214 replies to this topic

[TWoP Nikita]

This thread will open at 11:00pm EST on February 27.

[Moncheechee]

I didn't like the format of the finale. It was obvious when they hadn't started serving the 4th round by 10:45 that there would be no 5th round. Please do better next time, Elves.

[Bastet Esq]

I am thrilled for Kristen - and would have been just as thrilled for Brooke; both consistently served food I both wanted to eat and found inventive, and I wish they had competed in separate seasons so I could have enjoyed both of them winning - but I hate the format of this finale; if all I have to do to discern who won is look at my watch, it's not very good television. Beyond that, it's not a good competition; since when is the final meal not judged in its entirety, rather than course by course?

I continue to detest Richard Blais, who will apparently go to his grave believing he lost rather than Stephanie won. (I know both things are true, but he believes the latter is only true because of the former.) I love Stephanie's continual response to queries as to how she'll feel about not being the only female winner consisting of, "It's about damn time."

When I saw the two teams, I feared for Brooke. Did Kristen get to pick first or something?

I have never responded to an episode of TC the way I did this one; I was on the edge of my seat as if I knew these people.

I loved seeing Kristen's best friend (one of the original contestants whose name is currently eluding me) at the family table.

Edited by Bastet Esq, Feb 27, 2013 @ 11:29 PM.

[teachmusik]

While I love Kristen, I thought that it was obvious that she was going to win once I saw the time at the end of the fourth course. There was no way that there was enough time left for them to cook, plate, and discuss a fifth course before 11:00. So it was an interesting format, but I felt that I like the normal way better.

ETA so basically I agree with Moncheechee :)

Edited by teachmusik, Feb 27, 2013 @ 11:04 PM.

[breadandbutter]

This is probably the worst Top Chef finale ever. So gimmicky. Such bullshit. They just made the finale a series of quickfire challenges much like Last Chance Kitchen.

And so much for the argument that Kristen would somehow redeem herself if she re-entered the competition. Nope, she didn’t have to run a kitchen.

The LCK idea is horrible. Kristen did not have to cook as much. She didn’t have to go through all the exhausting challenges that the remaining contestants did. She only had to cook for one judge whose palate obviously favors her style of cooking.

They should rename this show Top Cook. Because Top Chef it ain’t.

[TiffanyNichelle]

So I'm happy for Kristen but who thought it was a good idea to have them reveal who won each round right after they were done? Once I saw there was only 10 minutes left and the show wasn't going until 11:30 I knew Kristen had one. They made the moment so anti-climatic. But again, yay for Kristen!

I really thought the judges were trying to keep it even between Kristen and Brooke so that they would be forced to go to round 6. I wonder if that was dessert.

[jenmari26]

That was awful. Not that I doubt whether Kristen deserved to win -- it's just that it was quite clear from fairly early on how it was going to end. There was waaaaaay too much filler and, by about 10:40, anyone who could tell time would realize that it was going to end after the 4th round. I just think it was a huge mistake for them to do the round-by-round thing. Then again, I'm always of the belief that the final round should just be the two chefs cooking the best meal of their lives. I hate it when they get gimmicky like this one because it detracts from the talent.

ETA: I don't think I have ever seen so much consensus on a Top Chef forum!

Edited by jenmari26, Feb 27, 2013 @ 11:10 PM.

[jes004]

Ditto everyone. I don't like this format and I hope to never see it again. Kudos to Kristen, who should never have been out of the game in the first place. I would have eaten any of the dishes served.

[mauras]

Yes, the structure of this finale was really stupid. I had a feeling Kristen was getting the winner's edit anyway, but when it got to be ten minutes to the hour, it was obvious--almost didn't need to watch.

I was rooting just slightly for Brooke because a Kristen win validates the whole Last Chance Kitchen gimmick, but they're both exceptional chefs, and I'm happy for Kristen. Brooke was let down a little bit by choosing CJ as one of her sous chefs, I'm afraid.

Worst line of the night: Gail asking Stephanie if she was ready to give up her tiara. Ugh.

[Chrissytd]

I'm happy that Kristen won but I would've been just as happy had Brooke won. From the previews, I thought Brooke was going to win but once Kristen got the two points, I knew she was going be the winner.

[SilentMinority]

When I saw the two teams, I feared for Brooke. Did Kristen get to pick first or something?

I was baffled by this as well. Kristen got the chefs who finished 3rd, 4th, and 5th, while Brooke got chefs who all finished lower than those 3. Not that Stefan or Kuniko were poor, but CJ did pretty much ruin her first course.

This season really could have been epic, had Kristen just been honest about Josie. Instead we were stuck with Josie for another episode, we were denied a Kristen-Brooke battle down the stretch, and Kristen ends up as the only winner who has PYKAG asterisk with her. I love Kristen, but I hate her for not standing up for herself.

[WaltersHair]

Format Fail.n

I really wanted Brooke to win, but I'm not unhappy Kristen won.

[rhodaj]

ITA with all those who hated this TC finale. It was so disjointed. A multi-course meal should be judged in its entirety for balance of flavors and textures, variety, etc. This was like a three-ring circus.

HATED IT!

[pjamma]

That was the absolute worst idea for a finale format ever. Complete fail.

Congrats Kristen!

[Moncheechee]

After thinking about it for a few minutes, I think the thing I hated most about the stupid format was that it was obvious Kristen was going to win, but we still had to watch Brook bust her ass for the last quarter of the show.

[Sybaril]

I really liked the head to head aspect of this finale, but it was disappointing that they didn't get to prepare all 5 courses. Also it spoiled the winner at about 3/4ths of the way through the episode since it became obvious that there wasn't enough time for them to show us another course. I know some people will downplay her victory because she came back from last chance kitchen, but this is a game show and would it really be fair to fault someone for winning within the established rules of the game?

[apricot2]

Very happy that Kristen won -- she is truly talented, and I hope she goes far. And, loved her sweet Dad!

[Genevamom]

I have never before felt Top Chef was more scripted than this season. I knew the moment that Kristen was ousted that there was going to be a big redemption arc and she was going to beat everyone, no matter what and end up in the final. It really started to feel so predictable. I knew she was beat everyone, no matter what. She's a golden girl.

I like her, but I just got the feeling that at the end of the day, Brooke was the more interesting chef, someone who takes risks, does the unexpected. I never felt that about Kristen. I just felt she was this beautiful, statuesque, and likeable person, and it was just going to happen for her, regardless of how Brooke cooked.

[Suzy Derkins]

Yay Kristin! I'm just sorry that she and Brooke had to compete against each other, because I would've loved to see both of them win it all.

Re: Brooke's second course, I trust the judges that it was better than Kristin's, but I just can't understand how Romanesco and juniper can possibly work together. It's breaking my brain.

CJ REALLY didn't come off well here, did he?

[SilentMinority]

I know some people will downplay her victory because she came back from last chance kitchen, but this is a game show and would it really be fair to fault someone for winning within the established rules of the game?

It's no fault of Kristen's, but when they change the rules of the game it makes it impossible to compare her to any other winner of the show. Just as with the Redemption Island (or Outcasts S7) concept from survivor, you'll always have to wonder what other chefs would have won in the past had they had a LCK (and thus which winners who didn't have to deal with a LCK returnee would not have won). It ruins the whole idea of comparing across seasons.

Thus, it is with some regret that I have to consider Stephanie STILL the only female TC winner who was never eliminated from the competition.

[Butch718]

I really hated the finale format. I wish they would do it like last year. Have them run a restaurant service for one night and have the judges deliberate for hours on end afterwards.

[rawrali]

Blergh. How did they screw up a finale that should have been so great? First time I've really loved the final two and figured that I would be happy either way it went. But the format of the finale just sucked all of the life and fun out of the show. It was obvious about halfway through that they were only getting through 4 rounds. And just way too gimmicky - I want to see these chefs cooking the best meals of their lives for an intimate group of people, not at all what we saw tonight.

[Kathira]

They just announced on What What happens that Sheldon won fan favorite. Kristen and Brooke were both on and Brooke is really being a good sport about what has to be a pretty big disappointment. Interesting comments from Kristen - Josh was the chef who stayed longer than he should have, and that she also voted for Sheldon for fan favorite.

Glad Kristen won, but agree that the finale format sucked. They definitely need to stick to the "cook the best meal of your lives" format.

[EllieH]

I want to see these chefs cooking the best meals of their lives for an intimate group of people, not at all what we saw tonight.

Agreed! I've much preferred the finales where they had to show their journey as a chef than this format.

[cooksdelight]

I wish they had done a secret ballot, then announced the winner after all 5 courses. I really thought they were going to go back and forth until the end, but they truly judged the food on its merits, it seems. I didn't like this format, I much prefer the last supper thing where they get to cook what they want. Smart of Kristen to practice on her red snapper dish before getting there, too bad Brooke didn't do the same, saying it was the first time she's ever fixed that dish.

Padma really shot a ringer at Gail, didn't she? I don't remember what was said, they were disagreeing about something and Padma said something that caused Gail to give her the look of death.

LMAO at Kristen who just announced on the after show that she is in love with Gail. That she's never felt that way about a lady before! Oh well Padma, better luck next time!

[gigi1701]

Wow, I must agree, horrible format for a finale! CJ sucked yet again, can he go far, far away now? I was hoping for a Brooke win, she has impressed me so much. I really like Kristen too, so congratulations on the win as Top Chef. And Congratulations to Brooke for winning the most challenges, and a car too if I remember correctly. And Top Chef, no more finales like this please, let the chefs cook the entire meal, this felt like what they do on Hell's Kitchen at the end before the finale service, a cook off to determine who gets an advantage!

Kristen & Brooke you both rock, so proud of both of you ladies!!!!

[Moncheechee]

I just thought of 2 other things I hated about this format. We didn't get to see any of their creative process in coming up with their dishes and nearly the only cooking we saw was just plating. It was like they cut the most interesting parts of Top Chef out of the finale.

[estellasmom]

Two minutes into this, my husband and I both looked at each other and he asked if we were watching GSN. What a terrible format, it really cheapened the show for us.

[cooksdelight]

I think Kristen called the stadium format Iron Chef on Crack.

[Lopethina]

I was rooting for Kristen to win, I think partly because I go for the underdog. But when Brooke said she wanted to prove she hadn't just been winning because Kristen wasn't there, that suddenly threw a wrench in my whole concept of who the underdog was! It really would've been fantastic to have seen them fight through the season in regular order.