Top Chef Wrap Up

Congratulations Stephanie, but no doubt your victory was slightly tainted by The Agenda. Please do not take this as a slight to your technique, skill, or expertise but when the first episode's fan poll asked, "what will we see first a Female President or a Female Top Chef?" one immediately believes the fix is in. I find it demeaning that Obama is only referred to now as the First Black Presidential Candidate from a Major Political Party; it cheapens his achievement. Stephanie is the 4th Top Chef. End of qualifiers for her.

Getting off my soapbox for a second and moving to more important matters. Lady and I watched Top Chef last evening and she pointed out something very important. The last challenge was too gimmicky. Pick your chef to use and you can only use the proteins they brought with them. In the past it has always been, "go cook the meal of your life." Perhaps it added a more interesting wrinkle this time around, but I just wanted to see these chefs cook with no instruction.

Many people, especially Legend, found it incredibly stupid of Richard to admit he blew it. I see it differently. A chef's work is always susceptible to changes, tweaks, and adjustments. None of Richard's dishes were bad they just all suffered from the lack of time to truly execute his dishes to perfection. By admitting to the judges, that which they already knew, namely that, "hey these dishes could have been better" Richard displayed an important aspect to a chef's repertoire. That being the ability to know what to do to make a dish better. I thought it was a good move.

Braised pistachios? Wow, some nuts won Top Chef for Stephanie. Stephanie was an incredibly strong contestant throughout and won because quite frankly she never got in over her head. She did what she knew how to do, nothing more, nothing less. And she was from Chicago so you have to figure knowing the ins and outs of the guest judges' wheelhouses did not hurt. But again Stephanie deserved to win. Lisa did not deserve to be in the final (based solely on watching, not tasting or actually being there...come on this is what the producers want us to think of Lisa).

Hopefully if Top Chef comes to New Orleans a New Orleans chef will take the title. I would love to see the Pope introduced as a guest judge. All Grand Marniered out, glassy eyed with Peter looking over his shoulder; the two of them asking, "You going to put some foie gras on top of that lobster or what?" But let us leave the numerical calculations of fowl to a time closer to their hatching.

All around a good season, I guess. I have an inkling the reason Dale got cut 2 episodes ago was because Tom was not there and that will be pointed out during the reunion. It is safe to say, Bravo has not driven me away yet.