Top Chef NYC

Re Leah, I think we just have to concede that the editing makes it impossible to know what's really going on there. The judges get to eat the food, we don't....maybe she's just a very competent (albeit annoying) chef.

I worry for Fabio. He's my favorite player ever--like Chico is my favorite Marx Brother--but I don't know if he's the Top Chef.

And yet...they're really making it so obvious that Stefan is the leader, I have to wonder if it's just a ruse.

 

They also spent most of the season painting Stefan as the Teutonic Evil ... but last episode they were all cordial and he was helping people plate and hugging Jamie at the end. You're 100% correct that their heavy editing manipulates viewer reaction.

 

The TV speaks the truth to me. It is my friend.

 

Um, take Top Chef a little seriously?
Anyway, here's a breakdown:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Top_Chef_(season_5)

Fabio has been in the bottom three once, but he's been part of a losing team three times without getting eliminated. He's also taken a lot of criticism from the judges.
I didn't watch the show, but Jamie has clearly outperformed him.
Stefan has four quick-fire wins and four elimination wins.

 

Stefan is an ass but he has also worked as a chef for many years, he knows that when others in the kitchen are struggling you help. This wasn't the first episode where they showed him do that. If I recall, when Hosea and whoever else lost most of their food because the fridge was left open, Stefan was one of the first to step up and offer help. He's an arrogant ass but I don't think he is evil.

As for if he can win, I think it is his to lose, and although he might lost creativity points, I bet with the 6 course dish his ability to prepare flat out better food will propel him. Creativity is nice, but simple and great tasting will win out every time (unless all 6 courses are creative and great tasting, of course). He just has less room for error.

 

Couple things that may have been mentioned re: recent episode, sorry if I'm repeating...

1) For an all-world chef who is on most pros' Culinary Mount Rushmore, Eric Ripert sure seemed like an affable, gracious, nurturing (to aspiring chefs), downright likable guy...and mon dieu, people, he's French!

2) Toby Young, to me, is insufferable. Always reaching for an unfunny metaphor/simile to describe his dining experience or the dish.

 

Completely agree -- especially about Toby Young. I hope they bring back Gail Simmons next season, or at least dump Toby.

 

Of course I take it seriously, that's why I'm posting on this thread.

Go back and look at your wikipedia page, there's a chart that shows who was in the top three and bottom three each week and who was eliminated. Count those up and then get back to me.

Stefan and Fabio are the only two chefs who have not been on the chopping block more than once. Period.

You said Fabio has consistently been on the bottom. You were wrong. Don't get mad.

 

Well, I liked Ted Allen, but I guess with him getting his own show, he's out of the loop now. Toby does seem to reach for crazy metaphors he knows will get him some air time.

 

I'm all in for Stefan. He's shown he's a good all-around chef, and there have been more than a handful of chefs on this show over the seasons with bigger attitudes.

 

I'd be shocked if Stefan doesn't prevail.

 

Yeah, I'd agree. I think he's as much a lock as Harold was in season 1. And he seems to be winning over his teammates (other than Hosea), because he realizes that he'll probably need them in a future challenge.

That's what ultimately did Tiffani in on Season 1, I think. She managed to piss off everyone and when it came down to her and Harold, nobody wanted to volunteer to work with her.