Finale Season 10

Wow, what an intense episode! This was a very exciting and fun finale! I will say though that I think the chefs should have cooked all 5 dishes and then have been judged at the end... even if they did the format the same with the best out of 3 wins. It was so hard to see Brooke getting crushed each round emotionally. I think they should have been on more fair ground the whole time they were cooking. 

I thought the Sous- Chefs they picked were very interesting and I wish they had shown more of the prep process. I thought it was funny that Brooke had Stefan AND CJ. I think Kristen took the better route choosing chefs with less ego, not that Brooke's did bad, but I could see the difference. 

The stage was crazy!!! I really liked the live audience but it was VERY similar to Iron Chef- even Kristen said so in the Andy Cohen interview after the show- but still something fun and different for the 10th season!

As far as the actual food goes... I personally liked Brooke better. I feel like she cooks food that anyone would eat, uses bold exciting flavor combinations and takes a lot of risks. Kristen obviously can cook, but I feel like she cooks more "out of reach" upscale food that not everyone would understand or enjoy. Obviously the judges are in her demographic so it was a fair fight and Kristen fought well. It was painful watching dish by dish though!

It all came down to Tom in the end and he picked Kristen on round 4, deciding her fate as the winner of Top Chef Season 10. Tom picked her again and again this whole season with LCK... it almost would have been weird to see him choose Brooke!  

She joins many great Top Chefs- most of which have a few restaurants! She said in the interview after the show that she plans on staying where she is as a sous chef and saving most of the winnings, except for her trip to Korea. Hung was also present during the interview and said it was a total tie as far as the past Top Chefs were concerned. They all thought there were hits and misses but that they couldn't have decided a winner and that the judges had a tough job!

Congrats KRISTEN!!! Too bad her win wasn't enough for JeffCo Cartel to bounce back, and Pickely takes Season 10! :)

In case you were wondering who the fan favorite was... it is SHELDON! 

I think he won this very well- he was one of my favorites for sure! I look forward to seeing what Kristen, Brooke and Sheldon do in the future... Foodie Road Trip anyone? I would love to hit up Boston, LA and Hawaii! 

And then there was 2 then 3...then 2.

First things first- Congrats to Kristen for winning Last Chance Kitchen. While I am SUPER happy she pulled through, I am very disappointed she was cut at all. She totally got screwed this season- especially for her team- and would have really shined at the end of the competition. But at least she's back!!!

This was INTENSE! I was SO stressed out the whole episode. I don't know if it's because she's on my team or what, but I am really pulling for Brooke. She is so talented and humble that I really wanted her to take it over Sheldon. Not that Sheldon isn't fantastic, but Brooke just has a quality that I can't explain. Her being in the weeds the whole beginning was killing me! Thank god she got her shit together!

All of the chefs had quite the challenge and all of them did a great job. It had to be super stressful having Tom there expediting. I think even the most prepared and seasoned chef would have had a hard time with him. I hope he is less intense with his actual chefs because DAMN! Granted his actual chefs probably don't figure out what they're making minutes before they have to start cooking ;)

If I had to pic a winner this challenge (which I didn't) I would say Brooke took it. Everyone loved all 3 of her dishes- not that they were perfect, but they were all solid. Especially her short rib- Padma saying she wanted to dip Kristen's tuna in the sauce had to have hit hard. Kristen was solid, but less exciting than she has been in LCK. She definitely played it safe and I think the judges, especially Tom, wanted to see a LCK winner hit the ground running. Sheldon was out to prove something and doesn't realize he has already proved it! He is such a good chef with an new take on a cuisine and should have be true to himself. I think he could have taken Kristen if he had! It was sad to see him go, but a note to all Cheftestants- if you have a big break before the finale, learn a FEW desserts, not just one!

Well I think this is a first- two women compete head to head for the title of Top Chef! And honestly, it couldn't be two better chefs or people! Both are gracious, hard-working, humble and extremely talented! The finale looks INSANE!!!! I think everyone who's been on Top Chef is there to watch and eat LIVE. Reminds me of the set of Iron Chef a bit. I think it will be super stressful and exciting and I seriously CANNOT wait until next week!!! Who do you think will win?

LCK- 12

Battle: Kristen vs. Josh vs... Save a Chef Winner- Lizzie!!!

Challenge: Make Tom a Great Plate of Food

Josh: Venison with Coriander, Brown Sugar, and Black Pepper Cure, Kale, and Shaved Carrot

Kristen: Semolina Orecchiette with Brown Butter, Pomegranate, Apple, and Fresh Herbs 

Lizzie: Black Cod in Black Pepper Vinegar, Savoy Cabbage, and Spaetzle

Well Josh got called out right away- his venison was under-cooked and just not great. He did lose some weight though! I wonder how much time they have between the last episode and the finale!

Kristen and Lizzie both cooked what looked to me like great dishes, and Tom agrees with me ;) It has to be SO hard for him to stay unbiased with the chefs when they all cook really well!

In the end, the winner is....

Tune in next week- AHHHHHHH!

Into the Wild!

WOW what a challenge! This season has really impressed me!!!! The Quickfire Iditarod Challenge was very cool- but the transportation to the challenge was incredible!

Helicopter to Dog-Sled! WOW!!! I feel so bad for Brooke- what a trooper! Maybe it was just the magic of TV, but she sucked it up fast and got on with it- someone really wants this and I think the way she handled herself shows her dedication and desire! AND she took the QF win!!! I am impressed! 

The Elimination Challenge was familiar- but I do think it is a good concept: Cook the dish that helped inspire you to become a chef! I think having Chef Roy Choi there to tell his story about Emeril was very moving. And it was nice to give the chefs a little break before the challenge began.

I always think it's funny when the show involves politicians- they seem so awkward! So dinner at the Mayor's house looked pretty good to me! Everyone stepped it up and really cooked from the heart. I do feel for Josh though- it had to be hard to concentrate with everything he had going on. At least his baby was born before the challenge began, but I don't think he got much sleep. In the end his Trio of Foie Gras didn't make the cut.

He should have known better than to make something "unmakeable". It simply cannot be done and I think that is what bothered the judges so much. As a chef, you have to make decisions about your food and the time allotted and he decided to make something that wouldn't work out no matter how good you are as a chef. I do like Josh, BUT I totally agree with the judges and think that he skated by a few too many times this season. His departure does kick Le Chefre out of the competition- YAY PICKLY! :)

So we're down to the final 2!!! Brooke and Sheldon- both fabulous chefs, but I think Brooke has the talent and drive to take it all the way. Then again we still have to account for the Last Chance Kitchen winner... I guess anything can happen!!!

Just so everyone knows- we give out 10 points to the final 4 chefs. Since only 1 chef will come out of LCK, Josh did receive 10 pts, as will that LCK winner, once we know who it is.  

LCK- 11

Battle- Kristen vs. Lizzie

Challenge: Make a Dish Over a Campfire Using Alaskan Fish 

Kristen: Cod with Coconut Broth, Clam Juice, Lime, Chili Marinated Tomato, Corn & Petite Herbs

Lizzie: Poached Salmon Stew with Fennel, Leek, Hungarian Paprika & Sweet Pepper Flakes

The winner: Kristen

Sounds like she has to make it through 1 more LCK. Not sure how that will work, I have a gut feeling that she will cook against the person voted back in before she enters the competition, which is interesting if the next person kicked off doesn't get a shot at LCK. Or maybe all 3 cook together to a final 3 in the finale? Time will tell, but this is stressful!

Alaska here we are!

We're SO CLOSE!!!! This season is so hard because no one left is a jerk, and they can all cook pretty well. If I had to pick a weakest link right now, I'd say Josh, but it's really week to week.

CRAB! What an amazing challenge! I seriously wish I was the judge on this one! I LOVE CRAB! and I don't know about you, but I want to go to Alaska SO bad, this episode just made it worse. Anyone up for a trip?!?!

So Josh cooks with Bacon again! SHOCKING! I think the best part was the judges saying it wasn't necessary, and Josh saying he's done with bacon... we will see, side bet? So with Lizzie and Josh on the bottom of the Quickfire, Brooke and Sheldon are on top, and Sheldon takes the win with a very interesting dish!

Elimination Challenge was fantastic! Salmon and Sourdough! Making a sourdough bread would freak me out too- cooking and baking are very different, but as long as you understand your ingredients and their purpose, I think anyone can bake. Most of them did a great job with their bread, especially Brooke and Lizzie, YUM. The fish was so fresh as well, this was a hard challenge to screw up, and I think they all did a really great job. No one had a super bad, failed dish, there were just small mistakes. This is how the end of Top Chef should be!

The chefs were FREEZING at judges table! I felt SO bad for them! None of them had on a coat and the the rain was pouring down. I have a feeling it was a long deliberation too!

In the end Brooke took the win and a trip to Costa Rica with her Sockeye Salmon & Seafood Broth with Mustard Seed Caviar & Dill Sourdough

And poor Lizzie had to go home after under seasoning and not tasting her entire dish together. At least her rolls were pretty!

During the commercial they said that tonight is the last night to save a chef, does that mean they'll show up next week!?!?!?! I guess we will see!

LCK- 10

Battle- Kristen vs. Stefan

Challenge: Cook with Offal (Innards- eww) 

Kristen: Chicken Livers with Garlic & Mustard Caramel, Pickled Fruit, Toasted Bread & Herb Salad

Stefan: Boishel of Innards with Cream Cause, Bread, Gallette, Liver & Parsley Salad

The winner: Kristen

Flirt flirt flirt! They are kind of cute together in a weird way. What a cool place for the challenge, SO pretty. I guess they only brought the LCK winner to Alaska since the peanut gallery was missing... I doubt Stefan will come back as fan favorite, he hasn't had the time to win over the viewers and he's a bit of a dick. Right now I see Kristen and CJ coming back, but we still have more to go!

Surf and Turf!

SO I have to admit that I was distracted last night while watching (I was cooking dinner myself) so I wasn't able to pay as close of attention as I normally do... AND stupid Bravo didn't post the pics of the dishes on their site, so this post is a little sad :(

I like the cruise and I love Curtis Stone, so this was a fun one! 

The QuickFire was NOT easy! WOW, what a challenge. I was glad to see everyone do well, and correct me if I am wrong, but there didn't seem to be anyone on the bottom, so I gave everyone points for being on top. Sheldon getting the win was very nice... I really do like him as a chef. 

Sheldon did have quite the advantage getting to pick his proteins, and the other chefs not being able to choose the same ones. He could have made anything and the judges wouldn't be able to directly compare him to anyone else, but what does he pick, Filet and Lobster!!!! I mean COME ON! This is a Surf and Turf challenge on a show called Top Chef and you pick the MOST predictable options. If you go down that road, you had better make the BEST Filet and Lobster the judges have EVER had. He didn't. 

The Tempura was sad and soggy- AGAIN. I love you Sheldon, but you can't make the same mistake more than once. He got SO lucky this week. and instead, we see Stefan leave for his overly crisp Pork Belly. I have to admit, that the sounds coming from Tom's mouth were NOT appetizing, and I like crispy bacon! It was nice that Curtis was able to explain the reason behind the crunch, but it wasn't enough to keep in in it. 

Brooke came out on top with her Frog Legs and Muscles- what a combo! This was very inventive and I am happy to see her overcome last week's fiasco! 

I was a bit shocked with Josh, can he cook anything without bacon? I LOVE bacon, don't get me wrong, but everything tastes better with bacon. Would his dishes taste as good if he wasn't able to use it? 

Poor poor Lizzie, I really felt so bad for her. Obviously the judges can only judge on what they eat, but I feel that in a timed competition, the tools that are supplied should work properly. It really isn't fair to the chefs when something like the steamer not working occurs. I hope that was the last we see of that type of thing, I want the chefs to be judged on their own skills!

So we are down to the final 4... sort of, which brings me to my question. The final 4 get 10 pts for making it to the end. Is THIS the final 4? or do we award those points when the LCK winner comes back into play? I will put it to a vote. Personally I think the LCK winner should get the 10 pts, and therefore we should wait, but it is up to the group. 

LCK- 9

Battle Salmon- Kristen vs. Josie

Challenge: Break Down a Salmon, Portion 10 Identical Pieces, and Create 10 Composed Dishes

Kristen: Crispy Salmon with Pickled Pineapple, and Raisins, Shaved Cauliflower, and Creme Fraiche

Josie: Fennel Pollen Dusted Salmon with Fennel Radish, and Tarragon Salad

The winner: KRISTEN!!!

THANK GOD! Kristen took a few risks this week that almost didn't pay off. I am SO glad she beat Josie, now lets hope she makes it back in!

Fried Chicken!

I don't think I am alone when I say FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lets take it from the top though- the Sushi Quickfire. This was fun and different. It really was a challenge for the chefs that don't do sushi much, like Josh and Lizzie. I don't know what she was thinking pouring hot soup on raw fish, unless the intention was to cook it, which it was not; and Josh's face when the judges ate his sushi was hilarious! But I think that is what the Quickfire is all about, getting out of the comfort zone and trying something different without any major consequence. 

Now for some FRIED CHICKEN! Oh man, I cannot tell you how much a want to eat some good fried chicken right now. That was pure torture. I think this was a great and simple challenge. I do wonder if that really was "Tom's House" or just the house he is renting for this season... either way it was GORGEOUS!!! Amazing backdrop for this challenge with some incredible chefs! I think one of the best parts may have been all the wine they were drinking. It's no wonder they did judges table the next day!

On a side note: All I can think of when I hear Momofuku, is the momofuku pie we had at Rachel's Bachelorette Party. I need to make this if we do another dinner, SO GOOD!

Lizzie, Sheldon and Josh really did a good job this week. I think Lizzie's chicken looked alright, but it had to have tasted fantastic to make it into the winner circle. Sheldon made the most interesting chicken and I am a little bit bummed he didn't get the win. I think he is a great chef and has SO much potential. In the end I do think it is great that Josh won this challenge. This really was right up his alley and his whole concept was really great from start to finish. Smoked Fried Chicken with Hot Sauce and Blue Cheese 

I am SO mad at Brooke!!! I think she just got in her own head WAY too much here and made way too many major mistakes... I am just relieved that none were fatal for her. She easily could have gone home this week so I hope she gets it together. Stephan did not take this week seriously enough. I don't really know what he was thinking, but I am sure he was just playing games and he needs to be smarter moving forward. We are down to the final 5 now, you can't screw up anymore.

And Josie... what can I really say here? Her time has FINALLY come. I don't know about you but I felt like the judges really came down on her this week, they held a grudge for sure. It was kind of refreshing to see them call the chefs out this week. 

In the end Josie's greasy chicken didn't make the cut. I can't say for sure if I agree that she had the worst dish, but I don't really care. She's gone and that's all that matters to me! SEE YA!!!!

This officially puts the Cartel out with only 1 pt. Sorry guys, I think we all hope you may make it back in with Kristen!!!

LCK- 8

Battle You pick the rules CJ vs. Kristen

Challenge: Make a Smokey French-Inspired Dish Using Snapper in 30 Mins

CJ: Brown Butter Snapper with Creamed Morel, Smoked Mashed Potatoes, and Rataouille

Kristen: Bouillabaisse of Snapper, Creme Fraiche, Smoked Butter, Fennel, and Radish

The winner: KRISTEN!!!

All I can say is THANK GOD! I hope she makes it to the finale!

Restaurant Wars

I don't even know what to say. I am speechless. 

I guess I will begin at the beginning. I think Sheldon had a better concept overall than Kristen for Top Chef. What I mean is that French food has been cooked SO many times, there are countless restaurants out there, most chefs are trained in French cuisine and so on... whereas Filipino food is un-charted. I think the biggest problems on both sides (food wise) was being compared to the traditional and in Kristen's case, that was every dish. Sheldon's only issue with that was the Balut which honestly makes me sick to think about and I am SO glad they did a variation! 

I think both teams had issues, but this IS Restaurants Wars and nothing is ever perfect. 

Sheldon's team, Urbano clearly needed to move plates a bit faster overall since they kept getting a line in the front that Stefan couldn't deal with. I will say that they did have 1 less Chef, which really did make it a lot harder. That is no excuse for Stefan forgetting to tell the judges what they were eating.  I actually think that if he had not missed that dish, they all would be singing a different song about Urbano.

Kristen's team, Atelier Kwan had issues form the start. Kristen really needed to step up and be a leader from the very beginning which she didn't do. When Josie failed to get her food in the oven the day before, I knew there would be major issues, especially when Kristen didn't even say anything to her! She was complaining about cooking the fish to order and I think she honestly felt like Kristen would be responsible for her dish right then and there. She decided at that point that this was not her dish, she was just a puppet, which would have been just fine if she was doing what she was told. 

Kristen did make major mistakes. Here’s what we judges knew according to Tom's Blog: and I quote

"The Bouillabaisse was deeply flawed: the scallops were undercooked and the halibut was overcooked, for starters.
Our biggest problem with the dish, though, was that the sauce, which Josie made, was delicious, but there was not enough of it on the dish.
Kristen plated the dish and determined how much sauce should be added. 
Josie never stepped up to suggest that Kristen put more, ostensibly because she was deferring to Kristen, because it was Kristen’s concept.
The gelatin was supposed to go into the dish, but Kristen decided not to use it because there wasn’t enough time; she subbed cream instead. 
At the end of the day, Kristen, by her own assertion, was the one who approved all of the dishes going out.

Given those facts, we were faced with no choice but to send Kristen home."

Knowing this Information, they were right to send Kristen home.

HOWEVER we ALL know Josie practically sabotaged the dish and forced Kristen to make all the changes she did to the sauce. Additionally Kristen was unable to test the technique, also because Josie was taking her sweet time with everything and refused to be part of the team. Bottom Line- Kristen SHOULD HAVE SAID SOMETHING. THAT is the reason she went home. Yes, she was responsible for a lot of what ended up happening, BUT none of it would have happened if Josie just did as she was told from the start, and in the end it was ONE dish that Kristen didn't even make that sent her home.

I think we can all agree that this is a travesty. I feel like it should be the BEST chefs who should cook in the finale and there is NO DOUBT that Kristen is one of them. I guess we all have to PRAY that Last Chance Kitchen really gives her a chance!

LCK- 7

Battle Tartare CJ vs. Micah

Challenge:  Make a Tartare

CJ: Beef Heart Tartare with Chili, Pickled Duck Skin and Tomato Water

Micah: Bison Carpaccio & Duck Tartare with Quail Egg Yolk, Pickled Carrots, Chilis & Arugula

The winner: CJ AGAIN!!!

CJ said it was one of his best dishes so far and Tom agreed! That is 6 in a row! Think he will take it all the way?