Before anything else, this review comes with a milestone for me. Since joining CliqueClack in the fall, this marks the first TV show I’ve reviewed for a full season — the others shows I started reviewing in the middle of the season. My next completed season is coming in the next few weeks with Being Human, but Top Chef got there first.
Was I the only one who had a sigh of relief when Tom and Padma promised Mike and Richard that there would be no twists in the finale? Actually, my first response was, “Can we get that in writing?” I know it makes for more exciting television, but the twists and turns start to annoy me after a while. The last challenge — putting together the restaurant of their dreams — was tough enough in itself without throwing a wrench into the system.
OK, there was one small twist. Both chefs knew they would probably have to choose a few former contestants to assist them in the challenge. Turns out, they would be picking the sous chefs blind. Each former contestant had to make an amuse bouche; Mike and Richard chose their favorite bites. In a lot of ways, this was a plus for both of them. You don’t know just by looking at the chefs whether they are on their game right now, but the bites at least show who’s ready to cook!
I know I wasn’t Mike’s biggest fan during this entire season, but he did really pull it together in the last part of this season. This finale really did prove that the guy has some amazing talent. His halibut looked so delicate and elegant — even Tom was impressed. Really all of his dishes looked great, and from the judges said, they apparently tasted great, too. I really want to know what “pepperoni sauce” tastes like.
I’m a sucker for oysters, so Richard’s first dish was right up my alley. Actually, all of his savory dishes looked amazing. One of the reasons I think I’ve been rooting for Richard in both this season and his original season is I always imagine eating his food would be a great adventure. Sure, his foie gras ice cream wasn’t the best, but he adapted it and made it better after hearing the criticism. That’s what it’s about, right? Oh, and having Spike as his spy in the dining room was sneaky smart. It honestly helped save that dessert. Something else I really appreciated from Richard is how he kept an open mind to his sous chefs’ opinions compared to Mike’s rigidness in his own ideas. In the end, I think that open-mindedness gave Richard a big of an edge.
The judges — or at least the producers — made us think Mike was pulling ahead with just loads and loads of praise at judge’s table. But you know what, it was Richard Blais that pulled ahead. Am I happy about that? Heck yes! The guy is one of the best contestants this show has ever had and this finale showed him at his best. Even though I really don’t like Mike Isabella‘s attitude, his dishes this episode were just barely edged out by Richard’s, and you have to give props to the guy for what he put out.
This might have been the most emotional finale reveal in the show’s history. All of the ousted contestants had so much admiration for Richard, so seeing them swarm him in the way they did … you could just feel the camaraderie. I think my favorite part was when he called his wife on the phone (remember she was quite pregnant at the time, so flying wouldn’t have been possible). Her response to finding out he won was “… What!?” It was such a sweet, real moment that I found myself tearing up.
And so ends another season of Top Chef. Oh, don’t forget to check out the All-Star Reunion next week!
Clacked by Katie Schenkel 
on Mar 31, 2011 @ 19:46 EST5EDT
I always thought Richard would win, so in a way this was a little anticlimactic. But I loved the way the chefs “chose” their sous chefs. I really wondered if some of the chefs turned in a less than stellar entry so they could go to the beach instead. Anyway, one of the best “Top Chef” series.