Frame: Next Food Network Upset

On  last night’s episode, Penny played nice, made a great looking dish, and appeared to be the most likeable she has ever been.

And now, she’s gone. Go figure.

I’ll admit, I’m sad to see her go. As Jeff (or was it Vic?) said at the end of the episode, “without Chris and Penny, the drama is gone and only the contenders are left.” Yeah…if you want to call yourself a contender.

Serious good riddance to Chris.  His childish, “but you haven’t seen my food yet!” comment was absolutely deserving of Bobby’s wrath. It’s been six weeks Chris, what the hell have you been cooking?

I do need to say something about Jyll’s schooling by Wolfgang Puck. While Bobby Flay waved it away, saying something like “that’s the only way she’ll learn,” he conveniently forgot that this is not Puck’s kitchen, and the Food Network Star candidates did not sign up to work in one. Plus, we quickly learn that Jyll can’t win – by keeping her perma-smile and positive attitude in the face of Puck’s obnoxious lesson, she comes off as “not real.” But if she had thrown a fit and cried, she surely would have been labeled “weak” or “over-emotional.”

That said, it was truly idiotic of Jyll to attempt risotto when she knew Puck would be a judge. Risotto is a tricky, time sensitive dish anyway, why would you make it for a man who made his name with Italian food? Chefs are typically ego-centric as it is, trying to impress him with a dish he’s made a million times was like dangling an antelope in front of a tiger.

Oh well, next week it’s off to New York with the rest of the “contenders.” Let’s see how it all pans out.