S14.E14: Comida Final

[Tara Ariano]

Quote

The top chef is revealed in the Season 14 finale. Before that, the final two chefs face off by preparing an epic four-course progressive meal that must impress their families, the judges and distinguished chefs. Appearing: Joachim Splichal; Jonathan Waxman; Martha Ortiz; Jonathon Sawyer; Daniel Boulud and Nilou Motamed.

[Lura]

That is an impressive panel of judges.  However, if I were Shirley, or if I were Brooke, I would be hard pressed even to boil water in the presence of my all-time favorite chef, Jonathan Waxman.  Daniel Boulud is no one to sneeze at, either.

[JeanneH]

According to my cable guide, this is a 1-hour episode, to be repeated immediately after (10 Eastern for me). After that, Bravo is showing "Watch What Happens Live" with Tom, Padma, the winner and the runner-up.

[Cheerwyn]

Dear Lord, Shirley. Yes, Katsuji is a Spanish-speaker, but he has so much potential to throw a wrench in the works.

[Pickles]

Good luck Shirley! She seems very focused.

[whinewithwine]

Shirley, keep the pork belly!

[riverheightsnancy]

Pissed that this drama of the pork belly is a major focus of the editing and this "I want to be a nice person, but I also really want to win" thing going on with the female contestants. I like Brooke, but you didn't order it. It is YOUR fault.  If there was nothing else available you would have to make due.  It is not Shirley's responsibility to give it up to you. Brooke was not offering her other "backup" item to Shirley in kind. I wanted Shirley to win originally, now I really want her to win.  

[Jamie Satyr]

Each course seemed to go Brooke's way until the dessert! It had to cook longer due to some oven problem so her flan wasn't as light as she would have liked! I'll be very surprised if Shirley takes this even with a great finish executing her dessert! The kudos seemed to flow more for Brooke! ;-)

Edited March 3, 2017 by Jamie Satyr
Took off spoiker

[FormerMod-a1]

Spoiler tags are not needed for stuff that happened in the episode.

[Jesse]

Aw, Shirley's mom!

[Michichick]

I ugly cried when Shirley's mom told Shirley she was proud. I loved that.

Let the conspiracy theories continue. Ugh.

[FormerMod-a1]

I love them both.  I was going to be happy and sad no matter what.

[jackjill89]

I still feel like Brooke was just way too smug. She's got skills for sure, but holy cow she bugs the crap out of me.

I so wish Sheldon had made it to the finale and won. 

[lololol]

35 minutes ago, riverheightsnancy said:

Pissed that this drama of the pork belly is a major focus of the editing and this "I want to be a nice person, but I also really want to win" thing going on with the female contestants. I like Brooke, but you didn't order it. It is YOUR fault.  If there was nothing else available you would have to make due.  It is not Shirley's responsibility to give it up to you. Brooke was not offering her other "backup" item to Shirley in kind. I wanted Shirley to win originally, now I really want her to win.  

I hope Brooke LOSES. She's a conceited b.

[whinewithwine]

Brilliant choice by Brooke to choose Sam as sous chef.  The octopus saved her.

[lololol]

1 minute ago, jackjill89 said:

I still feel like Brooke was just way too smug. She's got skills for sure, but holy cow she bugs the crap out of me.

I so wish Sheldon had made it to the finale and won. 

Sheldon is more talented than both Shirley and Brooke the b. It's so OBVIOUS that Brooke is Tom the dick's favorite.

[Pickles]

I hope Shirley wins fan favorite. Brooke just comes off as smug to me, but maybe she really isn't. Maybe it is just the way she talks. 

[Bastet]

The introduction solidified how much I like both these chefs, and how excited I've been for this finale.  I like how Shirley likes to communicate through her food, to share a memory with people, but I have equal respect for Brooke's ability to make a creative twist to turn out the ultimate version of various dishes.  So, game on!  It was sort of relaxing to know I'd be equally happy with either winner, but as the episode went on I started getting so anxious to see who it would be.  I was on the edge of my seat in a great way for most of the episode; this finale was everything I wanted it to be -- I loved Brooke saying regardless of who the judges pick, she's honored to have cooked with Shirley in the finale, and Shirley saying Brooke took the words right out of her heart.

I'm glad Shirley's Plan A worked so Brooke could get the pork belly; like Shirley (and like I'm sure Brooke would feel if roles were reversed), I wanted it to be about whose best effort was the tops, rather than someone stumbling due to a mishap.  (I know the flan didn't set the way Brooke wanted, but it had other issues, so I'm not putting it in that category.) 

So, by the editing of the judges' comments at the dinner table (and the diners' comments, but those don't count in judging) and pretty much backed up by the editing of the Judges' Table comments, Brooke took the first two courses, the third was a tie, and Shirley took the fourth.  But Shirley really took the fourth.  So to me that's an overall tie, and a hard decision that involves lengthy analysis in reaching a decision.  Two dishes worthy of the title, as Tom said at JT.  As it should be in the finale, as Padma said there.  I could not have asked for more. 

Congratulations to Brooke, and to Shirley.  This was a great season, and an even better finale.  Maybe the best finale of the series.  I'm thankful to all involved for some highly enjoyable distraction when I needed it.

Random thoughts:

Personal tastes:  I wanted Brooke's oyster desperately.  (Shirley's crudo looked beautiful; I just don't much care for red snapper, so it did not have me drooling in the same way.)  Second course, I again wanted Brooke's dish more, just based on the ingredients.  Third course, I wanted to devour Shirley's; I hate beans, so my love for pork belly was not enough to make me want Brooke's.  Fourth, neither rice pudding nor flan are my favorites.

I like Brooke giving such praise and credit to Sam at JT for those garlic chips.

Good grief, Graham Elliot and his stupid glasses can go anyway any time now.

What a nice moment for Tom to thank their parents for raising two great people, who also happen to be great chefs.

I know they have limited resources to purchase ingredients, with which they must serve a lot of people, but I think dessert is something where I'd buy what I needed for a Plan B if at all possible (like they both did with their main protein).

I liked them talking about, in "isn't this ridiculous?" terms, this being only the second time in 14 years the finale has consisted of two women.

Chatterboxes normally drive me batty, and maybe Shirley would if I was working alongside her on a regular basis rather than just watching a few minutes per week, but given that level of exposure, I find her endearing rather than annoying.

I laughed at both chefs wanting to know who was running the restaurants back home since the Chefs de Cuisine had been flown to Mexico to serve as sous chefs.

"Don't drink too much; be ready to cook tomorrow" made me laugh, too.

Shirley was cute introducing herself to Brooke's son. 

Hmm.  I really can't get over how much I liked this.  No crazy twists.  No sous chefs drama.  No major missteps.  Just two excellent chefs who are also pleasant people cooking their hearts out to create two delicious meals, one of which edged out the other for the win.  This, right here, is why Top Chef is one of the only reality shows I watch.  I'm rather ridiculously happy right now.

[rustyspigot]

I'm shocked. As in not at all. Can I have your pork belly, Shirley? How long do I cook the octopus, Sheldon? Top Chef.

[The Solution]

Either one of those meals would have been wonderful to eat, and both chefs are beautiful people. I could have been happy with either of them (or Sheldon) winning, but there's something about Brooke that just makes me feel like a high school boy with his first girlfriend. Congratulations, my Pirate Ship Homecoming Queen!

[awaken]

 So much focus on brooke this season that I knew it would be her. Although I was hoping that it was a mid direction and they would surprise us with Shirley instead!   I really do like Brooke but it was kind of predictable. 

 We did a course by course comparison and it seemed like Brooke would come out on top with tom liking the oyster. 

Wow, Shirley has had a LOT of meaningful family meals in her lifetime! It seems like she has an endless supply of food memories from which to draw! 

 Honestly if parents are not proud of their child for being an amazing chef that is their problem, I feel sad for Shirley having to work so hard to try and please them and prove her worth! They say this on chopped nearly every episode as well!

[avecsans]

Even though I like Brooke, I found her Blais-like air of entitlement a little off-putting all season.  And then tonight, when it seemed as if she just expected Shirley to hand over the pork belly, I was leaning toward Shirley.  But then Shirley bugged me by giving a cutesy name to each course, so then I was back to not caring who won.  And I got to see Jonathan Waxman and Daniel Boulud, so it's all good.

I thought it was poor strategy for Shirley to choose Casey.  Yes, Brooke probably would have chosen her, but why wouldn't Shirley  choose Sheldon, the best and most chill chef on hand?  

[rustyspigot]

Top Chef Charleston! Until it wasn't. 

[awaken]

I was annoyed by PorkBellyGate.  As if it were Shirley's responsibility to hand it over to Brooke when she forgot to order iT. It put Shirley in an awkward position with unnecessary pressure when I felt Brooke should have come up with her own backup plan. 

[susannot]

MIxed result to me.  I would have ordered Brooke's oyster, Shirley's ramen, Shirley's pork shanks, and Brooke's dessert.

Edited March 3, 2017 by susannot
ramen

[bobbobbob199]

Shirley didn't stand a chance the second the episode started. Tom was totally biased towards Brooke.

As towards the actual dishes, I guess it wasn't very smart for Shirley to make a play on instant ramen--it's one of those things that you don't really tinker with because you know it's sh*t, but it tastes so good anyways you don't do anything to it. Shirley's second and third courses didn't come across as very refined finale dishes, while Brooke's dessert seemed totally out of whack--not progressive at all, poorly executed and not much conceptualization going on. The best courses were probably, as stated, Brooke's octopus (thanks to Sam and Sheldon) and Shirley's dessert.

I still wished for a Sheldon-Shirley finale. I think we would have a seen a truly genuine result, but alas, it is what it is. This is the first season of Top Chef that I feel really strongly that there is an unfair result.

[NowVoyager]

The finale was anti-climatic because Brooke was telegraphed as the winner many episodes ago. It just wasn't as fun to watch when you are essentially spoiled.

I didn't have a problem with Brooke asking Shirley for her pork belly, however it really bothered me that Brooke didn't publicly acknowledge Shirley's generosity. It made me wish Shirley had said no. I mean, damn, she remembered to acknowledge Sam's garlic chips!

I watched the episode twice & I cried both times when Shirley's mom spoke. The pride was all over her face & it was just beautiful to see.

Tom said he could make a very clear, convincing argument for one chef in particular. We all know he meant Brooke, but I really wanted to hear what that argument was!

Edited March 3, 2017 by NowVoyager

[ProudMary]

I'm a little disappointed.  I like them both, but was hoping Shirley would win.  I would love to taste those pork shanks!  And that dessert too!                                 Way to go Sam, the garlic puree was greatly praised which pleased me as a Sam fan.

I was weeping at the scene where Shirley's mother told her (in English!) how proud she was of her.  What a moment!

Gail looked absolutely gorgeous.  Positively stunning.

[Rachel RSL]

Bleh. Brooke is super talented but I didn't realize how much I didn't want her to win until tonight. Her attitude when Shirley said she might need the pork belly for herself was so off-putting. It's not Shirley's fault that you forgot to order your main ingredient.

Plus, I HATE that we have another winner who came back from Last Chance Kitchen. Once you're dead, you should stay dead.

[Jamie Satyr]

53 minutes ago, Rachel RSL said:

Bleh. Brooke is super talented but I didn't realize how much I didn't want her to win until tonight. Her attitude when Shirley said she might need the pork belly for herself was so off-putting. It's not Shirley's fault that you forgot to order your main ingredient.

Plus, I HATE that we have another winner who came back from Last Chance Kitchen. Once you're dead, you should stay dead.

It just makes the wins of Kristen and Brooke more impressive by having to go that extra mile to take their respective seasons! ;-)

Edited March 3, 2017 by Jamie Satyr
Corrected spelling

[milner]

I agree it is was telegraphed that  Brooke would win since they have to justify last chance kitchen.  Contestants should not be allowed to take ingredients from their competitors.  You have to use what you buy...make a list for heaven sake. And thinking of Sheldon I think it was unfair in shopping last week he was at a disadvantage because he didn't speak spanish.  At least the finals and semi finals should be held on a level playing field.  Finally  I was annoyed  by the look on   Brooke's face whenever the judges said something complementary to Shirley.

[Jamie Satyr]

2 minutes ago, milner said:

I agree it is was telegraphed that  Brooke would win since they have to justify last chance kitchen.  Contestants should not be allowed to take ingredients from their competitors.  You have to use what you buy...make a list for heaven sake. And thinking of Sheldon I think it was unfair in shopping last week he was at a disadvantage because he didn't speak spanish.  At least the finals and semi finals should be held on a level playing field.  Finally  I was annoyed  by the look on   Brooke's face whenever the judges said something complementary to Shirley.

I noticed that! During WWHL, a question was asked of Padma and Tom what offering they disliked the most this season! Tom said Brooke's flan just to see that face! lol! ;-)

[NowVoyager]

A little shade: Brooke looks a HAWT MESS on "Watch What Happens Live."

Yea Sheldon!!! Poor, Shirley. Always the bridesmaid.

[film noire]

Such an unsatisfying ending -- a true Top Chef would have owned their mistake and made a killer dish out of the short ribs, not twisted a competitor's arm into saving their ass -- what a second rate win.

[TomTraubertsBlue]

Ok, so everybody will stop bashing her for it, Brooke said on WWHL, that she did put pork belly on the list, but it wasn't delivered.

[rlc]

Guess I'm in the minority once again, but thrilled that Brooke won. Aside from her flan, she cooked the better meal- plain and simple. If I never have to hear about Shirley's emotional connection to her 18 million inspirational ancestors again, it will be too soon. 

Shirley started things by picking Casey to mess with Brooke. There was clearly gamesmanship going on. Nothing wrong with that in a competition, but let's not pretend that Shirley is a saint. Also, with editing, we don't really know if Brooke or Shirley said anything to the judges about the pork belly. Personally, I think it would have been an a**hole move for Shirley had not given Brooke the pork since she did not need it. Either way, I have full confidence that Brooke could have cooked the hell out of some short ribs if she had to go with plan b.

[Blonde Gator]

1 hour ago, avecsans said:

Even though I like Brooke, I found her Blais-like air of entitlement a little off-putting all season.  And then tonight, when it seemed as if she just expected Shirley to hand over the pork belly, I was leaning toward Shirley.  But then Shirley bugged me by giving a cutesy name to each course, so then I was back to not caring who won.  And I got to see Jonathan Waxman and Daniel Boulud, so it's all good.

I thought it was poor strategy for Shirley to choose Casey.  Yes, Brooke probably would have chosen her, but why wouldn't Shirley  choose Sheldon, the best and most chill chef on hand?  

I don't know if you watched the What Happens Next show tonight....but Shirley explained her choice of Sous Chef.  One word.  Dessert. 

Casey does them, Sheldon not so much. 

[TomTraubertsBlue]

I'm with you on the outcome Ric.  I've been a big Brooke fan since her first season.  I really liked Sheldon and Shirley too though.  I don't know why people are bashing Brooke so much.  Trying to make her into a villain is just odd.  There's been plenty of villains on TC, but picking every nit and blowing up non-issues in order to build up Shirley doesn't have much validity.

[Jamie Satyr]

Just now, TomTraubertsBlue said:

I'm with you on the outcome Ric.  I've been a big Brooke fan since her first season.  I really liked Sheldon and Shirley too though.  I don't know why people are bashing Brooke so much.  Trying to make her into a villain is just odd.  There's been plenty of villains on TC, but picking every nit and blowing up non-issues in order to build up Shirley doesn't have much validity.

I can't remember the last time I liked all 3 finalist; too bad John was there and it could have been all 4 instead! ;-)

[Blonde Gator]

19 minutes ago, Jamie Satyr said:

I noticed that! During WWHL, a question was asked of Padma and Tom what offering they disliked the most this season! Tom said Brooke's flan just to see that face! lol! ;-)

I think Tom meant Brooke's Yogurt Dessert, LOL.  Two bad dishes.

[TomTraubertsBlue]

I do think Brooke's choice of flan was a mistake.  Very basic, and didn't have the flavor to carry it through even if it had been creamier.  Shirley's desert looked delicious.

[Rachel RSL]

11 minutes ago, TomTraubertsBlue said:

Ok, so everybody will stop bashing her for it, Brooke said on WWHL, that she did put pork belly on the list, but it wasn't delivered.

In all fairness, nobody is blaming Brooke for not ordering the pork belly, we're blaming her for the entitled attitude she had about Shirley giving up hers.

[TomTraubertsBlue]

What did she say that came across as entitled?

[pivot]

I went into the show being neutral and ended up being bummed Shirley didn't win. Brooke's dessert was too big of a miss compared to Shirley's food. I think Tom was pretty set on giving Brooke the win though.

[Jamie Satyr]

2 minutes ago, Rachel RSL said:

In all fairness, nobody is blaming Brooke for not ordering the pork belly, we're blaming her for the entitled attitude she had about Shirley giving up hers.

They say they're friends! I sincerely doubt Shirley could have gotten away with hoarding her "pork" regardless of what we consider a competition! How do you speak to someone later if she had just blown off a chance to be a good sport? There would be tension for all time; it's human nature! I've made sacrifices and to this day haven't had any regrets! I appreciated Jamie giving up his spot when immunity could have saved him! LCK gave him an opportunity to get back in, but he came up short! I think he got as far as he could with what little I can remember of his offerings! ;-)

[Rachel RSL]

I thought Jamie was an idiot for giving up his immunity. *shrug* To each his own!

[Blonde Gator]

5 minutes ago, Jamie Satyr said:

They say they're friends! I sincerely doubt Shirley could have gotten away with hoarding her "pork" regardless of what we consider a competition! How do you speak to someone later if she had just blown off a chance to be a good sport? There would be tension for all time; it's human nature! I've made sacrifices and to this day haven't had any regrets! I appreciated Jamie giving up his spot when immunity could have saved him! LCK gave him an opportunity to get back in, but he came up short! I think he got as far as he could with what little I can remember of his offerings! ;-)

If it WAS the kitchen's fault for not ordering, all Brooke had to do was complain.  Actually, they could go out on any street corner and find someone to go get them pork belly.   The Mexican people are incredibly gracious,  and I'm sure Brooke would have received help from the first person she asked, be it a gardener at the hotel or a street vendor selling food. 

I knew Shirley was going to have beautiful product when she got her little piggies, and that she'd give Brooke the pork belly. 

[LotusFlower]

I hope they don't do another version with returning chefs.  Brooke was considered a real star when she competed four years ago, so her win was practically guaranteed this time around.....just like with Blais on All Stars - he could have over-salted or under-salted every single dish he prepared, and he still would have won.  It kinda makes me mad that I watched the whole season when the winner was pre-ordained.  I like the suspense of a competition, and there really wasn't any this time around.  All the new chefs went out almost in order, and who could say that the top three was a surprise?

But....  Shirley's mother learning how to say "I'm proud of you" in English after the meal almost made the season worth it.  I'm tearing up just typing about it.  As trite as it sounds, I'm sure Shirley considers that a big win.

[breezy424]

Yikes.  I didn't see anything that would be an interpretation of Brooke feeling 'entitled' to the pork belly.  High hopes?  Yes.  Entitlement?  Nope.  She also had a back up plan which could have been just as good.  I just don't get all the Brooke dislike.

In the end, none of the viewers have actually tasted the food of these chefs.  Judgment calls are made about personality, ingredients, etc.  But how the food tastes is what it is about in the end.  Let's see, Brooke has a tendency to hold her chin up.  So she has an apparent attitude.  Shirley is 'loud' which would annoy the heck out of me.  Does that make or break their winning challenges or the competition?  Sheldon is very likable.  So does that make him a better chef than the rest? 

Brooke went to last chance kitchen but she did win most out of all the competitors.  Well heck, so did Kirsten and she won over Brooke that season.  Like it or not, Last Chance Kitchen has become part of the competition.  So which is it?  You can skate along or you can be a challenge winner and mess up once.  Which is better? 

I don't think Brooke could have gone to a street corner vendor once she found out that she didn't have the pork belly.  There are rules and as we've seen in the past, you just can't send someone out to get something. 

Edited March 3, 2017 by breezy424

[film noire]

AV Club nails it for me:

"....Maybe it was because Brooke’s desire for winning didn’t feel rooted in passion or a dedication to craft or passion, but rather in the righting of what was in her mind a wrong. ”I haven’t gotten that stale feeling of losing out of my head,” she said at the beginning of the episode. And when she won? “I feel validated,” sounding not as if she’d won but as if she’d dodged a bullet. It was relief in her voice, not excitement. Honestly, it reminded me of Richard Blais from Top Chef: All Stars, who carried a similar sense of entitlement with him to that season’s finale. He treated Mike Isabella with the same wary passive-aggressive that Brooke doled out to Shirley, carrying with him the sense that his own sense of self-worth rode entirely on this decision. I’m happy for Brooke, and she obviously deserved the win, but, as with Blais, the latter episodes revealed a pettiness in her that was hard to root for."

And

"Speaking of, Brooke’s pettiness really seemed to manifest in her constant criticism of the loudness of Shirley’s voice. That Shirley ignored every one made me love her even more."

http://www.avclub.com/tvclub/top-chef-crowns-deserving-winner-after-strong-if-c-251429