“Top Chef ” recap: Bronco Brouhaha
Because we’re determined to stay on top of all things “Top Chef” while the Bravo show is in our own backyard, we’re offering recaps of all episodes. Here’s the rundown on the Super Bowl episode. Feb. 1 was the Thursday before the Super Bowl, the episode was tailgate-themed. It was shot outside Sports Authority Field at Mile High with a 300person crowd, including Mayor Michael Hancock, current and former Denver Broncos players and orange-clad fans. Broncos fans rolled up with their trailers and tents ready to feast on tailgate dishes like poutine, nachos, ribs and fried mac and cheese that the remaining contestants served up in pairs. party began with Mayor Hancock declaring Top Chef Day in Denver with the chef/owner of Rioja, Jennifer Jasinski. Fitfteen players and Ring of Famers are in the episode ( including team foodie Brandon McManus) waiting in line to sample the goods.
Not only does it sting a bit to have a Super Bowl episode focused on the Broncos — the team finished the 2017 season 5-11 — but the episode also featured T.J. Ward. The fan favorite and locker room leader was released by the Broncos on Sept. 2 and was picked up by Tampa Bay less than 24 hours later. Corey Nelson, who is shown showing off his Super Bowl ring, and Todd Davis are both now unrestricted free agents.
And Miles was there too — even if Carrie Baird called him “Thunder.”
Local ingredients used: Carrie served Colorado pork green chili at the tailgate.
Drama: There is no longer immunity on the table after the Quickfire, and this one was a sudden death challenge. The chefs who ended up in the bottom, and the one who ultimately went home, came as a shock to the other chefs.
As far as the tailgate challenge, Tom Collicchio was not happy with the food and said he could get it at any tailgate without professional chefs. Ouch.
Fun fact: In the car, Chris tells Carrie “Philadelphia is the only team in the NFC East with no ring.” Carrie responds, “Maybe it’s their year.” And we know what happened on Super Bowl Sunday.
One thing they didn’t show in this episode, which was surprising because of how often they focus on weather this season, was the hail and lightning that paused production for about 20 minutes. Tailgaters, judges and crew members took shelter under an entrance tunnel while the storm passed, which meant we got to hear (and pretend to be really excited about) Hancock’s Top Chef Day declaration twice.
And where was Gail?
Memorable line: Fatima was getting a little nervous while plating her Quickfire, so Joe told her, “Squeeze your butt cheeks together real hard; it will calm you down.” I’ll have to try that next time.
Challenge winner: Despite Mustache Joe dissing her choice, Carrie won the cooking-with-flowers Quickfire with her “fancy toast.” She won again in the tailgate challenge where she was paired up with Chris to make poutine for an “elevated version of the tailgate experience,” as she called it.
By the way, the prize they ended up winning? They both got trips to the Super Bowl. If only Chris, an Eagles fan, knew how this would all unfold.
How our Colorado chef did: I like to call this episode “All about Carrie.”
First, she won the Quickfire with David Cinch for her ability to embrace lavender and balancing sweet and savory in her “fancy toast.” Because immunity was removed, her advan- tage was getting to choose the teams for the tailgate challenge.
Between challenge prep and game day, there is a short scene where the fellow chefs ragged on her about how she can “sneeze something onto a plate” and she’d win with even that. For those who have kept up with the season, we can all agree she certainly has been making some of the weirder choices (Nutella eggs benedict, anyone?), but the judges have been eating them up (literally).
Then, she really twists the knife with another challenge win. The three chefs that ended up in the bottom of the edible flowers Quickfire were quite the unexpected bunch: Joe Flamm, Mustache Joe Sasto and Chris Scott. They faced off in a sudden-death challenge where they had to use cauliflower to replace a main ingredient in a dish. Joe Flamm’s risotto got him eliminated to the shock of everyone in the room, and most watching too.
In the tailgate challenge, Fatima Ali’s floppy nachos did not live up to the task and she was sent home.