Jennifer stood by her woman Zoi on episode 5 of Top Chef Chicago, clearly upset that Zoi was packing her knives as a result of underseasoned mushrooms—while Richard, and his scaly, mushy salmon, was saved. But our big question: Why don't Zoi and Jen really kiss?

Manuel Trevino, aka Memo, explains how resources are divvied out in the Top Chef kitchen: parsley is at a premium. Plus, he weighs in on the high-end Mexican food controversy. In his elimination challenge, he's paired up with Spike, who has never heard of Like Water for Chocolate--and goes instead for Good Morning, Vietnam. But Swiss chard doesn't strike the judges as a particularly good pairing with Vietnamese spring rolls and the Chilean sea bass is deemed cheap: Manuel takes the fall.

Erik Hopfinger has to serve high-end Mexican cooking to Rick Bayless, the king of high-end Mexican cooking. And Erik just isn't on board. Padma helpfully declares that Chicago is "a city made up of neighborhoods." In one of those neighborhoods, there is a block party, where Erik's soggy corn dogs (chefs: lose the sog) are a bust, but as he explains to Meredith Arthur, he's happy to be set free and has some thoughts about what Andrew's on.

Meredith Arthur interviews Valerie Bolon, who sogs up her blini in episode 2

and is sent packing. The beginning of the show depicts Valerie and her

friend Stephanie working out together: Did Stephanie's crunches prepare her

better than Valerie's stretches? Would Antonia have chosen Valerie if she

had sweated it out a little harder? Or perhaps if any of them knew the

difference between a Bellini and blini? And the question everyone wants

answered: How much of a total spaz is Andrew, really?

The arrogant one prevails over the female one and the gay one.

Ilan Hall takes the toque.