‘Top Chef’ attempts controlled chaos with chef Matty Matheson

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For Episode 6 of “Top Chef Wisconsin,” we’re back in Milwaukee. Right off the bat, I need to vent my spleen about a shortcoming of this season: six weeks in, and we have another episode that takes place entirely indoors in the “Top Chef” kitchen. 

We trust that this kitchen is located in Milwaukee, but you could switch out the Wisconsin B-roll with scenes of Cincinnati, or Lagos, or Legoland, and the content would (mostly) still work. Knowing that this season was filmed when Wisconsin’s beauty is on full display and every farm is bursting with fresh produce makes it frustrating to see the last nine chefs playing indoor kids again for 75 minutes. 

Back at the secret warehouse where “Top Chef” films, it’s time for the Big Reveal: who’s coming back? It’s Kaleena AND Soo, the “secret surprise” chef from Last Chance Kitchen, whom only Milwaukee Dan recognizes. (The other chefs wonder who the guy helping Kaleena with her luggage is). 

Kristen informs the formerly-final nine that, now that two chefs are returning, the judges have “the ability” to send two chefs home at any time, depending on performance. Michelle is not excited about this. The other chefs give Kaleena a hero’s welcome.

The Quickfire assignment is a dairy-based dessert, guest judged by Christina Tosi of Milk Bar, resplendent in a strawberry milkshake-pink flight suit. Danny worries that his pastry-chef wife will drag him relentlessly if he fails the challenge. Laura cements her “not here to make friends” status by ignoring Dan’s repeated calls for the dark chocolate that’s sitting right in front of her. Amanda is bringing her “gamer mindset” and the power of the Pokemon theme song (“I wanna be the very best!”) to her bananas Foster-inspired dish. 

Michelle wins with her lemon corn cake stuffed with strawberry vinegar mascarpone, which Tosi finds “thoughtful.” Also on top are Kaleena’s “savvy” caramel dessert and Amanda’s weird but balanced cheddar/banana biscuit shortcake. Milwaukee Dan is on the bottom with a gluey chocolate pudding, along with Manny and Danny’s soggy offerings.

Enter guest chef Matty Matheson, of “The Bear,” to present the Elimination Challenge. He characterizes “Chaos Cuisine” as, among other things, “doing whatever you feel” and “dreaming the biggest dream.” The chefs appear mostly puzzled and confused, but Amanda and Rasika exchange excited googly eyes. 

The chefs will have access to a well-stocked pantry as well as $150 to spend at a local specialty shop. They hit Mo’s Food Market (Korean), which Milwaukee Dan could find his way around blindfolded. Savannah plans a dessert with mustard greens (concerning). At Adom African Market, Rasika gets spices to “play around with” and Kévin mistakes cocoa butter lotion for food. At El Rey Foods, Kaleena assembles ingredients for a burrito-flavored stuffed pasta. Soo seems to have no idea what he’s going to make, even after shopping.

Back at the kitchen, everyone is yelling “chaos!” while the background music thumps frenetic Miami Sound Machine-style percussion. Manny is intentionally burning tortillas. Dan fumbles with his “hot-ass clams.” We get a strange dream sequence interweaving shots of a meditative Danny with his childhood pictures. (Editor’s note: A bit baffling, but sure?) Savannah attempts to make pommes souffles (fried potato puffs) for the first time and bursts with joy when “the first one puffed!”

Confusion about what “chaos cuisine” means continues as the dishes are served. Laura’s California tahdig (crispy Persian rice), assembled with a ring mold, gets dinged for its orderly plating. Amanda’s black garlic pappardelle with cumin lamb ragu and shrimp chip garnish is flavorful, but the pasta is dry. Manny’s esquites “risotto” with burnt-tortilla aioli is delicious but “safe,” causing Matty to muse that perhaps chaos IS simplicity. (Ed: Not even he knew what this challenge was.)

Michelle serves Kristen undercooked Vietnamese shrimp and pork arayes (meat-stuffed pitas). Kévin’s “Big Bang” dish with an exploding capsule of raspberry coulis confuses the judges, but in a good way. Rasika presents a crab-stuffed eggplant dish that flops hard — Kristen says it has “no flavor,” other judges describe it as “slimy” and “slug-like.” Dan makes a savory Japanese pancake (okonomiyaki)/ funnel cake with a gazillion seafood toppings. This turns out to be “a great vehicle for chaos,” and guest judge Sophia Roe is “obsessed.”

Kaleena serves a trash-burrito agnolotti, which replicates burrito flavors as stuffed pasta but is technically flawed. In the most suspenseful presentation of the ep, Savannah serves her mustard-greens dessert to some very skeptical judges. After a pregnant pause, Tom beams: “She did it!” The other judges gush with surprise. 

Lastly, Danny presents his winning dish: a scallop chou farci (stuffed cabbage) with yuzu kosho foam, which looks like a perfect emerald cabochon (gem) on the plate. Kristen declares it “technical” and “luscious.” Tom says it’s “like a duck” — not in flavor, which would be truly chaotic, but because it is outwardly serene with lots going on under the surface. 

And my beloved Rasika gets sent home for what looks, honestly, like a pretty gross dish. She is “gutted” but spunkily declares she’ll be back. Fingers crossed.

The aftermath

• Danny’s black-and-white Air Jordans make a repeat appearance this week. He’s a blur even in freeze-frame when he almost collides with Tom, but his kicks are a dead giveaway. Danny wins Top Sneakerhead.

• The challenge this week seems to change from one moment to the next. Laura gets criticized for perfect plating, but Danny wins with a super-composed dish. Soo gets chaos points for messy sauce. Rasika goes home on what seems like the perfect challenge for her. My takeaway: It’s impossible to plan chaos, which is what this challenge seemed to demand. Ultimately it seemed that the judges just chose their favorite dish.

• The perfect dish for this challenge would have been Gabri’s trompe l’oeil Scotch-Brite sponge dessert from the World All-Stars Season. 

• Amanda and Milwaukee Dan bond during the cook when they both identify as “chaotic neutral,” another role-playing game reference.

• Kristen announces that the chefs will be able to shop at the “specialty shop of their choice” but the group visits only three stores — Latin, African and Korean markets. I was surprised that given the “chaos” theme there weren’t some less-conventional selections.