This week’s episode begins with Aaron announcing, “I’m a cocky little [bleep] who likes to talk [bleep].” Could this be foreshadowing? Let’s find out.
But first let’s cut to the Quickfire challenge, where Padma introduces the contestants to James Beard Award winner (that sounds good, finally) and Toro/Coppa chef Jamie Bissonnette. Contestants pick an adversary from among the competition; having sized each other up for a while now, everyone is smart enough to avoid Gregory and Mei. The last two left standing, they are paired to compete. This should be fun — and probably a view of the main rivalry we will be witnessing in the coming weeks.
The prize is $10,000 from Reynolds. “Reynolds products are versatile kitchen tools and will help you make your meals better and faster,” Padma intones, and we are suddenly inside a George Saunders story.
Katsuji chooses Aaron, because he wants to show “this kid” how real chefs behave. Good luck with that. Also, his subtitles are back. When they don’t use the subtitles, does that mean they don’t want us to understand what he is saying? Anyway, in any language, Katsuji cleans the floor with Aaron, whose smoked salmon does not taste smoked.
Doug beats Adam with mussels cooked “a little bit more properly,” as Bissonnette tactfully puts it. Katie finally does something interesting, cooking pine nuts like baked beans.
And local girl Stacy loses to Keriann, with trout en papillote with heirloom tomatoes, basil, masala onions, and spinach “glass,” whatever that is. Stacy is not doing well. She can’t compete. And it’s disappointing, because we have so much local talent that isn’t getting this kind of showcase.
As for the battle between Mei and Gregory, he gets to choose the dish, and he picks . . . dumplings. Bold. Mei has been making them since she was 7. Padma tastes his steamed shrimp dumpling with ginger and herbs. “Did you want a dipping sauce or no?,” she inquires. “Um, I did not want a dipping sauce,” he says politely. The thought bubble above his head reads: If I’d wanted one, there would be one. He is confident in his flavors, and he is right. Mei’s pork dumpling with black vinegar is good, but his is better. At this point, I really want to actually eat his food, and so will the rest of the country when he opens his restaurant.
Then, Padma says, it’s time for war. At the Watertown Arsenal, the Quickfire winners and losers are pitted against one another in a series of “battles.” The first team to win three takes it. Oh, and in war food is scarce, so they have a limited shopping budget to cook for 100 people. It boils down to $2 a head at Whole Foods. HAHAHAHA. Market Basket, where are you when they need you?
Aaron insults Katie for making cake (albeit an uninspired chocolate-stout version), and thereby pastry chefs everywhere. Tom puts him in his place for it. And Aaron loses with seafood noodles (again) and pork dumplings.
Stacy ties it up between the teams with some thoroughly dull yet apparently competent beets. “Would you put Stacy’s beets on a menu in your restaurant?,” Bissonnette asks Hugh Acheson. “Nooo,” he replies. At this point the judges are just biding their time waiting to eliminate the people making boring food. Why do they keep making boring food?
Then Gregory and Mei face off again. Her Korean beef with kimchi vegetables is awesome. But his dish — shiitake mushrooms in coconut milk broth with turmeric, green curry, and dill — is seasoned perfectly. One grain more salt and it’s too salty, one grain less and it’s not right, Tom says.
At the end of the night, Aaron leaves. No one is sad. He hugs people and they stiffly return the favor. Except Katie. She sticks out her hand and shakes instead. Go, Katie. No need to hug this cad. And the producers breathe a giant sigh of relief. Last week, in real life, Aaron was arrested for felony domestic violence.
Good riddance to bad contestants. Next week, Tiffani Faison takes the crew cranberry harvesting, and they cook over open fire with Ken Oringer at Plimoth Plantation. Happy almost Thanksgiving. Katie, don’t make a boring pumpkin pie.
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Devra First can be reached at dfirst@globe.com.