In the least competitive episode to date of "Top Chef Masters," the contestants were asked to prepare dishes based on specific words that are commonly associated with magic - mystery, spectacle, illusion, and surprise - for the Elimination Challenge. A little gimmicky, I know. But it's a "Top Chef" tradition to do stuff like that.

So I would like to take this opportunity to engage in an Elimination Challenge of my own: an analysis of episode 4 that uses the same magic words to describe what transpired last night. A little gimmicky, I know. Oh well.

SURPRISE!

The greatest moment of the season took place when none other than Tom Colicchio made a surprise appearance during the Quickfire Challenge. "Top Chef Masters" is great and all, but it lacks a certain punch -- like a ceviche lacking acidity. Colicchio's cameo was over in the blink of an eye, but it left an indelible mark on "Top Chef" connosieurs like myself. If nothing else, it served as a reminder that the season premiere of "Top Chef: Las Vegas" starts August 26. I couldn't be more excited.

ILLUSION!

The biggest illusion that "Top Chef Masters" is trying to trick us with is Kelly Choi. It's unfair to compare anyone to Padma Lakshmi -- a totally underrated host in the world of reality television -- but Choi isn't really getting the job done at this point. Credentials aside, Choi doesn't seem comfortable in the "Top Chef" environment. She comes off as completely scripted and a bit cold. And what's with her jutting her chin out all the time? Another thing that bothers me is that Choi never makes any comments about the food.

SPECTACLE!

First, let's give some credit to John Besh and Douglas Rodriguez -- two incredible chefs -- but their horrible performances in last night's episode was a true spectacle. Besh finished with a total of 12 stars and Rodriguez ended up with 13 stars, two of the worst scores of the entire season so far. Rodriguez, who was in charge of making the "spectacle" dish, made a big mistake when he tried lighting a coconut soup bowl on fire. It was a bad first impression to the judges and the diners, which came back to haunt him in the end. Besh, on the other hand, didn't even finish his Quickfire Challenge, virtually eliminating himself from contention from the get-go. Bad form, gentlemen.

MYSTERY!

Why do the really boring chefs keep winning? Two of the four chefs who have moved on to the championship round don't seem to have any personality. This begs the question, Does a bland personality lead to flavorful dishes? Maybe more dynamic personalities take away from dishes somehow. Either that, or "boring" chefs seem to focus more on the food and it seems to be reflected in their performance. There are still two more chefs to go before the Top 6 are decided, so there's hope for an eventful, fun championship round!


Story by Phil McRae

Starpulse contributing writer

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