Yeah, that was great. I loved Ash's collapsing in giggles behind the judging. But he was right to do so. There have been many a contestant sunk by naming a product something it wasn't. And that wasn't ice cream. As a custard, evidently it tasted good, and that's all that matters.

Jen was the best exec chef I'd seen on this show. It's funny to me too, because I thought that there was a fight from the previews, but it was just her cutting down on the kitchen chatter. I told Dave that I wasn't in love with her personality, but then all the things she'd said had to do with proving her skill, and clearly she has skill.

Misogynist Mike needs to go. I loved, loved that he got the double-take takedown.

Oh, and I missed the SYTYCD! This is what I get for not checking in at the b.org every day.

I don't even know what I was doing yesterday. Anyway, must set the Tivo back up before I miss the new season.

Jen is clearly a badass, which I appreciate in a woman. I mean, I appreciate it in a man, too, but you see it less in the women on TC.

Yeah, and I think that Jen's badassery will stand her in good stead later on. She's clearly used to pressure. Hope she continues to bring it.

I suspect Eric Ripert would never hire a less than very competent exec chef.

Seriously -- and I was once again offended on her behalf when whoever it was was surprised at how good she was in that role. She has that job in Eric Ripert's kitchen! You think that's an accident?!?

A review of the AI tour stop in Chicago. Not a big surprise to read that Adam steals the show.

Re: Top Chef -- Jessie made soup for both the Quickfire and the Elimination Challenge, and both of them got bad reviews from the judges. I think she needs to expand her repetoire before she turns into this season's version of the woman who was working towards the title of "Top Scallop." (Sorry, I can't remember her name, but I can still hear Fabio's voice in my head saying that.) Also, and I realize this is a hangup purely on my part, I can't get past her chin piercings. Whenever she's talking to the camera I can't look away from the jewelry bouncing up and down.

Also, if you notice, once again, with the first soup, she "screwed up but knew what went wrong". I'm perfectly happy with her or Mike I going next.

The piercings also drive me crazy.

I'm not sure she's that bad - the chowder got good marks, even though it was wildly inappropriate for the occasion. And they did say the sweet potato soup had good texture and other things going for it, until she overspiced it.

I do think she is exactly that person who will always drop one ball like that. So I won't be sorry to see her go regardless.

The idea of the chowder was derided, but the fact is, everybody liked the chowder, so it seems it was a good call after all.