COMPETING WITH KNIVES

Top Chef Deconstructed

THIS WEEK'S EPISODE OPENS WITH ROBIN GLOATING HOW AWESOME SHE IS, meanwhile the rest of the chefs are bitter that she's still there and Mattin was sent home. They wear jaunty scarves in his memory!

For the Quickfire Challenge, guest judge Michelle Bernstein decides who has the best "duo" dish that best represents the chef's angel and devil side. Suprise! The winner is Robin! Her two dishes represented her time battling cancer.

For her angel/healthy side she made an arugula, apple and fennel salad, and for her devil side she makes a cardamom apple ginger crisp.

The rest of the chefs want to stab her with a fork, but Michelle Bernstein thinks she's earned her place in the kitchen.

For the Elimination Challenge, guest magicians Penn and Teller judge the chefs' deconstruction of a classic dish. Whah, I thought chefs were creators, not destroyers? No wonder I don't cook.

The chefs not only have to make great dishes and impress all the judges but an added judge, Toby Young, the Simon Cowell of food criticism, will be included at the dinner.

And Kevin wins with his his deconstructed chicken mole- chicken croquette, Mexican coffee fig jam, pumpkin seed romesco.

Ron, Laurine, and Ash's dishes were chosen as the worst dishes.

The chefs pleaded their cases but it was his lack of knowledge on deconstructing a paella that sends Ron packing his knives.

That leaves Robin remaining to be culled from the competition.

Nicki R. is a Southern girl living in the big city of Chicago. She loves quiet evenings a home watching horror films with her dogs Jezebelle and Zombie. Check out her blog, Hey, Look Behind You!