Top Chef Season Two Episode Two: Eastern Promise

Oh dear, wake me up at 4:30 a.m. for a trip to a fish market and I might be barfing in the alley like poor chef Mia. Tom Collichio, head judge "not a mentor", wakes everyone up at 4:30 for a fish market foray. As they explain to all the chefs outside the market that their quick fire challenge is to prepare sushi, you can see Mia urping a little and holding her fingers over her mouth. The other contestants head inside while Mia hustles behind a dumpster to lose it. Having to head into a fish market after that isn't too appetizing, I feel for her. 

Back tot he product placed sponsored Kenmore Kitchen, we meet Hiroshi Shima and his interpretor. Chef Shima is a master at sushi apparently (I really don't know the world of chefs). The chefs work hard for their 30 minutes and we start with Frank's dish that the judge seems to like. Michael says he's never made sushi, except once in cooking school. Hmmm... need a little lesson about the meaning of never? Aww, he makes cute little fish shaped sushi...huh?  

Presentation counts for a lot in the Top Chef kitchen, and we see Cliff present a very yummy looking (well, yummy if I actually like sushi), plate with oysters and some nice sounding flavors plus another dish. Oh, poor Mia...she said she was just trying to get through this one. Her sushi roll looks like a cigar, seriously. The judge shoves a big bite into Padma's mouth, who doesn't seem to be enjoying it. Then he says that he really didn't like the flavor. 

Otto's plate is next, and he is complemented on the rolling of his sushi. Then he says something that sounds pretty obnoxious racially...but maybe just ill informed...he says "i'm just a round eye" and then says he's honored with the complement. Really didn't need to say that. 

Chef Hiroshi gets all kinds of excited about Elia's dish, in which she adds olives and he says he likes the different flavor. Ilan then gets complements on his fresh and alive ingredients. Then we really don't see anyone elses dishes. I guess they needed more time for lycheegate later on. Cliff wins immunity. Good, I kinda like Cliff and his food looked good.