Top Chef "Commanders Palace" Recap (10/16/13)

Wednesday's episode of Top Chef begins with the chefs competing in their first ever QuickFire Elimination Challenge. The Chefs must reinvent dishes using food trends that guest judge, Dana Cowin, thinks are past their prime. These food trends are Eggs, Kale, Bacon, and Smoked. The chefs pull knives to determine who will cook which trend.

EGGS
Chef Nicholas serves a Quail Egg, Scallop,and Truffle Juice
Chef Nina serves a Quail Egg on Confit Potatoes
Chef Carrie serves Soft Boiled Eggs with Chili Flakes on Green Beans
Chef Shirley serves Rice Congee with Shirred Egg

SMOKED
Chef Sara serves Tuna Tataki with Arbol Chile
Chef Michael serves Cold Smoked Oysters
Chef Janine serves Roasted Pork Lion with Smoked Apples
Chef Louis serves Smoked Trout with Lime Vinaigrette

BACON
Chef Bene serves Seared Tuna in Bacon with Honey
Chef Brian serves Bacon with Scallop & Ginger
Chef Travis serves Bacon Pho Broth with Seared Scallop
Chef Stephanie serves Pasta with Lightly Canied Bacon

KALE 
Chef Patty serves Kale with Toasted Garlic
Chef Justin serves Kale Steamed with Lemon/Anchovy Syrup
Chef Aaron serves Fried Kale Dredged in Soy
Chef Bret serves Kale Juice & Gazpacho with Kale Salad

Guest Judge Dana Cowin's Favorite Dishes are cooked by Chef Nina, Chef Shirley and Chef Stephanie.

WINNER: Chef Shirley receives Immunity.

Least Favorites: Chef Bret, Chef Aaron, and Chef Louis.

ELIMINATED: Chef Aaron-for over salting his Kale.

ELIMINATION CHALLENGE:  Padma informs the Chefs that they will eat at Commanders Palace. Once there the Chefs are told they must replicate the taste and presentation of each of the four classic dishes they are served. They will serve these recreated dishes to the judges, who will taste both the recreated dish and the original dish to determine which dish closely resembles the original.

The dishes the chefs are tasked to recreate are: Shrimp & Taso Henican, Black Skillet Seared Trout, Veal Chop, and a Strawberry Trio

SHRIMP & TASO HENICAN                 BLACK SKILLET SEARED TROUT        
 Bene                                                                              Janine                                                              
Michael                                                                         Nicholas                                                          
Travis                                                                            Louis                                                                
 Nina                                                                               Carlos                                                              


VEAL CHOP
Brian
Patty
Shirley
Bret


STRAWBERRY TRIO
Sara
Carrie
Justin
Stephanie

These Chefs served the judges Favorite Dishes: Chef Stephanie, Chef Nina & Chef Justin

WINNER: Chef Justin

These Chefs served the judges Least Favorite Dishes: Chef Louis, Chef Carlos & Chef Bret

ELIMINATED: Chef Bret (Veal Chops were overcooked)

Next week: The Chefs cook Vietnamese food.