I wonder if EP’s got involved and said that the finale can't be all Americans. At this point I hope Ali wins.
I can’t imagine they got involved this late. It really seemed like Amar and sara had the worst fish and Gabri was fortunate to be on Buddha’s team. I hoe charbell wins lkc and tom and/or Gabri go home next week
Whoever was on buddhas team was going to win the Wellington challenge. Kind of ridiculous to have that challenge when one of the chefs worked in a Gordon Ramsey restaurant where he probably made thousands of wellingtons
I'm not necessarily saying it's rigged. But having your finale for a world all-star season be nearly all Americans is a bad look IMO. I fully didn't expect the judges to send a team with Sara on it home. They universally love her for some reason.
Tom and Gabri are clearly the weakest players going into this finale. I can't think of someone from recent seasons that has been as lucky as Gabri.
having a season in london without a wellington challenge would never happen. when it happened and it being a double elimination is a fair thing to negotiate.
Yeah a Wellington challenge was happening for sure. I just don’t like that it was a double elimination essentially right before the finale.
So I listened to Pack Your Knives today and Ali was an alternate until about 12 hours before taping they found out. Ali was called and told to be in London in 12 hours and didn’t even have his knife roll for the first episode. Think about how different this season is if so.
I like Gabri, but what the fuck. Every week he’s screwing something up, burning something, barely escaping elimination, etc.
I feel he has had some interesting ideas and flavors throughout the season but his execution has only gotten better recently..
putting pomegranate seeds in a non-refined croquette and a one note mushroom "steak." it was clear imo they liked Gabri's dish way more and the only reason he could have been left out was it was more chicken focused and didn’t highlight the mushroom as much. now should have Gabri made it this far? maybe not. he's been in the bottom a lot. he's also kind of peaking at the right time too. regardless, I think it was clear his dish bested Ali this week.
I think some of that is to try and elevate his cooking more than he needs to (perhaps in order to compete?) and some of it could be that the dishes he's often cooking in 30 mins, traditionally may take hours to cook well.
classic top chef debate where one clearly tastes better but the other clearly starred the main ingredient more. I wanted to see Ali in the final, I thought he was Buddha's main competition, but I understand the call.
I think Sara’s form right now has her right there with Ali. But if the finale is just cool whatever you want, I don’t think it matters who made it Buddha crushes those types of challenges
I mean she got eliminated two weeks ago, but she definitely crushed it most of the season. Ali's highs are just about as high as Buddha's though, he had a run this season where he was in the top or winning a lot.
Tom would be a great pick for sous chef because he is remarkably skilled and technical, if you didn't have to work with Tom the person.
Buddha gets Ali as sous chef based on the preview so we are about done here plus buddas smugness in every interview scene its clear as day now. Impossible to atop him now that he gets his scripted menu.
This was a bad day. Seeing Ali go home and padma leaving. Really curious who they replace her with or Gail if they move her into the host spot.
She has hosted just desserts and amateurs plus iron chef Canada. I don't think it's a crazy idea. They can add a new judge easier.
Oh I don’t think it’s crazy. I just love where she is. Maybe it’s better to give her more and ease someone in, but I love her contribution.
I think Ali could have put together a menu to rival Buddhas but yeah Sarah and Gabri just aren't going to beat him
Would have to be the biggest WTF result in top chef history. I’m sure he’ll burn something in the finale and I’d be manages to win still? Just call it a series
watched the episode already having seen padma was leaving. Obviously these things are edited like crazy but they certainly made it seem like there was padma-Gail tension for the Gabri-Ali debate. Seems like Gail has been way more aggressive and present lately.
https://variety.com/2023/tv/opinion/padma-lakshmi-top-chef-tribute-1235637556/ Aptly, this is the lede to the Variety article.. This is going to sound like a backhanded compliment, but I mean it: One of Padma Lakshmi’s most valuable skills as the host of “Top Chef” — a major part of what will be missed when Lakshmi departs the show after the June 8 finale — is product placement.