on Jun 5th, 2008Bonus video Top Chef 4 final
After two-and-a-half months of mind-numbing catering challenges, bitchery, backstabbing, melodrama and sometimes brief moments of real cooking, Top Chef Chicago comes to an end next week. The four finalists were whittled to three last night when Antonia was told to pack her knives and go, leaving Richard, Stephanie and Lisa (!) to fight it out for the win.
As in past seasons, eliminated contestants were brought back to help as sous chefs but their appearance at the Judges’ Table didn’t make the final cut of the show. Bravo has made the footage available, though, so here are Spike, Andrew, Nikki and Dale telling the judges about working for their former competitors.
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I’m glad Dale finally got to the “she reined it in” part — because from what was shown, Stephanie handled his blunder amazingly well and with great grace under fire.
Was sorry to see Antonia go; but she seemed to lack confidence from the get go, or at least that’s how the edited version looked. Would like to have seen her instead of Lisa in the top three.
Lisa being in the final leg of the horse race shows that perhaps drama is more important than cooking in these things . . . I think overall, Ms. Antonia “Crocker” put out much more solid food with a more professional demeanor. Her inability to stay above the fray was admirable, but doesn’t make for good t.v., despite her many challenge wins.
No doubt Richard or Stephanie will win; Lisa will go down fighting, though, arms crossed and eyes full of animosity during the final judging.
Blue Smoke of Paradise’s last blog post..Mind Demons
Oy! Well, I’m sure you know how I feel, Ella. It’s difficult to put my feelings into civil words.
ITA with BlueSmoke that it seems that drama is more important than cooking. What else could it be?
During the ‘Judges’ Table’ segment it seemed clear that Lisa would be the one sent packing…very clear, IMO. I was gobsmacked at their decision. Clearly, it was edited for the sake of drama, as there were infinitely more negatives brought up about Lisa’s dishes than Antonia’s.
Hi, blue! - Oh, she’s Betty Crocker with knife skills, that’s for sure. Once she had to get outside her comfort zone she failed miserably. Al dente beans? Oy, what a laugh.
She and Lisa have been co-bitches since the Improv challenge, she just finesses it better than the Gorgon (NY Mag’s great name for Lisa!). This season has been a wreck - when the final 4 include BC with knife skills, someone who was on the chopping block 5 times out of 11 and 2 others, the winner isn’t a top chef. Top cook, maybe, or perhaps all the title this time means is “you didn’t totally suck.”
One of the few differences, imo, between this season and the disaster that was Season 2 is that no contestants assulted another contestant this time. Yet.
Helooo chickenbutt Actually, this time I think the right person got knifed. Between Antonia’s undercooked beans and the fact that nobody at the party was lined up for her food, I think she generally blew it.
Here’s how disgusting Greasy Lisa is. Remember how she refused to use Polish sausage in the Improv challenge because it was shouted out by “a bunch of f**king drunks”? She has disdain for plenty of people. Here’s what she told the Daily News today:
Oh no, I don’t read the blogs—you couldn’t pay me to read the blogs. I don’t want to know what people who can’t even afford to eat in my restaurant, let alone know how to cook have to say about me, and the few comments I did read on Eater.com a few weeks back because my job asked me to read ‘em. The best they could come up with was that I was ugly.
Um, bitchface…I can afford “your” restaurant. Most of us can. $25 - 30 bucks, tops, for the most expensive item. Like many, I can cook, honey. And you’ll never see a penny from me. Drew was nuts to hire you.