
By Carol Blymire
Welcome back to “Top Chef Seattle,” my lovelies. Last week, Kristen and Sheldon’s restaurant concepts were chosen to be featured in this week’s episode, the conclusion of Restaurant Wars. Let’s just hope Part Deux isn’t Part Dud.
Flavors could be brighter in this handsome U Street corridor addition from the Hilton brothers.
Sheldon’s modern Filipino menu at Urbano will be “sour, sour, sour,” says Sheldon . . .who is backed by two cheftestants who have never cooked Filipino food. As long as he can teach and lead and cook his flavors well, he could win this challenge.
The equipment arrives, build-out begins, and Kristen and Sheldon start planning how they want their operations to run in front and back of house. Their teams start the prep work to prepare for the competition the next day. Lizzie is organized and has thought out her dishes, as well as how she can support Kristen. Brooke is taking a lead in helping plan the seating area. Kristen just isn’t a very commanding leader, as Josie just decides she’ll do what she wants, prep-wise, when she decides she wants to do it. This is not going to end well.
After a night of planning, they head back to the Restaurant Wars space to kick into high gear for the competition service. Everyone is working hard and moving fast. Except Josie. Which I know must shock you, right? Seriously, how does this woman skate by with her less-than-mediocre “talent” every flippin’ week?
Stefan and Brooke take on front-of-house duties in their respective restaurants. Some Seattle chefs from previous episodes along with other guests begin arriving, and the food starts to flow. The judges — Padma,Gail, Emeril, Tom and Danny Meyer — arrive and Brooke is there to greet them. Finally! Someone in Restaurant Wars who understands how to run front of house. Here’s what’s on the menu at Kristen’s restaurant, Atelier Kwan:
Charcuterie (Lizzie): rabbit, pickled turnips and yellow beets in chicken and rabbit broth.
Then … a big break in service time because Josie is slower than a sloth in plating her bouillabaisse, and there are issues with the sauce not working because the prep work didn’t happen when it was supposed to.
Courtesy: The Washington Post