Well it’s 2009 and the we are now 7 episodes into Top Chef. The last episode, 5.6, I missed since I was in the hospital. I hope everyone had a good Holiday.

Let’s get to tonight’s episode. No one was eliminated in the last Challenge, so Eugene, Jamie and Melissa are feeling grateful, yet still defeated. 

Our chefs show up at the Top Chef kitchen to find a table of various sugars in front of them. With Padma is world renown French chef, Jean-Christophe Novelli. He is the founder of the Novelli Academy, voted one of the best cooking schools in the world. He will actually be in a new Bravo show called Chef Academy where 10 chefs go back to school to increase their culinary skills.

Today’s challenge is to create a healthy dessert, the catch, you can’t use sugar. The chefs have 45 minutes to come up with a dish using other forms of sweetness. This quickfire is sponsored by Diet Dr. Pepper.

Carla - Baklava with a Chocolae Disc & Fried Bananas
Ariane – Whole Wheat Crêpe with Caramelized Pears & Toasted Almonds
Radhika – Bread Pudding with Sauteéd White Peach & Roasted Cashews
Eugene – Mini Blini “Burger” with Banana Lumpia “Fries”
Jeff – Frozen Cherry & White Fig Yogurt with a Baklava Spring Roll
Hosea – Green Figs & White Peaches Brushed with Honey & Balsamic
Leah – Crepe with Whipped Ricotta, Strawberries & Balsamic Reduction
Fabio – Granola & Oat Tart with Eggless Pastry Cream and Fresh Berries
Stefan – Sugar-Free Mousse de Chocolate with Cherries
Melissa – Baked Dessert Burrito with Greek Yogurt Sauce
Jamie – Ricotta, Mascarpone, Peach & Nectarine & Cherry Napoleon

After the tastings, Padma asks Jean-Christophe who his least favorites were. He said he didn’t like Carla’s (Oh No!) dessert, the bananas lacked flavor. Carla’s intention was to make a banana ice cream but the bananas didn’t chill enough in the freezer. Another that wasn’t his favorite was Ariane’s – he said the crepes needed something. Last favorite was Jamie – the cheese was too overpowering.

So who were his favorites? He really enjoyed Jeff’s, Radhika’s and Leah. Overall, his favorite was Radhika! She is immune in the Elimination Challenge.

Padma announces that there is a new judge joining the table for the rest of the season as Gail is getting married and preparing for her day. Famed British food critic Toby Young will be joining Top Chef. The chefs start going on and on about how he is very critical, is more known for criticism than praise.

Today’s elimination challenge is a surprise and in honor of Toby Young’s arrival. The next morning Tom walks into the penthouse and says they will be cooking for them, Toby Young and some food critics. The challenge: create a Family-Style meal for a blind tasting. Cook the best they can. There will be TWO eliminations after this challenge. The chef’s, except Radhika start to pull knives to determine what 2 teams they will be on. Each team will be cooking in the kitchen separately due to space constraints at the Astor Center. They each have 30 minutes to shop and $100.

Team A: Fabio, Hosea, Jamie, Melissa, Eugene and Radhika

Team B: Carla, Ariane, Stefan, Jeff and Leah

Each team has 2 hours to prep. Team A is up first. While Team A is cooking away, Team B heads to Whole Foods to buy their food. Meanwhile just before Team A is minutes away from serving, Team B is sent up to start cooking, or so they think.

Remember the other food critics who will be joining the judges? Well, it turns out that it is Team B! The dishes from Team A are coming out, but no one at the table knows who’s dishes they are. They will each taste the dish and pick a favorite. Meanwhile as the Team A chefs return to the kitchen, they find a huge monitor where they can see the reactions live!

Radhika – Curried Crab Bisque with a Lemon-Scented Crab Salad
stefan doesn’t like, it Tom said it was too heavy-handed. Toby said this was the missing weapons of mass destruction everyone is looking for. 

Hosea – Bacon-Wrapped Halibut with Roasted Vegetables in a Beurre Blanc Sauce
Carla liked the vegetables on the dish more so than the halibut. TOby said the dish was like a movie where the main characters were upstaged by the supporting cast.

Jamie – Seared Scallops with Fennel, Garlic, Oranges & Olives
Jeff liked it and it was Toby’s first compliment of the night. Jean-Christophe said it was well done.

Fabio – Rack of Lamb with Cheese Ravioli & Mushroom Sauce
Stefan said lack of seasoning and undercooked. Ariane chimed in and said her lamb was also undercooked. Jean-Christophe said the pasta was very well done and the mushroom sauce was perfect. Other than the lamb it would have been the perfect dish.

Eugene – Crispy Red Snapper with Tomato, Basil & Daikon Fettuccine 
Stefan said the presentation was excellent but that daikon should be served cold. TOby said the fish was overcooked, it was under-seasoned and it was the bland leading the bland. 

Melissa – Ahi Tuna Crudo Tacos
Leah said she likes fish tacos but it needed salt. Ariane couldn’t get over the fishy taste. Toby said the dish says that whoever made it isn’t terribly confident in their abilities. He said it tasted like cat food.

So up next is Team B. Meanwhile Team A relaxes and prepares to be seated at the table with the judges. The dishes are brought out to the table. When Team B returns to the kitchen they see the huge monitor and realize that they can see the group as they are eating it. Even more shocking they then realize that they were being watched initially. 

Stefan – Roasted Duck & Braised Cabbage with Bread Dumplings
Radhika said the duck was cooked well but the dumplings were a bit dense. Fabio the dish as a whole worked. Tom loved the dish and said the seasoning was on point.

Jeff – Trio Tapas: Oysters, Seared Tuna, Avocado Sorbet & Grilled Peaches
Eugene said the creativity was there but too much happening on the plate.  Jean-Christophe said Jeff’s avocado sorbet is better than his. Tom complained that this wasn’t a dish, it was a bunch of appetizers. TOby said this was the standout dish so far of the night.

Ariane – Skate Wing with Pineapple & Cauliflower Purée
Melissa said she liked the pairing of the skate and the purée. Jean-christoph said the skate was cooked perfectly and the addition of the pineapple was unexpected and fabulous.

Leah – Seared Rouget Encrusted in Bread with Fried Beans in Chorizo Sauce
Jamie didn’t like the fried beans. Toby disagreed and said it was a nice alternative to Fish & Chips 

Carla – Seared Scallop on Top of Risotto with Gremolata Topping
Hosea said he loved the scallop but that the rest was uninspired. Jamie didn’t like the gremolata. Tom said he likes gremolata just without the raw garlic. 

The chef’s return to the Top Chef kitchen while the judges deliberate. The chefs reveal to each other who dish was whose. (That was probably poor grammar there).

Padma comes in and asked for the chefs who made the Skate dish, the Duck dish and the chef who made the scallop dish with Fennel. Ariane, Stefan and Jamie head to Judges Table. The judges told them they really enjoyed the dishes today. 

The winner of this challenge is told by guest judge, Jean-Christophe who announces that Jamie is the winner! Go TEAM RAINBOW!! Finally Jamie has redeemed herself. Being in the top three several times, this is her first win!

They return to the room and Jamie has the unfortunate task of asking Melissa, Eugene and Carla to Judges’ Table. Carla no, not you! Frist up is Carla. She defended herself by ofering suggestions for better version of what she put out. She admitted it wasn’t the best. Melissa said she enjoyed the challenge because she got to hear what people said about her dish. Tom snapped back and asked what was so satisfying about hearing harsh criticism? Toby said that the overpowering fishy smell was very unpleasant. Melissa crumbles with no defense. Next up is Eugene defending his dish. The judges questioned the combination of daikon, tomato and basil. He said he tried the combination before and he liked it. 

The judges deliberated and I’m really worried for Carla. They said they weren’t determining who was going, it was more so who was staying. Toby said he liked Eugene’s risk taking. He doesn’t have it yet, but he should be given the opportunity. Tom said that Melissa did what is her and Toby said, so isnt that why she should go for bad fish tacos? On Carla, they felt she lacked confidence. If her gut reaction was to make a vegetarian dish, then that’s what she should have done. Carla offered that if she took the scallop off, and mixed the gremolata in the risotto it would have been a good dish.

The three return to judges table. I’m so worried for Carla. Tom said Eugene he is wildly creativing but his skill level needs to catch up with him. Melissa, she showed them who she is, but lacked in imagination and creativity. As for Carla, she over thought it, over worked it and ruined what could have been an exceptional dish.

So how does it turn out? Melissa, please pack your knives and go – and Eugene is asked to pack his knives as well.

That means that Carla is saved!!!! I’m sooo happy!