Wednesday, February 25, 2009

TOP CHEF 5 Finale Live Blog

Okay, here we go...

10:00 – Quickie season recap from Padma. Let's get it on. What's this? No chef montage?

10:04 – Okay, here comes the knife block... we've got a head-to-head, three course meal, any proteins, don't have to make a dessert.

10:05 – Marcel, Richard and Casey return from previous seasons... oh god, will Stefan team up with Marcel?!

10:06 – "Marcel kinda reminds me of Stefan."

10:07 – "He's a bit of a twat. But who isn't?"

10:08 – What a surprise. Hosea's doing fish. And stealing all the foie gras and caviar.

10:09 – Why would you do something in the finale that you've never done before? Carla needs to stick with the simple stuff that got her here the last few weeks.

10:10 – I like Richard's advice... "Get some sleep. Don't drink tonight."

10:11 – I have to admit that I don't think I turn Bravo on unless Top Chef is airing.

10:14 – So you get to the final three and your "treat" is a voodoo palm reading? Thanks Glad.

10:17 – No matter how many times I see this Hidden Valley Ranch commercial I always think Carole King or whoever wrote "Pleasant Valley Sunday" needs to sue their ass off.

10:18 – John at Baltimore Snacker is live blogging the finale, too. Check it out.

10:20 – The twist is an appetizer using traditional New Orleans ingredients. Hosea sticks Stefan with alligator. Go Stefan, I'm openly rooting for him to smoke Hosea at this point.

10:22 – Hosea's doing venison. Better cook that just right sport.

10:23 – Why is Carla listening to Casey? Stick to your guns.

10:24 – Looks like guests include Rocco and Dana Cowin. Uh-oh, Tom doesn't look impressed by Stefan's dessert.

10:27 – Is it mean for me to say it looks like Stefanie has been hitting a lot of tastings during her reign as Top Chef?

10:30 – Wait, maybe that's not Dana Cowin.

10:31 – I'm thinking the app course went to Hosea or Stefan.

10:33 – Do not like Carla's presentation on that first course but they all seemed to like it. Hosea's dish looked great but they didn't like it or Stefan's very much. That round definitely went to Carla.

10:35 – "This doesn't remind me of her."

10:36 – Gail bopping her head while Rocco blathers may have been my fave part of the episode so far.

10:38 – Looks like Carla just screwed herself with her half a dish. And there's the withering look from Tom.

10:40 – Are they going to ding Hosea for taking the safe way out and ending with venison? Will Stefan take it on the chin for his dated dessert presentation?

10:42 – I don't know if we saw the best from any of these chefs tonight. I feel like Stefan's been coasting for the last couple weeks... and it might just cost him tonight.

10:46 – Judges Table. I'm going to say Hosea wins.

10:47 – Carla's explanation about how much influence Casey had on her menu gets the raised eyebrows and disappointed glance from Tom.

10:51 – I feel bad for Carla. I really think if she'd stuck to her guns she could have won this.

10:53 – "It was pedestrian at best." Padma at her dismissive most!

10:54 – Toby seems to be the lone Stefan voice in the wilderness... Tom says he doesn't see any "soul" in Stefan's cooking, a thought I mentioned a week ago.

10:55 – I'd be shocked, SHOCKED if Hosea isn't the winner. Looks like John and I are in agreement here, he's thinking Hosea-Stefan-Carla, too. Gail and Tom looked too satisfied going into commercial.

10:58 – I love the way Padma has to get in that "Glad family of products" plug.

11:00 – I should not be snickering at Carla crying. Hosea said "things are going to change, that's for sure". Judging by Stefanie's Dr. Pepper commercial he should start buying clothes a size or two larger starting now.

3 comments:

John said...

I was betting against Stefan, too, until Carla did that cheese souffle mistake. Personally, I am rooting for her.

John said...

I guess we were right about Hosea, though had anyone told me an hour ago that Hosea was going to win I would have laughed at them. Truly a "sleeper hit" (to put it in movie speak).

Dan said...

I really feel like Carla blew it, and I think she did, too. She shouldn't have listened to either of Casey's suggestions... totally doomed her.

As for Hosea, it reminds me of one of those mid-major teams that gets into the NCAA Tournament, has a couple upsets and then somehow gets into the finals against a team everybody expects to win. They don't have the "body of work" so to speak, but the right game at the right time can make anybody a winner. In the long haul I think all of the other three will be more successful.