Casey Thompson, executive chef at Dallas restaurant Shinsei, is one challenge away from potentially winning Bravo TV's third season of Top Chef.
Despite leaving her elk chops a little too rare, and serving a cauliflower side dish criticized by lead judge Tom Colicchio, Ms. Thompson made it to the final round of the competition during Wednesday night's episode. She will be cooking against two other finalists, Hung Huynh of Las Vegas and Dale Levitski of Chicago.
"I feel really confident," Ms. Thompson said by phone Wednesday night. She was at Shinsei, having just finished watching the show at the restaurant's weekly viewing party.
Wednesday night's show began in her favor. She won the episode's kickoff "Quickfire Challenge," cooking trout by a stream in Colorado. Guest judge Eric Ripert, the chef at New York's world-renowned seafood restaurant Le Bernadin, pointedly complimented Ms. Thompson on the soulfulness of her sautéed trout with grapes and corn.
"I remember Dale and Hung stealing suspicious glances at me after he said that," said Ms. Thompson. "And I was, like, 'Honest to God, I don't know this guy.' "
The "Elimination Challenge" made the Texas native feel right at home: The contestants were charged with catering a meal for 45 cowboys and cowgirls at Snowmass Rodeo outside Aspen, Colo.
The next episode's crowning challenges have already been taped; this year's Top Chef winner will be announced live at 9 p.m. next Wednesday on Bravo.
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