Yes, but a lot of the mistakes are basic cooking issues. Yes, the chefs aren't caterers, but who doesn't know that fried food needs to served immediately and can't sit around or it will get soggy?

There were also taste issues at stake. Yes, the blinis didn't travel well, but as I recall, the veggies on top weren't cooked well.

On the one hand, the chefs should really learn to think ahead when it comes to the catering-type challenges, but on the other hand...catering is a different gig than restaurant cheffing. It doesn't really test the skillset they've come to compete with.

Very much so.

Rick Bayless even said (I think) that it looked great, and might have been great, right from the fryer. Whereas Zoe's pasta salad was an unqualified disaster, and if anything, any flavor in it should have sunk in the longer it had to *marinate* before serving. I didn't get that at all.

As much as I haven't been impressed with Erik and felt he should go, I can't believe that someone made a bad pasta salad. Unless they got no herbs at all, that's pretty hard.

ETA: Hah! Pasta salad x-post!

::high-fives megan::

Even *I* can make a decent pasta salad.

Whereas Zoe's pasta salad was an unqualified disaster, and if anything, any flavor in it should have sunk in the longer it had to *marinate* before serving. I didn't get that at all.

yes, the only issue with pasta salad is that it can get soggy. That's why you dress it lightly ahead of time so it won't stick together, then bring the rest of the dressing and dress the salad right before you serve it. Again, BASIC.

Even *I* can make a decent pasta salad.

Really, you don't need much more than a bottle of decent Italian (or similar) dressing, some pasta and a mix of veggies that will hold up to a dressing over time. A few more things if you're going to do a creamy salad (and not use a creamy dressing).

I'm not a big fan of most pasta salads (they usually rely too much on olives and olive oil, and I'm not fond of that flavor by itself), but I had some recently made by a coworker at the B&N I work at, and it was the best pasta salad I've ever had. I tried to get the recipe from her, but it's proprietary (she's trying to get a catering service running).

a bottle of decent Italian (or similar) dressing

::shudders::

Really, you don't need much more than a bottle of decent Italian (or similar) dressing, some pasta and a mix of veggies that will hold up to a dressing over time. A few more things if you're going to do a creamy salad (and not use a creamy dressing).

I guess but I'm sure they could have found the ingredients for a truly awesome vinaigrette. SO easy to make.

ETA or what Megan said

My brother makes a great (and original) pasta salad with cannelli beans, red onions, sundried tomatoes and a balsamic vinaigrette. Something like that would have been perfect.