Over at NoNita Mann's station, Daddy Tom wants to know more about her illusions, and she says her faux-scallop is actually going to be filled with cold beef tartare. Aaaaaaargh, when is anybody going to actually cook some beef on this show??!?!? At any rate, she's also going to attempt to make some kind of seascape with Rice Krispies underneath the scallop that will hopefully make some of their patented snap, crackle, pop sounds. This brings forth another weird giggle from Daddy Tom.

To El Shalito he just jokes that Dougie making a spectacle of himself should be nothing new and they chuckle together. Marky Doody confesses that when he watches the apprentices on the regular show he's often thinking "Come onnnnnn, how hard could that be?" but now that he's on the other side of the coin he's sweating. Throughout all of this Daddy Tom has been smiling and laughing and giggling like a nervous schoolgirl and I think I've finally figured out why...

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...He stoled some of Scar's stash!...

Ha, no actually I suspect that perhaps Daddy Tom is a little nervous because these are real professional chefs and colleagues who are every bit as talented and accomplished as he is, he can't exactly pull the stern, superior attitude that he normally hands out to the regular cheftestants. At least not without being in danger of having a wire whisk shoved up his ass in return... NoNita Mann don't play.

Oh, and it gets even better. To us, Daddy Tom says the Master Chefs immediately figured out something that the regular cheftestants almost never do... "They didn't get bogged down in the word, they didn't get bogged down in the challenge... they know that through cooking you can pretty much tell any story." He also says he's a little frustrated knowing that because he's not a judge on this show he doesn't get to eat their wonderful food. We'll see if he's so jealous after El Shalito reveals his icy-flaming "wow" dish or CaJohn Boy serves his glacial sorbet.

Marky Doody says that cooking against time constraints makes it extremely tense in the kitchen, and that it feels like an early James Bond movie, "The clock is ticking and the laser is creeping up the table towards your crotch..."

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...The Top Chef Masters Experience™...

El Shalito's finally ready to let us in on some of his wow-factor dish. He's planning on serving a soup inside a flaming coconut. Wow. That sounds incredibly... dangerous. Because they don't happen to have any Bacardi 151 in the pantry, he's decided to go ahead and slather the outsides of his coconuts instead with bright neon-pink Sterno gel. NoNita Mann tells us she's just as nervous about this idea as I am...

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...somehow I think this has less chance of a "wow" reaction and more chance of a "trip to the burn unit"...

The next day they all head over to the Magic Castle, which is an L.A. landmark, but Marky Doody (and I) have never been inside because it's a private club and you have to be invited. Once they enter they are confronted by a closed door guarded by a tacky owl with flashing-red LED eyes that they have to say a magic word to in order to gain entry to the rest of the building. The word turns out to be "Open Sesame" (I guess because that's the most food-related of magic words, but it would have been a lot more fun if it had been The Amazing Mumford's "Alla peanut butter sandwiches!")

After winding their way through confusing corridors filled with creepy artwork that NoNita describes as feeling "like Hogwarts" they arrive at the kitchen and start their one hour cooking time before service. NoNita knows her steak tartare tastes great, but she's having some issues with her plating as she realizes the bowl holding her faux-scallop is so large it covers most of her little seascapes. D'oh!...

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...she shoulda just served it over a bed of those rainbow goldfish crackers...

Tonight's guests are being seated in the "Danté Room" and Neil Patrick Harris comments on how "swanky" it is. OMG, Gail's there, too! In yet another ill-fitting blouse! So is Gramma Greene, NerdMosexual and Bok Choi... but FugTaser is nowhere to be seen! I guess Gail is replacing him for this episode, and the collective eyes of our nation are grateful for the respite, I'm sure.

Finally, the time has come for dinner service, and Marky Doody is the first up to present everyone with his en papillote dish...

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...which looks like a bunch of giant paper testicles...

Once Marky arrives in the Danté Room, Bok Choi makes with the introductions of...

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...the HBIC (Head Bottom In Charge)...

...as well as...

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...Dave, his wife...

Top Chef Masters: You Have To Believe We Are Maaaagic! Sections:  1  |  2  |  3  |  4  |  5  |  6  |  7  |  8  |  9 

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Comments (16)

bluzgirl:

Excellent recap, J-MO! I agree that NPH was very bitchy and it looked like he was not at all excited to be there. I totally appreciated your shout out to Twin Peaks!!!

I do hope some more personality shows up for the champions round...

njgasmifan:

CONGRATS on entertaining us for the last year J-Mo!

For all of you who enjoyed Ludo-criss last week -just in case you missed this important news item I thought I would share:
Thu Jul 9, 6:06 am ET
PARIS (Reuters Life!) – French tourists are the worst in the world, coming across as bad at foreign languages, tight-fisted and arrogant, according to a survey of 4,500 hotel owners across the world.

Anyway....LOVED having Daddy Tom and Gail. Hope we get to see more of both of them! (especially DT...sigh)

As for the bunny-in-the-hair(hare?) magic trick - I am betting that Mexi-Jay from the Fashion Show has animals and rodents in his hair, too.

No-Needa was amazingly lukewarm about the whole event. I do love John Besh, but he totally blew this time. And yes, Queen NPH was quite the bitch and not in an entertaining way.

J-Mo, you so do NOT look like the Michelin Man, we have seen you and your moves - total cutie. In fact, last week I dreamt that there was a gathering of all the recappers and posters, and I got to meet you in person! (I do realize that it says something about my quality of life when I am dreaming about people I don't know..but it was cool to meet everyone in dreamland).

As always, your recaps really crack me up - this week was no exception! Hugs xoxoxo

Rebecca1968:

CONGRATS on your anniversary! and thank you very much for continuing with your recaps! they are awesome! :)

it seems to be a pattern with the winers boy/girl hmm

ever since you mentioned that they dont let or care about bok choi's comments I cant help but pay more attention to this and you are so right - even camera cuts her out often!

Thanks again for making me laugh on such a shitty day :)

sillygrrl:

Slightly off topic, but what happens to the losers on Top Chef? Jeff, Carla & Fabio are making celebrity sundaes for Marble Slab! Go here (you can't post links but I think you can figure it out) ht tp://w ww. mar blesl ab. com (click on the "Celebrity Sundae" button). And that picture of Jeff - WHAT is in his sundae that's making his face go like that? He's clearly feeling no pain! I love Fabio but his sundae looks like...well, you can fill in the blank. 3 of my favorite chefs...humiliating. sigh.

juddfan:

It's only been a year . . . oh my . . . time usually flies in your 40's, but I guess all these savory recaps of your's have just made the time simmer!!!! Congrats baby!!! I concur, you are way to cute to compare to the Tire guy (can't spell . . . sigh) tho he's cute in his own way. I'd likely do Mr. Clean, but that's another topic . . .

DT is looking very hung over and sloppy on these . . . since it's just little blips of screen time, you'd think he could shine up a bit. Is he that desperate to shake us queeny fans that he's sabotaging it . . . I know, just me . . .

I was loving No-nitaman--too funny on the name there, J-mo!!! The top six on should be very good, with some formidable chefs . . . will it be one night, or six!? who knows . . .

njgasmifan, I'm with you, and often think of all you peeps and the things you think and say, whether during shows or sometimes just in life. I had SWAK running through my head for a whole weekend, before I figured out it meant Sealed With a Kiss . . . I know, so lame of I . . .

J-mo, you are getting sooo good at the screen caps. That Maxi pad was so subtle and the flames--amazing!!! Keep up the good work.

Next time you hit LA, lets at least do a west coast meeting (I know just the place) Or I suppose if ya all head east, NJ can be your host! (I assume what NJ means . . . )

Anyhoo, I'm sure Amy Winehouse got some ideas from that magic trick, and I'm sorry, but couldn't we all don a jesus wig with a compartment in the hairline . . .

SWAK ; )

arizonatom:

J-Mo, as always, another stellar recap!

I just loved the pic of you dancing with your blue scarf! (I've always heard of Michelin stars, but truly never thought about them being associated with butyl-donuts for the car).

Christmas gifts that the cat peed on are the greatest! Well, almost ... the ones that have been puked upon are the absolute awesomest ones.

I can't believe that dork made the sternoconut bowls. You're right, it would smell nasty, and it is downright dangerous, as sometimes you can't even see the flames in a brightly lit room. What an asshat! Maybe the magicians should have made the flambe' disappear.

I didn't think the rabbit trick was all that bad, prolly 'cuz the bunny was so cute. But after Happy Bunny (TM) watered the Bok-Choy garden, I swear I heard him say "this has been fun but I have to barf now".

I agree that the en papillot pocket looked like a turd with diarrhea sauce. I don't know if I could even taste something that looked that "shitty". Ew!!

Great job, as ever. Many thanks for staying up to the crack of dawn (insert your own joke here) to give us such funny stuff to read - you are hilarious!

Lots O' Love.

natpatben:

Loved this recap for mention of Jamaican Patois.

pixiegal262:

I laughed until I cried the first time I read about Gail and her BURNT CHARRED RUBBERY EGGS!!! and I still laugh about them to this day. That woman is serious about her unfertilized chicken spawn.

I was weirded out by Miss Lezasian. She seemed completely bored to be there. Although, to be honest, she seems kinda beaten down. Like the jackassery that goes on with male chefs has just pissed her off to the point of numbness.

And NPH was being Queeny beyond Queenieness and I'm with you JMo...there was some furious, bitter masturbating going on that night.

theminx:

Just FYI - Kelly Choi is 5'10" and wears heels, and that's why she dwarfed Ming the Merciless, who's about Tom Cruise height.

PottyMouth:

J-Mo! Has it really only been a year that you've been recapping? It seems like so much longer - and I mean that in a really REALLY good way!

I was laughing my ass off yet again this week - your take on this show never fails to crack me up. It is legend.....wait for it.....dary.

Love love love you!

SWAK, PottyMouth

PS - You are FAR sexier than the Michelin man.

yeschef:

Yep Michelin Stars are awarded by the tire company since they started a travel guide in France (where the company started in 1888 since it is considered that the French in fact invented the automobile) that detailed restaurants and rated the food quality as well as detailed places where to get gas and maintain the auto. After a few years the Michelin Stared restrautants not only got other awards or already had them from food critics for food quality, presentation but also were considered extremely clean and saw a huge increase in customers willing to pay the high prices for the food.

So having the Tire Company travel guide say you worth the trip was a major award.

PottyMouth:

Oh juddfan! Sorry I stumped you on SWAK! It sucks when you get something in your head and can't figure it out - I've done that MANY times myself!

SWAKKK, PottyMouth

PottyMouth:

One last thing! That was Sealed with a Kiss Kiss Kiss - not sealed with the KKK. ;)

juddfan:

Thanks PottyMouth, literally all weekend it plagued me . . . until the epiphany, which I can at least say I puzzled out without google (rare, I know . . . ) I kept thinking it was a sound effect for a kiss . . . ya know, like smack, only swak . . . okay, I know it's whack!!!

but KKKK back at 'cha, and I added the 4th for the same reason you amended!

; )

njgasmifan:

juddfan:
Thanks for letting me know I am not alone (or crazy) in thinking of you all - I also think find myself thinking about how much fun we could have if we could all get together.

Also - you are spot on about travels - J-Mo darling, if you ever travel east we can have vodka martinis my me and maybe we can get Yenta to make brisket for us!!!

hugs xox

waffleboy09:

J-Mo,
NoNita Mann? Sheer. Fucking. Brilliance. I'm still laughing at that one.

Look I know those hats are Gramma's trademark, but someone needs to take her aside and gently explain that she's starting to look like Emmett Kelly. Does she carry all her belonging s tied up in a handkerchief on the end of a stick from location to location?

Actually I'm waiting for the episode where she has one too many gin Rickeys and takes out her teeth at the table. Now that has event television written all over it.

Anyway J-Mo a year of your writing is a banner year in anyone's book, congratulations and thank you.

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