2009.02.26
All’s fair in fois gras and caviar
Blog entry by Amy Hanek
Last night, no one felt the pressure of Top Chef’s finale more than Stefan.
First he was a little lonely for his Euro-buddy, Fabio. And to tell you the truth, I was a little bored, without my favorite Italian there to feed me one-liners. Beignets and Café Au Lait on the Creole Queen – bo-ring!
But then, Tom informed the three remaining cheftestants that their final challenge would be to make the best 3-course meal of their life. And that sous chefs from past-seasons would help. Marcel (from season 2) joined Stefan, Casey (from season 3) joined Carla and Richard (from season 4) joined Hosea. My ears perked up a little.
I did, however, completely forget about Fabio as Stefan and Hosea began fighting over food like a couple of third-graders.
First, Stefan wanted two of the three fois gras. Hosea had them first and stood his ground. He told Stefan he would give him half (one and a half for each). Stefan huffed angrily and told Hosea to forget it. What? Did self-deserving-Stefan feel he deserved more than half? And I thought Hosea was being nice. I mean, he grabbed those birds first. This IS the finale.
Then, Stefan pointed out that Hosea had ALL the Caviar. Well Hosea learned his lesson with the fois gras. Practically ignoring Stefan, he didn’t offer him anything. You GO Hosea!
Then, on day two, the final day for these final three, Tom threw a curveball – of course.
Red fish, crab and alligator were handed over as main ingredients to be used in an additional hors d’ oeuvre. To decide who would get what, the chefs had to look for a baby baked inside a king cake. Hosea was declared king as he produced the small, plastic baby. And I think we all cheered a little for Hosea as he took the redfish for himself, gave Carla the crab and gave Stefan that alligator (or as Stefan would say, “s**t stick”).
My hopes for Carla ran high as she dodged one bullet after another. Then, poor, poor Carla let Casey tell her what to do. Now, I think we can all agree, that Casey is a very proficient chef, but just doesn’t know how to bring the love into her food. So, the judges all noticed the difference in Carla’s version of meat and potatoes. And we were all disappointed.
Hosea used Richard’s blackberry garnish, which the judges didn’t like either. But it was just a garnish, so he wasn’t heavily penalized. So, at the end of the day, it seemed that these three sous chefs were only good for taking orders from their chefs. Nothing else.
Stefan made a fabulous alligator soup and served a fantastic squab with his small fois gras but dug his own hole with a dessert that Gail dated back to 1982. It looked to me like something you could put together from a dessert buffet. Not very relevant.
But Hosea finished his meal with venison. And Toby wondered several times if dessert shouldn’t be the correct ending to any meal. I got a little angry as Toby harped on this point over and over. Who felt that Toby was pushing the Stefan-ticket a little too much in the end? (I’m raising my hand).
So, among Carla’s regretful tears, Hosea pulled out the final win, making him the Top Chef for season 5. Yay Hosea!
Next week, the chefs answer questions, but I will tune in for just one question. Are Leah and Hosea together now? Part of me would love to see their on-screen heat transcend off-screen, but I also get the feeling that Hosea is too good for Leah. Especially now that he is the Top Chef.
I agree, I felt Toby was pushing for Stefan too. Maybe it's just the Euro thing. I think Stefan's attitude soured Tom on him. Poor Carla, it's a moot point now, but I wish she had done her food instead of Casey's. It may have had a different ending. If not her though, I'm glad it was Hosea over Stefan.
Comment by Debbie — February 26, 2009 @ 9:49 am
I felt bad for Carla too and knew she was had as soon as she listened to Casey. I'm sure she learned a valuable lesson, and actually it could teach us all a lesson. I wasn't so anti Stefan's dessert as it had everything I liked and who cares if it looks like the 80's if it tastes good! Frankly once Fabio was eliminated I didn't really care who won, but will tune into the reunion too.
Comment by Roanoke RnR — February 26, 2009 @ 10:37 am
Debbie, I wondered if it was a "Euro-thing" too. But Toby's always been a pretty big fan of Stefan.
I also meant to mention that Stefan might not have won, because he would have been the obvious choice. That would've been pretty boring. Don't you think?
I also wonder if the editing didn't turn us against Stefan more, because the editors did know the outcome and they wanted America mad at him. Stefan HAS had his moments, but maybe he did some nice things and they were cut.
What do you think?
Comment by Amy Hanek — February 26, 2009 @ 11:05 am
They do edit to elicit viewer response, so that may have done that. He did have his nice moments. He was very arrogant, but he was also quick to help others when they needed it. As he said once, he wanted to win but he wanted it to be fair. He and Fabio were Team Euro, but they both live in California.
The blogs on the TC site are interesting today. In the Team Top Chef one, the writer says Gail is still wondering if they made the right choice. Richard Blais said Stefan's squab and cabbage was the best dish he tasted there, but sometimes the best doesn't win. Gail said they were all rooting for Carla and were so sad she failed. Hosea was on the bottom more than Stefan but he cooked good food for the finale.
Comment by Debbie — February 26, 2009 @ 11:52 am
I have also been cruising the food blogosphere today for reaction to last night's finale. This entry on Grub Street was most interesting: http://tinyurl.com/cc6ag4.
Be sure to click on Stefan's exit interview and watch that. On the one hand, he claims he's not as bad a guy as he was made out to be. But then he proceeds to describe how he could make the perfect female body out of the parts of various cheftestants. Sigh.
I still enjoy watching this show, but I know that "Top Chef" is probably to the real restaurant world as "CSI" is to the real forensic science scene. The Top Chef folks say it is all about food, but it isn't. It's all about ratings.
That's why (in my humble opinion), they sent home Ariane instead of Leah and Hosea, who were spicing up the show with their flirting. And that's why, even if some of the judges secretly hated him, they kept Stefan on until the very end. He kicked up too much s*** with the others to be sent packing.
I find it amusing that the Top Chef folks say they a) don't factor in character when judging and b) only judge on the food before them and never past performances. Sure, they follow those rules -- but only when it is convenient for them.
On a final, related note, I ask you this: Can we really take Padma seriously when she talks about food? If we could before, how about now that she's doing A HARDEE'S COMMERCIAL???
That's right, back to Grubb Street: http://tinyurl.com/c7m7pj
Comment by lindseynair — February 26, 2009 @ 2:39 pm
That show is a vehicle for Padma to show off her wardrobe. Tom Colicchio and Gail Simmons have cred's, but where did Padma come from?
Did you see Stefan asking the fortune teller about Jamie last night? That's one romance that I don't think will happen.
You made some very valid points. I just got hooked on this show. I guess because some of the food they cook looks so good, and it has people you love and some you love to hate.
I think I'm one of the few who didn't hate Marcel. Hate his hairdo but not him.
Comment by Debbie — February 26, 2009 @ 3:04 pm
Actually Lindsey, Top Chef isn't all about the food, or the ratings...it's all about product placement. Don't you just want to run out and get a mega roll of Glad Wrap?
Comment by Roanoke RnR — February 26, 2009 @ 3:13 pm
Lindsey, I'm sure you're right. I truly enjoy the food the cheftestants create, but am a junkie of the personal strife going on throughout each season.
Now, I've wondered a lot about Padma this year. My husband's always asking, "who's Padma?" Well, I have a hard time believing she digests every bite of food made each season. She's so skinny!! Maybe she does that weird California thing displayed in the show "Sex in the City." (Miranda meets up with an old guy friend that lost a lot weight. He lost the weight by "tasting" his food, then spitting it out. Ewwwww.) But for this skinny-little thing to condone Hardees (some of the worst fast-food in the nation)??? Her culinary IQ points just dropped below zero for me.
Comment by Amy Hanek — February 26, 2009 @ 3:19 pm
Roanoke RnR, it occurred to me last night that the chefs often have to move from one kitchen to another or from downstairs to upstairs, BECAUSE of the gladware product placement.
If I were on the show and made it to the end, I'd be cursing that company up and down.
Comment by Amy Hanek — February 26, 2009 @ 3:22 pm
I use Glad Wrap simply because I prefer it to Saran Wrap, but I never gave any thought to it until today when I pulled the box out of my cabinet because I needed it. I was using it long before Top Chef though.
That product placement pays for Padma's frocks.
Comment by Debbie — February 26, 2009 @ 6:13 pm
Yep, the Glad thing annoys the heck outta me. Everyone's talking in front of giant walls of Glad boxes. Haa!
I have wondered, too, if Padma really eats. But she's probably one of those people who just has good genes, and works out with a personal trainer and eats hardly anything all day before she has to eat a big tasting meal.
Comment by lindseynair — February 26, 2009 @ 6:27 pm
Lindsey, you're probably right. Lucky her.
Comment by Amy Hanek — February 26, 2009 @ 8:05 pm
I read an interview w/Padma online yesterday, and she said she works out a lot. I also found out while googling her, that she had a show on the Food Network a long time ago.
Comment by Debbie — February 27, 2009 @ 7:54 am
Thanks for clearing that up Debbie, but I don't remember Padma ever being on the Food Network. And I've tuned in for many years. I'm sure she's telling the truth, but it must've been a long, long time ago (back when they cooked in caves?). lol.
Comment by Amy Hanek — February 27, 2009 @ 9:18 am
That's what I was thinking Amy.
It was called Passport to something, ha I forgot. You can google her and find out what it was. Another interview w/her said she gains 12 to 15 lbs each season on Top Chef so she has 2 wardrobes. If she gains weight, I sure don't know where!!! Maybe that's whay she started working out.
I always wanted to be tall and willowy with long straight hair. I got stuck with short and dumpy and naturally wavy hair. Nature is cruel sometimes. ha
Comment by Debbie — February 27, 2009 @ 11:47 am
Just a note for you Top Chef watchers. The reuniion show is on at 9:00 tonight, not the usual 10:00.
Comment by Debbie — March 4, 2009 @ 7:53 am
Thanks for the reminder Debbie. I almost forgot!!
Comment by Amy Hanek — March 4, 2009 @ 12:14 pm