180 replies to this topic

[TWoP Nikita]

From Zap2it:

For their final challenge, the chefs each take over a restaurant and design a four-course meal to be judged.

[bawarner]

Face it bitch, you were outclassed as both a chef and a human being! Best reality tv moment I've seen in a long time. It was also so very lovely that she got stuck with that dipshit Tyler Stone :)

[CrumbyButtons]

Paul's dad was adorable.

[snwidget]

Thank you, whatever deity may be listening tonight. I was so worried that this would turn into another Kevin or Hosea moment.

Congrats, Paul.

[LetsGoPens]

Paul's dad was adorable.

SO ADORABLE. He cried, I cried.

[sonk]

SO HAPPY PAUL WON. Made this crappy season go out on a high note :) I was terrified that it would be Sarah...I was really questioning it at the end.

I laughed out loud when she messed up and picked Tyler Stone over Heather, but then I thought about it and I actually felt pretty bad...it was almost sabotage. Did they say how they picked the returning chefs? It was such a random group, and it didn't make sense why people like Ed, Chuy, Moto Chris, etc. wouldn't be available to cook, but were able to be there for the dinner...Hm. Not sure why Tyler was chosen from the group of chefs that got cut in the first couple of episodes, because there were certainly better chefs. Again, it seems like they were hoping someone would pick him just to create drama.

[wyndham]

So pleased that Paul won Top Chef - a total class act from start to finish!

[Lareina2]

My husband and I were really worried right before the winner was revealed-- we were relieved that Paul won. The moment with Paul's dad was great. Yay Paul!

[spaghettijimmy]

Sarah cooked a sophisticated menu, but so happy that Paul, who dominated all season, took the win. Someday I am sure that another woman will win, but please don't let her be as obnoxious as Sarah.

Edited by spaghettijimmy, Feb 29, 2012 @ 11:09 PM.

[aquarian1]

I was actually surprised that Paul won. Pleasantly surprised, mind you, but surprised none the less. I know they like to be misleading with the editing, but it didn't even seem even to me. I thought the comments favored Sarah, and since I was so worried Sarah would win, I just accepted it. Although, it sounds like both meals were great.

[Rozen]

Thank goodness, Paul absolutely deserved it. And see Paul Dad tears made me start crying too, so nice to see.

Nyesha was suspiciously absent from the 'Sarah is fabulous' talking head redemption edits. I guess she wasn't having it.

[3E8]

The finale was really nicely done. I liked sous chefs being picked based on a "quickfire" dish, as well as former contestants and the finalist's families being there to taste the menu.

The back-and-forth editing added to the suspense, although I pretty much knew the result since Sarah did her entire talking heads with tears in her eyes.

Edited by 3E8, Feb 29, 2012 @ 11:12 PM.

[kathy999]

YES!!!!!!!!
I was so worried that Sara won it. They faked me out until the end - Halleluja!

As usual, Sara was nasty, nasty, nasty, to Tyler. She is just an awful person. So very glad she lost. She got her Karma!

Paul was absolutely wonderful! Loved it for him and his family (how cute was his dad?).

Close to the end of the show, they showed Paul and Sara on the WWHL set. I thought for sure Sara won, as she was beaming, and Paul looked a little sad. He probably felt bad for Sara - what a neat guy.

Guess I'll watch next year. Maybe the show will get back to basics and have real challenges - COOKING.

Cheers, All.

[anacara]

I think I held my breath until Padma finished that sentence. So happy. I do think some of it was editing, but Sarah was so unrelentingly unpleasant for so much of the time that she was on my screen that I would have been very disappointed if it had gone the other way.

[peeayebee]

I was sure that Sarah was going to win. The complaints about Paul's food seemed greater than of hers. But both chefs made remarkable meals. As little as I liked Sarah, she had a lot to be proud of.

I thought when she decided to recook or blend or whatever the polenta for the second seating that it would turn out to be a major mistake, but I guess not.

Loved seeing Paul's dad cry so much.

Good finale. I'm glad none of the sous chefs were downfalls for either chef.

[SpeciousLogic]

Paul's win partially redeems an otherwise disappointing season -- and this coming from a Texan. They could have done it so much better.

Also disappointed that Ashley Oxtail wasn't one of the competitors who made the cut for the sous chefs. Would very much like to have seen more of her.

I do love when they pick their sous chefs via Quickfire. Great way to do it.

[WaltersHair]

With all seriousness, Thank you, God (Tm Animal House when the Playboy Bunny falls from the sky into the little boy's arms).
This was a gift. I thought I was going to have to come over here and cut a bitch, instead I get to say "No more Hoseas evahr!"

Also a gift: the return of Tyler the celebrity chef who couldn't butcher his way out of a paper bag. Comedy gold.

Food looked fabulous and I loved Paul's father's reaction. So worthy.

[avecsans]

I was really worried because of two things that happened: 1. because Gail talked about the "risks" Sarah took in her meal as opposed to Paul bringing it the whole season, and 2. when Paul reached over and patted Sarah's leg (in what I thought was a congratulatory way) during the watch what happens promo during Top Chef.

I was a little worried that Keith had screwed Paul over by overcooking the prawns and the jiggly yellow egg dish for the second seating. Luckily, Tom ate the first batch and loved it.

Have not been this happy with a reality show result since Stephanie won Top Chef season 4. Paul is such a sweetheart and seems to love his family so much. I am a real sucker for genuine tears of happiness as opposed to manipulative tears of selfishness.

The difference between the two can be summed up in their remarks at judges' table. Paul thought he should be Top Chef because he made good food; Sarah thought she should be Top Chef because she was raised by a single mother and therefore entitled.

[happyhippy]

Yay!! Paul truly deserved it. Suck it, cry baby!

And I about split my sides laughing at the bravo poll results when they showed that Paul got 88% of the vote.

[EllieH]

Congratulations to Paul!

I do love when they pick their sous chefs via Quickfire. Great way to do it.

I agree, it makes it more fun. And I love seeing them stewing over "which dish did so-and-so make?"

[Dudd]

I was really worried because of two things that happened: 1. because Gail talked about the "risks" Sarah took in her meal as opposed to Paul bringing it the whole season, and 2. when Paul reached over and patted Sarah's leg (in what I thought was a congratulatory way) during the watch what happens promo during Top Chef.

Apparently they actually switched chairs in the actual show compared to the promo, the editors/producers are such hacks. I'm sure they actually made sure to get that little pat in too. They edit the show such that there's a twist at the end every single time, so just assume everything they're showing you is a lie.

[chandapanda]

Loved that the text/log on to Bravotv.com contest showed 88% favoritism for Paul for the winner. And then the judges agreed, thankfully!

Yay, a chef at one of my favorite restaurants in the world won the season! I'm so very happy.

But I do feel like a very small person because I was inordinately pleased with Sarah's crying at the end. In my head, I said "suck it!" to her. I am not proud of myself for this reaction.

Edited by chandapanda, Feb 29, 2012 @ 11:32 PM.

[SpeciousLogic]

I was really worried because of two things that happened: 1. because Gail talked about the "risks" Sarah took in her meal as opposed to Paul bringing it the whole season, and 2. when Paul reached over and patted Sarah's leg (in what I thought was a congratulatory way) during the watch what happens promo during Top Chef.

I actually had the opposite reaction. Sarah looked so bubbly/smiley while Paul had such a demure look on his face that I was certain there was misdirection even there. That was the first moment I really let myself believe that the misleading editing was continuing right through the finale.

Paul's restaurant is just 45 minutes away. I will have to make a point to get there pronto.

[Butch718]

Tyler Stone is still a douche. I was hoping Sarah would leave him in charge of butchering some pork. Oh well.

And thank God Paul won. The season would have been a complete disaster without him. As far as I'm concerned, he's the greatest Top Chef winner in the show's history. Give a humble Paul over an arrogant Michael Volt or self-entitled Richard Blais any day of the week.

Edited by Butch718, Feb 29, 2012 @ 11:38 PM.

[Lamb18]

I am so happy Paul won! And I was worried that Sarah would take it. It sounded like they both made amazing food. Good triumphs over evil in reality TV land!

It was so great when Sarah picked Tyler's dish. Ha! ha! ha!!! "Just chop the celery!"

I think this season actually had a lot of talented chefs, but the challenges were designed to not encourage creativity and innovation and inspired cooking.

[Fukui San]

I laughed when Sarah picked Tyler. Truly a delicious moment. Apparently there isn't much difference from Farm to Table Heather's dish and a dish made by a crazy man. One more reason not to go to Heather's place.

From the comments all season it seems that Paul is some sort of genius in terms of subtle building of flavors. None of what he does looks flashy, but they keep talking about his depths and layers of flavors in seemingly simple dishes. It's so well thought out. It actually reminds me of the original Iron Chef Michiba, and that guy had many, many decades of experience when he debuted on Iron Chef.

It was fun seeing Barbara Lynch as the sous chef. She basically owns half of the restaurant scene in my neighborhood, with her charcuterie wine bar one one corner across from her oyster bar and next two her little frou frou produce stand and mini demonstration kitchen. Her black tie fancy place is across town, with a couple of other places in South Boston.

Good end to a meh season.

[Maleren]

I was so very glad that Paul won. I also was secretly gloating while watching Sarah cry. The entire season she has been over bearing, obnoxious and acted as if she's entitled to win, entitled to everything. She was mean, rude and nasty to the other chefs. She has to be the one chef from ALL the seasons that I have hated the most. I really hope I never see her big, horse, gummy, toothy mouth again.

Congrats to Paul.

[AwNutz]

I think where Sarah (thankfully) screwed herself was trying to guess which chef made which dish. Maybe Paul had a better feel for who may have made what, or he may have just picked what he thought tasted best, and got lucky. The only thing that would have made Sarah's losing even more delicious would have been if Beverly had been among the possible sous chefs and she'd picked her, too. Heh. Tyler was such a wonderful surprise, though. Heh. Didn't he suggest how to make the polenta and she let him have his way? Or was it something else? Anyway, bitch lost. To the end she was an entitled bitch. "It should have been MEEE! I should have WON!" First time I remember the second place contestant NOT saying something nice about the winner in the talking head segment. Suck it, loser! Way to go Paul!

[basiltherat]

OOh, Sarah was so klassy --"I'm going to barf all over this kitchen" Yeah, I'm going to your restaurant, B*** to watch you blubber-cry because you didn't win, and to have Tom have to kiss you to make it better. Or to have Heather kiss you to make it better. Barf indeed.

Paul is a most deserving winner, humble and sweet and a stealth talent.

[Ivyfree]

I was screaming in rage when Sarah, who swore that she had come to Vancouver determined "to be nicer," said that her plan with Tyler was to give him specific tasks to do and make him think she gave a sh**. Way to keep it classy, Sarah.

Thank fortune Paul won- and my husband called it when Tom said Sarah's dish was underseasoned. Tom always goes ballistic when somebody underseasons something.