Episode 14: Finale

Alright- this is it, Joseph vs Adrienne! Who would have thought... I am cheering for both- I want Joseph because he's on my team, but I want another woman to win so I'd be happy to see Adrienne take it. I've thought Joseph was a better chef this whole season, but Adrienne has finally figured out her strengths and passion and is a powerhouse now!

Finale is as expected- cook the best 4 course meal of your life- side by side, dish by dish. They get to pick some sous chefs! (SIDE NOTE: I mentioned this to Doug and Bri but didn't get the chance to run this by others. I was thinking that if your eliminated chef is chosen to help the finalist cook, you should get some points, maybe 2? We can wait to implement till next season, or do it now. Let me know what you think!)

Adrienne gets to pick sous chefs firsts - she takes Chris (GREAT choice for Southern food) and Carrie- good team! She's keeping her soulful, southern, but elevated trend, which is really working for her!

Joseph takes Joe first and Fatima second- also a good team! He's going Italian - and he's feeling pretty great about it!

Like I said before- I LOVE the bonding these chefs have done and the love and respect they all have for each-other. Maybe there has been a shift in the restaurant world- chefs are seeing that you attract more flies with honey, and that treating people well and with respect helps you in the long run. Love!

They're still cooking at elevation... 11,000 ft which isn't easy, there are all sorts of weird things that happen to food at altitude. They don't have much time to practice either- nerve wracking! I just want them to be able to execute! If it were me- I would NOT bake!!!! No-Bake Cheesecake FTW!

Surprise!!!! Graham and Tom are cooking for the chefs when they get back! Nice little flip- and the food looks awesome!

First Course:
A: Spoon Bread, Sea Urchin, Buttermilk Dashi, Ham, Caviar & Wheat Tuile- It's delicious and provocative. It was sensual and had a flavor combination that no one has ever experienced. Padma said it was the best thing she ate all season.

J: "Tonno Vitellato" Raw Tuna with Veal Demi Aioli, Smoked Wagyu Powder & Capers- They love the acidity and the fat powder was creative. It was clean and simple, but not new. Very playful and balanced.

I THINK Adrienne takes the dish?

Second Course:
A: Blackened Octopus with Squid Ink Grits & Fennel Chow-Chow- It's beautiful and super tasty, but eats dry, could use more grits! It was such a great idea!

J: "Tortellini Brodo" Grano Arso Tortellini, Pig Head, Apple, Black Truffle & Braising Liquid Broth- It's "damn" amazing! They LOVED it. Gail will never forget this dish, it was perfect.

I THINK Joseph takes the dish?

Third Course:
A: Cheerwine Braised Short Rib, Black Eyed Peas with Ham Hock & Cheerwine Bone Marrow Bordelaise- YUM it looks so good! It all goes together very well, but it was a bit dry.

J: "Manzo Di Colorado" Roasted Beef Ribeye with Roasted Asparagus & Smoked Bone Marrow Sauce- The meat is over-rested and chewy, but the Asparagus is "magic!"

I can't tell who took this one- DAMN they are both crushing it!!!!

Fourth Course:
A: Banana Pudding with Yuzu, Banana Spears & Vanilla Wafers- Very good and intellectual, whatever that means. The banana flavor was a bit washed out.

J: "Torta Della Nonna" Brown Sugar cake, Whipped Ricotta, Blueberry Thyme Sauce & Chocolate Shards- YUMMY! The cake was great and had good flavor, but the Ricotta was heavy.

They were nit-picking for issues- they both did great and I have NO idea who took this one!

Best food of the whole season was served today! The judges have their work cut-out for them picking a winner! Both chefs have grown so much this season but there can only be one Top Chef, and it's Joseph Flamm!!! I am happy and sad, Adrienne is such a good chef, but Joseph did a great job! LCK picks the winner AGAIN!

Excited to see the the reunion show and see what everyone is up to now! Also- should Fan Favorite earn points? Thoughts? 

Episode 13: A Little Place Called Aspen

Final 3!!!  NOT the final 3 I expected! Joe Sasto Pick 5, Adrienne Cheatham Pick 9 and Joseph Flamm Pick 4! None were chosen in the 1st round. I do love how tight they all are. I think this season's chefs are the closest I've ever seen. There was very little drama- it was really just Claudette and Tanya, and it was very contained. 

Guest judge Chris Cosentino- Top Chef Masters winner!!!! 

Can we talk about Padma's outfit for a second? REALLY!?!?!?! So ridiculous. 

Quickfire- catch your own fish, and cook it! Otherwise you get to use some canned fish! This is kinda fun, but stressful! Poor Adrienne, takes her FOREVER to catch one- at least she knows fish!!!! How has Joe never cleaned a fish?!?!?!?! Another thing I would have practiced before coming to Top Chef. 

Adrienne is up first with a Pan-Seared Trout with Sprint Onion & Jalapeño Ponzu Vinaigrette. She left it partly raw which apparently was a bad move with river fish... they wouldn't even eat it. They loved everything else about it- especially the fish skin.

Joe made a Smoked Trout Rillette with Spring Onion Corn Cakes & Summer Berry Glaze. He accidentally cooked his fish all the way which ended up in his favor. They enjoyed the fun, playful dish!

Joseph made Pan-Seared Trout, Black Garlic Beurre Blanc with Fennel, Mushrooms, Asparagus & Bread Crumbs. They loved his bread crumbs, but his fish skin couldn't compare to Adrienne's. 

The winner of the Quickfire is Joseph! 

Elimination Challenge: Host an event at the Food and Wine Classic. They will serve to 200 attendees including Chef Superstars. And their dish much be vegetarian- made with a cowboy cauldron. They each get a Sous Chef- and Joseph gets to pick first- he chooses Carrie, and assign the others- Bruce with Adrienne, and Chris with Joe. This is tough!!! They're all taking risks, but staying true to themselves. I think Joseph is the most confident overall. Adrienne is sure of her own strengths, but seems nervous about execution. Joe is most uneasy, I think he has potential with his dish, but he just doesn't have a complete vision. 

Joe made a Beet Carpaccio with Beet Yogurt, Green Bean Tomato Vinaigrette & Sourdough Bread. There is a lot going on with the plate and the flavor is great- but it's not cohesive, and the bread was a bit neglected. They loved the Beet Yogurt and the contrasts of flavor though. 

Adrienne made a Charred Corn Pudding wrapped in Swiss Chard with Shishto Peppers & Champagne Broth. It's very delicate and well seasoned- textures are great, but she could have charred more. They loved her creativity!

Joseph made a Grilled Baby Zucchini topped with Hazelnut Zucchini Pesto, Mushroom Vinaigrette, Goat Cheese & Raw Asparagus Salad. He did the best job getting the char from the caldron and his veggies were stand-out, and the cheese really grounded it. Their only issue is with such a large piece of zucchini which isn't a super flavorful veggie on it's own. 

Overall they all did well- Tom wanted more of the fire flavor with everyone, but given the challenge, they all stepped up! 

Joseph Flamm gets the WIN! Back from LCK- it's a trend!

And the Chef going home is Joe. He's so talented and so young, I think he'll do great things!!!! 

That means Adrienne and Joseph are in the FINALE!!!!! I know she's not on my team, but I still love to see the ladies kick some ass! Crazy thing is both Adrienne and Joseph have 33 points going into the finale, however I think LeChevre will get the win no matter what at this point- boo. 

Episode 12: Sunday Supper

Final Four!!! With the Voltaggio Brothers!!!

Quickfire: Rocky Mountain Oysters!!! They get 30 mins to create a dish, 2 ways! Ugh- this is not a challenge I'd want to judge. Carrie is smart for having practiced, but her dish is grossing me out.

Overall they did alright- given the ingredient. It's funny how similar everyone's dishes were, except Adrienne who I think was most creative.

Joseph and Carrie are on the bottom- the two chefs with some experience cooking Rocky Mountain Oysters!

Adrienne and Joe are on the top. The Chef that served the best dish is Joe! He is on a roll!!! (And stupid LeChevre sweeps.

The drive to the challenge looks like a car commercial! "Lets break Joe's fingers"-Carrie,  I like that idea ;)
 

When they arrive to the "Elimination Challenge" they all see family members who've cooked a meal for everyone! Joe's dad cracks me up- hahaha. 

Elimination Challenge is to take inspiration from the dish their family member made and elevate it. They only get 90 minutes to make the dish (except Joe, that's the advantage, 30 more mins)- and they seem a little nervous. I think they need to simplify and elevate- not recreate... It will be interesting to see how they make it work. 

Joe is breaking my heart- you can tell how close he was to his mom. I wish I didn't like him as much as I do, seriously rooting for him, but not LeChevre. 

Joe's Lasagna with Pigs Foot Gravy turned into Pig's Feet Rotolo with Braised Chicken, Mushrooms & Swiss Chard. The judges think it still has all the soul of the original but has been really elevated! The dry edges were a bit much- the only criticism.

Carrie's Beef Stroganoff turned into Beef Stroganoff Raviolo with Buffalo Sausage, Mushroom Duxelle, Herbed Creme Fraiche & Caramelized Onions. I love that Joseph's grandma loves it- and the judges do too! Everyone likes the direction she took with such a common dish but she missed an opportunity to give it a real sauce. 

Adrienne's Gumbo turned into Butter Poached King Crab Leg & Shrimp with Trinity, Fried Andouille Chips & Rice. She really did a good job elevating Gumbo. It was perfectly seasoned and well executed. 

Joseph's Rigatoni with Meatballs turned into Pork & Veal Agnolotti with Pomodoro Paste, Parmesan & Basil. Again, like the other chefs, he really elevated the dish. He was able to add layers of great flavor effortlessly! He had the best pasta of the day, but the whole dish needed salt. 

Who the hell is on the bottom?!??!!?! Sometimes I wonder if the judges are just being nice in front of the families? But it seemed they were all good! 

The winner is Adrienne! WHOA! First win!

"There are no bottoms today" -Padma. (NO IDEA HOW TO SCORE THIS NEED INPUT- since everyone else would be "on the bottom" do they all get negative points, or should we only give negative to the chef going home? As I write his I don't know who that is and my instinct is the latter which I will do for now.) I just want them all to be the winners of Top Chef!

The chef going home is... Carrie. Ugh- I would be upset with anyone they sent home, but it's hard to see the local girl go. 

And Bug is OUT. 

Episode 11: Cooking High

Off to Telluride! Down to 4- pre LCK winner. This is the beginning of the end! Wylie Dufresne is the guest judge! 

Quickfire: They have 30 mins to create a gastropub inspired dish with Sarsaparilla. They can pick 4 items one by one in order from the pile of ingredients and the winner gets $10K! The LCK winner headed back in is Joseph! He gets gets to steal 1 item from each of the other competitors pile- BURN! That is tough, I am glad this isn't sudden death! 

Chris' Chicken Fried Steak looked BOMB! Joe's Chilled Soup looked alright, not my cup of tea. Joseph's Pork should be the best since he stole everything but he didn't get the char he wanted. Carrie got pretty screwed losing her protein but her idea is clever, but simple. Adrienne's Chicken looked pretty tasty!!!! Who missed????

Adrienne's Chicken didn't highlight the Sarsaparilla and Joseph's pork was a bit dry and no Sarsaparilla flavor.

On top are Chris' awesome steak, Joe's soup which was a perfect temp and Carrie's soup topper which was super creative! The winner of the $10K highlighted the Sarsaparilla best, and that is Carrie- again! DAMN!

Elimination Challenge- serve a high concept dish and the highest restaurant in the US. They must have a baked item on the plate. They get the rest of the day to experiment at altitude - this is a first! You'd also assume that before coming to the show, IN COLORADO, you'd read up a bunch on what it's like to cook at altitude. It's no joke! Haha- their test items remind me of my first cupcakes... that were more like bowls!

I love how dramatic the gondola ride is....

I feel bad for Padma- I read she had really bad altitude sickness. This is not the food I'd want to eat not feeling well. 

Joseph is up first. He made a Buttermilk Braised Pork Loin with Pea Sorrel Puree, Pepper Jam & Goat Cheese Buttermilk Drop Biscuits. The judges liked his flavor and textures. He had a great balance of flavor. 

Carrie made a Wagyu Ribeye with Foie Gras, Spring Vegetables & Honey Cornbread. Her dish is not cohesive, but has great flavor. Her cornbread is awesome- she totally nailed the baking element. Unfortunately when you say you will make Beef Wellington, it sets that expectation with the judges and they seem a bit let down. 

Joe served a Roasted Duck with Spring Peas, Cherry Jam & Kombucha Cherry Puffs. The Duck was cooked perfect. The Cherry Puff was dry but everything else was exceptional. 

Adrienne is so proud of her dish- and I am proud of her! Go girl! She made a Butter Poached Lobster with Mountain Bread, Champagne Beurre Blanc & Caviar. The judges love it. It's buttery and has nice acid. It's not exciting and pretty typical of fine dining, but it's done well. 

Chris is last and there is a lot to live up to! He made a Crispy Black Pepper Quail with Corn Pudding, Butternut Squash, Maple & Bacon Cornbread. The dish is delicious, but the quail is overcooked at altitude. 

They all did great- the judges seem to really be nitpicking. 

3 favorites are Joe, Joseph and Adrienne, but the winner is Joe! 

Carrie and Chris are on the bottom... sad for both. We really are at the end. Someone HAS to go home. I don't think anyone made any mistakes. The judges critique is all compliments! But in the end- Chris is packing his knives. 

LCK 11 & 12

Two Rounds, winner takes all LCK!

It's the BEARS- Brother, Bruce and Joseph! And the challenge is to cook Porridge! Who will get it just right? Two of them will move on!

The Verdict: They were all really good! Bruce did another Barley dish- but it was very nice and rich,  Brother did a White Quinoa dish with a great fish and good contrast and Joe also did a Barley dish risotto style- done well and had a lot of background flavor.

Tom's favorite is Brother! And the second chef moving on is Joseph! Bruce is OUT!

FINALE! Who will make it back in???

The challenge is WIDE open. They just have to cook- with the best pantry of the season! Tom will get 1/3 of the vote, the eliminated chefs will make up 1/3 of the vote and Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson comes back for the last 1/3.

They are both so passionate and cooked their hearts out!!!

The Verdict: Brother was bold, the chicken was juicy but simple and the stuffing had a nice flavor, but the raspberry seemed unnecessary. Joe was edited but very super flavorful, however his lamb was a little chewy. The winner is unanimous! And we'll find out who it is next week!!!

Episode 10: Red Rum and Then Some

RED RUM!!!! This is what I say at work when I am frustrated with some one hahahaha! I feel like Bruce and Adrienne are being highlighted this episode... hmm.

Last Quickfire before the finals!!! AHHH. They will have to make a dessert from their worst nightmare. This is weird... I really don't understand this theme. I get that it's the hotel from The Shining, but this seems a bit too abstract. My nightmare is baking at altitude- does that count?

Best line:
Carrie- "How are you going to make an egg!?!"
Joe- "How am I supposed to make a chicken!"
yeah... haha

They're all having fun with it- so that's good. I am just glad this is a QF and not an elimination. Bruce is a MESS!!!!! But at least he got something on his plate. Carrie bombed running out of time.

On the bottom are Carrie and Bruce- no surprise.

On top were Joe, Chris and Adrienne! The Quickfire winner is Chris!

Elimination Challenge- create a dish that tells the story of their journey on Top Chef in Colorado! This is a good one as it's the final Elimination Challenge before they go to Telluride!!! They will serve Governor Hickenlooper at the Boettcher Mansion along with other notable Colorado Chefs.

AWW SNAP! This is why they kept 2 LCK winners- Tom might bring two chefs back since these guys aren't living up the expectations- hopefully Tom lit a fire!!!!

Joe is up first! His dish is beautiful! I think he kept it simple and embraced the challenge. The judges are very impressed! It may have been his best dish yet- he did a great job editing himself.

Adrienne is next. She is happy with her focus and her dish. The judges think it was balanced and well seasoned. She did a good job focusing. Her fish was perfect and her flavors and style came into her own.

Carrie is in the middle! She took risks but stayed true to herself. The flavors came together very well and were well received by the judges. Her meat was perfect and the peppers with the blueberry sauce was a great combination!

Bruce is a bit stressed out going to judges table- he is not happy with his dish. The barley isn't cooked enough and it's over-seasoned. "Uninspired" is a word used at the table as well. He has 3 big technical fails- barley was under cooked, barley was way too salty and the duck was over rested.

Chris is the final chef! The crispy fish got less crispy after he added the sauce which he feared, but it was cooked well. Unfortunately the ravioli filling was off and dry. His risk of making pasta did not pay off- he went too far from his own style and didn't stay true to himself.

The judges were happy overall! The dishes that stood out were Carrie, Adrienne and Joe. Tough blow for team Pickely with both our chefs on the bottom!

Joe gets the win with his "perfect dish!"

And the chef headed to LCK is Bruce. Phew! I felt like it's been his time for awhile. He may have a lot of experience, but perhaps competition doesn't bring out his best.

LCK 10

Fatima and Joseph go to battle against Brother! Two get to advance this week!!!! They have to create a Taco Bar for EVERYONE to eat! Tom will build his own taco from what is available at the Taco Bar... which means he may not eat everything, just the stuff he wants! This is a LCK first- so much risk the more you add to the bar!!!

The Verdict: Brother went Tex-Mex, Fatima went Pakistani, Joseph went Korean- at least they mixed up the typical!!! I bet Tom had a hard time not adding everything to his tacos! He systematically omitted 1 thing from each chef and he liked all three!!! Down-sides- Brother was typical, Fatima's steak was too big of a cut and Joseph's tostada was tough to eat. Tom's favorite was Joseph! The 2nd chef moving forward is Brother.

Only 2 left and they're back in the competition!