Top Chef Season 5: Episode Three Wrapup

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The chef's are, for the most part, getting along pretty well this season. Richard explains that everyone has their own "role," which is great, except that even if she wins, Leah will forever be known as the "very fun, flirty one...with a nice rack."

Quickfire Challenge

Padma introduces guest judge Grant Achatz, the culinary wizard behind acclaimed restaurant Alinea. He specializes in molecular gastronomy - Alinea's peanut butter and jelly sandwich is a single, peeled grape, still on the stem, encased in peanut butter and wrapped in paper-thin brioche.

The Chefs have to reinvent a dish from the Top Chef Cookbook - but part of the way through the cooking, Padma changes the rules: make it a soup. Not just any soup - a Swanson broth quickfire challenge soup!

Danny's ham and egg soup? They like it! Ariane's is predictably not quite right.

Jamie's reconstructed falafel soup goes over well, but Leah's white asparagus soup puts her over the top.

Elimination Challenge

It's a Foo Fighters Thanksgiving! The cheftestants' quest this week is to work as teams to make a Thanksgiving feast for the band and their entourage, including 18 vegetarians. To help the chefs get to know the Foos, Padma gives them a copy of the band's rider, which is a list of food, drink and services they expect from the venue. The Foo Fighters' rider is especially hilarious; their catering suggestions include: "Bacon. I call it ‘God's currency.' Hell, if it could be breathed, I would."

Anyway, back to the challenge. 1 hour and $1200 to shop, 1 burner, a wall of toaster ovens and microwaves and 3 hours to cook. The winners of the elimination challenge get to watch the gig in Rochester and the losers clean up dinner. Which team will "learn to fly" and become the Foo's "hero?" Read on...

Since Leah took the Quickfire, she gets immunity as well as first picks for her team:

Team Sexy Pants (seriously)

Leah - mashed potatoes

Jamie - side salads

Hosea - fruit crisp

Stefan - turkey

Radhika - stuffing

Fabio - pumpkin tiramisu

Melissa - sweet potatoes

Team Cougar (with mascot Ariane)

Eugene - pork roast

Ariane - turkey

Jeff - spoonbread/stuffing and pumpkin mousse

Carla - peach cobbler

Richard - banana s'mores

Danny - potatoes

Alex - macaroni and cheese

The circumstances of the challenge clearly shake the chefs, and when it starts to rain, all bets are off. People are scrambling to get food on the table so it can be served.

Judge's Table

After two entire Thanskgiving dinners and desserts, it's a close call, but Team Sexy Pants and gets to spend the night awkwardly dancing in close proximity to the Foo's performance. Team Cougar spends the night scrubbing before moping their way before the judges (which is a shame, since Danny has both his party hat and party underwear on).