FINALE- Mano a Mano

This is it! Greg and Mei in the Finale! They get to take a Hot Air Balloon ride over Mexico which must have been so cool! Shocked they were able to land near Tom and Padma!

Both of these chefs have been through a lot personally to get to this place and they are both very talented- but only one can win the $125K (which as I said last season is NOT a lot of money considering these people have actual talent)

They get 2 Sous Chefs each- Greg picks Dougie and George, and Mei picks Melissa and Rebecca (she is a pastry chef- SMART). Men vs. Women!

Mei gets to serve first, Greg second. They are cooking for some of the best chefs in the world- no pressure. Mei is staying very true to herself with her menu, and Greg is going a bit out of his comfort zone. 

Mei's Dinner:
First Course Dish: Octopus With Fish Sauce Vinaigrette, Avocado-Coconut Purée and Herbs (A little overcooked but they really liked it)

Second Course Dish: Congee With Carnitas, Scallion Purée, Hot Sauce, Peanuts and Egg Yolk (Everyone was really excited for this combo, it was balanced, flavorful and true to who she is)

Third Course Dish: Duck With Braised Lettuce, Kimchi Jicama and Huitlacoche (texture and balance are questioned, but again, everyone liked it)

Fourth Course Dish: Strawberry Lime Curd With Toasted Yogurt, Milk Crumble and Yogurt-Lime Ice (Huge risk doing dessert- "spectacular", "best dessert I've ever had on Top Chef" says Tom)

I think Mei started a little rocky but got stronger as the dishes progressed to a killer dessert. ALWAYS end on a dessert- that is my opinion!


Greg's Dinner:
First Course Dish: Grilled Octopus With Prickly Pear, Xoconostle, Passion Fruit and Cashew Milk (Loved the way it looked, and tasted. Sublime powerhouse)

 Second Course Dish: Shrimp Broth With Green Chorizo, Pickled Nopales and Crispy Shrimp Heads (Felt like a Gumbo, not a fan of the shrimp shells though)

Third Course Dish: Striped Bass With Roasted Carrots, Radish, Pineapple and Tomatillo (Too sweet with the carrot sauce and overall the dish just didn't work)

Fourth Course Dish: Red Mole With Short Ribs and Agave Sweet Potato (Loved the Mole and the beef was perfect)

Weird Greg didn't come closer to the judges to explain his dishes. He ended on a high note, but no dessert.

And the winner is... MEI! Yay Women chefs! This also mean that le'Chefre wins again this season! Congrats!