Brightest Young Things

This was supposed to be the "fun and unexpected" week at Top Chef. But because it is "Bravo" we're talking about here, it was also fun and predictable at the same time. Nonetheless, it was a good time and here is what happened:

The episode kicked off with all the chefs wearing red scarves because Mattin got eliminated and all the chefs talking about how Robin "got lucky", is "a shitty cook", and "deserves to go home" and Robin definitely feeling it.
So, naturally Robin wins the quick fire and gets immunity.
Naturally.
The quickfire was presided by Michelle Bernstein (who Bravo insists on bringing back season after season, and who I just really dislike on TV: she comes of as someone essentially brassy and unclassy who desperately tries to be the socialite she isn't and never was intended to be. Its ok to be who you are Michelle, it really is). The challenge was to do something that will express the angel and the devil in their food. Which, you know, is a "whatever" Vegas pun and I am already sick of Vegas puns in this, otherwise awesome in my opinion, season.

So Robin won with an arugula salad and apple crisp and Eli (who was in the top 3 with Michael V) promptly took that chance to turn to the camera and say that Robin won because she told her cancer sob story, and Michelle emphatized.
I am sure Eli is going to be getting tons of flack for that, but in essence, he was probably right. I felt during this kind of how I felt when I watch that breast cancer inspired ballet on "So you think you can dance" which everyone cried over and called "the most important dance piece on this show ever" and I just did not get it. And people-I walked 60 miles and lost a toenail and more to raise money for the disease last year, so I definitely feel the cause and see it being a valid inspiration but I also don't really get what that has to do with (really well executed) cooking or dancing.

Any which way, Robin got the "Get out of jail free" card, and there was nothing anyone could do about it.

ONWARDS TO THE MAIN CHALLENGE!
Penn and Teller showed up, did some cup tricks, made Kevin giggle, made me love them for making Kevin giggle, and Padma announced that the challenge would be to deconstruct, much in the manner how Penn and Teller deconstruct magic tricks, some classic, classic dishes.

So everyone drew knives and got their classic dish which included: Meat lasagna for the mortified, fish centric Jen, Mole chicken for Kevin, eggs florentine for Mike Isabella (who kept referring to them as "Eggs foreign to me" as if he's never been to brunch in his life), paella for Ron (who loves paella), pot roast for Ashley, shepard's pie for Ash etc etc

The crowd promptly separated into 2 groups:

Group one: spearheaded by brothers Voltaggio who was all about deconstructing stuff and loving every second of it
Group two: spearheaded by Ron who could not wrap their head around what deconstructing even is and hating every second of it

But you know, this is what makes "Top Chef" great: last week Michael V was FREAKING out over cooking outdoors and Laurine was relishing going back to her ranch roots, and this week Michael V was merrily making ceasar dressing bombs on top of lettuce bridges and poor Laurine could not figure out how to reinterpret fish and chips for the life of her.
Out of the comfort zone and onto TV kids! That's what this is all about.

The dinner featured Penn and Teller, Michelle "I'm a Latina" Bernstein, Tom (who really needs to be given a little more to do this season), Padma and Toby Young looking as sourpussy as ever and ready to be 10 times meaner than Gail ever would be.

The servings went pretty ok and in the end Michael V (for ceasar salad), Kevin (for chicken mole), Ashley (for pot roast) and Jen (obviously shocked, for her lasagna) were in the top 4, probably very deservedly so and Kevin won, sending millions of his fans (myself included) into a tizzy of joy.

In the bottom we had Ash (for his misguided shepard's pie), Laurine (and her fish and 2 chips), and Ron (with his sad, sad paella) all of whom expected to be there and all of whom looked miserable after what they went through and in the end, Ron was sent home, and I think rightfully so, because despite being lovable and living the American dream, just does not have the cerebral ability to tackle being put into a discomfort cooking zone.

And producers, its totally ok to let Robin go next week.

What did you all thing?