I Can’t Look...Is It Over Yet?

by Chef Back Burner

I think many of you would agree that this has been the Top Chef season that wouldn’t die! I really don’t know what to say to the winner...Congratulations...Rock on....It’s naptime, here’s your blankie?

Anyway, instead of going off on the last eliminated and the winner I thought I would look back to the beginning...ahh yes the beginning...when we had “Harold hopes” and “Leanne dreams”...When we watched the previews and made our first on the spot picks for winners and losers. I thought I would go back, review my initial thoughts and see how I did for snap judgments...and I also thought I would take you along with me...

Suyai
“Either you’re nuts or you want people to think you’re nuts
...which means you’re nuts.”

I don’t know if she was nuts...but I think she was luckier than she thought she was. Going home this season wasn’t such a bad thing...yah think?

Otto
“Way to much grinding... makes me worry how you stir soup.”

Well we didn’t see him stir soup but he certainly knows

how to stir the “pot”

Emily
“I’m getting a scary Tiffany vibe...

I would love to see her cry before the end of the season.”

She did have a scary Tiffany vibe

but I think she’s also smart and knew she didn’t

want to fall into that expected character.

But she did cry.



Josie
“I like you now, girl...don’t disappoint me.”

And she didn’t. She's a strong person and she stood

by who she was on the inside...competition or not.

Marisa
“Looks like Padma on a bad day...anyone who implies

their sexy...paints a target on their ass...

fire away ladies and gents!”

All I can say is that picture of her caramelizing

crème brulee in a bikini exposed that target to all.


Carlos
“I’m gay and I love to cook...

oh and did I mention that I’m gay?”

I have no doubt that Carlos was one of the sweetest,

if not the sweetest, contestant on this season.

I don’t know much about his food

but he and his partner can come cook at my house anytime...

I’ll supply the wine and the local gays.



Frank
“I’m foreseeing that “Hack” statement coming back to slam

spaghetti in your face...just a hunch.”

Well, I have to say the little mushroom house in fairyland

he made for TGIF was....interesting to say the least.

But I think he proved himself more of a

“bully” than a “hack”.

Mia
“I hope you cook in that hat...it might make up for some other hairstyles...*cough*Marcel...*cough*Ilan“

She was more than the hat or the hairstyle....

she was a genuine person,

whether that meant pointing out cheaters or “dicks”.


Betty
“Bad mommy”

Bad mommy, competitor, and chef.

Nothing about her came across...good.



Michael
“Looks like some guys I knew in college and

I’m not sure I would want to make me a

PB and J sandwich let alone a gourmet meal.”

Yah know, I liked the guys I knew in college...

I still wouldn’t eat their food...but I like them.

I think I feel the same way about Mike.

In fact I’m pretty sure one of my college friends tried

to feed me a Snickers and Cheetos concoction too....hmmmm.

Cliff
“Ok...but I’m not inviting him to any dinner parties at my house...

I like my china.”

And I like my friends...I don’t know how

hospitable it is to wrestle my guests to the ground...

even after a fine wine...or...beer.

Elia
“Ok, she’s cute.”

Until she shaved her head...giving her an entirely different look.

I think she literally and figuratively

defined “two faced” for us.

Sam
“I don’t know you but I am ready to give you

a house full of little chefs....”

He’s still cute but as I heard someone say

on Dr. Phil “Looks get you through the door.

Personality keep you in the house.”

IIan
“I can’t take him seriously...

His hair looks like my 9 month olds...

I want to hand him a pacifier.”

And I truly believe someone should have.

Maybe it would have kept him from

saying all the childish things he did.

My son is now 14 months old and

could easily give Ilan a run for his money

when it comes to sharing a kind smile or tolerating annoying people.



Marcel
“I think the mad scientist thing doesn’t have

anything to do with your cooking...anyone got a mirror?”

Well, you can say what you want about whether

he is a scientist or a chef...but

he still has his hair.

So, those are my first and final thoughts on the chefs...No new Harold, Leanne or Dave, and no new tagline...Maybe it should have been “I’m not your chef, Chef.”

I guess I need some brilliant words about the season now, huh? Well, I think all I can say is the truth behind competitions in general is that just because you win doesn’t mean you are the best...If you win a beauty pageant it doesn’t mean you are the most beautiful person out there...If you win a race it doesn’t make you the fastest in the land....and if you win TOP CHEF it doesn’t mean you are the best chef in the culinary world. It means you are potentially, in the eyes of those judges the best in that particular group. I, for one, am looking forward to the next group of potentials because...

It’s been fun and it’s been real...but it hasn’t been real fun.