Top Chef - Wedding Wars

For the quickfire challenge this week, the chefs are divided into two teams to do the relay race. The race is to make a quart of mayo, section an orange, peel an artichoke and fillet a monk fish. Let me tell you, a monk fish is one Ugly fish! Andrew tore through those artichokes like a hot knife through butter. Richard & Dale go head to head to fillet the monk fish. The teams are even so it comes down to the mayo making with Lisa and Nikki. Lisa is a whiz at it making that whisk fly! My arm hurt just watching her. Lisa's mayo making talent won her team the quickfire challenge. Dale, who is on Nikki's team, freaks out and slams his hand into a locker leaving a good size dent. Lighten up Dale, you can't win them all! Instead of restaurant wars as in Top Chef's past, they are doing wedding wars complete with wedding cake. One team will cater to the groom's tastes and, of course, the other team will cater to the bride. Dale's team get the groom who likes Italian food so Nikki should have a chance to redeem herself. Richard's team get the bride who seems to want a mix of bar food and picnic fare. Andrew is so excited about wedding wars that he says he has a culinary boner. Now there is someone who likes cooking! Dale, on the other hand is already getting an attitude saying he is picking up everyones slack and doing everything. The rest of the team is not happy with Dale since he is not willing to be a team player and won't work with anyone. I guess if he isn't cooking with Richard, he won't cook with anyone. After a day and half of straight cooking, the chefs start feeling the lack of sleep as Andrew stops talking much to the surprise of everyone and Dale, when asked by Chef Tom, can't remember what it was he prepared. Dale had his hand in so much that I can understand that. Nikki would not step up and take control of the team even though she has the most experience with Italian food. Lisa started on the groom's cake right away just in case something went wrong. She made a chocolate hazelnut three tiered cake. A cake Single D would love! It wasn't pretty but I'm sure it tasted good. Stephanie stepped up to make the bride's cake, a five tiered dark chocolate cake with lemon filling. Her cake was OK looking, she decorated it with fresh flowers. The menus started with short ribs and blue cheese in phyllo, pizza, pulled pork sandwiches and bruschetta on flat bread. Chef Tom was practically gnawing on the flat bread and Gail was afraid she would break a tooth. The bride's dinner consisted of fillet, potatoes gratin, creamed spinach (one of my faves) and crispy, almond crusted chicken. The groom's dinner was mixed roasted veggies, butternut squash tortellini, sea bass, pork and beef ragu as well as fillet. Richard's team bride, was the judges favorite with Richard winning, again. Richard gave his prize, a $2000 gift certificate to Crate and Barrel (one of my favorite stores), to Stephanie saying that she was a trouper for making the wedding cake. Stephanie told Richard they could split the prize. OK, enough of the nicey nice! Dale's team groom failed terribly and Dale says he did everything but won't take responsibility for anything saying everyone but him did bad. This upsets Spike who goes off on Dale calling him a little b!tch. Them's fightin' words dude! Spike is a little full of himself when the judges tell him his sea bass was the only good dish from the team but his roasted veggies were terrible. Nikki was the first to say she was not the lead on this challenge and the judges asked her why not since she is the Italian food expert of the team. Nikki is told to pack her knives and go. The judges thought she did not step up and take the lead. Come on girl, you are an Italian chef and groom wanted an Italian menu. She SO should have been the lead. Back to the pasta kitchen with you! Double D