By The Beachwood Top Chef Affairs Desk
UPDATE/June 19:
Highlights from the reunion show:
* Stephanie won Fan Favorite.
* Tom Colicchio revealed that, indeed, the competition was Richard’s to lose.
* Colicchio also revealed that he did not agree with the decision the judges made on the episode he missed to keep Lisa and send Dale packing.
* Richard appeared via satellite from Atlanta where he was awaiting the birth of his child and said that he had opened a new restaurant – and by the tone in his voice, it didn’t appear things were going well.
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I also came across this.
ORIGINAL POST/June 16:
I asked the kitchen wizards Kris and Danielle at Flying Saucer for the last word on this season’s Chicago-based Top Chef and the victory by Chicagoan Stephanie Izard. Here are their responses.
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From Danielle:
1. The thought of cooking a four-course meal for nine judges after having a celebrity chef sous for me caused me to break into a sweat and curl up into a ball on my couch before the first commercial break.
2. Lisa sucks and should have been kicked off ages ago.
3. Richard did choke, he tried way too hard instead of just going with what he knows, but he’s awesome for thinking outside the box.
4. Lisa sucks.
5. Stephanie brought it home!!! Just like Kris and I had predicted (clearly we know our shit! Or we can just spot someone who is leagues ahead of us!) Either was, it’s finally a woman and she has helped put Chicago on the map. We aren’t just a town of slow Midwesterners, we know how to eat.
6. Lisa still sucks.
7. All in all a great season, with great challenges and an awesome location. My conclusion is that Stephanie won because she stripped her food of all pretentiousness and cooked because she loves to. Everything she made was very homestyle (loosely used, wouldn’t expect [our pal and her boss] Andrew to pull off some of those meals in his home). Food is something that should unite the masses, it’s a necessity, not a luxury. Stephanie knew how to cook food everyone would enjoy, but still make those judges feel like they could be snooty about it. Last but not least, modesty. This is an ingredient missing in most kitchens, which brings us back to why Kris and I work where we do. We do eggs, but we do them well and purely because we love cooking. I know its cheesy, but Stephanie made us proud!
From Kris:
I asked Kris some separate questions.
1. Did you ever go to Scylla [Izard’s restaurant] when it was in Bucktown?
No I have never been.
2. Lisa sucks, but she almost pulled it out! Were you scared?
I was so scared ’cause like Lisa had said on the show, her second and fourth dished rocked the judges but Steph’s first and third rocked them. I was screaming at the TV and pointing out Lisa’s flaws as if it was a live show and the judges could hear me. I was so relieved when they announced Steph.
3. Except for the time he didn’t get all the scales off the fish,
wasn’t Richard the best over the course of the season? Or no?
Richard was great throughout the season. I totally saw him in the final three. He’s a great leader which makes a great chef and he’s not pompous so people love to work with him. As far as being the best, though, I am a little biased because Steph is from here, so I have to back her up.
4. Liquid nitrogen.
Freaks me out, but Richard’s use of it was really great. It’s a very interesting technique but a little too scary for me.
5. Dale almost blew it for Stephanie that one time!
Oh my gosh! When they went to the commercial and I saw that pork belly sitting under the table I freaked out. Again screaming at the TV like a madwoman for no reason. However the dish he suggested (the pork rind salad) went over very well with the judges and they said it was one of their favorites that day. So really it worked in her favor.
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Comments welcome!
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Posted on June 19, 2008