S21.E10: Door County Fish Boil

[ProudMary]

Airdate: Wednesday, May 22, 2014

Synopsis:

The chefs participate in a meat raffle; guest judge Art Smith joins Kristen, Tom and Gail to determine which protein dish reigns supreme. For the Elimination Challenge, the chefs host their very own Door County fish boil to 100 hungry guests.

[Bastet]

I felt terrible for Savannah.  I’ve sliced myself many a time, but I once accidentally stabbed my hand and that was different.  Mine was a worse injury than hers, in that I severed a nerve so I needed not just stitches but a later surgery, but I think the force was probably about the same (I was just very unlucky in where I hit), and I immediately related to her feeling so out of sorts -- there was an odd trauma beyond the physical pain and I had a hard time processing it; for her to have to try and explain how very much she was affected mere hours later … my heart went out to her. 

She’s coming on strong at just the right time – as part of that, choosing the canned corned beef in the QF and everyone’s reaction to that was fun; she obviously had an idea, and I’m glad it came to fruition - I was going to be upset if she got eliminated because her ability to function was fundamentally impaired (as the result of an accident that may not have even happened if she hadn’t been answering a producer’s question while she cut).  She had to pivot from her original idea because she didn’t feel equipped to do what she’d intended, and she couldn’t pull it together mentally to properly execute her pivot. 

So I was oddly glad Manny wound up failing in exactly the way Mei tried to talk him out of doing (I also liked that Mei bought him the stuff she thought he should use to elevate his dish, but also bought him the shortcuts he’d requested) and Soo’s dish was a mess, because if nothing else (because I don’t think the judges adequately understood the impact [no pun intended] of the incident) her QF win should keep her safe over them.  I thought it was going to be Manny until the judges got into their deliberation, and then I figured it would be Soo.

The traditional boil didn’t look appetizing to me, but some of what the cheftestants did sounded like something I’d want to try so it wound up being an interesting challenge.  Most of all, I loved seeing all the guest judges; as soon as I saw there were the same number of them as cheftestants, I figured they’d be involved somehow.  It was fun watching them shop (I love Justin with the bath bomb and candle). 

Michelle cracks me up every episode, and this time it was with “I definitely recognize Art Smith; he’s like a fancy Santa Claus”.  Manny’s “I’m surprised I haven’t got the gout” about how much red meat he eats amused me, too.

[Irlandesa]

Dan's criticism of the fish boil in this ep is why I like having chefs from the area in the contest.  From anyone else, I'd probably feel sensitive criticizing the food but from someone who has cooked in Door County, I love that he was so blatantly honest about them.  On Watch What Happens Live,  Gail said she wished he would have played along more but I loved his unvarnished truth.

My experience with them is like Dan's. The food is soooo bland. They're a cool experience but not a culinary experience. 

Speaking of the experience, I was initially horrified when I thought they were going to have the chefs throw the kerosene.   I was expecting some singed eyebrows.   Instead, the only injury was a cut.

I hope some restaurants in Door County start throwing bespoke fish boils.

[dubstepford wife]

I feel like Manny should have gone.  Soo's dish was absolute chaos, but at least it showed some attempts at creativity.  Fish with rice, guacamole, and store bought chips might have been fine in earlier weeks, but that's nowhere near enough with six people left.  And I'll take creative failure over boring kind-of success at this point in the competition.

The kerosene explosion novelty wore off on me as time went on.  I've never been to one so I might very well be wrong, I know the fish boil expert offered some kind of explanation as to why you need it, but it just seems like a gimmick and a good way to start a fire and/or get someone seriously injured.  Louisiana crawfish boils don't feature any kerosene and they are fine.

[rlc]

Justice for Soo! Manny should have been eliminated this episode.

[bravofan27]

I think the purpose of the fish boil is the kerosene part. People no one has said anything about enjoying the food. It's a good way for all the Wisconsin people to use up all the fish they have caught in fileted that is sitting in their freezer. (From Madison, so I know).

[joanne3482]

3 hours ago, dubstepford wife said:

The kerosene explosion novelty wore off on me as time went on.  I've never been to one so I might very well be wrong, I know the fish boil expert offered some kind of explanation as to why you need it, but it just seems like a gimmick

I googled it because I totally didn't understand kerosene thrower's explanation. The oil from the fish rises to the top, as oil does, and the kerosene causes the water to boil up suddenly which pushes all the fish oil out of the pot immediately. But I also don't disagree with the view that it is a gimmick and basically theatrical. 

I too appreciated Dan's candor about the whole thing. I'm glad he was honest and I wonder a bit if that's not what helped some of the other chefs come up with their different takes on it. When he described the food as bland that piqued their thought process to think about ways to add flavor. 

I am not happy about the previews for next week's episode. We want plates not food served directly on the table. Can we not validate that annoying Tik Tok trend? 

[bosawks]

From my time in college in the midwest fish fries are awesome but fish boils are not my thing.

But the drama of the flames and the fire trucks was always a hoot.

[cameron]

I thought that #torch# segments were over the top.  Have been to fish boils in Door County and never saw it played out so over dramatic with the kerosene. 

Edited May 23 by cameron

[carrps]

Fish boils may appeal to pyromaniacs, but I don't think I have any interest. That food looked so bland and boring. I hate boiled potatoes.

Poor Soo.

And really. Torch???

[desertflower]

I’m glad Savannah was safe, I’m rooting for her. She and Shota were cute together talking on the bench and he was really sweet and encouraging when she was serving her dish. I like that they are considering the quick fire when they are deliberating, but I bet there are some eliminated chefs who wish they had started that sooner. I remember Charlie (I think?) who won the quick fire but then went home on the main challenge. 

[dleighg]

3 hours ago, joanne3482 said:

I googled it because I totally didn't understand kerosene thrower's explanation. The oil from the fish rises to the top, as oil does, and the kerosene causes the water to boil up suddenly which pushes all the fish oil out of the pot immediately.

I watched every one of the on-the-beach kerosene throws, and not once did I see the "scum and whatnot" boil over out of the pan. So I agree that it's the spectacle, not the result. I also didn't understand the broth all getting thrown away when the colander type pot was pulled out. One of the chefs (I forget who) DID serve a "broth" type thing. Where did that come from?

What the heck was in Danny's carrot salad that everyone went gaga over it?

Soo's plate looked like dog food to me. One of the judges (Kristen I think) also said it looked unappetizing. I did feel for him that he got curry powder instead of curry paste. He was pretty explicit that paste was what he wanted ("green or red, either is fine.")

3 hours ago, joanne3482 said:

I am not happy about the previews for next week's episode. We want plates not food served directly on the table. Can we not validate that annoying Tik Tok trend? 

I totally agree. Somehow FB thinks I'm interested in this fad of "charcuterie tables" which is a similar idea. All I can think is that 10 minutes after people start picking at it, any attractiveness is gone.

 

[seltzer3]

6 hours ago, dubstepford wife said:

I feel like Manny should have gone.  Soo's dish was absolute chaos, but at least it showed some attempts at creativity.  Fish with rice, guacamole, and store bought chips might have been fine in earlier weeks, but that's nowhere near enough with six people left.  And I'll take creative failure over boring kind-of success at this point in the competition.

The kerosene explosion novelty wore off on me as time went on.  I've never been to one so I might very well be wrong, I know the fish boil expert offered some kind of explanation as to why you need it, but it just seems like a gimmick and a good way to start a fire and/or get someone seriously injured.  Louisiana crawfish boils don't feature any kerosene and they are fine.

I was really concerned with the kerosene explosion, because one of the contestant's booth had a ton of smoke coming their way, which is probably not pleasant.

I really thought Manny should have left.  He's been playing safe for the past two weeks.

[Rammchick]

And I also wondered how the food didn't taste of kerosene...

 

[caitmcg]

16 minutes ago, dleighg said:

I watched every one of the on-the-beach kerosene throws, and not once did I see the "scum and whatnot" boil over out of the pan. So I agree that it's the spectacle, not the result.

On The Dish With Kish, Kristen explained that their pots didn't boil over because none of them had their broth mixtures hot enough; they were all keeping it at a gentle simmer because they were afraid of overcooking the fish, so it never actually boiled when the kerosene went in.

[carrps]

Thanks for that. We were wondering, too.

[dleighg]

24 minutes ago, caitmcg said:

On The Dish With Kish, Kristen explained that their pots didn't boil over because none of them had their broth mixtures hot enough; they were all keeping it at a gentle simmer because they were afraid of overcooking the fish, so it never actually boiled when the kerosene went in

Which i guess tells you that in the traditional boil, the fish is cooked all to hell.

[cameron]

1 hour ago, cameron said:

I thought that #torch# segments were over the top.  Have been to fish boils in Door County and never saw it played out so over dramatic with the kerosene. 

 

Just now, cameron said:

 

This is from the White Gull Inn in Fishcreek, Wisconsin.  The cook  didn't throw the kerosene on the fire and run like Torch.  And yes, the whole thing did boil over.

[Tango64]

I'll be watching the news for reports of backyard chefs who got the idea to do the cool trick of tossing flammable liquid onto a fire. Except they're not on a beach, they only have the lawnmower gasoline instead of kerosene, and they fumble the throw at the last second...

Top Chef's Top Ways to Burn Your Friends and Family

[caitmcg]

14 minutes ago, dleighg said:

Which i guess tells you that in the traditional boil, the fish is cooked all to hell.

I don't know what kind of fish they use, but it sounds as if it might be a bit fatty, despite being a white fish, which would insulate it a bit from overcooking.

[Fukui San]

I'd like to congratulate Wisconsin for inventing the dumbest way to cook food not involving guns or explosives.

I don't know what I'd do in this challenge. Maybe make something with the profile of a fish chowder? Doesn't sound exciting, actually. Maybe if you got small, whole fish you could stuff the insides of each with something. Like herbs or charcuterie? The other thing I could think to reference is Chinese hot pot. I'm not a spicy eater, but having a spicy Szechuan broth might work. 

Anyway, not in a hurry to try a fish boil anytime soon.

[joanne3482]

Per google it is the Lake Michigan White Fish that they use. And there's a whole history of this back to the Scandinavians. 

[kirklandia]

I assumed they used Lake Whitefish, one species in the whitefish family. I suppose they could have used other types of whitefish.

I don't know if I zoned out, but I don't remember any discussion of the fish when they were sourcing their ingredients.

[BoffoDaWonderSheep]

I’m sure that Saratoga, “the official sparkling water of “Top Chef,” appreciated Dan’s ripping out an enormous belch after chugging their product. Made me laugh. 

[caitmcg]

5 minutes ago, kirklandia said:

I don't know if I zoned out, but I don't remember any discussion of the fish when they were sourcing their ingredients.

When Kristen was explaining the EC, she said they would be supplied with the fish and the All Stars would do the rest of their shopping, but I don't think they ever said anything more specific about the fish.

[ratgirlagogo]

These chefs need to stop trying to make aguachile happen.  Isn't Manny the third or fourth chef who ended up on the bottom for it?

[Ancaster]

Danny manages to be both patronizing and misogynistic in one sentence: "She's definitely found her voice and made her presence known." 

Edited May 24 by Ancaster

[mlp]

Danny seems to be a very good cook but I don't find him very likeable.  I'd love to see the recipe for his carrot salad.  I like carrots but I can't imagine what you could do to shredded raw carrots to make people swoon over them.

[pezgirl7]

I don’t think anyone really goes to a fish boil for the food, it’s more of a tourist attraction, due to the tradition and it being a communal event. Like a bon fire on the beach. It originated from having to feed large groups of people in a cheap way, hence the simple, bland ingredients. As someone else said, the tradition was brought over by Scandinavian immigrants. I do wonder if any restaurants in door county have fish boils with more jazzed up ingredients. 

[Spicysweet]

I'm with Dan. The phrase "fish BOIL" sounds awful. The only thing I liked about this episode was seeing the "Top Chef All Stars" as they were called, and realizing a mini "Fast Foodies" reunion was going on--Kristen, Jeremy, and Justin were together again!

[Ancaster]

49 minutes ago, Spicysweet said:

I'm with Dan. The phrase "fish BOIL" sounds awful. 

They all looked awful too.

The only thing less appetizing was Gail's cleavage.

[Irlandesa]

8 hours ago, dleighg said:

Which i guess tells you that in the traditional boil, the fish is cooked all to hell.

It's bland but I didn't think it was overcooked so it had that going for it at least.

[MsJamieDornan]

2 hours ago, Ancaster said:

The only thing less appetizing was Gail's cleavage.

I think we've seen enough of that. It needs to stop.

[dleighg]

8 hours ago, ratgirlagogo said:

These chefs need to stop trying to make aguachile happen.  Isn't Manny the third or fourth chef who ended up on the bottom for it?

It's funny, I only learned about this thing about a year ago- I signed up for an "Alaska fish" subscription and the spot shrimp came with a recipe card. I like it! But the idea of *beef* in that set of ingredients is just..... weird to me.

And I want that carrot slaw recipe too!

[Mr. Miner]

Gail's cleavage made this lame elimination challenge tolerable, for me anyway. 😉

Edited May 24 by Mr. Miner

[potatoradio]

20 hours ago, Tango64 said:

I'll be watching the news for reports of backyard chefs who got the idea to do the cool trick of tossing flammable liquid onto a fire. Except they're not on a beach, they only have the lawnmower gasoline instead of kerosene, and they fumble the throw at the last second...

Top Chef's Top Ways to Burn Your Friends and Family

This will totally be a gender reveal spectacle gone bad. 

Lake Michigan whitefish should be smoked. It is soooo good that way and you don't get a mouthful of kerosene! But I guess watching smokers wouldn't be as "interesting" as watching a pyro with a death wish come THIS CLOSE to setting himself on fire.

Store bought chips. Goodbye, Manny. You're dead to me and Soo was robbed.

 

Edited May 24 by potatoradio
Typos be gone

[Rammchick]

14 hours ago, Tess23 said:

I'm just going to swim around in the shallow end for a minute:

1.) Shota is a good looking man.

And so very sweet too.  He's been offering a foodie tour of Japan these last couple of years...very expensive but oh so tempting.

[Ancaster]

Well fortunately the trip that comes up if you Google is sold out, since I was considering selling my first born to fund it - $17,000 not including air fare.  And of course, if you're paying that much you'd have to pony up first at least business class!

I think Shota is my favourite ever cheftestant, and I was lucky enough to live, work, and travel in Japan for a year a few decades ago.  I'd love to go back.

Edited May 24 by Ancaster

[bravofan27]

Shota is from Japan so even more personalized tour I'm sure. I want to go, but only for the food and Shota.

I didn't really understand the purpose of the All-Stars doing the shopping. Especially since they were able to tell the All-Stars what they wanted them to buy. 

[Ancaster]

3 minutes ago, bravofan27 said:

Shota is from Japan so even more personalized tour I'm sure. I want to go, but only for the food and Shota.

 

Well, depending on where you live, you could just go to Seattle for that for a lot less money!

(I should say that Japan is fascinating and very beautiful.)

Edited May 24 by Ancaster

[bravofan27]

I can keep better track of Shota on the Japan trip. Who knows how to find him in Seattle. He could be anywhere. LOL. 

That's probably why the price is high-- or one reason-- weed out the weirdos. LOL.

[Rammchick]

1 hour ago, Ancaster said:

Well fortunately the trip that comes up if you Google is sold out, since I was considering selling my first born to fund it - $17,000 not including air fare.  And of course, if you're paying that much you'd have to pony up first at least business class!

It was 14K last year...wow.  Good.  Keep upping it 😏 😂

Right now, there isn't anywhere I want to travel more than Japan, and to have Shota as a personal tour guide would be a dream come true.

[Heathrowe]

Yep, I love Shota too. Give him a show, please.

I live at the beach and we do lobster pots & shrimp boils in the summer. It’s just the idea of fish skin boiling away in the water that skeeves me. I thought Michelle would win because she had sausage added and that sounded good to me!

I think the only thing that kept Manny in was that his dish tasted good and it sounds silly but that wedge of lime. Tom said something like Manny was the only one who seemed to get that they were at the beach. So maybe that saved him. I like beef, and I like him,  so I hope he turns it up a notch and stays in the competition.

[Ancaster]

1 hour ago, Rammchick said:

It was 14K last year...wow.  Good.  Keep upping it 😏 😂

Right now, there isn't anywhere I want to travel more than Japan, and to have Shota as a personal tour guide would be a dream come true.

Do you want to go in on a lottery ticket with me?  There's one that's up tp $450 million - that should be enough I think.  😁

[buttersister]

Quote

Lake Michigan whitefish should be smoked.

Amen. I didn’t appreciate the fireball, the kerosene odor or all that smoke. Hard pass. And big fail—none of the chefs boiled their pots enough to achieve the so-called scum overflow. So, ugh?

[Quilt Fairy]

I did the tourist thing many decades ago and went to a Door County fish boil.  Just basic fish, potatoes and onions with cole slaw on the side.  Plenty of melted butter over everything.  It was delicious.  

[carrps]

5 hours ago, potatoradio said:

Store bought chips. Goodbye, Manny. You're dead to me and Soo was robbed.

 

He actually made the chips, but they were from store bought tortillas. Mei got him some masa hoping he'd used that, but he didn't.

[jackjill89]

I'll be the lone defender of the fish boil. I think they are yummy when done right. Doesn't sound like it would be, doesn't necessarily look like it would be, but they are. It amazes me that simple chunks of fish, potatoes and onions cooked in salted water can taste good, but it does. We actually go to the place where "Torch" -- his real name is Dave or something -- does the boil. It is a science to get it right and he's been doing it for years. Of course, the tradition and theatrics are all part of it, as is the cherry pie you get for dessert. 

I think some of the chefs had difficulty because it has to be chunks of fish to be able to be cooked like that. They really did a fish simmer with their thinner cuts and not a boil. 

About Gail's wardrobe -- learned on What What Happens Live that they have a stylist who styles all three of them. Either the stylist leans into Gail's cleavage or Gail has asked her to feature the girls prominently. 

 

[AriAu]

Quote

 

Dan's criticism of the fish boil in this ep is why I like having chefs from the area in the contest.  

My experience with them is like Dan's. The food is soooo bland. They're a cool experience but not a culinary experience. 

I hope some restaurants in Door County start throwing bespoke fish boil

 

It is for the tourists in Door County (I don't think I have ever seen it in other areas of Wisconsin and I have been to most of the places that thrive on tourism. And to be honest, the fish boil is really just an excuse to pour looooottttts of butter all over the fish and the potatoes....it is otherwise very bland and mushy. It ain't no fish fry, an event that people from Wisconsin actually eat at almost every Friday. 

Very disappointed in Soo and his dish must have been really bad to beat Manny's boring approach. I know he is following the play book of "cook your protein well and season it correctly" but at some point you gotta push it. 

We have seen some chefs make late season charges, but most have done it with better dishes than Savanah has. I think she is still far behind the top 3 of Danny, Dan and Michelle.

And while I am a big fan of Gail and breasts, she needs to put them away or make the stylist put them away or at least get some sun on what is hanging out. Wasnt distracting, just not a good look for her.

[Michichick]

I must be spectacularly unobservant, because I didn’t notice Gail’s chest a single time during this episode.

Sorry to see Soo get eliminated. I really thought Manny’s time had finally come.