I guess I will begin at the beginning. I think Sheldon had a better concept overall than Kristen for Top Chef. What I mean is that French food has been cooked SO many times, there are countless restaurants out there, most chefs are trained in French cuisine and so on... whereas Filipino food is un-charted. I think the biggest problems on both sides (food wise) was being compared to the traditional and in Kristen's case, that was every dish. Sheldon's only issue with that was the Balut which honestly makes me sick to think about and I am SO glad they did a variation!
I think both teams had issues, but this IS Restaurants Wars and nothing is ever perfect.
Sheldon's team, Urbano clearly needed to move plates a bit faster overall since they kept getting a line in the front that Stefan couldn't deal with. I will say that they did have 1 less Chef, which really did make it a lot harder. That is no excuse for Stefan forgetting to tell the judges what they were eating. I actually think that if he had not missed that dish, they all would be singing a different song about Urbano.
Kristen's team, Atelier Kwan had issues form the start. Kristen really needed to step up and be a leader from the very beginning which she didn't do. When Josie failed to get her food in the oven the day before, I knew there would be major issues, especially when Kristen didn't even say anything to her! She was complaining about cooking the fish to order and I think she honestly felt like Kristen would be responsible for her dish right then and there. She decided at that point that this was not her dish, she was just a puppet, which would have been just fine if she was doing what she was told.
Kristen did make major mistakes. Here’s what we judges knew according to Tom's Blog: and I quote
"The Bouillabaisse was deeply flawed: the scallops were undercooked and the halibut was overcooked, for starters.
Our biggest problem with the dish, though, was that the sauce, which Josie made, was delicious, but there was not enough of it on the dish.
Kristen plated the dish and determined how much sauce should be added.
Josie never stepped up to suggest that Kristen put more, ostensibly because she was deferring to Kristen, because it was Kristen’s concept.
The gelatin was supposed to go into the dish, but Kristen decided not to use it because there wasn’t enough time; she subbed cream instead.
At the end of the day, Kristen, by her own assertion, was the one who approved all of the dishes going out.
Our biggest problem with the dish, though, was that the sauce, which Josie made, was delicious, but there was not enough of it on the dish.
Kristen plated the dish and determined how much sauce should be added.
Josie never stepped up to suggest that Kristen put more, ostensibly because she was deferring to Kristen, because it was Kristen’s concept.
The gelatin was supposed to go into the dish, but Kristen decided not to use it because there wasn’t enough time; she subbed cream instead.
At the end of the day, Kristen, by her own assertion, was the one who approved all of the dishes going out.
Given those facts, we were faced with no choice but to send Kristen home."
Knowing this Information, they were right to send Kristen home.
HOWEVER we ALL know Josie practically sabotaged the dish and forced Kristen to make all the changes she did to the sauce. Additionally Kristen was unable to test the technique, also because Josie was taking her sweet time with everything and refused to be part of the team. Bottom Line- Kristen SHOULD HAVE SAID SOMETHING. THAT is the reason she went home. Yes, she was responsible for a lot of what ended up happening, BUT none of it would have happened if Josie just did as she was told from the start, and in the end it was ONE dish that Kristen didn't even make that sent her home.
I think we can all agree that this is a travesty. I feel like it should be the BEST chefs who should cook in the finale and there is NO DOUBT that Kristen is one of them. I guess we all have to PRAY that Last Chance Kitchen really gives her a chance!
What a travesty of an episode.
ReplyDeleteKristen dug her own grave at judge's table. I'm not sure why she didn't state the facts. I'd always assumed the judges actually did have some idea of what was going on behind the scenes. For example, that they watched certain parts of the footage while the chefs were in the stew room but maybe that is not the case. Given that the judges do not have a clue what is going on without the participants informing them it puzzles me that Kristen would chose to remain mute. She didn't need to embellish...just state the facts. "I asked Josie to make the stock yesterday. It didn't get done. I asked Josie to put in the gelatin. It didn't get done. Etc, etc."
Anyway, it sucks to send home a good and creative chef like Kristen and keep a POS like Josie. If Josie had ANY fans left before this episode I doubt she does anymore.
There's a part of me that thinks this elimination was for TV drama and the judges eliminated Kristen knowing they will most likely be bringing her back through LCK.
As far as our fantasy pool this was the absolute best episode EVER for team Pickely.
1. Kristen, even though I think she is coming back, won't be around for a few weeks to rack up points.
2. Sheldon wins big points for winning restaurant.
3. Stefan wins big points for winning restaurant even though he did an absolutely horrendous job and his dish was meh.
4. Lizzie loses points even though it seemed like some judges thought she had the best dish overall and all judges thought she was at least in the top two for best dish.
5. Kristen fought and defeated CJ, who had 6 points riding on his return to the show. (BTW I think we should look at revamping the point system a little for next season if they keep LCK.)
The ONLY consolation I take from this episode, and it's a very small consolation, is that it's kind of funny that JeffCo Cartel has one player left and it's Josie. Brutal.
There are 7 chefs who at the time they were eliminated had negative points. The total negative points for all those chefs combined is -30 points.
Josie has -18 points and is poised to gain (lose) more!
I am still in a state of shock.
Wow! Gravewolf & Kelly's analyses are fabulous! I agree with everything they've said.
ReplyDeleteWhen picking their teams the week before, Kristen got to choose between Micah & Josie. I wonder if - when she picked Josie - she thought that she might get voted out? I wonder how valuable a 4th but horrible teammate is compared to just having 3 competent members of the team is? Personally, if I was Kristen, there's no way I would have picked Josie, even knowing that Micah was probably going home.
That being said, she did pick Josie so she needed to take that into account when determining how much responsibility she could take on herself. hat "Riding Josie's Ass" should be at least 10% of her workload if not more. She should have put Brooke or Lizzie on the expediting & checking dishes while she hovered over Josie & re-did most of her work.
I will miss Kristen a lot! Her creativity & finesse were impressive to watch & I hope she fights her way back on the show through LCK!!