Top Chef: It's a Dry Heat

December 20, 2015 4:41 PM - Season 13, Episode 4

The chefs hang out with Jose Andres in the desert. Teams compete in a progressive meal competition. Padma goes golfing.
posted by duffell (15 comments total)

How the hell is a solar oven supposed to be a good fit for a disaster area or a low-income area if it's so dramatically susceptible to thermal shock?
posted by Small Dollar at 7:49 AM on December 21, 2015 [2 favorites]

I think we should each take a moment in the comments to acknowledge JUST HOW MUCH we will miss our favorite contestant after this week's elimination.
posted by duffell at 7:51 AM on December 21, 2015

That was largely a hot mess. Interesting to see the powerhouses really start to emerge--if Jeremy isn't in the finale I'll be shocked.

I really would like to see them dial down the EXTREME! stuff though. Give these chefs a real kitchen properly equipped and let them go to town with what they can actually do.
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 7:51 AM on December 21, 2015 [1 favorite]

on postview, duffell HA. I mentally said "Bye, Felicia."

Watch Last Chance Kitchen.
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 7:52 AM on December 21, 2015 [1 favorite]

Last Chance Kitchen discussion on Fanfare Talk
posted by duffell at 8:09 AM on December 21, 2015

Why the hell did Grayson even come back on the show? Pretty much from day one all she's done is complain about everything she's had to do. Was she this thoroughly unpleasant last time? I really don't remember her.
posted by dnash at 8:44 AM on December 21, 2015

fffm, at this point I'm betting the next elimination challenge will involve the chefs constructing their own outdoor stoves out of rocks and sand & using them to bake souffles. It'll make Phillip happy, at least.
posted by duffell at 8:57 AM on December 21, 2015

How the hell was Phillip not DQ'd for not being ready when the judges showed up?
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 9:04 AM on December 21, 2015

There was a brief shot of Phillip rinsing off the rocks with water. He's what happens when you ape Redzepi and Achatz et al without solid technical fundamentals and a basic understanding of how to serve food. If you're serving oysters, they must be fresh and cold, period. I am eagerly awaiting his comeuppance.

I strongly suspect Grayson was invited back directly by the producers to provide conflict and a redemption narrative. When Tom fucking Colicchio is trying to tell you what you did wrong, listen FFS.
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 10:06 AM on December 21, 2015

I can't help but feel that the "Tour of X" format encourages gimmicks, because they feel the need to show off the location, and just going to a restaurant in the city to cook doesn't do it.
posted by smackfu at 10:38 AM on December 21, 2015 [1 favorite]

Padma is so done with Phillip. And Tom is so done with Grayson. Watching them interact, with him still attempting politeness, is the most enjoyable part of her return.
posted by tofu_crouton at 3:10 PM on December 21, 2015 [1 favorite]

And Tom is so done with Grayson.

Well... Last Chance Kitchen might suggest otherwise.

(ugh.)
posted by dnash at 6:13 PM on December 21, 2015

This episode, oh man. Grayson's sass just made me go "Oh SNAP" a million times. I can't even IMAGINE being that sassy to someone who was evaluating my work. Oh man.

Last Chance Kitchen just made me miss Frances.
posted by chainsofreedom at 8:17 AM on December 23, 2015

And I am also SO DONE WITH PHILLIP. Ugh. Snot on a rock, who would think that was a good idea???
posted by chainsofreedom at 8:18 AM on December 23, 2015

There's one thing that makes me like Phillip quite a bit more than I thought I would: he seems to be a good competitor and good loser. He never snipes other contestants; he congratulates the winner; he's never defensive and he takes his losses in stride. Sure, he's an LA starfucker and a braggart, but he mostly seems like a decent guy in his interpersonal interactions. He wants nothing more than attention, but not by hurting others. Maybe he'll break down later on and be shitty to the others, but it doesn't really seem to me that he has a black heart, like a lot of other chefs who have been on this show.
posted by painquale at 7:35 PM on December 26, 2015 [2 favorites]