I've recently gotten into Top Chef, and I blame you Rea. Ok, I blame Cat, Jess, and Anthony Bourdain as well, but you were the one who said "Lets Watch Top Chef" while we were flipping through the channels after Ghost Hunters. So I'm blaming you :p

The reason I'm mentioning it is because I just finished watching this week's episode, and I have to vent about it a bit. The challenge was that they went to Second City theater. During the show, the cast (for lack of a better term) asked the audience for different things, including colors, moods, and foods. At the end they came out and revealed that the chefs had to make dishes based on what was mentioned during the show. Two of the chefs, Dale and Richard, seemed to really enjoy the theme, and every time I have seen them cook they seem to be coming up with new things as they go. As someone who uses a "Junk Yard" style of cooking, making it up as you go, I can appreciate that. Others didn't do as well. In the end, Dale (who had immunity) Richard, and Spike were still around (Spike always seems to be wearing a Tilby, and as a fan of that particular piece of head wear, I can't help but cheer for him.)

The part I had problems with were the people up for elimination. First was the team of Jennifer and Stephanie. Their theme was Orange Turned On Asparagus. The other team was Antonia and Lisa, who's theme was Magenta Drunk Polish Sausage. According to the judges the Asparagus dish had too much cheese and the bread they used either should have been left out or at least not toasted. They like d the other dish, but there was a problem. Their dish was grilled sword fish over Chorizo something purple (didn't catch what it was. and it's not Magenta, but close, and I'm sure the judges were fine with that) and a Tequila sauce. The judges liked it, but commented on not doing much with the drunk part of their theme and not using Polish Sausage. They started debating over which would be eliminated, the weaker dish, to the one that didn't follow the theme. Of the two, which team do you think had a person eliminated?

I'll give you a bit to decide.

Got your answer? Bet it's wrong.

Jennifer got eliminated.

That is why I feel the need to vent. Jennifer and Stephanie at least tried, and thought they had a good dish, and they apologized when they went in for the elimination, saying they would try harder next time (if there was one). Antonia and Lisa didn't even follow the rules. Lisa even said that she didn't like Polish Sausage and would never serve it (again, when she was in for elimination.)

Did they have the better dish in what is essentially a cooking contest? Yes. but since they had to follow a specific theme, the basically didn't make the dish that the customer (in this case the judges) wanted. As a chef you have to make stuff you might not like some times. I have done that plenty of times in the deli and the bakery. I might not like it, but I still followed the same rules I have followed since I started, make it the product you would buy, in sizes you would give yourself. Even if I don't like something, I still follow that as best i can.

If someone had ordered that dish at a restaurant, either A.) they would send it back, B.) they would complain, or C.) they wouldn't order it again, and maybe wouldn't even go to the restaurant again.

Antonia or Lisa should have been eliminated. I'm not saying this because I can't stand Lisa, but because it's true. I just can't wait till she is gone.