Top Chef - S8E12 Power Rankings

(This banner makes me feel sooooooo much better... hated that old one since the first day I used it.)

Well, heck, that was a pretty swell episode.

I mean, really, you get one of the worst most pointless challenges in Top Chef history, you have lame and cruel antics at Judges' Table (really, Elves, just stop), and it still manages to be arguably the best of the season. At the intersection of great cooking and great television lie the best Top Chef episodes, and this was one of them.

Not everybody's happy about the non-elimination, of course, but I love it. It just felt right, even before the judges started deliberating. It's been suggested that it's the judges' job to name a worst dish and this was somehow dereliction of duty, but really... we've now had 107 episodes of Top Chef. They couldn't have a hung jury just once in there somewhere?

Speaking of which, the assumption seems to be that nobody at JT could name a worst dish. But am I the only one who wonders if it wasn't actually a hung jury? We know from previous blogs and interviews that Judges' Table works on consensus. They argue and argue and argue until they agree about who should go. Or, as we've been told, when in rare circumstances they're unable to reach consensus, three who agree can overrule the fourth. But while we haven't really seen any direct evidence to suggest it, has anybody considered the possibility that they reached individual decisions, but were deadlocked? Even if the show was all sunshine and happiness, extended JT shows they certainly weren't lacking for criticisms, nitpicky though they may have been. I just wonder -- and I stress wonder -- if this wasn't less of a kumbaya moment and more of a Twelve Angry Men moment. Just a thought.

And what the heck, let's throw out another possibility that occurred to me. Here's a chunk of Tom's talk at JT:

"But, you know, again, I don't think we knocked anything for being cold, and just about every dish was cold. So I have a hard time-- because that's why [Richard's sauce] congealed, because the dish got cold. And there was such a long, long-- it was cold outside, and there was a long travel-- it was a long trip between the kitchen and the front, so that's-- I have a hard time with, with that."

Is he stopping himself from saying that he has a hard time judging the dishes when they weren't served hot? If, due to the setup, every dish was served cold and it was beyond the contestants' control, might the judges have thought it impaired their judging ability enough that it made an elimination inappropriate? Again, just a thought. Point being, I wouldn't completely dismiss the possibility that there were some other perfectly reasonable dynamics at work here.

The other thing I find so fascinating about this episode is that it further illustrates what I think is a clear shift in judging criteria. I've touched on it earlier this season, but the judges just seem more willing to accept simpler dishes, perfectly executed than they have been in seasons past. It used to be that got you two thirds of the way through the season, and then you had to turn on some heavy creativity to push through to the finish. But contestants have been scoring with some very, very traditional flavors, and to some degree I feel like the old rules have gone out the window. Maybe it's just the food this field has been making, I don't know, but has anybody been criticized for taking the easy route when it comes to degree of difficulty this season? Has anybody been criticized for making something predictable? It really does feel like they've come to a place where it isn't about creativity, and it isn't about expressing a mature, personal style, but rather it's taste rules all, full stop. I don't mean to suggest that's necessarily good or bad. But I'm more and more convinced that it's different.

You'll note that I based the stat count for this week's EC on the order in which people were sent on or held at JT. The point, and I think it's a very good one, has been made that it really wasn't clear that the last two standing were the bottom, or that Mike was on top. Whether that reflected a true ranking or was simply a dramatic ploy is unknown. But it seems probable to me that it wasn't completely arbitrary, and these numbers are sometimes judgment calls anyway, so that's how I'm going to score it. Also, we'd already reached the point of the season where I struggle for new things to say about the contestants, but we've had nearly TWO full seasons with these guys rather than the customary one, we've tacked on another episode, and we didn't even get rid of anybody since the last one. So forgive me if some of this is a little redundant.

The power rankings are not purely a prediction of who is most likely to win, or an assessment of last episode's dishes, or a reflection of the contestants' historical performance, but rather a nebulous amalgam of all three, combined with a little bit of gut feeling, to provide a relative measure of current awesomeness.

Wins

Top

Bottom

1 Antonia Quickfires 1 4 2 Last Week: 2 Eliminations 2 7 4 Weeeeeeeell, maybe not entirely redundant. Yeah, it's time. Two things put Antonia over the top for me this week. First was that, if you give her credit for last week's technical (but entirely legitimate) disqualification, she's been on top of nine straight challenges. My notes start in season four, and the closest I can find to that is a streak of six from Kevin Gillespie. I mean, this is really remarkable on its own, but then add to that the fact that we just saw a challenge where the last five standing in the all-star season were supposedly all kicking ass at the same time, and she walked away with the win. If those two things in tandem don't merit the top spot, I'm not sure what does. And if you want the rankings to be a little more predictive, the shift in judging that I mentioned above only works in Antonia's favor. I couldn't deny her the top spot this week even if I wanted to.

2 Richard Quickfires 3 7 1 Last Week: 1 Eliminations 3 6 1 Which isn't to say that Richard is far behind. We haven't seen Tom's bowled over look a whole lot this season, but that was it. That was the kind of giddy, energized response that the Voltaggi and Pork Jesus were able to coax out of him. As some have pointed out, Richard seems to be his own worst enemy at this point, but if he makes a few more dishes like that, this should be a very exciting finals. (Sea beans over braised short ribs? Really? Wow.)

3 Carla Quickfires 1 3 4 Last Week: 3 Eliminations 3 6 4 I will say that if not for the uncertainty surrounding the EC dishes' relative merits, I might again consider flipping Mike and Carla. But for lack of a clear bottom, I need to take at face value that the dishes were nearly equally awesome, and we'll just say that Carla seems to have purged the demons that plagued her in the previous episode. Nice to see her solidify her position going into the finals. And nice to finally put a face to Matthew as well!

4 Mike Quickfires 2 4 4 Last Week: 4 Eliminations 0 4 2 Anybody else starting to wonder if Mikey might actually make a go of it in the finals? That's an awful lot of praise over the past couple of episodes, and now he has a chance to reload and throw everything he has at two or three episodes. I don't think he's the best chef here, but as we've been discussing, this is a game, and he's played it pretty well. Now he has a seat at the finals table, and he just might do something with it.

5 Tiffany Quickfires 0 0 6 Last Week: 5 Eliminations 0 3 7 Wow. Talk about picking the perfect time to bring your best. Tiffany's been limping through the entire season, and at the precise moment when anything other than a Grade A top notch dish would have sent her home, she found it. I think you have to give her at best an outside chance at making the finale. But then again, as we've been saying, she's one of the two who have been running back-to-back seasons, and she's running on fumes. Might a little time off before the finals allow her to come back with the kind of run she showed in the second half of last season? Seems unlikely, but you have to wonder if she might come back from the break a different chef.

WARNING : MINOR EPISODE THIRTEEN SPOILERS AHEAD

So what the heck happens now?

It looks like we're getting three more episodes. So is it a straight single elimination, single elimination, three chef finale? You'd think so, but there are also hints towards another non-elimination... sort of... maybe. Bottom line, at this point it's anyone's guess.

I doubt the quickfire is going to be much more than an exhibition. Sure, some cash will be handed out and perhaps some advantage will be conferred upon the winner, but I doubt it's anything more than an opportunity to bring back more old faces. And I'm particularly excited to see Stephanie because, let's face it, she's kind of awesome.

The elimination looks pretty straightforward, cooking upscale food for Bahamian royalty. Just the kind of thing we like to see in the finals.

Here come the new hairdos... discuss!

Comments

[Mahalo]

Hi Dom,

I've been looking forward to seeing your new power rankings. I'm a lurker who has really been enjoying these TCAS debates and conversations. I didn't start off this way, but I've become a Antonia fan. At this point, Richard probably still goes into the finale as the favorite -- however, if anyone is going knock him off the top spot, it's Antonia. I just find I enjoy her and Carla so much on the show!

I came across this in-depth,lengthy magazine interview with Antonia in Jan. 2009, when she was still the chef at Foxtail.

http://www.americanwaymag.com/antonia-lofaso-tom-colicchio-lisa-fernandes-puerto-rico

The interview made me realize in season 4, up until the Top 4, she seriously wanted to win TC just as much as the other chefs-- she also was totally devastated when she did PYKAG over those undercooked pigeon peas.

Interestingly, she talked about a couple of things that have been discussed here recently: Using instinct vs. intellect in the cooking challenges, and cumulative scoring for the Elimination Challeges.

Quote: "As Lofaso tells it, “Cooking on the show has to be instinctual. It is as if you are having an out-of-body experience. You are basically cooking without your brain.”"

Quote: "All the more vexing to Lofaso was that she finished one place behind Fernandes. “Cumulatively, over the course of the show, my performance outweighed Lisa’s by 110 percent, and I felt that it could have gone either way in Puerto Rico,” she says, admitting that she might have been outclassed that one time but maintaining that she deserved some leeway based on the degree to which she excelled over Fernandes during previous challenges. “At the judges’ table that night, I said, ‘It’s hard to believe that this is not cumulative to some degree.’ They told me it isn’t.”

That exchange never aired."

[ally]

Mahalo thanks so much for the link to Antonia's interview. :)

Dom, what is the different banner? I even brought up the old one to compare side-by-side but i didn't see the difference. D:

[Skillet Doux]

Ally... you probably have the old one cached. A hard refresh will load the new one. Ctrl+F5 in IE, double-click the refresh button in Chrome... not sure about the other browsers.

[Vega]

Oh wow, that's a nice banner!

[Alamos Road]

One of the things that fascinates me most when I read your post and then the comments is how we all seem to hear and see something different. I heard Tom's comments about Richard's dish as a defense of the dish against criticism from the other (or perhaps only one other) judge(s). Tom seemed much more enthusiastic about Richard's plate than the others; Dan Barber called it "thoughtful" but that struck me as a rather clinical assessment, particularly when weighed against the reactions to some of the other dishes, and Padma seemed less than blown away. So when someone complained that Richard's sauce had congealed, Tom jumped in to say it was an unfair criticism because of the serving conditions. It's always been clear that Tom is Richard's biggest fan, which is a huge asset for Richard going into the finals (and presumably the finale).

[pietranseri]

Not sure where to put this, but, seriously?!

http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20110309/LIFE05/103090322/1224/RSS1208/-Top-Chef-contestant-gets-his-own-Syfy-show?odyssey=nav|head

Commence puking now.

[paula]

Tiffany's hairdo changes in one episode were what tipped me off that she made it to the finals. As much as we bash the elves, you have to admit that editing this show must be difficult as hell.

"The Voltaggi"! Have you ever used that before, Dom? LOVE IT.

And I love this season. I do want Richard to win, because I truly think he's the most deserving (dude is just IMPRESSIVE, and I like his personality and geeky passion, though the black cloud has been distracting). Antonia is a very close second--I was a fan during her season, and I'm even more of a fan now.

[Erik]

My wife and I agreed; our favorite episode in a couple seasons.

I’m actually looking forward to seeing Hosea again. He labored under the stigma of his fling with the walking shrug (Leah) and in the shadow of Blais’ Season 4. Hosea produced solid but unexciting food until the finale. But he had a great palette (his QF taste test win and the behind the scenes video taste test win) and studied his ass off, coming to the finale prepared.

Of all the TC winners, he’s the one I’m most interested in seeing how he’s developed. As stunning as the Voltaggi cooking can be, they always felt like finished products. He could be a surprise tonight.

[Independent George]

And I'm particularly excited to see Stephanie because, let's face it, she's kind of awesome.

Yep. Here in town, she's not just Steph - she's our Steph. I've met her at events, and while I know judging someone on fifteen seconds of interaction with a complete stranger is even less accurate than judging someone based on carefully edited TV footage, in my opinion she is, indeed, pretty darned awesome.

I must admit, though, that my opinion is possibly influenced by the fact that each time I encountered her, she was handing me a plate of braised pork.

I root for Carla in a manner similar to my rooting for Steph, but, sadly, she's never personally handed me pork on a plate. Matthew, I'm very jealous.

[mncharm]

Can't believe we're down to the finals! I'm all a-twitter.

Really hoping that all the chefs, but in particular Richard, Carla, and Antonia, throw out awesome efforts. Although Richard has long been my favorite TC contestant, I'll be happy if all of those three bring it and one of them walks away with the title. Good luck, chefs!

Dom, very interesting theory on the shift in judging. Think the pattern started in season 6, when Kevin was putting out "simpler" dishes than Mike/Brian/Jen, but was winning on taste/flavor?

[Skillet Doux]

mncharm... Possible, but frankly, most of Kevin's "simple" stuff was really out there compared to the recent crop of winning dishes, to put it in perspective. He did some really unconventional things, they just weren't unconventional in a flashy manner.

[Fred G]

Really like the new banner.

[nomnomnom]

I keep seeing reference to confusion as to how the chefs were sorted last episode. What confusion was there exactly?

Antonia - Top
Mike - Top
Richard - In
Carla - Low
Tiffany - Low

What evidence is there that the sorting they presented on the show was different than this?

[Skillet Doux]

nom... The judges didn't explicitly state which dishes were their favorites and which weren't, nor did they provide the summary criticism for bottom dishes, both of which they usually do. I agree that the way you list it is most likely correct, which is why I scored it that way, but it was an unusual JT format with no elaboration, and coupled with their assertion that everybody killed it, that leaves room for doubt.

[pietranseri]

@Erik -- "Of all the TC winners, he’s the one I’m most interested in seeing how he’s developed. As stunning as the Voltaggi cooking can be, they always felt like finished products. He could be a surprise tonight."

Well, I would agree that Hosea had the most room for growth of any of the winners we'll be seeing tonight. But don't you have to question a chef's taste if he's canoodling with the walking shrug? (And that, btw, is a pitch-perfect description of Leah.)

[redpoint]

I was happy to see Angelo's new casual restaurant promoted in the New York Times today:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/09/dining/09social.html?ref=dining

I'm so there. I hope it's better than Tom's 'wichcraft, which I ate at yesterday for the first time, and found mediocre. Maybe I ordered the wrong thing (potato and leek frittata with chedar and roasted tomatoes on a ciabatta roll) but damn, the bread itself was the biggest problem, and it truly lacked salt. Plus the atmosphere was non-existant.

[Independent George]

But don't you have to question a chef's taste if he's canoodling with the walking shrug? (And that, btw, is a pitch-perfect description of Leah.)

Maybe I'm being too sensitive, but I kind of dislike snarking on someone like that; it just seems cruel and unfair. No, I did not particularly like either Hoseah or Leah in S5, and I was grossed out by that whole storyline, and I believe their cuckolded boyfriend/girlfriend had every right to smack them each of them upside the head with cast iron pans. Nevertheless, it just feels like piling on to keep harping on it three years later.

[redpoint]

I love seeing Antonia at the top of the list!

[matthew]

@3nom - I can understand the impression, particularly if one just went by the order aired. I actually say that we don't have evidence to know one way or the other. Just as Dom pointed out, I am not quite sure the impressions/rating of the dishes played out that way we saw people released to the stew room. Here's how I saw it.

Antonia - Win (narrowly)

Mike - In

Richard - In

Tiffany - In

Carla - In

At this point, thought, it's really a rear view mirror issue. I suspect those in need of someone getting cut will get their wish tonight. That said, I cannot say that I am happily looking forward to tonight's episode. It's back to palpable anxiety. Ugh!

Sidebar: I apologize that I didn't post a piece on my blog about last week's show. I started writing, but after following the extensive discussion here, I felt like posting something about my experience (to the extent I could talk about it) as well as reflections on the food might bore people or simply feel gratuitous. If some of you are still interested, I'm happy to finish the piece. Shoot me an email or hit me on Twitter so we don't bog down Dom's blog

--> mdl@matthewdlyons.com or @matthewdlyons

[Bart]

redpoint: I've eaten at 'wichcraft for dinner several times. The atmosphere is a bit sterile, but the dinner menu is quite good, even if the portions are a little small.

[Krazikarl]

Yeah, I have to agree about the creativity thing.

I was actually quite surprised that Richard didnt win. I thought that since it sounded like all the dishes were nearly even on taste, that they would go to creativity as a tie breaker. I'm no expert, but Richard's dish sounded WAY more creative than Antonia's, so I thought he had it for sure.

I'm a bit torn on whether or not its a good thing. On one hand, I enjoy seeing creative food on TV more. Watching people bang out perfect but classic Italian dishes doesnt really excite me as much as watching somebody do something I've never heard of before. But if I was eating at a restaurant, the ability to bang out a perfectly executed but classic dish would be just fine and would matter a lot more than creativity.

[rab01]

Alamos -- I agree whole-heartedly with this comment: "One of the things that fascinates me most when I read your post and then the comments is how we all seem to hear and see something different."

In part, because I disagree with this: "It's always been clear that Tom is Richard's biggest fan, which is a huge asset for Richard going into the finals (and presumably the finale)."

I just don't see it. During Richard's season, Ted seemed to me to be Richard's biggest fan. I can't remember Tom ever being the judge most viscerally enjoying a dish by Richard. But my perception is probably colored by Tom's Diet Coke commercial poking fun at twee restaurant plating and I associate that more with Richard's type of food than Carla's or Antonia's.

[pietranseri]

Erik, that was meant to be a joke. But in the words of the great Al Swearingen, I am at my stupidest when I try to be funny.

I think what bothered me about Hosea was that I never got a sense of him as a chef, or more to the point, that he was not very articulate about his vision or what he was trying to do. I find that other chefs are explain their thought process really well, even if they weren't able to execute it during that challenge, for whatever reason. Maybe he's better than I think, just not very good at talking about the process.

That said, I still hope Carla kicks his butt tonight.

[jh]

@matthew, not to bog down this blog :-), but was all the food served cold that night?

[paula]

@Krazikarl: This idea interests me a lot--"On one hand, I enjoy seeing creative food on TV more. Watching people bang out perfect but classic Italian dishes doesnt really excite me as much as watching somebody do something I've never heard of before. But if I was eating at a restaurant, the ability to bang out a perfectly executed but classic dish would be just fine and would matter a lot more than creativity."

One of my favorite things about TC--but also about eating at restaurants, or even cooking something I've never done before--is seeing something totally unexpected that nonetheless works beautifully. It certainly makes for better TV when a contestant can make Tom (or Eric Ripert, or Daniel Boulud) taste a dish and then literally light up. If you can surprise and delight those guys, who've eaten and cooked all kinds of amazing food for years, I think that's just the holy grail.

And that's my favorite restaurant experience, too. I love to order something that sounds just bizarre, like an odd combination of ingredients or cooking techniques, and then discover something I never would have imagined. I fully appreciate a great plate of a classic dish, and can get all When-Harry-Met-Sally-in-the-diner over a sublime roasted chicken and vegetables, but that thrill of discovery is so much more memorable to me.

[Scott]

I'm glad Dom touched upon the change in judging criteria because that's what is bothering me the most this season. I think there's a difference between simple food and safe food. I find Antonia's food has been fairly straight forward, food I find in most restaurants, but executed beautifully. While food that Carla cooks are a bit more creative, with my fav. Kevin Gillespie the most creative simple food creator of the bunch. I don't mind if the food taste good, but I honestly wished they touched about creativity aspect when there's a stand still. It seems almost irresponsible to not bring in other criteria when there's a virtual tie in the taste front.

Nevertheless, I'm just bitter because my Dale and Angelo got eliminated already.

[matthew]

@JH - I'd say the first two dishes were warm. However, as it got later, the chill was definitely in the air. The breeze coming off the East River was quite nippy. (I felt for the women with the women with dresses and now jackets or shawls. I think that's why you notice us commenting, primarily, after we've eaten the food, as opposed to during. Interestingly enough, Carla's broth had a nice heat (spice) on the finish, which was a good thing because by the time I spooned up the last of bit of the dish, it was cold.

random thought - As we head into the finale, we all know people cheer if their favorite wins; but I've been wondering if there is the potential for any fall out or ho-hum feelings -- depending on who wins it all.

I'm drawing the following from what I've gleaned by reading FAR too many blogs about Top Chef than I care to admit.

Ok...for instance:

If Richard wins, it is anticlimactic? I think most have to admit that Richard was probably the odds-on favorite to win the show going in. I suppose if you're cheering him on, a victory will feel sweet. I just wonder if even the slightest bit of "I knew that was going the happen" would kick in if Richard proves victorious. Everyone loves to pick a winner, but I think a fair amount of people still like or root for an underdog.

I wonder about the reception for Mike as Top Chef. I've been around Mike. He's a good guy. There are definitely a lot of people who like the Mike's more in-your-face, smack-talking style. With that in mind, I actually think Mike's cooking on the show may be getting overshadowed by his on-air/in the kitchen personality. His food looks solid.

Carla has become friends with Tiffany and she's cool as hell to me, but I can't help but wonder if people would be throwing shoes at the TV is Tiffany made a run to the title. Unfortunately, like Carla, Tiffany had a rough couple of weeks leading up to the last episode. Nevertheless, I think if people were objective, they'd acknowledge that Tiffany is talented. So much of Top Chef, for viewers, is about impressions. I think the one made by Tiffany this season is not as strong as Season 7. I feel for her, because she's been going non-stop for the better part of a year.

I think there would be some hang-wringing by some if Carla got it together and won. (The folks at CinemaBlend would go into complete meltdown!) There definitely is a warm reception for Carla out there (thanks all), but I also know that a fair amount of critics exist, too. I think, perhaps more than some of the other competitors, if Carla is in a zone, I don't know if the grumbling would be as loud as it might be for others. However, I have a feeling that a rather passionate contingent of TC loyalists wouldn't be happy if "comfort food" beat out Richard's innovations.

I really like Antonia's arc. I honestly don't think Antonia has a downside. From where I sit, she's really likable, and has a great story as a talented chef professional chef who balances that with being a loving, single parent. (Richard, by all impressions, is a great parent as well.)

I apologize that my random thought lead to all of that, but I thought it might generate some interesting conversation. Let me state again, this was a collection of musings after coming up for air from reading blogs. It is not a reflection of how I feel about any of the chefs. I can honestly say, even as much as I want Carla to win, that I would cheer and be happy for any of these chefs. They're all talented chefs and really good people.

[mncharm]

matthew, it's great to hear an insider's perspective. I too (with my far more limited knowledge) have the impression that all the remaining chefs are talented -- I don't think any would be a hideous embarrassment as a winner.

I'd like to see one of Richard/Antonia/Carla because they've all performed so well this season. I don't think there's any question Tiffany has underperformed vis a vis her talent level (I have little doubt fatigue is indeed a factor, as it appeared to be for Angelo as well), and Mike has put up great dishes as well in both his seasons. Even better to hear they are good people as well.

But it just "feels" to me like this is a season one of RAC should win. If the chefs generally perform, though, I'll be satisfied. I didn't think Kevin was the favorite going into Season 7's finale, for example, but I thought the ending was satisfying: all three chefs cooked well, and he cooked the best. Hoping for a redo here.

[matthew]

@mncharm - I don't know about being an insider (blush), but I have had the chance to be around most of the chefs, or least communicate with them in one form or another.

I have to apologize about the multiple typos. Ugh! The thoughts in the previous post have been spinning in my head for the better part of the day; so I finally closed my office door and, rather hastily, banged them out. Sorry about that.

[Robin]

Don't be sorry, Matthew - it's so interesting to read your thoughts on all this!

[Polybus]

@Matthew "I just wonder if even the slightest bit of 'I knew that was going the happen' would kick in if Richard proves victorious."

Well, I don't make any bones about the fact that I am rooting for Richard to win. But I expect him to lose. I expect some kind of overthinking and plop, he's done. This causes a lot nervousness in watching, just waiting for that one moment when he trips. So, if he does win, I will be extremely happy and not "I knew that was going to happen."

I would be likewise very, very happy if either Antonia or Carla won. I have great respect for both of them.

But I respect all of these chefs. Would I be a little disappointed if Tiffany or Mike won? Yes. But I would not be throwing anything at the TV. They are very good chefs and this is a game, so if they won, I'd think they deserved it.

Side Note: Even though I've never tasted her food, I wouldn't use the term "comfort food" for what Carla does. You can get "comfort food" at Mel's Diner, but I'm betting it wouldn't taste anything like Carla's cooking.

[matthew]

LOL. Thanks! Now I've got to get an image of Mel, Alice, Flo, and Vera out of my head.

[EdT.]

One thing about Tiffany that may affect her in the finals - and may have affected her through at least part of the season - is that the Dallas restaurant where she was exec. chef, Go Fish, closed suddenly - as in "without warning, or as much as a by-your-leave" - last fall. Per an interview with her in the Houston Chronicle (via Dallas Morning News food blog.)

http://blogs.chron.com/tubular/archives/2011/03/top_chef_all_st_12.html

~EdT.

[Dreamboat]

@matthew, you raise and interesting topic. I don't think I would be disappointed with any of the chef's winning.

That being said, It would be hard for me to say that Tiffany deserves it. She has 0 wins this season. Unless she really performs much better than she has been AND much better than all the other chefs, I would not think it was fair. While I understand TC is not a cumulative judging, if she and another chef were both cooked at the top of their game, I would expect the other chef to win.

I am rooting for Blais because he the home town chef. If he wins then maybe he will open a "real" restaurant in ATL. I have been to Flip and loved and and will go back. But it is, in the end, just a burger joint.

I love both Carla and Antonia. I would be excited if either win. They have both been on their game this season and I like both of their styles.

And then Mikey...aw Mikey. He is like my big brother -- I just want to smack him sometimes. But he puts together interesting food.

What I do not want to see is any of the chef's choke. Blais, Carla, and Antonia all choked (in some way) in the finale of their season. I don't want to see that again. Mike and Tiffany were eliminated before the finale in their season and were sent home on OK food, but I am not sure I would characterize it as choking.

Now I am rambling so it is time to stop

[jh]

@Dreamboat- Blais had a "real" restaurant about 7 years ago called BLAIS. It received some really great reviews, but closed after 6 months. I wonder if he opened FLiP in part due to the economy. He's worked as an EC and a consultant for various restaurants around Atlanta like Home and One Midtown Kitchen.

[Karen B]

here is a very nice interivew with Carla- among other things she addresses the gender divide amongst the chefs. I thought this was a lovely interview- I just really like Carla from everything I see and read.

http://www.ology.com/screen/exclusive-interview-carla-hall-top-chef-all-stars

[Karen B]

oh, and it is totally spoiler free

[paula]

I would absolutely throw a shoe at my TV if Mike wins this whole thing.