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Lance filmed his cameo before he passed away. I love Mo. And I hope that the recent strikes doesn't cancel the spin offs that are planned

Loved the show and the platonic male female friendship portrayal. I was also old as heck and still worried about pleasing my parents so I related! The roommate has to go

I have said this all season. they had that along with language barriers for some and judges that have judged the American contestants and been at events with them. Judges should have been different

Once Charbel and Ali were gone I had no preference, but was so pleased Gabri made it this far. I have no problem with Budda's win however I always felt like he should not have been invited since he had just won and was already competition ready and fresh in the judges mind Many of these people had not competed in a while and it was just a nice to give somebody else a chance instead of wanting to have the narrative of a back to back winner which was pushed all season. As I say it's never just about the food. Congrats to all participants and I hope for those that needed it, that it helps their careers. Although they may have harped on certain things you must remember that you only see edits of the entire deliberation so likely it was more than just the liver why sarah lost and maybe overall the other two were better? They have moved people forward before who made a mistake over someone who didnt and justified it. They could have again. Just as they found a way to move her back instead of Charbel who aced the challenge they were presented better. The game is the game and not just about food. Who won fan favorite? We know who campaigned for it with Instagram🙄

So excited to see gabri still here. It was also nice to see him acknowledged by a judge. Still sad about Ali. The show has a formula so Padma leaving will be interesting because I am mot sure it will make a big difference. Wonder if they give her some kind of tribute in the last episode and that's why she announced it now.

Is it just me but I swear Tom mentioned clown school earlier in this season

I have been saying this all season...but to be fair about all reality shows. It has been clear from editing who was going to make it this far. Gabri with the "surviving underdog," Budda the front runner, Tom the annoying clown, Ali the serious, etc. Several edits have been clearly made to make the show seem more "female friendly," etc. Therefore, rest assured Tom's words not matching the person who returned and how they answered his question (Charbel's answer was amazing) was intentional. Also social media has been an indication of who makes it far (active and inactive) and who is trying to leverage that for more success. All this is about building narratives and it clearly works as the audience reacts to people they "like" and hate based upon a few minutes of editing. I don't eat meat, so I would not eat a good 92% of what is made on the show, but I like watching the process and I like pretty plated food..that being said I know what I am watching is not "real." They have been watching demographics, focus groups, social media, etc. and respond accordingly. That is subconscious bias even if it is not intentional. Like having more minority judges and more ethnic food.....if not for what I just said they would have been doing that all along. Even as someone pointed out how the judges reacted to Sara's elimination dish. This is a perfect example of why judges should be rotated or blind judging and they should not have been the head judges for this competition. You know the "guest" judge never really has that much of a say, and over time it is highly possible that even they get influenced by each others opinions and biases after working with each other for so long. Having judges that previously judged American contestants and the American contestants having the advantage of relationship with the judges and of knowing the shopping, etc. that doesn't occur on other version was always a problem. Even Amar has served as a judge, so he knew how that works! If anything, Amar would have been on Top Chef Masters, where other judges like Marcus, etc. competed against each other. Even "blind" judging would not have necessarily worked because they have judged her on the exact same dish before!! The challenges have been terrible for such a season of pros. I totally agree with your assessment of Last Chance Kitchen....and my response....see what I wrote above.. edits have been clear all season and I do believe there is an underlying reason for tha, without questioning the talent of the contestants. By the way, Gabri and Tom are good friends according to Gabri, so even if they had problems they worked through, or Gabri is not as sensitive as some of us are! As my dad says, if they like it, I love it! I think Gabri is one of those people who chooses to be happy, which is not a bad trait. I think Tom (as well as several of the contestants on this season) are people you have to really know to get a good sense of who they are. This is also an international show. Americans cannot judge people from other places and cultures from a show like this. All of the differences along with being forced to be with people you don't know in a competitive situation is bound to have some hiccups and make people act in a way that may be different than they do normally. Many of the people who came on the show are very successful and well known in their own countries. Most just wanted the $$$$ to advance something they already had going on and did not really want or need the "prestige" of being Top Chef International champ. I doubt Top Chef is as big a deal in most of the countries as it seems to be here.

I think it is worth noting that in most of these competition shows the people who don't win are often more well known or successful than the winners. Just because x wins and y doesn't, does not necessarily mean that x is a better chef than y. I'd rather lose and have multiple opportunities after the show with financial compensation, than win and have the cash prize and title of Top Chef and not much happen after that except coming back again and again for food competitions to keep my name out there. The show is not just about the food, none of these reality shows operate in a way that there is no bias. The editing as well as other things are all designed to sell narratives and/or in response to either praise or criticism that the show has received. I will say it again, since it was an international version there should have been different head judges. The game is the game and I am so happy to see Gabri there and hope he can continue...but not as happy as I am to see Ali since I couldn't have Charbel back! It has been a while, do they have a top three cook off for the title, or a top two? I feel like I've watched seasons that had both?

Congrats to James. Always a favorite.

I still say they should have had different judges for the international....and Top Chef is a show that is after ratings, etc. Many of the "choices" that are made are calculated and in response to criticism that they have received.

As I said a while back....the game is the game!! I am so glad to see Gabri there!

I must admit the first time I watched it I thought they had killed him too. Poison or something

A lot of people are sore after especially if it was vigorous and some take a warm bath to soothe. She may also felt unclean emotionally after and this was a way to "cleanse" herself. Both are the way I read it

The smile and laugh that he gives after finding out about her deformed bunny comment is just beautiful to see.

I think it's OK for people to sometimes need each other for different reasons but love is not involved.I didn't read lady Danbury or ledger as being in love but two lonely people who showed each other kindness,admired and desired each other. At that point after being oppressed and abused for so long it would be wrong to think that the first man she had decent sex with it was true love. Rightly so it was written that she realized she needed to be herself and find herself before worrying about a man. The scenes between them were not intended as love but to make sure it could not be accused of wanting her as a fetish that there was respect there.

I get it, Mayim is not Ken, Ken is not Mayim....but... Jeopardy is still Jeopardy! I wish that was the main issue these days. Ben is a great champion and I can't wait to see him in the tournament of champions. I did really well on clues today. It has been up and down for me this week.

There are too many variables. We don't know if somebody was feeling. Ill we don't know if they used to tape less shows in A-day. We don't know if he didn't have the same pressures in his personal life that they were facing who knows.I don't know why people always try to compare. I personally think the competition at Ken's time was not as great.They were clearly screening out certain types people and over time people have gotten better with the buzzer, etc.

So so happy with this outcome! All I need now is for Charbel to come through because I have loved his food all season. The parade interview Victoire gave was very insightful and it confirmed some of the things I've been thinking as did LCK. I like gabri and i'm glad he had another chance to shine although I think he finds everyone attractive. I've always actually thought Tom is innovative so I am not sad to see him there. If Charbel comes back then that means he or Ali will be in the final and that will make me happy. If they both make the final I don't even care who the other 2 final 4 are. Neither sarah nor amar have ever cooked anything that I thought I might want to eat even if I ate meat. Charbel, Ali, Tom, Gabri and Budda all have. Not what I predicted but pleased all the same. I think in an International competition.,Sarah still leaned into that Southern Kentucky girl a little too much. If she does make it back from last chance kitchen then I predict a change moving forward.

Please charbel come through

I actually think the editing is favoring them

Well, if I ate chicken I would be on Hot ones, although since I am not a celebrity they would have nothing to interview me about! I wondered about the vegetarian people and I finally saw one where they made "wings" out of cauliflower for the celebrity to eat. I don't really compete with others, I just like spicy things and discovering new spicy things.

Nah,I was pretty much the same with it. I was all about doing the "one chip challenge."

We have no way of knowing what is going on behind the scenes with these people when they film. Someone lost a relative while filming. I am sure there are days when people may feel ill, received bad news, or are just over being away from home from regardless of what they signed up for. To me , it appeared that Dawn had something going on, Nicole was not herself in her elimination episode and who knows what was going on with Victorie? These shows are so heavily edited it is hard to even know when people's facial expressions are even in response to something that was just said or something that happened hours before. Apparently she and Gabri had a dust up that was not aired, even though they made up, just as Gabri and Nicole had one that was not aired and quickly resolved. I am sure it is hard to be in that environment and under stress with strangers and sometimes they just crack. There are a lot of different cultures, ideas, language, beliefs, etc.and you are in close proximity to people you don't know well. I LOVE spicy food, but I can no longer eat it, or when I do I have to be prepared. I have noted in several "down" times, she is also the one that does not have an alcoholic beverage. It is odd to me how we are so quick to judge someone as "rude" or problematic just because they are different and don't do what everyone else does, or what they expect. My impression of her is that she is very guarded, whether that is strategy, cultural, or a consequence of not understanding much English....she has always been somewhat apart from the group, not necessarily there to "make friends," but not not trying to be an issue. Victoire was always "middle of the pack" and probably would have been gone long ago if others had not made more glaring mistakes. Somebody's got to win, and none of them were staying forever. Most of them go into it for exposure and opportunities with no expectation of winning anyway, and it is always true that chefs that are "better" leave before others. I enjoy Gabri, if he skates to the final I won't be upset, the game is the game, and if he happens to cook better on a given day than someone else who has been more consistent, then oh well. There are at least 3 to 4 people getting a winner's edit, so it is going to be interesting to see what happens. I was hoping this week would be the double elimination and I am hoping Charbel comes back. I am so in and out with this show, do they still do an favorite or a reunion show? If not, this would be a good year to bring it back. I think it would be Sylvia, Victoire, Ali, or Gabri.

No real surprise, but I like Milo and the family cons.....if they had just left it at that without Emma, Emma's family and romance we may have a season 2

Bobbi and Roy Delucca was the best romance out of that whole mob situation. I remember her from One Live to Live, watching as a little kid with my mom. Although I stopped watching soaps and General Hospital years ago, I am sorry or her family and fans.