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All five chefs are called to Judges Table. Praise is lavished upon Brooke, who seems like a slam dunk to win. Then, Sheldon is queried regarding his ingredients. He again states his frustration with them, which irritates Tom. The head judge notes that Sheldon was the one who picked first so he is the last person who should be complaining about ingredients. Those of us who watched Sheldon sway in the breeze, paralyzed with indecision, appreciate his comments. For whatever reason, he could not get a handle on this challenge.

The true grilling is reserved for Stefan. Tom politely starts by mentioning the grease in the sauce. Given his upcoming dentistry needs, this is a kindness I had not expected. Then, Hugh mentions that Stefan suffered a failure in the conceptualization phase of the dish. Before Stefan can perform any spin doctoring, Tom launches into the discussion of the pork belly. The face of Top Chef has a complete understanding of Stefan’s mistakes in the dish. And the expression on his face reveals that Stefan’s execution is imminent.

The winner is obviously Brooke although Josh finished closer to the top than should have been possible. Scrambled scallops? Who knew? Brooke’s prize for winning is another cruise. “That’s ironic,” she states. What she is thinking is, “Great, now I have to get on another damned boat.” Lizzie and Josh are also informed that they are safe from elimination.

There is an attempt to heighten suspense that Sheldon may go home. On the heels of Kristen’s removal instead of Josie, this would be another staggering mistake. Stefan has not had his heart in the competition most of the season. His elimination felt like a foregone conclusion heading into the episode. The teeth-shattering pork belly simply confirmed the result. Tom sagely notes that Sheldon “just seemed to freeze up here”, which is exactly correct. It’s a small mistake in comparison to a brutal one. Stefan is voted out of Top Chef.

During his closing comments, Stefan demonstrates more grace than he ever had during two seasons on the series. He is clearly more focused on talking to his mother than on what happens. Of course, what happens next is that he faces Kristen in Last Chance Kitchen. The locality has changed to Alaska, and Stefan is reunited with “Wifey.”

What happens next is more than a little bit disturbing. As Stefan hits on Kristen, she flirts back. In the weeks since their separation, she has missed him. She LIKES him. It’s like Sandra Bullock and Jesse James all over again. Anyway, the challenge is much more convivial than the previous ones. These two people like one another (too much) and flirt throughout the heat. Tom is thrilled to discover that both dishes are delicious, but the result is obvious. Even Stefan is rooting for Kristen to win, which is exactly what happens.

There are now five players remaining in the competition. Stefan is not one of them. Kristen is, though. If the other four Top Chef contestants in Alaska knew this, they would have serious concerns. Kristen may yet win Top Chef despite her falling victim to The Josie Show.

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