Oh, man, we're coming down to it--Bravo's just keeps getting better and better. Watch this San Francisco-based series tonight at 10 p.m. before it's too late! Someone is walking away from this competition with a bunch of stuff, including money and a spread in Food & Wine. As usual, we're reminding you what happened last week to hype you up for tonight's episode.
This ep's quickfire challenge (no longer providing immunity to the winner, though): sammiches! This is judge Chef Tom C.'s bag, man -- he's got a well-known New York-based sandwich restaurant. In fact, the winning creation will be featured on the menu at Chef Tom's new SF 'WichCraft restaurant, opening soon at the San Francisco Center. The contestants' entries have mixed results. Props to Dave for evoking a cartoon we're fond of with his "Grape Ape sandwich." Lee Anne's egg, salami & sunchoke Sandwich almost makes Chef Tom choke, literally -- she didn't cut the greens, and he's got crap hanging out of his mouth on national (well, basic cable) TV. Tiffani's French toast toad-in-the-hole seems decadent -- perhaps too rich? Invoking Lex Luthor (a.k.a. Stephen)'s theme of not playing well with others, his brunch brioche sandwich has incompatible flavors. Chef Tom considers it inedible. Poor Miggy--sort of like the "street food" challenge a few weeks ago, a sandwich really needs to be eaten with your hands. He didn't remember this lesson and made an inverted falafel that required a fork. Chef Tom indicates his would have won hands down based on flavor. Alas. Instead, the victory goes to Harold's mortadella dandelion sandwich, which will live on as part of 'wichcraft's SF-store menu.
Onto the BIG CHALLENGE of the week -- restaurant wars! The contestants divide into two teams of three; each team will create a restaurant, including concept, theme, look, menu, etc., then bring it to life for some diners to judge. Ah, if only all conflict could be resolved through culinary battle with Jeffrey Chodorow as the guest judge.
That's right -- famous restaurateur Chodorow, no stranger to food-based reality television. He was featured as the sort-of-dick owner guy on that show with Rocco whatsisface. Looks like he's lost some weight since then. An extra-special prize: one member of the winning team will go with Chodorow to the Cannes Film Festival. Extra-predictable punishment: one member of the losing team goes home.
Top Chef
