Top Chef: You're So Fresh

April 10, 2020 8:39 AM - Season 17, Episode 4

Kelly Clarkson drops by.

Product placement city--always one of the funniest bits of the reality shows is watching the contestants try to work up enthusiasm for the placed product (the recent Cats episode of Project Runway was a beautiful example). But the elimination challenge was wholesome.

(Googling for the episode description reminded me that Ep 4 of Season 1 featured the infamous Convenience Store Challenge. Ou sont les Cheetos d'antan?)

posted by praemunire (7 comments total)

I liked focusing on vegetables, I thought that was a fun challenge, and some most of those dishes looked amazing.
posted by Carillon at 9:35 PM on April 10, 2020

How the other chefs haven't succumbed to the temptation to punch Brian Malarkey in the face I do not know.
posted by essexjan at 8:43 AM on April 11, 2020 [4 favorites]

I think LeeAnn was pretty close to punching him at judges table. Does anyone recall his original season? When he first appeared on screen in this season, my thought was "oh that asshole, gross" but it's unconnected to any actual memory.

Also, wrong chef went home this episode. Mozz and tomatoes? That's desperation fridge almost empty lunch around here.
posted by donnagirl at 9:41 AM on April 11, 2020 [1 favorite]

I miss the way the judging used to work, with everyone in the stew room, Padma coming in to call three chefs out (or two teams, or whatever the combination was that particular week) and the others not knowing if they were in the top or the bottom. We'd get to see a lot more of the chefs' true characters in those few minutes than in the rest of the episode.
posted by essexjan at 1:17 PM on April 11, 2020 [3 favorites]

If I were a judge on top chef and someone served me hummus, or fried Brussels, or tomato and mozzarella, they had better be the best I've ever had. Those are things served in 80% of Austin restaurants so I feel like I've had every possible rendition. The creativity just wasn't there, and it sounds like the execution wasn't either.
posted by tofu_crouton at 9:20 AM on April 12, 2020 [2 favorites]

My sister pointed this out: they are all so excited about the all-vegetable challenge, they won't even miss meat... yet they could cook vegetarian dishes at any time. You just have to be really good at it to win against meat.

Got really tired of all the food being described as clean. That word makes me uncomfortable regarding food.

I REALLY want to try butternut & plantain soup. Gregory does stuff that seems like it would be gimmicky or a bit outrageous if a chef did it. Then he does it and it is amazing.

Nini is one of my favorites - I loved her total confidence about making dessert. And it seemed well deserved!
posted by Emmy Rae at 10:24 AM on April 12, 2020 [2 favorites]

Lee-Anne has really struggled so far this season, which is too bad--I've always liked her.
posted by praemunire at 12:01 PM on April 13, 2020 [1 favorite]