Top Chef Season 5

[GordonCooks]

Zzzzz, probably the most underwhelming set of final dishes to date.

[C_Ruark]

Result = Fail.

Let's hope the winner knows not to name a restaurant something like "Gorbles".

[KristiB50]

I had a feeling the editing monkeys were messing with us with all Hosea's luck.

I'm glad he beat Stefan who was on my last nerve. Especially when he answered the question about deserving to be there because he deserved to be there.

Carla will be successful. She just needs to learn to say no. I knew she was screwed when she said yes to the sous vide.

Stefan's dessert-WTF was that mess???

I think Hosea should have done a dessert. He had time to practice before he went to NOLA.

Reunion show next week!

Edited February 26, 2009 by KristiB50 (log)

[Chris Hennes]

Zzzzz, probably the most underwhelming set of final dishes to date.

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I'll second that. The finale was... dull. I feel bad about Carla blowing it, but I can't blame her sous chef. I think it gives Sous Vide an undeserved bad name, but oh well. I just can't understand how the season's editing was supposed to lead up to Hosea winning. I had him pegged as middle-of-the-pack the whole way through, even up to the end. I also felt that the finale was too short: there was almost no cooking content. Bleh. Next year I'll know better: if the contestant field looks this weak, I'll just stay away.

[divalasvegas]

Oh Carla, Carla, Carla...... sis, sister, sistah girl, you were THIS CLOSE. But I could sense the impending doom when she said something to the effect of "sous vide? I've never done it before, but that sounds great" (or something like that). I know sous vide is "hot" but the closest I've ever gotten to sous vide is boil in bag chipped beef on toast which would put us in the same boat when it comes to that cooking style.

I actually let out a wail when she made that decision. And, if nothing else, end with a killer dessert, which had been her strong suit. To allow your sous chef with whom you've never cooked before and with whom you have no history to be that influential on the choice of the last two courses of the meal of your life is just unbelievable. I was really pulling for her though I knew she would be the underdog against Stefan and Hosea. Ultimately she forgot to stick with what got her this far and lacked the confidence to follow her first instincts and her heart. I actually had tears in my eyes as she and the others stood before the judges since I could see that she was well aware that she had blown it. All in all though, she's still a sweet lady and a class act.

Unlike many here, I've never disliked Stefan and even found him funny and charming. He really won me over with his obvious compassion and concern for Carla. I thought that was very sweet in that regard. I was really taken aback that he froze his fish and sacrificed taste over presentation. I fully expected him to be in the finals and couldn't believe how he stumbled with that decision especially after pulling off a very well received alligator soup appy.

Congrats to Hosea who really gave it his all tonight. He earned the title of Top Chef and I'm happy for him. I remember him mentioning that he was the only one of the final three who didn't have his own business. I hope he uses his winnings to realize that dream.

Finally, Rocco "bored with foie gras" are you? I'm with Branford Marsalis: give me all the foie gras you got and keep it coming!

Edited February 26, 2009 by divalasvegas (log)

[RWells]

Zzzzz, probably the most underwhelming set of final dishes to date.

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I'll second that. The finale was... dull. I feel bad about Carla blowing it, but I can't blame her sous chef. I think it gives Sous Vide an undeserved bad name, but oh well. I just can't understand how the season's editing was supposed to lead up to Hosea winning. I had him pegged as middle-of-the-pack the whole way through, even up to the end. I also felt that the finale was too short: there was almost no cooking content. Bleh. Next year I'll know better: if the contestant field looks this weak, I'll just stay away.

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I agree. The only thing that show will do is set sous vide back ten years. I posted this over on the massive sous vide board where I normally lurk. I'm sure there will be much posting regarding this over there. No timing or technique, except to show the Food Saver in action. No water bath or temp controller.

[chickenfriedgourmet]

this show just lost all credibility, no consistency whatsoever.............

[mukki]

What a joke.

[ChefCrash]

What the!@#$%^&*!!?

[Bree20]

Ok is it just me (could be) or did the final kinda fall flat once Hosa's name was said? It was like Hosa is the new top chef now to your local news and weather. If

i remember correct in the other seasons everyone seemed so excited over the new winner.

As for Carla she was always my favorite - i just about died when i heard Casey telling her to make it special but alas that is another rant all together

[hsm]

give me all the foie gras

Can't. It and all the caviar was grabbed by the Top Tool.

[skoolpsyk]

Ok, Hosea is a Top Chef and Richard B. is not a Top Chef.

Well, maybe if Richard is lucky Hosea will hire him as his sous-chef full time....

[laurelm]

most disappointed I have been in the show since Ilan won...

[CDRFloppingham]

Hoser is NOT Top Chef.

Worst winner since Ilan Hall.

[KristiB50]

I just can't understand how the season's editing was supposed to lead up to Hosea winning.]

I was talking about the finale's editing. He drew the number one knife and found the baby in the cake.... I wondered early on if it was going to be him.

Jeff looked mad at the end. Or else the camera caught him at an unfortunate time.

[weinoo]

Finally, Rocco "bored with foie gras" are you? I'm with Branford Marsalis: give me all the foie gras you got and keep it coming!

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Best scene of the show was when Rocco said that and they panned over to Gail who couldn't have been rolling her eyes further back into her head if she was passing out.

Stefan's dessert looked like the dessert sampler on a catering buffet, and his first (fish) course was obviously not good...he didn't deserve it last night.

Carla - you can't be a "Top" chef if you don't make the hard decisions and you let others tell you what to do.

Hosea cooked the best meal of the 3 last night and deserved to win, and I liked it when once again Tom put Toby in his place as Toby was whining about Hosea's not making a dessert - Hosea followed the rules, as Tom specifically said they didn't have to make a dessert at the beginning of the challenge.

[RAHiggins1]

I knew whoever drew Blais as Sous was going to win going into this episode.

[Kevin72]

Fitting cap off to a progressively underwhelming season. There's just no compelling "story" to Hosea's win at all. He seemed to luck into it. I mean, given what happened to Stefan who had been losing his groove the past four eps and Carla's rather unforgivable sins, I don't object to the final judgment or feel anyone was robbed, but he was and still is my least favorite of the three competing. I only got marginally more interested in his prospects b/c he picked Blais.

[oakapple]

Carla never quite convinced me she belonged in the Top 3. Neither Stefan nor Hosea acted like they considered her a serious threat. She had a lot of mid-season foul-ups, and there were several episodes when she could quite easily have been sent home early on. She had a great run near the end, winning the Super Bowl tickets and the car, but she wilted under the pressure. On the last episode of the season, you don't let your sous-chef talk you into making something you never prepared before.

Stefan was the best chef this season, but he got over-confident and choked on two of his last four dishes. I agree with the comments that Hosea is a somewhat unexciting winner. It seemed he got there more because of other people's screw-ups than because of his own excellence.

Still, Hosea's win last night was overwhelming. Not even the Bravo editors were able to make it look like Stefan had any real chance. Usually, when they go to the final commercial break, there's at least a twinge of doubt as to the outcome, but not this time. In essence, it was over when Fabio acknowledged in front of everyone that Hosea had cooked the best meal.

Toby really showed why he doesn't belong on this show. If you tell the chefs that they don't have to cook a dessert, then you can't penalize Hosea for not cooking a dessert.

[KristiB50]

Toby really showed why he doesn't belong on this show. If you tell the chefs that they don't have to cook a dessert, then you can't penalize Hosea for not cooking a dessert.

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I hope Gail is back next season and Toby is gone. Anyone but Toby please!

Gail was sporting a fuller figure. I wonder if she's pregnant?

[ulterior epicure]

Finally, Rocco "bored with foie gras" are you? I'm with Branford Marsalis: give me all the foie gras you got and keep it coming!

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Best scene of the show was when Rocco said that and they panned over to Gail who couldn't have been rolling her eyes further back into her head if she was passing out.

I don't think it was a pan. I think it was a cut. I wonder if that shot was taken out of context. She did look awfully bored by whatever was going on at that time.

Stefan's dessert looked like the dessert sampler on a catering buffet, and his first (fish) course was obviously not good...he didn't deserve it last night.

Carla - you can't be a "Top" chef if you don't make the hard decisions and you let others tell you what to do.

Hosea cooked the best meal of the 3 last night and deserved to win, and I liked it when once again Tom put Toby in his place as Toby was whining about Hosea's not making a dessert - Hosea followed the rules, as Tom specifically said they didn't have to make a dessert at the beginning of the challenge.

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Finally, a sensible post. I agree.

[Dignan]

Finally, Rocco "bored with foie gras" are you? I'm with Branford Marsalis: give me all the foie gras you got and keep it coming!

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Best scene of the show was when Rocco said that and they panned over to Gail who couldn't have been rolling her eyes further back into her head if she was passing out.

I don't think it was a pan. I think it was a cut. I wonder if that shot was taken out of context. She did look awfully bored by whatever was going on at that time.

Stefan's dessert looked like the dessert sampler on a catering buffet, and his first (fish) course was obviously not good...he didn't deserve it last night.

Carla - you can't be a "Top" chef if you don't make the hard decisions and you let others tell you what to do.

Hosea cooked the best meal of the 3 last night and deserved to win, and I liked it when once again Tom put Toby in his place as Toby was whining about Hosea's not making a dessert - Hosea followed the rules, as Tom specifically said they didn't have to make a dessert at the beginning of the challenge.

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Finally, a sensible post. I agree.

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Yeah, the edits/cuts in this show are for drama, not for capturing historical records. No telling at what point that eyeroll came from.

Hosea should have won last night's matchup -- but I at no point felt the urge to eat at anyone's restaurant while watching this season's competition.

And here we go again with the "I wonder if Gail is pregnant." She's curvy, always has been. But maybe she since she just got married the answer to that question this time will be yes. (And since somebody raised le due cupole grandi

della cattedrale di Milano, I will ask: was Gail wearing the same dress as she was at the party in the previous episode?Edit to add Naw, never mind it wasn't. )

Edited February 27, 2009 by Dignan (log)

[ulterior epicure]

I knew whoever drew Blais as Sous was going to win going into this episode.

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I simply don't see how this is possible.

Personally, I thought Stephanie deserved to win last season (or, at the very least, every bit as much as Richard did). I don't know Richard Blais and I have nothing against him. I'm sure he must be a very talented chef. And he seems like a downright nice guy too. But Blais has a very zealous following - one that I can't quite comprehend.

From whence this belief that everything he touches should turn to gold? I'll admit that Casey wasn't the strongest from her season. And it does seem that she help derail Carla's finale (although Carla willingly rolled over on this one). But I can't see how you have come to make the statement you have made, RAHiggins. Do you mean that out of the three sous chefs, he's the one that would follow directions the best? If so, you might consider Marcel as the strongest - he took directions from the chef without question; resulting, perhaps, in those frozen and leaky fish carpaccio.

If I'm not mistaken, the one contribution that Blais DID make to Hosea's dinner were those carbonated blackberries with the venison, which one of the judges (was it Gail?) said were superfluous.

By the way, did any of you see the Stefan's exit interview? Get that boy a Prius!

And that out-take of Fabio and Stefan assembling their ideal woman from various parts of Top Chef players was just hilarious.

Edited February 26, 2009 by ulterior epicure (log)

[oakapple]

Gail was sporting a fuller figure. I wonder if she's pregnant?

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It looked like the same old Gail to me.

[Chris Hennes]

Fitting cap off to a progressively underwhelming season.  There's just no compelling "story" to Hosea's win at all. He seemed to luck into it.

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This is what gets me: the Bravo editors knew who won before the first episode aired: they had months to tweak the editing to ensure that the winner was a surprise, but a pleasant one. And instead, what they ended up creating was some random schmuck that no one really cared about. Stefan was the "clear favorite," Carla the "Dark Horse," and, oh yeah, there was some other guy, too. What was his name?

Of course I agree that within the context of the last episode it seems clear that Hosea deserved the win: the others simply screwed themselves with bad decisions. That doesn't explain to me how Bravo could have assembled and edited the season so poorly: I don't think anyone is "angry" about this choice, like many were when Ilan won; it's clear Hosea won fair and square here. The question is, why didn't they make him a more compelling winner?