Season Finale Watch: Top Chef

Posted by Dan May 25th, 2006 at 03:31pm In Reality

Last night was the conclusion of the most-talked about talent competition of the TV season.  Who would take it?  Him or her?  What would the judges say?

I'm talking, of course, about Bravo's Top Chef.  As for that other show, fuck 'em.

I have to say, this was probably the least suspenseful finale of the season.  The final competition featured Harold, the frumpy and plainspoken guy that everyone loved, versus Tiffani, the snippy redhead no one liked.

Each chef got two assistants for the final meal.  The assistants, who were the last four contestants eliminated, got to choose who they wanted to work for.  Everyone except Stephen, the notorious jackass, chose Harold — and even Stephen was kind of like "what the hell, someone has to work with her."

The chefs cooked five-course meals, with Tiffany completing two versions of each dish (some of which were good, some of which weren't) and Harold cooking consistently tasty courses.  In particular, all the judges kept orgasming over his duo of Kobe beef.

One of the saddest moments of the finale didn't even happen during the show. During the commercials, the network did one of those 'text who you want to win' surveys.  Apparently, Tiffani was so odious that Harold won, 93% to 7%. 

Bravo reality shows have a tendency to have out-of-left field guest stars (Nicki Hilton on Project Runway?  The Boston Red Sox on Queer Eye?  Margaret Cho on Blow Out?), and Top Chef is no exception.  Joining the judges at the tasting table was a goofy-acting Lorraine Bracco, who, in addition to playing Dr. Melfi on The Sopranos, is apparently a foodie and vineyard owner. 

So Harold won.  Everyone cheered.  Tiffani cried in her interview, and you felt bad, but then you stopped.  Katie Lee Joel was as useless as ever.  Harold got a check for $100,000.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to the Bravo Web site to order my official Top Chef stainless steel whisk.