Kind of makes me wonder what the heck happened to THAT Eugene. I hope that killer fatigue hasn't driven that guy away.

Wasn't that just the previous episode, though? or was it 2 back? ETA oh it was two back. What did he even do last week? It was sushi too, right?

I think he just was kind of in love with the "New" sushi idea and then couldn't really figure out how to pull it off and then floundered.

I think it was clear Eugene new things were going wrong and was trying to salvage it, whereas Daniel was in full-on denial. The judges seem to be making the distinction this season a bit more than they have in some seasons past.

Yeah, I really appreciate that. It would have been a travesty if someone not Danny had gone home.

I think Eugene can get it back.

I also think it's interesting that Ariane is doing so well with really simple proteins done well. Oh, and that salad was also really simple, but apparently delicious. Honestly, it kind of makes me want to go to her restaurant, because I like that kind of thing! No big whoop, but really tasty. I wonder how she'll be able to pull off a whole plate on her own, though.

I'm trying to remember what Ariane's crappy stuff was like and all I can remember is the way too clever lemon meringue "martini" with the something something and the "cherry surprise." Ew. I really hope she's seeing and learning from this, because with the simple stuff she's really rocking it.

I also think it's interesting that Ariane is doing so well with really simple proteins done well.

And I don't think it's a coincidence that that's one of Tom Tom Colicchio's hallmarks, too. Not saying she's aping him or anything (Hell, sometimes to hear her talk, I wouldn't be surprised if she doesn't know) but it's a thing that's obviously going to resonate with him.

I thought it was bullshit that Ariane won by putting lamb in the oven and taking it out again (Radhika did the marinade, so Ariane wasn't responsible for the flavor), while Fabio got called on the carpet for "only" doing the exact same damn thing and the spicing too with his fish.

I'll grant that lamb is harder to cook to perfection than Chilean sea bass, but it's hardly something only a restaurant-class chef can get right. Jamie was right to be pissed.

I didn't notice that Radhika did the marinade - that is a kind of big deal.

Ooh, huh.

Hello, I'm Liese and I'm here for your regularly scheduled Top Chef rice rant. And it's about my boy Gene! He cooked rice in the cooker, blamed the cooker, didn't recook it, amended it, didn't serve it as sushi. He should have known better on all counts and I'm disappointed. At least he knew it was bad, but he should have corrected it.

And to think that the solution to rice that won't work for sushi is to give it to people who are not sushi chefs to roll themselves, and then neglect to mention they were supposed to do that? FAIL.

Anyway, I criticize because I love. And I'm so glad it wasn't him down the drain and I hope he gets his act together.

Definitely thought it should have been Radhika to win for the lamb. I'd missed that it was Jamie's ingredient; I thought it was Radhika's ingredient. Anyway, I'm glad to see Ariane doing well regardless.

Oh! And on that blog, one of the commenters noted that fish sauce was listed as an ingredient in the curry and that it was what Eugene guessed and was eliminated for. Is that so? I already deleted the ep so I can't check.

(Oh, and last week he definitely said "riceless" when asked about the difference between sushi and sashimi.)

Yeah, I thought that Eugene might go home but Daniel's completely incorrect perception that his food was good totally sealed his fate.

Frankly, regardless of what else he did, I think Daniel should have gone home for the fact that he messed with Carla's dish without telling her. While I think she should have spoken up earlier in the challenge, I give her props for not (that we saw) calling him out at judges' table for that.

I was disappointed in Ariane for not acknowledging Radhika's contribution to the lamb.

Jamie's spice mix is called "vadouvan."

Survivor-- Oh My God, it was Immunity Idol heaven tonight! Loved Bob keeping his iimmunity and Sugar giving hers away. Fabulous! and nicely dramatic. Poor skinny Kenny is hoist by his own machinations, pretty much.

One question--why is Suzie still there? She is flying so far below the radar that she isn't even off the ground.