Nimma is eliminated on the first episode of Top Chef Chicago
I’ve been waiting very impatiently for the new season of Top Chef, Top Chef Chicago. Tonight’s season premier was interesting to say the least. There were a few differences that I’m not sure I am thrilled about, but I’ll withhold judgment on the show for right now.
The sixteen chefs met at Pizzeria Uno in Chicago, enjoying some pizza and beer while they got to know one another. Padma and Tom Colicchio join the party, and you know that the party is over when they stop by. Padma tells the chefs to grab a coat and get moving, that their first quickfire challenge was going to begin.
The quickfire challenge (with a Chicago twist, as Padma said) was for the chefs to create their own signature deep dish Chicago style pizza. They would have 90 minutes to get it ready for delivery to the guest judge. At first I wondered if the chefs would have to make the dough from scratch too, but they didn’t have to do that – dough was provided. Some problems happened for Andrew when he realized that someone took his pizza pan and he had nothing there to bake his pizza in. He found a cast iron skillet and used that to make his pizza. He figures out it was Richard who took his pan and he wasn’t too pleased about it.
The chefs pull up to this nice home to be greeted by the guest judge, Rocco DiSpirito. He and Padma taste all the pizza, one slice at a time. At the end of the challenge he calls out some names and tells them to move to the other side of the room: Stephanie, Nimma, Manuael, Lisa, Valerie, Nikki, Zoi and Andrew. These eight chefs had his least favorite pizza.
One interesting thing I noticed is that a winner was not named and immunity was not given. Just an aside. Also Padma reveals that each chef was allowed to bring up to $200 of ingredients they can’t live without and would have a locker in which they could store them. This was a new twist this season, and I’m not sure I like this at all. Does it give someone an unfair advantage? Who knows. Another new thing was a couple had made it to the show for the first time – Jen and Zoi had been dating for about three years and both made it to the show. They wanted to come out into the open so everyone was made aware of their relationship right away. I think this is going to be really hard for them, especially if they end up on teams in one challenge having to compete against each other, or if both of them come up for elimination one time.
Padma tells the chefs that the results of the quickfire challenge will play a role in tomorrow’s elimination challenge. She also tells them that the home in which they are standing is where they will stay while in Chicago. Since it’s a really nice place everyone is pretty happy with that piece of news.
For the most part the chefs are socializing that evening, getting to know each other. Nimma keeps herself away from everyone else. She says that she is not there to have fun, but to work. She did not want to get friendly with the other chefs.
For the elimination challenge the chefs walk into the kitchen to see Padma, a chalk board and the dreaded knife block. The chefs who had the best pizza the previous day pull knives. Padma tells them that they will choose one of the chefs from the other group to cook against, head to head. The person from the other group will select what they will cook from a list of classic dishes that are on the opposite side of the chalkboard. One dish from each pair will be selected as the winner; the other chef would be eligible for elimination.
Here’s how everyone teamed up, the dish they made, and the winner for each team.
Mark vs. Stephanie – Duck a L’Orange – Stephanie won.
Antonia vs. Nimma – Shrimp Scampi – Antonia won.
Dale vs. Manuel – Steak Au Poivre – Dale won.
Spike vs. Lisa – Eggs Benedict – Lisa won.
Ryan vs. Valerie – Chicken Piccata – Valerie won.
Jen vs. Nikki – Lasagne – Nikki won.
Erik vs. Zoi – Souffle – Zoi won.
Richard vs. Andrew – Crab Cakes – Richard won.
Anthony Bourdain joined the panel of judges for the elimination round, along with Tom, Padma and Rocco. You knew the contestants had to be sweating bullets when they saw Bordain because he isn’t afraid to say whatever is on his mind in whatever blunt way he feels is appropriate.
The top four dishes were created by Antonia, Nikki, Richard and Stephanie, with Stephanie being named the winner. The bottom four dishes were created by Erik, Nimma, Mark and Ryan, with Nimma being eliminated. Her shrimp was really salty and her cauliflower flam did not set. Nimma now becomes the answer to the trivia question “name the first chef eliminated on season 4 of Top Chef.”
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