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Kelly Choi
Par for the Course: Kelly Choi breaks down the buffet challenge.

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I absolutely loved this episode.

In fact, it’s my favorite of the entire season. For so many reasons, some of which include that through these challenges and the many twists I presented to the Masters, I was able to get to know each chef much more intimately. And I’m confident that you did, too. Pour yourself a generous glass of wine (or a fresh cup of coffee if you’re at the office) and get ready to relish the three-course menu of what I’m about to tell.

The First Course: The Blindfold Taste Test
This was soooo much fun. For one thing, it was physically the closest that I had been to Michael, Hubert, Rick, or Anita at any given moment in the entire competition, and being face-to-face with someone reveals a lot. Only a table with 20 small cups of ingredients, a plate of lemon wedges, and some bread and water separated us. Here we were, stadium spotlights blaring and the clock started ticking. The cameras seemed to descend into darkness, and the entire situation made me feel like something really big was about to happen. I think I can speak for each chef when I say that in that moment, we felt very exposed.

At least for me, though, I wasn’t the one who had to risk being made to look like a fool. Think of the pressure! Here you are, a culinary savant, a Master Chef, being put through the paces of having to test your palate on national TV. It must’ve very intense for each of them because how else do you explain that the highest number of correct answers out of 20 items was only seven? Weren’t you thinking the whole time, "I wanna try it to see how many ingredients I could guess right?"

So Michael was up first. I secured his blindfold and handed him the first cup. He took it, whiffed it deeply, then stuck his index finger into it. Then he tasted. It was silent in the kitchen, yet it
was almost as though you could hear his brain synapses firing back and forth. Michael’s technique continued like that, methodically and analytically as he sniffed first, touched next, and then finally, ate the condiment. Seven correct guesses for Michael.

Then it was Hubert’s turn. Blindfold on, he lept out of the gate. Hubert’s pacing was faster. He tasted each ingredient without necessarily smelling first, and it surprised me, especially after
Michael. Hubert’s approach scored him a five.

Now, Rick. Wow, if I thought Hubert’s method was quicker, Rick’s was 10 times more so. As soon as I handed Rick a cup, he dumped the food into his mouth! Did you hear that one time when he clanked his front tooth on the glass cup of mango? Rick didn’t bother with
smelling the ingredient first. He was a completely trusting and wide-eyed child. It was as if I had told this sweet child that I had something yummy for him to taste, and he lapped it up straight away. Six correct answers for Rick.

And finally, it was Anita’s turn. Anita’s tactic was similar to Michael’s in that she, too, smelled the food before she ate it. Her strategy, though, was to eat as much of each ingredient as possible in the hopes that tasting a lot of the food would make it obvious as to
what it was. A few minutes and many sips of water later, Anita guessed six right.

Comments

34 Comments

: 08/23/2009 - 5:53pm; Viewer; Kelly,
This is a wonderful show, and I am so glad to have been able to see all the episodes. I hope it will come back for Season 2, 3, and so on.
I enjoy it more than Top Chefs because of the level of play - the quality of the dishes, the incisive questioning of the judges, and the professionalism of the chefs. This last feels very important to me.
So I will add that episode 9 was very uncomfortable for me to watch, and I felt unhappy to see what seemed to be a manipulative campaign against Chef Chiarello. I was stunned to see airtime given to Dale's outburst! This just seemed like TCM stooping to tabloid TV.
The TC contestants who appeared in this episode may think themselves "chefs", but most of them were ELIMINATED on TC. They have not made it to the level that the TCM’s have, and won’t because they clearly cannot handle the pressure. Michael’s use of the term “young man” was condescending, but Dale's response was unprofessional and unseemly, as was the “support” offered by some of the other young assistants. I was dismayed.
When these young people achieve what ANY of the Top Chefs have accomplished in their careers, THEN they can say what they want. In the mean time, I think they need to shut their mouths and open their ears. They may learn something in the process.

08/20/2009 - 10:18pm

May

Hi Kelly!

I enjoyed this season so much, and I'm so sad that it's over, it was great to see such masterful chefs working under Top Chef conditions and still making such delicious creations. I thought you made a wonderful host, with really insightful comments...which they definitely should've aired more of. And the dress you wore this episode with the flower-like cutouts was gorgeous, do you know who made it! I hope that you'll be back next year to host more TCM!! Best!

: 08/20/2009 - 7:32am; Liane; I just wanted to say that I really enjoyed Top Chef Masters. What I enjoyed the most was the wonderful, professional respect the chefs had for each other. No back-stabbing or undermining. I came away simply really liking each of the chefs and feeling like I learned something about food and something about each chef. Now I wish I could go to each of their restaurants some day.

08/20/2009 - 3:47am

Viewer

Hi Kelly!

I could not find a blog for Rick Bayless......Could you please let him know fans in CA send him tons of love and congratulations!! He really deserved this win! Great judging!

A big hug also to Hubert who is a real CULINARY GOD and a true gentleman!!!!!Hugs to him from a fellow Frenchie!!!!

Take care Kelly!

08/19/2009 - 7:42pm

TasteMatters

Well, all I can say is , if it comes down to the most accomplished and innovative chef, then it has to be Hubert Keller. However, I'm rooting for Rick because he seems to be such a sincerely kind human being, so rarely seen these days. Rick is a great chef also, don't get me wrong. I always watch his show, "Mexico, one plate at a time" and love it, though I don't necessarily love Mexican cuisine.

I tape all of Hubert Keller's shows and have learned a lot from them. I also watch Michael's shows and love them also. So end the end, it really is a toss up for me. I love all three of them. I think it will come down to just what the challenge is and how well they accomplish same.

Love this show. I hope that BRAVO continues the "Top Chef Masters". This is the absolute best of all series.

: 08/18/2009 - 3:48am; Viewer; What a bad idea to have the banquet under searing sun. Did the producers not recognize that raw seafood would probably be served? A reckless idea, the specter of food poisoning was right there. Because Anita had a raw bar, she really didn't have chance due to this horrible idea. Hope you can do better next time without endangering guests.

: 08/17/2009 - 12:58am; Viewer; I really think hubert owns this show, i hope he wins. i love his lovely french accent. he is the nicest french person on tv for sure (excluding les jacques: jacques torres and jacques pepin)! but rick and michael are surely both good chefs... though i really root for hubert.

08/16/2009 - 11:10pm

Ann

I have enjoyed watching TCM, and I am torn between Hubert and Rick. Hopefully they do a TCM2.

Looking forward to the next TC with Padma.

: 08/16/2009 - 9:54pm; Viewer; I am really disappointed that TCM would validate Ilan by bringing him back for two episodes. I almost stopped watching Top Chef altogether because the show wasn't stopped immediately when the contestants, seemingly led by Ilan, assaulted the less popular Marcel. It is shameful that he is being included.

: 08/16/2009 - 8:19pm; Viewer; Kelly - I agree with the comments that YOU are 100% better as a host because you help us focus on the food and not on fashion! As far as this last ep goes - lest we remember one thing: This is about TC MASTERS! If former contestants sign-up KNOWING that they're going in as SOUS-CHEFS, they should be &%$#@! grateful to be working with giants in the food industry. You shut your mouth and do the job that the TCM wants you to do. You sign the contract to be on the show, you take the grunt work that goes w/it. It shocks me that these young people don't realize that all it takes is one bad "letter" from any of these TCM and their career could be in the toilet. The disrespct of Dale and Spike was shocking to say the least. Blais even shocked me and I wanted him to win S4. I just feel privileged watching from home. Here's to a spectacular finale!

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