Daily Loaf

This week on Top Chef: D.C., the challenges were actually very fitting and appropriate for the host city. Toothpicks, politicians, White House correspondents, The Palm D.C., and power lunches — what could be more demonstrative of D.C.?

For the Quickfire, the chef’testants were constructing mini meals — or amuse bouches, if you will — skewered with toothpicks (even umbrella ones!) and competing for $20k. It was like a flashback to season five with all of the scallops on display.

This episode basically centered around our new Top Chef villain, Mr. Burns (Alex), and whether or not he stole Ed’s pea puree and then used it on his own dish. I lost count how many times “pea puree” was uttered, and I hear it even briefly made it as a trending topic on Twitter. Personally, I (and most of America) thinks Mr. Burns is a dirty, pea puree-stealing shyster. The proof is in the pea puree and his guilty looks on camera further damn him — just sayin’.

Want to know what happened? Well, then you’ll have to listen to the podcast to find out.

Top Chef Cookbook Giveaway:

Hey, Top Chef fans, it’s your lucky day because we’re giving away the show’s newest cookbook, How to Cook Like a Top Chef, featuring recipes from the last six seasons and “insider techniques from everyone’s favorite contestants and judges”. Sharpen your knife skills, learn how to sous-vide and brush up on your sauce-making techniques, and be privy to some juicy trivia. Check out this recipe for Top Chef Masters winner Rick Bayless’ Vegan Corn Tamales and an interview with the Voltaggio brothers straight from the book.

Want it? Then just answer these ten questions whose answers can be found in the chef bios and “dating profiles” on the Top Chef website. Leave your answers in the comment box below and the first five people to correctly answer them will claim the prize. (First or full names will accepted. Contest open to residents the United States of America and Canada only who are 18+. Please leave your email address.)

1. Who studied under Jean-Georges Vongerichten?

2. Which chef is the “Robin” of the season, having survived cancer? (Okay, so it was cancer of the arm, but it was still cancer!)

3. Which chef’testant auditioned for a boy band? (Come on, that eliminates about half of the contestants right there.)

4. Whose perfect meal for a romantic night out requires a “minimum of 1 [piece of] nude artwork on the walls”? (Classy.)

5. Who won for ‘Best Meat Presentation’ at Bocuse d’Or USA?

6. Chef who lists Toto’s “Africa” on their music play list?

7. Who dresses in drag to promote their restaurant?

8. Who stated, “I am a sucker for an old cowboy”?

9. Who wants to scuba dive under the ice in Antarctica before they die? (Literally, right before they freeze to death.)

10. Who has four nipples? (Seriously, T.M.I.)

Whether you watch the show or not, our review of it is top-notch snark and an all-around good time. Listen to us (attempt to) recap this episode and the hilarity that ensues.

Tune in to Bravo every Wednesday 9 pm EST/8 pm C, check out our own live Tweets during the show (Jeff: @JeffHouck, Katie: @culinarypirate), and listen to our podcast here every week! (You can even download us on iTunes!)

Check out our fellow Top Chef fanatics’ blogs: Please Pack Your Knives And Go’s hilarious notes from last night’s episode, and All Top Chef gives us their uninhibited reactions.

Hear the hi-larious podcast after the break:

Download the podcast here.

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