(DVR spoiler alert)
To promote her new movie, “Snow White and the Huntsman”, Charlize Theron was a guest judge and the hostess of an elimination challenge on the Bravo TV show, “Top Chef.”
As with most reality shows, viewers get sucked in by the personalities and the rivalries.
But my love for “Top Chef” is the dishes they cook and their adaptability as chefs.
Contestants had to make some mighty scary dishes that represented the beauty, grandeur and scariness of Theron’s role as the evil queen.
Dishes ranged from forbidden rice to black, not blackened, chicken and a “rotten apple” that tasted good.
In the end, it was Beverly Kim’s sauce on her dish that got her sent home.
But the real drama happened on the “Last Chance Kitchen,” which can only be seen online.
Eliminated chefs on “Top Chef” are invited back to cook head to head against the most recent eliminated cook.
The best dish, judged by Tom Colicchio, would determine who moved on.
The reigning “eliminated” chef was Nyeshia Arrington, who was on a four-week run, who would face the most recent eliminated player, Beverly Kim.

Beverly Kim was villified as a one-trick cook and not very self confident. Heather was her most vocal critic. For one episode, however, Kim proved everyone wrong.

“Oh, I got this,” a confident Nyeshia said.

Nyeshia was eliminated with Dakota several weeks ago. Early in the season, Nyesha was critical of Beverly crying at a rodeo competition. Who's crying now?

The challenge involved a local (Texas) ingredient, Drum Fish.
Contestants had a half-hour to prep and complete the dish for judging.
Time is critical.
Colicchio also told contestants they had one shot to get all their ingredients and supply in the pantry.
Nyeshia had a game plan in mind and hurried to get specific items, while Beverly seemed scatter shot in collecting the goods.
Two minutes in the competition, Colicchio entered the kitchen and yelled, “Stop.”
Contestants had to chance places, taking each other’s ingredients and cooking items.
“Bleep,” said Nysha.
Beverly, who had collected Asian goods, surprise, surprise, had to go out of her comfort zone and use Nyesha’s ingredients.
Nyesha, obviously, had to go Asian.
Beverly made a Seared Black Dum with orange, fennel and black olives.
Nyesha made a Seared Black Drum with julienne of tri-peppers, slaw and pineapple chutney.
Colicchio liked both dishes, but picked Beverly, as he felt Nyesha’s dish was under seasoned.
The key to quiet Bevelry’s victory?
She worked on making her sauce first, and instead of filleting the whole Drum Fish, with five minutes left,she filleted one side only.
She then took off two pieces and seared the fish, plating with seconds left.
Nyesha, to keep the fish fresh, also seared it at the last minute, but most likely did not spend as much time on the sauced as Beverly did.
Nyesha, the Last Kitchen favorite, had to relinquish her Top Chef coat.
I can’t imagine that Beverly will withstand a challenge from most of the six remaining contestants, but perhaps could beat Chris or Grayson in a challenge.
The last Last Chance Kitchen winner will reenter the Top Chef kitchen.
The heat is on.
Happy viewing.

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