S21.E14: Cruising to a Win

[ProudMary]

Airdate: Wednesday, June 19, 2024

Synopsis:

The three remaining chefs must create the best four-course progressive meal of their careers; the chefs will present their dishes to a group of culinary greats.

Please refrain from posting in this thread until after the episode has finished airing. The Live Chat thread, which is pinned to the top of the main forum page, is open for commenting while the episode is running.

Thanks. 

[IdEatThat]

Well, I’m calling BS on that outcome.   The winner may be a better chef overall but tonight he did not have the best four courses.   

[Souris]

That was not the result I was expecting based on the judging comments.

Maybe they gave Danny extra credit for Manny wrangling.

It unfortunately looked like Michelle hurt Savannah, with the bad pasta and suggesting the plantain dish they didn't like. Never call a dish something if it's not exactly that!

The season ended how it predominantly was: meh.

I did think Kristen was terrific, though.

As a UNC alum, my favorite bit was Tom asking Savannah "UNC or Duke?" and then giving the thumbs up when she said she grew up in a UNC household. I think she was going to say she became a Duke fan after working in Durham, but she wisely stopped, LOL.

Edited June 20 by Souris

[buttersister]

In the previews, Kristen looked to be crowning the chef on the left side of the trio (her right). So when I saw Danny there, I thought they’d certainly created drama with the edit. Tuna texture (intentional) vs. needs salt and undercooked protein? Hmmm. I think they liked his menu tonight and his style all season. So not just tonight’s performance, imo.

I know Danny signed an NDA but it’s sad to think he couldn’t/didn’t get to tell his mentor, the late James Kent that he was top chef. I hope he did. He left Aspen early because of Kent’s sudden death, but is the bartender on WWHL.

 

Edited June 20 by buttersister

[Msample]

Good job editing monkeys; I was convinced by the third course Dan had it wrapped up.

[allirish47]

I also thought Dan had it; hopefully the judges weren't swayed by Danny's having a good story.

[Kip1]

30 minutes ago, allirish47 said:

I also thought Dan had it; hopefully the judges weren't swayed by Danny's having a good story.

Agree. I hate it when the editing doesn't match the outcome. It totally makes it look like the win wasn't solely based on that one meal. Danny's dishes had more flaws according to the comments. 

[WaffleQueen]

Interesting takes here, I actually thought it was clear Danny had it by the end. Dan's tuna texture was off-putting to them, and his second dish, while - nuanced and flavorful - still seemed too simple. Danny not only seemed to execute all his dishes nearly flawlessly (barring the lobster) but he took the most risks, and you could tell the judges appreciated that. They really weight technique/that fine dining touch heavily in the finale.

The critique about Danny's scallop dish and its need for salt seemed like it was emphasized to create suspense, because they said it was pretty much perfect.

Edited June 20 by WaffleQueen

[Kip1]

I think besides the undercooked lobster, two of Danny's dishes were underseasoned and one was difficult to eat and confusing. The judges didn't like the texture of Dan's salmon, but they liked the flavor. If he had called it a salmon jam in his description, it might have gone over better.

I was rooting for Savannah, but she clearly had the least successful dishes of the three. My expectations before judging were that Danny would do better than Dan, but from the judges' and guests' comments it didn't appear that way to me.

[Bastet]

Apparently, when I have the day off I lose all concept of time, as I didn't even register it was Wednesday until the original airing had passed.  I watched the later airing, but tired and pleasantly tipsy, so I'll have to check it out again on Peacock to catch the nuance.  From what I absorbed, Danny was a pretty clear winner due to his menu.  Savannah, unfortunately (as my favorite, and teamed with my other favorite, Michelle), knocked herself out of the competition despite great first and fourth dishes due to the two in the middle.  So it was down to Dan and Danny, and I thought Danny had the better menu overall, and the better execution. 

It was interesting to see Kristen so emotional about saying "You are Top Chef" for the first time.  She is really the perfect successor to Padma, and I look forward to more.

[Rammchick]

Dan may have executed his dishes better but Danny's menu was more innovative.  He clearly got points for that.

[surfgirl]

This season was meh, and the finale was meh. The show is just meh now. I am tired of Tom, though he was surprisingly less negative this finale, I just want someone fun on the judges panel, like Eric Ripert, but I imagine he is too busy actually running his restaurant, as it should be.

[PhoneCop]

No one did an aguachile! Is this even Season 21?

I just never connected with Danny as a personality, even as my hopes for a Rasika/Soo/Michelle finale were gradually shot down, but he had a solid track record and the most intriguing final menu, so: yay, I guess. There's been a pattern in recent years where every third season's winner leaves me cold/indifferent, so that remains intact. At least Michelle won Fan Favorite.

I'm assuming they won't be back to the Midwest for a couple of years, so I'm pulling for Atlanta or Honolulu next. 

 

Edited June 20 by PhoneCop

[bravofan27]

Dan always makes food that looks the same and served in the same way-- all his dishes looked like a stir-fry to me, served in a round bowl, there was a chop suey vibe always going on when he served his bowls. Danny was a million times more technically skilled, he was very exacting. I was not all at surprised he won. I was surprised Dan got so far given how similar his food always looked. It must have tasted really amazing. 

Danny should have chosen the ex golfer guy.

Savannah should have NOT chosen Michelle. She never did well in team challenges and she didn't handle pressure well, she got progressively worse as the game went on. Savannah should have chosen Laura since Laura is familiar with cooking on the boat and she made something very similar to what Savannah wanted to do with the pasta. 

I only recognized Emeril regarding the judges. Would have loved to see Eric Ripert since he also has a restaurant in the Caribbean (Blue). 

I've learned if you give a dish a familiar name, but it doesn't taste look/look like, etc., what that dish typically tastes/looks like, it makes it look like you screwed up, no matter how good the dish was. They think you did something wrong. 

[LaDuchesse]

7 minutes ago, bravofan27 said:

Dan always makes food that looks the same and served in the same way-- all his dishes looked like a stir-fry to me, served in a round bowl, there was a chop suey vibe always going on when he served his bowls. Danny was a million times more technically skilled, he was very exacting. I was not all at surprised he won. I was surprised Dan got so far given how similar his food always looked. It must have tasted really amazing. 

Danny should have chosen the ex golfer guy.

Savannah should have NOT chosen Michelle. She never did well in team challenges and she didn't handle pressure well, she got progressively worse as the game went on. Savannah should have chosen Laura since Laura is familiar with cooking on the boat and she made something very similar to what Savannah wanted to do with the pasta. 

I only recognized Emeril regarding the judges. Would have loved to see Eric Ripert since he also has a restaurant in the Caribbean (Blue). 

I've learned if you give a dish a familiar name, but it doesn't taste look/look like, etc., what that dish typically tastes/looks like, it makes it look like you screwed up, no matter how good the dish was. They think you did something wrong. 

Yeah I don’t understand why contestants never say “this is a PLAY ON…” to make it clear they are not replicating the dish, or if they were trying to replicate the dish, pretend they meant something different.  

[dleighg]

I guess Danny found fresh scallops on the boat. The whole frozen scallop thing brought back flashbacks to Spike using them. Why on EARTH did he choose Manny? Several scenes showed Manny to be a bit weak.

When Savanah and Michelle decided to use plantains in that dish, I thought OK, until I saw the ones they purchased. They were way underripe, and from my experience there is NOTHING you can do to turn unripe plantains into soft deliciousness.

I was disappointed that Dan didn't win. I guess Danny got points for being more fancy pants innovative.

[dubstepford wife]

I agree with others who say that Danny won because his ideas were better.  I remember this is something that Project Runway, the OG Bravo version, did a lot.  If two contestants were more or less equal, in that they both made minor mistakes, the judges would give the edge to the person who was more creative, because it's a show about creativity and they want to reward that. 

Danny's food seems, as Gail said, very modern and forward thinking.  Dan's food is food that you'll certainly think is delicious, but you can get it at other restaurants.  And I said to my husband as we were watching, I feel like I don't know who Dan is via his food.  Savannah and Danny both have very clear points of view, whereas Dan seems like he wanted to cook what would win as opposed to what represented him.  And you can get away with that if you're Buddha* and you're just so skilled that no one else can rival you, but Dan isn't Buddha.

I wanted Savannah to win, but as soon as they started critiquing her third dish I knew she wasn't going to win.  She just made too many mistakes.  I'd still eat at a restaurant of hers in a heartbeat.

*: I think Buddha can cook with soul by the way.  He often cooks with his family in mind, be it his late father or his wife.  But there were plenty of times when I thought Buddha was just cooking according to a formula and what he thought would win.  And hey, considering he won twice in a row, clearly that method works, but you have to execute everything perfectly.  Dan did not.

[tv echo]

I would have been happy with any of the final 3 winning. Congrats to Danny!

Edited June 20 by tv echo

[Lassus]

As above, Danny's menu was just more innovative and they have been impressed with him all season.  But the editor monkeys did a bad job as they really did make Dan seem like the winner, so I have to give the show a fail on that one.

Also as above, I missed Rasika all season.  C'est la vie.

Danny choosing Manny because their names rhymed seemed a mistake.  But more seriously, I was really surprised.  Manny was a very likable sweetheart, but despite his late exit, really seemed to suck all season.  He's the contestant who seemed always able to stick around under the radar because someone else tried something harder and got burnt.  We actually cheered when he finally got eliminated.

My favorite point of the episode was telling the loser chefs they'd lost the chance to stress the fuck out for the final by not getting picked: "enjoy the cruise!"  I was almost hoping one would give a little cheer they weren't chosen.

Emeril, I admit, was kind of unimpressive here.  Barely talked, seemed kind of uninterested in the whole affair.

As far as the show being meh, I disagree, I think Kristin was awesome, and way better than Padma.  It was interesting because she really REALLY took an active lead in discussing the food at the final, a job that was seemingly all Tom's earlier.  I wouldn't entirely mind Gail retiring, but I also don't see that happening.  Didn't love ending on a cruise ship but liked most everything else.  A lot of these shows lately - this, Project Runway, etc. - seem to have fully given up on a talented supervillain.  (and from a couple of Danny's edits early on, I did think he was going to be that villain, but it didn't happen.) British Bake-off influence?

 

 

1 hour ago, dubstepford wife said:

And you can get away with that if you're Buddha* and you're just so skilled that no one else can rival you, but Dan isn't Buddha.

It could get a little boring on occasion, but watching Buddha just relentlessly curb-stomp two seasons worth of Top Chefs was pretty amazing.

Edited June 20 by Lassus

[Rammchick]

Sometimes innovation can bite you in the butt, it must be said.  At the end of the day, the food has to taste good.  It could be the most exciting, creative dish around, but risks only get rewarded if they pay off.  The opposite is also true.  Tom barked a lot this season about not playing it safe, so the winner needs to be able to innovate and still produce something that tastes good.

[Lassus]

11 minutes ago, Rammchick said:

Sometimes innovation can bite you in the butt, it must be said.  At the end of the day, the food has to taste good.

I think, however, this is also one of the reasons Danny won.  They whined about that one dish being hard to eat, but also realized it tasted great so they weren't so interested in marking him off for it.

And I hate to say this, but I think Tom fibbed when he said the "whole table" wanted Danny's scallops to have more salt.  Some people like the food's natural flavor to come out without salt, and I'm pretty sure one or two of the hippie chefs at that table would have thought so.

Edited June 20 by Lassus

[Msample]

I was surprised none of the finalists took Soo to assist. 

[rlc]

Savannah lost when she chose Michelle as her sous. She should have chosen Laura or Soo- she needed someone more technically adept to actually function as her sous, not her co-chef. Oh well... I wasn't routing for Danny in advance, but with the tragic passing of James Kent this week I was happy to see him win.

[Corgi-ears]

Kristen, buddy, you're coming a bit too close to making it all about you.

There were quite a few "the dish came out how you wanted it" "compliments" tonight, which...I dunno, seem like faint praise to me. I mean, my breakfast omelets come out the way I wanted, but nobody has made me Top Chef.

Edited June 20 by Corgi-ears

[violet and green]

6 hours ago, PhoneCop said:

No one did an aguachile! Is this even Season 21?

I swear Danny said to Manny in the car on the way to the shops that his first course was an aguachile. I shouted at the screen, not another aguachile!

That was a disappointing outcome, but then I figured he would be the winner from the first few eps. The edit of the comments after each course earmarked Dan as the winner, and I found that odd. But Danny seemed to have a better concept for his menu, and he expressed it better also.

Gail has really taken a backseat to Kristen, who is a lovely mentor but on the judging panel just never shuts up! I don't remember Padma being so vocal in her opinions or acting like the main judge. I could be imagining it, but Gail seems to have a sour attitude towards Kristen. The season lacked the relaxed, warm feeling of previous judging panels, as well as having an odd collection of contestants. I think they got rid of Rasika (and Soo) way too early.

I'm bummed for Savannah.

[GeorgiaRai]

I thought Dan had a good shot, based on the comments, but knew better than to get my hopes up.  

That said, he scored TONS of points with me for NOT having a "story" that we had to hear and re-hear and hear again.   I'll take "Here's my dish of .... " over "When I was a young but spunky child being picked up from preschool by my aged but wise grandfather, we would chat about our day as we wandered into a small but quaint bakery just out of town, so here's my dish of ..."  any day.

[dleighg]

42 minutes ago, Msample said:

I was surprised none of the finalists took Soo to assist. 

I think it's because he was only with the main group for a hot minute, so they probably didn't feel as comfortable with him. But I agree, I think he would have been a good choice.

 

26 minutes ago, violet and green said:

I swear Danny said to Manny in the car on the way to the shops that his first course was an aguachile

He DEFINITELY used the term-that-shall-not-be-named!

[marybennet]

Leche de tigre is a kind of ceviche or aguachile — it’s a name for the citrus that cooks the fish. So the record remains and it’s still season 21!

 

 

[jackjill89]

1 hour ago, Corgi-ears said:

Kristen, buddy, you're coming a bit too close to making it all about you.

There were quite a few "the dish came out how you wanted it" "compliments" tonight, which...I dunno, seem like faint praise to me. I mean, my breakfast omelets come out the way I wanted, but nobody has made me Top Chef.

I appreciated her unbridled enthusiasm for her new job this entire season. I loved Padma, but Kristen is a great successor. I'd be giddy about announcing the winner too.

I have Wisconsin connections, so I truly enjoyed this season. I wish my favorite chefs had done better, but I truly came to respect Savannah's talent and game play. My daughter and I have been watching this show from the first season and we always wondered why more people didn't study the location's food traditions, practice and have a dessert recipe or two in their arsenal. Well played, Savannah! I wish she had fared better in the finale.

[Rai]

1 hour ago, violet and green said:

I swear Danny said to Manny in the car on the way to the shops that his first course was an aguachile. I shouted at the screen, not another aguachile!

You are correct! I heard it too and laughed. That concept seemed to quietly recede though.

I think managing Manny was a huge part of Danny's success, and I think that's what convinced me to be okay with Danny's win. As Gail used to say, Chef is French for "chief," being a leader in the kitchen. Danny made his expectations clear, regrouped as needed, and kept Manny in line with his vision. Props to Manny for buckling down and doing what Danny needed as well, but Danny had a clear idea of what he wanted and who he picked to help him, and for me, that goes a long way.

That said, Damanda will always make me happy largely for seeing Amanda back in action. Outside of tuna 'jam," (gross), I can't remember anything Dan cooked, so. Sorry, dude. But good job throughout the season. Terrible Emeril impersonation though!

Poor Savannah, but also to make it to the finale? Even on a meh season? She's going to be fine, and if her menu had been more flawlessly executed, she could've made some of it signature dishes in her future. That first course sounds like it might be one already.

Lastly, I admit, I was so surprised at how low-key Emeril was, I actually looked online to see if he'd had any ill health reported recently. I hope he's doing great and just slowly down as part of the aging gracefully process.

[sugarbaker design]

2 hours ago, Corgi-ears said:

Kristen, buddy, you're coming a bit too close to making it all about you.

She came more than close, she did make it about her.  And I am totally okay with that.  In fact, I was hoping she'd belt out 'I look at Top Chef from both sides now...'

[dubstepford wife]

5 minutes ago, Rai said:

Lastly, I admit, I was so surprised at how low-key Emeril was, I actually looked online to see if he'd had any ill health reported recently. I hope he's doing great and just slowly down as part of the aging gracefully process.

I noticed this as well.  He's in his mid-60s so he's not a spring chicken anymore, and slowing down is to be expected.  And not to make this too sad but I have noticed a lot of people in the culinary arts and/or the restaurant industry tend to not be in the best health later in life.  All that wine, alcohol, and rich food is great if you're a diner and it's only once in a while, but these people live it, and there's such a thing as too much of a good thing. 

If you follow restaurants, the guys behind Joe Beef in Montreal, who were famous for being heavy drinkers and lovers of big, high calorie meals, sold their restaurant for precisely that reason, because they saw the effect it was having on them.  I believe they're both completely sober now.  Sean Brock, who was on Top Chef as a judge (and as a contestant?  I can't remember), left a famous Southern restaurant for the same reason, because he knew he needed to get sober.  And of course, there's Anthony Bourdain.  

Back on topic...I hope Emeril is taking care of himself.  He's such a treasure.  

[bravofan27]

9 hours ago, dleighg said:

I guess Danny found fresh scallops on the boat. The whole frozen scallop thing brought back flashbacks to Spike using them. Why on EARTH did he choose Manny? Several scenes showed Manny to be a bit weak.

Clearly, just an opinion, but after Dan picked Amanda saying, "this is my bestie!" or something similar, I think Danny felt like he needed to also have a best friend choice, since Danny gave a similar rationale "He and I got along great!" Hence Manny. I think it was a knee jerk reaction to match Dan. Oops. 

[bravofan27]

3 hours ago, marybennet said:

Leche de tigre is a kind of ceviche or aguachile — it’s a name for the citrus that cooks the fish. So the record remains and it’s still season 21!

 

 

My Peruvian husband always makes our ceviche "tiger juice" by adding a splash of milk. 

[MerBearHou]

52 minutes ago, bravofan27 said:

Clearly, just an opinion, but after Dan picked Amanda saying, "this is my bestie!" or something similar, I think Danny felt like he needed to also have a best friend choice, since Danny gave a similar rationale "He and I got along great!" Hence Manny. I think it was a knee jerk reaction to match Dan.

In the couple of good interviews I've read since last night's Danny win, Danny really complimented the kind of guy Manny is and he felt that Manny would have his back and show care about helping Danny with what he needed in the cooks.  

[buttersister]

I was going to say, Danny didn’t strike me as a man without a plan. His comment picking Manny seemed to shadow Dan’s, but mainly, they got along and Manny would follow Danny’s direction instead of injecting ideas.

 I loved Savannah and Michelle together and was sorry it all didn’t go better for them. But nobody was robbed, exactly.

[nitrofishblue]

I have to say I happy that this season is finally over. I have watched Top Chef since the first season. I was so totally underwhelmed by this crew. There wasn't one chef that inspired me in any way shape or form. I could care less about who ended up winning. Please pick a better crew for the next season!!!

 

[AriAu]

I'm disappointed that Dan didnt win since he made food I wanted to eat on top of all he overcome.....and I was extra disappointed since they edited it to make it look like he was "Top Chef". On twitter Tom (snidely) pointed out to someone that "I don't remember seeing you at Judges Table during the hour and a half debate", and, after all, we did not get to taste the food.

Quote

Kristen, buddy, you're coming a bit too close to making it all about you.

Quote

She came more than close, she did make it about her.

I felt I learned something from her commentary, which is important since, after all, we don't get to taste the food and I thought she brought some nice energy....BUT she did go a little over the top this week about how excited she was to name someone Top Chef, like that was more important than someone WINNING the title of Top Chef. And as much as I enjoyed Kristen, I missed Padma and the gravitas and compassion that she brought to the moment. YMMV.....and she may get there. 

Quote

I have to say I happy that this season is finally over. I have watched Top Chef since the first season. I was so totally underwhelmed by this crew. There wasn't one chef that inspired me in any way shape or form. I could care less about who ended up winning. Please pick a better crew for the next season!!!

I won't quite go that far since I will miss getting my Wed nite Top Chef fix, but this was the least inspiring crew in awhile....maybe going back to New York or DC. One issue was that they all have learned to keep a low key personality so that they will be welcomed into the Top Chef family and get the chances for $$$$ and fame. We see Stephanie Izard but  Sarah Gruenberg got the "mean girl" reputation and is nowhere to be seen...so everyone gets kinda bland to keep from getting the asshole edit. (I picked those 2 since they are both rockstar chefs here in Chicago). I also think the cheftestants have watched the show so much that they play it safe for awhile and wait for others to screw-up and then get a reputation as uninspired that sticks even if they kick it up a notch like Savannah did late in the season.

[Writing Wrongs]

3 hours ago, nitrofishblue said:

I have to say I happy that this season is finally over. I have watched Top Chef since the first season. I was so totally underwhelmed by this crew. There wasn't one chef that inspired me in any way shape or form. I could care less about who ended up winning. Please pick a better crew for the next season!!!

 

Yeah. For me, once Michelle left I didn't care who won. I got spoiled on who wins, so I don't feel the need to bother watching the finale.

I also miss Padma.

[dgpolo]

2 hours ago, AriAu said:

One issue was that they all have learned to keep a low key personality so that they will be welcomed into the Top Chef family and get the chances for $$$$ and fame. We see Stephanie Izard but  Sarah Gruenberg got the "mean girl" reputation and is nowhere to be seen...so everyone gets kinda bland to keep from getting the asshole edit. (I picked those 2 since they are both rockstar chefs here in Chicago).

It has been a long time since I've seen anyone announce "I'm not here to make friends". I think the contestants have realized that it's actually -good- to make friends (and connections) while on the show.

Edited June 21 by dgpolo
sp

[violet and green]

Manny was a great choice as he has an excellent palate and his forte is sauces. He was lousy at cooking proteins, but great at other aspects and his flavors must have been really good for him to stay in as inexplicably long as he did. Have been vegetarian for decades and I swear I could cook a better steak.

I wish Savannah had taken someone cool and efficient and task-driven like Laura, or talented and focused like Soo. Michelle was a mistake. Savannah seemed to act as if they were in a team challenge. She really needed a stronger menu and concept and not to immediately change it based on Michelle's input/casual suggestions. I also think it was a mistake to have someone who has low pasta skills and who fluked a pasta challenge prepare your pasta. So disappointed Savannah did not come in more confident and prepared, and ace a win.

[Fostersmom]

I was thinking Dan was going to win based on the judges comments, but like 15 minutes in, this whole finale seemed very lackluster and I realized I didn't care. 

[Irlandesa]

13 hours ago, Lassus said:

And I hate to say this, but I think Tom fibbed when he said the "whole table" wanted Danny's scallops to have more salt.  Some people like the food's natural flavor to come out without salt, and I'm pretty sure one or two of the hippie chefs at that table would have thought so.

I agree.  You can train your palette to adapt to more or less salt.  And if you go lower sodium in your daily life, regular restaurant food comes off as much saltier than it would have before that diet change.  I even remember moving to a different city and, for some reason, all of the restaurant dishes were so much saltier than my previous city. 

All of that is to say I agree.  THere are probably some chefs perfectly happy with a lower salt amount to let the scallops shine. 

9 hours ago, Rai said:

Lastly, I admit, I was so surprised at how low-key Emeril was, I actually looked online to see if he'd had any ill health reported recently. I hope he's doing great and just slowly down as part of the aging gracefully process.

In one of the post-finale interviews, Dan mentioned having to deal with rough seas. I know there has been discussion about the chefs having to possibly deal with motion sickness, but I wonder if any of the judges did as well. I'd have to think it'd be miserable to deal with that and have to eat. 

[ilovebeaarthur]

1 hour ago, Irlandesa said:

I agree.  You can train your palette to adapt to more or less salt.  And if you go lower sodium in your daily life, regular restaurant food comes off as much saltier than it would have before that diet change.  I even remember moving to a different city and, for some reason, all of the restaurant dishes were so much saltier than my previous city. 

All of that is to say I agree.  THere are probably some chefs perfectly happy with a lower salt amount to let the scallops shine. 

In one of the post-finale interviews, Dan mentioned having to deal with rough seas. I know there has been discussion about the chefs having to possibly deal with motion sickness, but I wonder if any of the judges did as well. I'd have to think it'd be miserable to deal with that and have to eat. 

I noticed Danny had a motion sickness patch on his neck when he was cooking, and it looked like Dan may have been wearing motion sickness bands. That’s gotta be rough. 

[bravofan27]

Buddha has a season 21 blog, and his last one was interesting. He said for the finale the chefs are allowed to have up to 5 ingredients brought in for them, they can be anything and from anywhere. Up to 500 dollars. Knowing this, I would have asked for ingredients I know I couldn't get in the Caribbean that connected to Wisconsin-- I would have made a beer (Miller Lite) braised bison, maybe beer ice cream, something with cranberries, and cheese curds.

Also, I learned from a behind the scenes article that on the second to last episode where they have the elimination challenge, they had the other chefs that were eliminated cooking as well to throw off the people watching on who had been eliminated. So the remaining chefs knew that there was a bunch of contestants there. 

1 hour ago, ilovebeaarthur said:

I noticed Danny had a motion sickness patch on his neck when he was cooking, and it looked like Dan may have been wearing motion sickness bands. That’s gotta be rough. 

I wondered what that patch was!

[MerBearHou]

I just now had the chance to watch the finale, having already had the benefit of reading the comments here.  Dan had SUCH a strong final cook — that had to be a super close #1a and #1b.  Savannah did not have a great final cook, but was so gracious and grateful of how far she’d come from day one in Wisconsin — I loved the judge’s comment that she has a kind-hearted way of cooking.  I couldn’t help but just feel joy for Danny.  It’s especially heart-wrenching to hear him reference James Kent giving him his first job out of college and that they were in the works of opening a restaurant — no idea of the tragedy just a few weeks away.  Danny is a beautifully talented chef and I’m so happy for him.  His tears in that last moment — so dear.  

[cmahorror]

6 hours ago, AriAu said:

On twitter Tom (snidely) pointed out to someone that "I don't remember seeing you at Judges Table during the hour and a half debate", and, after all, we did not get to taste the food.

Then Tom, talk to your editing team and maybe have them cut the people saying that they cannot stop eating Dan's dish after eating the other chefs. Maybe don't have them show conversation talking about the errors, mainly on Danny and Savannah's side, with the meals. 

Last time I checked, this was supposed to be about cooking the best and most consistent meal. By the comments we were allowed to hear as the audience, Dan did that. What I saw on screen was them choosing style (someone who took chances that didn't always pay off) over substance (someone who created a consistent and flavorful meal that was a little bit on the safe side).  Don't choose the narrative (and given his history and part in the show as a whole, he was definitely a part of creating the narrative) and get mad that the audience feels fooled when it was a lie.

[snarktini]

23 hours ago, WaffleQueen said:

Interesting takes here, I actually thought it was clear Danny had it by the end. Dan's tuna texture was off-putting to them, and his second dish, while - nuanced and flavorful - still seemed too simple. Danny not only seemed to execute all his dishes nearly flawlessly (barring the lobster) but he took the most risks, and you could tell the judges appreciated that. They really weight technique/that fine dining touch heavily in the finale.

The critique about Danny's scallop dish and its need for salt seemed like it was emphasized to create suspense, because they said it was pretty much perfect.

Totally agree! I also believed Danny was the clear winner from the edit, with Dan second and Savannah not in the running.

However, I had been sure it could NOT be Danny the whole episode because the recap/montage at the beginning had a talking head clip of him saying "I am the next Top Chef" -- and surely highlighting that bit meant it wouldn't be him?! So I was very confused.

 

[SemiCharmedLife]

13 minutes ago, cmahorror said:

Then Tom, talk to your editing team and maybe have them cut the people saying that they cannot stop eating Dan's dish after eating the other chefs. Maybe don't have them show conversation talking about the errors, mainly on Danny and Savannah's side, with the meals. 

Last time I checked, this was supposed to be about cooking the best and most consistent meal. By the comments we were allowed to hear as the audience, Dan did that. What I saw on screen was them choosing style (someone who took chances that didn't always pay off) over substance (someone who created a consistent and flavorful meal that was a little bit on the safe side).  Don't choose the narrative (and given his history and part in the show as a whole, he was definitely a part of creating the narrative) and get mad that the audience feels fooled when it was a lie.

I really thought that Dan had earned the title, based on the critiques.  Gail was firmly in Danny's camp, consistently calling his food creative and innovative.  That must have put him above Dan in the end,  though I hope Dan feels super proud of his 4 course meal. His food received amazing comments.

[Yeah No]

I have a feeling there was a lot of disagreement behind the scenes about who should win this between Dan and Danny and whenever that happens the judges' comments don't seem to bear much resemblance to what we see on screen.  I agree with those saying that the critiques showed high praise for Dan's food and not that much criticism while it often looked like there was more emphasis in their critiques on the flaws in Danny's dishes.  So it totally could have come down to whose effort was the most cohesive and fit a narrative more closely.  While I think those things are important I don't know if they should make the difference between who wins and doesn't win.  I think it should come down to the taste.  Not being able to taste the food I can't say much on that but it did look like Dan's food tasted great based on their comments.  

I also knew as soon as Savannah picked Michelle it was a bad choice and I too wondered why she didn't pick either Soo or Laura.  I got the impression Laura is not anyone's favorite but when you're in a competition it's better to pick someone based on what they can offer you rather than how much you like them.  I think Danny also erred in choosing Manny but somehow was able to overcome that.  Savannah did not look confident going into this cook at all despite her comments.  She didn't hide it as well as she might have thought.

I didn't catch Danny's motion sickness patch - I just tried one out and they do work pretty well. I didn't notice anyone looking like they didn't feel well like last episode. So maybe they were OK. I wonder why there was so much motion sickness going on though. It did look like the waves were a bit choppy outside and maybe that ship somehow isn't the best for that issue. Cruise ships in general aren't made with stabilizers that are great for ocean travel. I am going on a cruise soon but I'm taking the QM2 which is a true ocean liner and has beefed up stabilizers. I read that most people say that ship is better than cruise ships in that regard so I'm hoping that's the case. I'll have my patches and ginger with me just in case anyway.

As for Emeril, I've seen him in other places and he looked more subdued here than there.  I think the editing might have had something to do with that.  Also, he's different when he's front and center and performing than in a situation like this.

I think the one thing that bothered me the most about this season was how the editing made it look like Dan was the clear winner.  Maybe they intentionally wanted to throw us off?  But they didn't have to make us think one of the losers was the winner to throw us off, they could have just confused us.

Yes and yes about Kristen making it about her with announcing the winner.  I didn't mind it once but she kept on it like a kid.  Sometimes she baffles me as she acts so polished and mature and then suddenly will act like a self-centered kid.  It makes me think sometimes that she's putting on an act.  I think she's doing a good job here in general, though, and she has showed some genuine feeling such as when she got choked up a few times.