S20.E12: Goodbye, London!

[FormerMod-a1]

Quote

The final four chefs welcome back the winner of "Last Chance Kitchen"; a dish featuring jellies and molds; creating trompe l'oeil dishes.

Original air date: May 25, 2023

[Bastet]

I forgot to watch LCK, so I had no guess for who was returning, and was thrilled to see Sara come through the door.

I was somewhat underwhelmed for an EC this far into an all-star competition, but because of the challenge, not the food -- this kind of trick thing isn’t my jam.  But it’s tailor made for Buddha, so no surprise he’d knock it out of the park – so much that one of the guest diners gobbled it down.  Great job, and a clear winner. 

I thought Tom’s dish had the most problems of the bottom three, Sara’s the least (and only in the bottom because the challenge called for three; I was never nervous she was going home because they absolutely loved the food, just didn’t think it was enough of a visual trick), and Ali in the middle.  Glad it indeed shook out that way.

I’m looking forward to the move to Paris, another city I love.

I hate Jello, but I got a kick out of the QF guest judge delighting whenever he could shake his plate/bowl and see the jiggle.  Sara’s was the QF dish I wanted to eat, but I think I’d have liked the other top two as well.  I got a good laugh at Sara saying of that challenge: Buddha might just faint from sheer love of the molds.

[susannot]

Ali lifting weights.  Thank you, show.

[Souris]

I was so nervous for Ali the whole ep. He really needs to get back to form next week — he’s been off his game the past two weeks.

Buddha was such a clear winner there was zero suspense.  I didn’t care for such a gimmicky challenge this late in the season. It seems like it takes a specific skill set to excel at. Nobody but Buddha really succeeded at it, with Gabri kind of doing so.

Most random fact was that Tom went to clown school.

About the worst time to go home: no trip to Paris and no chance with LCK.

Edited May 26, 2023 by Souris

[Jodithgrace]

So glad that Ali made it to the final. I was worried, but Tom’s “caviar” seemed worse, and thankfully the judges saw it the same way. 
I’ve seen some amazing tromp l’oeil cakes that you would swear were anything but, but I guess it would have been a cop out to make a cake, and decorate it to look like a shoe, or whatever. I knew this was Buddha’s challenge to lose. He’s been on fire these last few weeks. 
I know it was an unpopular opinion to like Tom, I just did and am sad to see him go. I couldn’t believe that bad luck Gabri made it to the finale, but his “dirty plate” was inspired. 

Edited May 26, 2023 by Jodithgrace

[susannot]

Well, there's no question but that Buddha is the front runner.  Judges to Gabri:  your dish really did look like a sponge.  Judges to Buddha:  your dish looked like a Renaissance painting.

[rhofmovalley]

Definitely Buddha's to lose, IMO.

[buttersister]

I don't care for gimmick challenges, so this was a little painful. Buddha made a beautiful plate, but I'll stick with Gail's comment: Sara's soup was the thing she'd want to eat again.

[susannot]

I'm happy that Gabri made it to Paris and that El Gato is now Le Chat.

[catrice2]

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? 

 

Edited May 26, 2023 by catrice2

[Leeds]

Buddha may be a great chef, but he needs to bone up on his history - the Medieval period ended a few centuries before the 1800s.

I was pretty certain it would be Sara coming back, but that didn't stop me from saying "Ugh" when she walked in.

I can't believe that not a single person, not even worldly and linguistically endowed Padma, could pronounce l'oeil correctly.

 

[HappyDancex2]

I can’t even say anything snarky about Buddha.  I’m fairly well versed in food and I could not follow what he was making until it appeared at the table.  The editing had him explaining a charcuterie plate then something served in a wine glass and I saw cherries…it was baffling.  Sure Buddha has thought about this a lot but I think the bottom line for me is that he’s a master of a LOT of techniques.  He can make his arsenal of techniques execute challenges on demand.  Dammit Buddha…you a balla LOL

Feel bad for Ali…in the quick fires he’s the bridesmaid now for the last few challenges.  Buddha is peaking and they can barely fake be happy when he’s winning everything.

Guest judge Jeremy had the sultriest voice….how does one speak in that hush tone with such authority?  I was riveted by his elegance.

[MerBearHou]

11 minutes ago, HappyDancex2 said:

Guest judge Jeremy had the sultriest voice….how does one speak in that hush tone with such authority?  I was riveted by his elegance.

I was riveted too and ended up spending a lot of time after the show, reading about Jeremy and watching interviews with him in his restaurant kitchen.  He is a fascinating, brilliant guy (and so cute).  I could go on and on, but it would be a joy to eat at Ikoyi.  And I must say, Jeremy’s studious approach to food and flavors and presentation sure remind me of Buddha.  

[HappyDancex2]

I found it amusing that after Sara’s dish was presented all three judges looked at each other and the other judges picked up on the awkward and called them out LOL.  I thought the challenge might actually been accidentally served in the order of worst to first but didn’t turn out that way.  Glad Sara didn’t get knocked for the style element of this challenge….if this isn’t your jam it’s a rough road for sure.  And clearly her pants angles or fitness or whatever I’m not sure is some inside joke that we are not privy to….maybe a lost bet?  I mean seriously she gets the unflattering angles every week and now we have her running at the end of the episode?  It can’t be real…someone ask the question please!  Actually I don’t want to know but I’m glad she makes damn tasty food and has a wonderful attitude in the show.

I actually thought Tom’s concept sounded pretty good and his caviar pearls looked amazing!  Too bad they tasted like a slice of humble pie.

Edited May 26, 2023 by HappyDancex2
Autocorrect is never correct

[Chickabiddy]

Hmm. I no am not sure how I feel about the judging on this one. I think Bravo knew who they wanted in the finale and the judges made it happen. That’s cynical me showing up again, but we are dealing with Bravo after all. 😉

This challenge seemed tailor made to play to Buddha’s strengths and style, so he was a definite shoo-in. Sara made a delicious plate of food, but for me did nothing to trompe my eye. It was an ugly plate with jellied bits that made no sense with the presentation. Ali’s plate was “inspired by the garden” but not actually a trompe l’oeil at all. Tom’s was an actual trompe l’oeil where the judges nitpicked they it shouldn’t taste like caviar. Ok, but he actually executed the remit of the challenge and the taste was  not  their favorite, but it wasn’t bad. I just don’t think that I’ve seen a Top Chef challenge were two chefs make it to the next round after failing 50% of the challenge. Neither one of them successfully executed a trompe l’oeil, but the flavors were good or pretty good, so they will let them go through. Isn’t  Tom C always harping on the fact that the food should taste good and meet the challenges requirements? Amar and Sara were sent home for bad cooking in the last challenge, even though he and Sara had more creativity. Ali or Sarah should’ve been sent home in this challenge for failing to meet the very specific requirements of trompe l’oeil. It probably should have been Ali since he failed visually and the food was not as tasty as Sara’s. Just my two cents.  😉

And until tonight, I never really had a problem with Buddha. However, he started to grate  on me a little bit by the end of this episode. And I think the problem is that he pouts a little too hard when things don’t go his way (rice anyone) and he celebrates a little too hard when he wins everything. He’s not a terribly magnanimous loser or winner. I also think that he is so laser focused on food and being a killer competitor that he comes across as one dimensional. Other than cooking and winning, we have only seen him get briefly  passionate about his dog. Perhaps this is the price of genius. But the other chefs are multidimensional and have passions, interests, and points of view outside of the kitchen. Ali wants to represent his region and his cuisine with honor. Sara is about her family, her husband’s farm and bringing her Southern culture and roots with her. Gabri is a ball of excited passion about living with a good sense of humor and self. And Tom, whether you like his humor or not, has a talent for comedy and a strong viewpoint on sustainability. Other than liking his wife and seeming to prefer his dog, Buddha seems to be driven by perfect execution of food and winning of competitions. So while I may prefer to eat at Buddha’s restaurant, I would actually prefer to enjoy the meal with the other chefs. I think it’s just the price of genius. 😘

 

[violet and green]

1 hour ago, Chickabiddy said:

Tom’s was an actual trompe l’oeil where the judges nitpicked they it shouldn’t taste like caviar. Ok, but he actually executed the remit of the challenge and the taste was  not  their favorite, but it wasn’t bad. I just don’t think that I’ve seen a Top Chef challenge were two chefs make it to the next round after failing 50% of the challenge.

Exactly. I am sorry to see Tom go. And that was not fair. Sara, in particular, did not meet the brief. Ali at least tried to, if somewhat clumsily.

[snarts]

No love for Buddha from me. Not sure why. I just find him off-putting, especially when he's victorious, so the last few episodes have kinda been hell for me. Sadly, I expect that will continue through the final.

Now they've also removed 2/3rds of my eye/ear candy - Charbel & Tom. Hoping Ali rounds back into form. Rooting for either him or Sara to sneak out the win. 

 

[Tess23]

5 hours ago, HappyDancex2 said:

I found it amusing that after Sara’s dish was presented all three judges looked at each other and the other judges picked up on the awkward and called them out LOL.  I thought the challenge might actually been accidentally served in the order of worst to first but didn’t turn out that way.  Glad Sara didn’t get knocked for the style element of this challenge….if this isn’t your jam it’s a rough road for sure.  And clearly her pants angles or fitness or whatever I’m not sure is some inside joke that we are not privy to….maybe a lost bet?  I mean seriously she gets the unflattering angles every week and now we have her running at the end of the episode?  It can’t be real…someone ask the question please!  Actually I don’t want to know but I’m glad she makes damn tasty food and has a wonderful attitude in the show.

I actually thought Tom’s concept sounded pretty good and his caviar pearls looked amazing!  Too bad they tasted like a slice of humble pie.

I ate at Sara's restaurant a week or so ago and she has lost a lot of weight since competition. She's so friendly and genuine - we really enjoyed talking with her.

[blixie]

Heh I am shocked the editors still give the whole game away by showing contestants say "this challenge is made for me" there are occasions when it works out, but 9/10 that contestants over confidence bites them in the ass. Anyway for sure the right choice though at the judges table it seemed like the liked Ali's less than Tom's and I love idea but that looked like a dry ass falafel on dry ass cous cous, but glad he's going to Paris.

I am thrilled Sara and I am totally rooting for her. I'm still pretty frustrated Gabri is there instead of Charbel or Amar, but whatever. 

I have really soured on Buddha this season, the try hard stuff, coupled with his sour faces when other people are praised (Ali in the quickfire), but you can't dispute that he makes beautiful food, but boy will I savor him losing and hopefully to Sara. I had to laugh at him in the car with Ali, who was trying to look out the window so as not to roll his eyes. Maybe don't pour out your anxieties about the challenge when you've won like 6 to 8 challenges in a row.

[dubstepford wife]

5 hours ago, HappyDancex2 said:

And clearly her pants angles or fitness or whatever I’m not sure is some inside joke that we are not privy to….maybe a lost bet?  I mean seriously she gets the unflattering angles every week and now we have her running at the end of the episode?  It can’t be real…someone ask the question please!

She was breastfeeding and postpartum when this was filming.  And even if she wasn't, her body is just fine.  Let's ease up on this, eh?  (And I thought her running was adorable)

Something seemed a bit off to me about eliminating Tom and keeping Ali.  We've seen many times on this show where the person who undershoots gets eliminated over the person who overshoots, but here it was the opposite.  Also I didn't quite agree with Padma's assessment that the "caviar" shouldn't have tasted like caviar.  The goal was to trick you into thinking you were eating real caviar but you weren't, and the salty umami-ness of the taste is a big part of that.  

I'm another who finds Buddha's food a little calculated.  The best looking dish I've ever seen him make was the pasta Amatriciana inspired by his wife during last season.  But then again, this is a criticism I have of fine dining in general.  It just seems to reward artistry over everything else sometimes.  The Michelin guide has been criticized for snobbery and also placing too much emphasis on Western cuisine over flavors from Africa, the Middle East, or Southeast Asia, and Buddha's food seems reflective of that.  He wants a Michelin starred restaurant and he'll do what the Michelin guide is looking for in order to get it.  That's fine, but it's also kind of soulless.

I don't particularly like Gabri (as a chef, not as a person) and I think he's by far the weakest of the remaining contestants, but credit where credit is due: it took some cajones to give the judges a plate inspired by a mildewing nasty dish sponge.

[Rammchick]

I think Sara missed an opportunity.  She should have called her dish "massa ball soup".

Edited May 26, 2023 by Rammchick

[jpgr]

I do like Tom's message about sustainability, but I am so glad he is out. His "humor" has a real mean streak, and I don't appreciate trying to be funny at someone else's expense. When he jumped on Gabri's freshly-made bed I was so annoyed, and then he said something later that I thought was also really biting but supposedly funny (I'll have to rewatch to remember). Yes, his trompe l'oeil was effective in design, but the almond cream wasn't as good a match for the caviar as he thought.

[Yeah No]

Well, I called it that Sara would be the one coming back from LCK.  I recognized her arm in the preview.  This is the second year I identify the person coming back based on a subtle spoiler like that.

I think Gabri's idea was heartwarming but personally I did not see a sponge or scrubbie when I looked at that plate.  I didn't know what I was looking at, to be honest.  It maybe looked like a sponge cake with some kind of topping on it.  So I don't know why the judges were gushing so much over the way it looked.  If it tasted good, that would help, but they seemed inordinately taken with the concept to the point of not really getting picky enough about the appearance.  Where Tom's dish was concerned they seemed hung up on it tasting too much like what it looked like - now I never saw a rule book about dishes like this that specified that they have to taste completely different from what they look like.  In some ways I think it's even more creative to be able to replicate both the appearance and taste of what you're "faking".  So I felt that was kind of iffy as a reason for dinging his dish.  I think in the end it might have been the gumminess and texture that put them off.

Tom as a person has me torn.  On the one hand he seems like a decent guy but he has these moments of being a little too snarky, full of himself or mean spirited.  When he said he went to "clown school" I almost didn't believe him and thought it might be coming from some kind of sarcastic humor.  The guy is a puzzle to me.  A good looking one, so I admit I have a harder time being objective about him and I'm probably sorrier to see him go than if Gabri went.  I do think that based on overall performance he probably deserved to be in the finale more than Gabri does.

I was thrilled to see Hatfield house again. I toured it 39 years ago this year on my first trip to the UK.  It's hard to believe it was that long ago.  It provided a fitting farewell to London although Hatfield is about 20 or so miles up the A1 from London.  I remember riding that route well.  And that was before GPS so my Dad drove with me as his chief navigation officer.  All with the use of some cumbersome maps.  At least in those days (not sure about now), London was a nightmare to navigate because there was no rhyme or reason to the direction of the streets and street names changed often out of nowhere.   But thanks to me being good at map reading we never got lost.

I'm getting vibes that Sara and Buddha are going to last to the very end but Buddha is going to be tough to beat.  I don't dislike him and think if he wins he would deserve it.  Then again if Sara won I'd be happy too.

 

[rlc]

Normally I'd be annoyed by someone being as cocky as Budha, but I'm not because he is simply that good. I'm fine with the final four, though I wish Tom had been out several weeks ago. I assume that Budha will (and should) win, but it is Sara's food that I most want to eat. Glad she's back in the competition.

[Spicysweet]

11 hours ago, catrice2 said:

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. 

I can see it now--Judge Buddha on Guy's Grocery Games and Chopped...

[Pandora]

1 hour ago, dubstepford wife said:

She was breastfeeding and postpartum when this was filming.  And even if she wasn't, her body is just fine.  Let's ease up on this, eh?  (And I thought her running was adorable)

I thought Sara running was adorable too, I could swear I saw her jumping up and clicking her heels. (Which I sure as hell can’t do.) 

I think the trip to LCK has energized her and taken a mental block out of the way….after all, after being voted out once maybe there’s nothing to lose? Anyway, I’m firmly in camp Sara, and when she’s cooking her food and not trying to meet some strange challenge criteria, she’s quite a force. I think she could beat Buddha.

[Yeah No]

9 hours ago, Leeds said:

I can't believe that not a single person, not even worldly and linguistically endowed Padma, could pronounce l'oeil correctly.

Actually I had never heard it pronounced any other way than how they all pronounced it, and I'm usually a stickler about that kind of stuff.  Then I consulted YouTube and found out why.  The Cambridge Dictionary presents an American and English version, both of which are similar to what is heard on this episode and confirmed in this video.  It's different from the French pronunciation as heard in this video or this one.

[tljgator]

I thought Sara made a very smart and calculated choice (without it seeming so at the time...until she said in the Stew Room she was pretty sure she was safe) -- a contestant has rarely been booted for making really tasty food, even if it didn't exactly meet the parameters of the challenge, when the judges have at least some nits to pick with the other dishes. Once they said hers tasted the best, you knew her ouster was off the table. She knew this wasn't in her wheelhouse; she made the best tasting thing she could figure out a way to shoehorn into the challenge guidelines, at least on its face, and went with it -- hoping to stay squarely in the "safe but not outstanding" middle slot. I'm glad of it since I like her, lol.

17 minutes ago, Pandora said:

I could swear I saw her jumping up and clicking her heels. (Which I sure as hell can’t do.) 

Yep -- I thought it was a great little moment of joy & silliness. And I'm with you, Pandora, I know I couldn't even come close to managing that, lol!

Did anybody else think the judging panel looked kinda disappointed that they showed up in the fancy place, all dressed up, for the "make it to the final" episode and then got a less than spectacular spread of food?

[blixie]

Quote

I think in the end it might have been the gumminess and texture that put them off.

I believe they also said it just didn't taste enough like caviar, that the agar agar and other things used to make the non caviar cut the umami punch of the seaweed. I will say that while Buddha likes to chef it up, he doesn't rely a ton on molecular gastronomy applications in particular, not that in and of itself should be the problem I think Tom just didn't execute. And I love him and am sad to seem him go, but if it's like past seasons he almost certainly will be in Paris as a sous at some point.

Edited May 26, 2023 by blixie

[The Solution]

54 minutes ago, Yeah No said:

Actually I had never heard it pronounced any other way than how they all pronounced it, and I'm usually a stickler about that kind of stuff.  Then I consulted YouTube and found out why.  The Cambridge Dictionary presents an American and English version, both of which are similar to what is heard on this episode and confirmed in this video.  It's different from the French pronunciation as heard in this video or this one.

That's how I pronounce it and I actually speak French.

[laprin]

13 hours ago, rhofmovalley said:

Definitely Buddha's to lose, IMO.

Based on the judging, it seems like he doesn't have much competition. It has made for a very boring season. 

[Spicysweet]

I miss Amar. Ali does, too. The joy has gone out of the competition. I really wanted to see the lighthearted, fun-loving Papi against the serious Buddha in the finale.

[Rai]

Was this Buddha's whole day to lose or what? Quickfire and elimination challenge both were his wheelhouse all the way. It intrigued and surprised me how well Gabri did, although having done the challenge before clearly helped. But that really looked like a worn-out Scotch Brite sponge on his plate. I thought it was pretty clever. All I really cared about was whether or not Ali would make it, and while I didn't think they'd boot him, I still held my breath a little until Tom was sent packing.

I really thought Charbel was coming back because the preview last week had given me the impression it was a slimmer silhouette than Sara. But then when the car door opened, and I saw the capri jeans and (sorry) the thicker ankles, I was all "Sara!" I'm glad she made it back, and I thought her running was hilarious and delightful. Now the big question -- two in the actual finale or three?

Buddha is feeling like a foregone conclusion, but I suspect they'll do a big Buddha vs. Ali finale with a narrative of Buddha's fancy tricks vs. Ali's soulful flavors. (Btw, I believe both have modern techniques and soulful flavors, just riffing on how the TV story will be produced.) If so, then I expect Ali's very first sous chef will be Amar. But I love that everyone's throwing around "habibi" now!

[HappyDancex2]

3 hours ago, dubstepford wife said:

She was breastfeeding and postpartum when this was filming.  And even if she wasn't, her body is just fine.  Let's ease up on this, eh?  (And I thought her running was adorable)

 

Actually this was my point if I didn’t articulate it correctly.  The editors clearly don’t have to show what they show.  THEY could ease up on her for a variety of reasons, most of which comes down to who cares what she looks like because it’s not relevant.  I don’t think that calling attention to what I see in every episode that I think is unnecessary and unflattering to Sara is demeaning to her is something that needs eased up on….I’m in her corner.

[rhofmovalley]

I agree about the guest judge. He's not my type physically but that voice...I want him to read me bedtime stories and then tuck me in.

Ahem.

I love Gabri's personality but I think he's going to go next episode. And I agree about Ali, the joy went out of him once his Papi was eliminated. 

[Thumper]

None of that food looked appealing to me. 🤷‍♀️.  

[DEL901]

3 hours ago, blixie said:

I believe they also said it just didn't taste enough like caviar, that the agar agar and other things used to make the non caviar cut the umami punch of the seaweed. I will say that while Buddha likes to chef it up, he doesn't rely a ton on molecular gastronomy applications in particular, not that in and of itself should be the problem I think Tom just didn't execute. And I love him and am sad to seem him go, but if it's like past seasons he almost certainly will be in Paris as a sous at some point.

I thought the point was that it wasn’t supposed to taste the way it looked.  Like one of those illusion cakes…looks like a well done steak and surprise…cake, not another set of ingredients that taste just like steak.  

[FormerMod-a1]

^ That's it exactly.  Tom made his fake caviar, taste like... caviar.  They were saying it should have tasted like something else to be a trompe l'oiel.  What he did with the seaweed was innovative, but not what they were going for.  Add in that it was gummy, and the "sand" was too sandy, and he's the one to go. 

[blixie]

Quote

I thought the point was that it wasn’t supposed to taste the way it looked.

I don't know what the point of the challenge was honestly some think it just had to look like one thing (caviar) but be another (seaweed). They said a trick of the eye, not the tongue, shitty challenge, like most of them were this year. Gabri's was a dirty sponge which I'm pretty sure doesn't have a flavor profile cause its not even food, so anything is gonna taste...not like a dirty sponge. I'm not saying Tom's dish didn't also have issues with the way he interpreted the brief but only Padma seemed to think that was in issue and I suspect had it tasted better he'd have stayed over Ali.

[AriAu]

Budda is killing it, but both of these challenges were directly in his wheelhouse-this is what he does best, and you just know that he has his finale/"cook the best meal of your life" (again) planned out. Then again, other than mis-cooking rice in one episode, there is basically no type of challenge that he isn't doing incredibly well. 

By the way, on the Pack Your Knives podcast (IYKYK) they confirm that no one has ever won QF and Elimination Challenges in back to back episodes. Not even on the most legendary hot streaks has anyone done it....not Paul Qui, not a Voltaggio, not Melissa King, not Brooke, not Stefan, not Gregory Gourdet....no one.

I did not love that they had this challenge deciding who goes on to the Finale, although it did allow for Sara to advance by cooking excellent food even if she did not do the best job with the mis-direction part. I am a big Sara fan and am glad she is having success, but she is not bringing a lot of new stuff to the party-you know she has been dying to pull out the matzo ball recipe again, and she went to it quickly this challenge knowing she could try and make it look like something else. On the other hand, the judges clearly remembered her matzo balls from the Ky season  and seemed disappointed that she went back to the well so quickly.

Quote

 And clearly her pants angles or fitness or whatever I’m not sure is some inside joke that we are not privy to….maybe a lost bet?  I mean seriously she gets the unflattering angles every week and now we have her running at the end of the episode?  It can’t be real…someone ask the question please! 

 

Quote

Actually this was my point if I didn’t articulate it correctly.  The editors clearly don’t have to show what they show.  THEY could ease up on her for a variety of reasons, most of which comes down to who cares what she looks like because it’s not relevant.  I don’t think that calling attention to what I see in every episode that I think is unnecessary and unflattering to Sara is demeaning to her is something that needs eased up on….I’m in her corner.

They could chose to either pick more flattering shots or just not show the less flattering ones. One thing to note is that I follow Sara on IG and she posted a video before the season of her training "Rocky" style, and it was really not flattering-I think she is comfortable in her own skin and is willing to per herself out there. On the other hand, the Magical Elves are showcasing the more "fun" and less serious approach that she is bringing to this season, which is NOT an act.

As an aside, Tom was definitely getting the asshole edit. What he thought was fun loving, made him come off as "jerky" However, all the cheftestants seemed to like him....or at least acted that way at the end.

Lastly, I can not believe that Gabri is still alive-talk about "don't have to out run the bear, only have to outrun you". While this was clearly a well conceived and well received dish (despite not being as precise as Tom wanted), he has really been skating by and always seems to be on the edge of disaster. He's gotta be the next one out, altho I have been saying that since the first episode.

Edited May 26, 2023 by AriAu

[Drogo]

I think Guest Judge Jeremy was trying to seduce me. 

 

[Drogo]

7 hours ago, rlc said:

but it is Sara's food that I most want to eat.

I think Padma made the “Well I know what it’s going to taste like” comment before the broth even hit the table.  It must have smelled fucking incredible. 

[ProudMary]

IMO, both the Quickfire and the Elimination Challenges were poor choices at this point of the season where the finalists were being chosen. The judges seemed disappointed overall with the food they were served and the blame is firmly on the producers' shoulders. When the most flavorful item they received was Buddha's beef broth in a wine glass, production has failed. It was a stupid, froufrou challenge. This late in the season, it should be about the flavors, not visual deception.

I'm glad Tom was PYKAGd. I haven't found him funny or charming from the beginning and watching him make fun of Gabri for nicely making his bed and then messing it up sealed the deal for me. Not funny, hurtful. Bye-bye.

Something of an aside, but based on Tom's final comments on Last Chance Kitchen, Charbel should have been the returning chef, not Sara. I honestly believe that TPTB didn't like the optics of not having a woman in the final four and were determined to bring back the last woman standing.

I re-watched the last LCK episode and will recap here with quotes from Sara, Charbel, Tom C and Gail who assisted Tom with judging the final. The chefs had to make three dishes and each had two sous chefs to assist them. Sara had Nicole and Sylwia; Charbel had Dale and Amar.

Dish 1 was to correct their worst dish of the competition.  Dish 2 was their favorite taste from their time in the UK. Dish 3, quoting Tom, "I want to see where you're going as a chef. Show me how you're going to take this experience and grow."
Sara's third dish was salmon with a green harissa succotash. She said, "I need to bring other influences in."

Charbel's third dish was a fruit based dessert, where he wanted to "focus on natural sugars, not processed sugar."

At judging:
Sara, presenting: "I need to pull from influences that aren't just personal to me."
Tom: "That harissa that you're talking about? It's not there."
Gail: "This dish felt much more like succotash and salmon than it did with that global influence. "

Charbel, presenting: "We have a responsibility to use less processed sugar. I made this dessert only with fruit and a little bit of honey."
Tom: "You don't miss the sugar at all. I love your message here. I like it a lot"

The Verdict.
Tom: "Great dishes, showed a lot about your journey and who you are and where you're going. There was one that I think stood out, that I really think hammered home that message of growth here and everything they saw here and where they're heading in the future."

And then the winner was Sara??? Look, they both cooked well and if Tom wanted Sara to advance, that's fine. But at least have the narrative match what was on the plates! Sara didn't accomplish the incorporation of new influences, which was what she chose to attempt in the challenge. Charbel did exactly what he was trying to show.

Tom needs to be a better liar, because he failed miserably here.

(BTW, I don't believe that Sara actually needs to incorporate global flavors into her cuisine. Her niche is elevating traditional southern dishes. She has that down to a science!)

[estellasmum]

1 hour ago, Drogo said:

I think Padma made the “Well I know what it’s going to taste like” comment before the broth even hit the table.  It must have smelled fucking incredible. 

I'm sure it smelled really good, but I was wondering if she said that because this is the third time (IIRC) they've had her matzo ball soup and they know what it is going to taste like. 

Edited May 26, 2023 by estellasmum

[buttersister]

Quote

he judges clearly remembered her matzo balls from the Ky season  and seemed disappointed that she went back to the well so quickly.

She went to the matzo ball soup well. Buddha made something from his winning season at some point. Plus, there's not much spontaneous about what he's cooking--I understand the desire to be prepared but he's taken it to an absurd level.

Those last challenges? Give me a break--Buddha's wheelhouse is an understatement!

[Rambler]

If it was me in this elimination, I would create a delicious chocolate dessert and make it look like a pile of dog poop. I wouldn’t be able to go to France, but it would be worth it just to see the look on the judges faces when they had to taste it. 😁

[caitmcg]

2 hours ago, ProudMary said:

I honestly believe that TPTB didn't like the optics of not having a woman in the final four and were determined to bring back the last woman standing.

Perhaps. As much as I don’t mind Buddha (and can appreciate his talent) and like Sara and Amar, I wish the competition weren’t so heavily weighted toward Americans. Not so global, after all.

[gorgy]

I liked that they all seemed at least a little tipsy in the stew room. it's very old school Top Chef except without the volatile personalities. Sara running around at the end and Buddha just red-faced. It was nice to see.

Edited May 27, 2023 by gorgy

[Leeds]

10 hours ago, Yeah No said:

Actually I had never heard it pronounced any other way than how they all pronounced it, and I'm usually a stickler about that kind of stuff.  Then I consulted YouTube and found out why.  The Cambridge Dictionary presents an American and English version, both of which are similar to what is heard on this episode and confirmed in this video.  It's different from the French pronunciation as heard in this video or this one.

Thanks everyone for the information about l'oeil pronunciation - I will take my snobby self into a corner.

[marybennet]

The point of trompe l’oeil is the pleasure and discomfort in the surprise, in being caught not knowing:  I thought that was a door, but really it’s just a painting of a door; I thought that was a cherry, but really it’s foie gras. That’s why it can’t be too close and why Padma was right about that aspect of Tom’s dish; no surprise in a sea thing tasting of the sea. 
 

(Mumbling my sad attempt at the French pronunciation.  My French teacher would be so disappointed.)