Top Chef Charleston Episode 10 – Shrimp Boats and Hat Ladies
Earlier in the season, I thought of a drinking game where viewers do a shot whenever someone said “y’all” but gave that up when I realized I would’ve gotten schnockered by the first commercial. But I have a new one.
It’s getting late in the season where the competition really intensifies. When chefs have to up their games. When any one of the remaining chefs can win it. That time of the season where one little mistake could send someone home.
So here’s the game – take a drink every time anyone says any of the sentences in the previous paragraph.
Who’s with me?
Quickfire Challenge
After a shrimp boat excursion, they chefs had to make a dish that honors the shrimp they just caught. This challenge is a Sudden Death Quickfire where the three least favorites go into a cook-off to see who goes home.
– Shirley – Garlic shrimp with charred sea bean jalapeño & Habanero
– Sheldon – Tomato water-poached roe shrimp with smoked pine, yuzu, radish, & sea beans
– Casey – red curry shrimp with coconut broth, charred tomato, grilled pineapple, cilantro & sea bean
– Sylva – Togarashi & orange-arinated shrimp with coconut broth, dill, corn & mango
– Brooke – Shrimp with clarified shrimp butter, pickled sea beans, & tomato seed vinaigrette
– John – Shrimp ceviche with fennel, peppers, jalapeno, lime & olive oil
Winner: Sheldon
Bottom: Casey (salty), Shirley (shitty), Sylva (salty)
Sudden Death Cookoff
Create a dish using the bycatch from shrimping – all the other stuff that was caught like fish, shark, squid, dolphins. (Kidding about the dolphins).
– Shirley – grilled baby squid with roasted fennel, mirin, ginger, garlic & chili broth
– Casey – charred squid with mushroom soy broth, roasted fennel, poached radish & mirin
– Sylva – redfish with tarragon butter, tomato, cabbage, fish sauce & champagne vinegar
Gone: Casey. This wasn’t a total surprise because she knew her squid was chewy.
Elimination Challenge
The guest judge was Dominique Ansel, the inventor of the cronut. They had to make brunch for a whole bunch of old white women in hats. The challenge here was that they had to create something that was a fusion of breakfast and lunch, not just one or the other.
– Shirley – beef & cheddar dumpling with bacon tomato jam
– Sylva – arctic char frittata with morel mushrooms, beet sabayon & pancetta
– Brooke – matcha & chia greek yogurt with hibiscus & strawberry broth, peanut butter crumble
– John – octopus hash & kimchi scramble with chorizo & hollandaise
– Sheldon – Waffle-pressed Korean fried chicken with seaweed butter & waffle crumble
Favorites: Sheldon, Shirley
Winner: Shirley
Bottom: – John, Brooke, Sylva
Gone: – Sylva
Random Thoughts
– Casey and the three at the bottom of the Elimination Challenge all knew that they messed up. Obviously, they didn’t “up their game” (Drink) Brooke’s didn’t sound that great and she looked like she was in jeopardy because of a lack of creativity. Very true, but Sylva’s was just all kinds of messed up execution.
– Bummed about Sylva. I liked him a lot, but it proves that any little mistake – in his case two or three – that could send someone home. (Drink)
– When they were on the shrimp boat, they showed the dolphins swimming around the boat. I really don’t have a porpoise in including that tidbit.
– Wtf is a sea bean?
– I’m not sure I agree with the Shirley’s winning. There was some creativity, but it’s really just a burger-tasting dumpling. But I would’ve murdered at least ten orders of Sheldon’s chicken and waffles.
– I really don’t like how they had a Sudden Death Quickfire so late in the season. I know it’s supposed to test them with its high pressure and quick pace. But we finally got rid of the chaff and any of the remaining chefs can win it. (Drink) So why not give them all time and opportunity to make the best possible food ?
– Classic strategy that doomed Sylva – he tried to impress Ansel instead of doing what he does best.
– Speaking of Ansel, it was so refreshing to have him call out the chefs at service for their lack of creativity. Can we get him back as a permanent judge?
minus the lady behind him giving the side eye…
– Casey was on the show long before I started watching and I really knew nothing of her. So I Googled her….. Dayummmmm –
ign.com
– In Last Chance Kitchen, Casey and Sylva went up against Jamie to create a snack – nothing sophisticated dish, just a snack. The twist was that they had to use a Hidden Valley Ranch product. All did really well – Jamie made a play on nachos, Casey did a play on chicken wings, and Sylva did a s’mores like thing with pork belly. His sounded good, but he got sent packing because the balance between cracker and pork belly was off. Pretty good episode –
http://www.bravotv.com/last-chance-kitchen/season-6/videos/lck-ep-10-snack-attack
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