S13.E15: Finale

[Tara Ariano]

The top chef is crowned in the Season 13 finale. Before that, the final two culinarians must prepare the meal of their lives for their mentors and fallen colleagues. Appearing: Emeril Lagasse; Dominique Crenn; Jonathan Benno; Hubert Keller; Charlie Palmer; and Jean-Georges Vongerichten.

[avecsans]

You stay classy, Jeremy. And he can't go to his daughter's birthday but he has time to medal in ju jitsu? Jerk.

I screamed at the tv for Amar not to call his cakes financiers. He realized they were too dense and I knew the judges would penalize him for it.

That was kind of awkward with Charlie Palmer and Amar, no?

All in all a disappointing season. I feel like Jeremy is Hosea 2.0. I hope next season is better.

[whinewithwine]

And that's how you make risotto, Jeremy.

[awaken]

Ugh, my post was eaten.  So glad to see a well-cooked finale!  I'm glad to see everyone go out on a positive note.  I thought maybe they'd surprise us and have Amar win, but nope, just as we expected.  

 

Yes, I wondered if it was awkward between Charlie and Amar.  I wonder if they had time to talk it out, or if they have now that the show is over.

 

Kudos to Amar on making a successful risotto, and to Jeremy for his 2-day torchon!  I wonder if Marjorie felt terrible about the density of the financier.  The undercooked duck and lamb looked nauseating to me.  

[Straycat80]

This season was just meh for me. I didn't really dislike anybody except whatshername who had been on there before.

Charlie Palmer and Amar was very awkward to watch. I sensed there was still some tension between them. Didn't Amar have anyone else he could have picked as a mentor?

[HunterHunted]

Chef Brah won. I guess he can use his winnings to open up Taco Dudes, his gastropub, lounge, strip club.

[pally]

This season was just meh for me. I didn't really dislike anybody except whatshername who had been on there before.

Charlie Palmer and Amar was very awkward to watch. I sensed there was still some tension between them. Didn't Amar have anyone else he could have picked as a mentor?

He mentioned Gerry Hayden but he recently died of ALS so depending on when the finale was filmed was either too sick or dead thus not available

[MerBearHou]

I enjoyed this season and find that I am very pleased with Jeremy as the winner. If it couldn't be Isaac or Kwame, I realized I was really rooting for Jeremy tonight. I like the guy. Yes, he fumbles with his words but I think he's super sincere and full of exuberance -- his relationship with and respect from Jean-Georges was so fine to see. Amar and Charlie Palmer -- not so much. I was super wowed that Bravo and Top Chef got those two premiere chefs to come on the finale and be sous-chefs -- super cool move by the show.

Padma looked beautiful -- loved seeing Richard Blais in a bow tie -- he looked so cute. Loved Tom actually cooking room service for Amar and Jeremy.

Can't wait for the next season.

[The Solution]

That was disappointing. When the judges were talking about one cheftestant excelling in technique and the other excelling in flavor, I thought Amar had won. Sadly, they chose style over substance.

 

FWIW, I think raw duck is much worse than undercooked lamb.

I suppose seeing Richard Blais all dressed up like Little Lord Fauntleroy was entertaining...

[Janimo]

All I have to say is "Oh, phooey."

[imjagain]

Boo! ....Wanted Amar for the win! If I couldn't have Kwame, Amar would have been good.

[pivot]

Ugh, Jeremy reminds me so much of Richard Blais, my least favorite judge of all time.

I also appreciated Bravo having Top Chef run over the hour so it got cut off on my DVR.

[NicksDancingPants]

Disappointed that Jeremy won. I thought for sure Amar had it in the bag. I too sensed some tension between Amar and Charlie and kept saying I hoped they would be able to talk it over at some point.

I freaking cackled when Padma rolled her eyes at Jeremy talking about his nitro-whatever food at the Judges Table.

[HappyDancex2]

I thought the food that Tom cooked for the guys looked awesome...I'd love to eat all of that. 

 

And Dear Top Chef Editors, Please stop spoiling the ending for us.  How many seasons now is there the clip of Padma saying "You are Top Chef" with her clearly looking to one side and then a glimpse of the cheftestants standing in front of them?  She looked to her right which is where Jeremy was standing.  I hoped for some kind of epic fake out but was not rewarded.  Geez Louise.

[LotusFlower]

FWIW, I think raw duck is much worse than undercooked lamb.

Exactly. I didn't think the false equivalency was fair.

[awaken]

Yes, I also really enjoyed seeing the big name chefs act as sous chefs! I wonder if that was fun for them of if they were out of practice!

And tom cooking for the finalists, and them wholeheartedly enjoying the meal.

[Snarklepuss]

Disappointing finale but fascinating episode.  I really thought the judges were going to be more about taste than technique this time.  All season long they seemed to be over stuff that was too effete and technical like Philip and were more on board with simpler dishes that weren't too rustic but refined.  Plus Amar seemed to be a little of all the things they like in being classically trained and yet not being overly fussy and full of gimmicks.  The two were so neck and neck that neither Mr. Snarkle nor I could call the winner, and we usually can.  I thought Amar's comment about Jeremy doing all that technical stuff being so "6 years ago" was actually going to be shared by the judges.  Too bad.

 

I  wonder what the nature of his falling out with Charlie Palmer was.  It sounds to me almost like Charlie was the one with the issue because he may not have liked Amar leaving him - Mentors can sometimes be very possessive of their mentees to the point of not wanting to let them go.  They can suffer from envy of their success, and almost want to sabotage them from "leaving the nest".  I have to wonder whether the show deliberately stacked things against Amar in having Palmer there - Assuming that they knew about this beforehand, if they did.  Also, I personally prefer Jean George - I have been to both his and Charlie's restaurants and think his cuisine is on a higher level.  Lastly, I just could not get past Jeremy's personality - He seems like a positive guy and all but a little too much like the typical spaced-out West Coast frat bro for my taste.  Amar seemed like such a more relatable, real person and I really wanted him to win.  Oh well.  Overall I actually liked this season better than some in the past.  I will at least remember several of the chefs this time while most in recent seasons have been very forgettable.  Who could forget Kwame, Karen, Isaac and even Marjorie to some degree?  Great, likable personalities, almost like the "old days". 

Edited March 18, 2016 by Snarklepuss

[biakbiak]

Charlie was the one with the issue because he may not have liked Amar leaving him - Mentors can sometimes be very possessive of their mentees to the point of not wanting to let them go. They can suffer from envy of their success, and almost want to sabotage them from "leaving the nest".

Who knows but Charlie has been super supportive to a number of people who have moved on, Bryan Voltaggio being a perfect TC example.

[buttersister]

Amar, you did present yourself extremely well. Best of luck (sorry they didn't pick you).

[MerBearHou]

Just heard who won Fan Favorite! I am pleased. Did everyone hear? Don't want to spoil and get in trouble.

[RobertBestBarbie]

Just heard who won Fan Favorite! I am pleased. Did everyone hear? Don't want to spoil and get in trouble.

I didn't hear and I want to know!

Edited March 18, 2016 by RobertBestBarbie

[Pathetica]

I did not want the guy who came back to win.

I did not like Jeremy at all - he just sorta hit a lot of the notes I dislike in people.

I did like Marjorie a lot. I have known "punchy" women and find that type of social awkwardness kinda cute.

That said. Not watching this anymore. When I watch weeks of a show and then have to force myself to hit play on the finale it doesn't seem like a good use of my time. 

[snarktini]

Disappointing finale but fascinating episode.  I really thought the judges were going to be more about taste than technique this time.  All season long they seemed to be over stuff that was too effete and technical like Philip and were more on board with simpler dishes that weren't too rustic but refined.  Plus Amar seemed to be a little of all the things they like in being classically trained and yet not being overly fussy and full of gimmicks.  The two were so neck and neck that neither Mr. Snarkle nor I could call the winner, and we usually can.  I thought Amar's comment about Jeremy doing all that technical stuff being so "6 years ago" was actually going to be shared by the judges.  Too bad.

 

I  wonder what the nature of his falling out with Charlie Palmer was.  It sounds to me almost like Charlie was the one with the issue because he may not have liked Amar leaving him - Mentors can sometimes be very possessive of their mentees to the point of not wanting to let them go.  They can suffer from envy of their success, and almost want to sabotage them from "leaving the nest".  I have to wonder whether the show deliberately stacked things against Amar in having Palmer there - Assuming that they knew about this beforehand, if they did.  Also, I personally prefer Jean George - I have been to both his and Charlie's restaurants and think his cuisine is on a higher level.  Lastly, I just could not get past Jeremy's personality - He seems like a positive guy and all but a little too much like the typical spaced-out West Coast frat bro for my taste.  Amar seemed like such a more relatable, real person and I really wanted him to win.  Oh well.  Overall I actually liked this season better than some in the past.  I will at least remember several of the chefs this time while most in recent seasons have been very forgettable.  Who could forget Kwame, Karen, Isaac and even Marjorie to some degree?  Great, likable personalities, almost like the "old days". 

 

 

I was hoping for flavor v. technique as well, but it sounded like Jeremy delivered really well on flavor, too, so it doesn't seem like they overweighted style over substance. I was rooting for Amar, but by all accounts they both served a good meal.

 

RE: Palmer -- Amar said himself he got overly cocky and regretted things he said to Palmer, and Palmer said Amar crossed the line into asshole. Palmer may have contributed, but they both presented it like Amar was more to blame. I can't imagine starting into prep without saying something, anything to address the elephant in the room. Who knows, maybe Amar did.

 

When will chefs learn to describe -- not name -- their food?! Never give the judges a chance to nitpick a great dish because you named it semi-incorrectly.

Edited March 18, 2016 by snarktini

[LotusFlower]

I didn't hear and I want to know!

Isaac!

[The Solution]

When will chefs learn not to use descriptive names for their foods?! Never give the judges a chance to nitpic a great dish because you named it semi-incorrectly.

Right? Because Tom is gonna act like you slapped his mama:

 

 

But it's not a coq au vin, is it?

[RobertBestBarbie]

Isaac!

Good! Because he's been my personal favorite since the start.

*Edited because my iPad is acting the fool!

Edited March 18, 2016 by RobertBestBarbie

[forum4idiots]

watching it now......

 

amar and mentor....awkward much.  i don't care how enlightened you think you are, you can't completely get rid of that angst.

 

jeremy and his family.....he talked a lot about his mom, but not a peep about his dad.  i wonder if there is some tension there or just editing for lack of time.

 

amar.....dessert and risotto in top chef?  game over.  even if it is great, it's just a top chef jinx.

 

ew......i luv jeremy as a sex object, but the sweat on the food as "jous".....makes me rethink about enjoying eating out.

 

tom cooking....of course it was good.  he was using the most delicious ingredients and not going through hoops and hurdles to cook them.....wagyu beef, uni, caviar........BS.

 

amar talking crap about someone else's techniques, over and over again........i can see how he and his mentor had a falling out if that is how his ego was, is.

 

is richard blais having an identity crisis?  every appearance is like wtf.

 

finale would have been better if jeremy/broman cooked naked...........just sayin'

Edited March 18, 2016 by lovebug1975

[Bastet]

I love that not just for this finale, but for a number of challenges now, the decisions have been close, with the judges sending home not someone who made a sub-par dish, but someone who made not quite as great a dish as the other(s).  The hallmark of a good season.

 

And I hate to follow that up with the shallow, but when a woman as beautiful as Padma manages to be stunning anew, I have to comment - she looked truly wonderful in this episode.

 

I was rooting for Amar, despite the LCK avenue, for his team (as I said last week in the spoiler thread, I don't dislike the contestants helping Jeremy, I just don't actively like them the way I do Kwame and Marjorie) and for substance over style (and the fact Amar has not been captured on screen referring to women as chicks or undermining a young girl's self confidence).  But I can't reasonably argue, based on what we saw, that Jeremy was all hat and no horse; I think their meals tasted equally good, and given that tie Jeremy's technical proficiency gave him the extra boost needed to declare a winner. 

 

I can eat lamb practically rare, so I'm inclined to say underdone lamb is a lesser offense than underdone duck, but I don't really care for duck, so I can't make a proper comparison. 

 

Jeremy had an unequivocally positive, and ongoing relationship with his mentor, while Amar had unresolved issues with his and had thus been out of touch for years.  Despite that, he came incredibly close to winning, and pulled off risotto.  So, kudos to both, because Jeremy won but Amar also succeeded.

[biakbiak]

I do think this challenge also pointed out that Marjorie wasn't delusional about Angie's skills. She is young but apparently awesome at prep, so I can see why Marjorie would call her a beast and think she has a bright future when she gets more experience creating her own dishes.

[Bastet]

Yeah, it made sense to me when Marjorie selected Angelina as a sous chef in a previous challenge, specifically citing her prep skills (and figured the more general statements in praise of Angelina stemmed from the fact a) Angelina didn't suck, just wasn't on par with many of the more-experienced chefs, and b) they were roommates), and seeing Jeremy - with an even larger field of former cheftestants to choose from - choose her for the same reason solidified that.

[mlp]

I was happy with the final decision.  I started out favoring Amar slightly because I'm not crazy about the dude/bro type but, in the end, it turned out that Amar has an unpleasant side we'd never seen and Jeremy is exactly who he seemed to be all along so I ended up being glad that he won.  Both of them seemed to be great cooks of their own styles so it came down to personality for me.

[biakbiak]

Most chefs do duck medium/medium rare so I don't think comparing it to lamb is apple and oranges and it seemed nearly all of Amar's lamb was under done but only a few of Jeremy's duck were under.

I hate most Bros but Jean-Georges broing out was adorable.

Edited March 18, 2016 by biakbiak

[chiaros]

I was happy with the final decision.  I started out favoring Amar slightly because I'm not crazy about the dude/bro type but, in the end, it turned out that Amar has an unpleasant side we'd never seen and Jeremy is exactly who he seemed to be all along so I ended up being glad that he won.  Both of them seemed to be great cooks of their own styles so it came down to personality for me.

Thinking back, perhaps there was an indiction of this when in a talking head in a previous episode when ManBun (Phillip) was still around Amar said he understood/liked Phillip because he reminded him of himself when he was younger. Here's an interesting article about him that may proffer some stuff to mull over about him.

 

Most chefs do duck medium/medium rare

In Western cuisine, which is what they were doing, yes. Most folks want their duck to be cooked through in much of E/SE Asian cuisines, as an example of different preferences. (and usually whole ducks, at that. :-) )

[GaT]

Well, that's it for this season. I can barely remember any of it.

[Moncheechee]

Whatever.  Smell ya later, season meh.

[Julia]

I didn't see Jeremy do anything to make up for his incompetence at restaurant wars. I think I would have rather have seen Marjorie and Isaac's finale.

[PepperMonkey]

I don't know what may be wrong with me, but I was seriously bored by the courses they prepared. The only thing that was funny to me was that Marjorie, who was chosen by Amar because he wanted a dessert, couldn't produce a financier. Otoh, who cares? Why didn't Amar think fast enough to change the name because everyone said it was delicious?

 

And the Amar and Charlie Palmer thing was BEYOND uncomfortable to watch. With all the filler, why couldn't they show a minute of Amar talking through it with his former mentor so it wouldn't seem as if Charlie still hates him for the way he left. Or the way he acted when he left. I mean, the man called him an asshole on camera, so it would have been the thing to do to at least make it seem it was all ironed out.

 

I guess I'm not that unhappy Jeremy won since both meals seemed cliche and meh at the same time? At least he's consistently all about himself. He was kind of sweet about his mom, but then had to tell the story about how proud his daughter will be of him, just like how proud she was of him when he won his jujitsu medal.

 

Still, even with the questionable cheftestants sometimes, a winner we're not all totally in favour of, and Tom's occasional douchebaggery, I'll take Top Chef over any and all of Gordon Ramsay's reality cooking shows. All day.

[systemsgo]

I liked Jeremy, I thought he slumped in the middle, but managed to do well enough over the course of the competition that he deserved the win. - Or rather, didn't not deserve the win. 

 

I'm pretty sure that the contestants are the ones to name their "mentors" when they signed up for the show, - or answered a bunch of questions so the top chef wizards would write their bios. So Amar's awkwardness with Charlie Palmer would be due to him naming Charllie Palmer as his mentor, to be fair to Amar, he probably did it because Charlie's a bigger name chef. 

 

I'd rather Isaac have won, but my next 2 favourites were Jason and Jeremy. 

Edited March 18, 2016 by systemsgo

[Jesse]

Didn't they say Amar worked for Charlie Palmer from the time he was in school until he left to start his own restaurant? He wouldn't have that many high-profile people to pick from, especially given the death of Gerry Hayden. (A quick google shows he worked for Hayden right after school and then Palmer straight through.)

[Primetimer]

The Battle of the Bros draws to its (nominally) exciting conclusion!

Read the story

[jette]

Most chefs do duck medium/medium rare so I don't think comparing it to lamb is apple and oranges and it seemed nearly all of Amar's lamb was under done but only a few of Jeremy's duck were under.

 

 

Amar should have chosen Isaac, the meat guy, instead of Marjorie if he wanted his lamb cooked well.

 

Plus, he could've made a mess of dessert all by himself! If the financier would've had the proper texture, the judges would have given the credit to Marjorie.

[Wings]

As always I wanted to eat those meals aside from underdone lamb and duck.  It always shocks me when chefs taste with their knives.   It is clearly a chef thing. Why wasn't Charlie Palmer at the judges table?  Did I miss something?

 

Appetizer, Jeremy was the winner for me; I love foie gras.  Amar made tuna, eh.  I like it in sushi but I eat that  often enough that I don't consider it special.

 

2nd course,  Amar's risotto took it for me! Jeremy's branzino, eh.  It is just a white fish.

 

3rd course,  If cooked correctly I would have loved the duck.  I order it out whenever I see it and specify medium. Mid rare poultry, nope.

 

4th course,  Both looked delicious.  After a rich meal I would have chosen Amar's coconut cake.  Oh how I wish he had called it that!

Kind of a dull season for me.  I wish this came on twice a year; it is my favorite show.

[DavidJSnyder]

So I'm looking at Marjorie's bio and apparently she's worked for Thomas Keller, Jose Andres and Marcus Samuelsson, so I'm wondering who would have showed up if she'd made it into the final.  I presume Emeril would have stepped in if Isaac had won.

[swanjun]

Seasons like this with several likeable contestants who *don't* win makes me ponder dream casting for another All-Stars season. So far I've got:

Season 9: Edward Lee, Nyesha Arrington, Sarah Grueneberg (even though she is unpleasant)

Season 10: Brooke Williamson, Lizzie Binder, Sheldon Simeon. Possibly Josh Valentine, king of bacon.

Season 11: Nina Compton, Shirley Chung, Carlos Gaytan.

Season 12: Gregory Gourdet, Doug Adams, Melissa King, Katsuji Tanabe.

Season 13: Amar Santana, Kwame Onwuachi. (I find I don't want to see more of anyone else just now.)

That'd be 16. 9 dudes, 7 ladies. I guess Marjorie or Karen could help bring up the balance some.

[Wings]

Seasons like this with several likeable contestants who *don't* win makes me ponder dream casting for another All-Stars season. So far I've got:

Season 9: Edward Lee, Nyesha Arrington, Sarah Grueneberg (even though she is unpleasant)

Season 10: Brooke Williamson, Lizzie Binder, Sheldon Simeon. Possibly Josh Valentine, king of bacon.

Season 11: Nina Compton, Shirley Chung, Carlos Gaytan.

Season 12: Gregory Gourdet, Doug Adams, Melissa King, Katsuji Tanabe.

Season 13: Amar Santana, Kwame Onwuachi. (I find I don't want to see more of anyone else just now.)

That'd be 16. 9 dudes, 7 ladies. I guess Marjorie or Karen could help bring up the balance some.

 

 

I would add Karen from this season; I really like her. 

[Snarklepuss]

RE: Palmer -- Amar said himself he got overly cocky and regretted things he said to Palmer, and Palmer said Amar crossed the line into asshole. Palmer may have contributed, but they both presented it like Amar was more to blame. I can't imagine starting into prep without saying something, anything to address the elephant in the room. Who knows, maybe Amar did.

 

I wouldn't imagine that Amar would do anything BUT take full blame in that situation - Who wouldn't?  The guy is there to help him win on national TV, he's not going to disagree with him.  Amar knows how to present himself publicly - he would never insinuate that his mentor the great chef CHARLIE PALMER was an asshole to him on national TV, even if he was, LOL.  I somehow have a hard time accepting that Charlie didn't cross over into asshole himself in that situation.

[chiaros]

I wouldn't imagine that Amar would do anything BUT take full blame in that situation - Who wouldn't?  The guy is there to help him win on national TV, he's not going to disagree with him.  Amar knows how to present himself publicly - he would never insinuate that his mentor the great chef CHARLIE PALMER was an asshole to him on national TV, even if he was, LOL.  I somehow have a hard time accepting that Charlie didn't cross over into asshole himself in that situation.

 

I agree. Not only that, but one could even think, not that unjustifiably IMO, that Palmer went out of his way to criticize two of Amar's dishes. Vongerichten, on the other hand, defended one of Jeremy's dishes.

 

The Amar – Charlie interactions were, indeed, very painful to watch, as others have said.  At least one recap "out there" says that the producers should NOT have brought on the two "mentors", if they had had the slightest inkling that there was past bad blood between Amar and Charlie, and just nixed the idea instead.

[chiaros]

Seasons like this with several likeable contestants who *don't* win makes me ponder dream casting for another All-Stars season. So far I've got:

Season 9: Edward Lee, Nyesha Arrington, Sarah Grueneberg (even though she is unpleasant)

Season 10: Brooke Williamson, Lizzie Binder, Sheldon Simeon. Possibly Josh Valentine, king of bacon.

Season 11: Nina Compton, Shirley Chung, Carlos Gaytan.

Season 12: Gregory Gourdet, Doug Adams, Melissa King, Katsuji Tanabe.

Season 13: Amar Santana, Kwame Onwuachi. (I find I don't want to see more of anyone else just now.)

That'd be 16. 9 dudes, 7 ladies. I guess Marjorie or Karen could help bring up the balance some.

 

For myself, I would nix Sarah Grueneberg (unpleasant woman). Ditto Carlos Gaytan and Katsuji Tanabe (nasty, nasty). DEFINITELY NOT Josh Valentine - I found him really unpleasant that season. Gregory Gourdet, for all his apparent skill, also had a nasty streak in him. Not sure who I would propose instead.

 

I would also murmur that Brooke Williamson did quite a bit of ugly bashing of Sheldon Simeon for "always cooking 'Asian'", whatever she means by 'Asian'. (Which is an old, annoying, trope on so many Top Chef seasons)

[Texasmom1970]

Well, that's it for this season. I can barely remember any of it.

I feel the same way it was dull from start to finish to me. I spent more time in the finale trying to figure out what the hell Gail was wearing, that dress yuck!

[Passing Strange]

I so wanted Jeremy to be the first loser for this competition.

 

Why didn't Amar think fast enough to change the name because everyone said it was delicious?

Was that an option? I thought I saw menus on the tables when the diners sat down.