Redemption was on the menu during last night’s Top Chef All-Stars finale
This season of Top Chef was a season unlike any other. Every contestant had not only competed in Top Chef before, but had gone far. That said, by this season's final episode no other Top Chef All-Stars had come as far – twice – as Richard Blais. The owner of Atlanta’s Flip Burger Boutique seemed to have Top Chef Season Four in the bag, and although Stephanie Izzard is inarguably a wonderful chef herself, it was Richard Blais’ season to lose, and when he did lose it was shocking. As Richard marched confidently toward the finish line during Top Chef All-Stars, viewers wondered whether the Top Chef finale would be a story of redemption or a repeat of crushing defeat – but when Padma Lakshmi called Richard’s name at the end, we knew it was meant to be.
Not that the Top Chef finale was an easy win. Mike Isabella presented strong competition, especially since hitting his stride a few episodes ago and racking up several wins in quick succession. The two finale competitors also had some strong help, as they tasted amuse-bouches blindfolded to pick their sous-chef team. We held our breath during this challenge and silently wished that neither one would seal their fate by choosing Marcel – but to the contrary, Richard lucked out with a team of Antonia, Angelo, and Spike. Mike fared equally well with Carla and Tiffani F; while Jamie’s slacker style this season could have been a pitfall, she stepped up to the plate for Mike’s sake and performed with precision.
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For the challenge, the two competing chefs had to design their dream restaurant and cook a four-course tasting menu for the judges and a host of special guests. Richard Blais created a whimsical fine-dining experience called Tongue & Cheek, while Mike Isabella developed a cozier Italian-inspired restaurant called Iz. Blais set the tone for the evening by going the extra mile with an extra dish – a raw oyster amuse-bouche with lemon-horseradish ice cream (there goes Blais with the nitrogen again!) and salsa verde. He kept the streak going with plate after plate of delicious dishes spinning comforting upscale fare out of surprising ingredients like bone marrow, veal ...Read the rest of the article at:
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