Tuesday, September 4, 2012

MasterChef Recap Episode 19

MASTERCHEF
Episode 19

He ate this chicken as if he was drinking a cup of tea, probably to impress Gordon

Mystery Box: Cook books, cool.  Good symbolism.  The challenge gives free reign to the chefs to do whatever they want, so this better be good. 

Joe, weird goals: "We want food that's them on a plate.  I think that's what we're gonna get today."  Isn't that what you want every day, Joe? 

Ramsay: Christine! 
Christine: Hi Chef.
Ramsay: How are you feeling?
Christine: I feel nervous. 

You could make a remix of all the times Christine has said she's nervous. 

Ramsay: Josh, Becky.  Which one would you like to see in the final alongside you?
Christine: I'd have to say Becky since I think she deserves to be there. 

I agree, Christine. 

A blind person made this.  I can't believe it either. 

Becky, deformed taste buds: "I'm gonna switch it up, so instead I'm gonna make a fish soup."  Dude...gross...

Becky, all aboard the excuse train: "I guess I think that the type of food I grew up eating is not very sophisticated so I think that for me I'm trying maybe do too much than I can right now and I was just thinking of what I should be doing for you guys and to beat them and I completely lost and I don't have a good excuse."  Becky, you could have just said "I don't have a good excuse" rather than trying to make an excuse and then saying you don't have a good one. 

Elimination Test: The theme is legs; chicken, lamb, and frog.  Since Christine's Mystery Box dish was the best, she got first dibs and picked to cook chicken.  Josh's dish came in second and he picked lamb, meaning by default he picked frog for Becky. 

Gordon, anti-Kermit the Frog: "Hello Kermit!" while smiling gleefully at a plate of frogs legs. 

Returning chefs: Okay, cool to have everyone back.  FLAVOR ELEVATOR!

Around the Horn: Monti says Christine will win, Frank says Becky will win, Ryan the Flavor Elevator says Josh will win.  I mean, they had to have someone say each finalist's name at least once so...

Joe, Captain Obvious: "We're competing to enter the final 2, the finale of MasterChef.  I wanna see complex dishes, I wanna see technique, I want it all."  Whoa, Joe.  That's deep, especially when you say you wanna see technique for EVERY SINGLE CHALLENGE!

Gordon, General No Shit Sherlock: "Christine, Becky, Josh, only two of you are going into the MasterChef final.  Come on!"  WHOA!  REALLY?  I TOTALLY DIDN'T KNOW THAT, GORDON!!!  I THOUGHT SEVEN CHEFS WERE GOING TO THE FINALE!

Christine's Fried Chicken:  Pretty safe dish to go with and she nailed the chicken.  The creamed kale was overly creamy.  Other than that no major blunders.

Joe: So you know there's too much cream in there?
Christine: I know now.
Joe: But you knew that when you plated it.
Christine: Ummm...
Joe: So you didn't taste it.
Christine: *deer in headlights*

That sequence was obviously heavily edited but it was kinda funny. 

Josh's Lamb CarimaƱolas: Scored great reviews because of its seasoning and technique, which is pretty cool to see considering Joe had this to say prior to tasting it:

Joe, premature Douche Alarm: "We're cooking to get into the finale.  You pick the leg of lamb and then you bring me this.  This is the last recipe in the last page in the last chapter of the lamb cookbook.  It's sooooo risky.  Yucca, starchy, difficult to work with.  Grazing lamb in under an hour.  Why take all those risks?"

Josh, on fire: "Damn this is a sexy plate.  This is the kind of plate Becky should be taking pictures of."  Buuuuuurn. 

Joe, astounded: "Once again you have astounded me, Josh."  Me too, Joe.  Me too.  

Becky's Frog Legs: The legs are good.  The salad is interesting.  But the potatoes are soggy. 

Becky, aspirations: "I really, really, really wanna be in the final 2 and I think I deserve it and I know I could create some amazing food in this finale and I just want that opportunity so bad!"

Josh, on fire again: "He never said it was delicious" he whispered to Christine while Joe was tasting Becky's dish.  Dude, Josh is seriously on fire today. 

Becky Goes Home: I feel for her. When you look at their entire performances, Becky should have easily been in the finals over Josh.  But there was something else at play here that ousted her early and that's the fact that she had been seriously sinking in recent episodes and it was like Josh and Christine just picked her apart this round.  It's kinda like when a number 1 seed in basketball plows through the regular season, plows through the first two rounds of the playoffs, then gets to the Conference Finals and suddenly the tables are turned and it's someone else that's doing the plowing.  

Not a lot was expected out of Christine in the beginning.  She was picked last for challenges and no one really knew the kinda powerhouse she'd become.  But she quickly established herself as a contender and steamrolled into the finals.  While I will say that Josh totally dominated today's episode, I still think Frank should have been cooking today.  That's just ridiculous that Frank was sent home like that.  Josh has had some really good dishes but he's also had some real stinkers and was eliminated once (though to his credit when given another chance he dominated much like he did tonight).  Josh can be clutch, and I only say that because he was eliminated once already so it's not like he's a sure-fire thing.  But Christine has been consistent the entire season.

But Becky?  After cruising for much of the season she just came tumbling down.  And it's not like she was putting up crap - her food still got good reviews, but they weren't good enough.  And as the pressure mounted, she continued to fold.  Not the kind of clutch player you want in crunch time.  What also bugged me is that she always had an excuse if something wasn't up to par, or she'd make a plea for her plate.  That to me says she's lacking a quality that a leader needs to have.  If your dish isn't getting the job done then that's it.  Don't make excuses.  Just take it and move on.  There's no doubt she's a great talent, and I know I've given her hack on here all season, but she's truly a terrific chef and will go on to great things.  I like her and was pulling for her, so it's too bad she couldn't go all the way.  I feel for her. 

Last season you had powerhouse Christian destroy the competition only to finish third.  He had an arrogance about him that hindered his leadership abilities and clouded some terrific cooking skills, but he was such a badass that you thought he'd go all the way.  But again - that number 1 seed gets to the Conference Finals and all of a sudden it's an entirely different game.  

Larry, Moe, and Curly

I'm pulling for Christine to win it all.