Top Chef: Kentucky season 16, episode 4 recap: Surprise…It’s Restaurant Wars

Top Chef: Kentucky is the perfect topping for an easy going holiday season.

Restaurant Wars is never easy going, and being a surprise to the contestants brings the tension to a boiling point.

The skill levels and tough challenges have made Top Chef: Kentucky one of the most ruthless seasons ever. With some winners of elimination challenges having already packed their knives and left, the contenders are becoming more obvious by the week.

Nini enters this week hoping her winning streak can continue through the new year, but the editing makes it seem she may be on the chopping block. David has won immunity two weeks running with his impressive Quickfire challenge dishes.

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In the last few minutes of the Top Chef: Kentucky episode “Surprise…It’s Restaurant Wars,” leading judge Tom Colicchio announces that two contestants will be axed at the end of Restaurant Wars.

The Top Chef contestants do not know of restaurant wars or the double elimination when making their Quickfire amuse-bouche dishes.

Brandon, Eric, and Michelle were the top three choices of the judges. Padma said she “could taste the thoughtfulness and respect” in Michelle’s winning dish. Adrienne again found herself on the bottom half of the competition, having survived the judges the first week. Kelsey could only admit guilt when accused of presenting some of her worst food.

Kelsey’s being in the bottom three of this week’s Quickfire Challenge is not a great second course after being second best to Nini last week.

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Inconsistency has torpedoed many a Top Chef hopeful. Kelsey even forgot that she was in the bottom three this week and was the first when boasting about how Restaurant Wars isn’t fair this year, on account of her team being so strong.

There were no victims at the judge’s table in the week’s Top Chef Elimination Challenge. Instead, viewers were left to wonder how teams will fare in this year’s edition of Restaurant Wars. Eddie was even looking for a word besides terrified to describe his emotions.

Teams were decided by how utensils were placed during the Quickfire Challenge. Sara, Pablo, Brandon, and Michelle will run Thistle. Third Coast was the name settled upon by Nini, David, Justin, and Kelsey. Adrienne, Brian, Eric and Eddie are leaning into their roots, naming their entry into the far North East.

Nini worked for a pop-up company that was responsible for 120 people being fed on a couple days notice. That job should be known as Restaurant Wars Boot Camp.

However, popping bottles in the hot tub before going into the breach of Restaurant Wars battle is a bold move, and it is not looking like it worked out for them — judging by the editing alone.

Eddie learned his lessons, with Natalie the collateral damage last week. Shopping on a budget means sacrificing some of the pricey quality items that can really impress the judges.

Tune in next week to see which team wins, and which two contestants are casualties of Top Chef Restaurant Wars. Going by the Top Chef Twitter, Brian and Third Coast are safe but that may be grasping at straws.