The chefs read a letter from Gail inviting them to come see a movie (and she actually signs it with “xoxo,” which I didn’t know people still did). Amanda, proving that she’s really naïve, assumes that going to the movies will be “a day off from the kitchen.” Woman, please. Hot Matthew, WAY more perceptive, buys items at the concession stand that he can cook with, should they all suddenly be ordered into the kitchen. Not just a pretty face, that Hot Matthew.
–gasp– EEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeee! Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory!!!!! One of my top four movies from childhood (with The Goonies, Stand By Me, and The Princess Bride)! I'm so excited!
And the contestants are right there with me: Orlando knows all the dialogue, Katzie trills “I LOVE that movie,” and Amanda is (still) jealous of the everything-is-edible scene (as am I). Thank god we didn’t have to endure anyone saying they don’t like/have never seen WWatCF, because I would have gone beserkalistic. I knew before we were told who they were that the peeps in the audience were the actors from the movie all growed up, but only because I saw them a few years ago on a reunion special. When their identities are revealed, everyone has a collective fit. Sally joyfully bounces in her seat, Chris actually wipes a tear, Craig squeaks that he has goosebumps.
I am seriously SO indescribably pleased that all the contestants are as crazy for this movie as I am.
There’s no Quickfire. Gail informs the chefs that in honor of the release of the 40th anniversary (Wow. Forty years ago? Wow.) ultimate collector’s edition of WWatCF, the Elimination Challenge is that they will be … wait for it … they will be recreating the everything-is-edible scene! I squeal like a little girl and clap my hands. THIS IS GOING TO BE EPIC.
Everyone divides into two teams: Creative, consisting of Megan, Hot Matthew, Orlando, and Chris, which will make desserts and also work on special projects; and Production, consisting of Amanda, Sally, Rebecca (still wearing a cast), Katzie, Craig, and Melissa, which will focus only on desserts. Judge Johnny pops in, says he’s envious that the chefs get to work on this. (I’m jealous of whoever’ll get to eat everything.) Orlando informs him that 250 pounds of chocolate have been used so far. Rebecca tells him she’s making her Veruca Salt cupcakes. Melissa (who tells him “This is my favorite movie in the whole wide world,” to which he responds, “Mine too,” YAY!!!) says she’s making whoopee pies and donut flowers. Megan tells him she’s making candy bar bites with bourbon. Johnny’s worried that bourbon “sounds very adult, but this challenge is about being youthful and playful.” Before leaving, he drops a bombshell: this will be a double elimination. OH SNAP.
The last hours of prep on day two pass in a frenzy as, terrified of a double elimination, everyone works feverishly to finish desserts and perfect displays. TIME! The judges along with guest judge Ron Ben Israel and the WWatCF cast enter. Everyone is amazed at how good the room looks, and I couldn’t agree more:
I superloved how the music for “Pure Imagination” was playing as everyone stared and pointed and oohed and aahed. Honestly, Top Chef Just Desserts. Best. Episode. EVAR. Gail announces special guests have been invited to chow down on all the sugary goodness (I get so jealous I see green.), and a slew of adults and kids (Megan immediately gets worried. See: bourbon.) enters and begins stuffing their faces.
Judging
Sally, Katzie, Melissa, Carlos, Craig, Hot Matthew, and Megan are called to the floor. In the top are Hot Matthew’s delicious, colorful, filled profiteroles; Katzie’s “buried” carrot cakes and beehive with a squeezable honey thingy, and Carlos’s pb&j macaroons and edible wallpaper. (Ron Ben Israel loved the wallpaper so much he whipped out the classic “The schnozzberries tasted like schnozzberries!” quote. STOP BLOWING MY MIND, EPISODE!) In the bottom are Craig, Melissa, Sally, and Megan. Craig himself acknowledged the badness of his too-big, flavorless gummy bears, which annoyed Hubert and his sexy ponytail. Melissa’s green donuts were horrific, but her cookies were good. Sally’s orange dirt was not at all a hit. Gail complains that Megan used bourbon for a kids’ challenge.
Ok — hang on. On one hand, yes, I guess maybe Megan should have foreseen that kids would probably be eating the desserts, but then again, at no point were the chefs told that this was “a kids’ challenge.” This is not like the flat-out idiocy that occurred in season seven on Top Chef when the challenge was to make a lunch for schoolchildren and Amanda made sherry-braised chicken. So I was quite glad when Carlos and Katzie defended Megan, explaining that as part of the Creative team, she had helped out a lot in other areas. Then I was quite annoyed when Megan started crying. I HATE crying.
Sally’s dish didn’t taste good and was hard to eat. Johnny thinks Craig is outclassed by his competition. The sugar level in Megan’s dessert was overwhelming. Melissa’s donuts were “green belly bombs.” And … Katzie wins! I am now Team Katzie, and I want her to win it all. Craig is sent home; that was no surprise. But Melissa? That was unexpected. I would’ve thought that one bad dessert would’ve outweighed one awesome + one bad dessert, and Sally would have been the one eliminated. Oh well. Now to watch this episode again.
And, hey, Gene Wilder? I love you.
