The aspiring chefs of Top Chef were at it again last night, and this time, they had the daunting task of cooking in Tom Colicchio’s very own restaurant, Craft. Needless to say, there was plenty of choking, and not just the performance-based kind. Padma had to eject two different items of food from her mouth  first a bone from a poorly executed hot dog in the Quick Fire challenge and then later some all-too-sweet meringue, courtesy of Ariane (pronounced Aryan, like the mythical race). Poor Padma had it rough, but it was worth it to see her contorted face each time. She was so overdramatic, you’d think she’d just been shot in the stomach.
As for that Quick Fire challenge which had the contestants making their own variations on the classic hot dog, I need a bit of clarification on some things. First of all, did that woman with the hot dog cart actually make her dog from scratch? Or did she merely boil one that her company orders from a supplier? Because if the latter’s the case (as I suspect it is), then the chefs were totally held to a double standard, especially whats-her-face, who the judges harped on for using a store bought hot dog.
Secondly, exactly what constitutes a hot dog? What’s the line between sausage and dog? Some of those creations, while delicious, seemed more like wurst than weiner. Then again, maybe there is no distinction. This is why I’m asking questions. I need answers.
Lastly, why didn’t Stefan Richter get in touch with his German background (born in Finland, raised in Deutchland) and present a variation on currywurst, a deservedly popular street food in Berlin. For those not in the know, currywurst is essentially sliced sausage with a curried ketchup sauce on the side. Sounds simple, but it’s oh so good. Why it hasn’t caught on in the rest of the world is beyond me.
Nevertheless, onto the photocap…
