The taste test reminded me a little of Hells Kitchen, just no blindfold. I don't care though was a great quick fire.

I'm always awed that people can actually pick out ingredients when tasting a recipe. I'm just lucky to recognize it as either meat, vegetable or other.: spoiled or not spoiled.

I'm also amazed at how fast they can pull together a dish. It takes me all day to cook one thing. Well, I can boil water quickly.....

What did you think about using the show for the bridal shower? I had some reservations about that. Bad food and your guests get sick or they never speak to you again. Also would that be sort of a conflict of interest. You don't have to pay catering fees when its part of the program.

I liked the show where the participants were judged by people rejected by the show. Now that was a very hard audience! I think that anyone who got good reviews from that group really, really is a fantastic cook.

It looks like Gail had a good time at her shower so most likely worth it. However I like the not so formal kind where you sit at home, and show all the nighties you got to everyone else.

So as long as Gail loved it thats all the matters.

...even if it's watched??

It was nice how so many of them pitched in to help when the fridge door got left open and food spoiled. Also knew what Tom was going to say at the end, could tell it was coming.

I should have seen that coming, but I did not.

It seems that the cooking this time around is less spectacular than usual. Not much is catching my eye as something that I would be awed at to order in a restaurant. I rather liked Tom's words at the end that none of them were really showing Top Chef potential. It was also nice to skip an elimination this time with the mishap of the refrigerator being beyond their control. I've always wondered what would happen in such a scenario.

I was hoping they were going to have a non-elimination given this was a "holiday" challenge.....it wouldn't have seemed right to boot someone.......