Hands Up, Knives Down: Recent Episodes
Tamara Moore
A mother and daughter dishing out salty takes on Top Chef. Now covering season 18. Tune in every Monday to join in to Tamz and Emma in recapping each episode down to the last bite.
We are in the final four people, this is not a drill! Our remaining contestants cook up an elevated meal for the Oregon Trail traveler using realistic Oregon Trail ingredients.
For the elimination challenge, they have to copy Massimo Bottura's parmesan 5 ways, but with Tillamook cheddar! All the contestants struggle, some prevail, and we lose another talented chef.
Buckle up, this is a crazy one! We start with a popular Top Chef France challenge called the Black Box. You have to recreate a dish without seeing it, you can touch, smell, and taste a 5 star dish and then re-create it in teams. But you can't communicate with each other at all. Difficult to say the least. Then they are rewarded with letters and care packages from home. For the elimination challenge, they must use the contents of their care packages to inspire a dish. Watch until the end, because the elimination isn't so cut and dry this time.
The chefs compete in a Chipotle head to head battle in the quickfire. Deliciousness ensues. The battle only continues with the warriors sights set to tofu. The 6 chefs compete in three head to head battles in the first round, grouped by tofu firmness. The losers of those head to head battles had to continue to cook for a spot through to next week in a fried tofu second round. The two chefs that didn't win round two went to a final head to head with a soft tofu dessert. There is victory, heart break, and everything in between.
This week the chef's did a vintage quickfire with old equipment and hipster ingredients. Then they created a cookbook recipe to be cooked by the home chef in under 90 minutes, which in a Top Chef twist, ended up being done by their Top Chef Alum chef judges! Some turned out great, and some not so great...
It's the episode all Top Chefs fans wait for - RESTAURANT WARS.... COVID-19 edition. This year they do an intimate chef's table style restaurant wars where they have 24 hours to create a concept, decorate and serve all the judges who will be sitting just 10-15 feet away from the open kitchen.
It's team Kokoson against team Penny and you won't want to miss the food or the fun.
This episode the chefs have to right a failed dish using less than perfect food, like moldy cheese and soft ginger. Some of them soar and some of them unfortunately are not atoned.
The elimination challenge perfectly describes what it means deep down to be a chef, to sustain those who need it with food cooked with love. They are serving first responders that are on the front lines battling the pandemic. They have to make a dish complete with protein, vegetables and grain/starch, and make sure it reheats well for those on long shifts.
You may be able to tell that I've just had my morning coffee in this episode....
This episode was a real doozy packed with drama and great food. The quickfire was all about mushrooms, and the chefs had to work over a tree stump to show us just how dedicate the Top Chef production team is to it's themes.
The elimination challenge celebrated the indigenous peoples of the Portland area by having the chefs cook the First Foods. They had to prepare a surf and turf meal in teams of two, and face a double elimination. We're getting down to the wire where chefs are going home for great dishes, or get sent to last chance kitchen to battle it out for another shot at the competition!
This week the chef's cooked Mother's Day inspired dishes that had to include rose/rose flavor, which was a questionable life choice in our opinion.
Then they did a movie inspired team challenge which was a weird choice and led to some great dishes and some not so great dishes.
We apologize for the background noise, enhanced audio is on the way.
This week the chefs cook with Campbells soup to relate their food memories to the judges. Then they visit the Fruit Loop of Oregon for a savory fruit challenge sans vegetables. The chefs make a painful run through the orchard, proving that they shouldn't quit their chef jobs to be professional athletes any time soon (with the exception of Dawn). Most of the chefs wow the judges with their innovation and execution.
This week's quickfire is inspired by Talenti, which is funny because our Friday night Netflix binges are also inspired by Talenti. The chefs dazzle with layered desserts in a battle for immunity... and 10 Gs.
Kwame and Gregory graciously take the chefs (and us) on a tour through Portland's African cuisine. The chefs learn a lot and get inspired enough to make a lot of really great dishes. It reminded that food can be a great tool for connecting people and learning about history and culture.
The quickfire starts strong by testing the chefs short order skills. Let's just say some of these chefs wouldn't have a lot of repeat customers with the amount of food that didn't make it to the plate.
For the elimination challenge, the chefs work with coffee and beer and try to find balance between the ingredients and each other, that's right, a team challenge!
Join us as we recap Top Chef Season 18 premier! We talk about the contestants, the judges and go through the first quick fire and elimination challenges of the season.
We are a mother-daughter duo who love everything food, and especially love Top Chef. We are long time watchers with a passion for people who cook their hearts out. Follow our Instagram (luckydinner) for our food pics.