Top Chef Kentucky - Season 16

Top Chef All Stars marathon on Bravo, all day long.

All your favorites: Marcel, Fabio, Carla, Richard Blais, Mike Isabella, Antonia, Angelo Sosa, etc...

Watched it religiously for the first couple of seasons then got bored by the contrived drama, Padma's demeanor, and Tom's aging process. Amazed it's still on the air.

[quote] Tom's aging process

Actually, Tom hasn't aged a bit. He still looks the same.

So did no one watch the first episode???

I can't believe Eddie spent more than 35% of the budget on one dish (out of 7). Natalie needed 1 bag more of lemons.

There are some cute guys this season.

I really like Eddie and Brandon. I actually thought that Chef David (the one who won the Gail challenge) was gay.

Imagine my surprise that he's married with a kid.

Will Kim Davis be guesting?

A dead unskinned squirrel, lima beans, 12 Cheetos, 6 Hershey's kisses, and a can of Moutain Dew.

I like the Argentinian guy.

The Vietnamese girl, Nini, looks like she cooks up interesting food.

Both teams are so stupid not to budget better. Can they not look up prices for items such as 90 lbs of lamb? Can they not cross check ingredients lists to find common items and then list specialty items together and price stuff out? Then break up the shopping into teams going for certain types of items in the store. Do a proportionate division of funding for supplies and give each team a budget for their ingredients. The overflowing carts full of shit they could not buy was hilarious. They shopped like each person had $1500 for each portion of the meal.

The rest of the mess ups that they could help (like dumping all the ingredients on the floor) vs. the uncontrollable ones (like humidity and heat when cooking outdoors under a tent roof) are what makes it fun, even though these challenges are more like catering big events than restaurant work.

Pablo is hot.

Pablo is definitely a hottie, and I think he's gay.

When people were talking about their wives and kids, he really struggled to talk about former "girlfriends," and not getting them pregnant. Lol.

Pablo has pretty brown eyes...

i haveI never understood why Padma is on the show . She attractive and intelligent but not any sort of cook and her personality is flat . She is most famous for marrying and screwing millionaire/dying billionaires out of their money, etc . Seems cold and calculating to me .

It's because Katie Lee was boring and wooden as the original host, R14. But to me, they're both in the same league - TERRIBLE.

Funny how Katie Lee ended up getting a bunch of gigs on Food Network. She must really hate Padme.

I had no idea that Katie Lee was married to Billy Joel.

That blows my mind.

Katie's new husband/fiance is cute.

Padma is a good hostess and looks good. She adds a worldly quality to the gig, being a former model married to Salman Rushdie. That's all the job description really entails.

How did Natalie win the first episode, and then get eliminated in the second?

That's unheard of.

For Kentucky style french toast you substitute crushed Oxys for powdered sugar.

The best was when Padma was throwing herself at Gronk, and he was completely uninterested.

Chef David is a big closet queen. Nini is really nailing it, but I was a bit surprised she won for her dessert. Eric Ripert kept saying how simple it was, although he loved it. Then when he announced the winner, he mentioned the complexity of the dish. Huh?

So far I'm enjoying the season. Chef Eddie is annoying, though. I'm not a chef, but when he said how many racks of lamb he was buying, I knew it would be WAY too much money. How can he not know that as a chef? Can't do basic math, I guess. Then his overly dramatic reaction to being in the top 3 was way over the top. And he acted like a complete spazmatron when talking to Eric Ripert and Tom. I hope he goes soon.

Would it kill the Kentucky woman to wear some eyeliner or other basic makeup? She looks like she's been dragged out of a hospital to do the show.

That's how all Kentucky women look like R23

I want to watch Pablo and Brandon make out.

[quote]That's how all Kentucky women look like

Written like a true native.

New episode tonight.

I want to rim Chef Eddie until he squeals in delight.

And then bang his tight little hole. He's so adorable.

I'm not a fan of the azn. She's annoying and she has a big mouth.

But of course, this being Top Chef, they love anything azn.

She'll probably win.

I think the Restaurant Wars will be a shit show.

I still miss the insanity that was the first season of the ill-fated [italic]Top Chef: Just Desserts.[/italic]

R27 oh yeah, there is lots of eye candy this season: Eddie, Brandon, Pablo for starters. David could be hard but his personality and voice is so grating.

Looks like Nini could be in trouble for the first time. She's definitely opinionated and bossy, and that sometimes comes back to bite you in the ass. She wouldn't listen to anyone that it was time to get to the dessert.

Restaurant Wars is always a shit show. The cheftestants who volunteer to be front of the house almost alway shirk something. It's pretty easy to plan. Someone is going to have to help the person doing the front of the house with their food. No way you can do both. Nini fell into that trap. Justin was losing his mind. Brian was way behind because he was too ambitious with his dish again, so he didn't get to tell the front of the house everything he wanted. But having waited on tables when I was in college, the back of the house in a restaurant is always a chaotic mess and you're always in the weeds it seems. Such a stressful job. I don't know why anyone would want to do it full-time. I was always glad when I was able to go back to school and leave it behind.

[quote] Looks like Nini could be in trouble for the first time. She's definitely opinionated and bossy, and that sometimes comes back to bite you in the ass. She wouldn't listen to anyone that it was time to get to the dessert.

Don't worry. She'll get a pass from Tom Colicchio and Padme. They always do. And Brian will probably get sent home, even though his error is probably less egregious than hers.

Speaking of Brian, his service manual was awesome. I don't think that anyone has ever been that thorough in "Restaurant Wars" before.

I like Pablo and the doe eyed guy who can't do math and always looks like he's about to cry

[quote] the doe eyed guy who can't do math and always looks like he's about to cry

That's Eddie, mentioned at R27.

R35, yes, him! I would love to see him present hole.

Brandon could be hot but I noticed some serious love handles

Nini's got quite big tits

Why KY? Have they done New O? Miami?

R39, they've done both. Seems that they're running out of new food places. I'm going to take a wild guess and say that Portland is probably next.

[quote]Have they done New O? Miami?

I think Miami was the 3rd season and New Orleans the 11th

Places they haven't done yet in the US: Portland, Philly. I wouldn't be surprised if they go to Hawaii, Kansas City, or Santa Fe.

Eddie works/worked with Nick Elmi, who won on a previous episode of Top Chef.

They're both hot!

I always had the hugest crush on Nick Elmi.

He has the same "doe eyes" as Eddie.

Maybe Nick mentored Doe Eyes in more ways than one..

After Nick and Eddie, I'd bet money that the guy on the top/far-right will be on a future installment of Top Chef.

His name is Geno Betz.

R46, he looks like fun in bed! Jesus, that kitchen must smell ripe.

Nick Elmi was a rage-monster asshole. Nina should have won that year's Top Chef crown. Glad to see Nina on the recent episode. Nick was an asshole.

That whole "service manual" thing was a complete waste of everyone's time. You are training them to be there for 3 hours of service. Show them table numbers, menus, wine choices, how to reset the table, etc. Make it simple.

^this

Actually R49, considering how pressed they were for time, it was nice that they could just hand the servers the manual.

The female chef just handed them the manual, said "read one paragraph out loud, then pass it around" and she could just walk away and go back to cooking, while the servers figured it out for themselves.

That's pretty handy, if you ask me.

Looks like restaurant wars is going to be a brutal and total meltdown. I rooting for North East and against Third Coast.

I love Brandon, he is one handsome dude. Rosen is a Jewish name but damn if he doesn't look like Aryan perfection.

Yes! NorthEast for the win!

I like the horses.

SPOILERS FOR TONIGHT'S RESTAURANT WARS PART DEUX:

I thought Nini was in trouble. No pass this time, R33, but she can still come back after Last Chance Kitchen. I'd like to see Brother come back, though. Pablo should have gone before, so no surprise he fucked up again. I loved how the one guest judge said you could have dropped Pablo's short ribs from the top floor of a building and they would still hold their shape, then Padme added: "And bounce." I knew Pablo was toast after that comment.

Ok Portland, Philly, Santa Fe any of those towns would be better than friggin KY.

They should really do Philly.

Nini was terrible at FOH, but I thought she was going to make it far in the season so I was surprised to see her go.

It seemed like all three teams kind of sucked though. Even the winning team wasn’t that great.

I guess they chose Kentucky for it's rich distilling history..but that ain't food now is it. Some of the stuff they were eating at the distillery was very low brow.

So happy with the results!

Brian deserved the win, for sure. He did an amazing job.

And the right people went home. Deservedly so.

I think that the girl who went home (for her lemon custard) should get to come back on the show. She left because of Eddie's expensive lamb, and she was totally ripped off.

Loved seeing nini the nitwit get the axe.

She was the WORST fucking front of the house ever. And she took no responsibility for it.

Sad to see Pablo go. He was hot.

Nini will be back I am sure of it

Rooting for Brother

[quote]Rooting for Brother

I didn't even know Brother and 2 other former contestants were competing on Last Chance Kitchen

Same here. I either want to see Brother or Carrie from Season 15, return to the competition. Both of them were really good.

I had no idea, but they even brought back Jim from Season 14 to LCK.

I was rooting for Carrie, but she got the boot so now I'm rooting for Brother

Did Carrie make toast?

I can't believe that Carrie was eliminated before some newbie chefs.

She made it to the final four/five last season!

[quote]Did Carrie make toast?

She did. Seriously.

[quote] She made it to the final four/five last season!

Top three.

New episode tonight.

Rooting for Brother Love to make it back into the competition! He's sexy.

Whoops. His name is Brother Luck... lol.

When does the Last Chance Kitchen winner get to return to the competition?

Tom made it sound like it would be this week.

It is.

Tom C. is one hot daddy.

So who went home?

Congratulations and condolences to the big winner and the big loser in a single episode: [spoiler alert]

Brother.

*SPOILER ALERT*

In Last Chance Kitchen, Brother decided to bow out of the competition, so the remaining cheftestants battled to come back (for LCK only at this point), and only one survived. It was Pablo. Kind of a two-fold shocker--Brother calling it quits and Pablo, one of the weaker contestants, beating the others to get back in to LCK.

Poor Brother. I call bullshit, The other guy presented dry fried gnocchi with dry fried meat and Brother goes home? And the way the other contestants treated him, ugh. I hate all of them.

Brother seems cool but why do u all adore him?

I don't even like him that much but the contestants treated him horribly. It was cruel and unnecessary, not to mention unprofessional. The black guy even did a fistpump when Brother's elimination was announced.

I find fat-faced, whiny Brother immensely annoying but, yes, the other chefs were extremely childish about his return. And honestly, Brian's dish sounded even worse than Brother's; I'm sure they chose to eliminate brother largely for the drama of booting him after his first round in the main competition when he'd won about a thousand LCKs to get there.

Brother's dad was a male stripper who went by the name MANDINGO

I want Brother to take all his frustration about losing out on my ass by fucking it mercilessly with his MANDINGO wang! Oh Brother, where art thou?!?!?!?!?

Brother is fat, he needs to eat a lil bit less pork belly

I like guys Brother's size and bigger.

There's more to love about him this time around then, R85

Brother was fucking robbed.

And now I don't like any of the asshole contestants. Their behavior was so fucking shitty.

Actually, Brandon was the only one who acted decently towards Brother. When Brother was looking for his supplies in Whole Foods, Brandon was so nice to him, and asked Brother what he needed, and offered to help him find it.

Brandon is a very good guy.

It sucks that the guy who "fist pumped" when Brother was eliminated, was also the guy that won.

Does anyone know when this will hit Hulu? thx

Yes, Brandon was nice to Brother. I am rooting for him now.

It seems like Season 16's cast is closer to each other than in other years. But yeah, the way many of them acted around Brother was douchey. Kelsey the cunt didn't surprise me. During Restaurant Wars, she was a mega-bitch to the servers. She seems bitchy to me. I hope she gets taken down soon, and I hope it's for a dessert since she's always bragging about her pastry background.

In past seasons, chefs would make comments about each other, but they would be sarcastic or obviously joking. These contestants were straight-up rude, and I kept waiting for the apology or laugh which never came. Especially since Brother could not have been nicer to them.

It's true, R91.

In fact, the contestants used to "fanboy" and "fangirl" out, over returning chefs from other seasons.

Not this time. It was pure haterade coming from this group.

I can't believe that Brother dropped out of the competition. I guess he's just over it.

Especially when the judges favor other contestants over you.

Obviously, Brian should have gone home. But they sent Brother packing, instead. He knows that they're just fucking with him.

True, R93. It was the right call, and I would have done the same.

So who went home?

Brandon had a hot ass but he couldn’t live forever.

Who the fuck is Brother !?

Brother Luck was a contestant from last season, R97. Top Chef Denver.

He almost made it back into the competition through LCK, but failed in the last competition against Joe, who got back in and eventually became Top Chef.

Why are they sending home all the hot guys??!!!

First Pablo, now Brandon. Fuck the judges.

Thank you R98 ! I looked on the official site and saw no one named Brother , so I was like... is this a nickname xD?

Random thought, but with a name like Brother I would assume he's part black. Has a black person ever won Top Chef ?

Both of Brother's parents were "exotic dancers," according to what he said on the show.

He always struck me as Native American. NA's usually have unusual last names, like "Luck."

Is Lena Waithe a lesbian? Strange to see her on this show.

Carne!

How did Brian or Sara not get sent home?

Brian fucked up, two weeks in a row. And he fucked up RIBEYE - the easiest to cook and most flavorful part of the beef.

Sara's sausage was raw and soft. Gross!

I tell you, the judging on this show is so bogus. There's no way Brandon should have been sent home for his tartare.

Yeah but Brandon served gummy raw meat. He made Tom puce with rage and thus he had to go.

Sara should have gone home because she's constantly asking for help with her dishes!

I have a feeling that Eddie could win the whole thing.

The cameras have been focusing on him, way back from the very first episode.

Either he is going to win, or he's going to make it far.

R107, I hope he does. He’s affiliated with Nicholas Elmi, a previous winner. Nicholas is a controversial winner, but his Philly restaurants are amazing.

I find Eddie an annoying stress monster, but I agree, R107, that they seem to focus a lot on him. Indeed, they showed an adorable exchange between him and his son on the phone. The producers are clearly trying to make up for his stressed out personality in the kitchen. I bet he gets far.

I'm not surprised Brandon got cut. A slimy tartare? He put fucking xanthan gum in his tartare. That was utterly stupid. Brian will go home in the next 2-3 episodes. He fucks up all the time. I hope bitchy Kelsey goes soon. I can't stand her.

Overall, I think all the chefs fucked up on this episode. You get a beef challenge and one of the judges is a master butcher from Italy, but no one really cooks a steak? The Italian butcher said something like it was all show and no soul. He wanted a piece of beef to bite into. I'm surprised Eddie's Polish galumpkis won a beef challenge.

That's another thing the editors of TC focused on R108, was his working relationship with Elmi. They're constantly showing photos of Eddie and Nick together. Not to mention the tons of family photos and videos they've been showing of him.

Eddie and his family and career story have been getting more attention than anyone else. I know what his wife and kid look like, where he works, what his family background and neighborhood look like, etc., because the editors have shown us all of this.

I can't say the same about any of the other chef-testants.

It all kind of points in the direction/storyline of Eddie winning the competition.

[quote] He wanted a piece of beef to bite into

Me too!

If Pablo ad dressed like this in the kitchen, he never would have gotten kicked off!

I could see an Adrienne/Eddie final two. She also seems to be getting a lot of airtime, though they haven't yet touched on her backstory much.

Would someone please push Padma off a cliff! Her pretentiousness is beyond the last few seasons. She truly believes she's the star of the show. She is fucking lucky to be on the show. If she was a guy she's be a demanding entitled douche bro. She is fucking insufferable!

So far I like this season better than last year. I couldn't even remember who the Final 2 was last season. But I feel like the absence of Nini is hurting the competition. I thought her dishes were interesting and she was near the front of the pack. I hate when a talented chef is cut for Front of the House duties.

I see the Final 3 being Eddie, Eric, and Adrienne.

I think that Justin is doing better than Eric, R116.

He won the quickfire, and he was also in the top 3 in the last competition.

David is also a contender, but like he said on the latest episode, he was in the top at the beginning, but he's fallen more towards the middle lately.

[quote]Brian will go home in the next 2-3 episodes. He fucks up all the time.

Yes, he has no time management skills and his instincts about how to approach a challenge are often way off-base, as was in evidence last night. Despite winning Restaurant Wars, he created a lot of problems for the rest of his team that episode—wasting a ton of time creating a written service manual but leaving too little time for instructing and managing the servers in person; taking longer (as always) than he estimated to finish his dish; etc.

I think that Brian has a ton of potential, but he gets in his head too much.

He basically admitted that he made these "girly little finger foods" in the beef challenge, and that it was "not me at all."

Sometimes the chefs need a good ass reaming, like Tom gave them on Thursday's episode, to wake them the fuck up.

It's so true that they feel they have to "measure up" and make these dainty little frou frou plates they THINK is what the diners want to eat. But the truth is that people just want food that TASTES GOOD.

Clearly, Brian can do that. He just has to get out of his head.

Aww Brandon :(((

I don't understand the judging. Some of the other dishes seemed worst than Brandon's.

I watch for Padma and Tom, especially Padma. She's so warm and sincere and her support of Fatima, who's battling cancer, makes me lover her even more. I'll take her over ice cold Heidi Klum any day.

Padma is the star of the show. And, I loved her comment about being "underwhelmed" and all of her bitchy comments. Added plus she is gorgeous.

Is Padme a lesbian? She seemed to be very "close" to Lena Waithe.

I'm guessing that they've bumped uglies before.

Apparently, Padma and Tom hate each other (off-camera, of course).

R124, they seem to have decent chemistry on screen. They've fooled me if that's true.

I need one of those Hot Browns in me.

I'm starting to think Kentucky's contribution to our culinary world is basic hangover slop.

I've been watching Top Chef since the start and, from what I've seen of both Padma and Tom I have trouble believing they don't get along. But, if that's true, they're pros and none of it shows on camera.

During restaurant wars, Padma made a sarcastic comment about Tom leaving the table and not waiting for her.

[quote]Sometimes the chefs need a good ass reaming, like Tom gave them on Thursday's episode, to wake them the fuck up.

You have been warned.

I like Padma. I’m not sure why her opinion should matter, but it does.

[quote] I like Padma. I’m not sure why her opinion should matter, but it does.

Actually, that shows her saavy as a host.

Generally, a host will just be in the background. However, Padma has somehow parlayed her hosting position, into a semi-judging, semi-expert role, and really upped her profile.

The only other host of a reality show that has done that, as far as I know, is Ryan Seacrest. And not even his opinions about the contestants, were regarded as highly as Padma's.

I think Padma is conceited and most likely a total diva and pain in the ass to manage on a shooting schedule. But if you watched the first few seasons with Billy Joel's wife, one of the most vacant and expressionless TV personalities ever, you notice a drastic difference in the pacing of the show once she was replaced by Padma. She is very charismatic and brings a certain energy that wasn't there before.

I think Padma may be stone sometimes? I would be. I love eating when stoned. I follow her on Insta and a lot of her posts are about how hot she is but she is a good feminist and liberal, as is Tom C. Love -- them both!

Billy Joel’s wife only did the first season and she was almost literally made of wood. Padma is amazing at this show.

Captain Sandy and Captain Lee from Below Deck, will be special guest judges on tonight's episode!

Did Adrienne the lesbian get eliminated?

She looked pretty damned sick in the previews.

No r137. The tall fuggo with the nasty tattoos got eliminated, finally. He fucked up roast pork.

They all looked miserable baking in the hot sun at the end.

Nashville is not in Kentucky!

Yeah that was Brian, R138. I felt bad for him, because Adrienne should have gone home. She didn't even lift a finger to help the team!

Poor Eddie. He always looks like he's on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

I'm happy the green team won. Their party looked like so much fun. You could even feel the difference, just watching it on tv.

Fatima Ali has passed away at 29. So, so very sad. Too young and so much left to do with her life. RIP.

Oh, that is sad, R140. :-(

In September Fatima was told she had a year to live and the angel didn't even get that. She was very brave and clearly loved. I didn't know her but I admired her courage and humor during her ordeal and I'm glad she's found peace.

Very sad news about Fatima. She would have been perfect on an all-stars season.

I love Padma and Tom. They are great on the show and they are super liberal/destroy Trump on social media regularly. I do miss Gail this season.

Glad Brian went home. He has been forgiven a lot of fuck ups and it was time to say goodbye.

R140 - Very sad. She was courageous. If you listen, Padma does have a very good knowledge of food and can immediately detect crap when it's served to her. I think she and Tom have a very solid working relationship and respect each other, though I don't think they're friends.

Honestly one of my favorite things about Padma and Tom is their combative, anti-Trump liberalness. They give no fucks on social media, and that’s refreshing for a high profile show where they’re the judges. If you watch this show you better know who you’re dealing with.

Aaaaah, fuck. I had not heard that Fatima Ali was ill, and now she has died. She was so funny and entertaining on her season. Really too bad she didn't have the opportunity to fulfill her plans and dreams.

I am not a foodie or a very good cook, however I love watching Top Chef. I really enjoyed the last season and shed some tears upon learning of Fatima's passing. I was following her journey. She was so sweet, a great personality. Padma was one of her inspirations. Just so sad.

RIP Fatima. She was cool

The thought of the hick Sarah ("I don't know what lipstick is") running around topless made me lose my appetite.

R149---Blerg, when she said she knew how to throw a great bash and in the next breath said it involved her running about topless...my thought was, "great party for YOU maybe."

I agree with R138. Brian needed to go. He's fucked up so many times. The week Brother went home, it really should have been Brian. I don't agree with R139 that Adrienne should go home. She conceptualized her dish and did the prep, and frankly if she hadn't been sick, Eddie may have gone home. I think it saved Eddie that he did justice to Adrienne's concept.

I can't stand Kelsey, but she, Sara, Justin and Eric-the Green Team-really nailed the concept. It was supposed to be a party, and boy did they deliver. Their boat had such a party atmosphere. Plus they did a signature cocktail/jello shot, although it sounded disgusting. The Blue Team just got their shit done and served their food and acted like ok, we're done. Overall, it seemed the food was fairly even on both teams, but the Green Team making it a true party tipped the scales in their favor.

*SPOILER ALERT FOR LAST CHANCE KITCHEN*

It was Brian vs. Brandon. They're given crappy cuts of pork--ears and other things--and have to make a great dish in practically no time at all. I really don't know how these guys deal with the time pressure. Anyway, Brian actually did a really good dish, but like the moron he is, he doesn't make the pork product the star but rather mussels. Brandon made his pork product the star. Tom said both dishes were really good, maybe even some of the best he's had in LCK, but Brandon made the pork product the star whereas Brian didn't. Bye Brian. You won't be missed.

Yay, Brandon! I hope he makes it back into the competition. He's so handsome.

Yes, r151, Brian showed his usual poor judgment in LCK. The guy can cook well enough, it seems, but was always in the bottom for choosing a dish that didn't make great use of the ingredients, failed to fully meet the requirements of the challenge, or was impossible to execute well within the time allotted.

He's a dumbass and whiny one at that. What was up with him accusing his team of throwing him under the bus in this episode because "they all knew I didn't sleep all night and nobody stuck up for me." Dude, if your dish was the worst, it was the worst. The judges aren't going to go easy because you decided to stay up all night cooking it—a decision likely born of crappy time management skills.

R153, Brian mentioned that he's a former addict.

They tend to not ever take responsibility for their actions.

[quote]I think it saved Eddie that he did justice to Adrienne's concept.

I had the same thought. His own dish was not good; I think it helped him that he had to finish and serve a well-conceived dish that the judges enjoyed. Def agree that the judges were right to let Adrienne stay. Past contestants have missed all/part of a challenge because of illness or injury and the judges have always given them a pass. (For one thing, I would imagine they don't want to encourage the chefs to prepare and serve food while sick or bleeding.) Plus, the dish that Adrienne conceived and began prepping was clearly tastier and more challenge-appropriate than Brian's and he was long overdue to go.

I was so happy to see David go home. He was becoming a real asshole.

It's weird how he started out as a nice guy, but you could see his personality shift as the season went on.

I know guys like him. They put on this fake "nice guy" act, but eventually, the asshole always comes out.

As for the winner, I almost feel like they gave her the win out of sympathy, and not on actual taste. The jambalaya lady's food looked better.

Yes, happy to see the closeted David go home. Eddie had a close call and I thought maybe he'd go. During the tasting at the table, it sounded like David was going home, but when it was just Judge's Table, it sounded like maybe it was Eddie for his blandly boring food. I'd have been happy with either one going. Certainly at the full table tasting, Michelle's food got the most praise, so I don't think it was a sympathy vote.

I was glad to see snotty Kelsey in the bottom three. After Judge's Table but before the judges announced the eliminated cheftestant, arrogant Kelsey was going on about how she'd NEVER been in the bottom before. Bitch, that's what you get for serving a salt lick. I hope she goes soon. Based on next week's previews, it looks like Kentucky's own hillbilly Sara may be in danger and she brings out the bitch as a result.

*SPOILERS FOR LAST CHANCE KITCHEN*

David and Brandon have to choose three ingredients from a plethora of ingredients that aren't identified and make a dish out of those. Brandon makes spam empanadas and he didn't even know that it was spam he was cooking with. David makes scallops. Tom likes both dishes. I thought Brandon's dish was more daring, but Tom picks David's dish, which to me was safer and easier but definitely more composed and chef-like. Ugh, more closeted David to put up with in LCK.

Oh no, R157! I wanted Brandon to be the one to get back into the competition. Shit.

Sometimes I think that Tom is extremely biased, and it's no fair that he's the sole decider for LCK.

Remember during the episode that Tom said that he and David were "from the same town in New Jersey." No doubt, that played into his decision in favor of David.

[quote] Based on next week's previews, it looks like Kentucky's own hillbilly Sara may be in danger and she brings out the bitch as a result.

That competition looked insane.

I cannot even imagine cooking in a competition in front of thousands of Kentucky Wildcats fans. I'd be so nervous!

For Sara, she looked to be humiliated in front of them, which could be why she was so pissed off. I don't blame her. She told Adrienne, "Don't call me Mama. Call me Sara." Ouch!

I really hate the way that Michelle (the chef who won) speaks.

She barely opens her mouth, and it's annoying.

No mention of the absolutely adorable Hunter Hayes, judging the Quick Fire challenge??

He's so damned hot, although he seems quite tiny.

Hunter Hayes has gay face for DAYS.

Top Chef did a nice little tribute to Fatima at the end of the last episode. It was sweet.

In her to-the-camera interviews, Kelsey reminds me of Dakota Fanning.

This is a very boring season. It's also obvious that either Kelsey or Eddie will win.

Anybody but Kelsey. I can’t stand her.

Eric and Justin have been in the top a few times. I could see one of them winning. Eddie has a top three narrative and he might choke like a Richard Blais. Kelsey sucks.

[quote] Anybody but Kelsey. I can’t stand her.

But Kelsey JUST had a baby. And she had to leave him at home to compete on the show for him. She's a MOMMMMMMMYYYYYYY!!!!

Therefore, she deserves to win.

How many women have won Top Chef? Kelsey's not the next one. For the Grand Ole Opry quickfire, she was the only one who was a fan of the dude and she made some Israeli thing that landed her in the bottom.

And Kelsey's "ode" to her husband dish landed her in the bottom for the elimination challenge, as well.

They all said it tasted only of SALT!

I'm telling you all, Eddie has this in the bag. His narrative is the only one we've been hearing about, this whole time.

I just want to see MAMA Sara's huge bare tits!

Don't call me mama. Call me SARA.

It's annoying when a chef's narrative is the sadness of leaving their kids behind, as if having kids and the endless hoops to jump through to get on the show isn't entirely voluntary.

That annoys me, too, r172. Yes, I am sure it's difficult to leave an infant at home, as Kelsey did, but nobody was forced to start/expand a family and try out for Top Chef all at the same time.

Eddie was staring DAGGERS at Hunter Hayes, when he criticized his dish.

That was hilarious.

I wouldn't eat most of the shit they cook on the show but I do love watching it

I find it odd that they're in Kentucky for Top Chef.

They ran out of cities with food scenes

Down to the final 8 tonight!

That was a weird quick fire. I don’t remember any time where a quick fire winner didn’t even have to cook in the elimination round, so what is Eddie doing for this? Just sitting?

Sarah sucks. She did get shamed pretty badly. Don't buy boxed mix. That's like the first rule of this show.

Sarah 100% should have gone home.

Eddie should have been forced to do something too. Even with immunity he shouldn’t have been allowed to rest.

R181 I know, that was strange. I think he would have liked at least being on a team with a chance to win the prize money.

That happened at least once before during the season in Miami. Dale won the quick fire and didn’t have to cook for the food truck challenge. It seems like it happened at least one other time, too.

I have a feeling that Adrienne has/had a crush on Sara, and that might have been a sore spot for her.

Maybe Sara was uncomfortable, since she's married to a man.

Eddie was so cute, just lingering in the background.. eating an apple and drinking his juice and writing in his notebook.

He's such a funny little guy.

Eddie is like a cuddly yet grumpy little teddy bear. You just want to hug him and squeeze his cheeks!

Eddie is interesting looking. Arched eyebrows, kinda upturned nose. Can't quite put my finger on why but he has an interesting face.

Michelle seemed a bit drained from the last challenge, which was inspired by memories of her father who committed suicide when Michelle was a teenager. I think it took a lot more out of her than was worth it for last week's win. She just didn't seem quite there this week and was in the bottom of the quick fire challenge as well. Eddie not having to cook was ridiculous. The show is SO trying to make Eddie the winner, or at least one of the finalists. Kelsey still annoys me, but she brought it again and looks like she could be on track for getting to the finale.

Sara's choice to do a boxed waffle mix wasn't that egregious. It was a bad choice, but I get her thought process where timing is always an issue, so why not save time?

The cheftestants competitiveness came out big time. Adrienne completely threw Sara under the bus, and I don't think she even needed to. I think Sara would have been bottom 2 even if the judges didn't know it was a boxed mix. Michelle was the one going home anyway. The other cheftestants getting the crowd into yelling homemade also showed how competitive they are. They tried to blow it off and act like they were just doing some good-natured ribbing, but I think Sara saw through it and was surprised. Everyone seemed so tight-knit this season, so it threw her for a loop that she was targeted. Look out others. Your time will come.

*SPOILERS FOR LAST CHANCE KITCHEN* David and Michelle square off. In the usual riff on the latest elimination challenge, they have to make a game day dish. Michelle goes for homemade pasta; David goes for a meatball. The curve ball is there is only one knife to use between the two and a 30-second "shot clock" where each contestant has to switch back and forth with the knife every 30 seconds. I thought this was kind of a dumb idea. If I had been one of the chefs, I'd have tried to make something that required very little cutting, which I realize is easier said than done. Indeed, David gets annoyed at the shot clock and just tears up his bread for his meatballs. Oh, and they have to use disgusting Hidden Valley Ranch products to amp up the flavor. Ew.

Neither dish gets a heap of praise from Tom Colicchio. Michelle's pasta was a bit oily, but David's decision to tear the bread ultimately takes him down as Tom encounters a big chunk of bread in his meatball. Michelle wins and closet case David is out of the competition. If Michelle wins LCK next week, she's back in the competition.

[quote] The other cheftestants getting the crowd into yelling homemade also showed how competitive they are. They tried to blow it off and act like they were just doing some good-natured ribbing

Did you SEE that crowd? They were already in a frenzy, and they probably just go the chefs amped up. I could never cook in that environment. It was insane.

Eric and Justin are both big basketball fans, so they were just acting how basketball players act - with a lot of smack talk. I'm sure they didn't mean any harm by it.

However, Sara was kind of vulnerable because a) she was in front of her home crowd, b) they called her out in front of thousands of people while on stage, and c) they're close-knit and she didn't expect them to try to embarrass her that way. I felt bad for her. At the most, they were insensitive, but I don't think they intentionally tried to hurt her.

[quote] If Michelle wins LCK next week, she's back in the competition

I had a feeling she would win. In fact, she might win the whole thing.

Her parting words gave it away. "I don't want to jinx it, but other contestants have come back from LCK and become Top Chef." When she said that, I thought... uh oh. She's going to pull a Kristen or Joe Flamm and come back from LCK then win Top Chef.

We'll see.

R189, you may be right about Eric and Justin (although I have my doubts), but Adrienne told Tom about the box mix BEFORE going in front of any crowd. That was her competitiveness coming out. These contestants might like each other, but they also want to win this competition. Americans are more competitive than say Brits on the Great British Baking Show. I think most of these contestants wouldn't hesitate to throw someone under the bus if it gives them an advantage.

[quote] Americans are more competitive than say Brits on the Great British Baking Show

Go back and watch how Eric was acting. He was AMPED up. He was jumping all around, waving his hands, firing up the crowd, and just being overall crazy.

The crowd definitely whipped him up into a frenzy. I think he was just caught up in the moment.

Why was Padma dressed like a Fly Girl from the 90's?

[quote]Sara's choice to do a boxed waffle mix wasn't that egregious. It was a bad choice, but I get her thought process where timing is always an issue, so why not save time?

Because if you'd watched previous seasons of the show (as I would think a chef-testant would do), you'd know that no one ever gets away with using boxed mixes or other premade items. They're invariably slammed for it.

[quote] They ran out of cities with food scenes

There are still some left in the US (I'm calling it: they're gonna do a Hawaii season), but I think it's maybe time for Top Chef to branch out to international locations.

The pancake mix Sara bought was pretty basic and, as she said, she added to it. I really don't think she did anything wrong by skipping a few steps but she had to know she would get heat for it. That being said, the chef's on the opposing team were total dicks about it and she had every right to be pissed.

Has there ever been a Top Chef NYC season?

R196, yes. Like either Season 5 or 6.

They need to do an Atlanta season. Kind of surprised they haven’t.

Why would anyone think you could do ribs in so little time. The minute Michelle said ribs, I knew she was toast. Ribs need slow heat and smoke to be any good.

[quote]That was a weird quick fire. I don’t remember any time where a quick fire winner didn’t even have to cook in the elimination round, so what is Eddie doing for this? Just sitting?

I thought that was weird, too. Were they expecting to have an even number of contestants left at this point? Can't think of any unplanned double- or non-elimination situations in previous episodes that would have thrown off the count.

Has Top Chef done Philly? Great restaurant town...

R200, surprisingly not yet.

I love Eddie. He's cute.

They did Hawaii in a previous show

Philly would be a really good choice for the next season. I went there on business a lot in 2016 and 2017 and went to a lot of different restaurants. I was impressed by the food scene there.

R202, I think they visited Hawaii for a finale, but I meant they could do a whole season there.

Philly is an amazing restaurant town, certainly better that Kentucky (no offense). But it comes down to tax breaks and economics...

The worst season, IMO, was DC. I don't remember a thing about it.

Team Adrienne.

I miss Michelle's quiet calm and poise in the kitchen. These shows seem to reward the contestants with the bigger, jovial personalities too often.

[quote]I miss Michelle's quiet calm and poise in the kitchen.

How can you miss it? They've yet to air an episode without her.

R209, you're right. I meant, I'm going to miss her.

Padma in corn rows and a wife beater was bad enough. I don’t think I can handle her in hula girl attire in Hawaii. Can’t they do Amish Country? She is always so awkwardly dressed.

R206. Who stole my pea puree?

Eddie is on a roll, and so is Kelsey. I think the top 3 is going to be Kelsey, Eddie & Eric

Padma always adapts culturally to the locals.

Eskimo Padma in winter settings. Bikini Padma at the beach. Kimono Padma takes Asia. Latina Padma Sizzles in South America. Down-on-the-Farm Padma in rustic settings. Pippi Longstocking Braids-n-Sundress Padma in Savannah.

[quote] I miss Michelle's quiet calm and poise in the kitchen

I cannot stand Michelle. She doesn't move her mouth when she speaks, and it annoys the living fuck out of me. It's just WEIRD.

[quote] Padma in corn rows and a wife beater was bad enough

Haha I read an article today, where she was accused of cultural appropriation. SO ridiculous.

So no one except for African Americans is allowed to wear corn rows? Give me a fucking BREAK.

[quote] She doesn't move her mouth when she speaks, and it annoys the living fuck out of me.

lol. I can't say I ever noticed her mouth.

I enjoy Padma. She's a good hostess and, if nothing else, she's led an interesting life ⸺ former model, married to Salman Rushdie. The show wouldn't feel the same without her.

It's not so much that Michelle doesn't move her mouth, but it's that she barely moves her lips when she speaks.

It's like sound is coming out of her mouth, but her lips and mouth are barely moving. She's kind of like a marionette puppet. It's just weird.

I'll go nuts if she comes back, because I can't bear to watch her speak again.

Corn rows do not not look good on anyone, no matter what race

You don't have to be black to rock cornrows.

[quote]I think it's maybe time for Top Chef to branch out to international locations.

Top Chef Canada will be going into its 7th season this year. While it lacks some of the polish and ease of the original, it's not bad -- the host is terrible, though.

J’adore Padma. She’s really a perfect host for this show.

Padma is lovely and brings alot to the show unlike Heidi who will not be missed from Project Runway.

[quote]I thought that was weird, too. Were they expecting to have an even number of contestants left at this point? Can't think of any unplanned double- or non-elimination situations in previous episodes that would have thrown off the count.

Probably difficult to schedule the arena and the coach, so it wound up happening on and “odd” week.

Sara shouldn’t have used the mix, but Adrienne pulled that bullshit “I’m sorry you felt that way” type of apology. I’d get rid of her just to watch her smug little face fall. And her teammates’ behavior here and toward Brother didn’t sit too well either.

I agree with R224. Eddie or Michelle for the win.

[quote] Eddie or Michelle for the win

Eddie has it in the bag. That quickfire challenge was obviously to give him an easy pass into next week, which I don't mind.

Oh, and Michelle is a muppet.

R204 -

Hawaii was the location for the Season 2 finale -- Ilan (no comment), Marcel (no comment), Sexy Sam and Elia (literally don't remember her). and the Season 11 finale -- Nicholas (no comment) vs. Nina (shoulda won)

I remember some of the local Hawaiian men were stunning -- see pic at link halfway down this page. I think I remember on the Season 2 finale, the cheftestants road a helicopter to a location and there was a STUNNING man as they walked off the helicopter.

Why was the quickfire obviously “given” to Eddie? He won fair and square. It’s one thing to say the editors are signaling the outcome with more screen time to the eventual winner, and another to say the contest is rigged. Why would they want to rig it?

[quote]Sara shouldn’t have used the mix, but Adrienne pulled that bullshit “I’m sorry you felt that way” type of apology.

In general, I like Adrienne but she was shady about the waffle mix. Giving Sara shit about it in private would have been fine, but telling Tom was cunty. And, yeah, her apology was very non-apologetic. She just kept emphasizing that "I wasn't the one who put the mix in your cart," as though the mere fact of its presence somehow forced her to notify the judges.

It is a competition.

R227, thanks! I remember Season 2 very well ⸺ more for the controversy than the food. Top Chef has really stepped up the quality of its chefs since then.

[quote] Hawaii was the location for the Season 2 finale -- Ilan (no comment), Marcel (no comment), Sexy Sam

Wasn't that the season when Padma fucked Sam?

How did she get away with that?

R232, who could blame her? Get it, Padma.

Git it, gurl!

Sam Talbot was one of the hotter chefs who appeared on the show.

It's time for another All-Star season. I would love for Carrie or Kwame to win.

R235 Sam was not as hot as Padma -- or he -- thought he was.

What's with all of the lovey-dovey crap among the chefs? Bring back the Voltaggios or Brooke or anyone who ever won Top Chef!

[quote] It is a competition.

True, but usually the chefs don't rat each other out unless they're in the bottom at the judges' table. Adrienne could not wait to tell Tom that Sara bought boxed waffle mix.

Sara has no one to blame but herself for buying the damn pre-made waffle mix. If she wasn't embarrassed by it, she wouldn't be upset with people knowing.

In an earlier season, the judges ripped a team doing a wedding challenge for buying boxed cake mix. You NEVER buy a boxed mix on this show, or really for any cooking competition.

Sara is not all that. The true forces to be reckoned with are Adrienne, Eric, Kelsey and Eddie. One of these 4 is going to win.

Padma is perfect. She’s so good at this show that you don’t realize how good she is until you think about it.

Padma seems to be a very unpleasant person underneath it all.

Padma and Tom must be rolling in cash, after 15 years of Top Chef

I find Padma charming and inoffensive. She's good at what she's meant to do on the show: being a hostess ⸺ welcoming guests, making conversation with a variety of people, making sure everyone's comfortable. It's an underrated job that requires soft skills and a certain personality. Not everybody makes it work.

Yeah you just don't do box mix...never. Sara should know better but I still felt bad for her, she was in front of her people and they embarrassed her. I don't think anyone meant anything bad but it is a competition after all. Kudos for Adrienne for bringing some drama, the least likely person IMHO.

DC was the worst-- Padma said so as well but also said she was pregnant. DC is a shitty reality town and I say that as a denizen of the city. I am all for a Philly Top Chef!

R247, "they" didn't embarrass Sara, she set herself up herself. If she was fine about using a mix in the first place then she had nothing to be embarrassed about; if she was going to be embarrassed to have people know, she shouldn't have made the decision in the first place.

I stand by my comment-Padma dresses like an ass. I wouldn’t miss her if she went. But...I can fast forward past most of her crap. As I did with Heidi Klum

Would the judges have even known it was box mix if that bitch hadn’t ratted her out? They said the waffles weren’t crisp, they didn’t say they tasted bad. So the problem was in the cooking, not in the mix.

One of my co-workers derides Bisquick and insists her cobbler made from scratch mix is way better. So one day I took a cobbler to work made with Bisquick. Of course I didn’t tell anyone. Well, you guessed it, everyone raved over my cobbler including the Bisquick hater. It was so funny when I let the cat out of the bag.

Padma brings a lot to the show, especially compared to Billy Joel's wife who is bland and dull in the first season.

But Padma can be passive aggressive to contestants she doesn't like. She was always bringing up past failing dishes to that one chef who looked like Jennifer Aniston. She favors chefs similar to Michael Voltaggio.

R250, you realize that the producers tell the judges things that have happened, right? They don't just hone in on things during questioning just by luck.

Of course I know that r252. It’s reality TV, fake as can be. But she did get ratted out by another contestant unnecessarily.

Sara's just unpleasant full stop. I don't feel a bit sorry for her "embarrassment."

Hometown chefs usually seem to get more of a benefit of the doubt vs. non-hometown chefs, especially if they are the only one representing the host city/state. Like they're probably not going to eliminate that chef too early on.

I hope Eddie wins.

Eddie look like a magical creature - an elf, or a goblin.

Down to the final six tonight.

Who won LCK last week?

SPOILER!!!!

EDDIE WENT HOME! WTF!

Noooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!

Fuck that, R260. I hope you're lying.

If Eddie is eliminated, I hope that he wins LCK and comes back in the competition.

He would only have to beat two or three people.

Two things:

1 - I had no idea that Justin is part Japanese. That's the first mention of it the whole season.

2 - Sara is a whiny bitch.

That is all.

Eddie almost looked relieved to be going home. He was so stressed during the entire competition!

I'm hoping that he will be the one to return from LCK next week, but I'm guessing it might be David with the anger management problem. I don't like him at all.

I don’t like mopey Eddie.

Eddie has this hilariously dry sense of humor, which I love.

I had to lol when he was getting ready to present his dish, and he asked the other chefs for assistance. Nobody was listening to him, and he said out loud to himself, "What? You want me to go fuck myself?" Then he gave a funny little smile. It was so cute.

Portland, Maine should be the next venue!!

Speaking of Portland, Tom was kind of cunty when he made a crack about Justin's food.

Justin chose Mohammed Ali's fight in Lewiston, Maine as inspiration for his dish. So being from Minnesota, he thought of Maine and seafood chowder.

Then Tom had to make the bitchy comment about how Lewiston, Maine is nowhere near the ocean. He giggled at his cunty little remark, but no one else did.

[quote]Eddie almost looked relieved to be going home. He was so stressed during the entire competition! I'm hoping that he will be the one to return from LCK next week, but I'm guessing it might be David with the anger management problem.

SPOILER

Michelle beats Eddie to return from LCK. I thought they usually waited to tell who won the final LCK until the main ep when the winner returns, but this time Tom announced who won at the end of the LCK ep, as with regular, non-final LCK eps.

Yes! What R268 said. Lewiston is 20 miles inland from Freeport. I'm pretty sure they get Maine seafood there. It "borders the coastal sideways of the Gulf of Maine". -wikip

I'm sad that Eddie is gone. He was such an odd, little man. I'd console him.

I feel like Kelsey put on the waterworks to keep herself from going.

I would not only console him, I’d condole him.

I have a feeling Eddie will show up on the Food Network, so many of past guests have.

They usually keep the Last Chance Kitchen winner a secret. Either no one's watching it or there were no surprises so they just said, fuck it.

It was hilarious that Tom was acting like a fresh lobster couldn't exist more than 100 yards off the Maine coastline.

Sara was given air time to point out that the “box mix” was just flour, baking soda and baking powder so using it was just saving time. She didn’t mention sugar and salt plus mysterious chemicals.

I think Tom’s point was that the only connection Justin’s dish had to the fight location was “sea food” and that’s not especially relevant for inland Maine. It wasn’t just lobster. There were three types of sea food.

Tom is a big bear cunt.

It was funny that after ratting out Sara for her use of boxed waffle mix, Adrienne got dinged this week for using bottled hot sauce. You'd think at this point that every chef-testant would know enough to NEVER use any packaged/premade food item in a challenge.

[quote] I have a feeling Eddie will show up on the Food Network, so many of past guests have

Actually, I've noticed that with Top Chef, it has been the reverse.

Last season, there were two past Chopped winners who appeared on TC - Joe Sasto and Brother Luck were both on Chopped, before TC. Joe Sasto was a winner, Brother Luck was not.

This season, Eric was previously on both Chopped AND Beat Bobby Flay, before appearing on Top Chef. Eric won his episode of Chopped, but he did not beat Bobby Flay, lol.

The only one (that I know of) who was first on Top Chef and then Chopped, was gay Dave from season one. He was on a cocktail edition of Chopped, and he won his episode.

[quote] I have a feeling Eddie will show up on the Food Network, so many of past guests have

Actually, I've noticed that with Top Chef, it has been the reverse.

Last season, there were two past Chopped winners who appeared on TC - Joe Sasto and Brother Luck were both on Chopped, before TC. Joe Sasto was a winner, Brother Luck was not.

This season, Eric was previously on both Chopped AND Beat Bobby Flay, before appearing on Top Chef. Eric won his episode of Chopped, but he did not beat Bobby Flay, lol.

The only one (that I know of) who was first on Top Chef and then Chopped, was gay Dave from season one. He was on a cocktail edition of Chopped, and he won his episode.

Tom has the appearance of being bearish, but in spite of being Italian, he is surprisingly hairless.

I can't imagine Eddie being a TV Chef. Maybe a show called "Deer In The Headlights," where Eddie stares at the camera not quite believing he cooked a good dish.

R283, I would watch that show!

I'm thinking Eric is making the finale. Just a hunch.

Eddie would be a great background actor in Lord of the Rings

I agree, r284. I think Eric will make the finale for sure, and is a good candidate to win.

Kelsey had the most ridiculous "doing it for the children" tears during judge's table, really pulling in the drama.

I don't want to go first!! [stamps huge feet]

Yeah excellent performance Kelsey! I'm sure emotions are high during the competitions and all but jeez. I want some fried chicken.

Michelle won Last Chance Kitchen?? The fuck??

Kelsey should have gone home with the disgusting-looking corn bread pudding

I'm going to miss Eddie's Deer in the Headlights look.

I wonder what he looks like during sex?

Good riddance to Eddie the stressed out freak. I'm glad Michelle took him down in LCK.

Is Padma wearing a wig in OP’s photo?

No clear frontrunner now. Maybe Eric will win.

Kelsey is in first place for fan favorite apparently? There must be a lot of fraus voting.

I love Kelsey. I don’t know why you don’t like her. I’m hoping either she or Eric win.

I like Kelsey, but think her crying for the children during an expected "work" review is unprofessional and obviously manipulative.

Exactly, R298.

I hate when the editors try to play on peoples' emotions to keep someone in the game, rather than relying solely on their cooking. Plus, Kelsey was a mean bitch throughout the season.

Also, as someone already pointed out... no one is FORCING Kelsey to leave her infant son, to go compete on a cooking show. She made that decision herself, and she could have waited if she REALLY felt that bad about it.

It looks like R189 called it.

Michelle will probably win the whole thing, R290.

But Kelsey wasn't even crying for her own children, but for children in general.

I believe that children are our future/teach them well and let them lead the way/Show them all the beauty they possess inside

[quote]Michelle will probably win the whole thing

No, she won't.

Adrienne is a cunt...I hate her hair and the way she calls that fat women mama.

Sorry you feel that way, mama R304.

Sara from Paducah needs to go home.

She's a miserable human being.

I went back to see if I could hear Kelsey's flesh fry

Justin was so robbed.

Kelsey should have gone home. She has SUCKED throughout the entire competition.

It looks like they want a female to win this season.

I think that the producers wanted a female winner because the show was produced by Harvey Weinstein, and they're trying to show that they support women.

Unfortunately, all of the women this season SUCK. None of their cooking stands out, and people like Kelsey have been making HUGE mistakes all season long. Yet she's still there, and Eddie and Justin were both eliminated.

I call BULLSHIT.

It looks like Eric will be eliminated next week.

Any time someone says "I respectfully disagree..." then they're most likely a goner.

I can't believe that Adrienne's mentor is chef Chris Coombs. I have always found him attractive, ever since the first time I saw him on Chopped.

He acted like a major douche on the show, but I still thought he was cute.

He seems to have settled down and matured, and he also gained some weight, which suits him better.

Another photo of Chris.

I wonder if he's single? He looks handsome here...

I had no idea Chris Coombs was so successful.

He appeared on Chopped twice, and lost twice lol.

Now he's some kind of restauranteur and mogul.

I love his demeanor. He's so calm and relaxed.

[quote]I wonder if he's single?

He has a (Russian) wife and son

What a dull season. I'm not rooting for anybody. Eddie was the only memorable chef and that's because he's fucking weird.

[quote]None of their cooking stands out...

How would you know that? This is one reason why Top Chef is so anti-climactic to me. You can’t taste through a TV screen so we actually have zero idea why anyone should win or lose other than editing.

Agree with R315. I thought there would be some REAL bidding during that auction but everyone got exactly what they wanted. Additionally, they barely spent any money during the auction so they were able to buy whatever they needed at Whole Paycheck/Foods.

I was really rooting for nervous Eddie, too.

He would have made a great winner.

The people who got their proteins at the auction got a bargain. The people who bid on the vegetables paid way more than market value, and they could have gotten the same thing at Whole Foods.

[quote] It looks like they want a female to win this season.

Ya think? Lol.

Justin has made many mistakes throughout the competition too. I don't like Kelsey, but they seem to like her food.

I cannot stand Michelle.

Michelle has never recovered from having braces in middle school.

This season has been pretty much devoid of the villains or assholes that have made other seasons "memorable." There are no fat Heather and fat Sarah from Texas, Marcel, Jamie Lauren, Kenny , or others who bully or display arrogance in their actions and words. These people seem to like each other.

R322, do you remember how horrible they all were when Brother returned?

R323, yeah, it was America's immigration problem in microcosm. The resident group (all immigrants themselves just weeks earlier) immediately banded together against the new arrival.

Wow. Graham Elliott gained back a lot after having weight loss surgery. He was doing well for a long time.

Fatties gonna fat

At least Justin got to go to Macao as a sous chef for the finale.

[quote]Wow. Graham Elliott gained back a lot after having weight loss surgery. He was doing well for a long time.

Art Smith is getting kind of tubby again, too, after losing 100 pounds.

Give Art a break. He's a happily married man. :o)

Hi Art!

I'm calling it. Eric vs. Michelle for the finale.

Art Smith is wonderful. He gets all the breaks in the world. He’s joy personified.

The chefs are off to Macao.

Please send Adrienne home!

Did Eric go home for talking back to Padme?

No, he didn't.

I liked seeing that Voltaggio brother, but he barely seemed to know Eric. I am rooting for Eric now because I can’t stand any of the women left. I guess Michelle is ok but boring. The others suck

This season has been underwhelming. Voltaggio probably doesn't know Eric because Eric is not a restaurant owner. He owns a catering business called Pinch and Plate. I live in DC and have never heard of it FWIW.

Padma think she knows more than she really does; it's nice to see her put down once in a while.

R337 Voltaggio was brought in as Eric’s “chef mentor.” I’m sure Eric has a mentor who knows him better but the show loves to bring back alumni whenever possible. It just seemed awkward because all the other contestants mentors were very close to them and Brian was like “yeah we met once.”

This season doesn't seem super creative. I guess years of Tom telling people to cook from the heart has reigned in surprises in a way.

I think that the four female finale is what's making the show boring.

Watching those ladies interact with each other is a snoozefest.

The minute the guys came back (Brandon, Eddie, Brian, Justin and David) the show instantly became more interesting.

I'm glad that Adrienne went home, but I wish it had been Kelsey or Michelle. I can't stand either of them. And don't even get me started on Sara.

Adrienne is a lesbian, right?

I had to laugh when she was saying goodbye to the judges and she said to Padma, "I think you're a really great host." That made me laugh. I think she has a crush on Padma.

Adrienne also kept talking about "starting a family," but no mention of a husband or boyfriend. She's got to have a girlfriend.

I think Sara is the obvious one to be chopped at F4.

Maybe Sara will finally find lipstick she can afford in China.

The cut to Padma’s SHOCKED expression when Eric deigned to defy her to her face about curry of all things was hilarious. Also, I thought this was an interesting episode culinarily, with all of the Macau-sourced ingredients.

Padma cares about NOTHING more than her localized culturally relevant outfit.

This week was Dragon Lady Geisha Gold Lame Glam.

Wow, I'm shocked that Michelle went home. I really thought she would win.

Macao looks amazing. The views from the top of the hotel were spectacular. I would love to visit there.

I also think that Chef Abe Conlon is hot!

Chef Abe has BDF.

And no wedding ring.

Why would the contestants be told that the finale would have a final three, only to then tell them that there would only be two people going to the finale???

That makes absolutely no sense.

I thought Eric was a goner for sure.

Who in the hell wants to eat something made with the hard shell of pumpkin seeds in it?? The judges could have choked on it.

Sara's mom knows about lipstick and eyeliner. It's a mystery.

[quote] I thought Eric was a goner for sure.

Me, too. Maybe they wanted to have a guy in the final episode. But also, Michelle's dish seemed not to have any Chinese flavors in it, thus did not meet the challenge. And Tom thought Eric's dish had the best flavor of all four despite its various issues.

Sarah is often annoying, but matzoh ball soup with Asian herbs and spices in the broth really does sound delicious.

Michelle's goodbye at the judges' table was the first in a while where Tom didn't feel compelled to kick the departing chef one last time when he/she is already down.

Every episode so far this season, he's hit them with one final "the flavors just weren't there" or some such comment as he shakes their hand on their way out.

I keep waiting for one of them to go, "I. KNOW. I just stood there while you all told me and everyone else exactly what you thought was wrong with my dish, but thanks for rubbing a bit more salt in the wound."

Your wound, it needed more salt.

Sarah's gonna win. I feel like that's where this is headed

I knew Michelle was never going to win. She sucks.

I am rooting for Sarah and Eric.

[quote]Sarah's gonna win.

She is in the zone.

The producers are obviously looking for a big personality and Michelle albeit sweet and kind doesn’t have the “it factor”. Eric is trying really hard to be a TV Chef. The professional shots of he and his wife that they keep showing just scream of two people that desperately want to be famous. In the previews they showed a clip of him stating that his finale meal will be based on the “African Slave Trade”? Give me a break! I’ve liked Eric from the jump but it’s not that deep. I’ve always had my eye on Kelsey as someone that would make it to the finals and Sarah has really grown on me. I can see it going to either of them. Kelsey the new mother that left her child for a chance to give him a better life. Sarah the hillbilly that’s rough around the edges with a refined palate and a heart of gold. I’d prefer Sarah.

Sarah is obese. She should probably stay far away from the kitchen!

Out of the three, Eric is the less skilled. I want a finale showdown between Kelsey and Sarah.

Eric's finale menu: fufu, salty balls with shrapnel and slave trade cake

You have to respect Michelle for being honest as she was leaving that her life used to be so dark where she saw no future, and having to deal with her dad's suicide.

Sara is kind of gross and awful but also endearing, I think I want her to win.

So, you're rooting for fat Sara, huh, you queers? You didn't root for me when I was on the show....and I'm fat......... and my name is Sarah.

Both Sara and Kelsey are much better cooks than Eric, but he might win, as a political statement, him being a first generation-er and all, and we all know how much Tom hates Trump.

that shit is still on?

Now that it's revealed that Sara is Jewish her personality makes more sense. She seemed very dour for a hillbilly but as a fish out of water Jew, she's more understandable and funnier.

I'm Jewish, you motherfuckers................. and I'm funny!

[quote]Now that it's revealed that Sara is Jewish her personality makes more sense.

But her aversion to makeup makes even less.

Sara's mothe rlooks like Bette Midler

Did being a Jew in Kentucky result in straight Sara seeming like such a dyke?

I liked Sara's mom and I am beginning to like Sara. She is a lot better than I thought. Eric seems like a nice guy but I find his cooking tiresome and uninspring. Kelsey just seems a little too sure of herself and her average southern cooking.

[quote]Eric seems like a nice guy but I find his cooking tiresome and uninspring

Yup.

Eric and Sara seem to have traded places. He had a run of cooking some really interesting and delicious-sounding food inspired by his Ghanaian heritage but has been floundering lately, while Sara early on could not seem cook even her native Kentucky dishes without messing something up, but has really pulled it together the last several challenges.

R365 Didn’t that Sarah basically get carried to the finals of Top Chef Texas after a variety of “medical emergencies”? She didn’t even compete in like 2 or 3 of the challenges. God I hated her. Texas is my all time least favorite season of Top Chef and Sarah is one of my all time least favorite contestants.

Fat Sarah and Fat Heather, along with lezzie Lindsay, bullied their way through Texas. Sarah was amazingly immature and selfish and couldn't accept the fact that she had lost. It was Heather that should have died in a grease fire.

I'm looking forward to the finale. I feel like the 2 female chefs are more talented than Eric, but any of the 3 could win.

Sarah's food seems the most limited. I'm sad Michelle got cut. I hope Eric wins.

If Kelsey wins I'll be pissed.

She sucks.

Tonight's the finale.

I have a feeling that miserable Sara is going to win.

Is anyone watching this?

Do you think the thread made it to 383 posts with no one watching it?

Who won?

Kelsey won, which is a stunner, since Sara got all of the praise.

Kelsey's husband is kinda cute.

I’m really happy. Kelsey deserved to win.

Worst season of Top Chef.

They gave it to mommy frau because of her storyline. Such bullshit.

The decision made no sense. Her crab was a disaster

Shitty season

On WWHL live they had the 3 finalists on..Andy asked them who they liked better. Tom or Padma. Eric and Sara said Tom with conviction and Kelsey just looked dumbfounded and said "can't we say both?"

Well, Tom is a professional chef, while Padma is a hack.

They sent Kelsey all the way to Macau so she could pour buttermilk over cornbread.

Either the talent pool was soft or Tom needs to stop pushing this "be yourself" "cook what you know" stuff. Or both. The show has always encouraged chefs to consider their identity but man I miss a chef with a nitro tank who likes foam.

Talking to myself now, but it could reflect the current state cooking and the world. People wanting authentic stories and honest, homey food.

[quote] it could reflect the current state cooking and the world. People wanting authentic stories and honest, homey food.

That's fine. But it doesn't make a "Top Chef."

A real top chef uses great technique, research, and skill to create dishes that taste amazing.

Kelsey displayed none of that throughout the season, and was on the bottom so many times, for dishes that showed bad technique, and tasted horrible. She never should have been in the finale.

But her story about leaving her one year old at home would appeal to the Bravo Fraus, so they went with it.

And believe it or not, but fraus make up the majority demographic on Bravo. It's not gay people, as one might think.

Agreed it was a bore. At best the two finalists were like good line cooks who pulled the lucky card. This wasn't Top Chef by Bravo, this was Top Chef by Lifetime. Mother, may I sleep with Cornbread?

And who gives a flying fuck about their stories? Next time I'm in Olive Garden I'll duck into the kitchen and ask the chef if he could tell me the story of his pasta primavera

R389 - as was Sarah's pork belly.

Okay, R398, I don't see what Sara's weight has to do with the topic of food.

Eric was robbed. His menu sounded way more interesting.

[quote]Kelsey displayed none of that throughout the season, and was on the bottom so many times, for dishes that showed bad technique, and tasted horrible.

You have no fucking idea what her food tasted like. Or any other chefs food in any cooking show, a la minute. It’s always been about their story. Always.

[quote]Kelsey displayed none of that throughout the season, and was on the bottom so many times, for dishes that showed bad technique, and tasted horrible. She never should have been in the finale.

She was actually only on the bottom three times Sara was there five times! I think it was the oyster dish everyone raved about that made Kelsey the winner.

But I would have to agree, r400, that Eric's menu sounded much m0re interesting than either Kelsey's or or Sara's. He also performed much better throughout the season—three wins, and he was never in the bottom 'til they got to Macau. I think his sous chefs inadvertently screwed him in the finale—Justin by urging him to add more and more jerk seasoning to his tartar (and of course the judges ended up complaining that they could not taste the beef) and Michelle by burning his lotus root chips. (She may have been right that they could not be as thick as he wanted them and cook properly, but she should discussed that with him and arrived at a solution.)

Damn I am pissed.

[quote] Kelsey displayed none of that throughout the season, and was on the bottom so many times, for dishes that showed bad technique, and tasted horrible.

[quote] You have no fucking idea what her food tasted like

Ummmm.... the judges said so, when she was in the bottom.

Padma's stylist is usually on the nose, but her matronly hair did not go with her Macau Minx Takes Studio 54 dress.