S14.E12: Cooking Away In Margaritaville

[dleighg]

I thought Brooke's defense of her cold dish was spot on. Why is applying heat to a piece of meat considered the hardest thing to do? 

[anniebird]

I don't understand the "Fix is in for Brooke" comments. How does it benefit Top Chef to have her win rather than Sheldon who seems to be the fan favorite? I always assume, because the judges are tasting the food and I'm not, that their decision is fair. I think this is a great final three - they're all immensely creative and talented and any of them could win it.

[archer1267]

Now that John's gone (did you hear how much he's changed, by the way?) I honestly would be satisfied with any of the remaining three winning. I like Sheldon the best, on a personal level, but remember Shirley and Brooke both crushing it in their respective seasons. This is a good Final Three. 

I get that Richard's a real success story from the show, but I'd like to see other TC winners be judges every now and then instead, spread the wealth a bit. How can we miss Richard if he never really goes away? Maybe he's like a substitute teacher who gets called in whenever Gail can't make it or they can't find a fourth judge.

[anniebird]

Just now, archer1267 said:

Maybe he's like a substitute teacher who gets called in whenever Gail can't make it or they can't find a fourth judge.

The substitute teacher whom none of the kids like.

[AriAu]

I am thrilled that Brooke is back. She is incredibly talented and has won many, many challenges. Yes, the Dancing Elves like the redemption storyline, but there is just NO WAY that Tom buys into any of that in making his decision, and let's face it, it is HIS decision.

Quote

I recall her season.  She was very highly regarded.  Probably more than Brooke and Sheldon on their season. But the latter two have matured and are coming on much stronger this time around.

Brooke and Sheldon both kicked ass in Seattle (and Alaska) from the start and once Josie got Kristen sent to LCK, Brooke was the odds on favorite.  While Shirley did well in New Orleans, she really only came on strong at the end-I think she was solid and  hung around early and then sorta came out of nowhere to win a bunch of challenges at the end and really show what a great chef (and cheftestant she was. By the way, notice that all 3 of the remaining chefs were well liked by the other cheftestants both in this season and in their respective seasons.

As to the sous chefs, they were the last 4 eliminated-I am sure the Dancing Elves were thrilled that Katsuji came back to annoy John, but it is not like he was brought back JUST for that reason. Brooke was smart to give him to John to watch for the fireworks, but Katsuji actually contributed a lot to John's dishes and even told him to cut the alcohol down on the margarita, but John showed that he still has a few more steps to go in his rehab since he was still too smart for his own good. And, yes I do think, on some level, they did take into account past performance. 

The eye roll Tom gave Blais (that pompous, self important prick...I think that is his formal name) was perfect and hopefully an explanation of why Blais is an occasional guest judge and not a regular anymore. And yes, I wish he would have had to judge the goat challenge part just so Padma could remind him that Izard is Spanish for a goat and that after all, Stephanie beat him and won instead of him and prevailed fair and square-having trouble coming up with more ways of saying she won and he lost.

Did anyone notice whether they had to  create a dish to pair with a cocktail or an entrée to pair with the cocktail-I did not listen closely enough to recall. Frankly, since traditionally cocktails precede a meal, with wine served with the meal, it makes a lot more sense to pair it with a soup or starter/app and therefore Brooke was smart about it....and agree with the comment that questions why applying heat to a protein is the only thing that constitutes cooking!

The product placement here was pretty obnoxious for this late in the competition, but at least cooking with tequila was not a surprise for cheftestants going to Mexico and they picked a top notch product and not Hidden Valley Ranch or Healthy Choice.

Anyone notice they are next cooking in Playa Del Carmen on the Yucatan Penninsula, which is all the way across the country and the Gulf of Mexico. I looked-it is over a 2 1/2 hour flight and looking at the map, it is like an all day drive. It is Top Chef Finale Mexico!

[rlc]

I don't understand the Brooke hate. She's a talented, well-rounded chef. Her major weakness is when she gets into her own head, but when she's free to cook without overanalyzing, she's fantastic. She has a dry, sarcastic sense of humor, and generally seems to be very well liked by the other contestants. I'd be happy to see her win, though this competition appears to be Sheldon's to lose.

And with John finally gone, we've all won.

ps- no more Blaise, please. 

[RealReality]

33 minutes ago, anniebird said:

I don't understand the "Fix is in for Brooke" comments. How does it benefit Top Chef to have her win rather than Sheldon who seems to be the fan favorite? I always assume, because the judges are tasting the food and I'm not, that their decision is fair. I think this is a great final three - they're all immensely creative and talented and any of them could win it.

I was just saying this in another thread, but its hard to know who a fan favorite really is.  Maybe 10% of viewers take to social media, or even vote for fan favorite.

But it seems fairly obvious to me that they are pushing a "Brooke redemption" story, especially with her coming back from LCK.  The same way Kristen did.

I certainly hope that I'm proven wrong, because I think that is so eye-rollingly obvious and cheesy.  But I'm prepared to be disappointed next Thursday.

[LennieBriscoe]

I'm going to 'fess up. I don't want Brooke to win not only because I think her victory is pre-ordained;  I don't want her to win also because I can't abide people who speak in a monotone with affectless faces.

[chiaros]

Bye John Tesar. Sorry to see you go. Sorry you got saddled with Katsuji Tanabe and spent time and energy trying to talk through stuff with that guy and try to get along with him. Because Brooke Williamson was playing games, even though that was strategy in this Reality TeeVee Show. I wonder what you would have made/produced if you were paired with one of the others instead. Hmm. But you did good over this season.

Not thrilled with Brooke W returning. Adds to the "fix is in" storyline.

I thought Shirley Chung was a good possibility for being kicked off, based on what was shown on this episode. Both her food and her cocktail had issues, IIRC. Oh, that "Margarita" of hers? IMO that wasn't a cocktail, that was a Slushie.

[anniebird]

8 minutes ago, LennieBriscoe said:

I don't want her to win also because I can't abide people who speak in a monotone with affectless faces.

Chacun a son gout - I love Brooke's low-key, no drama attitude. On the other hand, Shirley's voice drives me crazy because it's so abrasive, but that doesn't mean I don't want her to win if she earns it.

[AriAu]

Quote

 

I don't understand the Brooke hate. She's a talented, well-rounded chef. Her major weakness is when she gets into her own head, but when she's free to cook without overanalyzing, she's fantastic. She has a dry, sarcastic sense of humor, and generally seems to be very well liked by the other contestants. I'd be happy to see her win, though this competition appears to be Sheldon's to lose.

And with John finally gone, we've all won.

ps- no more Blaise, please. 

 

THIS. Rarely do I agree with a post as much as I agree with this. I like her-she cooks creatively and well, thinks well on her feet, speaks well (sorry LennieBriscoe), albeit a little monotone, and plays well with the other children. If anything, she is a little too vanilla as far as drama goes, altho with the tats you know she has a few wild hairs! I don't agree that her victory is pre-ordained, but she is getting the good edit! Let's face it-she wont be coming back for another season of this since she is not an attention whore like Katsuji, Tesar or Casey. I recognize the hate and respect that YMMV, but I agree that I don't see where it comes from OTHER than wanting others to win and thinking she is getting special treatment.

[Wings]

12 hours ago, snarktini said:

So glad John didn't listen to the brief. Really glad to see the back of him.

Maybe the fix is in for Brooke, or maybe she's just that good. She almost won before and I have little problem believing she has honestly earned her spot at the top. Often they ding for lack of protein but there have been occasions when vegetarian fare has won, and the chew of the coconut and the fat of the avocado sound plausible to me as one of those times. 

I wholeheartedly like all three of the remaining chefs and will be happy with any of them. I don't think Shirley is fake/simpering. I don't think Brooke is entitled/superior. They all seem like great chefs and people I'd like IRL. Sheldon's my fav, though. I feel like his personality and POV are less common among Top Chefs.

Good post, I agree with every word.  100 likes!  I wonder if green posts turn another color when they get above 100. :^)

8 hours ago, spiderpig said:

Brooke pops a $7500 bottle of Patron and chugs away.  (She did take the top off, didn't she, or was she faking it?)  Along with assigning Katsuji to John, I'm beginning to warm up to Brooke a bit.  Still want Sheldon for the win.

We saw more of Guadalajara in one hour than we saw of Charleston in all the previous episodes.

I have to balk at the idea of eating goat, though.  I live in a canyon that's covered with brush in the summer, and the city brings in herds of goats to graze and reduce the fire hazard.  They're so cute.  I know, I know...but I couldn't eat an animal that works for its food!!!  It would be like grocery shopping at a petting zoo.

Things were looking iffy for Sheldon and Shirley, so I was extra glad to see the last of John.

LMAO!  I feel the same way about goats.  A friend of mine had a small herd and I took care of them when she went on vacation.  I developed a close relationship with them.  They have different personalities and adorable. 

I don't eat octopus either.  They are very smart.  

Edited February 17, 2017 by wings707

[Wings]

I loved Tom giving kudos to Brooke for standing up to Blais' critique.  

[essexjan]

Ugh, Brooke. Fix.

I think what sank John is that he said he'd researched the local food scene and my take on it is that he had a set of dishes in mind that he thought would be authentic and real, and tried to fit them around whatever brief they were given.  I'm sorry to see him go. I thought Shirley was toast because of the vanilla.

So now it's ABB for me - Anyone But Brooke.

[chiaros]

I liked John Tesar contradicting Tom Colicchio. The latter deserved it.

Of course, I suspect that predisposed Tom C to strike down John T.

13 hours ago, avecsans said:

When John said at the end that other chefs his age just "kiss babies" but he cooks, was that a shot at Tom Colicchio?  I thought it was.

I thought so too. And Tom C somewhat deserved it too, if that was John T's unstated intention, even if Tom C can still cook - in the Western European manner, of course.

Edited February 17, 2017 by chiaros

[Ellee]

One more Brooke post ..... Brooke has already won.....and I'm not talking the Top Chef title.....and I don't think the fix is in.

What I saw last night was Brooke returning to the chef/person she was when we first saw her on her season.   The Brooke we saw all season up to her elimination was a whole different person. 

I'm not a great TC historian but have we ever had a final 3 that were all so likable and seem to get along so well?

[jackjill89]

1 hour ago, archer1267 said:

Now that John's gone (did you hear how much he's changed, by the way?) I honestly would be satisfied with any of the remaining three winning. I like Sheldon the best, on a personal level, but remember Shirley and Brooke both crushing it in their respective seasons. This is a good Final Three. 

I get that Richard's a real success story from the show, but I'd like to see other TC winners be judges every now and then instead, spread the wealth a bit. How can we miss Richard if he never really goes away? Maybe he's like a substitute teacher who gets called in whenever Gail can't make it or they can't find a fourth judge.

The thing about Richard is this... I think he believes he is THE Top Chef. Not one person who has one the title out of many, but THE Top Chef. Never mind that he didn't win in his season, he is the BEST chef to EVER compete and his All-Star win put the permanent crown on his head. Most chefs on this show win "the coveted title" and go back to their jobs and parlaying TC exposure into growing their careers in the restaurant world. I think Richard wants to be the next Tom Colicchio. He isn't content to be an excellent chef, he wants to be famous like Emeril and Mario, et al. To him, being on TV is success. That's my two cents.

I wish I liked Brooke more, because she is very good. She thinks on her feet. She is right about the cold dish having to be perfect. It must have been truly scrumptious. Sheldon just strikes me as such a humble, talented guy. He has an innate talent and a unique POV with food. Brooke reminds me of a student who studies really, really hard and always has to be at the top of her class and is really driven, but is annoying because she never stops. I would love Sheldon to win. Shirley just cracks me up. She seems so scattered, but always has it pulled together.

[snarktini]

34 minutes ago, wings707 said:

I loved Tom giving kudos to Brooke for standing up to Blais' critique.  

What was so weird about that is I fully expected it to be a Blais fake-out, it seemed to be headed that way and then it didn't. (Or was edited out.)

Because a cold soup without a protein is pretty much the opposite of "safe". It would have made more sense to push back on not "cooking", or going too simple, or not having a protein. But too safe? No.

Edited February 17, 2017 by snarktini

[WineCheeseChocolat]

I like Brooke and have since her first season. She and Carla Hall have been my favorite female cheftestants over the years, especially since they have very different cooking styles and approaches to their food (I didn't see S4 so I can't comment on Stephanie).

I'm also happy Casey didn't come back. See the comment prior about me being a Carla fan. Never quite forgave her for trashing Carla after the S5 finale. Yes, it was unfair that she got blamed for Carla losing, but that was the fans and not Carla. Casey struck back in the most unclassy way instead of just keeping her head down, her mouth shut and letting things blow over.

I don't get the Brooke hate based on her being "egotistical." She's a talented chef who is confident in that. Male chefs don't get slammed for being confident, or even arrogant (see: Stefan; Fabio who everyone thought were so charming). The culinary world is still such a male pissing contest and I've seen too many examples of female chefs not standing up for themselves or second-guessing their food that Brooke's confidence is refreshing.

I also don't believe in the "fix." TC likes to play up the drama so of course they're going to draw parallels between LCK being Brooke's downfall the first time around and LCK possibly being her redemption this time. Doesn't mean it will happen. IMO, Brooke won last night because she made the smartest choices and the best dish. Protein or no protein, simple or complicated - as the judges say, just make it taste good.

I'm psyched about the finale. All are talented, likeable and minimal drama means more focus on the food.

[meep.meep]

Why Blais?  Why now?  He's achieved an Anthony Bordain rank of fame whore - there's no one else available to take a free vacation to Mexico to do this?  Last season's winner perhaps?

The food all sounded good.  It was significant that Brooke chose not to use her iffy ingredient (tuna) while Shirley just rolled with hers.  And if Katsuji hadn't put together the dust on the drink glass for John, then he would have been total toast.

I'm pretty shallow because when ever I looked at Padma in her yellow dress, I kept thinking about Heidi Klum's obsession (on Project Runway) with boobs and them going in the correct, and same, direction.  She had a high one and a sideways one.

[ProudMary]

1 hour ago, archer1267 said:

How can we miss Richard if he never really goes away? 

This needs to be on a T-shirt, or embroidered on a pillow! :D

1 hour ago, AriAu said:

Did anyone notice whether they had to  create a dish to pair with a cocktail or an entrée to pair with the cocktail-I did not listen closely enough to recall. Frankly, since traditionally cocktails precede a meal, with wine served with the meal, it makes a lot more sense to pair it with a soup or starter/app and therefore Brooke was smart about it....and agree with the comment that questions why applying heat to a protein is the only thing that constitutes cooking!

Well, the last time Brooke attempted to apply heat to a protein, it got her booted to LCK!

[Wings]

Random thoughts. 

Brooke is that good.  Never cooked goat ribs before and won with them.  Her watermelon at breakfast inspired a dish. The tuna at the market was not good enough quality so she canned that dish and moved on to win with her cold vegetarian soup.  Impressive. 

John working to repair his relationship with Katsuji and he having none of it was hysterical!  Sitcom material. 

I don't mind product placement when it is Patron but Hidden Valley Ranch is another story. 

Sheldon is adorable, loved his Ole! and arm movements.   So cute! 

Loved the side glances between the contestants when Blais was talking!

[Blonde Gator]

11 hours ago, HappyDancex2 said:

The episode was very nippley, I mean nippy.  Tacky.

i was hoping that the acid in Sheldon's dish would help tighten up his protein.  Nothing you can do about mush though and we didn't get any more info on it so he must have figured something out.  His food always looks tasty.

i don't mind drama but katsuji and John are the worst kind.  Glad that neither make it to the final episode because enough is enough!  You could tell it was John going home because neither padma nor tom looked the least bit sad before they went to commercial.  And boy were all their eyes liquor shiny!!  

Watching them make the tequila was really cool.  Wish we could have seen just a bit more.

Emily looks perpetually uncomfortable and miserable.

Here's a short video (Patron) about some of the other parts of the tequila making process.  There are many boutique operations in Mexico, much smaller, but the process is all pretty much the same, hand cut the agave, burn the pinas, roll the pinas, distill and age.  The tequila industry is a kind of small Napa, you can take tours, etc.  Agave in the fields are beautiful.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5RYyDdjrrs

[dleighg]

31 minutes ago, meep.meep said:

The food all sounded good.  It was significant that Brooke chose not to use her iffy ingredient (tuna) while Shirley just rolled with hers.

I thought Shirley might have already used it before realizing it had vanilla in it

[tvfanatic13]

3 hours ago, RHOSingapore said:

Just watching the penultimate now....That pairing of the guest judge with Blais was a perfect storm of nasty attitudes....They're like brothers!

Is it theee penultimate? I think there are still 2 episodes left.

[Blonde Gator]

1 hour ago, jackjill89 said:

 I think Richard wants to be the next Tom Colicchio. He isn't content to be an excellent chef, he wants to be famous like Emeril and Mario, et al. To him, being on TV is success. That's my two cents.

 

Blais shouldn't (and couldn't) wipe Emeril's feet!  Emeril is the sweetest guy in the world.  He is a FAB judge on TC, although he's very tough, he's fair.  And he's a super "host"....remember him bringing the chef's beignets?  I was reminded by something Shirley said the other night about Emeril....someone said she was on the NO season.  Shirley actually called him "Uncle Emeril", IIRC, and it cracked me up.  That's what i love about him, he is honored to mentor all of these young chefs, and takes no joy in tearing them down, he's always trying to encourage them and make their cooking better.  Need more Emeril, no more Blais!!!!!

[tvfanatic13]

I'm not sure why Brooke seems to be so hated by many. I for one have found that she has presented to be a great chef. I don't think that there is a fix; she's just good.

[rho]

1 hour ago, chiaros said:

Bye John Tesar. Sorry to see you go. Sorry you got saddled with Katsuji Tanabe and spent time and energy trying to talk through stuff with that guy and try to get along with him. Because Brooke Williamson was playing games, even though that was strategy in this Reality TeeVee Show. I wonder what you would have made/produced if you were paired with one of the others instead. Hmm. But you did good over this season.

I know Brooke was playing strategy, but Tesar has beef with every single sous chef up there, except maybe Silva. According to the judges, the only redeeming elements of his dish were orchestrated by Katsuji, and seeing as how it's a tequila challenge (Katsuji's fave ingredient) I think he actually ended up in the most ideal situation. I can't even imagine the train wreck we'd be subjected to if he'd been paired with Emily. He should have gone home the first day with his raw oysters and he's been coasting the entire time. He was lucky to have Katsuji do all the work for him.

1 hour ago, jackjill89 said:

The thing about Richard is this... I think he believes he is THE Top Chef. Not one person who has one the title out of many, but THE Top Chef. Never mind that he didn't win in his season, he is the BEST chef to EVER compete and his All-Star win put the permanent crown on his head. Most chefs on this show win "the coveted title" and go back to their jobs and parlaying TC exposure into growing their careers in the restaurant world. I think Richard wants to be the next Tom Colicchio. He isn't content to be an excellent chef, he wants to be famous like Emeril and Mario, et al. To him, being on TV is success. That's my two cents.

I wish I liked Brooke more, because she is very good. She thinks on her feet. She is right about the cold dish having to be perfect. It must have been truly scrumptious. Sheldon just strikes me as such a humble, talented guy. He has an innate talent and a unique POV with food. Brooke reminds me of a student who studies really, really hard and always has to be at the top of her class and is really driven, but is annoying because she never stops. I would love Sheldon to win. Shirley just cracks me up. She seems so scattered, but always has it pulled together.

Nailed it! I think he fails to recognize that winning All Stars is the equivalent of earning the best consolation prize. Side note, maybe down the line we can have a season with just previous winners. Let's find out who the Top Top Chef is. 

[beaker73]

2 hours ago, anniebird said:

I don't understand the "Fix is in for Brooke" comments. How does it benefit Top Chef to have her win rather than Sheldon who seems to be the fan favorite? I always assume, because the judges are tasting the food and I'm not, that their decision is fair. I think this is a great final three - they're all immensely creative and talented and any of them could win it.

It's a good redemption storyline: a chef who seemed destined to win her season, but ends up getting taken out by the LCK winner comes back and wins it all. So, yeah, I think this is Brooke's to lose.  

I don't dislike Brooke necessarily, but I watch my share of reality TV and I just hate it when it seems so obvious that the producers have a winner picked out from the beginning.   

[cpcathy]

See ya, John!

I actually did a raspberry and a thumbs down at the TV. Good riddance.

[Wings]

I do not believe there is a fix for Brooke to win.  No way would Tom allow that nonsense.  He is adamant about that and has been from day one.  He refused to come on board if Bravo had a vote.  It is about food and not personalities. Marcel making it as far as he did is proof of that, if you need it.  

 I feel badly for Brooke if she does win and has to fight this conspiracy theory.  She is good.  And she could choke, too.  It happens.  Who knows she may not even be in F2.  It could be any of them.  

[RealReality]

26 minutes ago, beaker73 said:

It's a good redemption storyline: a chef who seemed destined to win her season, but ends up getting taken out by the LCK winner comes back and wins it all. So, yeah, I think this is Brooke's to lose.  

I don't dislike Brooke necessarily, but I watch my share of reality TV and I just hate it when it seems so obvious that the producers have a winner picked out from the beginning.   

This.  Even though I'm not a fan of Brooke, I don't think it would bother me if it wasn't all so obvious.

Not only does she win it all, but she comes back from LCK to win it all!  I mean, come on now.

Anyways, here it to hoping that TC is doing a fake out and Sheldon takes the win!  But as I said, I'm prepared to be disappointed.

[cooksdelight]

1 hour ago, wings707 said:

John working to repair his relationship with Katsuji and he having none of it was hysterical!  Sitcom material. 

I told them they should have their own show, and I think it would be a riot! Especially if it were a traveling show where they met different people and had to come up with dishes to please them. 

[WineCheeseChocolat]

I'm harping back to S5 (because it's one of the few I've seen in its entirety) but if the show was fixed for the winner to be the best storyline, Hosea never would've won. The best story would've been Hosea and Stefan being so focused on one-upping each other that they didn't notice Carla blowing by them...and her winning. As it turned out, Carla lost confidence in herself and her food, Stefan became complacent and Hosea snuck by. I could tell by the judges faces and word choice that they were as unexcited about Hosea getting the title as the viewers, but they had to do it.

[Canada]

Oh, gee, what a shock that Brooke came back.  Big surprise there.  And then she went on to win everything in the episode?  Even bigger surprise!!  But, no fix, though, right?

Brooke's food has been average this season.  She doesn't deserve to win.  Whereas Sheldon and Shirley have made some great food, but they're obviously not the judges favourites.  I also think Silva still deserves to be there and would gladly see him replace Brooke.

ETA: I did enjoy watching John and Tom trying really hard not to look at Padma's nipples as she was talking to each of them. 

Edited February 17, 2017 by Canada

[cee]

Sheldon had some great lines this episode. My favorite was his observation that cooking goat in Chivas (goat) stadium was odd.

[RealReality]

Just now, cee said:

Sheldon had some great lines this episode. My favorite was his observation that cooking goat in Chivas (goat) stadium was odd.

I loved "I'm allergic to tequila, when I have it I break out.....I break out dancing"

[dleighg]

26 minutes ago, Canada said:

Oh, gee, what a shock that Brooke came back.  Big surprise there.  And then she went on to win everything in the episode?  Even bigger surprise!!  But, no fix, though, right?

 

If you believe Tom's description of the process (and I do) then how is an "honest" process supposed to disavow those who believe in a fix? *Not* send her to LCK when she had the weakest dish in the EC? *Not* allow her to beat Casey in LCK? The girl can't win!

[Bastet]

I haven't had a chance to watch yet, but I couldn't wait to find out what happened -- I am thrilled to hear Brooke is back and John is out; now I can sit back and relax, knowing I'll be happy with the winner, regardless of who it is.  I think Sheldon, Shirley, and Brooke are all great chefs - each with as good a chance of winning as any of the others, so this is anybody's game, which makes it interesting - and I enjoy them all as people, too, so I'm happy as a clam.

[spiderpig]

4 hours ago, AriAu said:

Did anyone notice whether they had to  create a dish to pair with a cocktail or an entrée to pair with the cocktail-I did not listen closely enough to recall. Frankly, since traditionally cocktails precede a meal, with wine served with the meal, it makes a lot more sense to pair it with a soup or starter/app and therefore Brooke was smart about it....and agree with the comment that questions why applying heat to a protein is the only thing that constitutes cooking!

I wondered exactly the same thing.  I loves me some cocktails, but I enjoy them on their own.  It seems anything you'd concoct would be either too sweet or too pungent and overpower most dishes that are prepared with any kind of finesse.

That's why mixed nuts were invented.

[RealReality]

Just now, dleighg said:

If you believe Tom's description of the process (and I do) then how is an "honest" process supposed to disavow those who believe in a fix? *Not* send her to LCK when she had the weakest dish in the EC? *Not* allow her to beat Casey in LCK? The girl can't win!

She arguably had the weakest dish when she made the yogurt thing, so it could seem like they were holding onto her until she would have to do the final LCK's and not a ton of them.  I also think that these things may be a far closer call  (though I dont watch LCK), but as they are all high caliber chefs (even Emily) it seems like there wouldn't really be much difference between how tasty two dishes are.  Or at least not a super clear winner.  

That doesn't mean that Tom C. is a dirty liar, it just means that he may have his own set of biases based on the situation.

I certainly don't think Tom would let in a dish that was MARKEDLY worse if it was from a favored chef.  but I don't know that there is always such a clear line.

IMO, they overplayed their hand with the LCK thing.  So, if Brooke wins, I'll always feel like its an asterisk win.  Which is probably fine for her, since a lot of people won't share my feelings.

[mjforty]

19 hours ago, susannot said:

And I will pause to remember, Blais, that the girl who beat you fair and square does wonders with goat in her successful Chicago restaurant empire.  My Navy son and I dined at Girl and The Goat and he said "she really knows what to do with goat."

Plus, Stephanie also beat Blais when they went head to head in Too Chef Duels.  

[WineCheeseChocolat]

Quote

She arguably had the weakest dish when she made the yogurt thing, so it could seem like they were holding onto her until she would have to do the final LCK's and not a ton of them.  I also think that these things may be a far closer call  (though I dont watch LCK), but as they are all high caliber chefs (even Emily) it seems like there wouldn't really be much difference between how tasty two dishes are.  Or at least not a super clear winner.  

Brooke's dish was super lame but wasn't Sylva's issue that he undercooked the fish, eggs or both? If a dish is unsafe to eat, I see the argument that it trumps a boring parfait.

[dleighg]

2 minutes ago, WineCheeseChocolat said:

Brooke's dish was super lame but wasn't Sylva's issue that he undercooked the fish, eggs or both? If a dish is unsafe to eat, I see the argument that it trumps a boring parfait.

he didn't serve 20% of the diners IIRC (because the dish wasn't finished yet at the point of the first wave)

[Wings]

11 minutes ago, spiderpig said:

I wondered exactly the same thing.  I loves me some cocktails, but I enjoy them on their own.  It seems anything you'd concoct would be either too sweet or too pungent and overpower most dishes that are prepared with any kind of finesse.

That's why mixed nuts were invented.

They were asked to create a dish that incorporates all of the tastes of a Margarita, sweet, sour, salty and bitter.  And a unique Margarita that pairs with your dish. 

In a restaurant I have had a drink with the appetizer but I pay no attention if it pairs well.  And don't really care! 

[anniebird]

For all of you who think the fix is in for Brooke, can I ask what Top Chef has to gain by having her win? 

[spiderpig]

3 minutes ago, wings707 said:

They were asked to create a dish that incorporates all of the tastes of a Margarita, sweet, sour, salty and bitter.  And a unique Margarita that pairs with your dish. 

In a restaurant I have had a drink with the appetizer but I pay no attention if it pairs well.  And don't really care! 

OK, I see now...a challenge designed to highlight the sponsor, lest we forget.

PATRON!  PATRON!  PATRON! (lather, rinse, repeat)

[FormerMod-a1]

4 minutes ago, anniebird said:

For all of you who think the fix is in for Brooke, can I ask what Top Chef has to gain by having her win? 

And take your replies to the newly created Top Chef Conspiracy Theories thread.  Where you can discuss this, and any other "fixed" or "manufactured" outcomes you'd like. Thank you.

[pbutler111]

Did anyone/everyone else notice that, when John was mixing up his margarita, he offered a ladleful to Katsuji to try and then put the ladle Katsuji had just had his mouth on back in the margarita tank? SO gross!

[spiderpig]

4 minutes ago, pbutler111 said:

Did anyone/everyone else notice that, when John was mixing up his margarita, he offered a ladleful to Katsuji to try and then put the ladle Katsuji had just had his mouth on back in the margarita tank? SO gross!

YESSSSS!  Double dipping is anathema around this house.  Even Mr. pig points it out whenever he sees it.