Chicagoist: Top Chef Chicago Recap, Week 7

lamgray

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 17:32:29 -0600

I want Jennifer off the show so we can finally stop hearing about Zoi. . but I really feel like someone from the other team should have gone home. Of all the inprov items given to the groups...Drunken Irish Sausage was BY FAR the easiest. . .I mean, come on. . .anyone else would have LOVED to get that clue and knock it out of the park. And, to BITCH about it. . .just lame. . .the tofu guys didn't bitch (and they ROCKED it!)

celerysalt

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 16:20:34 -0600

I really need to get cable. Missing this is killing me.

JuliaPorter

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 16:11:43 -0600

Ugh, I cannot BELIEVE that Lisa/Antonia's dish wasn't the losing dish. They *completely* disregarded the challenge- and, just for the record, just because YOUR only understanding of Polish sausage involves Ekrich doesn't make it true, but way to be closed-minded. Also: Lisa? Shampoo called. it misses you so. I was disappointed to see Nikki fly under the radar because oh my GOD she needs to go home, but even more than that, I was disappointed to see Lisa and Antonia get away with that BS. I was reeeally worried Stephanie was going home.

UTV

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 15:47:07 -0600

Good lord, if I have to hear snotty Antonia and greasy Lisa for another week, I'm going to have to stop watching. I have a feeling that they think being a chef would be great, if not for all the stupid regular people who insist on judging the food. I'm waiting for the word "plebeian" to make an appearance. Perhaps I'm just upset because I love a good beer-boiled Polish.

frp

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 14:21:21 -0600

The plate is dotted with what looks like pretty little white poo-poos. Wow. Pretty. Little. White. Poo-poos. I don't think I could've have described THAT any better. I laughed so hard I got a crick in my neck now (or, maybe it's from the neck tie?).

Chuck Sudo

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 14:02:00 -0600

Dave: I don't see Antonia going anywhere. Up 'til now, she's actually been one of the stronger contestants, and fairly consistent. I wouldn't be surprised to see her in the final four. I'll be expanding on that thought in Monday's Power Rankings.

smussy

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 13:56:03 -0600

insanenewman ... yeah, that part was great. however, i thought it was TOTALLY bizarre that 1. NO ONE else mentioned it at all. there was no real reaction from anyone else that there was no major equipment. the judges never mentioned it. it was strange. now, i'm no foodie. this is the first time i've watched top chef, and only because it's in chicago. i'm more a project runway/bad VH1 show girl. but, that seemed weird. 2. they had to pack up all their crap and move it to the house ... i thought that was a dumb twist to it all. i got it. "improvisation" and all. but i just thought that was lame. so maybe not bizarre, but just dumb.

L. Stolpman

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 13:25:36 -0600

InsaneNewman - Oh, you're totally right. I hate having to exclude certain portions so I don't write a 12 page entry but that was a great part of the episode. I have to say, while they can be a bit annoying, those two really stepped up to the challenge and did not let anything frustrate them at all. Dave - I can't wait to see the Mark segment about Tom. I agree that his food is not up to the Richard/Dale/Stephanie level. Of course, I'm sure none of them stick their tasting spoon back into the food in front of the judges, either. heh.

Dave!

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 13:19:09 -0600

Antonia and Lisa both need to go... I can't stand their holier-than-thou attitudes about food. And hey, Antonia, in that kind of improv, you're supposed to *use* the audience suggestions--not ignore them you dumbass. Grrr. It was sad to see Stephanie so disappointed, but hey, at least Jennifer is gone!! I'm hoping for Lisa or Antonia next. And how about that teaser with Mark saying, "I don't think Tom likes me?" I think he's right. I don't think Tom likes him. I do, but I don't think his food is very impressive... certainly not up to Richard/Dale/Stephanie, who are my top runners.

InsaneNewman

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 13:12:24 -0600

I'm surprised that you didn't mention my favorite part of the episode - the varying reactions to the lack of electric equipment. Dale was like, "oh, shit", but Andrew and Spike were almost maniacally giddy. Hands down, the best part of the episode was watching the two of them cook their soup.

Chuck Sudo

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 12:33:53 -0600

Jennifer makes the first of the major faux hawks to be eliminated. I agree that this might have worked as a kick in the pants for Steph. Being the front runner rarely works out, and she definitely got a pass from the judges based on her overall performance in the competition thus far. Somewhere I hope that pastry chefs across the city are mercilessly laughing at Iuzzini.

L. Stolpman

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 12:30:48 -0600

Zack - Yeah, I'm not sure how long Lisa is for this world. Er, show. I have a feeling Nikki will go before her, though. Pencil - I'd never heard it so vehemently expressed as last night! "I will NOT serve Polish sausage!" like it was dirt under their fingernails. And I completely agree that they violated the rules of the improv skit and then passed it off as "improv". I think they should have been penalized and that the judges actions basically amounted to saying, "You can violate the rules and as long as the dish tastes good, we don't care." That bugs me. Ad - That would have been horribly disappointing if she'd been Treyed. When Trey was booted, though, wasn't he the leader of a team event? I was trying to remember. I'm relieved she was spared, though - surely they must have considered the fact that she was typically near the top (whereas Lisa was a steady middle-dweller). GL - heh. ZOI. ZOI. ZOI. Smussy - She really is classy. No bitching and moaning, bridging her teammates (Dale and Lisa), etc. I'm hoping she wins. tallformyheight - I agree that Antonia's and Lisa's presentation BIT it and the judges were NOT impressed that they did not also get a shot of tequila. Lisa's sort of snotty comment of "none for you!" rubbed me the wrong way, as well. frp - I agree. Both about him being a tad snooty and his website. I rolled my eyes when I saw him covered in white. groggy - You hit the nail on the head. Improv is about making good with what you've got through improvisation. Lisa and Antonia improvised with what they were given...and then did what they wanted.

groggy

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 12:11:29 -0600

OK, it's official. I LOATHE Lisa. The dirty hair, the poor presentation of her food while taking a shot of tequila without offering the judges any--it's all too much. Lisa and Antonia didn't seem to understand how improv works. Antonia got all uppity about how this was "improv" (she also mentioned "interpretation," although she was the first one to bring that up). Unfortunately, improv isn't about getting suggestions and then ditching them for something you like better. Can you imagine if Second City did that? "We need a non-geographic location!" "A DESERT!" "Great! Now, we're going to improv on your suggestion and choose an oceanside beach instead!" Um, no.

Zack

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 11:53:01 -0600

Yeah, he was a bit of a prick.

frp

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 11:40:38 -0600

Was it just me, or was Iuzzini, or Mr. "My-nakedness-is-covered-in-white-chocolate-that-really-isn't-chocolate-and-the-pic-is -on-my-website-for-all-to-see-and-please-lick-me-Ted", just a tad uber-snooty? Something about him just rubbed me the wrong way (and trust me, I liked to be rubbed in just about any way).

tallformyheight

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 11:27:55 -0600

I don't get why the contestants' presentations to the group weren't more heavily factored into the decision. After all, it was a challenge about comedy and improv. At least Stephanie and Jennifer put some effort into selling their dish and entertaining the diners. Antonia and Lisa just baffled the group by taking the tequilla shots in front of them. Oh, and by serving fish on a polish sausage challenge.

smussy

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 11:26:20 -0600

but, like in good improv, i had to give stephanie mega props because she supported her partner the whole time. during the challenge and in front of the judges. the woman is total class.

GL

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 11:07:49 -0600

I am making this post for Zoi. She is totally still going to win. She is that good. When I started typing, I just knew that this had to be about Zoi. And dammit, it was.

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 11:02:12 -0600

I was afraid they might pull a Trey on Stephanie for a moment. The problem with winning, or being in the top three, all the time is that the judges are often unmereciful when you finally screw up. This may be good for Stephanie in the end. If she kept winning and winning, I'm afraid she would have got the boot the first time she screwed up a dish. Sometimes its better to be like Dale from last season--stay middle of the pack for almost the whole show and then break out in the last four challenges.

pencil

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 10:56:23 -0600

I can't take anymore of the "I'm too good to cook with x ingredient" attitude. Lisa and Antonia both seem to have some culinary chops, but I am having a difficult time looking past their personalities. They knew they were violating the improv spirit of the challenge when they dismissed their ingredient, and admitted as much in their interviews (Antonia's air quotes when she said something like "We're using Chorizo and calling it 'improv'"). I think Stephanie got dragged down by Jennifer's poor interpretation of "turned on". I hope she bounces back next week.

Zack

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 10:22:40 -0600

Lisa must go next. I was ready for Nikki to pack her knives, but it has to be Lisa next. I demand it.