‘Top Chef’ 21 episode 4 recap: ‘The Wright Way’ was a study in contrasts as contestants took on Frank Lloyd Wright

Kenny Nguyen was ousted from “Top Chef” last week in “Take it Cheesy,” leaving 12 cheftestants on the main show (and one in “Last Chance Kitchen“) competing for a chance to win a feature in Food and Wine magazine; an appearance at the Food and Wine Classic in Aspen, Colorado; and $250,000 in prize money: Manny Barella, Kaleena Bliss, Kevin D’Andrea, Alisha Elenz, Danny Garcia, Dan Jacobs, Savannah Miller, Laura Ozyilmaz, Charly Pierre, Amanda Turner, Rasika Venkatesa and Michelle Wallace.

So what happened to the chefs in season 21, episode 4, “The Wright Way”?

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Well, we’re coming in hot right from the beginning of the episode, with host Kristen Kish announcing that there will be no Quickfire Challenge this week “because we’re building to something big.”

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Elimination Challenge

“Tonight you’ll have to pack a bag because we are heading to Madison,” says Kristen. On the way there they’ll be driving along the Frank Lloyd Wright Trail. At the end they’ll get an exclusive tour of his home and drafting studio. Danny’s dad is an architect, whose style is very much like that of Wright, so he’s immediately excited for whatever the challenge will be.

Judge Tom Colicchio further explains that what they’ll see in Wright’s structures is the duality of “compress and release.” So “for your Elimination Challenge,” says Kristen, “we want you to create two dishes inspired by the creations of Frank Lloyd Wright and the theme of duality.” Michelle worries about how open to interpretation that challenge is because it’s outside her realm of cooking. But she has said that like seven times before only to end up with one of the judges’ favorite dishes, so she seems to be quite comfortable out of her depth.

But the chefs won’t have to make two dishes on their own. This is a team challenge, so Kristen instructs them to pair up. No drawing knives. They get to choose their partners. That might seem like an advantage, but as someone who was always picked last for gym class, I know how much worse that can potentially be.

Kaleena and Alisha team up. Kaleena doesn’t know Alisha that well but pairs up with her for her “Chicago toughness.” Manny and Kevin join forces; they were at the bottom of the last challenge, so Manny calls their team “The Power Bottoms”! Savannah and Laura pair up. Amanda and Dan are the next team. Unsurprisingly, running buddies Danny and Rasika unite. And Michelle and Charly decide to compete together.

Kristen asks Charly if he’s nervous competing with someone who has immunity, but then reveals that Michelle’s immunity extends to Charly as well. That’s because this will be a double elimination! That means six teams will compete but only five are at risk. I’m not sure how I feel about this. Charly hasn’t even had a top dish this season yet, but lucked his way into complete safety for this round. If they end up being the worst team but Charly survives, I’d be pissed if I were one of the chefs sent home.

Guest judges for this challenge are “Top Chef: World All-Stars” winner Buddha Lo and three-Michelin Star chef Dominique Crenn, a French chef  Kevin is very familiar with. The winning team gets $10,000, and their favorite chef from the winning team gets immunity in the next Elimination Challenge.

Kaleena and Alisha aren’t planning out their dishes until they get a look at some of Wright’s architecture to get inspired. They think the winning chefs will be the ones who tell the best story. But Alisha is also worried about how little she and Kaleena know each other, and how they haven’t even worked next to each other this season, let alone on a team together. One has to wonder why they decided to team up in the first place.

After taking notes at affordable housing units on Burnham Block designed by Wright, they arrive at Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center that Wright created. Then it’s off to Taliesin, the studio and home of wright in Spring Green, Wisconsin, which is where the chefs finally sit down together to hammer out their ideas. Alisha and Kaleena can’t even agree on whether to call their duality concept “land and sea” or “land and water.” There’s no intense conflict between them thus far, but it doesn’t seem like a particularly harmonious pairing.

Rasika and Danny have the idea of creating plates that look similar, but with contrasting colors and flavors. Amanda and Dan want to focus on Burnham Block and the concept of injustice; they’re thinking about juxtaposing poverty and wealth. Michelle and Charly are also focused on Burnham Block; it reminded Michelle of a chicken dish. Manny and Kevin are leaning into their own duality as chefs and representing their own identities with their plates. A piece of architecture has never reminded me of a specific food dish, so it’s exciting to see how the chefs’ culinary experiences lead them down very specific roads.

The three hours of cooking go smoothly for most teams. Dan is happy with his tuiles, though his mousse isn’t cold enough to set properly — liquid nitrogen solves that! The bromance between Manny and Kevin intensifies. But Kaleena has a lot to do and not a lot of time to do it in, and Alisha doesn’t feel like they’re really working together as a team. They’re just two chefs working separately. Things heat up because Kaleena’s cheesecake doesn’t set the way it needed to and the crust was too hard, so she had to cut it differently, which goes against their original concept. Alisha is frustrated.

SEE‘Top Chef’ 21 episode 3 recap: Who was gouda-nuff to win that sweet cheddar in ‘Take it Cheesy’

Meal Service

Danny and Rasika — Seemingly Similar/Strikingly Different
Danny: Scallop Mousse, Zucchini and Green Chartreuse
Rasika: Daal Quenelle, Pickled Beets, Carrot Puree and Rasam

Dominique and Buddha think they successfully achieved their duality. It felt architectural and designed. Rasika’s dish had good spice and acidity and texture, which was a good contrast to Danny’s milder flavors. “Good start,” says Tom.

Amanda and Dan — Poverty/Wealth
Amanda: Angel Hair Pasta with Scallop, Caviar, Kombu Oil and Seafood Broth
Dan: Leek Cannoli with Potato Mousse, Potato Tuile, Pickle and Kombu Salad

Dan’s dish has a good story, but the leek needs to be cooked more, and the tuiles were salty. Amanda’s seafood was nicely cooked, the pasta is well made, the scallop is nice. But they both overthought trying to make their plating look beautiful.

Alisha and Kaleena — Land/Sea
Alisha: Aguachile with Shrimp, Cucumber and Lime
Kaleena: Mushroom and Goat Cheese Cheesecake, Sesame Tuile, Candied Mushrooms and Spruce Syrup

The mushroom cheesecake idea is good, but the crust is just “bad,” says Tom. Everyone’s is too hard, no one can cut through it, it seems. Alisha’s dish was disappointing too, like a first year culinary student trying to be fancy. Kristen doesn’t feel the inspiration. Everything is clashing. Oof, bad news for these two.

Manny and Kevin — Light/Dark
Manny: Chicken and Mushroom Fiori with Sauce Poulet Au Vin Jaune
Kevin: Warm Praline Chocolate Mousse, Bitter Chocolate Tuile and Mexican Vanilla Ice Cream

The chefs had a good story, “it just doesn’t have a happy ending,” says Tom. Manny’s technique was lacking. The pasta isn’t well made, it’s not cooked enough. Kevin’s dessert was delicious, smart, elegant, has nice play of soft and crumbly textures. For once, Kevin’s simplicity came through successfully. The verdict is that one of them nailed it and one of them didn’t. Split decision, but I’m guessing Kevin’s success will save them as a team.

Michelle and Charly — Chicken/Egg
Michelle: Mushroom Biscuit with Chicken Liver Mousse, Sous Vide Chicken and Stewed Apples
Charly: Djon Djon, Egg Mousse, Chicken Skin, Pickled Mushrooms and Peas

Charly’s seasoning is good, egg shell on the plate is a little weird, but Buddha likes the concept. Gail Simmons notices a lot of flaws, like inconsistent rice, but really satisfying overall. But he delivered a rice dish, not an egg dish, so he didn’t really execute his concept. Michelle’s biscuit has good flavor, but crumbly and dry texture. But Dominique felt they both cooked with love.

Laura and Savannah — Comfortable/Uncomfortable
Laura: Filo Pastry, Pistachios, Pistachio Foam and Raspberry Sauce
Savannah: Dry Aged Ribeye, Mushroom Tempura, Beet and Daikon Oroshi and Wild Pistachio Sauce

Dominique liked the story, but she’s a little confused about whether it translated to the dishes. Buddha didn’t get the duality either. And it went over Kristen’s head too. As standalone dishes, Savannah’s needed acid, Laura’s was familiar but too sweet.

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Judges’ Table

Tom seems to think there’s one clear winning team (Danny and Rasika I assume) and one clear losing team (I’m guessing Alisha and Kaleena). Tom doesn’t even want to beat up on another team when the losing team is so clearly the losing team. Ouch. Never one to mince words.

Kristen calls those two very teams to meet with the judges, and no one is sure exactly what that means. Are they two tops? Two bottoms? We in the audience know what the judges thought, but the poor chefs are questioning themselves. When they get out there Kristen tells them that these two represent the best dishes and the worst dishes of the challenge. Without leaving them in suspense a moment longer, Kristen tells Kaleena and Alisha to pack their knives and go.

“It’s devastating,” says Kaleena. “Not only did I have a bad cook today, but I don’t feel like I’ve done enough to showcase myself in this competition. I’m just so disappointed in myself. I need to be able to focus on ‘Last Chance Kitchen,’ get myself motivated again and hopefully that will happen.”

“I don’t think we cooked together as a team at all, and it was a team challenge,” says Alisha. “I just think we failed today, and that really sucks.”

Of course, that means Danny and Rasika win the challenge, which is Rasika’s second Elimination Challenge victory already this season. The individual winner getting immunity in the next challenge is, no surprise here either, Rasika!

But the show’s not over yet. Kristen comes to tell the rest of the chefs that the rest of the dishes, apart from Danny and Rasika’s of course, “did not come to the level it needed to come.” She advises them to take what inspires them and make it work for the challenge. They need to show the judges who they are as chefs even when the challenge is as abstract as this. It’s gotta be rough to hear, “You’re all safe, but you sucked too!” but Amanda thanks Kristen for her candor, saying it’s what they all needed to hear.

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