Top Chef: Blind Ambitions

June 11, 2021 8:41 AM - Season 18, Episode 11

This week’s Quickfire Challenge takes inspiration from "Top Chef" France’s infamous Black Box challenge. In teams of two, the chefs each take a turn entering the box where they blindly taste a dish created by guest judge Gabriel Rucker and then must try to recreate it. During a night off, the chefs are surprised by guest judges Kristen Kish and Brooke Williamson arrive with care packages from their families. However, in true “Top Chef” fashion, there’s a twist and they must use the ingredients from their care packages to make their dish for the Elimination Challenge.

description via bravotv.com

posted by everybody had matching towels (6 comments total)

Man that ending. I wasn't expecting Maria to go home but it makes sense, both of the bottom two seemed to have the 'worst' baskets for cooking a meal from, and they were certainly the least inspired by what they found. Not apples to apples, but it reminded me a bit of Amar getting shafted with his 'mentor' pick.
posted by Carillon at 1:17 PM on June 11, 2021

It's nice to see the supportiveness amongst contestants holding up as the end approaches, but boy that was awkward.
posted by praemunire at 1:33 PM on June 11, 2021 [2 favorites]

100% agreed on making for awkward TV way more than sweet, though it was a nice gesture. Par for the course from Jamie on both counts, but like, you really expect Maria staying because of an act of charity not to play into her impostor syndrome that she's thankfully been shedding over the course of the season?

I just realized that this is by FAR the least non-Hispanic white final group. All of the top 7, everyone since Sara. I believe the only finale (top 2 or 3) with all POC chefs was S12 with Mei and Gregory.

Other than Gabe (and even then apparently entirely because of non-show stuff) the lineup have been great to watch. With that one exception, I'd be happy to see any of them win, though I'm hoping for a Shota-Dawn final two.
posted by supercres at 2:08 PM on June 11, 2021 [1 favorite]

Dawn has been the silent assassin! When she struggled so much with time constraints at the beginning, I thought she wasn't long for the show. But she's really come along.
posted by praemunire at 7:36 PM on June 11, 2021 [1 favorite]

Maria was my favourite from Episode 1, so I was really sad to see her go. But the top 3 chefs' food was really head and shoulders above Maria's and Jamie's in terms of imagination, sophistication and execution.

I, too, would love to see Dawn and Shota in the finale, but Gabe seems unstoppable from where I'm watching in the cheap seats.
posted by essexjan at 12:32 PM on June 12, 2021 [1 favorite]

It was kind of touching and kind of hilarious how emotional Kristen and Brooke were! I didn't remember getting an "I don't deserve to be here" vibe from Kristen so it was interesting to hear her view of her experience.
posted by Emmy Rae at 6:17 PM on June 13, 2021