‘Top Chef’ Boston Episode 12 Recap: ‘The Final Battle of Bean Town’
Hello again, fellow “Top Chef’’ fanatics! Week 12 sadly marks the last episode that was filmed in Boston. That’s right folks, after this week there’ll be no more Zakim Bridge, no more Whole Foods, no more 1330 Boylston St. Because this was the last locally filmed episode — and because I thought “Sous Your Daddy?’’ was one of the weakest of the season — I’m going to jump right into this week’s power rankings and then it’s on to this week’s episode!
The updated Ratty Power Index (RPI):
1. Mei: After two straight wins, she landed in the top two last week and barely missed out on a Golden Ticket
2. Melissa: I think at this point I can stop writing about how I am surprised that she’s still on the show.
3. Gregory: He picked a good time — a non-elimination week — to cook the worst meal in the group
4. George: I have a bad feeling midnight is about to strike for this Cinderella story
Last Chance Kitchen
If you don’t want to know who won Last Chance Kitchen last week, you’ll want to scroll down past this to the Quickfire Challenge.
One one thousand…
Two one thousand…
Three one thousand…
Still with me? Outstanding.
For the fifth edition of Last Chance Kitchen, Tom tortured them a little bit. Before they got going, he asked the remaining contestants Doug and Adam who they thought would come walking through the door. Doug guessed George (ouch!), but no one entered because, well, no one was eliminated last week. That left Doug and Adam to face off in an East Coast vs. West Coast battle.
This matchup provided an opportunity to break the tie between the two: Doug was victorious in Week 5 when they went head-to-head in an early Quickfire, but Adam’s salt and pepper grits beat Doug’s beef tartare later in the Elimination Challenge in Watertown. New York and Portland aren’t natural rivals (unless you limit New York to Park Slope or Williamsburg), but the matchup provided some much-needed drama at Last Chance Kitchen. It’s also worth noting this was Adam’s fourth straight week fighting for the right to stay alive.
For the challenge, Tom presented two crudite platters — the Rodney Dangerfield of the appetizer world. The contestants were instructed to create a meal showcasing the versatility of the vegetables on the platters. The catch? The contents of the platter would be the only produce available.. And never missing an opportunity for some good old-fashioned product placement, the contestants were also instructed to utilize Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing in their dishes. They had 30 minutes to complete the task.
Neither chef was excited to be using crudite platters for ingredients. Adam decided to go with a New York pizzeria-themed dish to remind everyone that ranch dressing on pizza crust is delicious. (It is.) Doug decided to go with steak but put it on the grill much too early, something noted by the past contestants looking on. When he finally realized his mistake, it was too late and he had to trash it because he wasn’t going to serve medium steak to Tom.
Forced to improvise, Doug decided to go with pork loin because he knew he could cook it in a fairly short amount of time. While Doug panicked and sprinted around the kitchen to work on Plan B, Adam coolly finished and plated his dish with confidence. “If it’s not enough to win, I know I’m gonna go out with my head held high,’’ he said.
Adam’s dish was a “white pie cannelloni’’ with ranch pancetta and agrodolce raisins. He explained to Tom that his inspiration for the dish was the aggravation he caused at pizzerias when dipping his crust in ranch dressing.
Doug’s dish was a seared pork loin with spiced cauliflower, red pepper ranch, and ranch pickled vegetables. Tom was nonplussed that, fighting for a spot in the finals, Doug managed to overcook his meat. Doug was sweating bullets as Tom tried the pork loin, and his body language suggested that his time was up.
Verdict
Tom liked Adam’s dish but thought the crepe was too thick. He also wished he chose to use more vegetables from the crudites platters. Tom chastised Doug again for overcooking his steak, but complimented him on his sauce and said that he did a great job of incorporating the ranch dressing. This entire segment was a feat of Bravo editing because, when all was said and done, Doug was named the winner. Tom even extended the drama by telling him to pack his bags…for Mexico. Clearly shocked, Doug was still at a loss for words even after Adam had left the set. The door was wide open for Adam to extend his winning streak, but his dish didn’t deliver on its promise.
So with that, Doug is off to Mexico for the final Last Chance Kitchen and one last shot at earning a spot in the finals.
Quickfire Challenge
After being robbed of a Quickfire Challenge last week to accommodate what I thought was a fairly boring Elimination Challenge, “Top Chef’’ brought the Quickfire back one last time before shipping off to the warmer climes of Mexico. Entering the “Top Chef’’ kitchen, the contestants were greeted by Padma and Wylie Dufresne, the award-winning and highly acclaimed leader of the molecular gastronomy movement. Longtime “Top Chef’’ viewers will recognize him as a judge on past seasons and also as a contestant on “Top Chef Masters.’’ New Yorkers know him as the famed owner of Alder and the recently shuttered wd-50. Also, the burger at Alder is allegedly to die for.
This week’s Quickfire took aim at the nickname no one likes: “Beantown.’’ I know, I know. I hate it, you hate it, we all hate it. When someone says it’s at a party, you cringe. It’s like saying “San Fran’’ to a San Francisco native. It’s against the rules here in Boston but outsiders get a pass, and “Top Chef’’ used that loophole to create a challenge centered around beans.
The chefs were asked to create a dish highlighting beans in a unique way. They didn’t have to make baked beans, but they did have to use one of the types of beans provided (garbanzo, kidney, black, navy, etc.) The key to this challenge was to come up with just the right texture, as no one wanted to serve undercooked or overcooked beans to Dufresne. They were given one hour to complete the task.
Dishes
George: Tomato base with chickpeas, cumin, paprika, and pork tenderloin
Mei: Black beans and corn with chipotle peppers, bacon, poached eggs, and pinto bean foam
Melissa: Seared pork tenderloin with bacon butterbean puree, roasted carrots, and fried chickpeas
Gregory: Navy beans with sake, ham, avocado, and carrot chips
Verdict
George’s dish seemed to be an early leader, with Dufresne liking the spice and Padma liking the texture. Dufresne didn’t think the bean was the star of Melissa’s dish and wishes she had “allowed the beans to shine.’’ (Really.) Gregory’s beans were overcooked, and the the avocado did more to hurt the dish than to help it. Although it may not have looked appetizing, the standout dish belonged to Mei. The judges thought it had great textures, and gave her extra points for using the bean in two different ways. Mei was named the winner, marking her very first Quickfire. It may have taken here the entire season, but she picked a good week to win: the Quickfire Challenge prize was a trip to Napa Valley. “I’m gonna get wasted,’’ Mei shared with pride. Come to think of it, my wife and I are going to be out there next month, maybe we’ll see her?
Elimination Challenge
Full Disclosure: I thought last week’s episode was terribly boring. After a promising start with a visit to Island Creek Oysters, I grew tired of the family angle pretty quickly. I enjoyed the part where they all cooked dinner together in the beach house, but I didn’t like that family members were tossed into the fire as sous chefs. Although I’m assuming they knew what they signed up for, I don’t like a spot in the finals hinging on how fast a family member can slice and dice. This is not to take anything away from Melissa’s performance, though. She dominated that challenge from the start and had a connection to the dishes that clearly resonated with the judges. She earned her Golden Ticket to the finals, but with no Quickfire and no one eliminated, not much else was at stake last week. I think this season is limping into the finals, but at least the contestants got one last difficult challenge before leaving Boston.
“Top Chef’’ has touched on plenty of reasons why we love this city. The contestants have cooked at Fenway Park, prepared a Thanksgiving dinner at Plimoth Plantation, and shucked hundreds (thousands?) of clams and oysters over the course of the season. This week’s episode nodded to the area’s position as a cradle of innovation. In a region home to some of the best colleges and universities and hospitals in the world, the judges asked the chefs to get inspired by the minds around them and come up with a dish that pushed their creative boundaries. Other than a three and a half hour time limit, the contestants weren’t given any other instructions. And when Wylie Dufresne asks you to come up with something innovative, the pressure is on.
After two straight weeks of heading far outside the city, “Top Chef’’ stayed a little close to home by visiting Catalyst in Cambridge’s Kendall Square. The restaurant and its owner, William Kovel, have an interesting history. His culinary career has brought him overseas to London and back to the United States before he decided to settle in Boston. During his time in San Francisco, Kovel worked with one of the best chefs in the country, Traci Des Jardins of Jardinière. He came back to New England and joined Michael Schlow’s team at Radius where he worked his way up to Sous Chef and helped run Schlow’s flagship restaurant for three years.
Kovel left to take charge of the award-winning Four Seasons restaurant, Aujourd’hui. When the Four Seasons announced that they would be shutting the doors of the restaurant in 2009, Kovel was ready for a fresh start. He spent a year planning and building Catalyst. After it opened in 2011, The Boston Globe’s Devra First gave it a solid 2.5 star review. Located in the heart of Kendall Square, Catalyst was a great venue for this week’s challenge.
In addition to Tom, Padma and Dufresne, the contestants would be cooking for Richard Blais, Gail Simmons, and Michael Brenner from Harvard College, who has lectured with Dufresne about the science of cooking. Also on hand at the restaurant were a few James Beard Award-winning chefs and even some Nobel Prize winners. The winner would win $10,000 and, more importantly, join Melissa in the finals.
There wasn’t a lot of drama leading up to service, but a few things worth noting:
-Back at the house, the contestants talked about what it would mean to each of them to win “Top Chef.’’ Melissa said her main motivation was that only two women have ever won the competition, a statistic that shocked me if true. Sure enough, Stephanie Izard (Season 4) and Kristen Kish (Season 10) are the only female champions in “Top Chef’’ history. That just seems wrong.
-More drama at Whole Foods! Although George was set on incorporating pork belly into his dish, the supermarket didn’t have any that day and he was forced to change course and buy octopus. His plan was ruined, and a string of profanities ensued.
-Recalling Fabio’s “Top Scallop’’ rant from Season 5, George couldn’t help but mention that Gregory was again using coconut milk during a challenge in which the chefs were asked to push the envelope.
–George also wasn’t too keen on Melissa and Mei teaming up in the kitchen. Melissa, who was already in the finals, didn’t have to worry about elimination and helped Mei out with certain aspects of her preparation. Melissa didn’t hide this fact when Tom and Dufresne came by to check on them, but it seemed to rub George the wrong way.
-When Tom and Dufresne asked Gregory what was innovative about his dish, he was at a loss for words and things weren’t looking good for him heading into service. He was also scrambling to plate his dishes as time expired.
Dishes
Gregory: Salmon in tom kha broth with roasted tomatoes, crispy chicken skin, and crispy salmon skin
Melissa: Seared duck breast with farro, walnut miso, and pickled cherries
George: Charred octopus, yellow split pea puree, green apple, and harissa
(I have been waiting all season to reference the Great Pea Puree Scandal from “Top Chef’’ Season 7. Here it is, in all its glory.)
Mei: Duck curry with vadouvan and yuzu yogurt
Padma and Michael Brenner loved Gregory’s dish, but Tom still didn’t see what made it innovative. Melissa, possibly worried that her dish didn’t push the envelope, admitted to the judges that she was not into molecular gastronomy. Dufresne didn’t seem to buy that, commenting that he didn’t think she stepped out of her comfort zone. Richard Blais disagreed, saying that Melissa’s dish was the best composed and the most innovative of the group.
Dufresne liked George’s dish but Tom was adamant that the flavors were off and that the octopus was over-charred. George didn’t take the criticism very well and developed a serious case of flop sweat. Mei’s dish brought out the most interesting reaction from judges. Tom said he wasn’t sure about the dish and didn’t know how to describe it, but the other judges thought that was actually a good thing. Dufresne loved the broth, and Tom thought the flavors actually changed as he ate more. Richard Blais and Gail Simmons also loved Mei’s dish.
Judge’s Table
The big question going into Judge’s Table was: Does good execution trump creativity? In a repeat of last week, the top two dishes were from Mei and Melissa. Instead of doing things that had never been done before, the two chefs decided to put combine flavors they normally wouldn’t think to put together. At this stage, execution is everything, and they both nailed their dishes. Dufresne had the final word, and the best example of both innovation and execution belonged to Melissa. The win marked two straight and earned her $10,000. Since Melissa earned a Golden Ticket last week, Mei became the second contestant to make it to the finals.
George and Gregory served the least favorite dishes, and one of them was going to be eliminated. Tom couldn’t get past that George’s octopus was too charred, while Gail thought the dish had elements it didn’t need. Dufresne thought Gregory played it too safe, but Tom spoke up for Gregory’s execution and flavors. If you haven’t caught on yet, execution was important in this challenge, and George was eliminated for his octopus dish.
As we enter the final three episodes, Melissa, Mei, and Gregory have reached the finals, and George heads to Mexico to face Doug in one final Last Chance Kitchen.
“Top Chef’’ Boston Cheat Sheet
Who Should’ve Won
I think the judges divvied up this one pretty well. Once again bucking my expectations, Melissa came up with the best dish this week. But because she already has a Golden Ticket to the finals, the judges did the right thing in giving her the $10,000 prize but handing Mei the second ticket to the finals. The two contestants have become close over the course of the season and helped each other out in the kitchen this week, so it’s apropos were the first two to make the finals.
Who Should’ve Been Eliminated
I admittedly liked George from the very beginning, so I disagreed with the judges on this call. Gregory’s dish lacked the imagination the judges asked for in this challenge and, while George’s execution fell short, at least he swung for the fences. When you’re cooking for Wylie Dufresne, you don’t play it safe, and that’s exactly what Gregory did. It will be very interesting to see if George can win his way back onto the show for the second time this season.
Boston Eye Candy
The Zakim Bridge, Bunker Hill Monument, Copley Square, Marshall Street near the Green Dragon Tavern
Insider Info
Although it looked like the judges and guests were having dinner at Catalyst during the Elimination Challenge, all of the guests actually arrived in the morning. The production staff covered the windows to make it seem like a nighttime shoot. The producers also turned the Catalyst private dining rooms into editing bays and dressing rooms for the shoot.
Although not all of them were visible during the episode, there were several notable names from the Boston restaurant scene on hand for the Elimination Challenge, including Joanne Chang, Jodi Adams, Jasper White, Jason Bond, Louis DiBiccari, and Jacki Morisi. Also, since the episode’s theme was “food and innovation’’, there were also local scientists on hand for the dinner, including a Nobel Peace Prize winner.
Weekly 45-Second Interlude During Commercial Break
This week the focus was on Mei not being an overly emotional person. Gregory made fun of her for barely reacting after any of her wins, and Mei copped to periodically displaying a “chronic bitch face.’’
This Week’s Lesson
Thomas Dolby — “She Blinded Me With Science’’
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