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We’re officially on the back half of the “Top Chef Wisconsin” season, and going into Episode 11 we’re down to the final five: Milwaukee Dan, Danny, Michelle, Savannah and Manny, all gathered ‘round the table. Savannah starts talking about how much she misses her dad, and whenever a chef begins discussing homesickness, or their family, it’s a reliable indicator they’re about to get sent home. (My first thought is “NOOoooo! Not Savannah!”)
But then the other chefs all chime in with their own People They Miss From Home. It’s a round-robin of homesickness, with no chef being singled out for attention, and Savannah seems safe for now. Quit toying with our emotions, Top Chef!
Back in the kitchen, Tom is whipping up a lobster stir-fry for Gail and Kristen — clearly the setup for the Quickfire challenge. It’s a scrumptious-looking dish that they devour together before the final five arrive.
Make that the final six. Laura is (unsurprisingly) back from Last Chance Kitchen to rejoin the competition. Laura’s technique, broad repertoire of cuisines, and laser focus make her a real threat — Dan thinks she’s “the scariest” of the possibilities and he’s not wrong.
The challenge is to recreate Tom’s dish based on eyeballing and smelling, but not tasting, what’s left on the plate, and the answers to a round of Twenty Questions. This is the most fun challenge of the season thus far.
Some of the questions are more helpful than others. Danny and Dan narrow the protein down (seafood) but are legitimately baffled when Manny follows with, “Is it a porridge?”
Savannah knows without asking that Tom used a wok — the smell of stir-fried ginger and garlic is “burned into her nostrils forever,” plus she notices that woks are (suddenly) available in the kitchen. The brain on this woman! Then she intentionally misdirects the other chefs by asking if the dish is “a salad, of sorts.” She ends up winning the Quickfire, with Dan and Michelle in the top three.
This week’s Elimination Challenge is a dish eaten right off the table, without plates, a la Bunky’s spaghetti on the board. Examples provided are a crawfish boil (yes please), a “grazing table” (dumb, Instagram-bait), and a dessert at Alinea (molecular gastronomy masterwork). As last week’s winner, Danny gets an extra 30 minutes to cook.
Preparation looks hectic, with countless problems popping up that could cause elimination later. Savannah’s octopus takes a looong time to cook properly, as do Dan’s beets. Michelle’s eggs don’t set in their molds. The next day, Danny has a serene solo half-hour in the kitchen, where he plots out his table with painter’s tape. He seems to be cruising for success until he burns his black rice, then spends a chunk of time picking the burnt parts out so he can use what’s left..
Danny presents first, a beautiful, painterly black rice paella with a geometric watercolor-like “frame” of black garlic, zucchini and creme fraiche purees. “No notes,” says Kristen. Next, Dan gives the judges a colorful Jackson Pollockesque beet tartare (not a typo) table with fluffy baked “puffins” (pita-muffins) to swipe through various sauces. The judges playfully put different bites together; Kristen makes a puffin sandwich and takes a Big Mac-sized chomp out of it. It’s clear Dan nailed the assignment.
Manny serves steaming squid ink risotto tableside, dabbing it among crab, scallops, shrimp and pesto. When it hits the cold tabletop, the risotto seizes up, and the judges agree that the seafood is overcooked. The Top Chef risotto curse remains unbroken.
Michelle’s brunch table causes immediate confusion. The components are crowded together in a small rectangle, with way too much empty space. The judges are expecting more to be added tableside, but nothing is forthcoming. The weird presentation is a glaring misstep, and the components — undercooked biscuits, cured salmon, pickled beets and seasoned potato chips — don’t go together, either.
Savannah serves her “dramatic” kaiseki-inspired seafood table, anchored by a heap of seaweed in which nestle oysters with Champagne gelee. The judges love her thoughtful presentation of five bites meant to be taken in order, but as predicted, the cook on her octopus is “off.”
Last of all, the runaway winner: Laura’s dessert table. In a word, it’s stunning. Three flavors of maraş (a Turkish style of ice cream with a mochi-like chewiness) alternate with swoops of vibrant sauces and fresh berries added tableside. The crowning touch is a crispy golden ring of filo for each diner to crack into pieces and scoop everything up. As soon as Laura starts placing the beautiful, flaky, buttery-light rings before the judges, her win is secure.
Manny and Michelle are on the bottom, and Michelle gets sent home. With characteristic good humor, she celebrates her top-six finish and welcomes everyone to come visit her in Houston. It’s a graceful exit for a fan favorite, and Manny continues to hang on — barely.
What’s left on the table
Savannah’s dad back home in North Carolina turns out to be a knifemaker who made her knives for Top Chef. Those knives seem to be working out great for her (except for that time last week when she stabbed herself in the hand with one and had to get stitches).
Seeing Tom Colicchio cook reminds us what a top-flight badass chef he is when he’s not showing off his hat wardrobe on this show. It’s the first time Kristen Kish has had Tom cook for her, and she’s been in the TCU (Top Chef Universe) for a while. This is clearly an honor.
This week’s table-food challenge immediately reminded of those parties where kids dump 100 orders of fries directly onto a table in a giant pile and devour them as a group. Is this still a thing? And if so, how do I get on these french fry party guest lists?
Yet another Wisconsin-free episode that takes place entirely in the Top Chef kitchen, with no place-specific dishes or ingredients. I’m beginning to despair that these chefs won’t see the light of day again this season. An out-of-state viewer could come away from watching without being aware that Wisconsin has, say, forests.
