Episode 8: Restaurant Wars

Awesome dinner last night guys- it was fun to hang out, we need to do it more!!! Here's a little taste of what we had for Doug:

So it's Restaurant Wars! Usually one of the best episodes of the show!!! They are host both in the same place, Mile High Station- interesting!

Team Captains are Chris and Carrie! Each team has to prep a 3 course meal with 3 options per course- 9 dishes total! They get a little help from an eliminated Chef- I think they both picked very well! They have 2 days to design, conceptualize and execute.

Common Place: Fatima (FoH), Claudette (Exec Chef), Chris, Joe, with Brother
Common Place starts off a bit rough, but they seem to be starting to gel a bit more as they get going.
Menu:
First Course- Oyster with Pea & Rhubarb (Joe), Beef Tartare (Fatima), Chicken Purse (Joe)
Second Course- Shrimp & Bone Marrow (Claudette), Ricotta Dumplings(Joe), Greens, Grains & Pork (Chris)
Third Course- Panna Cotta with Skyr (Claudette), Sundae (Claudette), Beet & Chocolate Donut (Chris)

Conifer: Joesph (FoH) Bruce (Exec Chef), Carrie, Adrienne with Tyler
Conifer is working pretty well together, Joseph takes front and Bruce takes Executive Chef. They are being smart to pick dishes that are very prep heavy so they can focus on service and quality! As they work they seem to have some difficulty.
Menu:
First Course: Hiramasa Curdo (Joseph), Kale Salad with 3 way Beets (Carrie), Braised Pork Meatball (Bruce)
Second Course: Roasted Duck (Joseph), Red Pepper Orecchiette with Lamb Sausage (Bruce), Sea Bass (Adrienne)
Third Course: Apple Upside-Down Cake (Bruce), Lemon Curd, Sugar Cookie & Mint Gelée (Carrie), Caramelized White Chocolate Buttermilk Cake (Adrienne)

Both restaurants look good! Their designers really helped a LOT! I don't think they usually have that much help. Both teams are able to feed off each other in the kitchen which is different too.

Conifer: Joseph is crushing front of house. Conifer's kitchen gets slammed right away and they are hurting a bit but they also get the judges first. First Course feels safe, but well executed. Second Course is also good, but Adrienne's dish has a few issues- the plate is too hot it's cooking the fish more, and there are elements Tom hates. All the desserts knock it out of the park. Overall I think Conifer did great.

Common Place is having issues with tables and service, they have a line which is an issue. It's more casual, but more ambitious. Fatima seems flustered even before the judges arrive and isn't doing a great job. The menu and concept was not cohesive. Round one is not going well, their is flavor lacking in each dish and some execution problems too. Second Course has some issues- and the issue may be Claudette not tasting as she goes which Bruce pointed out. Dessert course looks good to me, but unfortunately there are execution issues here too.

I think there is a very clear winning and losing team- unfortunately Common Place has NO idea they had issues going into judges table.

The winning Chef from Conifer is Joseph! He really did crush it! The team ALSO get's $40K! WOW!!! (Does that make it High Stakes? We didn't know about it ahead of time, so I assume no?)

Common Place is on the bottom. Each Chef had issues, but Claudette SHOULD have tasted each dish in the role she was in, and she did not... because she was not the "leader." There was not a great dish among them. The judges send Claudette home- again. And she just takes off. She's a good chef, but she doesn't work well with others, and as a chef, that is a pretty crucial skill. Will she make it back again?