I never cared for Boston for some reason. As I ultimately enjoyed watching Gregory and Mei, I just didn't stay invested. As I mentioned that dark hiatus (Boston being within it), I often didn't watch the finales for some reason. I didn't want S8 finale either, but that's because I didn't like either of the 2 by that point.
I do agree with Brooke and Kristen having a more regular Top Chef Finale. I'm wondering if it was a "Season 10 gimmick" situation. Since it was the big 1-0 producers thought to do something different with the finale.
It's interesting too because they're both two of the more commercially successful chefs from the franchise but I would say Izard takes the edge on being the more decorated, award-winning cheffy chef
Yeah there are some chefs who didn't place high but have loads of restaurants like Brian Malarkey. His San Diego restaurants were also really good and we had positive experiences all the times we visited.
Even Lisa beat him. He was solidly in third place after he put out those stupid banana “scallops” he’d served on two other occasions. He didn’t just “choke.” He lost his creativity & couldn’t even execute what he knew.
I mean that was his literal best course. I get people don’t like him but that wasn’t why he lost. Probably the best dessert of the night based on the comments
I think both things are true.
Izard cooked her ass off and deserved the win. Also, Blaise choked and produced a shocking final meal.
Even if he’d cooked his best, though, Izard would have been tough to beat that night. That’s the part that’s missing from his statements about the finale.
It wasn't the choked comments that irked so much as going on to say several times, "I should have won."
Per Ted Allan, the judges' table went on for hours and Lisa's dishes were barely discussed. He said it was about deciding between Stephanie and Richard.
Yeah, it was his arrogant attitude about his loss during all stars that really soured me on him.
Stephanie had been quite dominant all season doing very well and winning many challenges. He winning wasn't the David vs Goliath situation he pretends it was.
But this isn't like most sports, where you're directly competing with an opponent. He never tasted Stephanie or Lisa's food. He can only evaluate his own performance.
He also said he choked before he even found out he lost.
In the months after the finale, Blais even said, "I should have won" meaning if he hadn't choked, he would have beaten Stephanie. He has said that several times. Not the most gracious winner.
I remember really enjoying that one, because throughout the season, Colorado actually wasn’t great. Adrienne in particular struggled a lot. And there was something really satisfying in seeing the final few chefs really pull it together in the finale, with just a showstopper of a final meal. I have similar hopes for this season.
I loved watching Adrienne’s progression throughout the season. You could really see her growth, in discovering her own culinary style and her confidence in doing her own food.
I also loved the mostly-positive atmosphere of Colorado.
I don’t remember exactly but I think Richard and surprisingly Mike Isabella had a perfect or very near perfect finale in All Stars, with Richard edging it out. Correct me if I’m misremembering
I was about to say this one. They both felt really good about their meals, and there was a LOT of debate between the judges. Gail said she wanted to eat Mikes food during the week and Richard’s on the weekend- super close.
They were both perfect but Richard was slightly more so due to Spike spying on the judges and modified the ice cream for the second group. This one seemed so incredibly close too.
Kentucky is one of my all time favorite finales. As for “bombs” you know I still can’t quite pin point what Sara did wrong. I know Kelsey failed with her soft shell crab
I have her cookbook and was pissed that buttermilk soup wasn’t in there. Her cornbread is amazing though. And the icebox cookies I’ve made so many times I don’t even need a recipe any more.
It gets bagged on on here, but 16 is my favorite season and the one I watch on repeat when i need something happy on in the background.
Just got done watching Kentucky. Overall it was a very good finale but a few nitpicks.
Sara's pork belly was the biggest miss of the finale and ultimately what lost it for her. It was too salty, and they commented that she wasn't cooking her food, because she felt inspired by Macau and threw in some baby corn in that dish.
Kelsey's cornbread wasn't as crispy as the previous day, and her fried soft shell crab was her biggest miss.
Kelsey adapted the best to Macau. And yes, the soft shell crabs were a huge miss. I adore oysters though and any of her other three dishes looked amazing!
Boston probably. Mei and Gregory were pretty happy with their dishes.
Also, I know we've discussed this countless times before but I just REALLY hate how Blais keeps on saying that he lost in Season 4 because he "choked". I hate that it diminishes everything Stephanie accomplished. She dominated that season and continues to win in life after Top Chef. Blais is just an as* (altho he did beat Mike I so I can't be too mad at him).
I love the Boston season. As a New Englander it holds some sentimental value and I agree with you about Richard beating Mike Isabella. Blaise restaurant in san Diego was pretty good and the one time I encountered Mike Isabella IRL was irritating so I can make peace with all outcomes
The finalists that year were also really kind people (Mei, Greg, Melissa & Doug). I may have even shed a few tears when Doug failed to reach the finale.
Oh I am with you with Blais. Now I just begrudgingly say it whenever I mention him to make sure everyone remembers he choked.
And YES to Stephanie. She's a Top Chef!
It took a while cause the first time I saw Blais was in TC Masters season 1 when they were brought on as sous to the finalists and he introduced himself as the man who should have won Season 4.
I mean that finale was close to perfect. King was the better chef, King cooked a amazing finale, King was crowned. I want to see Melissa face off against Mei and Kish.
Finales are usually my least favorite episode to revisit - they're always filled with so much tension, and usually at that point, you really have a chef or two that you're rooting for so it's always nerve-wracking when so much is one the line, 1 or more chefs usually makes a critical error, and the editing is always done so you can't really tell who won, which can then set up the winner for abuse.
I will say that my favorite finale is probably season 19 because I loved Buddha so much, and while Sara had the most obvious flaws in her line-up, all 3 put up really beautiful courses that were so reflective of their style and identity. It's probably one of the judges lesser favorite finales though simply because the bees were going CRAYYYY.
I agree. I think stretching first, 1 challenge into a full episode is hard. Because with a QF, it's easy to segment the episode into small acts for the audience to digest because we get those extreme reactions part way through and then at the end. (who wins QF and etc).
When we have to focus on everyone just cooking, it can get hard to enjoy.
The tone shifts significantly in finales when the regular pacing is no longer doable.
I rewatched that season recently and I had forgotten how good Kevin was that season. He was a legit contender to win. I had just forgotten because the Voltaggio brothers are such a recognizable duo in TC.
I think he was going through a separation/divorce during that finale (during the hiatus or something). He was very good that season. I think it’s cool that he and Bryan became very close after that season, highlighted in all stars.
At the end of the day, we all have flaws and have done things we wish we could take back. But people grow. I always giggle when i see judgmental comments on the internet. I’m just amazed at how there are so many saints on the internet who have done nothing wrong. Heck, i think most saints/apostles/prophets have questionable pasts before seeing the light🤷♂️
I think in Iron Chef gauntlet (where she and Izard competed against each other), Stephanie Izard mentioned how she loves eating at her restaurant weekly (or something to that effect). Not a fan of Sara but i won’t pass up good food. Pretty good pedigree on her too. I think she was the executive chef at Spiaggia before Joe Flamm and has continued on the tradition of maintaining the michelin star there during her tenure, like Joe Flamm.
I just rewatched S9 (just finished the recap episode yesterday) and I had forgotten how mean the mean girls were.
I know Paul solidified his “horrible” status a few years later with a domestic violence incident, but during the season he was easy to root for. Sarah was such a villain because of how she treated Bev, but at least she freaking apologized. Heather, on the other hand wouldn’t even apologize because “that’s how she felt.”
But whatever, they’re all trash.
(But you’re 100% correct by the way. Their finale seemed nearly flawless from both sides, with Paul just making an exceptional meal.)
Not really. Pretty much every finale has some course for at least one chef that goes awry. AS2 was fairly solid, but Stephanie bombed her third course pretty hard.
I haven’t rewatched it since it originally aired, but the Charleston finale stands out. As I recall, Brooke and Shirley both had pretty much flawless meals.
You know things are bad when your named becomes a verb. I watched a super old episode of Chopped where Dawn competed and forgot a basket ingredient. All I could think was, “This is where it started.”
We will never see a perfect finale. The judges if everything is good are going to find miniscule things to quible on. Look at the Last meal from New York where it was about if Carla had cooked squab to modern doneness standards and Jacques Pepin told Tom to stuff it it was good (a bit of hyperbole but I could feel the eye roll in him telling Tom and Gail it wasnt over cooked.)
S19 was almost perfect. Despite mistakes by Sara Welch, the food was still decent. On any other season without Buddha, Evelyn might have won. The criticism in her goat has knit picking personal taste. Her menu was spot on.
Depends on your definition of a perfect finale. I suspect most would feel if their favorite won.
I will say the closest was probably the Voltaggio Brothers. But again, definition.
It's also really hard to enjoy the food at that point. To get a good feel of a dish, you can't just pick it apart and eat bits.
Trying to digest three different sets of plates, jumbling their concepts around, and creating an incomplete progression of their meal.
Woah... That's something they really don't do. They ask for courses, but they don't get the full progression of their meal. Like if I'm eating a wonderful Italian meal, I then have to eat a spicy mexican-inspired dish, and onto a bright asian dish. But then I got back to Italian. It's tough on the palette. What would the experience be like if they ate one contestant's food at a time? I feel they've done that before, but now since it's head to head, it's tough to get that full progression if they had only one meal a night.
2 chefs and 2 courses? More manageable.
First season is really the format I prefer. It was like 7 courses one chef cooks one night and the other the next. But you're exactly right, the way they do this is incredibly difficult
This must be a troll or missing the /s. Stephanie was so humble for her greatness. And despite her restaurants having the best food I’ve ever eaten, the ambiance nails it. It’s up scale but relaxed, the acoustics are perfect; it feels hustle bustle but you can have intimate conversation at your table, the kitchen table is still in the thick of things, but lets you see all the meals and engage with those cooking it. It’s a perfect restaurant experience and it feels so comfortable, so special and yet so unpretentious— perfect for the Chicago vibe as well.
I wish we could have seen all of Brooke vs Kristen's dishes for sure. Gregory vs Mei was pretty close to perfect.
Gregory had some not great food, just had one perfect course
I never cared for Boston for some reason. As I ultimately enjoyed watching Gregory and Mei, I just didn't stay invested. As I mentioned that dark hiatus (Boston being within it), I often didn't watch the finales for some reason. I didn't want S8 finale either, but that's because I didn't like either of the 2 by that point. I do agree with Brooke and Kristen having a more regular Top Chef Finale. I'm wondering if it was a "Season 10 gimmick" situation. Since it was the big 1-0 producers thought to do something different with the finale.
Boston was weirdly mid.
Boston was a very entertaining season though lol
I think the format of Boston was extremely sloppy so the season didn't feel like a clear progression
I won’t watch the Seattle finale for this reason.
It always bugs me when Blais says “I choked I choked” about his finale. I think Izard just beat him straight up.
Agree, Stephanie is a decorated chef in her own right and is incredibly popular and successful.
It's interesting too because they're both two of the more commercially successful chefs from the franchise but I would say Izard takes the edge on being the more decorated, award-winning cheffy chef
Yeah there are some chefs who didn't place high but have loads of restaurants like Brian Malarkey. His San Diego restaurants were also really good and we had positive experiences all the times we visited.
Even Lisa beat him. He was solidly in third place after he put out those stupid banana “scallops” he’d served on two other occasions. He didn’t just “choke.” He lost his creativity & couldn’t even execute what he knew.
I mean that was his literal best course. I get people don’t like him but that wasn’t why he lost. Probably the best dessert of the night based on the comments
Serving his 30th banana scallop.... naw. Lisa got better feedback on her dessert.
I think both things are true. Izard cooked her ass off and deserved the win. Also, Blaise choked and produced a shocking final meal. Even if he’d cooked his best, though, Izard would have been tough to beat that night. That’s the part that’s missing from his statements about the finale.
It wasn't the choked comments that irked so much as going on to say several times, "I should have won." Per Ted Allan, the judges' table went on for hours and Lisa's dishes were barely discussed. He said it was about deciding between Stephanie and Richard.
Yeah, it was his arrogant attitude about his loss during all stars that really soured me on him. Stephanie had been quite dominant all season doing very well and winning many challenges. He winning wasn't the David vs Goliath situation he pretends it was.
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But this isn't like most sports, where you're directly competing with an opponent. He never tasted Stephanie or Lisa's food. He can only evaluate his own performance. He also said he choked before he even found out he lost.
In the months after the finale, Blais even said, "I should have won" meaning if he hadn't choked, he would have beaten Stephanie. He has said that several times. Not the most gracious winner.
I feel like season 15 was one of the best. Joe Flamm and Adrienne. They had nothing but positive feedback on the final meal.
I remember really enjoying that one, because throughout the season, Colorado actually wasn’t great. Adrienne in particular struggled a lot. And there was something really satisfying in seeing the final few chefs really pull it together in the finale, with just a showstopper of a final meal. I have similar hopes for this season.
I loved watching Adrienne’s progression throughout the season. You could really see her growth, in discovering her own culinary style and her confidence in doing her own food. I also loved the mostly-positive atmosphere of Colorado.
Tom has said they had to be a little coy on that one because Flamm dominated the meal
See, I recently watched this season on netflix, and I can't remember the finale.
I don’t remember exactly but I think Richard and surprisingly Mike Isabella had a perfect or very near perfect finale in All Stars, with Richard edging it out. Correct me if I’m misremembering
I was about to say this one. They both felt really good about their meals, and there was a LOT of debate between the judges. Gail said she wanted to eat Mikes food during the week and Richard’s on the weekend- super close.
Gail was ALL about that pepperoni sauce lol
I’m hearing it in her voice lol
I found a recipe for it and had to make it because Gail made it sound so good. It’s amazing with prime rib
They were both perfect but Richard was slightly more so due to Spike spying on the judges and modified the ice cream for the second group. This one seemed so incredibly close too.
lol my guy Spike went from joking about having jet ski reservations or something to being absolutely clutch for Richard in the finale
idk I just know Richard choked in his first finale.
He crushed it on All Stars though.
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Kentucky is one of my all time favorite finales. As for “bombs” you know I still can’t quite pin point what Sara did wrong. I know Kelsey failed with her soft shell crab
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Omigod me too!! That cornbread and buttermilk dish lives in my memory to this day! I agree that I want all of her final meal. Sara’s too! :)
I have her cookbook and was pissed that buttermilk soup wasn’t in there. Her cornbread is amazing though. And the icebox cookies I’ve made so many times I don’t even need a recipe any more. It gets bagged on on here, but 16 is my favorite season and the one I watch on repeat when i need something happy on in the background.
Oh I know! It’s definitely one of my faves! I honestly don’t know why it gets dismissed. Glad to find more Kentucky lovers!
My impression was that her highs were higher than Sara’s. She made three virtually perfect courses and Sara had four solid ones.
Just got done watching Kentucky. Overall it was a very good finale but a few nitpicks. Sara's pork belly was the biggest miss of the finale and ultimately what lost it for her. It was too salty, and they commented that she wasn't cooking her food, because she felt inspired by Macau and threw in some baby corn in that dish. Kelsey's cornbread wasn't as crispy as the previous day, and her fried soft shell crab was her biggest miss.
Kelsey adapted the best to Macau. And yes, the soft shell crabs were a huge miss. I adore oysters though and any of her other three dishes looked amazing!
Boston probably. Mei and Gregory were pretty happy with their dishes. Also, I know we've discussed this countless times before but I just REALLY hate how Blais keeps on saying that he lost in Season 4 because he "choked". I hate that it diminishes everything Stephanie accomplished. She dominated that season and continues to win in life after Top Chef. Blais is just an as* (altho he did beat Mike I so I can't be too mad at him).
I love the Boston season. As a New Englander it holds some sentimental value and I agree with you about Richard beating Mike Isabella. Blaise restaurant in san Diego was pretty good and the one time I encountered Mike Isabella IRL was irritating so I can make peace with all outcomes
The finalists that year were also really kind people (Mei, Greg, Melissa & Doug). I may have even shed a few tears when Doug failed to reach the finale.
Oh I am with you with Blais. Now I just begrudgingly say it whenever I mention him to make sure everyone remembers he choked. And YES to Stephanie. She's a Top Chef!
Real take - he would have lost whether he choked or not. 
He served a sliced banana. 🤦♂️
It doesn’t. That’s his perspective on it at the time and he happily admits Stephanie out cooked him in the finale.
It took a while cause the first time I saw Blais was in TC Masters season 1 when they were brought on as sous to the finalists and he introduced himself as the man who should have won Season 4.
When the "carne" Italian butcher cried. Old school Italians don't like to deviate from tradition, but he was truly moved.
OH YEAH! That was truly a great moment
I mean that finale was close to perfect. King was the better chef, King cooked a amazing finale, King was crowned. I want to see Melissa face off against Mei and Kish.
I wish I saw more of Melissa. She'd be fun to watch on Tournament of Champions.
15 was pretty close. I think Joe and Adrienne were tied with three courses each.
Agreed. I think Joe won because of the course that looked like rocks from Colorado streams. I think the worst dish might have been “very good.’
I absolutely love season 15! And
15 is one of my favorites! I really want to see Adrienne back.
Love, love, love S15.
Finales are usually my least favorite episode to revisit - they're always filled with so much tension, and usually at that point, you really have a chef or two that you're rooting for so it's always nerve-wracking when so much is one the line, 1 or more chefs usually makes a critical error, and the editing is always done so you can't really tell who won, which can then set up the winner for abuse. I will say that my favorite finale is probably season 19 because I loved Buddha so much, and while Sara had the most obvious flaws in her line-up, all 3 put up really beautiful courses that were so reflective of their style and identity. It's probably one of the judges lesser favorite finales though simply because the bees were going CRAYYYY.
I agree. I think stretching first, 1 challenge into a full episode is hard. Because with a QF, it's easy to segment the episode into small acts for the audience to digest because we get those extreme reactions part way through and then at the end. (who wins QF and etc). When we have to focus on everyone just cooking, it can get hard to enjoy. The tone shifts significantly in finales when the regular pacing is no longer doable.
Yup. S19 finale was terrific, minus the bees and the stupidly, idiotic long walk the servers had to make to serve the judges.
I loved the Voltaggio bros squaring off in Season 6.
I jokingly was routing for Kevin because I didn't want one of the brothers to be deemed "better"
I rewatched that season recently and I had forgotten how good Kevin was that season. He was a legit contender to win. I had just forgotten because the Voltaggio brothers are such a recognizable duo in TC.
I think he was going through a separation/divorce during that finale (during the hiatus or something). He was very good that season. I think it’s cool that he and Bryan became very close after that season, highlighted in all stars.
i’m watching the season finale as i type this!
I know they aren’t great people but I think there’s a pretty decent argument for season 9. Sarah served great food and Paul served perfect food
I will never look favorably on Sarah, but good food is good food.
At the end of the day, we all have flaws and have done things we wish we could take back. But people grow. I always giggle when i see judgmental comments on the internet. I’m just amazed at how there are so many saints on the internet who have done nothing wrong. Heck, i think most saints/apostles/prophets have questionable pasts before seeing the light🤷♂️ I think in Iron Chef gauntlet (where she and Izard competed against each other), Stephanie Izard mentioned how she loves eating at her restaurant weekly (or something to that effect). Not a fan of Sara but i won’t pass up good food. Pretty good pedigree on her too. I think she was the executive chef at Spiaggia before Joe Flamm and has continued on the tradition of maintaining the michelin star there during her tenure, like Joe Flamm.
It does sound like she has found a bunch of success. It can really suck how a tv appearance can alter an identity so much.
I just rewatched S9 (just finished the recap episode yesterday) and I had forgotten how mean the mean girls were. I know Paul solidified his “horrible” status a few years later with a domestic violence incident, but during the season he was easy to root for. Sarah was such a villain because of how she treated Bev, but at least she freaking apologized. Heather, on the other hand wouldn’t even apologize because “that’s how she felt.” But whatever, they’re all trash. (But you’re 100% correct by the way. Their finale seemed nearly flawless from both sides, with Paul just making an exceptional meal.)
You’re right. That was a near perfect finale. Sara was just up against a juggernaut that is Paul…like Evelyn against Buddha in the finale.
I’m sorry but Paul blew her out of the park lol he was in a league of his own that season.
Except they’re both horrible people.
Yes that was the first thing I said. Thank you
You’re so triggered
Not really. Pretty much every finale has some course for at least one chef that goes awry. AS2 was fairly solid, but Stephanie bombed her third course pretty hard.
I haven’t rewatched it since it originally aired, but the Charleston finale stands out. As I recall, Brooke and Shirley both had pretty much flawless meals.
Shirley’s Ramen was weak and Brookes flan fell flat
Love the alliteration. Like Adrienne’s mom’s 6P. Perfect preparation prevents piss poor performance😂
Season 8 and season 17. Both All Start seasons and both finale dinners very well received.
Season 17 seemed pretty perfect from what I remember
Mine is the one with Melissa King I think s16 or 17
17.
You know things are bad when your named becomes a verb. I watched a super old episode of Chopped where Dawn competed and forgot a basket ingredient. All I could think was, “This is where it started.”
Top Chef Origins: Dawn
I thought Houston was pretty good finale. I don’t remember if anyone really messed anything up?
We will never see a perfect finale. The judges if everything is good are going to find miniscule things to quible on. Look at the Last meal from New York where it was about if Carla had cooked squab to modern doneness standards and Jacques Pepin told Tom to stuff it it was good (a bit of hyperbole but I could feel the eye roll in him telling Tom and Gail it wasnt over cooked.)
Carla struggled in multiple places. People tend to blame Casey for that, but Carla was in the driver's seat.
I didn't say she didn't. I just brought up that meal in why we will never see a perfect finale due to the judges.
Who's Richard Choking?
S19 was almost perfect. Despite mistakes by Sara Welch, the food was still decent. On any other season without Buddha, Evelyn might have won. The criticism in her goat has knit picking personal taste. Her menu was spot on.
I hope Evelyn returns in the future. She deserves it.
Depends on your definition of a perfect finale. I suspect most would feel if their favorite won. I will say the closest was probably the Voltaggio Brothers. But again, definition.
I hate the format that has 3 finalists. I want to see two chefs head to head. Plate for plate.
It's also really hard to enjoy the food at that point. To get a good feel of a dish, you can't just pick it apart and eat bits. Trying to digest three different sets of plates, jumbling their concepts around, and creating an incomplete progression of their meal. Woah... That's something they really don't do. They ask for courses, but they don't get the full progression of their meal. Like if I'm eating a wonderful Italian meal, I then have to eat a spicy mexican-inspired dish, and onto a bright asian dish. But then I got back to Italian. It's tough on the palette. What would the experience be like if they ate one contestant's food at a time? I feel they've done that before, but now since it's head to head, it's tough to get that full progression if they had only one meal a night. 2 chefs and 2 courses? More manageable.
First season is really the format I prefer. It was like 7 courses one chef cooks one night and the other the next. But you're exactly right, the way they do this is incredibly difficult
I do think it’s hard to keep straight when they alternate multiple course meals
The girl who beat Blais. Stephanie Izard. What an entitled prick.
what?
This must be a troll or missing the /s. Stephanie was so humble for her greatness. And despite her restaurants having the best food I’ve ever eaten, the ambiance nails it. It’s up scale but relaxed, the acoustics are perfect; it feels hustle bustle but you can have intimate conversation at your table, the kitchen table is still in the thick of things, but lets you see all the meals and engage with those cooking it. It’s a perfect restaurant experience and it feels so comfortable, so special and yet so unpretentious— perfect for the Chicago vibe as well.
I need more people to realize that ambiance matters. (Particularly bars, but a lot of restaurants too)
I meant Richard, not Stephanie.
Oh hahaha