Top Chef: Quickfire Challenge

Ahh, Top Chef is back. Am I glued to the marathons? To the inane little Season 1 versus Season 2 special? Of course. What is it that brings me back? Is it the delectable sniping? The head-scratching moments of what-the-hell-is-a-lobster-foam? Padma Lakshmi's fabulous Breck Girl hair? No. In a word, Schadenfreude. Look it up.

I love watching these quixotic challenges. "Today, you will cook two perfect eggs... with one hand tied behind your back!"

As we watched tonight while cooking some nice steaks and frying up some potatoes in duck fat and truffle salt, we happened accidentally on a new challenge.

"For today's Quickfire Challenge you will cook two juicy succulent rib eye steaks to a perfect medium-rare, accompanied by Yukon Gold potato coins fried in duck fat -- but...! There's a catch. Somewhere along the line, your equipment will fail, and you will not know when."

Yes, at some point after the steaks went in the oven, the Four Square Kitchen's oh-so-fabulous Roper oven broke down, and the broiler completely shut off. When did that occur? Dunno.

What're you gonna do? Uh, change of plan -- Pan-fried steaks, with Fourme d'Ambert on top...

Bring it on, Top Chefs... I say unto you, "Allez cuisine!"