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Rather than explain anything that has happened leading up to this moment in the finale, we are instead shown the backstories of Brooke and Kristen. We already knew all of this. How Lizzie, Sheldon and Josh wound up on the same team remains a mystery. There is now a fracturing of time (how very Steven Soderbergh). We go back to the moment that Brooke and Kristen entered Legally Different Than Kitchen Stadium for the first time.

Brooke is aggravated over this turn of events, clearly not expecting a giant set. This entire season has become an odd trial for Brooke as she overcomes all of her worst fears including boats, helicopters and now massive public cooking engagements. The always low key Kristen handles the situation as one would expect, effectively shrugging her shoulders and saying “Whatever” before starting to cook. Kristen has more serenity than the cast of Firefly.

“Team L.A.” is evaluated by their leader, Brooke. She starts by providing Stefan what I guess she considers a compliment by saying, “Stefan might be a little scatterbrained but he’s really quick.” Nothing aids in winning Top Chef like having a scatterbrained sous chef. CJ was apparently selected due to his amazing palate while Kuniko “adds a level of precision." Brooke has been dominant during the second half of the season. Still, I question her decision to select chefs based on their convenient ability to go see a movie together at Mann’s Chinese Theatre together. If/when the group does go to a movie, I would suggest A Place at the Table, though.

As always, Kristen is more straightforward with her thinking. She states that Lizzie, Sheldon and Josh are “good people” with “no egos." I am vaguely disappointed that there is no shot of Stefan immediately after she mentions that Kristen’s chefs all are humble. I am also surprised that Kristen did not choose Stefan as one of her assistants. She will let him smell her feet but he cannot cook for her. That’s messed up.

The courses will be assessed individually, of course. A new aspect is revealed by Brooke as both chefs announce their intentions. Scallops are the key (secret?) ingredient in the second round while snapper will be featured in the fourth round. Brooke notes that she and Kristen regularly utilize the same ingredients in very different ways. Right on cue, each competitor reveals that they will be finishing with a cake dessert. I am amused when Kristen reveals her menu, which is chicken scratch on wadded legal paper. I guess there was no room in the lavish production set budget for a computer capable of Power Point presentations.

The first course must be complicated because CJ has to ask for instructions multiple times. Brooke confidently states that she features this dish on the menu at her restaurants. The editing includes a shot of Brooke asking CJ not to fry pig’s ears – I am told they are delicious, but it sounds like a type of food humans prepare only to keep the pigs in a constant state of fear – to the point of being burned. We all know what will happen next. When the editing says, “Don’t do that”, it’s always done. As Brooke states, “Something’s burning!” Tom Colicchio and Emeril Lagasse watch in horror as CJ scorches the pig’s ears. I’m fairly certain that both judges have made up their minds about this dish before it is even plated.

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