‘Top Chef’ Boston Ep. 6 Recap: ‘The First Thanksgiving’
Ding-Dong, the Witch is Dead! When this season of “Top Chef’’ is over and we all look back, Episode 5 will surely be a high point. Not because of the Quickfire, not because of the Elimination Challenge, and certainly not for Padma’s butchering of the pronunciation of “Con-cord.’’ No, last week was memorable for a much more pleasurable reason: Aaron, the bane of contestants and viewers alike, was finally sent packing. I say finally a bit facetiously because it’s still early in the season, but didn’t it feel like Aaron was on this show for 35 episodes? It sure felt that way to me.
At the very beginning of this week’s episode, the remaining chefs, over blurred-out cans of Pabst Blue Ribbon, could hardly contain their relief that Aaron was eliminated.
With nine contestants left, it’s time to get down to business. Five episodes has given us plenty to chew on, and with a Bye Week next week due to Thanksgiving, I thought it would be a good time to introduce the Ratty Power Index (RPI). Every recap from here on out will feature an updated RPI, a sophisticated ranking based on a proprietary…ok, it’s really just based on my observations.
Two things to note:
1. These rankings will be written before I watch the episode and publish the recap, and you have my word that I won’t alter them after the fact if one of my top picks gets eliminated.
2. Just like any NFL team can win on any given Sunday, I recognize that any contestant can be sent home on any episode. Whether they catch a tough Elimination Challenge or are the scapegoat on a crummy team, sometimes the best chefs get eliminated; it’s a fact of life on “Top Chef.’’
Regardless, these rankings will be an easy way for me to size up the field each week, and hopefully a top RPI ranking won’t become the equivalent of the Sports Illustrated cover jinx.
Without any further ado, here is the Ratty Power Index (RPI) heading into Episode 6:
1. Gregory: Far and away the most impressive contestant so far
2. Mei Lin: Has shown tons of technical skill
3. Adam: A few breaks here and there and he could be No. 1
4. Keriann: Has quietly and consistently done her thing
5. Katsuji: He’s got personality and that counts on reality television
6. Doug: Well-liked and finding his groove
7. Katie: Rough start — broccoli salad — but improving
8. Stacy: The lone local contestant has been on a roller coaster ride
9. Melissa: Has floated through the season so far
Quickfire Challenge
Oh, hello Tiffani Faison! The orange-maned local chef and “Top Chef’’ season 1 finalist surprised the contestants by popping into their apartment, located just down the street from her wildly popular southern BBQ joint Sweet Cheeks. More than a few members of the cast were starstruck upon seeing Faison, and it’s easy to see why if you’ve ever had those biscuits. (You want those biscuits right now, don’t you? It’s OK to admit it. This is a safe place.)
Until this week, the farthest the show had traveled from Boston was to Watertown for last week’s Elimination Challenge, so it was fun to see Tiffani — just in time for “Thanksgiving’’ (the show was filmed last summer) — tell the contestants they were heading down to Rochester where they would visit one of the South Coast’s famous cranberry bogs.
After being greeted by second-generation cranberry grower Adrienne Mollor, the requisite Ocean Spray product placement, and about six million cranberries, the contestants were asked to harvest a crate-full of cranberries as fast as they could. The four contestants who filled the create the fastest would be given an unnamed advantage in the Quickfire Challenge back at the “Top Chef’’ studio.
The contestants literally dove right into this challenge with varying degrees of success. The lanky contestants had a much easier time getting in and out of the water, while poor Katsuji was winded after one sprint back and forth. Not missing an opportunity to be punny, Faison quipped, “You guys are looking a little bogged down.’’ Three of the four fastest finishers were tall-ish (Katie, Adam, and Gregory), and the diminutive Doug surprised me by rounding out the four.
Once back in the “Top Chef’’ kitchen, the contestants were asked to create a dish in 30 minutes that highlighted the flavors of the cranberry. The four fastest finishers of the cranberry bog challenge had access to ingredients from a pantry full of high-end proteins, while the other five contestants would have to choose ingredients from a lesser pantry. Faison pushed the contestants to be unique and also not focus too much on Thanksgiving dishes. The winner of this Quickfire would earn immunity for the week.
Dishes
Adam: Bourbon cranberry barbeque sauce-glazed New York strip with mushroom fricasee
Gregory: Arctic char with sweet and sour cranberry sauce, royal trumpet mushrooms and pear
Keriann: Carrot soup with cranberry and crab
Doug: Bourbon and cranberry-glazed pork tenderloin with brussels sprouts and cranberry mustard
Melissa: Fried turkey with apple butter, cranberry compote, pecans and fried sage
Katie: Cranberry borscht with creme fraiche, charred brussels sprout and pancetta
Katsuji: Steak tartare with chile de arbol mayonnaise, fresh cranberries and cranberry hot sauce
Stacy: Curried cauliflower soup with smoky pepper-cranberry relish
Mei: Sweet and sour pork with pickled mustard seeds and apple salad
Verdict
Faison’s three least-favorite dishes were from Katsuji (choosing skirt steak for steak tartare?), Adam (“Adam kind of begged for us to hate his dish,’’ ouch), and Stacy (her soup was under-seasoned), who continued her choppy performance so far this season.
Her three favorite dishes were from Doug (“This is why we eat cranberries in the Fall!’’), Katie (she thought a borscht was a great idea), and Mei (she thought it was “super complex and really elegant.’’)
Faison chose the borscht as the top dish, giving Katie immunity for what would turn out to be a very tough Elimination Challenge.
Elimination Challenge
“As you know, Thanksgiving is just around the corner,’’ Padma said (sometime last summer) with a wry smile. With the cranberries out of the way, it was time to serve the rest of the Thanksgiving dinner.
For this week’s challenge, the contestants headed back to the South Shore, this time to — you guessed it — Plimoth Plantation, the site of the very first Thanksgiving meal in 1621. The contestants would work as one group and have two and a half hours to cook a family-style dinner in two waves. The catch — there’s always a catch — was that the chefs would only be able to use foods native to the time period, plus ingredients the colonists brought with them on the Mayflower. Not only that, but the chefs would only be able to use the same cooking methods and utensils used at the first Thanksgiving.
Among those joining Padma and Tom for the meal were Boston chef and James Beard Award winner Ken Oringer, deputy director of Plimoth Plantation Richard Pickering, Mayflower descendents Will and David Gilson, and descendants of the Wampanoag tribe. (Click here for a behind-the-scenes clip of the Plimoth Plantation shoot.)
The mood before the challenge was markedly upbeat, especially without Aaron in the apartment. While the chefs shared stories about their favorite Thanksgiving meals and traditions, Stacy stewed about her performance in the Quickfire and looked visibly frustrated about her performance so far this season. It was tough to see the lone Bostonian questioning her talent, but a light-hearted video chat with her boyfriend (a corporal in the United States Marine Corps) seemed to get her in the right frame of mind.
There were two major hurdles this week. First, obviously, were the cooking conditions. The chefs had little more than fire pits, water, cast iron pots and pans, spits, and wooden spoons to prepare their meals. Although some of the contestants really took the primal cooking experience, the conditions certainly affected both their ingredient choices and the output. Stacy, who loves a clean kitchen, was plating clams at ground level (and possibly getting some dirt on her food.) Keriann, who originally decided on making blueberry pie, had to pivot to venison when her pie crust wasn’t binding properly without ice. And right on cue as Tom visited, Katsuji was sweating bullets and could barely keep his eyes open during their conversation because of the smoke coming off of his butternut squash.
Dishes
First Group
Doug: Spit-roasted rabbit with garlic, ramps, hazelnuts, chestnuts and radish
Katsuji: Roasted butternut squash with poached lobster, chestnuts and ancho chile butter
Stacy: Ramp-smoked clams with butternut squash, lobster and ramps
Melissa: Roasted parsnips, green beans and zucchini with ramp and onion vinaigrette
Second Group
Adam: Succotash with beans, corn, summer squash, wilted spinach and spiced goat milk
Katie: Blueberry stuffing with blue cornmeal cornbread and sauteed lobster
Mei: Duck fat roasted cabbage with trout vinaigrette
Gregory: Roasted goose, goose confit with green beans and gingered onions
Keriann: Seared venison loin with blueberry compote and buttered hazelnuts
Judge’s Table
Considering the myriad challenges they faced, you have to take your hat off to the chefs this week. Oringer was incredibly impressed with what the chefs came up with, adding that “every dish had depth.’’
The judges announced that the top three dishes were made by Katsuji, Doug, and Mei.
Tom said Katsuji’s dish had a “great, intense flavor with just a few simple ingredients,’’ and Gail loved the lobster component. Padma loved the smokiness of the Doug’s rabbit and Tom commented that there was “never a boring bite.’’ Oringer thought Mei’s cabbage dish was “pure comfort food,’’ not a bad compliment for a Thanksgiving challenge.
It was a bit of a surprise to me considering the amount of compliments Doug and Mei’s dishes got, but Oringer announced that Katsuji’s squash and lobster dish was the winner. Adding to the list of reasons I love Katsuji, he said that the symbolism of creating a meal where the first immigrants cooked was not lost on him.
The judges’ three least favorite dishes belonged to Gregory, Stacy, and Melissa. (Yes, you read correctly, Gregory was in the bottom three this week. Ratty Power Index jinx?)
Oringer told Gregory it took quite a bit of cojones to cook a goose. Gregory, while emphasizing he was committed to putting a bird on that Thanksgiving table, also admitted that it was a major risk. The judges, especially Gail, were predictably confused by Melissa’s overly- simplistic dish. Stacy, responding to a question from Padma, admitted that she was feeling a lot of pressure to perform as the lone local contestant. Gail also pointed out that some dirt may have gotten into Stacy’s dish during the plating.
Although she escaped by the skin of her teeth in Week 2, Stacy wasn’t so lucky this week and was eliminated. It was sad to see the only Boston contestant go home, but she clearly has a bright future and I can’t wait to see what she does at the Regal Beagle and beyond.
‘Top Chef Boston’ Cheat Sheet
Who Should’ve Won
The episode had an extremely tight top three and I would have been happy with any one of them walking away with the win. Doug and Mei’s execution was spot-on, but I’m not going to disagree with the choice of my favorite contestant, Katsuji. Look, was his dish the best? I don’t know, I wasn’t there! But the guy has the best personality on the entire cast, and he was due for a solo Elimination Challenge win. Now will someone please get the man a cold towel and some Visine?
Who Should’ve Been Eliminated
Putting aside my hometown bias for a moment, I’m going to disagree with the judges and say that Melissa should have been sent home instead of Stacy. Sure, Stacy’s execution wasn’t sharp and there may have been some dirt in her dish, but Melissa took two and a half hours to make a vegetable-only side. Melissa’s defense was that she chose a very straight-forward dish and tried to get it perfect, but I would have penalized her lack of vision. As you can see above, I already had her at the bottom of my power rankings, and this Elimination Challenge dish should have been the last straw for her.
Boston Eye Candy
The cobblestone streets of Beacon Hill, Quincy Market, a shimmering Charles River below the Mass Ave. bridge
Insider Info
He didn’t get as much face time as I would have liked, the Will Gilson’s bonafides for this episode are no joke. A 13th-generation New Englander, Gilson opened Puritan & Company to positive reviews in 2012, paying homage both his Mayflower heritage and to the Puritan Cake Company that used to be housed in the same building. Will’s father David, who also appeared in the episode, runs The Herb Lyceum in Groton.
Weekly 45-Second Interlude During Commercial Break
Padma asked the Canadian-born Gail Simmons about Thanksgiving in Canada. Although her meals are anything but traditional, she said Thanksgiving is her favorite adopted holiday. If given a choice, I’m headed to Tom’s house, where an Italian Thanksgiving means a traditional turkey with all the fixings, but only after a lasagna. Madonn’!
This Week’s Lesson
‘Too Many Cooks’
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