Top Chef: Set Sail
June 13, 2024 3:53 PM - Season 21, Episode 13 - Subscribe
The final four chefs arrive in Curaçao for their last Quickfire Challenge and must create a dish highlighting fish and cheese to impress Kristen, Tom, Gail and local guest judge Helim Smeulders. The chefs then set sail on Holland America Line’s Eurodam where they enjoy a meal prepared by chef and Fresh Fish Ambassador Morimoto. For the Elimination Challenge, the chefs are tasked with showcasing different preparation styles of fish. “Top Chef” alum Ed Lee joins Kristen, Tom and Gail at the judges’ table.
It's the final three I wanted, so I'm happy with that.
But, yeah, I think this is the worst I've ever seen the final 4 do. At least the worst in a long, long time. It's been a problem all season, and much the same happened last week, where we also saw a bunch of mediocre dishes.
I thought this was perhaps some kind of stamina issue, as a whole bunch chefs did really, really well, only to fall off. Hell, Manny, of all people, cooked GREAT the very first episode, and then was anywhere from 'fine' to 'bad' the rest of the time.
But, no, same thing this week. Savannah has been absolutely killing it since the Frank Lloyd Wright challenge, but then she comes back after six weeks off, serves two clunkers, and nearly goes home.
I really don't get it. I love this show, and there's been some terrific challenges and good drama this season. But the Chef's all seem wildly inconsistent. One of the least enjoyable seasons in a long, long, time.
Oh, and can we PLEASE retire the new QuickFire rule? In the end it only mattered for THREE episodes, and actual rule seemed to change each time! A total misfire.
posted by Frayed Knot at 1:08 PM on June 14
But, yeah, I think this is the worst I've ever seen the final 4 do. At least the worst in a long, long time. It's been a problem all season, and much the same happened last week, where we also saw a bunch of mediocre dishes.
I thought this was perhaps some kind of stamina issue, as a whole bunch chefs did really, really well, only to fall off. Hell, Manny, of all people, cooked GREAT the very first episode, and then was anywhere from 'fine' to 'bad' the rest of the time.
But, no, same thing this week. Savannah has been absolutely killing it since the Frank Lloyd Wright challenge, but then she comes back after six weeks off, serves two clunkers, and nearly goes home.
I really don't get it. I love this show, and there's been some terrific challenges and good drama this season. But the Chef's all seem wildly inconsistent. One of the least enjoyable seasons in a long, long, time.
Oh, and can we PLEASE retire the new QuickFire rule? In the end it only mattered for THREE episodes, and actual rule seemed to change each time! A total misfire.
posted by Frayed Knot at 1:08 PM on June 14
I think six weeks outside the constant-performance bubble showed on all of them.
When I think of Top Chef bringing Morimoto in to meet the chefs, I never expected it would be on a cruise ship. I usually love this part when the chefs are exposed to the finest of some unique place, but a cruise ship is just depressing.
posted by gladly at 3:16 PM on June 14
When I think of Top Chef bringing Morimoto in to meet the chefs, I never expected it would be on a cruise ship. I usually love this part when the chefs are exposed to the finest of some unique place, but a cruise ship is just depressing.
posted by gladly at 3:16 PM on June 14
I watch this show with commercials - usually muting the commercials - and I was noting the presence of cruise ship commercials with Chef Morimoto in them. Then I saw the preview for this episode and as soon as they said it would be on a cruise ship, the lightbulb went on. Quite the product placement.
posted by expialidocious at 4:27 PM on June 14 [1 favorite]
posted by expialidocious at 4:27 PM on June 14 [1 favorite]
Man so disappointing that they set it in a cruise ship. What a gross industry to champion now. I really expected then to crush this challenge to, and they didn't. It's tough, I think maybe Danny is the favorite?
posted by Carillon at 5:31 PM on June 14 [1 favorite]
posted by Carillon at 5:31 PM on June 14 [1 favorite]
Yes the appearance of that cruise ship as they were getting ready to board, that's the stuff of nightmares for me. Literally used to have nightmares about boats like that as a kid. And now, I hate seeing them around; they're just gross. I guess I just woke up to how commercial this show is.
That seems so funny the way they all kind of clutched. Dirty banana leaves, really? I'm disappointed Laura is gone despite some of her weirdness; I think her food would have been interesting. But all the others have had big high points too, so hopefully the finale will be better.
posted by BibiRose at 7:34 AM on June 15
That seems so funny the way they all kind of clutched. Dirty banana leaves, really? I'm disappointed Laura is gone despite some of her weirdness; I think her food would have been interesting. But all the others have had big high points too, so hopefully the finale will be better.
posted by BibiRose at 7:34 AM on June 15
This episode seemed exceptionally heavy-handed in lampshading problems. When Laura was talking about cleaning the banana leaves while cooking, it was obvious she was going to get hammered for it.
It was pretty funny how they hung Dan out to dry with all his comments about how he thought his first dish had gone well, and he thought Tom cleaned his plate, and then he just got walloped during judging.
posted by jimw at 10:56 AM on June 15 [1 favorite]
It was pretty funny how they hung Dan out to dry with all his comments about how he thought his first dish had gone well, and he thought Tom cleaned his plate, and then he just got walloped during judging.
posted by jimw at 10:56 AM on June 15 [1 favorite]
Why do they torment these chefs with fish so much! It seems like nobody can cook it to the judge's satisfaction. (Although, I thought marine fish was supposed to be cooked "rare"). On the other hand, why aren't they using instant read thermometers to ensure their fish is cooked.
posted by dis_integration at 8:02 AM on June 17
posted by dis_integration at 8:02 AM on June 17
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posted by Spike Glee at 6:33 AM on June 14