The Hung and Casey Show (Top Chef 3; Episode 12)

Dear friends, for some strange reason, blogger was being a little bitch. I was unable to post anything for two days. It was horrible. Anyway, here's my TC recap.

I don’t know where to start. I could start by stating the obvious: this episode was a huge success. And thank goodness for that. Finally, the suits at Bravo got it right. Now, that doesn’t mean I’ve forgiven Bravo for taking a great idea and turning into crap (yes, I’m talking about Top Design). I’m starting to think that Bravo is just throwing reality shows at us left and right, hoping that a few will be hits. Well, Ms. Place and I have had enough. Seriously, the process seems so random. Shows about hair stylists and a psychotic house flipper turn out to be wonderful. Who knew? Oh, but then Bravo took Top Design and our beloved Tim Gunn into the realm of mediocrity. Are you even trying? Yes, you have loyal viewers, but we can only take so much.



In this episode of Top Chef, the cheftestants finally got to visit New York City, but the good times would soon be over. The quickfire challenge took place at Le Cirque. The chefs had to recreate one of the restaurant’s signature plates, a halibut dish. The owner, Sirio Maccioni, and Padma declared Hung the winner, but Sirio had other things in mind (i.e., Casey). Yes, Sirio is living proof that the elderly are not asexual beings. They want some lovin’ just like the younger members of society. Anyway, Padma and Sirio acknowledged that Casey had done an exceptional job.



The elimination challenge took place at another location—the French Culinary Institute. Seriously, when they announced that, I almost fell off my chair. I was so used to ghetto top chef. You know what I’m talking about, the lame guests (e.g.., Madonna’s brother) and boring locations. This time, Bravo relied on the best resource any foodie and restaurateur cannot do without—culinary experts and educators. The professors at the FCI have passed on their precious knowledge to generations of chefs. The participation of these fine folks lifted the show to a whole new level. Please, Bravo, we want more episodes like this. In fact, if you spend less time trying to manufacture drama and more time incorporating talented culinary experts, you may be able to save this struggling show.



For the elimination challenge, the chefs had to create a dish using three key ingredients—chicken, potatoes, and onions. Casey impressed the judges with her Coq a Vin. However, Tom pointed out that she mislabeled her dish, and he wasn’t very happy about that. Brian made a dish that didn’t look very appetizing, but it was a hit with the judges. They all agreed that it was very tasty. Ok, let’s get back to Casey. I almost gave up on the lovely Texan after several disappointing performances. Then, she turned things around by winning two elimination challenges in a row. Now, I love Casey, but I can’t explain how she could go from clueless to flawless in such a short period of time. My first hypothesis is that the producers injected poor Casey with a low does of some sort of anesthetic, causing her to act disoriented at times during the first half of the season. Alternatively, the producers could have asked Casey to deliver a sub-par performance early on and save the best for last. Seriously, her unbelievable comeback is too good to be true. I smell a rat.



Anyway, there’s no question that Hung stole the show. In fact, this felt a lot like one of the earliest elimination challenges, where Hung impressed Anthony Bourdain. I’m rooting for Hung; there’s no question he’s the chef to beat. However, I must point out that Hung’s confidence level is reaching dangerous levels. He’s like a hyper little rooster that fails to consider its own mortality. Yes, a rooster may be king of the hen house, but it can easily be slaughtered by a farmer who’s trying to make the perfect Coq a Vin.



Now, let’s talk about Dale and Sara. Both showed an inability to work well under pressure. Dale made it to the next round only because Sara was the bigger failure. It’s a shame Sara didn’t make it to the final. Her performance during the Second Helpings episode was unforgettable. I’m sure she’s moved on to bigger and better things.