For those of you that are info Top Chef, you can check out the full review of last night's episode on Chicagoist. We were excited to see that beer had the spotlight for part of the show, but it was sad to see it was done in such a sell-out, corporate fashion. Check out the embedded clip for the ten-minute Quickfire Challenge (you can forward to the 3:45 mark).

The chefs were challenged to create a dish that paired perfectly with a beer they had selected from sixteen different options. Reactions were mixed. There were several chefs that seemed very comfortable pairing and cooking with beer, but several that were horrified and had no clue what to do. Andrew commented, "I don't know anything about beer. They all taste the same to me." That's a pretty horrific statement for a chef, who is supposed to have a good palate, to make. If he said that about wine, he might be kicked off the show immediately.

Our excitement subsided quite a bit when we realized that just about every beer was made by Anheuser-Busch, or distributed by them (Redhook ESB was included). It was one big f'n advertisement. They also had a guest judge, from Avec in Chicago, who had absolutely nothing interesting to say and was as boring as a 2x4. Why not bring in someone who actually has something interesting to say about the beer and the pairings? Whatever.

Here were the three top pairings:

Shrimp and scallop beignets served with Landshark Lager

Grilled tuna sandwich served with Michelob Ultra Lime Cactus

Steamed mussels with orange peel and cilantro vinaigrette cooked and served with Hoegaarden

Here's an idea: How about Anheuser-Busch funds a reality show that pits aspiring pro-brewers against each other, and then funds the winner for a line of beers under their brand? Would be interesting for us beer-geeks to watch, and it would be a win-win for AB as they might get some good beers under their line.