Thursday, March 31, 2011

The Finale -or - I really hope Richard wins.

Top Chef.  Here we go.  Blogging as I watch this week's finale episode of Top Chef.  It is only Mike I. and Richard B. left to fight it out for the title of Top Chef All Stars.  And the challenge is: the cheftestants must create for the judges the restaurant of their dreams.  Blais - though he denies it - is the clear favorite to win.  I really don't think that Mike can win, or that he deserves to do so.  BUT, he's proven me wrong thus far, so what do I know?

By way of a blind taste test, each chef chooses 3 sous chefs to work with them on their challenges.  Because this is a blind taste test, Richard and Mike can only guess at what chef made each dish and personal issues are possible if they choose a dish made by someone they don't get along with.  Richard picks first and gets Spike, Angelo, and Antonia.   Mike chooses Tiffany, Jamie, and Carla.  Wow.  Advantage in a real way now to Richard. 

So the teams set out to set up their restaurants.  Mike seems pretty in control - extremely cocky as usual.  Blais points out very correctly that this is both Mike's biggest asset and his biggest downfall.  In the other kitchen, Blais has lots of protein going on - including bone marrow!  This is always an audience-pleaser.   However, he often over thinks things.  Can his sous chefs pull off everything he wants to do?  I'm not sure. 

Blais has really put a lot of pressure on himself.  He is worried he will be "always the bridesmaid, never the bride."  I wonder how this will affect his cooking.  To start off, they really like his amuse and first two courses.  The fourth is a beef dish which looks beautiful, but they are not seeing his personality - I dunno, if he cooks well, what does it really matter? They seem to like the rest of his food, but didn't like the dessert (which had...fois gras?!).  At least he's being smart...before the second judges come in, he's going to tweak his dishes based on the response and tasting after the dishes come back.  Very smart.

Mike's restaurant is celebrated by the first set of judges except for 2 things.  The wait between the 1st and 2nd courses and the 4th course.  After the first judges eat, I think it's pretty even probably, with Mike maybe a bit in the lead. 

The second set of judges on each side start off really liking the food.  I think the judges that went Richard to Mike seem to like Mike's food better.  And the ones that went the other way - I think they like Richard.  This is going to come down to the end. 

Judges Table.  They loved Mike.  Thought his food was very clean, even effeminate - but in a good way.  As for Richard, they thought everything was awesome.  They thought his beef was a bit uninspired but very perfectly done.  Man, I really hope at this point that Richard wins.  I cannot stand Mike as a person.  Maybe they edit him poorly, but I really think it would be hard to be THAT misrepresented. 

Ok, so coming in to the end of the episode now and they have made their decision.  Before they say it, I really think it might be Mike, which scares me.  I'd be pretty upset with Top Chef if that is the decision.  But I guess we'll see...

And the new Top Chef is...:

RICHARD BLAIS!

Well done Top Chef.  I agree whole heartedly.  He stood up and took what is his, and I cannot be happier for the man. 

Until the next episode...
Chris

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