Green,” “perplexed” and “tofu” were the words proffered by an audience at Chicago’s Second City improv center to inspire a dish by Top Chef contestants Dale Talde and partner Richard Blais. Dale, having found his winning stride in the last few episodes, was fresh from a Quickfire nod of approval for his halo-halo dessert from Johnny Iuzzini, executive pastry chef of Jean-George. The duo’s creation was a green curry tofu steak that looked like tofu but tasted like steak. Its creative oddness won the judges’ favor, and both men couldn’t complement each other enough. In fact, Dale’s great respect for his teammate continued the improvisation process on the words “green” and “perplexed,” as Richard seemed to be sporting Dale’s signature green sweatband, an unhygienic gesture and perhaps the sign of a newfound perplexing friendship.
The less-talented reality TV chef is Louross of Hell’s Kitchen, who had trouble cooking up a medium-well steak this week. Coming out too rare, the steak was cooked longer on its exposed pink topside and delivered as an unappetizing charred biscuit. When it was returned to the kitchen, Louross unwillingly followed a fellow contestant’s advice to shave the top to reveal the pinkish interior. “That was the most ghetto-est thing possibly in the kitchen ever, but it still went out, you know? You do what you gotta do in the kitchen.” Note to self: Do not visit his ghetto kitchen.
This week on A Shot at Love II, Tila Tequila continued her antics of make-out sessions for the camera, played a little strip casino craps and then concocted a final challenge of who could buy her love. How? By grabbing the most faux cash in a wind-tunneling Plexiglas box. The girls won this round and Tila’s “respect” as she commented, “You girls know how to bring home the bacon.” If only it were so easy.
In Dancing With the Stars, Kristi Yamaguchi slid to second place for the first time for a lackluster Viennese waltz. Judge Carrie Ann said: “I know turning is your thing, but it was just a hair off.” What wasn’t her thing was the hip-hop-infused cha-cha they did later. Kristi is at her best when outside her comfort zone, breaking from what guest commentator Kenny Maine called the “perfect little China doll” — which, in this case, doesn’t really refer to the country so much as the cool hard porcelain it’s famous for. She seems to be warming up for the gold.
This past Monday’s Deal or No Deal was a Star Wars-themed winner-take-all spectacle. Elyse McCrillis, one of the two contestants trying to bank the bigger bucks to win it all, was a Vietnamese refugee who walked three miles as a child in her new home country to watch Star Wars. The movie was the impetus for her to dream big, she said in her geeky Yoda-mimicking voice and refused all deals from proxy banker Darth Vader. Unfortunately, she dreamed too big and left with nothing.