Live Blogging Top Chef, Week 14
On tonight's not-yet-final episode Top Chef, the Final Four chefs will become the Final Five chefs. But then that Final Five will become a Final Four again—and this final Final Four may be different group of four than the first Final Four. Sound confusing? Well, join our group chat in the comments, and we can all try to figure it out together!
One thing that's never confusing is learning how to participate in this live blog, if you haven't done so before. All you have to do is watch tonight's episode (which airs at 10 Eastern on Bravo) with your keyboard or laptop handy, and post quips and observations about the show in the comments section below this post. The rest of us will be doing the same. If only everything in life were so simple!
And now that I've explained that, here's a bit of explanation regarding all that Final Four/Five/Four stuff: At the end of last week's episode, we learned that either Grayson or Beverly will return to the show tonight, as the winner of a special "Last Chance Kitchen" contest involving previously eliminated chefs. And many commenters speculated that the show's producers would fix things to ensure that Beverly prevails, given the satisfying soap-opera-style drama that would result form having her return to confront Sarah and Lindsay, the "mean girls" who've been picking on her all season. (My theory is that one of Bravo's "Magical Elves" will hide under the table in the Last Chance Kitchen pour Tabasco sauce in Grayson's food when she isn't looking.)
Prior to speculating about all this, the commenters also posted a bunch of memorable quips during the course of the live blog—a few of which I've featured in this separate "highlights " post. Other memorable moments from last week included these:
- When Paul Qui said he planned to make "champagne dippin' dots," at least a dozen commenters declared this to be an awesome idea, and instantly wanted to eat some. Memo to Paul: You should start selling your champagne dippin' dots online—I know a whole bunch of folks who will buy them!
- Commenter GonzoMaz noted that close-ups of aging Pee-wee Herman's face were "a bit off-putting" when viewed in HD—one of the few times I was grateful for my old low-definition TV.
- When Grayson noted that Pee-wee's pancake-eating face "looks like he's having a stroke," commenter AMownLawn quipped: "That's why he's not allowed in that movie theater anymore." This, by the way, was one of many, many masturbation-related jokes we made during the course of the evening. With a guest like Pee-wee and lines like "having a stroke," it was pretty hard not to, you know?
And here a few memorable moments to watch for as we live-blog tonight's episode:
- When the time comes for the big "returning chef" revelation, the four remaining cheftestants will be told to direct their attention to five cloches arranged on a table-which made me realize that I've somehow made it this far in my life without knowing that those metal domes they put over dinner plates in fancy restaurants are called "cloches." Seriously, did you know that? Am I the only one who didn't know that?
- The quickfire will involve prepping a meal blindfolded. If these preparations involve any knives or flame, don't be surprised if we get another visit from one of those "Top Chef medics" we've seen so often this season.
- At one point, Sarah will reveal that the ingredients of a "good night" for her include "a pack of cigarettes and a banana." Please, God, let this be the last tidbit of Sarah-related T.M.I. we are subjected to this season!
Ok, we're down to the final four or five minutes before the show starts, so it's time to head down to the comments section and get this live blog under way. I'll see you there!