So, last night I got the chance to catch up on Top Chef: All Stars.

Last week? My fan fave Fabio revealed that, back at home, he has a pet tortoise. Which he walks using a chihuahua leash! We get film clip package and everything. If I didn’t already heart him for pure entertainment value, this would have put me over. Even better? After joking when it was announced that they’d be cooking Asian food that “if you wanted me to pack up and leave, you could just tell me” (Asian, definitely not in his Italian wheelhouse) he ends up in the Top 3. Fun week for the asides (love Carla’s comments on “Daddy” aka Tom having to come back to kitchen to check up on the kids…) but not so much for the actual challenge. In fact, I think this was the poorest overall performances by chefs in a challenge to date.

Which was why I was happy to see that this week’s episode was all about happy chefs fishing trips and yummy beach party fish fries. Definitely a more engaging vibe and I enjoyed the upbeat change of mood. What I didn’t enjoy? Being reminded, repeatedly, that Marcel is a douche. Not that we didn’t know this, but wow, M. I thought it was kind of hilarious when he’s drunken raging against Dale, essentially for winning the previous week’s elimination challenge, and part of his rant was something like “if you can’t handle it, don’t whine about it…” And I was like, um, Marcel…so kinda like what you’re doing RIGHT NOW? Whiny McWhinerton?

Then when Carla wins the challenge and an amazing trip to Amsterdam she pops back into the room super excited about her win, because, duh, Amsterdam!! and sure, maybe it could have been tempered a bit, she’s always so pleasantly surprised when she wins and I think that and the trip just put her over the moon. So, of course, Marcel has to be the ass in the room and comment that he hopes she’ll forgive him for not congratulating her given that means he’s on the bottom two teams. Shut up, Marcel. And, naturally, Carla is immediately subdued and worried that she shouldn’t have celebrated. Celebrate, Carla! Do an end zone dance, right in Marcel’s face, and enjoy it! You won. He didn’t. It’s how it works.

In the end, Marcel, Richard (who, honestly Richard, enough with trying to be ghetto street with that punk hairstyle. It’s like watching Opie trying to be all ‘hood. Epic. Fail.) and Fabio escape elimination, and they send whiny pain in the ass Jaime home (thank you, judging panel!! About time!) and, unfortunately, Tiffani. I got the elim there, but wish, of course, that it had been Marcel instead.

Oh, and Jaime? You of the skip a challenge and hide under the table during another challenge and I can’t cook if it’s not a scallop or a soup have the nerve to say you think that three chefs teaming up on one dish is sort of a cop out? Well then…I guess you’d know all about that, then, right? Wow. I was happy to see the montage of the other chefs mentioning her bratty behavior as well. At least it wasn’t just me who felt that way. Buh bye now.

Also what else did I like to see? Tre. Fishing. Man’s gotta flex some muscle to do that and that man? Mmm, he’s got some muscles. And, my romance writer heart did flutter a bit when he talked about missing his wife, because that meant he didn’t have his best friend by his side, sharing the experience.

Tre, honey….you’re Top Chef in my book.

Ahhh. So, what did you think? Did you think Antonia owed her teammates some constructive criticism? Did you think she even realized there were problems with their dishes? Did you agree on sending Tiffani home? Are you loving Carla and Fabio as much as I am? I’m missing seeing more of the remaining Tiffany. Hope she gets more screen time now that we’re down to ten chefs.

Oh, and if you haven’t entered either of my contests this week (there are two, you ask? Yes, two!) then skip down to Monday’s blog post to find out how to enter this week’s Free Stuff Friday contest and win a free book from my website bookshelf — today is the last day to enter, winner announced in tomorrow’s blog post!

Then pop on over to Cakes by the Cup Blog and leave a comment on this week’s Cupcake Adventure post and be in the running to win a copy of The Bakers Field Guide to Cupcakes, by Dede Wilson, the cookbook I used to make this week’s delicious pound cake cupcakes with fudge frosting! Winner announced when the next Cupcake Adventure is posted next week.

Good luck! Then come back here and DISH!!

Tags: Writing //