As Al Capone explained in The Untouchables, “A man stands alone at the plate. This is the time for what? For individual achievement. There he stands alone. But in the field, what? Part of a team. Teamwork… Looks, throws, catches, hustles. Part of one big team. Bats himself the live-long day, Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, and so on. If his team don’t field… what is he? You follow me? No one. Sunny day, the stands are full of fans. What does he have to say? I’m goin’ out there for myself. But… I get nowhere unless the team wins.” At which point Capone swings a baseball bat at an underling’s head—someone who clearly did not get the whole teamwork thing.
This week’s Top Chef was all about teamwork. The chefs were put in pairs tasked with making the most of artisanal ingredients from Pike Place Market in Seattle. None did well—so much so that head judge Tom Colicchio decided to revoke the $10,000 prize for the best dish. There wasn’t any. But a team was definitely going home.
