Top Chef Masters: Round 1
The Contestants: Goyvind Armstrong; Susan Feniger; Ana Sortun; Jerry Traunfeld; Jimmy Bradley and Tony Mantuano.
Quick Fire Challenge: The contestants divide into three teams and are told they are going to Chinatown. The chefs drive to an establishment that hostess Kelly Choi describes as "serves thousands of people each day."
They end up at a gas station in Los Angeles' Chinatown, where they find out they will have to shop for ingredients to prepare a meal for the pop band The Bravery.
The chefs spent 15 minutes shopping in the gas station convenience store, and then 45 minutes of prep-time in the Top Chef Masters kitchen. Chef Tony Mantuano calls this challenge, "Smoke and mirrors gourmet."
Watching via closed circuit TV, the chefs find out what The Bravery thinks of their gas station creations: Armstrong and Bradley make a spicy mac and cheese with sautéed Slim Jims-"mac and cheese is an exploration in bland, I am impressed with how much flavor they got." Sortun and Traunfeld make a rice cake-"very original," "this is something to me that I can get at a gourmet restaurant." Feniger and Mantuano make a bread pudding-"a lot of flavor," "I wonder if all these fruits and nuts come from one snack pack."
Feniger and Matuano win the Quickfire (and $5000 for their charities) for their maple bread pudding.
Elimination Challenge: (45 minutes to shop, two hours to cook and $350 budget) Winner goes to championship round. Armstrong, "I am disappointed to be working in teams." Challenge is to prepare meals for 30 couples on their first date. Kelly Choi says the food, "May help someone get lucky in love."
Judges are James Oseland, Jay Rayner and Gael Greene.
Armstrong and Bradley do a duo of lamb-grilled chop and seared carpaccio. "The two dishes played off one another well," Oseland. 12.5 Stars
Feniger and Mantuano do a black shrimp and scallops with fresh pasta with cream sauce dish. "I wouldn't kick this pasta out of bed," Rayner. "Its what we want from a date." 16.5 Stars WINNERS.
Sortun and Traunfeld do a flower based duck breast with lavender rub and crispy duck leg in orange blossom dish. "This guy (Soturn dish) wore his pajamas on the date, and she got all dressed up (Traunfeld's dish)," Oseland. 15 Stars
Quote of the night Bradley on being judged by The Bravery during the Quickfire: I can't wait to listen to the album and tell them what we think.
Revelation of the night: Armstrong as a 16 year old worked in one of Feniger's restaurants and had a crush on her.