Top Chef All Stars, Season Finale, Part 2: Review and Rankings

In a Funk

I am unsure of what to think about this last episode.  Maybe the finale is just running too long, but I couldn’t get excited about either challenge.

Most bizarre comment came from Mike:  “I’m finally getting back on track.”  Um, Mike, the only track you have ever spent much time on was in the middle of the pack.  He makes it sound like he once had this great run and then kind of slipped a little and now he’s back on top.  No.  It didn’t happen that way, either in your season or in this one.  You are riding high for the FIRST time, dude.

My love of Season 4 has been somewhat justified in seeing four selected to compete in this All Stars Season (Spike went off the trail early), including three who went way deep in the competition (Dale was a favorite up until a few weeks ago) and two in the final three, Antonia and Richard.

It was a real ho-hum Quickfire.  Make a hundred plates that all look and taste exactly the same.  Other than the time pressure, I found nothing particularly creative or even amusing about this challenge.  I mean, Antonia and Tiffany split $5,000 for a seared tenderloin with a chimichurri salad and lentils while Mike and Richard made pork Bolognese with macaroni and groused about the women winning.  Yeah, okay, it was hard to make macaroni in an hour, but it was also hard to plate 100 times 4 items.

This was not inspiring at all.

For the Elimination Challenge, the chefs were required to cook conch on a beach for the rich old members of the Nassau Yacht Club who are celebrating the 80th Anniversary of their founding by more extremely wealthy (mostly white) old people.  Another huge ho-hum.  I just expect a lot more out of the finals, but I’m probably expecting way too much.

The season has gone on long enough already.  Let’s have a winner.

Speaking of winners, Mike won again.  The way that he is mugging for the camera and looking all Spanky, I wonder if they didn’t tell him in advance, “Look Mike, you’re going to win this thing so gloat as much as you want.”

In what was clearly a major anti-climax, Tiffany was eliminated, something that should have happened at least six episodes ago.

Let’s get it over with!

1.    Richard Blais.

Mike may be winning most of these challenges, but Richard is still the better chef, more creative, with a broader base of knowledge and deeper pure skill.  Until Mike actually snatches the final win away, Richard simply must be ranked first.

2.   Mike Isabella.

I’m really tired of this guy.  He’s brought some serious preparation skills to this thing, but I’d still like nothing better than to have him fall on his Spanky face.

3.   Antonia Lofaso.

I still love Antonia and wish her the very best.  If I had my choice, she would win this thing, but I have my doubts that she can stand up to Mike and Richard.  Sorry.