TVSquad

(S0605) Last week was a big one, with two contestants being eliminated. I'm all for double-eliminations, since the fewer contestants there are, the easier my job generally is. Though Mattin was spared, he is understandably a little embarrassed, since he's from France and completely biffed the French cuisine challenge. I mean, you don't see Kevin screwing up barbecue or anything.

Tim Love is the guest judge; he's one of those rough-and-tumble types who infuses rustic food into fine dining. So I love the idea of letting the audience choose this week's Quickfire Challenge, but the fact that Top Chef is trying to make me believe that with cactus, snake, and kangaroo as choices, 57% of the people asked for cactus? Shenanigans! You know that vote was for Kangaroo Jack to bite the big one. I simply will not believe otherwise.

However, I do think it's almost worth it just to hear Mattin pronounce "cactus," because it sounds a lot more like "actress." "I wasn't even sure you could actually eat actress." Heh.

The Quickfire Challenge lived up to the latter part of its name for most of the people, as was evidenced by Tim's obvious attempts not to vomit up half the dishes he tried (and I don't blame him. Those tortillas that Ash made looked pretty horrifying). Mike deservedly wins, since he was the only one who really seemed to know his way around a cactus. I've got to say; I really didn't take him too seriously at the beginning, but he's really proving himself week after week.

One of my big pet peeves when it comes to reality-competition shows is when contestants act all shocked and offended when they are asked to perform tasks under less than ideal circumstances. Like, really? You're on Top Chef and it never occurred to you that you may be asked to cook outside of a kitchen without any and all top-of-the-line ingredients and equipment at your fingertips, Michael V.? So they're working out of a Chuck Wagon. Big effing deal. They're not cooking kangaroo.

Mattin doesn't exactly redeem himself during the Elimination Challenge, does he? This is actually the first season of Top Chef that I've watched, but I can't imagine that Tom walking away and spitting the food out is a good or common occurrence, right? But Mattin isn't alone in his failure. Many of his colleagues made the judges long for the sweet release of death, as well.

However, the Voltaggio brothers both stepped up, and Brian ends up winning the challenge for the third time, yet the battle over which one is the hottest brother rages on.

The loser kind of surprised me. Even though it was between Ron, Mattin and Robin, it was clear it would be either Mattin or Robin who would go home. I honestly figured that Mattin would get another week based on his Frenchness, and the fact that some people think that automatically makes him a good chef, as opposed to Robin, a self-taught "Chef, Artist and Teacher." However, it was Mattin who packed up his knives, which since he was the one who made the guest judge sick, seems to be the only logical conclusion.