Dictionary Friday (Also Top Chef): If You Can't Take the Heat...

...get out of the kitchen
Colloquial expression suggesting that if you can't deal with the pressure of a particular situation, you should just give up.

This is how I feel about Lisa. She literally couldn't take the heat of the kitchen, so she whined about it to Stephanie, who (unnecessarily graciously) closed the oven door. Who complains about the kitchen being too hot? Isn't that a generally accepted characteristic of kitchens?

I didn't like Spike much, but it's hurting me that Lisa gets to go to Puerto Rico. Also, I hate hate hate her butchy new haircut from the previews.

Other thoughts:
- Spike does have some serious butcher skills. Unfortunately, this isn't Top Butcher. Also, winning Quickfires doesn't seem to do much for him, does it?

- For the first time all season, I've really started to think that my girl Stephanie might actually win. She's "unflappable" and that sounds a lot like something a Top Chef needs to be. Plus, Blais has some cracks in his armor. He's not showing as the golden boy so much anymore. Of course, that could just be editing tricks, so we think there's a race.

- Padma's Quickfire pants: least flattering ever? They reminded me of something Ken Paves would mistakenly tell J. Simps to wear.

- Everybody must've been pretty amazing in the kitchen, considering how much screen time (zero) was given to their actual behavior. I can't imagine that the producers weren't hoping that somebody would go up in flames, maybe even literally. The contestants looked like pros last night, though. When even Colicchio's having a good time back there, you know things must be good.

That's really it. No huge surprises. I was happy to see an individual challenge - I mean come on, it's time for that. It didn't seem like anybody was a spectacular failure, and that's kind of nice this late in the game. Everybody should be pretty good at this point.

UPDATE: One more thing. Nice t-shirt, Ilan. Way to class it up.