Fennel is italian. In italian it's called finocchio, italian americans pronounce it "fen-ooch". Italian food is all about bringing out the flavors of simple ingrediants. Every herb and spice is meant to compliment, not overpower.

I was more shocked Mike Isabella stayed than that Antonia won. He was pasta course and he failed at pasta! It was unedible. As an italian american I find undercooked pasta to be a much worse cullinary offence than a thicker risotto. A perfectly cooked rissotto has a higher level of difficulty vs while a perfectly cooked pasta seems a basic skill.

In the end Mike expressed regret so he was allowed to stay, Trey did not so he was sent home.

I'm sorry, but every time a contestant has used dry pasta in the past, the soundtrack makes a "DUN" and Colicchio gives them a look like they just took a dump in the middle of the kitchen. All of these guys have been on the show before, and they watch the show. You can't ding people for using dry pasta for 7 seasons in a row, then ding them for not using it in season 8.

Tony, fess up, Mike should have gone home for that pasta not Trey. Mike is Italian he should have known better in an Italian Challenge. Also, Angello is looking like a poser. He's supposed to be strong in asian cuisine and look how his Dim Sum turned out...

"Mr. Bourdain,
I was so happy when I found out that the woman scolding you for making God's most awful looking Italian food whilst you were in Italy, was none other than your wife! "

So he doesn't know Italian food from his elbow, then? Makes sense.

Cook Italian! *tells real Italian* you ain't doing it right
Cook French! *tells real French *you ain't doing it right
etc etc

I'm seriously worried about you lot. last week it's "use dried pasta". Yeah right! you'd totally give a balling to any chef that did that. This week (going by gail) it's "use fake cheese". How many drugs are you guys on? You really want "full of preservatives run down the river" fake cheese to eat?

Am I watching Top Kraft? I feel ill.

"jack" b. and his magical keyboard/pen. Always finding a way to justify. Whateva man. It is obvious who has the caulk and bowels in your fam. A.B. afraid is to say what he wants cuz he's afraid of murdah by his capo backers. Bourdain, you are a fine writer, but you try to conceal insecurity in your bravado. For someone who has done so much, tasted so much, been so far. You are still a prisoner in a small room. A room that you created by the limitations of your inability as a chef.

Hi Tony,

Great blog as usual! Altho I did expect this episode to more entertaining than it was. I am not sure why it wasn't...I didn't think Italian food was that hard to make. And all three pasta dishes were screwed up!!! Wow!!! So disappointing.

And I agree with some of the other bloggers how other Chefs commented that Antonia won with a simple dish. So what!!! Sometimes the simplest food does taste the best. And what was so hard about cooking pasta or rice and 3 Chefs couldn't get that right.

I see one of the bloggers commented about you praising Tre's risotto during his season. What the blogger probably doesn't get is that Tre didn't make it the same way as you had it the first time.

Love you on the show, love your blogs, love you on TV!

Jamie used butter. Tre used rice. Each of them forgot to sugar coat the spice.

Mr. Bourdain,
I was so happy when I found out that the woman scolding you for making God's most awful looking Italian food whilst you were in Italy, was none other than your wife! It remains one of my fav episodes of YOUR show, and shows me why I'm such a traditional Itali'Americana cook.

Although Antonia may be a great Italian chef, it seems strange that Fabio didn’t win. Was his chicken really over-herbed? He probably should have just made Polenta since that’s what ‘removed the stain of the previous course’. Fabio can’t win a challenge not even an Italian one, could it be because he also stood up for himself?

I have to agree, to some extent, with MSF. I love your blogs and writing in general, but I was surprised that you would suggest the chefs use pasta from the box. My favorite chapter in Kitchen Confidential was your chapter on Tuscan cooking, in which you praised freshly made pasta. You wouldn't have felt let down by a chef who, for a pasta course, used pasta from the box? I mean, I get that well-cooked pasta from the box is better than undercooked fresh pasta, but still, isn't it better (assuming you make it past judges' panel) to be the guy who tried to make the extra effort?

Is it because Buitoni is a sponsor this season that the judges felt the need to praise pasta from the box?

Angelo's crocAdile dish: a bad dream. On second thought -- did he just stick up his finger at the whole challenge? And that oh-so-smooth remark re Cavalli right on Mizrahi's face . . . classic. He didn't look one bit repentant.

Mr. Bourdain....my sister is a HUGE fan of yours but I've never much followed your writing, show, etc. In fact, tonight was the first time I've read your blog and it's because of your performance on the show. I love how brutally honest you are (throwing in the f-word quite a few times--not that cursing is refreshing per se but it demonstrates that you are just saying what you think, no matter what network runs the show). I really enjoyed what you had to say about the episode and more importantly, that you didn't repeat what Colicchio said--the risotto should be "soupy". I make risotto all the time (and was taught by someone of direct Italian descent) and while mine is creamy, it's never soupy. I loved Tre so thanks for the explanation. By the way, I would have voted for mussels no matter what! Love, love, love those....and never easy to come by in the South!

Ditto on the comment regarding Tre's professionalism as he was asked to pack his knives and leave. Jennifer take note!

Love the blog...first thing I read after I watch the show. Tony just nails it everytime.

Hurray for a FOAM-FREE creative and entertaining show.
Interesting Quickfire challenge and would like to see more of the “we are not going to taste it” but just make it look pretty dishes. Richard’s black stuff was actually eye-appealing with the green sprigs thrown in for pizzazz.
Keep up the great work.

For the 2nd week in a row, Fabio is edged out. As I don't like mussels, what are the chances he'll share his chicken & polenta recipe with us? Keep going, Fabio! We're rooting for you!

Mike Isabella should have been sent home!

Russian borscht will be the authentic Mexican dish during the next eliminationc challenge.

The unsportsmanlike conduct exhibited by the other cheftestants when Antonia won was pretty pathetic.

I absolutely love your posts. Thanks for the honesty and good humor.

All my top chef buddies were very disappointed with last night's outcome. I see Tom and Tony explain the decisions, but I guess the challenge was the problem. We don't watch Top Chef to see pop tarts put in toasters or mussels cooked with wine and toast. Hundreds of years of cooking experience between us buddies in San Francisco, and the "beauty of simplicity" is all fine and good, but too simple is just not interesting on t.v.

That was without a doubt the stupidest Quickfire challenge they have ever had. I adore Angelo. He is obviously a good chef. But I find it very funny that he cannot spell "crocodile". I really wanted Fabio to win, but I didn't taste the food. Good episode.

Your blogs make for great story telling that I feel as though a friend's recounting dinner last night with friends. A hoot!

" ... so maybe I missed why Padma was dressed like a Superfriend."

This? This right here? Why me loves me some Bourdain.

That dress was hideous!!

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE reading Anthony Bourdain's blog. Thank you, sir!

What was up with the chefs in the stew room when Antonia came back and said she won? They just don't get it. What a bunch of asses!
They all need "KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID" tatooed to their collective foreheads, or maybe across their backsides. Her dish looked soooooooo good. That pasta (all 3 dishes) looked frightening.

As always, thanks for the insight, observations, and turn of a phrase.

"Crimes against pasta." This is the best blog on the web.

Simply, love it!

I wish Mike Isabella's dish would have turned out the way it was meant. If even one dish during the pasta course could have scored, that could have been the meal of a lifetime.

I love you Mr. Bourdain. I am so happy you are a judge this year. If only you would judge every episode and every season, then I would really be happy!

Tony - you're always right on the money. I'm of Italian descent and I always tell my non-Italian heritage friends (including my husband who's English) that you don't need to make fresh pasta all the time. Barilla, DeCecco will suffice.

While I was watching this episode, my reaction to Antonia's mussels was "smart girl. If she pulls it off, she will win". It brought back memories of Christmas Eve with my Italian family. With all the fish entrees, my brothers mussels were always the star. Looked like the entire judging panel got some good bread dipping too.

Love your blog as always and will be sad when the series comes to an end.

My god, you are my favorite blogger/writer. When I read your blogs after each episode, I feel that I was there! What a great gift you give to me (all viewers) when you are able to convey the "feeling" of the room and the "taste" of the food. It makes me smile. I will never be able to eat at the restaurant, but won't mind now that you made me feel like I was there.
Thank You

Anthony you do right one of the best blogs I've ever read on this site. You truly
are a word smith. And you know good food. I think the viewers agree Antonia
deserved the win.
Be well. Very happy your a judge as well. Fabio has that italian temper. Wow.

Once again, a great blog. Thank you for telling us why Fabio didn't get the win. I was thinking he got totally robbed again and is being treated like the red headed stepchild.

Anthony, I wished I could have been a judged because I would have never sent Tre home. However, I would have been pissed off about eating uncooked pasta.

soon these comments will be filled with moronic foodies who will nit pick the decision, deriding the idea that "Antonia's damn mussels, simplest, easiest goddamn thing in the world to make" could win and second guessing chefs who know more about this cuisine than 99.99% of people in the nation. Thanks as always for a funny and insightful take on a fun and uncomplicated challenge. For tonight all they had to do was cook and it was fun to watch.

give me a break, dude! bracco let the cat out of the bag with her comment" we got to keep it in the family" i suspect italian family...go bloew yourself on that one, tony!

HOW AND WHY DID YALL SEND TRE HOME INSTEAD OF MIKE.

The quickfire on this episode was terrible. I don't understand why anyone would have to be judged on food that people don't eat. That's like having clothes be judged on the mannequin but you don't get to touch it or walk in it. Last week's quickfire (designed by Anthony with Justo Thomas) was brilliant. Is there any way we can just get rid of Padma and have Anthony full time?

love your side comments, they make your blog
the first one I read! Fabio really needs to get over himself.
There are chefs in the US that know how to make great
Italian food. I too have been to Italy, and the food is divine!

Tony, you should try Frost Street Restaurant in Brooklyn. (on Frost Street naturally)

So, I take issue with your contention that the contestants could have just used the pasta out of the box along with great meatballs or a sauce and sailed to the win. We're in season 8 now and how many times have contestants gotten slammed at judges table for not making their own (pasta, sausage, etc). Sure Junior said they could use pasta out of the box. They might even use pasta out of the box in their own restaurant. But no way are Dale, Mike I. and Tre using it. They've seen too many other people get nailed on it for them to even consider it as an option.

Love your descriptions, and reading about the episode fills in a lot of gaps that the editing creates. I was sad to see Tre go, and I didn't get the sense that his dish was so much worse than the others - I do get that from what you wrote. I think the concept of simple gets confused in peoples' heads with easy, and that's why there was a negative or more like, non-reaction in the stew room when Antonia walked in with the win - at least, that's my read on it, or was it that the bad boy club was pissed that a girl took it?

Damn Bourdain, you are an excellent writer. I enjoyed your take on last night's episode.

thank you.