Top Chef Recap: Episode One
Episode 1 Recap: Vinny’s Apple, Anya’s Cabbage, Bailey’s Risotto.
I write these for a Top Chef fantasy league my wife Anna and I serve as co-commissioners. This was written for the participants, so IGNORE any mention of points. INSANE SPOILERS BELOW!
One episode down and we learned quite a lot about this field of chefs. We learned even more about the world around us. And I learned a lot about Anna who hates one competitor more than I think is appropriate but hey that’s why we love her.
We meet our chef heroes early and get that great part of the show where they film themselves awkwardly heading off to Canada. Chef Shuai and his s.o. kissed, so that got me pretty fired up, and I’d be shocked if I was the only one.
Anyways, the kitchen looks great, loved that Delta returned as the airline partner, and happy to see Wells Fargo as the bank of choice. I personally have never banked with Wells Fargo, but if this Top Chef season goes well, I think that could change.
There’s a fun moment where Tom remarks on his denim jacket. He says, “This is one tuxedo I can rock” (referencing a ‘Canadian Tuxedo’ which is all denim). Then Chef Kat Turner comes in and slams it home by adding, “you’ve got rizz.” Does this early chemistry between Kat and Tom spell good things to come for the LA chef? I know I’m going to be keeping a close eye on them, who knows what kind of shorthand they’ll have in a few weeks.
These recaps won’t be brief I guess? Folks there’s some big personalities in this kitchen. And none seem bigger than Quebecois Chef Massimo. When it comes to confidence, MASSIMO certainly doesn’t need MAS (that’s Spanish, which is spoken by 5% of the population in Quebec).
Let’s get to the QUICKFIRE - A team challenge! Six ingredients, three picked by the chefs, three picked by the judges.
First we gotta talk about Chef Vinny and the apple. So on the red team, Vinny gets obsessed with this idea of serving soup in an apple. A granny smith no less. His team hates the idea, hates him, hates the apple itself. He’s a goober if he doesn’t pull it off. But he does pull it off. What a wildman. Chills.
Then there’s the blue team of Chefs Anya, Bailey and Zubair. Who knows what they made, it doesn't matter, what matters is Anya made some gorgeous cabbage. But at the presentation to the judges Bailey walks up and starts going on and on about her Italian background of cooking, then talks about Zubair and his southeast asian background. Then she SNUBS Anya in her description of the dish. This is when my wife Anna screamed at the TV and called Bailey “a straight up bitch” and then Bailey didn't mention Anya’s cabbage!!! Bailey honestly looked like she felt bad afterwards but Anna Seidler didn’t care by then. Her mind was made up and Anna might hit Bailey with her car (Volvo XC60 Plug in Hybrid) if she sees her.
The yellow team won. That’s Katianna, Mimi, and Cesar. I don’t remember what they made.
Next up is the elimination challenge. Chefs have to pick a region of Canada and cook dishes that feature common ingredients of that region. It’s fun!
This is where we learn that Yangban chef Katianna Hong’s brother is Veep’s Reid Scott. Maybe some of y'all knew that, I didn’t! Those considering picking her for your fantasy team must be contemplating if it’s any advantage to have a sibling who has worked with Hugh Laurie, who during the fifth season of House, treated a patient who had collapsed during a cooking class.
I’m putting Chef Katianna and her brother Reid on my BRETT'S BOARD for this week.
Let’s skip ahead, Massimo broke a cutting board with chopping. Earlier he was the first to pop open the champagne. He's a man who is feeling his oats.
Now back to Bailey who if you remember from above has angered my wife like very few can. She decided to make a risotto. A RISOTTO in the first episode?! She doesn’t nail it, and the judges admit it’s not the worst they’ve had, but also not the best. If Chef Mimi didn’t serve steamed pork over instant potatoes then we’re seeing Bailey go home to a house that Anna has already snuck into and left a death threat in red lipstick on the powder bathroom mirror.
Top Dishes - Cesar, Vinny, Henry, Anya.
Bottom Dishes - Kat, Mimi.
SO if your team was -- Vinny, Cesar, Mimi, Katianna, you would be in the lead with 9 points.
Vinny (apple guy) gets the top dish for a beautiful piece of salmon, and Mimi is the worst. So Mimi is the first to be banished from the competition, and gets sent to Last Chance Kitchen.
This season has the potential to be something special. See everyone next week.