S15.E14: Finale

[NowVoyager]

It's been bothering me this whole season, but I finally put my finger on it---

Adrienne reminds me of CNN newsperson Soledad O'Brien!

https://goo.gl/images/9QUCCb

The look & the way she talks, too. Whew! I feel much better now.

Edited March 10, 2018 by NowVoyager

[Browncoat]

6 minutes ago, stewedsquash said:

Did you catch the Nilla?

I caught that!  It's the only brand that exists in my reality.

[chabelisaywow]

Quote

Quote

that one might broaden one's horizons to include folks who are non-white-non-black. Just a suggestion.

 

 

Someone pointed out that 47% of the winners were non white guys - that still leaves 53% that are.

Personal preference has nothing to do with broadening horizons. I don't feel like scrolling through the comments, but someone put it very succinctly about what it's like when a female chef wins in a very male dominated field.

Can we be honest about how this show is not always about the food?

I like the humble chefs - a lot of them have been eliminated for missteps - but they handled their losses with grace and treated them like a learning experience.

The douchey Volataggio was braggy - and gloated, even over his own brother.

What I liked about Adrienne was how she explained her journey and her note taking. 

I saw her process and admired her for it.

Do you watch Beat Bobby Flay? More often than not, he wins. It gets boring and predictable.

For Flamm to mess up a steak and still win feels like that.

[cooksdelight]

1 hour ago, stewedsquash said:

Don't you wish Adrienne and Chris would hook up with Vivian Howard?

Oh lordy yes!! And I did catch the Nilla, I am so used to hearing it. Cheerwine, on the other hand, I don’t drink that stuff now.... but I might try to cook with it!

[Lamb18]

I just watched this. Aww, I really wanted Adrienne to win.

Not that Joe didn't deserve it, I just wanted Adrienne to win.

[Pathetica]

I liked Joe and all, but was anyone, anywhere surprised that he won? 

[VintageJ]

4 hours ago, NowVoyager said:

It's been bothering me this whole season, but I finally put my finger on it---

Adrienne reminds me of CNN newsperson Soledad O'Brien!

https://goo.gl/images/9QUCCb

The look & the way she talks, too. Whew! I feel much better now.

Thank you!  I knew there was something familiar about Adrienne but I couldn’t put my finger on it.  

[biakbiak]

13 hours ago, Eulipian 5k said:

But they both had their notebooks with recipes; didn't someone get DQ'd for having cheat books? (

Those are blank notebooks that the show gives them at the start of every season so they can jot down ideas and recipes so not cheat books. 

[cooksdelight]

3 hours ago, Pathetica said:

I liked Joe and all, but was anyone, anywhere surprised that he won? 

Yes. Tough steak in his entree round would have gotten anyone else booted. Tom wanted him as the winner.

[Ellee]

Was the fan favorite named?  Nothing that I can see is on the Bravo site.  Why no articles or mention of it?

[cooksdelight]

37 minutes ago, Ellee said:

Was the fan favorite named?  Nothing that I can see is on the Bravo site.  Why no articles or mention of it?

Yes, Fatima.

[freespeech]

I really enjoy the show, but I was upset at Adrienne cutting up what looked like a live octupus. They have brains, they are cognizant - I just thought it was awful. 

[Totale]

14 hours ago, NowVoyager said:

Adrienne reminds me of CNN newsperson Soledad O'Brien!

What really surprised me was the quick picture of her Mom, who we met a couple of weeks ago.  The picture was when she was about Adrienne's age, and she was a dead ringer then for Adrienne now.

[Wings]

58 minutes ago, freespeech said:

I really enjoy the show, but I was upset at Adrienne cutting up what looked like a live octupus. They have brains, they are cognizant - I just thought it was awful. 

YES!  It is tragic that they are eaten.  They are sentient beings a kin to whales and dolphins.  

14 hours ago, stewedsquash said:

Did you catch the Nilla? She said Nilla wafers when describing the banana pudding. The description said vanilla wafers. Most people in the south know that you only use Nilla Wafer brand to make banana pudding.....

@chiaros Your description of vitello tonnato made me google it. I finally understood what he did with the dish and agree with what you said about it. 

 Not just in the south, Nila wafers are pretty much everywhere.  ;> 

I just googled that dish.  I must have missed hearing him say this.  Odd but it must be good.

Vitello tonnato is an Italian dish of cold, sliced veal covered with a creamy, mayonnaise-like sauce that has been flavored with tuna.

[LeighLeigh]

Tiny kitchen: I don't get it. 

We didn't see the same commercials here in the Great White North so off to google I went. Ummm...what's the point? I don't get it. Is it just cute for the sake of being cute? Seems like a waste of food to me. But what do I know? Thoughts?

[Wings]

45 minutes ago, LeighLeigh said:

Tiny kitchen: I don't get it. 

We didn't see the same commercials here in the Great White North so off to google I went. Ummm...what's the point? I don't get it. Is it just cute for the sake of being cute? Seems like a waste of food to me. But what do I know? Thoughts?

Just cute and funny.  Waste of food?  LOL!  Are we watching the same thing?  

[The Solution]

2 hours ago, freespeech said:

I really enjoy the show, but I was upset at Adrienne cutting up what looked like a live octupus. They have brains, they are cognizant - I just thought it was awful. 

They're food. Tasty food.

[Rahul]

2 hours ago, freespeech said:

I really enjoy the show, but I was upset at Adrienne cutting up what looked like a live octupus. They have brains, they are cognizant - I just thought it was awful. 

The same can be said for all mammals, reptiles and poultry that humans consume. 

(Disclaimer: I am a vegetarian)

[cooksdelight]

I eat meat, tried octopus once. They are safe from me.

[Lura]

24 minutes ago, Rahul said:

3 hours ago, freespeech said:

I really enjoy the show, but I was upset at Adrienne cutting up what looked like a live octupus. They have brains, they are cognizant - I just thought it was awful. 

The same can be said for all mammals, reptiles and poultry that humans consume. 

(Disclaimer: I am a vegetarian)

*laughing at myself*  I read this reply THREE TIMES before I realized that it said "vegetarian," and NOT "veterinarian!"  No wonder I thought Rahul had a strange view of things!!!  lol

Edited March 10, 2018 by Lura

[biakbiak]

3 hours ago, freespeech said:

I really enjoy the show, but I was upset at Adrienne cutting up what looked like a live octupus. They have brains, they are cognizant - I just thought it was awful. 

Given they showed Carrie take the octopus out of a boiling pot of water and it was pinkish it clearly wasnt alive when Adrienne was showing her how she wanted it cut.

Edited March 10, 2018 by biakbiak

[chiaros]

3 hours ago, freespeech said:

I really enjoy the show, but I was upset at Adrienne cutting up what looked like a live octupus. They have brains, they are cognizant - I just thought it was awful. 

 

51 minutes ago, The Solution said:

They're food. Tasty food.

 

48 minutes ago, Rahul said:

The same can be said for all mammals, reptiles and poultry that humans consume. 

(Disclaimer: I am a vegetarian)

 

https://www.google.com/search?q=paul+the+octopus 

https://www.google.com/search?q=octopus+intelligence 

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-mind-of-an-octopus/ 

http://theconversation.com/octopuses-are-super-smart-but-are-they-conscious-57846 

 

...and regarding eating them...

https://www.newyorker.com/tech/elements/eating-octopus

[spacefly]

I was happy with the outcome and really enjoyed this season. I did spend a portion of the finally trying to see where the missing 9th person was at the table. oe said he was cooking for 9 but only 8 at the table.

Quote

Me too! If their goal was to make people stayed for the commercials, it totally worked in my case. I usually FF right through them, but Tiny Kitchen made me stay. By the way Tiny Kitchen has its own YouTube channel.

 

I think I missed this or I didn't have the same commercials as everyone else. Off to Youtube.

[cooksdelight]

The one thing that teared me up — and her — was when Adrienne said “But, I lost....”

No, you didn’t. You accomplished something many chefs only dream of. Be proud.

[chiaros]

18 hours ago, stewedsquash said:

 

@chiaros Your description of vitello tonnato made me google it. I finally understood what he did with the dish and agree with what you said about it. 

 

3 hours ago, Wings said:

I just googled that dish.  I must have missed hearing him say this.  Odd but it must be good.

Vitello tonnato is an Italian dish of cold, sliced veal covered with a creamy, mayonnaise-like sauce that has been flavored with tuna.

 

Joe Flamm even called it by an "inverted" name, "Tonno Vitellato".  :-) 

[chiaros]

1 hour ago, spacefly said:

I did spend a portion of the finally trying to see where the missing 9th person was at the table. oe said he was cooking for 9 but only 8 at the table.

Joe F did say "nine people" but I suspect he meant that plate #9 was the "Beauty Plate" for the camera shots.

[seacliffsal]

I was hoping Joe would win as Adrienne struggled earlier in the competition and received advice from Eric Ribert.  I also liked that he paid for her food items that she could not afford as he wanted to win based on the food, not because she couldn't buy all of her ingredients.  Do I like Adrienne?  I sure do, and would eat in any restaurant she opened in a heartbeat.  She seems really nice and wonderful.  It's just that during this season I rooted a bit more for Joe.  

Like others, this has been one of my favorite seasons as I really enjoy cheftestants who realize it's about the food and can therefore enjoy and respect each other.  A highlight of every episode for me was the enjoyment that the chefs were having and how much they enjoyed each other.

I also think this was one of the most scenically beautiful seasons they have ever had.  What a great promotion for Colorado.  My nephew moved there and I may just have to visit...

[Jextella]

On 3/9/2018 at 2:58 AM, bobbobbob199 said:

For those of you complaining on the "white guy" winning...are we going to make this complaint every time someone wins a judged show? 

Top Chef has done a great job of bringing in a diverse range of contestants, and giving each equal opportunities to succeed. There has always been an equal ratio of men to women, and minorities and LGBT, etc. have been represented liberally. This season alone we had like 75% women or minorities. Honestly, I think they are even overrepresented, considering the industry of head chefs in the US as a whole is at least 2/3 white men, but their representation on the show is like 25%.

I agree with this.  This season was very diverse both in terms of people and food.  

9 hours ago, freespeech said:

I really enjoy the show, but I was upset at Adrienne cutting up what looked like a live octupus. They have brains, they are cognizant - I just thought it was awful. 

This was super upsetting for me to watch too.  I'm constantly amazed by how some don't blink an eye when killing animals.  I can't wrap my head around how it is they aren't affected.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not a vegetarian but I'm the kind of person who has to have someone else do her dirty work, and I'm too weak to become a vegetarian.  :(

Unrelated....in a Bravo video with Chris, he says he thinks Joe Sasto was the most talented of those on the show.

Edited March 10, 2018 by Jextella

[Browncoat]

1 hour ago, seacliffsal said:

I was hoping Joe would win as Adrienne struggled earlier in the competition

But she was never eliminated, and Joe was.

[NowVoyager]

10 hours ago, Ellee said:

Was the fan favorite named?  Nothing that I can see is on the Bravo site.  Why no articles or mention of it?

I found out during a Watch What Happens Live episode. The one with Elizabeth Hurley & David Oyelowo. Joe was the bartender & Fati was in the audience. 

[film noire]

edit:  off topic 

Quote

The octopus was good. It was really dry

I don't understand why Adrienne's dry octopus counted so much against her,  but Joe's dry chewy beef didn't count as highly against him - they need a point system for next season, so it's not murky and contradictory and confusing.

Edited March 10, 2018 by film noire

[Empress1]

On 3/9/2018 at 11:28 AM, Luciano said:

I think what happened is that during the resting time, the meat continues to cook - so he let it rest for too long and it overcooked. It has to rest long enough to get the desired juices/internal temperature but not so long that the cooking process overdoes it.

I just did this today. I wanted medium rare, it was medium. I got distracted by a text, got into a conversation, and the meat rested too long. (I ended the conversation with “oh shit, I gotta get my steak.”)

I read that interview with Tom and he was asked if chefs in LCK have an advantage, since Joe is the third person to come from there and win. He laughingly said maybe. I do wonder if there’s something to that though - the eliminated people get a respite from the show, which may help them relax.

[Clover]

After reading who won I decided not to watch. I hate Last Chance. Nothing against Joe, but until Last Chance Kitchen is no more, Top Chef is off my watch list.

[sol y luna]

On ‎3‎/‎8‎/‎2018 at 7:09 PM, Mambo Queen said:

I'm disappointed Adrienne didn't win. I wish every once in a while they would consider the optics of, maybe it would be nice to have a black female winner instead of one more white guy...not as a gimme, but as a tie-breaker maybe? Or even, that Adrienne was never voted out, so again the tie goes to her? Because it sure seemed like a tie, food-wise. 

It's NOT about black or white. It's about who had the BEST food. Obviously, Adrienne didn't.

On ‎3‎/‎8‎/‎2018 at 7:46 PM, LeighLeigh said:

Graham might actually be handsome with different glasses.

NOT even close.

Edited March 11, 2018 by sol y luna

[sol y luna]

5 hours ago, film noire said:

edit:  off topic 

I don't understand why Adrienne's dry octopus counted so much against her,  but Joe's dry chewy beef didn't count as highly against him - they need a point system for next season, so it's not murky and contradictory and confusing.

Her dried octopus dish looked gross.

[sol y luna]

On ‎3‎/‎8‎/‎2018 at 7:27 PM, twilightzone said:

Another white guy winning on Top Chef.  In 15 seasons, there has only been 4 female winners.  No black or Hispanic female chef has ever won.  And a chef won who was openly gay?

They need to bring this show into the 21st century - and represent more diversity.

GOOD for Joe F and GOOD that Adrienne LOST!!!

On ‎3‎/‎8‎/‎2018 at 8:34 PM, LennieBriscoe said:

Imma gonna tell y'all why Adrienne could NOT (be allowed to) win, because otherwise Joe Flamm and his tough, "chewy" (per Gail)  beef should have hit the road, Jack:

She got a cooking tip DURING the competition from Eric Ripert.

That's my story, and I'm sticking to it!

YES, she did and she still lost - LOVE IT!!!

[bobbobbob199]

9 hours ago, chiaros said:

 

 

Joe Flamm even called it by an "inverted" name, "Tonno Vitellato".  :-) 

The dish comes straight off the menu at Spiaggia, I have actually had it before. I'm don't think Joe conceived of the dish (Tony M may have) but my comments would be the same as the judges--good flavors but not particularly exciting. The tuna used was pretty lean so it works well with the extra fattiness imparted by the aioli and such. 

As a whole Joe's menu did not seem inventive at all--I've seen all of those dishes or iterations of them at Spiaggia. However, it does seem like he executed them very well, barring the chewy steak, (and they were very good dishes to begin with) so I have no problem with the judges choosing him if he was the chef who made the better tasting meal, which seemed to be the case.

Edited March 11, 2018 by bobbobbob199

[Yeah No]

I knew that whoever won, I'd be a little let down because I genuinely liked both of them. 

I think that all the harping on "diversity" being represented on this show just because a white man won not only disrespects his accomplishment, but it disrespects the integrity of the show.  Should the judges have let Adrienne win just because she's a black female and not on the merits of her food alone?  That would be an even more unfair outcome than any perceived lack of diversity (which I agree with others is perceived because this show has always had plenty of diversity as in non-white, non-male, non-straight candidates).   Plus I think it disrespects the judges, who I believe are as fair as they can possibly be and consider the food alone when judging.  I don't believe they would ever give the edge to someone just because they are a white male, even subconsciously.  I think they are more than capable of being color blind when making their decisions.  But I have gotten the impression that some people would prefer that they would give preference to people based on their race or gender, but only if that race was black and that gender was female.  I would see any kind of judging preference based on any race or gender as unfair, and I would stop watching this show if I ever thought any of that was taking place here.  And I say that even as it pains my heart that Adrienne could not have won this season.   I am a woman and well aware of how women have often gotten slighted and overlooked in the cooking field.  Plus her food looked very creative and inspired while Joe played it a little safe this time.  In the end, though, the judges do seem to use the most objective means possible for making their decisions, and I have to defer to their culinary wisdom.  

Also, let's not worry about Adrienne.  She will not fade away as a result of this loss.  She is a rising, shining star and has a fantastic future in this industry.  Her accomplishments at a young age only show me that women, especially non-white women, have a very bright future in the field compared to a generation ago.  Just 20 years ago none of this would have been possible, and that is a drop in the bucket time-wise.  So be patient, things are changing!

[Ellee]

It has been mentioned a time or two that Adrienne got a ‘tip’ from Eric Ripert.  

As a non-cook, I kind of laughed. Mainly because as sharp and capable as Adrienne is, I didn’t believe she didn’t know what the problem was.  

I think the whole thing was for camera time. 

TPTB have done that kind of thing a time or two. Haven’t they?

[dleighg]

On 3/9/2018 at 9:09 AM, SailorGirl said:

Can I just say, I didn't think Tom Colicchio could get any sexier and then they show him cooking in a t-shirt. Yes please, I'll have that dessert! Not many people can make those reader glasses work, but damn, he does!

I had the same thought!

 

On 3/9/2018 at 11:54 AM, snarktini said:

but they seemed to feel his river rock pasta was equally astounding.

Have other people heard of this "burnt grain" flour? Where would one find such a thing?

[biakbiak]

6 minutes ago, dleighg said:

I had the same thought!

 

Have other people heard of this "burnt grain" flour? Where would one find such a thing?

Italian speciality stores its called "grano arso".

[Wings]

When meat cools down the fibers contract so that must be why Joe's meat was tough.  

[Talented Tenth]

On 3/9/2018 at 3:58 AM, bobbobbob199 said:

For those of you complaining on the "white guy" winning...are we going to make this complaint every time someone wins a judged show? 

Top Chef has done a great job of bringing in a diverse range of contestants, and giving each equal opportunities to succeed. There has always been an equal ratio of men to women, and minorities and LGBT, etc. have been represented liberally. This season alone we had like 75% women or minorities. Honestly, I think they are even overrepresented, considering the industry of head chefs in the US as a whole is at least 2/3 white men, but their representation on the show is like 25%.

I get the feeling there's a thought that the judges have subconscious biases that make them skew towards someone more similar to them in a tight competition.  If there were all black or southeast Asian judges and Padma and a black man or southeast Asian won almost every season, it wouldn't raise an eyebrow?

[film noire]

6 hours ago, Talented Tenth said:

  If there were all black or southeast Asian judges and Padma and a black man or southeast Asian won almost every season, it wouldn't raise an eyebrow?

I'll let Ms. Huston speak for me :)

 

Quote

but it disrespects the integrity of the show. 

The show has very little integrity at this point, imo. The judging is often quixotic and confusing, Tom alone gets to control who returns to the competition (itself an element of the show that allows chefs who have never been cut to be beaten by chefs who cooked so badly they were told to pack their knives and go) and there's no consistency year to year   -- one season ruining a beautiful main protein means you can never win, the next it's just find and dandy --  at this point, it feels more like old school Russians judging Olympic ice dancing than a contest based on the unbiased merits of the food. 

Edited March 11, 2018 by film noire

[AttackTurtle]

Last year the final two consisted of two woman and a Filipino from Hawaii.   I don’t think anyone took issue with the final three.   I am still heartbroken that my Sheldon didn’t make the final two, but as he told me,  “yeah, but I get to live in Maui”.  Side note - if you’re lucky enough to go to Maui...run to Tin Roof!

There are a number of shows that underrepresent diversity, but I don’t believe that Top Chef is one of them.   

I will give the argument that Top Chef favors white men when a contestant (not named Claudette) comes out with a complaint.  

[FormerMod-a1]

Please take discussions and comparisons of past season's winners to either Season vs Season or Past Seasons Talk or some other appropriate thread.  

[lindakoy]

2 finalists, one male and one female.  80%-90% chance of male winning.  Can I bet in Vegas?

[The Solution]

14 hours ago, Yeah No said:

I think that all the harping on "diversity" being represented on this show just because a white man won not only disrespects his accomplishment, but it disrespects the integrity of the show.

I think you showed your hand with the use of the word "harping".

[SSAHotchner]

On 3/8/2018 at 10:17 PM, The Solution said:

It should have said "Please meet Tom and me..."

I guess her ego outweighed her grammar.

[Pepper the Cat]

I really think the finale cook should be a blind taste testing. The judges should just be told Chef 1 and Chef 2. That way, they could actually judge the food itself, not who they think should win,