'Top Chef' Recap: 'For the Gulf'

Top Chef Recap: 'For the Gulf'

[Top Chef Season 8 Episode 11]

Back in the stew room, Dale and Tiffany were shocked about Angelo's elimination. Dale was happy he spent the last set of challenges winning, but knew that most of the contestants will be eliminated at one point. At the apartment, Richard was planning different recipes in his notebook with Mike talking about plans. Tiffany was looking pretty in hopes that her personality will exude through her food.

In the kitchen, Paula Deen awaited the cheftestants, full of laughter. Padma and Paula announce their quickfire challenge: a deep fryer challenge. Paula points out that everything can be deep fried (even her staple butter) and the winner will get $5,000.

As time started, all the contestants ran into the pantry grabbing different forms of oils. Dale decided to wrap oyster in beef and battered it. Antonia decided to go with a fried shrimp salad. Mike wanted to use the "chicken oyster" which was inspired by Richard's book. Richard wanted to fry mayonnaise flavored with coffee and lime. Carla was nervous about the quickfire and her dish wasn't working; the fish to batter ratio was wrong. Tiffany decided to go for a fried chicken wing/fried pickle combination.

With time up, Mike complained that everyone else had overly decorated plates. Antonia apparently forgot to plate two different plates. Antonia got compliments about the fried avocado. Richard got compliments about his hair. Carla knew her food wasn't good. Mike's dish upset Richard a bit because he copied his dish. The worst food came from Dale and Carla. The favorites were Antonia (she got scolded for not making two plates), Richard, and Mike. Antonia should have won, but Mike ended up winning the $5,000.

Padma announced that John Besh would be joining Paula Deen at the judges table. John announced the Elimination Challenge: Cater a fund-raiser for the Greater New Orleans Foundation with food that had a southern style. Each contestant would have an eliminated chef helping the contestants. Each eliminated contestant was holding specific seafood. Richard didn't want Angelo since he was just eliminated and probably mentally messed up at that moment, but it wasn't his choice. Though it wasn't said directly, Mike must have chosen the order.

Mike - Tiffani
Richard - Fabio
Carla - Tre
Tiffany - Marcel
Antonia - Spike
Dale - Angelo

There was a budget of $200 from the Restaurant Depot and $500 from Whole Foods, and two hours to prep at the Top Chef Kitchen. Antonia knew that she would have a good relationship with Spike. Mike loved having Tiffani because of her southern background. Dale got complimented from Angelo. Richard wanted to do a Fish/Grits with a possibility of Pulled Pork. Tiffany wanted to make sure that Marcel didn't give ideas. Carla had a problem with Tre since he never had southern food; a misconception that she was under.

The contestants started at Restaurant Depot getting bulk food. It's always fun watching Richard and Fabio since they bicker like a married couple as they looked for their foods. Fabio even took control of steering their cart. At Whole Foods, Dale and Angelo made a run. Carla wanted redemption for her fish quick fire.

Back at the house, Carla was nervous, since there were only a top three and bottom three. Antonia was upset about being disqualified, as was Richard since Mike took his concept. In the girl's room, Antonia told Carla and Tiffany what happened between Mike and Richard and the girls were all shocked about the unsaid chef code of "no plagiarism."

The next day, the cheftestants had two hours to prepare the food. There seemed to be too many people in the kitchen for Dale who was upset that there were so many chickens with their heads cut off running around. Antonia wanted to do crab cake/crab bisque but this was the last time Antonia used the term "bisque" because her soup probably got too thin for her own good. Carla didn't really trust Tre because he bought his collard greens from a can. Mike was heckling most people, though Antonia pointed out that it was because Tiffani was doing most of the work. Marcel kept giving Tiffany the same suggestion; she shot him down initially. Dale smiled watching the interaction.

With time running out, people were running like crazy trying to make sure everything was done. There's nitrogen spilling over (though no one seemed to be using a lot of liquid nitrogen anyway) and people saran wrapping everything like crazy. At the reception, the contestants had 30 minutes before service. Dale started to panic about the time and amount of work the two had. Richard was worried about the pork/seafood combination. Carla's cornbread wasn't working so she waved the cornbread and her redemption away. With little time, everyone started plating and the people arrived.

Mike instantly placed bowls down and they would disappear. Richard was inundated by how many plates they had to fill. The judges went to the bar first and discussed the Greater New Orleans Foundation to Tom. Mike was first and got good compliments from the judges. Richard and Fabio started to bicker as the judges arrived. The judges had to wait a second; Padma's eyebrow rose as she ate the food. John liked the mix and Tom mentioned the levity. Dale started cursing up a storm so Angelo decided to slow the line down. Angelo tried his best to help calm Dale down. Marcel pointed out that Tiffany ran out of honey glaze; Tiffany taught Marcel how to make the glaze, but she never tasted it.

Carla was inundated with so many people but tried her best to keep a happy face. Carla's collard greens were odd and there was something about the food that the judges couldn't grasp. Carla hoped someone messed up more than she did. Fortunately for her, Tiffany's glaze was okay for John, but the judges couldn't taste the shrimp. Tiffany's glaze wasn't good for Tom. When the judges arrived, Dale explained the food first but had to wait a few seconds. Even with the minor amount of delays, Padma's potato was undercooked. Antonia's crab cake/crab broth had positive fanfare, but the way that the whole episode became a "Mike and Richard battle," she probably wouldn't have won.

The contestants hugged their partners and thanked each other. Fabio and Richard had a genuine moment. Tre joked around that Carla would see him soon.

The contestants sat in the stew room and Carla and Tiffany complained that the southern cooks may be eliminated in their own genre. Padma called Antonia, Richard, and Mike to Elimination first. They were the top three contestants. Richard got complimented for his restraint. Mike's dish was "genius" to Paula. Antonia's dish had the nice touch with the sausage. John and Paula announced that Richard was the winner. He won a six night trip to Barbados and wanted to invite Fabio.

Antonia and Mike had a bit of drama as the other three contestants went to the judging panel. The bottom three were Tiffany, Carla, and Dale. Tiffany joked about picking the shrimp over Marcel. The shrimp was overcooked (and it was Marcel's fault) and Paula was upset that the sauce was too sweet. Dale's soup had raw potatoes, but he should have made the judges wait. The croutons were too powerful. Carla wanted redemption, but it didn't work. There was too much hot sauce and mustard; none of the foods complimented each other.

The judges deliberated because Dale didn't have any fish, Carla made chicken wings out of fish, and Tiffany's shrimp was too sweet. After the commercial break, Padma announced that Dale was eliminated. In the interview, Dale was in tears, but he kept a straight face to the judges and the other contestants. Dale knew he became a better person during the competition

Next Week: Padma in the house. A boat challenge. Loved ones arrive.