Down to Two
Let me first say that the first part of the two part Top Chef finale did not go as I had hoped. I was rooting for anyone BUT Marcel to be in the final two. The final four were Elia, Sam, Ilan, and Marcel. All four flew to Hawaii, but once they got there to a luau for Chef Alan Wong, they found out there would be an elimination challenge that would get rid of two chefs.
Now, much as I have for the entire season, I had hoped Marcel would have to leave. I am tired of his foams, but I guess he is doing something right because he just seems indestructible. For the challenge, the chefs had to create a luau, but put their own spin on things. Poor Elia spun too much and came up with a dish that hardly resembled a traditional Hawaiian dish at all. Marcel made pineapple poi, which the judges seemed to dislike, and something else. They ended up saying his dishes were best. Ilan added a Spanish touch to his dish, but the judges didn’t know how far a stretch that was, since he is a chef at a Mexican restaurant. They brought up that Sam didn’t actually cook anything. I think this was the same thing they brought up about Carlos before he was eliminated.
Right before the judges made their announcement, Elia spoke up about how Marcel had been rude in the kitchen all season long. But, it just looked like she was being petty. We knew she wasn’t and Ilan and Sam stuck up for her, but to no avail. The judges said they weren’t judging on personality. This is not entirely true because when the chefs had to setup the makeshift restaurant and be out front, the judges were very concerned about their personality.
Anyhow, Marcel was the first chef told he had made it through to part two. Elia was told to pack her knives and leave, as was Sam. So next week will be the final showdown between Marcel and Ilan. I so hope Ilan beats him. I am just sick of Marcel and his ferret face.
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January 25th, 2007 at 2:53 pm
I’m really surprised that Sam didn’t make it to the finals. Yes, he didn’t cook anything but weren’t a lot of the traditional dishes served raw? And anyway, don’t you think the fact that Marcel used chemicals to create his dishes rather than cooking technique should have been criticized as well? Elia at least used good technique and I think she was wrongly eliminated. Of course if I had my way I would have a three person final with Marcel out in the cold.
I think Ilan looked like a chicken last night. I don’t know if he really didn’t say anything during Judges Table or that’s what the producers wanted us to see but there he is egging on Elia to gripe about Marcel and he doesn’t say a thing! I agree with you that the judges cared about behavior before – didn’t they question the chefs about their behavior OUTSIDE the kitchen after the head shaving incident? Chef Tom says to Sam is that how you’d behave in the kitchen, and then Gayle says part of what it means to be Top Chef is setting a good example. Being a weasel like Marcel in the kitchen is no good example. I wonder if on the final episode they’re going to let Marcel and Ilan get help from former contestants (like they did last season). That was part of Tiffani’s downfall, that everyone on the show hated her. No one wanted to work hard so she would win (except Dave and his dessert, that is). Do you really think any of the eliminated contestants would give 100% of their effort to Marcel?