Top Chef Canada - Episode 7 Recap

Top Chef Canada continues to delight and surprise us each week.  With nine chefs remaining, representing Canada from coast to coast (although almost half the contestants are from Toronto), this season continues to deliver fun Quickfires and innovative Elimination Challenges.  This Canadian version seems to focus more on the food and less on drama and conflict - although there have been some biting talking-head interviews.

This weeks quest Judge is announced, it is Chef Michael Smith, a well known Food Network personality.

The Quickfire challenge is to make an innovative and interesting dish using Kellogg's All-Bran Cereal.

 My first thoughts were to use the All-Bran as a crust or a filler which most of the Chefs do.  The Least favorites were Patrick - a breaded scallop dish that was very complicated and kind of ugly.  Francois - made gnocchi that were dry.  Rob - burnt chicken wings.  The best were Darryl's crunchy shrimp, Andrea's dumplings, and Todd's East Coast cod balls that take the win.  Todd also wins immunity in the elimination challenge.  Todd continues to showcase his Newfoundland ingredients, so far he has used salt cod, moose meat and seal flipper - not items we all have in our pantry, I don't know if I would be rushing to his kitchen for these delicacies.

The Elimination Challenge is to cook something familiar with a twist.  The winning dishes will be featured on the menu at Milestones Restaurants across Canada.  The chefs draw knives to determine what course they will be serving, either a starter, an entree, or a dessert.

Each Chef gets 20 minutes and $250 to shop at Loblaws.  They then get 90 minutes to prep and they will actually prepare their dishes at a Milestones Restaurant and serve it to couples on a romantic date.

Starters:

TOP DISH:  Connie makes Pork Croquettes with Onion Rings and a Chili Pepper Aioli Dipping Sauce.

BOTTOM DISH:  Andrea makes Ravioli Stuffed with Black Garlic and Goat Cheese with Panchetta, Olives, Arrugala Puree and Basil Seedlings.


Todd prepares a Nori Wrapped Salmon with Marinated Rice, Slaw and a Plum Dipping Sauce

Mains:

TOP DISH:  Francois prepared a Roasted Sablefish with Seaweed Gnocchi with a Tamarind Jus.

Rob made a Grilled Ontario Sirloin with a Goat Cheese Pave, Parsley Gramolata, Broccoli Puree and Black Garlic Jus.

BOTTOM DISH:  Patrick made a Pink Peppercorn and Herb Roasted Pork Tenderloin with a Leek and Mushroom Saute, Turnip and Potato Gratin with a Honey Saffron Tomato Sauce.

Desserts:

TOP DISH:  Dustin makes his girlfriend's recipe of Strawberry Shortcake with Vanilla Whipped Cream.

BOTTOM DISH:  Dale does his take on a Pavlova with Cherries and Basil Cream.

Darryl prepares a Chocolate Fondant with Kalua, Coffe and Raspberry Coulis.

I don't know if the judges picked a top and bottom dish in each category or if it just came out that way.

Check out this link to see the top dishes on the Milestones' menu:

Milestones | Top Chef Menu

Of the three top dishes, Dustin wins with his sous chef/girlfriend's Strawberry Short Cake.  The worst of the worst was Patrick and he is sent to the kitchen to pack his knives.  His dishes seemed to always be overly complicated, lacked focus, and were messy.   I will miss Patrick, he was an American Bear in Canada - moving to Toronto to marry the man he loves.

There was a bit of a freak out in the kitchen this week, there were quite a few "F" Bombs thrown around.  I think the Editors at The Food Network wanted to show how intense it can get in the kitchen, especially with so many Chefs in an unfamiliar kitchen.

They also showed the chefs at their "chef pad", drinking and smoking and letting off steam.  They play the "What is your Porn Name Game" (I have also seem it played as What is your Drag Name Game).  You take the name of your first pet and the street you grew up on - so I would be Tippie Freeman!  Try it at home.

Next week is RESTAURANT WARS!  I think this will bring out the best and worst in the Cheftestants and when the real conflict comes out!