Photo from Bravo TV

Prior to the tonight’s episode I went a little to do restaurating and enjoyed happy hour with some great friends over at Brasserie Beck. Now it’s time to curl up and catch the late airing of the latest episode of Top Chef DC:

11:00: Thanks Bravo for reminding me about the pea puree. Can’t we just let it go? Of course as I learned last week, they don’t show you something unless it’s supposed to be a set-up for later on. Does this mean Ed and Alex are going to war over stolen ingredients? We can only hope.

11:01: Kenny doesn’t know why he’s in the middle, he says he’ll need to unleash the beast. Sorry Kenny you aren’t the first reality star to say that in DC. I still think you are a pimp however so it’s all good.

11:03: Ed hopes to “work closer” with Tiffany for the Quickfire Challenge: a blind-folded tag team challenge. Ed needs a girlfriend really bad.

11:06: This is actually a really cool challenge. The two teams are blinded folded except for the person cooking- who only has ten minutes until they hand it off to somebody else. The blue team of Kelly, Kevin, Amanda, and Kenny are really grooving. While the Red team of Ed, Angelo, Tiffany, and Alex struggle overseason the dishes.

11:07: Nancy Pelosi enters Kitchen Stadium The Hilton Kitchen to taste the results.

11:10: Pelosi awards the Blue Team (get it? blue?) with the win- and her cameo is over after three minutes. We can only hope she returns for the elimination challenge but I have a feeling the congresswoman has bigger fish to fry.

via @ryanhud

11:14: Elimination Challenge this week is the notorious Restaurant Wars.The two teams will take over in Redwood in Bethesda Row and serve up a multi-course meal to their patrons- and judges.

11:16: Angelo and Ed conspire to keep Alex out of the challenge as much as they can. Stick him with front-of-the-house duty and he won’t be in the kitchen ruining everybody’s meals.

11:17: However that won’t stop Alex from ruining things before they get to Redwood. The Red Team is struggling to stay organized thanks to Alex taking his sweet time butchering the fish and meats. At least they have a pea puree on the menu.

via @brandikolmer

11:21: Everybody is struggling with the new kitchen including Amanda, who is trying to figure out  how to start a wood burning grill. Angelo is freaking out while Tiffany realizes that Alex screwed up the fish.

11:31: This is madness! The waiters must be going through the their own version of “Waiting.” Alex decides to be a restaurant Nazi and yell at his staff while Kelly takes a more lax approach. Meanwhile the judges are waiting are growing impatient as no one is there to greet them and the courses are taking too long to get to the table.

11:42: The judges are now tasting the dishes of Blue Team’s Twenty One 21. A lot of no flavor comments and guest judge Frank Bruni hates the goat cheese desert. I would too- who wants goat cheese for desert?

11:46: Judges go back to the table and gives the victory to the Red Team. A little tension as Angelo and Ed appear to take credit for the lamb dish that Alex thought of. I hope Alex gets a taste of what it’s like to get your thunder stolen. Ed gets the ultimate prize: a trip to Terlato Vineyards and a big-ass bottle of wine.

11:49: Blue Team is called to the judges table and every member gets roasted except for Kevin. Kelly had thin soup, Kevin’s salad was too accessorized, and Amanda screwed up the beef. The blue team’s only defense? Throwing Alex under the bus.

via @hilarity_shoes

11:52: It’s a full-on argument in the back room as Kevin and Kenny unload on Alex. Angelo says that Alex doesn’t have to justify anything. Let’s not forget anything Angelo touches goes home.

11:58: As the judges review the blue team we can’t help but think Kenny is going home… and he ultimately does. On the surface a big blow since he is known as one of the stronger chefs- however you have to step back and realize that he was never consistently strong like Angelo.

via @bjablonsky