For the first time on "Top Chef Masters," two of the contestants didn't rise to the occasion and served dishes that were clearly unacceptable. Blame it on actress Zooey Deschanel. She presented the chefs with the daunting task of cooking a vegan (and glucose-free) meal for the Elimination Challenge.

High-level chefs aren't used to coming up with original ideas that have so many restrictions, but it wasn't a problem for Hubert Keller, Rick Bayless, and Michael Chiarello. Those three all embraced the challenge and weren't intimidated. In fact, the entrees they made didn't just look like great vegan food, they looked like great food…period.

Meanwhile, Art Smith and Anita Lo faded into the background.

Even though Art was the one who was eventually sent home for using store-bought rice ice cream, I would argue that Anita's dish was worse. Speaking from personal experience -- my girlfriend is a vegan -- the last thing she wants to see on her plate at any restaurant is a sickly looking piece of grilled vegetable, which is exactly what Anita put in front of the diners in last night's challenge. It was a marinated eggplant that ended up drenched in oil, served with a small side of lentils.

Regardless of taste, my girlfriend would've been appalled. From the looks on the diners' faces, they had the same reaction. You can season a plate of eggplant and lentils to perfection, but that's not the point. People with these dietary restrictions eat the same thing day after day, and when they go to a restaurant that specializes in vegan food it's up to the chefs to truly make something special. Grilled vegetables are the least imaginative option possible.

Image © Bravo

Art, on the other hand, was penalized because he made the mistake of buying his main component (rice ice cream) off the shelf. But he also created a delicious-looking peanut brittle without using any dairy, which is quite an accomplishment in its own right.

While Art's dessert wasn't nearly as original as it should've been, it looked appealing and offered the diners something they probably haven't had in a long time (the peanut brittle). In my opinion, that should've saved Art from elimination.

I know that vegan cooking isn't what any of these chefs do, but for people with this much experience in the kitchen, dietary restrictions shouldn't completely throw them off their game. In the end, the bottom two deserved what they got.

The top three -- Hubert, Rick, and Michael -- passed the toughest test: making my girlfriend salivate over their dishes.


Story by Phil McRae

Starpulse contributing writer

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