New at BOP: Review: Matrix Resurrections Movie Review: Moonfall Movie Reviews: Scream The #1 Movie in America November Forecast The Many Saints of Newark October Forecast New Trivia Question All site updates Share & Save   Tweet Print this column

"It was a kind of polite, rather anemic dish," says Toby. "I wanted a much bigger, much bolder dish from you, that's what I was expecting from you, that's what I've come to expect from you."

Tom asks how much influence Casey had on Carla and her dishes and she admits that Casey was the source of the idea for both the sous-vide decision and the soufflé. Tom is not happy. "It seems as if you let your sous-chef talk you out of the food that got you to the finale and I'm not quite sure I understand that," says Tom. Carla is crestfallen. I am, too. After all that work and all that great food, it looks like Black Widow Casey has reaped her own mistakes that she made during the Season 3 finale onto Carla in Season 5. I am extremely sad.

Hosea's appetizer is called "fabulous" by Toby. No one seems crazy about the sashimi dish to open the meal but the scallop dish was well done, with Tom finding the apple counterpoint a nice accompaniment to the scallop. Gail proclaims it the best dish he made all night. As for the venison, Gail likes the earthy components but couldn't taste the blackberry glaze. Toby seems stuck on the fact that Hosea didn't make a dessert, saying that his meal had a beginning and a middle but no end.

Stefan's appetizer was well-executed said Toby and Tom agrees. On the other hand, both Gail and Tom disliked the capriccio, with Tom taking issue with Stefan's method of freezing his fish.

"But, but did it taste good?" Stefan wants to know, trying to find something good about the dish.

"I found it bland," admits Tom.

On the other hand, Gail LOVED Stefan's squab and Tom calls it the best dish of the night. In contract, his dessert was not met with praise from the judges. They seem like they thought it was mediocre overall.

Lastly, the chefs take their turns giving reasons why the deserve to be Top Chef. Stefan says that he deserves it for his work in its entirety, having been consistent. Hosea says that he put out delicious food out that night. As for Carla, she says that when she cooks HER food, it's really delicious . . . that it has a lot of heart and a lot of flavor. You can just see it in her eyes that she knows that if she had just cooked her type of food, the food that got her to the finale, the food that won her the last challenge, the food that won her the first dish of the meal...she could have absolutely walked away with this title.

"Do I think that I'm a Top Chef? Yes," she continues. "My food is good, yes. When I make it, yes." Everyone's heart is breaking for her and Carla tries to hold back tears. Stefan recognizes it and goes over to her and gives her a hug. I wish I could as well.

The judges begin their final deliberations but it seems pretty clear cut. This is likely the easiest decision in the history of Top Chef finales. Padma and Tom agree that Carla is completely out of the running. As for the other two, Toby likes the structure of Stefan's meal better but Tom hated the capriccio. Toby counters by pointing out that Stefan's squab dish was great and Tom agrees, again, calling it the best of the night though he can't get past the dessert. Padma agrees, calling it "pedestrian at best."

Continued:       1       2       3       4       5       6