The Top Chef Reunion Show

I was all excited tonight, getting ready to tune into Bravo for a new episode of Top Chef. What I found in its place was a reunion show. Not just any reunion show, mind you, but the “Watch What Happens Top Chef Extravaganza/Spectacular/Reunion Show” featuring chefs from all three seasons. Now correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t we have a season 1 reunion show just before the finale? I don’ think there was a season 2 reunion show but I could be wrong about that. And season 3 isn’t even nearly over, so why include chefs now for a reunion show? I guess Bravo is looking for a quick, easy and cheap way to fill an hour time slot. Why would they air a reunion show in the middle of a season? There was no compelling reason to do so – just give me more competition shows please and save the reunions for when the competition is over.

As mentioned before, the show featured chefs from all three seasons. From season 1: Harold, Lee Anne and Dave; from season 2: Cliff, Ilan, Mike and Sam; from season 3 Lia, Sandee, Micah, Camille and Clay. All the judges were there, and the show was hosted tonight by Andy Cohen. Not too sure who he is, but you see him all over Bravo TV.

There were a lot of flashback type montages, rehashing some of the same things as always. Marcel as a villain. The chefs who drink too much. Padma as a hottie. You name it, it was there again. But there was some outtakes from season 2 when contestants Elia, Sam, Cliff, Ilan and Marcel did a funny take on a quickfire challenge and judges’ table. I laughed so hard watching Elia make fun of Padma. I wish they showed that during the season.

There were lots of questions for the chefs, but the answers were so very short. Andy Cohen got the majority of the camera time. We barely heard from Camille, Lia, Harold or even Dave until the very end. I thought the focus of the show should be the chefs, and perhaps they needed some more camera time.

Some interesting facts I found out this evening:

Sam would make love in duck fat. (Do I really want that image in my mind?)
Tom Colicchio eats as if he is operating on a person.
Padma thought she was fat during season 2. (If she’s fat then I should just shoot myself right now.)
Harold’s new restaurant is open – it’s called Perilla.
Tom Colicchio over-uses the phrase “finger pointing”.

Thankfully next week it’s back to competition. I’m just hoping that there won’t be a reunion show at the end of season 3 as well. I’m getting kind of tired of reunions.

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