Bryan Voltaggio of Volt Restaurant in Frederick, Maryland didn’t medal last week, but this week, managed to win and take a sauté pan full of momentum into next week’s final.
In Part 1 of the Season Finale of Top Chef Las Vegas, the contestants moved from the desert to Napa, California's wine country, embarking on a journey that would leave only three to compete for the title of Top Chef. Vocal overlays set the scene; Kevin proclaimed that going home less than victorious was not acceptable and Bryan still misses his son.
In the Quickfire Challenge, the remaining chefs had to make a dish using grapes in 30 minutes or less in the kitchen car of the Napa Wine Train. The final “high stakes” Quickfire Challenge, set the stakes pretty high. In addition to the thrill of victory, the winner would take home a 3rd generation Toyota Prius.
Michael Voltaggio immediately found his own space and decided to employ grape vines as garnish for his cauliflower stuffed grape leaves with California almonds and raisons cooked in brown butter with a bay scallop and green grape kabob. Through the swaying of the train, Kevin pulled together a honey and frommage mouse with chardonnay glazed grape. Jennifer sautéed chicken livers with littleneck clams and cabernet grapes and in an ode to fall, Bryan prepared game hen with brussel sprouts, bacon, mushrooms and concord grapes.
The judges including guest judge, Top Chef Master, Michael Chiarello decided that Michael Voltaggio was the winner of the Quickfire Challenge.
The Elimination Challenge required that each chef produce two dishes, one vegetarian and one using a local protein for 150 people at a Napa “Crush” party hosted at Brix Restaurant in Napa. With the relative high skill level of the remaining four, execution and focus would become key.
Michael created a vegetable pistou with heirloom tomato coulis, a 63 degree egg and fennel and a fois gras torchon served with a turnip, beet soup. Kevin assembled an aesthetic gem of roasted beets and carrots while his protein dish was an ambitious braised brisket with pumpkin polenta. Each chef manage to persevere with highs and relative lows; Kevin’s pumkin polenta was a hit, but the braised brisket fell short with its “toothsome” texture. Michael’s fois gras, beet and turnip concoction won points for pushing the culinary envelope, but his precisely poached 63 degree egg was not presented well and overwhelmed the accompanying pistou.
Although Bryan’s Goat cheese ravioli, delicata squash puree with bronze fennel and fig-glazed short ribs, celeriac puree, wax beans and wild arugala were both chastised for lack of seasoning and his fig glaze received demerits for a lack of “figgyness” , the overall execution and flavor combinations won over the judges. Bryan took the title for the day.
Jennifer Carroll's dishes were a chevre mousse with honey, mushrooms, braised radishes and basil and confit of duck breast, braised duck legs, squash puree with fois gras vinaigrette. Her inspiration was in place, gaining praise for the sustainable theme of using the whole duck, but focus and execution did her in. Allowing the grill to sputter forced her into confit as the preparation for her duck and her fois gras vinaigrette gained acclaim for taste, but was not present enough in the final presentation of the dish to show its worth. Her lack of focus in the end sent her packing.
Will Bryan Voltaggio bring the Top Chef title to the Washington DC area? The drama continues next week!
Top Chef
Bravo; Wednesday 10pm/9pm Central
Comments
Bryan is doing a great job. I hope to go to his restaurant sometime soon!! Its always fun to cheer on a "hometown" contestant.
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