S12.E10: For Julia & Jacques

[Tara Ariano]

The chefs make ramen dishes using ingredients found in college dorm rooms. Later, food luminary Jacques Pepin tasks the contestants to prepare French dishes inspired by the techniques of Julia Child. Appearing: Andy Cohen; Dana Cowin; Alex Prud'homme; Barbara Lynch; Mary Dumont; and Joanne Chang.

[Julia]

 

Appearing: Andy Cohen; Dana Cowin; Alex Prud'homme; Barbara Lynch; Mary Dumont; and Joanne Chang.

 

One of these things is not like the others. One of these things doesn't belong...

Edited January 6, 2015 by Julia

[biakbiak]

Andy's there for the college ramen quick fire, not the Jacques and Julia inspired challenge.

[Calamity Jane]

After the holiday lull and almost complete dearth of all my favorite shows, right now I am sitting with fork and knife in hand banging them against the table, shouting, "Top Chef!!  Top Chef!!  Top Chef!!"  almost literally.  really. 

[stillshimpy]

Right?  I am actually excited that Top Chef will be on tonight :-)  

[Quilt Fairy]

Andy's there for the college ramen quick fire, not the Jacques and Julia inspired challenge.

Good, that means I can tune in at 15 minutes after the hour and avoid him. Can't stand the man.

[dbell1]

Is it wrong that I just jumped out of my chair when I saw Joanne Chang was a judge? She wrote my favorite baking book.

Oh, and hooray for the show being back, I want to see greasy sweaty guy go home!

[Darian]

Is it wrong that I just jumped out of my chair when I saw Joanne Chang was a judge? She wrote my favorite baking book.

 

Me, too! Mine, too!  I love the first Flour cookbook (haven't gotten the second one yet). The recipes are great, but I learned so much lot from what Chang wrote about technique. I get to Flour whenever I can. I just wish she'd gotten to say more.

     

Loved seeing Emerson students (got my MFA there and had the best experience). It was a fun challenge.

 

Mei must be a forgiving person to have bonded with Melissa, though it was nice to see them get along.  

 

My favorite Julia story was Tom's. It sounded like he got a little choked up at the end.   

 

Aw, Dougie. Out of the three in the bottom, he was the one I most wanted to stay. 

[CherryMalotte]

That was utter bull crap.  I should know by now though, they always praise going out of the comfort zone, but then send 'em packing anyway.  I think I'd rather have something a bit undercooked  that that overcooked and burnt looking mess that Melissa had going.  That was yucky looking.  

 

Poor Doug, he's been my fave this season.  I sure hope he can get back in, because I really have no reason to watch now.

[Bastet]

I guess Mei doesn't hold a grudge over Melissa stealing her clams in the last challenge.  That opening segment made me think one of them was going home, and I figured that would be Melissa.  Nice fake-out, show.

 

It's about time for immunity to be off the table.  Beyond time.  And with immunity no longer being conferred, I was fine with such a silly QF challenge occurring this late in the competition.  Their reactions to the students' pantries were funny, and the college photos of the cheftestants even better.  If Andy Cohen hadn't been there, it would have been great. 

 

Gregory's ramen cracked me up.  (And made me want Doritos.)  Melissa's looked boring, but sounded like the best one to eat, so I wasn't surprised by her win.  Apropos of nothing, ramen was never my cheap food staple; that was Kraft mac & cheese.  I still like it from time to time.  Ah, early 20s metabolism, how I miss you so. 

 

I love Julia Child and Jacques Pépin, so I like the idea of a "Make a dish in homage to Julia Child" challenge on its face, and to be able to sit there and chat with him about her over wine ... fabulous.  As a side note, when I used to visit a friend in Santa Barbara, we'd go drink at the same place Julia frequented.  We largely left her alone, but did chat a few times.  That woman was aces.

 

While I agree with Melissa that Julia Child would not have used a pressure cooker to prepare short ribs (or veal shanks), I disagree she'd have "taken the risk" of braising them in three hours.  She'd have made something that could be done right in the time allotted.  When will these chefs learn?  She's lucky to have survived.

 

Didn't Tom or another judge pitch a fit in a previous season when someone (Casey?) didn't use a 100-year-old rooster for coq au vin?  No such grumbling here with Gregory. 

 

I won't eat foie gras, so I wasn't sad to see Doug's dish fail even though I generally like his food.  At first I figured Melissa's failure would loom larger, because his dish was more ambitious.  But once they talked about how seriously undercooked the middle was (I think someone described it as raw), I thought it might be him.

[HappyDancex2]

Noooooooooooooooo! Not Doug!! I'm irritated. I know George can't do anything about the rules but the more I see his greasy ass hair, the more I feel like he doesn't deserve to be there and he took a major shortcut. I also thought Melissa's mess was a good candidate for elimination too.

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

Bacon, Dorito and sausage pizza broth. Sweet.

[HappyDancex2]

I'm surprised Doug didn't get a pass for going for a more aggressive dish. It's obvious that roasting a whole lobe of fois is not common so the technique wouldn't be in anyone's wheelhouse, except in theory. However the other 2 did dishes that are more common and still screwed up their proteins. I think they should ban braised and glazed short ribs on this show!!!!

[mlp]

Awwwww Douggie.  He was my favorite and I was hoping he'd win the whole thing.  I liked Katsuji also and I don't much care who wins now that they're both gone although I'd prefer Gregory to the others. 

[msburg]

I am grateful that Andy Cohen's collegiate palate was a guest judge, just so he can speak for all of us and call out George on the "little bit of hair gel."  Cracked me up, big time.  Heh.

[avecsans]

I think Jacques and Tom were so excited at the prospect of Doug's foie gras that his failure to cook it properly made it a greater sin in their eyes than Melissa's or George's mistakes. I didn't think foie gras was a socially acceptable dish anymore. It just seems so needlessly cruel.

I actually shouted NO at the tv when Gregory said he was making coq au vin because I flashed to Tom chastising Casey for using a chicken instead of a rooster. I was relieved that everyone liked it.

How many times have cheftestants tried to braise meat in a short period of time and then been surprised that it didn't cook properly? Do they think the laws of physics have been suspended for Top Chef?

I love Jacques Pepin. He is so kind and supportive of the young chefs.

[HappyDancex2]

And how many times have we heard Tom say not to take the meat out of the braising liquid? and Melissa not using the pressure cooker because Julia wouldn't have is illogical. Julia wouldn't have tried to do short ribs in 3 hours, including prep.

Surprised they showed Jacques finger tasting. Old school master yet sooooooooooo not vogue anymore. All I could hear was Anne Burrell's shrill voice screaming " you will never taste off your fingers in my kitchen!!!!! NEVER!!!!"

[WickedTuna]

Poor Doug, he's been my fave this season. I sure hope he can get back in, because I really have no reason to watch now.

I was rooting for him too. I'm a little pissed off that he's gone and George is still there. George came back into the game way too late for my liking.

I don't think I would have wanted to eat any of the QF dishes. Even Melissa's. Ramen with cheese sounds so gross to me. But I think I would have eaten all the EC dishes. Maybe not Doug's. I don't like the stories I've read about what they do to the ducks.

[Quilt Fairy]

Didn't Tom or another judge pitch a fit in a previous season when someone (Casey?) didn't use a 100-year-old rooster for coq au vin?

Yep. IIRC he told her she shouldn't call it coq au vin if there wasn't actually a cock in it. Or words to that effect.

[pythonite]

I have a real problem with George leap-frogging over so many of the challenges. 

[bunnywithanaxe]

How many times have cheftestants tried to braise meat in a short period of time and then been surprised that it didn't cook properly? Do they think the laws of physics have been suspended for Top Chef?

I love Jacques Pepin. He is so kind and supportive of the young chefs.

No kidding about the braised meat, and siiiggh about Jacques Pepin. He is such a sweet person.

I am now just watching the interstitial with the cheftestants pretending to be Julia. As If, you tender young posers.

[buttersister]

All I could hear was Anne Burrell's shrill voice screaming " you will never taste off your fingers in my kitchen!!!!! NEVER!!!!"

Heh, I don't believe Chef Pepin would have any sort of problem staying away from Anne's kitchen.

 

I recall Tom flipping out about there not being an old hen in somebody's coq, but also, iirc, didn't he chastise Carla Hall for saying that she cooked with love?

 

Sad to see Doug go, and especially after he was so clearly wowed by meeting Jacques. Raw foie does sound pretty gross, although I'd have to agree that the uncommon technique/dish should have gotten a little credit over a sure-fire miss in the making like the short ribs.

[GaT]

Damn, why couldn't they eliminate George & his head o' grease? He must dip his head in the stuff to get it to look like that, I'm sure it drips into the food. YEEECH

[Josette]

Julia Child's coq au vin recipe doesn't use a rooster, so maybe that's why Tom kept his mouth shut this time.  Julia child's recipe

[cooksdelight]

When Doug said he was going to cook foie, the first thing I said was "Noooooo!!!! Remember Josh and when he screwed up foie so late in the game!" I cannot imagine how much of a gag reflex one would get trying to eat that stuff raw.

I, too, cracked up when Andy said something about George's hair. It seemed extra-heavy on the gel or grease or whatever he uses this episode.

I forgot we were down to just 5 people since this show has been off the air for two weeks.

[Wings]

 

Didn't Tom or another judge pitch a fit in a previous season when someone (Casey?) didn't use a 100-year-old rooster for coq au vin?  No such grumbling here with Gregory.

 

I remember this, too.  When Greg announced what he was making I thought, oh dear.  Good point, Josette, Julia uses a young hen.  

 

Tom adored Carla and I don't remember him admonishing her for saying she cooked with love but I would not be surprised if he did.   It is the kind of term a chef would find silly.  

 

Doug was my favorite!  Now I will root for Mei, I like her and she has mad skills. 

 

George has gel in his hair, not grease!  His hair looks to be very thick and probably unruly and this is only way to keep it out of the way for cooking.  I like George and don't fault him for his position.  

[tv echo]

Gregory's going to win.  The signs are all there.

[jette]

I dunno, tv echo, seems to me that show wants a previous cheftestant's protégé to win...hence George's reappearance and Mei's late dominance.

[Primetimer]

The final five on Top Chef have a college flashback before paying tribute to Julia Child.

Read the story

[elzin]

Gregory is really getting on my last nerve, and I was earlier rooting for him to win. His bragging is out of control. Something like "I have a near-photographic memory" about Julia's recipes or some shit. He cooks, he runs, he's Sheldon Cooper.

 

But the thing that bugged me the most? He used a word when he got back to the kitchen for the final hour to describe how his dish kind of changed overnight. Exacerbated, I think. And unless he picked a weird alternate definition of the word, he used it wrong.  Or at least it sounded wrong to me. 

 

I don't think we've seen the last of Doug.  He can beat Melissa and George in a LCK, so I think he'll be back.

[Wings]

There are only 4 left,  Melissa, Mei, George and Greg.  Anyone of them could make the mistake that sends them home, no matter how minor it may be.  I don't see anyone as a foregone conclusion to win.  

 

The fact that Doug was sent home this week ahead of Melissa shows they do really judge the food.  I think all of them see the brilliance in Doug.  

 

Someone will join the final 2 or 3 (I forget at what point), from LCK, of course.  I hope to see Doug back to win it all.  

[cooksdelight]

One year, they brought the LCK winner back (Bev) when there were four left. Another year, they brought Kristin back when there were only 2. No telling what they will do this year.

[eleanorofaquitaine]

I don't think that they care all that much about having a previous contestant's protege win.  I think Mei is having success because she's cooking at the top of her game right now.  George is just squeezing by.

 

I was kind of hoping that they would head over to the WGBH studios to do this challenge, but I also know that the actual studio where she was filmed is gone.  (FWIW, there are a number of remembrances of her at this blog for WGBH Alumni).

[Lamb18]

This is the kind of challenge I like.  It was all about cooking - not promoting a brand, a celebrity, wannabe celebrity, or doing some dumb stunt.  I wish all challenges could be solid like this one.

[jimene79]

Melissa and George seem so mediocre - they should have been gone ages ago.  It's a shame that one of them is going to be a top three chef.  Both Katsuji and Adam seemed like better chefs - and definitely Doug is better. 

[BusyOctober]

 

How many times have cheftestants tried to braise meat in a short period of time and then been surprised that it didn't cook properly? Do they think the laws of physics have been suspended for Top Chef?

 

I KNOW!! This kills me every time.  I am an adequate home cook. Through trial & error I learned to follow tried & true recipes.  I have a really great one for braised short ribs that says cook a minimum of 4-6 hours.  I tried to rush & cut the time once to 3h 45m and another time 4h on the dot. Nope. Gotta keep 'em in the oven (my oven anyway) 5 hours to get the right fall off the bone tenderness.  If I'm given 3 hours for a task I wouldn't opt for something I know I can do with 5-6 hours.  Sheer stupidity to attempt otherwise.

 

Bye Doug, you were my favorite.  I don't have any strong preference for the rest, but please, anyone but Greasy George.

[The Solution]

Line of the season:

 

You've got some... hair gel. (with a look of horror)

 

I thought for sure Tom would have had a meltdown about the coq au vin again. I was a little disappointed that he didn't. It must have been some good coq.

 

Yeah, but it's NOT a coq au vin, is it?

[elzin]

I'm kicking myself today too for not even thinking of a Julia challenge in Boston.  That really was a great challenge based on food and not chaos, relevant to the locale.

[meep.meep]

This is the kind of challenge I like.  It was all about cooking - not promoting a brand, a celebrity, wannabe celebrity, or doing some dumb stunt.  I wish all challenges could be solid like this one.

Me too.  Sorry about Doug, but it didn't look well cooked.  That's when you should go.

 

I know it's common to snark on the Texas season, but they had one challenge that was similar to this one and that's one of my favorite shows ever:  The Evil Queen dinner with Charlize Theron.  This reminded me of that.

 

I agree that Gregory saying he was following Julia's own recipe is what spared us the Tom C rant on coq au vin and roosters.  This is the first time I ever noticed how short he is - he's the same height as Jaques Pepin.

[Pepper Mostly]

I'm gutted that Dougie is gone. I love him truly.

 

I make short ribs all the time. Three hours, max. 2.5 on a good day. Add the prep and its maybe 45 minutes more, but never more than three hours in the oven and falling off the bone.

[Nidratime]

I like Mei and with that announcement, she has officially lost the competition. (That's what a good luck charm I am.;-)

[cpcathy]

I thought for sure either Mei or Melissa were goners just based on their "we are great friends!" TH at the beginning of the show. The editing monkeys have changed up their game!

[Texasmom1970]

I am grateful that Andy Cohen's collegiate palate was a guest judge, just so he can speak for all of us and call out George on the "little bit of hair gel."  Cracked me up, big time.  Heh.

Every episode I am worried George is going to get to close to an open flame and all that alcohol in his hair gel is gonna start a flash fire!

[carrps]

I didn't even recognize George brushing his teeth at the top of the episode. He had no gel in his hair! But it did look thick and unruly. With my curly hair, I empathize. But I've found a product that does a great job with no greasy or crunchy look. It can be done.

 

I didn't see Alex Prud'homme introduced until we were a few cheftestants in, but I was sure he had to be a relative because he looked so much like Julia's husband Paul.

 

I was sad to see Dougie go, but his dish did look the worst of the three. I'd prefer they choose based on what really was the worst dish and ignore all the extraneous nonsense. Crossing all my digits that Dougie wins LCK. But I'm actually rooting for Mei to take it all. I love Mei.

 

Re: Gregory and "exacerbate." It was one of those "close but no cigar" kinda things. I'll be showing my age, but it's one of those things that aggravated me most about Howard Cosell (and probably expose my English major roots). He would be so proud of throwing polysyllabic words into his commentary BUT he often chose a word that didn't exactly convey his meaning. It was just a "big word." Lots of times a pithier, simpler word was more accurate. And isn't that the whole point of language??? O.k. Off my soapbox now.

 

ETA: I forgot to mention -- did anyone else notice that highly edited and misleading teaser as they went to the commercial before the EC? You saw Jacques Pepin (or should a say Pepeen?) saying something about duck and flabiness, then showing Mei with an unhappy look on her face. But his actual flabby comment was about Melissa's short ribs. Badly done, TC. Badly done, indeed.

Edited January 8, 2015 by carrps

[Calamity Jane]

Re: Gregory and "exacerbate." It was one of those "close but no cigar" kinda things. I'll be showing my age, but it's one of those things that aggravated me most about Howard Cosell (and probably expose my English major roots). He would be so proud of throwing polysyllabic words into his commentary BUT he often chose a word that didn't exactly convey his meaning. It was just a "big word." Lots of times a pithier, simpler word was more accurate. And isn't that the whole point of language??? O.k. Off my soapbox now.

 

 

Word.  

[Julia]

In Gregory's partial defense, exacerbate is hella fun to say.

[Lizzing]

Gregory and "exacerbates" made me want to send him copies of Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead. :) Though I too am glad Tom didn't come down on him for using just chicken and wine, and not an old rooster and rooster blood.  Greg's version is true to the Julia Child recipe I've been using for years, and it is fabulous.  He was wise to choose this recipe because it specifically states that once the chicken is cooked, it can be set aside for a day or two before finishing the presentation. 

[bluepiano]

But the thing that bugged me the most? He used a word when he got back to the kitchen for the final hour to describe how his dish kind of changed overnight. Exacerbated, I think. And unless he picked a weird alternate definition of the word, he used it wrong.  Or at least it sounded wrong to me. 

 

 

Yeah, for sure the word choice was wrong, a la Joe Bastiani, the king of shooting himself in the foot trying to sound smart.

 

One of the things that Gregory had bragged about was his fancy prep school education. Guess fancy prep schools aren't what they used to be. (Just being snarky. Overall I like Gregory, and think that of the remaining chefs he's most deserving of the win, with Mei a distant second).

 

I keep telling myself that I will stop being bugged by the presence of George, but I can't do it. He is now freakin' Final Four, while having survived far fewer challenges than anyone else. (Or than several of the eliminated chefs). And since his return, he has cooked nothing but safe, boring dishes. Nothing even remotely "Top Chef," that would justify his having been given an unprecedented free pass to get back on the show.

 

I remember a few seasons ago there was a James Beard Award winner from Michigan, who on the very first episode unwisely chose to cook a  dessert and got eliminated. From comments made by the judges and other chefs, it sounded like he was considered the contestant with the most impressive resume, someone expected to go far. But he screwed up and he was gone. By the rules.  No second shot. So I have to think that George's return has a lot to do with personal connections and loyalties, which completely undermines the integrity of the show.

 

I don't care about his appearance, but did he really need to make the "that's what she said" joke because they were talking about hot dogs. What is he, 14?

Edited January 8, 2015 by bluepiano

[Bastet]

I didn't hear Greg's malapropism to know what he was trying to say, but this weekend my best friend twice said "emancipated" when she meant "emaciated."  She knows the difference; her brain just had some sort of misfire going on that day.  When she made her mistake the second time, I pointed it out, and she asked, "Is that really what I said?"  She thought she'd said "emaciated" and had no idea she'd actually spit out something different.  Maybe Gregory similarly misspoke rather than not knowing the meaning of the word.

[elzin]

 Maybe Gregory similarly misspoke rather than not knowing the meaning of the word.

Earlier in the season I would have given him the benefit of the doubt, but his bragging makes me just want to Nelson Muntz "HA HA" at him.

[awaken]

Wow, was Andy Cohen one of the most annoying quick fire judges I've ever seen on this show!  (And I've seen plenty :)  I wouldn't mind not ever seeing him again.  I did laugh pretty hard at the "hint of a hotdog...that's what she said" quip!

 

I don't understand what George is thinking with that hairstyle!!  Nuts!!  There is something appealing about his voice though, and his face is friendly and open.

 

Very sad to see Doug go- I thought he was a lock for the finals.  This is one case where I hope that he does get back in though LCK!  I don't think it was his time to go!  Although raw-centered foie gras sounds absolutely revolting.  

 

I thought it was Melissa's time to go.  I really don't understand, on this show and on Chopped, when chefs specifically choose preparations that clearly take longer than the amount of time they have in order to do properly, and then say they think they will be rewarded by the judges for taking such a big risk.  If risotto simply cannot be made in 20 mins, or a traditional braise cannot be done in 3 hrs, why try and have it be gross, and fail at your dish?  I think part of being a winning chef is to be wise about choosing preparations that can be made well in the allotted time AND still be tasty, and "risky" and show skill.