Until last night, I hadn't even seen the other side of the story. That's what fascinates me so much about Top Chef: the judges really do come in blind, and are totally unaware of the character development or what's happened in the Quickfire. It allows us to be unbiased in our opinions about the dishes. Art's bread pudding, for instance, was absolutely stellar, and it's a dish I often fantasize about when my sweet tooth starts panging. There is no way that guy lost 120 pounds eating food like that!

And although the first episode may have portrayed me as a stickler for authenticity, that's not at all the case. I think fusion and development of traditional dishes is what makes American cooking at this point in history so exciting. There is no doubt all of these chefs can cook, and supremely well at that. It was just that the Blue Team simply didn't strategize and adapt, which is what it takes to be a Master. Sadly Sue's dry chicken dish was the least of my favorites, and it was a unanimous decision. She was way out of her element attempting to prepare Indian food considering her Mexican background, and it resulted in her going home.

Regardless of a few missteps, it really was some of the best buffet food that I've ever had. If this sets the tone for the rest of the season, we're in for a real doozy.

You can follow Krista on Twitter @kristasimmons.