– Wow. I have to say I’m a little shocked that so few of you want me to make my own sous vide machine, but the ES community came down firmly on the anti-botulism side of things, with 67 percent of you voting against any sous vide tomfoolery.
– I think we can all agree we’re anti-Padma Lakshmi shilling for Hardee’s. KMango: Ew. Padma, please pack your knives and go anywhere but Hardee’s!
-No Obama sightings yet, but ESers did have some close calls. Maids: friend of mine saw Michelle Obama heading into the Dupont North Cosi. Liza: I saw Jill Biden at Nora’s Restaurant… does that count for anything?
– Lastly, I’ve been trying really hard to follow up 80p and TVFF’s beer puns but I’m drawing a blank. Come on people, we can’t abandon a good pun war after the second go!
Since we were all-Top Chef, all the time this week, I just had to share this photo. First Tom Colicchio for Diet Coke, now Padma Lakshmi for Hardee’s. What’s next? Gail Simmons for Baconnaise? But I digress. On with the comments…
– Is Stefan the new Carla? Maybe, judging by the love ESers are showering on him:
Eick: Over the course of the season I was warming up to Stefan more and more and starting to like Hosea less and less. This interview is the fucking awesome and the icing on the cake. I am now a full-fledged Stefan proponent. His line about how read the blogs he DID win and will be able to lay valuable eggs – awesome.
Leahsucks: I was hating on Stefan for a while but have been coming around and this interview totally won me over. He’s a lovable good hearted jerk. I don’t think I will be buying the cock panties anytime soon though.
– So who is the new Top Chef villain? Casey, obv. Leahsucks: Umm… Casey’s bitter rant. You are done with TC and we are done with you. Good Day sir. Maids: wow talk about a contrast. Carla = gracious and protective of Casey (True mark of a fine competitor) Casey = nasty and hateful toward Carl.
– Most of you are as excited as we are about bacon cheese. KMango: They serve that on the sammiches you get when you arrive in heaven. But not JoeHoya:
What a long, crazy season it’s been. Top Chef 5 finally comes to a conclusion Wednesday night when Carla, Stefan and Hosea will compete for the title in New Orleans. Of course there will be surprise twists (shocker!), while both Gail Simmons and Toby Young will be back to judge.
To celebrate, ES is giving you a chance to guess the outcome of the finale — and one lucky winner will receive a copy of Top Chef: The Cookbook (signed by a mystery chef’testant) and a 2009 Top Chef calendar!
Here’s the contest: Leave in the comments your guesses for what ingredients the champion Top Chef will use in the final episode. You get five guesses, and whoever picks the most correct items wins. Tiebreaker goes to the person who correctly predicts the winner. For example, here are my guesses:
Rules: All guesses must be left in the comments of this post by 9:59pm this Wednesday evening, and you only get the point if the winner tomorrow uses your ingredient at any moment in the episode. Don’t be a smartass — you can’t guess “salt,” or “olive oil” or anything dumb like that, nor can you be overly broad and guess “fruit” or “pork.” All disputes will be settled by Padma Lakshmi and/or yours truly.
Remember, the winner will get a Top Chef cookbook and official calendar so think hard! Leave your guesses below, then join us Wednesday night as we live blog the Top Chef finale and crown our own winner.
Don’t remember what they use all the time on Top Chef? Check out our exit interviews from this season:
Things got a little crazy on Top Chef this week, as the crew traded in New York for New Orleans, three axed chef’testants got a shot at a resurrection, Toby Young got the boot and fans were never happier to see Mrs. Gail Simmons. But someone still had to die. Well at least lose. Their thoughts, after the jump.
Jacquey P, Wylie D-50 and Mama Lydia all showed up for an epic Top Chef last supper, but one chef’testant didn’t make it to dessert. They tell all, after the jump…
