Know Your Proteins

Looks like the good folks over at Top Chef need some flash cards to help them with their fish identification issues. There seems to be some mis-identification going on. First there's the title board for Chef Tom's Quickfire dish.


Then there's Marcel's dish using Tom's leftover fish.


So, yes, both identify Black Sea Bass as being the fish used. So here's a picture of a black sea bass.

That's a pretty distinctive looking fish, very dark in color, the tail fin is a triangular shape, not a v-shape, there's one long dorsal fin on the spine. Now check out the actual photos of Marcel cutting up the supposed black sea bass.

You play spot the differences...much more elongated head, v-shape in the tail, lighter color, the fins along the spine are much smaller. Which makes it look more like....

...a branzino or European Sea Bass. Here's a second look.

Yes, folks, that appears to be a European Sea Bass. In the grand scheme of things is this the most important mistake made in this episode? Oh hell no but what it does prove is that this blog has some very smart and very experienced readers, namely Captain Obvious who pointed this mistake out. Does the fact that you can tell the difference between these two fish make an important difference to your everyday life? Sure if you're going to the fish counter and want to make a purchase. I'm sure one costs more than the other, don't you want to buy the appropriate fish? If you order one in the restaurant, don't you want to be able to know how each fish tastes?
As for the producers of Top Chef we all know they enjoy pushing the drama aspects of the show much more than the food (unless you want to buy their cookbook, then they are all about the food to the tune of $20 - 25 depending on where you shop) but come on, you've got the Emmy now, let's not slack off completely.