by Gina Scarpa

 

Last night, on Top Chef: DC, the contestants met up with Padma and Dana Cown (Editor-In-Chief of Food & Wine Magazine) for their next Quickfire Challenge. In this challenge, they'll have to create a dish that goes amazingly well with a wine of their choosing. The winner will receive a trip to London and receive 6 nights at the London Hilton. How nice would that be?

 

The least successful pairings came from Kevin, which was unfortunate because his quail was cooked so well, as well as Kelly. Angelo and Tiffany continue to be a force in the competition, landing in the top. The winner is Angelo, who really needed that, given he hasn't taken home a W in the last three challenges.

 

Making it past this next elimination challenge is going to be huge because the final four chefs are going to head to Singapore for the home stretch. Getting there will be no easy feat. Everyone heads to NASA (yeah... NASA) where they receive their challenge via video from two astronauts at the International Space Station. They'll have to cook a dish that can be freeze dried and sent into space and they'll be serving astronauts, scientists, and the judges.

 

While shopping, Ed decides to go Moroccan, Tiffany looks for white fish, and Kevin buys a high quality cut of beef. It seems Kevin really listened to the astronauts, who look for comforting food while so far from home. If he can pull it off, he may be looking at a plane ticket to Singapore soon enough!

 

At the Ronald Reagan Building, where the dishes will be cooked and served, space is tight and time is of the absolute essence!

 

Kelly is up first with the judges, serving a pan roasted halibut, and the panel doesn't feel that all of the dish components can properly be freeze dried. Ed's Moroccan yogurt marinated rack of lamb leaves the judges split. Anthony Bourdain is on board with it, while Eric Ripert rips it apart.

 

Kevin's comfort food, New York strip steak, is well seasoned and flavorful but the panel questions if they can maintain the crispiness in space. Tiffany's pan seared halibut doesn't seem to quite come together for the panel but Angelo's ginger lacquered short ribs goes over well.

 

Deciding who stays and who goes is going to be certainly a tough decision. It's not just about how well something tastes, but how well it will hold up in space. At Judges' Table, Angelo picks up another win, guaranteeing his spot on the plane to Singapore.  He can really thank Anthony Bourdain, who lobbied big time for him.  Angelo also wins a brand new Toyota Avalon.  Not bad!!

 

Shockingly, the judges decide to eliminate Tiffany and not Ed.  Perhaps Ed has been underestimated here.  It's too bad Tiff won't go to Singapore.  She was my dark horse to win!

 

Top Chef: DC airs Wednesdays at 10/9c on Bravo.

 

(Image courtesy of Bravo)

 

Follow Gina at twitter.com/ginascarpa

 

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