'Top Chef' recap: One Night in Singapore

By Zap2it Partner

September 9, 2010 6:49 AM ET

"Top Chef" Quickfire Challenge: After sampling the Singaporean street food with a local expert, the cheftestants have to create their own version of street food using only a wok. And the winner gets immunity! We thought they said immunity was over for the season? Damn. It's like a billion degrees and a trillion percent humidity as they cook, and all of the ingredients are labeled in Cantonese. After the dishes are all sampled, the winner is... Ed. Whew! Everyone totally thought it would be Angelo, but he got way up in his head and over-thought the whole thing.

Elimination Challenge: Create a menu for an event hosted by Food and Wine editor Dana Cowin. They have to work as a team, and cook everything a la minute for 80 people. They each decide to do one dish and do it well, but then Ed decides to add another dish without telling anyone. When Colicchio comes in, he says that they should all plan a second dish, so the people without immunity are really stressed out.

The service is bumpy as there are communication issues with the servers, and the chefs are constantly having to clarify tickets. And here are the dishes:

Kelly: chilled cucumber-yogurt soup with bitter melon salad, which the judges really like, and seared prawns, spicy red coconut curry and crispy prawn heads, which the judges think is complex and of the place.

Kevin: clam chowder with flavors of Southeast Asia, which impresses the judges, and a farm egg with pearl tapioca and radish condiment, which the judges say is perfectly cooked, and a risk.

Angelo: spicy shrimp broth with ginger and prawn dumplings, which the judges find both comforting and sophisticated, and lamb tartare with rambutan ceviche and curry oil, which the judges think is imaginative and well-cooked.

Ed: sweet and sour pork with crispy rice, potato cakes and gai lan, which the judges call refined street food (a compliment), and banana fritters with red chile paste, and the judges can't contain their pleasure with that dish.

Judges' Table: The judges say that it's the best food they've had all season. After offering up compliments to everyone, the judges declare Ed the winner. Since he had immunity, that's pretty awesome. And the one to go home is... Kelly, mostly because her seared prawns were good, but not great, and the dish didn't stand out.

Photo credit: Bravo

» Read the full recap at Television Without Pity

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