Restaurant Wars proved to be difficult for Vancouver-based chef Shelley Robinson after her team landed in the bottom of Top Chef Canada. Robinson snuck by continuing on another week, but Pierre Lamielle, cookbook author and culinary instructor, was eliminated because of his lack of restaurant experience.
The competition was down to eight chefs and immunity is no longer at stake for the Quickfire Challenge, but that doesn't mean there wasn't something to gain. The chef that won the Quickfire this week would win a $5,000 cash prize from Canadian Lentils. The challenge was to make a dish using lentils (simple enough) and Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto was there to judge each dish. Robinson squeezed by the Quickfire without a mention, but Vittorio Colacitti won the challenge and cash prize with his seared foie gras with green and black lentils and red lentil apple puree. Robinson feels that Colacitti has an "elevated ego" and that winning the challenge was just another reason for him to be arrogant.
Restaurant Wars is probably one of the most important challenges of the Top Chef Canada season. The chefs were split into two groups and Colacitti was named team captain of his team because he won the Quickfire Challenge. He then chose the opposing team captain, picking Lamielle because of his lack of restaurant experience, taking the "easy way out" according to Lamielle.
The two team captains chose their teammates like a game of kickball, switching from one to the other until each chef had been chosen. Robinson was picked by Lamielle and was joined by Jesse Vergen and Rich Francis. The chefs must operate as if they were a real restaurant ordering food, planning menus and preparing meals. This was hard for Lamielle because of his lack of experience and his disorganization was apparent right away. If matters for Robinson's team weren't any worse, the stakes were risen and the winning team would receive $20,000 from the Dairy Farmers of Canada.
As the teams planned their menus Colacitti took the reigns, letting his team know he was in charge. Lamielle on the other hand, did not know what he was doing and instead of enlisting help from his very restaurant experienced teammates he played boss. (They were up until one in the morning planning their menu.)
Colacitti's group, Au Sud, inspired by the South of France, went with very few hitches. There were a few complaints about their lemon curd dessert being too tart and the rack of lamb being undercooked. Overall, the judges enjoyed themselves and they won the $20,000.
Lamielle on the other hand was a disaster. He was front of house for his group's restaurant, Chair De Poule (it means goose bumps in French) and his unique personality seemed to put off the judges at first. (He made a comment about grabbing pens or crayons for guest judge Lynn Crawford from Chopped Canada and making their exchange very awkward.)
It got worse from there as the judges had very little positive comments about each dish. Vergen's poutine rapee was too sweet and soggy, while Robinson's scallop tartare was under seasoned (the judges HATE under seasoned.) But, that wasn't anything compared to Lamielle's beef bourguignon that was burnt and dried out. Halfway through the Restaurant War, Francis pulled the plug on the bourguignon because it looked unappetizing and because the group ordered too little pickerel (the other main course option and the only dish that had a glowing review), they ran out of meat and could only serve appetizers and dessert to the hungry patrons.
In the end, Lamielle's lack of leadership and horrible dish forced the judges to send him packing. It was a close call with Robinson in the bottom but, once again, she managed to hold on for another week.
Watch Robinson next week at 10pm on the Food Network.
