131 replies to this topic

[TWoP Nikita]

From Zap2it:

The chefs return to Los Angeles; the final three contestants are given free reign in Tom's restaurant.

This thread will open at 11:00pm EST on February 20th.

[cooksdelight]

Such BS! Sheldon mentions right off the bat it's been 6 months since Alaska. So, I start counting and figure out the finale episodes are recently filmed. Then they are in the car, talking and guessing who might be the winner of LCK. Brooke mentions Josie or Carla ... Then in her next breath says "Kristen has been on fire." Now the finale will be live?? If it's live, how did they show previews? This whole thing is unbelievable.

Why fake this stuff, when you know they have been watching the season along with us? Then Padma says "Tom has just crowned the winner." No,  he didn't, he picked her back in Alaska six months ago.

This show used to be so good, I wish these off-scene competitions would just stop. And all the subterfuge, online fan voting ... Just stop it. Please, for my sanity? :)

The food was making me so hungry at such a late hour. Indigestion, here I come! I absolutely loved watching Tom expedite.

As soon as Sheldon decided on his menu I figured he was going down in flames. Brooke didn't need to whine. Kristen, Tom said it again, she fell on her sword. But she got a pass due to Sheldon trying to do something that wasn't him. So we will have a female winner. Yay!

Was Padma wearing spoons around her neck?

Edited by cooksdelight, Feb 20, 2013 @ 11:05 PM.

[lesfull]

I loved Sheldon; in fact this was a rare final three where I loved everyone, but I am so happy to have an all female finale! Either one of them will be completely worthy of the win.

[Butch718]

Sneaking editing. Judging from the comments I thought that Kristen was going home. She played it safe and none of her courses really stood out. Sheldon seemed to nail his first course, and took a much bigger risk with his main and desert courses. It seemed like they penalized him for not doing his style of food, which really isn't fair if that's the case.

[Dumbpants]

Damnit! I actually cried a little bit. I do think that it was the right choice, but Sheldon has always been so likable, and you could actually see his pain when they told him to pack his knives.

There was a surprising number of funny bits in this episode. I found myself laughing out loud at several points. Tom's eyes must be a running joke with the chefs. :)

[Butch718]

Oh and Padma once again was completely tactless with her comments. How the heck are you going to say that you wanted to dip Kristen's tuna in Brooke's short rib sauce? That's like the ultimate slap to the face to Kristen. Comment on how great Brooke's sauce all you want, but there are some things you just don't say. It's just rude and disrespectful.

Edited by Butch718, Feb 20, 2013 @ 11:16 PM.

[SilentMinority]

This is kind of the finale we were heading towards prior to Kristen's derailment at RW, so (much as I hate LCK) it does seem appropriate. And it's really a win-win IMO because they are both great chefs and nice people as well (and Sheldon being in the F3 was also a win for me). This was by far the most pleasant F3 in TC history; there has always been at least one rotten apple in the mix. S6 was close, but I always thought Mike V was very arrogant and far more unpleasant (to me) than any of these 3 are.

At this level, I do think the chefs suffer by being too safe (Kristen's dessert) or, conversely, trying to go so far from their comfort zone that the flavor profile is lacking (Sheldon's quail).

[Lopethina]

I shed a couple tears for Sheldon, but I'm so freakin' excited for the finale.

Brooke has been strong along, and she seems like a cool person, but Kristen is such a badass, I'm totally rooting for her.

And then she and Stefan will open a restaurant together, get married, and have a reality show, woot!

[jeanneh]

cooksdelight:

Now the finale will be live?? If it's live, how did they show previews?

They didn't say the finale was live, they said it was in front of a live audience. Entirely different things.

[jes004]

Great episode. I was torn - Sheldon's wife and I share the same first name. How could I not root for him? But I do think both Brooke and Kristen are worthy of the finale, too. Once Sheldon left his wheelhouse, I knew he was doomed.

[cooksdelight]

Thank you Jeanneah, I misunderstood. :)

[Hopeless]

Such BS! Sheldon mentions right off the bat it's been 6 months since Alaska. So, I start counting and figure out the finale episodes are recently filmed. Then they are in the car, talking and guessing who might be the winner of LCK. Brooke mentions Josie or Carla ... Then in her next breath says "Kristen has been on fire." Now the finale will be live?? If it's live, how did they show previews? This whole thing is unbelievable.

Why fake this stuff, when you know they have been watching the season along with us? Then Padma says "Tom has just crowned the winner." No, he didn't, he picked her back in Alaska six months ago.

The LCK winner couldn't have been chosen 6 months ago -- last week they brought in the "save a chef" winner, who was selected by fans voting up until pretty recently. Brooke mentions Josie and Carla as people she'd be surprised to see, not because she hadn't seen all LCK at all (you're right, of course, in that her comment about Kristen indicated she had seen enough to know that Kristen was tearing things up), but she may well have not seen the final episode where the save-a-chef winner was revealed.

I've loved both Brooke and Kristen since early on, and they have both been very consistently good and excellent at times, so I'm thrilled with the result (though still sad for Sheldon, because I did like him a lot too).

(Edited to remove redundant comment about live finale, since Jeanneah beat me to it.)

Edited by Hopeless, Feb 20, 2013 @ 11:24 PM.

[cooksdelight]

last week they brought in the "save a chef" winner, who was selected by fans voting up until pretty recently.

That's what we've been told. :) Just so many inconsistencies in everything this season from beginning to end. But looking forward to the finale.

[mauras]

Okay, completely OT, but John Besh! Be still my beating heart.

When Sheldon's entree got such negative comments from Hughnibrow and Emeril, it seemed really obvious that he was the weakest of the three, so I was expecting some weird twist like Brooke going home. But this whole episode was mercifully twist-free, and though Sheldon was both skillful and likeable throughout the season, his elimination seemed justified. I wish him well, but I'm delighted that Kristen and Brooke are the finalists. I'll be really happy with either one winning.

Oh and Padma once again was completely tactless with her comments. How the heck are you going to say that you wanted to dip Kristen's tuna in Brooke's short rib sauce? That's like the ultimate slap to the face to Kristen. Comment on how great Brooke's sauce all you want, but there are some things you just don't say. It's just rude and disrespectful.

That was appalling. I've found Tom more likeable this season than he has been in the last several, but Padma has gotten worse and worse. She's just an unpleasant person, and a terrible host. She sounds so clueless half the time, and that comment to Brooke was a perfect example. At this point, I'd rather have them bring back the JoelBot.

[WaltersHair]

Oh, my little Hawaiian nugget! I noticed for the first time a '808 all day' sticker on Sheldon's ukelele. Of the two shown, I felt he had a brighter, cleaner kitchen than Brooke's and I'd love to eat in his restaurant.

To me, whoever won LCK, would have had to hit it out of the park to stay, and whether it was editing or not, Kristen didn't do that. A bowel of chocolate? Blech.

Love that they had to struggle to find things to criticize Brooke for, but good old Tom didn't disappoint. Not a restaurant food? Really?

Best Top Chef final 3 ever and no one had to cook in a gondola or cross country ski to get there.

[Chrissytd]

This is one of the few times that I liked all of the Final 3. Of the possibilities for the finale, I was looking forward to a Kristen/Sheldon showdown.

I feel sorry for the person that has to have Josie on their prep team in the finale.

[Sybaril]

From the descriptions of each dish, the one that sounded the least appealing was Sheldon's dessert. Granted they did praise the flavors other than the fennel, but the combination of white chocolate, apples, and fennel still sounds disjointed to me.

I don't think that there's any behind the scenes fixing that got Sheldon eliminated over Brooke or Kristen. Even with months to prepare Sheldon didn't have a dessert ready to go. I guess the others didn't really have a plan either but it was still kinda damning to hear him say it during the judging.

[Butch718]

The one that sounded the least appealing to me was Kristen's chocolate dessert. It probably tasted good, but it was fairly standard and lacked creativity.

The dish that sounded the most appealing to me was Brooke's short rib course.

Anyway, despite my disagreement with tonight's outcome(I thought Kristen should have gone home), I'm really happy with the two finalist.

[hunterhunted]

Oh and Padma once again was completely tactless with her comments. How the heck are you going to say that you wanted to dip Kristen's tuna in Brooke's short rib sauce? That's like the ultimate slap to the face to Kristen. Comment on how great Brooke's sauce all you want, but there are some things you just don't say. It's just rude and disrespectful.

I thought she was, as usual, fucking high as kite. That was the straight up munchies talking.

[Kali12]

Best F3. Best possible outcome/justification for LCK.

This is the finale that makes sense--between the two best chefs of the season. It's probably Brooke's to lose, but either would be a great choice--and it's GREAT to finally have another woman winning (and no guy to whine about it for years to come...Richard.

I loved Sheldon, but he should be so proud to have made it to F3 in a tough field. Plus, you know he'll be back in All-Stars.

Nice people, great cooks. A deserving winner. What more could TC ask for?

[breadandbutter]

To me, whoever won LCK, would have had to hit it out of the park to stay, and whether it was editing or not, Kristen didn't do that. A bowel of chocolate? Blech.

I agree with this. I really dislike the LCK concept and that someone competing under a completely different set of challenges with different (and arguably easier) stresses can just get back in. Oh yeah, and there's only one judge for LCK. Whatever, the game is what it is.

It was weird to see how comfortable Kristen was at judges' table. Too at ease and with all the swearing, not very respectful. She was acting almost like the contestants in the All-Stars season or even like a couple of the returning chefs this season who had developed relationships with the judges outside the show. Makes me wonder if she got close to Tom during LCK or with any of the judges during the downtime between the taping of the regular show and the finale.

I will be rooting for Brooke in the finale. I didn't really have strong feelings about anyone before this episode but I definitely don't think Kristen should win. Giving her the title of Top Chef would be a joke since we know she doesn't really know how to run a kitchen. I'm not saying she didn't deserve to last longer than she did, just that she has major flaws that are hard to overlook.

Edited by breadandbutter, Feb 21, 2013 @ 12:14 AM.

[Butch718]

It was weird to see how comfortable Kristen was at judges' table. Too at ease and with all the swearing, not very respectful. She was acting almost like the contestants in the All-Stars season or even like a couple of the returning chefs this season who had developed relationships with the judges outside the show. Makes me wonder if she got close to Tom during LCK or with any of the judges during the downtime between the taping of the regular show and the finale.

I didn't find her to be disrespectful at all. It's not like she was swearing at the judges or giving them attitude about their critiques.

If anything I found Padma to be disrespectful towards her when she made a comment about wanting to dip her tuna in the leftover sauce of Brooke's dish.

[dsuggs]

I was literally jumping up and down in my kitchen when Sheldon was eliminated. I know he was kidding, but earlier in the episode when he said "may the best man win" and did that "I kid" shrug, he got on my bad list.

I'm so happy to see two strong, talented, and gifted chefs battle it out. The fact that they are both women sends me over the moon. That said, I've been rooting for Brooke since the very first episode and I'm hoping to see her win the title of Top Chef.

So excited! Best final three in a long time and very happy with these two.

[Bastet Esq]

I would have been happy with any of the three as the two finalists based both on their exhibited skill and their comportment, so this was quite pleasant for me. I am pre-emptively annoyed by the inevitable article claiming the selection of the two women was some undeserved form of affirmative action, but I am really looking forward to the finale.

It is so hard to tell from what they choose to show us, but I felt like Brooke was a lock and the second slot was between Kristen and Sheldon. I think he beat her (and Brooke) on appetizer, but came in below her on entree and dessert.

I complain pretty regularly about the gargantuan portion sizes in this country, but I'd have been pretty annoyed to order a tuna entree and get Kristen's three large bites.

If they were being honest about the timing of the final LCK (which, as a non-viewer, I was glad to see the synopsis) that would mean Sheldon and Brooke had months to prepare knowing they were finalists and Kristen came in at the last minute. That seems rather lopsided, although I suppose in a way it would balance out the second chance nature of LCK.

I liked the dynamic between the chefs, especially Sheldon teasing Brooke about her pidgin. And Sheldon didn't bother me with his "May the best man win" comment, although he easily could have, because it came across to me as benign as Brooke or Kristen saying, "May the best woman win."

Quite enjoyable, and I'm glad I came back after the Josie fiasco.

[Nell Huxleigh]

I definitely remember judges many times saying they wished one component from a certain chef could go with another chef's component. I think that is a favorite of Gail's to do. What was so appalling, rude, terrible about Padma saying it this time? She's a judge, not there to tell Kristen everything was perfect.

[Butch718]

I definitely remember judges many times saying they wished one component from a certain chef could go with another chef's component. I think that is a favorite of Gail's to do. What was so appalling, rude, terrible about Padma saying it this time? She's a judge, not there to tell Kristen everything was perfect.

I don't recall any judge flat out saying to a contestant that they wish they could use their sauce on someone else's food. Not even Gail, who is way too classy to ever say something like that out loud. Things along those lines are usually said while they're deliberating in private, while the contestants are waiting in the stew room. For example, a judge would say that they wish that contestant A's dish had some of contestant B's components. Which is totally different than flat out saying, "I wanted to dip Kristen's tuna in your sauce Brooke."

And I don't mind the judges being direct with their critiques because that's their job. But my God, think before you speak Padma.

[gryphon]

To me, whoever won LCK, would have had to hit it out of the park to stay, and whether it was editing or not, Kristen didn't do that. A bowel of chocolate? Blech.

Blech indeed.
I think desserts have to be something a chef who makes it to the finale has in his/her back pocket. One or 2 that they really know how to do well--but it's tough to do something like that and make it unique as well.

I like the final 2--I was so surprised I actually yelled, "Holy Shit!" when Sheldon was told to PYKAG.

Finale should be good. I can't wait to see what they prepare.

Edited by gryphon, Feb 21, 2013 @ 1:54 AM.

[meanteeth]

I definitely remember judges many times saying they wished one component from a certain chef could go with another chef's component. I think that is a favorite of Gail's to do. What was so appalling, rude, terrible about Padma saying it this time? She's a judge, not there to tell Kristen everything was perfect.

I don't recall any judge flat out saying to a contestant that they wish they could use their sauce on someone else's food. Not even Gail, who is way too classy to ever say something like that out loud. Things along those lines are usually said while they're deliberating in private, while the contestants are waiting in the stew room. For example, a judge would say that they wish that contestant A's dish had some of contestant B's components. Which is totally different than flat out saying, "I wanted to dip Kristen's tuna in your sauce Brooke."

I, too, immediately flashed on Gail saying similar-- wanting to switch components around between chefs, and wanting to put someone else's sauce on a dish. I also don't find it overly disrespectful. It happens all the time in regular food service, and is how some dishes are born... you discover two great tastes that taste great together.

I was so sad to say good bye to Sheldon. I kinda figured he was dead in the water when they started talking about they didn't see "him" in the dishes he served. It made me think that everyone probably served really good food overall-- I mean, Tom would not let anything seriously inedible go out in his restaurant-- so they were really down to the nitty gritty. When they start talking about cooking with soul and "me/her/him on a plate" its really down to the intangible. So he gave a good showing overall, but he wasn't cooking the Urbano! Also, I'm mushy-- his girls were so cute!

I liked the at home segments, and the contrast between the chef's prep. I also figured it was Kristen coming back. I also liked Tom dialing in with Kristen about her success in LCK. She really needs to channel that narrow focus and short timeline, because it works for her. The longer she thinks the worse it turns out for her. And I was worried for Brooke's nerves.

I'm happy with the F2... I will be happy with either getting a win. Not so happy about what the finale finale is looking like.

Edited by meanteeth, Feb 21, 2013 @ 2:00 AM.

[Brn2bwild]

The only thing I dislike about Brooke and Kristen in the final two is that one of them has to lose. Can't they both win?

[Bastille]

Yeah, I'm still getting a vibe from Padma that Kristen is not among her favorites, for whatever reason. Besides the sauce comment, which was gratuitous, when she congratulated Brooke and Kristen on moving forward, saying their names in that order, she seemed...grudging, or something, about the "Kristen" part. Her tone and expression weren't exactly warm. That coupled with her truly sad-sounding PYKAG to Sheldon made me think that if she had been the deciding vote, we would have had a Sheldon/Brooke F2.