Here we go everyone!!! Welcome to Season 6 of Top Chef and this season we are in LAS VEGAS!!!

So the chefs come in one at a time and introduce themselves and one theme that comes through….TATTOOS! We have 17 chefs from all over the US. Three of them are from Atlanta, two Jennifers from Philadelphia, three from DC/MD, one from New York (kinda cute and gay), three from San Francisco, two from Seattle, one from Connecticut, one from Florida and one from Los Angeles!! Out of all the restaurants, I have eaten at Michael Isabella’s restaurant, Zaytinya, where he is the Executive Chef there under José Andrés.

• - Ash Fulk, 29 – New York City
• - Ashley Merriman, 32 –  Seattle, Wash.
• - Bryan Voltaggio, 33 – Urbana, Md.
• - Eli Kirshtein, 25 – Atlanta, Ga.
• - Eve Aronoff, 40 – Ann Arbor, Mich.
• - Hector Santiago, 41 – Atlanta, Ga.
• - Jennifer Carroll, 33 – Philadelphia, Pa.
• - Jennifer Zavala, 31 – Philadelphia, Pa.
• - Jesse Sandlin, 30 – Baltimore, Md.
• - Kevin Gillespie, 26 – Atlanta, Ga.
• - Laurine Wickett, 38 –  San Francisco, Calif.
• - Mattin Noblia, 29 – San Francisco, Calif.
• - Michael Isabella, 34 – Washington, D.C.
• - Michael Voltaggio, 30 – Los Angeles, Calif.
• - Preeti Mistry, 33 – San Francisco, Calif.
• - Robin Leventhal, 43 –  Seattle, Wash.
• - Ron Duprat, 40 – Hollywood, Fla

So the teams break down into four groups of four. But that makes 16, there are 17…

So instead of drawing knives, they are pulling colored poker chips out of a bag, each color determines what team you are one: blue, red, green and black. Hold on, there is a gold chip! They are all drawing chips and Robin draws the gold chip. So what does that mean? As the owner of the gold chip, she is exempt from the Quickfire Challenge AND she is immune in the Elimination round. WHAT!?!? Crazy!

So the Quickfire round is the Mise En Place relay race. Each member must prep one of the following ingredients:

Shuck 15Clams

Peel 30 prawns

Clean 5 lobsters

Prep 2 Prime Rib Chops

So the race starts and they all start shucking their clams. Poor Preeti on the Red Team, she has never shucked clams. She has never opened a clam. Meanwhile the other three teams are moving fast! Meanwhile the green team has cut herself and the black team finished the clams first. Meanwhile, Preeti is still working on her clams. Black and blue have finished the prawns. Mattin is working on the lobsters on the blue time. Preeti is still on clams. Black time is struggling on the lobsters and the blue team moves to the chops. Meanwhile the green time is still on prawns and who knows where the red team is at. It’s neck to neck between the blue and black team and the BLUE team wins!!

But we’re not down yet! To determine the winner of the blue team, each member has to make a dish with the ingredient they prepped. The winner of the quickfire challenge wins a $15,000 chip from the M Resort and Casino (where Top Chef Las Vegas is hosted…) They offered Robin that she could turn in her chip and could compete for the $15K. She chooses the keep immunity. They have 30 minutes to prep and cook.

Jennifer C: Clam Ceviche with a Citron Vinegar

Mattin: Lobster with Bay Leaves and Star Anise

Jesse: Shrimp and Grits with Polenta

Bryan: Crusted Rib Eye with Caramelized Celery

So how did it turn out? Tom had two favorites, Jesse’s Shrimp and Jennifer’s Clam Ceviche. The favorite? Jennifer C! Congrats!

So now it’s the Elimination Round. Las Vegas is known as Sin City and Top Chef wants to know the dark side of each of our chefs. They will compete individually in their groups and one winner and one loser from each team will go to Judges Table. Helping out to judge this SINFUL round is world reknown chef, Wolfgang Puck! Robin had to choose which team she wanted to cook with and she chose the BLUE team. Each person will get $150 and 30 minutes to shop at Whole Foods. They will be cooking at Wolfgang Pucks Vegas restaurant, CUT, in the Palazzo Resort Hotel and Casino.

RED: Kevin, Michael V. Eve and Preeti

BLUE: Jennifer C, Bryan, Robin, Jesse and Mattin

GREEN: Laurine, Ron , Ash, Jen Z.

BLACK: Mike I, Ashley, Hector and Eli

After a hectic time at Whole Foods (presumably the one on Las Vegas Blvd) they head to the Palazzo and enter CUT’s kitchen. They have 2 hours to prepare their dishes and each team will present together. Joining us at Judges Table is Gail Simmons from Food and Wine Magazine, Tom Collichio and Padma Lakshmi. Of course our guest judge Wolfgang Puck is at the table as well. Toby Young will be making appearances this season.

First team up is the BLACK team.

Micahel Isabella – Foul Mouth and Hot Temper – Olive Oil Poached Halibut with Eggplant Purée

Eli Kirshtein – Arrogance, Drinking and Bitterness – “Buttered” Scotch with Scallops, Cashews & Beer Powder

Ashley – Red Wine and Bourbon – Chicken Liver Ravioli with Red WIne Demi-Glace

Hector – Cigar Smoking – Smoked Rib Eye with Carrot Purée & Ceviche of Celery

BLUE TEAM

Bryan – Bourbon and Cigar – NY Strip Steak with Parsnip Purée & Bourbon Reduction Caramel

Mattin – Stubborness – Buffalo Rib Eye with Madiera Sauce, Zucchini & Mashed Potatoes

Jennifer C – Alcohol – Poached halibut with Whisky, Bourbon, Scotch and Black Peppercorn Sauce

Jesse – Whiskey and Excess – Braised Chicekn with a Whiskey Reduction, Yukon Potatoes & Fried Egg

Robin – Bad Jew, She Likes Pork – Pork Tenderloin Stuffed with Chorizo and Bread Pudding

GREEN TEAM

Ash – Procrastination – Poached Halibut with Ratatouille & Parsley Coulis

Jen Z – Hot Tempered – Chile Relleno Stuffed with Seitan & Tomatillo Salsa

Ron – Spending 27 Days at Sea? – Jerk Bass with Collard Greens & Haitian Hash

Laurine – Bacon, Donuts, Chocolate and Beer – Bacon Donuts with Chocolate and Beer Sauces

Last but not least, the RED Team

Michael V – Plastic Surgery (Not his personal vice) – Rack of Lamb with Coconut Sauce & Gnocchi

Preeti – Maker’s Mark Manhattan – Pork Tenderloin with Bourbon Sweet Potato Purée

Eve – To be more Simpler – Shrimp & Scallops in a Curry Cream Sauce

Kevin – Procrastination – Arctic Char with Turnip Salsa Verde

So after much deliberations at the Tasting Table, the judges head back to the Judge’s Table. So who made it to the “winning circle”?

Well turns out Kevin, Jennifer C, Ron and Michael Isabella were the best chefs in their groups. So who was the winner? Wolfgang loved, loved, loved Kevin’s Arctic Char. Yea Kevin!

Unfortunately, we now have the bottom four in front of the Judge’s table. Hector, Jen, Jesse and Eve are called to the front. My guess, it is between Jen and Eve. Eve’s dish was blah and Jen’s chicken was too dry. Hector definitely didn’t score any points with that deep fried rib eye. Then we have Jesse’s Chile Relleno. Oh gosh.

So who is going home? The judges are sending Jen to the kitchen to pack her knives and to go. No more Seitan! :)

So overall I think we could have a good season. There are some good chef’s in the bunch. I’m keeping my eye on Kevin, Michael V, Michael I and Bryan. Those are the four to look out for so far.

So where is Team Rainbow this season? So Ash is the only person who has come “out” and told us that he had a boyfriend back home in this episode. So I think Kevin, Preeti and Ashley need to step up to the place and join Team Rainbow this season. There was a part of me that thought Michael Isabella might be, but he really has some kind of problem with women in the kitchen. He has made several comments tonight that kinda bothered me. I chnaged my mind about him after three minutes of watching him rant. The Voltaggio brothers are HOT – with Michael’s hard streak and Bryan’s conservativeness the two of them as one would be hot! :)

So tune in next week for Top Chef’s first battle of the sexes!