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“I don’t think Mexican and fine dining go together so he can go screw himself.”
With those words Erik Hopfinger resigned himself to his fate last week on Top Chef Chicago. The comments from the burly, bald, and tattooed chef from San Francisco regarding Rick Bayless' life's work set the tone for Hopfinger's ouster. Truth be told, there were moments watching Erik's short stay on the program where it seemed that he might be settling into a groove for a long run on "TC." Ultimately it seems as though he's maximized his cooking skills about as much as he can while showing to have a myopic view toward bettering himself, as evidenced by his disparaging of Bayless' Frontera empire as nothing more than smoke and mirrors.
It's a shame, really. Hopfinger was the everyman type, and who doesn't like the everyman? Especially one who's stated objective if he won Top Chef Chicago was to open a shack in Hawaii with the winnings? You're just gonna have to do it without them now.
There's also a new number one atop the power rankings this week, and it shouldn't come as a surprise that it's Stephanie Izard. Winning two of the three elimination challenges does that. The fruit cobbler with the wonton was a stroke of genius that probably had Dale ("I incorporate Asian influences into everything I do.") wishing he'd have thought of it first. It looks as though Stephanie's only going to become more comfortable as the season progresses. She keeps coming on strong in the elimination challenges, she'll be the front-runner. Here are the rest of the power rankings.
2. Richard (last week - 1): Ras al Ghul set aside the ras al hanout this week and earned a place on the Topobolampo menu with his winning quickfire challenge entry, although Abbott Laboratories couldn't have saved his paella.
3. Dale (last week - 2): Sooner or later he's about to explode on someone, probably sooner if he winds up on the losing end of elimination challenges week after week.
4. Mark (last week - 3): Called upon the power of Middle Earth to whip up an amazing looking inside-out cookie that just screamed for a gallon of milk.
5. Antonia (last week - 7): Keeps it steady as she goes, could quietly go far in the competition.
6. Jennifer (last week - 8): Had one of the better menu items in her team's losing elimination challenge menu, which is equivalent to getting a ribbon for participation in a race. Slowly preparing for her girlfriend's ouster.
7. Manuel (last week - 13): The quickfire challenge played to his strengths, as an unusually lucid Padma Lakshmi noted. This week was his best moment in the competition.
8. Spike (last week - 5): It takes a lot to keep up with Andrew in the "crazy" department, but Spike has what it takes. He also showed a slightly devious side last week. Watch out for the man whose parents christened "Evangelos."
9. Andrew (last week - 6): Start the odds at 2-1 right now that when he is eventually eliminated, he'll have to be restrained from choking out Tom Colicchio and whoever the guest judge might be.
10. Nikki (last week - 10): Mac and cheese with Velveeta? Velveeta?
11. Lisa (last week - 14): The jaws are the strongest muscles in the human body, but even Bayless' had a hard time working through her tacos tartare.
12. Ryan (last week - 12): From wrapping his taco in paper to his take on a Waldorf salad, Ryan fell back down a peg or two this week.
13. Zoi (last week - 9): She and Jennifer have been contemplating the moment they would go head-to-head. They might not get a chance.
14. Erik (last week -12): The silence in the background is Rick Bayless not giving a damn what Erik thinks about the combination of Mexican cuisine and fine dining.
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I tee'd off on Erik in the other thread, but fuck that guy.
And Manuel should be higher. I get the feeling he'll be in the final four.
He was very sloppy and unprofessional, those two characteristics are not the formula for a top chef. There are many great chefs in Chicago that would never hire him to work in his kitchen just because of the tatoo on his neck.
Now i am not saying you are a bad person if you have a tatoo on your neck, but it says a lot about you as a person, such as his lack of taste.
I think a tattoo on the neck says "I never want to be taken seriously, ever."
Unless you're a Maori chieftain. Then, it's all good.
@plumbum82
"I think a tattoo on the neck says "I never want to be taken seriously, ever."
Unless you're a Maori chieftain. Then, it's all good."
ROTFLMMFAO...that made my day.
Or, maybe, if you're Kat Von D...of course, it's just really difficult to take her seriously...ever.
And, if Stephanie Izard DOES win, will she ever re-open Scylla....pleeeeeease!!!!!
Manuel is too under-the-radar to make it to the final four. He doesn't wow anyone with his cooking, and (because of the wonders of television editing) he has no personality. He might make top eight, but not top four.
I'm not going to underestimate a Mexican in a kitchen, ever.
i had the tour at Alinea last night. and i like mac and cheese with velveeta. so there.
Just look at that picture up there...
Crooked hat. Sweatbands (For a photo op? You ARE a badass, good sir!). Mean ass "Fred Durst" scowl.
Why, he can't even be bothered to have the white properly filtered out from his picture using Photoshop.
What a douche!
Not only that, but he's like 38. It's like he's trying to be Guy Fieri but life has passed him by.
I have two words:
Nacho. Soufflé.
My favorite quote of the episode: "I don't think you knew how to use that Velveeta." Hah!
Erik wasn't an everyman... Erik was a tool. And a tool who couldn't cook... no way would an everyman screw up a corn dog. Good riddance.