperienced eyes. Short of sabotage or a self-destructive implosion (Richard Blais comes to mind), the three of them and the bearded guy (I think of him as Friar Tuck for some reason) are final 4.
What bugs me is that the brothers and Jenn almost never smie. When one of the brothers half smiled this week, it was just his mouth. I don’t think they have to be shrieking and dancing, but the three of them are so robotic and stoic.
Kevin won the first elimination.
I agree about the almost unfair skill level the brothers present. I have a feeling that they would have been passed over for the show if not for the fact that they are twins and that makes good TV.
Still Bryan, Kevin and Jen are my favorites.
I’m quietly pushing for Jen. I love her intensity, focus and consistent competency. It’s going to be an interesting finale. The judges are going to have to be super picky to select a winner.
There aren’t any real villains this season, except maybe for Mike I., who’s a kind of a load, but no long term threat. It’s mildly entertaining to watch him delude himself into thinking he’s in the same league with Jen and the brothers, though. It should make for a satisfying elimination.
Maybe Mike I just going to continue trying to ride Bryan’s coattails for a few more challenges.
I really hope we have a real three-way finale this time. So far there’s always been one who clearly was out of the running right away.
I agree with the majority–Kevin, the bros V, and Jen should be the final four. But, you never know…there might be a surprise along the way.
I’m not sure who a dark horse would be, though…Mike I (let’s hope not), Eli maybe, or Ash perhaps? He’s been kind of hanging in the middle. In fact, has he ever been on the top or bottom? (I just can’t find a better way to phrase that…forgive me.)
I thought it was odd that one of the brothers (I, like most of us, can’t tell them apart) identified the front runners as himself, his brother, and Mike Isabella. No mention of Jen.
And I thought it was super odd that Ron yanked branches off that tree to prevent snakes from entering his tent. That guy is so weird. I loved his victory dance.
I was starting to really like Mattin - I loved his jubilant celebrating when he was in the top of the quick fire - but raw cod? Ew. They showed him backstage before he was eliminated saying something like “I should have just made one really good thing,” but at judges’ table he stubbornly stood by his bad food (which, as Jodi pointed out, the judges hate). I wonder if it would have made a difference for him if he’d expressed that at the judges’ table.
I was surprised to see Laurine in the top four. She just hasn’t made much of an impression, other than, IIRC, stupidly doing a pasta salad that looked like I could have whipped it up out of my pantry. I have to hand it to her - girl got to the top with a baked potato! So I think she could be the dark horse.
A few weeks ago, I thought Jen was kind of bitchy, but really, she is just intense, and understandably so. While it might be nice to have a bit of a Carla “sending the love” zen vibe, I understand why the top people seem so serious. Kevin seems the most laid-back of the good performers.
Was anyone else having a flashback to TCM and Anita’s raw bar? Seriously, what would possess a chef to think, “cowboys - middle of the desert - questionable facilities - mmmm raw fish!” Well, I guess **Dio **has it - it was a cop out to circumvent the rustic cooking apparatus. I think Bryan totally deserved the win because he made something that was perfectly consistent with the surroundings and audience, but that was simultaneously legitimate fine dining, and he executed it perfectly. Plus, made it look nice, which was more than most could do this round.
I keep the brothers straight thusly: Michael has a more hawkish nose and is a bit more intense; Bryan is cuter and more affable.
Michael has arm tats and a sunburn. That’s how I tell. For awhile it was that Michael wears a backwards ball cap, but both had one on this episode.
Michael also has more face fuzz, and during the interviews he hunches more and usually wears a hat.
LOL! We need some nicknames in here!
I submit:
Bryan = Anal Brother
Michael = Stubble-y Brother
Kevin = Friar Tuck (good one Ruby!)
Jenn = CTB (Because she Reminds me of Amber “Cut-Throat Bitch” on House)
Mattin = Momma’s boy even though he’s gone, I just had to say it!
Ron = Houngan (A word my old neighbor used for a Voodoo Priest)
ETA: Mike I = Jerkface
Re: not admitting when they messed up: In the first couple of seasons, Colicchio battered anyone who didn’t “stand by their dish”. He keeps switching around like that. “Stand by your dish” no, “Admit you were wrong”; “Don’t send it out if it turns out bad” no “Give us something to go on”; “you didn’t cook it at all” no, “the Cebiche was well done”. Ugh!
And yeah, I’m over Cebiche at this point. We had the Sous Vide season, the risotto season, and now this. All right, all ready! Citrus + fish = “high end”. We get it!
I’m really looking forward to restaurant wars this season. (I usually hate it.) Jenn really showed what it’s like to have a true chef/manager in the kitchen on “Thunderbirds” and I found it refreshing. She’s the first one, in all the seasons, that made me think “Yeah, OK, I could work for her.”
Seriously!!! You could play a Top Chef drinking game using the word and just get hammered. Doesn’t matter which week either. Someone ALWAYS makes a frickin’ ceviche.
There were very, very bizarre choices made in the food they were preparing. Ceviche, sandwiches. They knew they were going “camping”. Couldn’t they figure out that they’d be grilling or frying? Someone should have made a killer burger but it seems this season is just a little too pretentious with the cheftestants for them to do that and win.
Did anyone else think that guest chef was a bit of a douchebag? He seemed to think very highly of himself and his palate. His wiki page says he was on the Masters show so I guess he is “someone” but I sure don’t remember him!
You have to be balanced, and you have defend your decisions. You can’t just go out and say “I know my dish was crap.” You can’t say “I thought my dish was great” (when it clearly isn’t.) You have to say why you did everything. And remember, the judge’s table is cut down from several hours.
Michael has facial hair, Bryan is clean-shaven. Bryan also appears a bit more stoic (IMHO).
I am rooting for Jen to win the whole competition and for Kevin to make it far.
Exactly. I think the trick is to say “I’m in the bottom because this element of my dish didn’t work, and this is what I’d do to correct it next time,” especially if you can attribute it to something you discovered late in the process.
I was amused at the way they gave Ashley the classic loser’s edit, complete with the phone call from home, only to have her in the top 3 and I liked seeing three mid-rankers in the top three. I still think Kevin, Jen, and the two brothers are the top four, but if one of them stumbles, there are some contenders. Of the other chefs, I’d reluctantly place Mike I. first, followed by Ashley, then Ash. On the other hand, it could be interesting seeing Mike I.'s reaction to being in the bottom three. He’s already claimed favoritism simply because Jen won.
Don’t forgot about Eli. He’s had some good dishes. Ash seems to range from okay to okay.