I'm surprised that Alex hasn't been eliminated.Where is the "integrity" in allowing him to continue when he took someone else's dish? Chef'a have been eliminated for less. Surely there is a way to determine if Alex did indeed make the pea puree. Alex should not have his face on the wall in the restaurant, he should not be allowed to continue in the competition. Both Art Smith and Tom looked disgusted with the whole thing. Please don't let this go unpunished...

@VeryConfused - I too was disappointed that Bravo didn't include the Tiffany's tamale recipe. Traditionally, the chicken filling would have been stuffed inside the corn masa and it would have steamed together; she deconstructed it by making the corn tamale separately and stacking the chicken and sauce on top.

There are a lot of tamale recipes on line, or you could use Rick Bayless's tamale recipe here on Bravo and add Tiffany's chicken on top. Bayless's tamale is steamed in banana leaves, but if you substitute corn husks, soak them in water, and wrap the tamales up in the husks, you'll get an approximation.

My burning question for the episode: why can't any of these star chefs pronounce "turbot" right? :D It's not "turbeaux".

Why didn't someone check the register receipts and determine if Alex bought peas? If not, then he had to steal the peas from someone -- whether or not he made the puree.
I wonder how guest judge Art Smith feels about all this?

@ NatalieK, Ethiopian is not an "upcoming" cuisine in DC. It's been here for decades. My neighborhood of Shaw is full of Ethiopian restaurants, coffee shops, groceries and even music stores. I think perhaps you had one bad experience, but you should certainly try it again. If you're in Washington go to Etete (9th & U, NW) for some great food, and walk down 9th to O Street and try Azi's for some great coffee.

Dear Eric, were you surprised that the judges did not criticize Tiffany for picking such a safe country? I can imagine that most Texan chefs are thoroughly exposed to Mexican cuisine, naturally.

@ VeryConfused- if you haven't figured it out yet, a tamale is a tamale, the completed product. Saying there was no "tamale" in Tiffany's dish is like saying there's no burrito in a burrito.

Mr. Eric Ripert, you are so sexy! I really enjoy watching you on the show. :)

On another note:
The judges are so unfair that I might not watch the next season. Yes, it is because of the Alex situation and there attitude.
Judges are supposed to be fair.
Tiffany is my favorite. I love her great attitude. She really represented Mexican food well and I hope she wins.

I have only eaten Ethiopian food once and it was, without a doubt, my worst restaurant meal ever. Maybe it was the restaurant or my taste buds? I can't believe (based on that one meal) that it's an upcoming cuisine in DC. The food was so spicy I couldn't eat it (and I like spicy food!) and the bread was a sour, cold, gray, spongy pancake......definitely an acquired taste!
I should try again at a different restaurant, but there is only one in our city.
I like the concept of inspiring dishes with flavors of other countries' dishes rather than recreate them exactly. I guess that's why fusion restaurants have become popular.
I hope you are back on the panel next week, Chef Ripert.

So glad Tiffany got her win, I knew she had it in her and it was coming, Keep up the good work Tiffany, you have a fan base out here.

I think Tiffany is the sleeper in this show. Like Carla. When you read her bio, you see that she is an achiever and a committed chef. She seems like a genuinely nice person and it was heartening to see how happy the cheftestants were when they heard that she won. Eric, I miss your presence. You add an intelligent and elegant addition to the juding team. Glad you will be back next week.

???: Could you clear up my confusion about Tiffany's tamale? In the recipe posted, there is no tamale, just shredded chicken. But Tiffany appeared to be wrapping something in corn husks, and said she was deconstructing the tamale. Someone (Tom?) commented on the husk flavor. Was there an actual food product wrapped & cooked in a corn husk? What was it? Really wanted to make this. Very disappointed.

Eric, you are a class act. Even when you do not like the food that is before you, you go out of your way not to hurt people's feelings. Even though I have never tasted your cuisine, I know it must be superb.Thank you for your comments. Keep up the good work.

Lets not forget though, the week before, Kelly wouldn't share salt. But she got what she deserved. Her dish that week was too salty and she faced elimination. So lets not feel too sorry for her. Alex is a jerk. I'm surprised that the "pea puree" incident passed with no consequences. It is a major question mark for Alex because he won a challenge using that puree, yet no one recalls seeing him buy the ingredients, or make the recipe. So I am surprised that Tom Colicchio is letting it go. Perhaps they feel this group of chefs, with the exception of Angelo and now Tiffany, is so weak that they need someone there to provide "good tv". I hope thats not the case. This group is weaker than any in the past. At least 10 of last years group would have gone far against this crew of chefs. Even Robin. But like everything, you have up and down years. It's still entertaining.

mickeba

Hello? Is anybody there? How many times have the chef's been chewed out for food descriptions that don't match their product? Just this past episode, Ed was criticized for a "sweet and sour" duck that didn't exist. So I was a bit perplexed when Alex's "beef cheeks" description went unnoticed particularly after he told Chef Colicchio that he substituted beef cheeks for another meat! I am sad to see Steven go. I am sadder still that his mushy rice got him axed when his meat was supposedly delicious. Nothing Alex made for this challenge seemed edible, so why is he still in the competition? It's a puzzle.

I was also so happy to see Tiffany win! She has an infectious laugh and worked with a lot of zeal. I love the way you talk about food Eric Ripert!

Eric, thanks for your commentary. I just want add that apart from eating with hands in Ethiopian dishes, there is a lot that the cuisine has to offer, as much as I respect you as a judge and like your accent and your demeanour, I am however disappointed that you seem not to have done research on Ethiopian cuisine.