Previously on Top Chef: Texas, the chefs are surprised to see someone walk back on from winning Last Chance Kitchen. BUT WHO WAS IT? Beverly, of course, she had the most compelling story, and Heather HATED it. That’s reason enough for me.
Ed and Sarah had bet a pack of cigarettes and a banana about who will come back — Sarah hates Beverly still, what A SURPRISE! But when Bev shows up, Ed is happy, he can taste that banana. Sarah is just mad, and Lindsay is pretending to be happy (I think she’d doesn’t care one way or the other). The Quickfire was crazy this week — a blindfolded cooking challenge (just to get the ingredients; I suppose cooking itself might be just a tad dangerous otherwise), with the prize either a new car or immunity from elimination. So it’s either feeling safe or feeling pride. Paul claims he’d take the car, and I believe him. A twist on the challenge was that they need to use all the ingredients they find: problems being with Ed’s accidental pork casing and Lindsay’s accidental mascarpone.
But Sarah wins with her corn soup with peaches, and she takes … the immunity! I don’t think it’s fair to give immunity this late in the game, honestly. And then the conchefstants are shocked, SHOCKED, I say, to see their cooking mentors show up. Now it’s not just Sarah bursting into tears at the sight of them. Lindsay’s mentor is Michelle Bernstein … well, it’s not like she didn’t mention that a thousand times this season. Paul is probably the most emotional, choking up over seeing Tyson Cole, with Sarah’s puckered face and wet eyes a close second.
Of course, the Elimination Challenge is to make their mentors proud with a perfect dish. So no pressure, right guys? But Sarah doesn’t have to do squat, she just spends the night having fun with her mentor. Unfair! During the cooking, Lindsay mentions that she’s cooking for Michelle Bernstein, like her normal job. Haven’t heard that before. And then she says she’ll get fired if she doesn’t do well — incentive! We see some background story from Paul, talking to his girlfriend. That sort of thing is either a good sign or a bad sign. Which one is it?
It’s good! Paul’s Chilled Sunchoke and Dashi Soup with Summer Vegetables wins, with Beverly’s wok-based Gulf Shrimp and BBQ Pork with Singapore Noodles coming in second. But unfortunately Linsday and Ed are in the bottom two this week, and Ed’s usage of canned oysters is his downfall, so he’s out of the running. Which means our finals next week will be Beverly, Lindsay, Paul, and Sarah, taking place in Top Chef: Not Texas for the Finale, as per usual. See you there! (I’m still rooting for Paul, but I’ll be happy if Sarah doesn’t win.)
Clacked by Jeremy Fogelman 
on Feb 09, 2012 @ 09:31 EST5EDT
Richard Blais tweeted last night that he thought it was a gusty move to have the finale on Hoth. That made me chuckle (taun-taun steaks!).
I seem to recall from a previous Top Chef season a similar late-season situation where the winning Chef chose immunity over a valued prize – and that Chef was vilified by his/her competitors for not having self-confidence (and who subsequently lost in the Finale.) Sarah seems to have escaped the scorn for her cowardice. I hope she and Lindsay both lose the title to either Paul or Beverly.
I really hope Beverly or Paul win this season or it might go down as one of the “wtf” seasons along w/ the one Hosea (or something like that) won. It was sad to see Ed go.
Was nice to see Paul do something different from his usual dishes, shows he can do different things well (without Greyson now Top Chef is more like Top Fish). I think he deserved the win.