You and Simon are confusing me. a) Lilli, got it right with Harold, but not Hung. Simon, got it right with Both Harold and Hung. c)Lilli & Simon - got it right with Harold and Hung. A+B=C?

Lillian, I think most people felt good about Harold winning. The right chef. And a more popular personality. Same with Hung. Right chef, right talent, just not a cuddle wuddle lovey bear.

Season Two just kind of demonstrated that, in some situations, there won't be justice, won't be a popular remedy, won't be a satisfying outcome. Personally I felt there was no way to make that season end "right".

Sorry you took it that way also, and for anyone else that felt that way.

I simply didn't feel as involved this season and I have the previous three. From my perspective, the entire thing was fairly dull. It seems this year that we got to see a great deal less cooking and the ins and outs of how and why dishes were done. I also think a poor job was done in engaging the viewer. It all fell flat for me and I'd have to say that, for me, this has most likely been the most boring of the four TC seasons.

So are you a politician? Sorry, I can't see through the evasiveness. Can you please just answer the question, did you think Hung deserved to win in last season. Yes or no? Not being mean here, maybe just stupid.

Hajar I agree with all you said and most particularly the paragraph above.

As if cheftestants, producers, editors, everyone... just phoning it in sometimes.

I already did.

Simon,

Who would you like to see win this season? In your own opinion, for whatever reason, do you really agree that if Lisa won it would be justifiable? Would it tick you off a little or would you not care at all?

Simon,

Who would you like to see win this season? In your own opinion, for whatever reason, do you really agree that if Lisa won it would be justifiable? Would it tick you off a little or would you not care at all?

No apologies required. and Welcome! pssst. Just didn't wanna get WAJ started again.

I agree with that. Was it me or was the caliber of talent not as high in S2 as others?

Lillian, on a few occasions boarders have noted the average ages of the cheftestants in any given season.

For whatever reason, S2 had a crew of chefs that were (I think) something like 6.5 years younger on average than S3. It was something like that.

Well, that's not a huge age difference among people in their 50s. But among young chefs, who may have graduated from a culinary academy in their early 20s, worked only a few years... there would be pretty sizable differences in skill and experience and maturity between someone 24 years old and someone 30 years old.

Not sure if "talent" is the way to describe the difference, if that's what it was. But skill and experience and maturity, all of which do come with age and years... that may have been the difference.

But it's also reasonable to question if the Magical Elves select the cast for their talent... select the cast for other things.

Sorry you took it that way also, and for anyone else that felt that way.

No worries. For a medium that makes communication easier, the Internet also seems to make miscommunication easier.....

How fortunate that Daniel Boulud, Rocco DiSpirito, Todd English, Sirio Maccione, et al., didn't feel that way. They just focused on their careers and let the fame take care of itself.

Started? I didn't realise I had stopped!

Started? I didn't realise I had stopped!

Simon,

Who would you like to see win this season? In your own opinion, for whatever reason, do you really agree that if Lisa won it would be justifiable? Would it tick you off a little or would you not care at all?

Maeby, I know nothing of Puerto Rican food but... Daisy Martinez seems to *always* says tostone (singular) and tostones (plural). Heaven knows I have watched her make them often enough and I assure you that is what she says. Is it possible the language simply has some variety to it?

I am also familiar with Daisy Martinez doing the two-step fry with tostones... first fry, then smash with a kitchen mallet, then second fry. Would a restaurant kitchen, however, do it another way? Using what looks exactly like a "Tostone Smasher" to squash them, then giving them just a single long fry to get them crispy?

Again pretentious boob. I will never relent that I feel as though it was a bad call. (That season wasn't as full of talent as the one before.) If he knows his stuff, wonderful. Anyone could learn in the amount of time he's had since the end of the second season. Everyone has their own varying opinions about it.

How long will they keep the boards up after the reunion show? Anybody?

Simon,

Who would you like to see win this season? In your own opinion, for whatever reason, do you really agree that if Lisa won it would be justifiable? Would it tick you off a little or would you not care at all?

This goes out to all, let's make it fun.

SecondTry,

You joined on my birthday. Neato!

We shall see what happens tonight though when Richard speaks. I have an awful feeling that it has been made to look worse than it actually is. Though for once I hope I am not wrong as it may be the most exciting moment of TC season four.

LOL.....unfortunately, the "SecondTry" refers to the fact that this is my second incarnation on the boards. My first, Jim in NYC, was deleted by the board administrator.......on your birthday.

The only way I can see Lisa winning is if she is actually much better than Rich or Steph. That would require both Rich and Steph to basically Both have peanutbutter and scales type meltdowns. I don't see that happening to both of them.

Rich won the car so I think Steph wins the TC title.

If Lisa wins, hold on to your a$$ and head for the shelters!

Rebel without a cause huh?!?

To say that Sam should have won season 2 is like saying that it's been a little warm on the East Coast the last few days. Sam got seriously hosed because Colicchio suddenly decided sushi doesn't qualify as cooking.

The only way I can see Lisa winning is if she is actually much better than Rich or Steph. That would require both Rich and Steph to basically Both have peanutbutter and scales type meltdowns. I don't see that happening to both of them.

Rich won the car so I think Steph wins the TC title.

If Lisa wins, hold on to your a$$ and head for the shelters!

OMG!!! I remember that! I was puzzled by that call. You have a point, Sam should've had a place in the finals. Poor Sam.....

Damn you, WaJ--you just gave away the secret for tonight's episode! But since you have, here's a sneak preview of the winning recipe:

STEPH & RICHARD'S SCALES WITH PEANUT BUTTER

Ingredients:

1 pound fish scales, fish removed and discarded
1 large tub peanut butter, melted

(feel free to add..... )

I just wanted to write a little note about Lisa, because her comment at the very end of this episode warranted my immediate registration to this blog so I can "congratulate" her. Congratulations on having a terrible attitude, not only with the judges, but with your fellow contestants. In reviewing these episodes post-production, you must be so proud of how you carried yourself. Congratulations on being such a phenomenal coward in your attempts to throw others under the bus in a desperate measure to save yourself. Congratulations on never properly seasoning any of your dishes; your talent abounds. Congratulations on being on the bottom so many times, and yet you still evade elimination. Congratulations on winning 1 elimination challenge; it was so exceptional, I don't even remember what you won for, and in fact, I thought you had never won a challenge at all. Congratulations on being so perfect, you have not once admitted a mistake at judges table, and you have also repeatedly told the judges you thought they were wrong in their opinions of your consistently terrible meals. Are you judging next season, and when is the release of your cookbook? Oh that's right, you are only as good as the delusions of grandeur you harbor in your own, largely inflated, egomaniacal head. Congratulations on actually getting an entire cast of Top Chef to dislike you. Now that is a feat. And by the way, let me clear this up for you: the reason that Richard and Stephanie didn't congratulate you was because they believe, like so many others, you don't deserve it. Next time someone fails to say hello to you, congratulate you, or address you in any way, you can safely assume it's because they don't like you either. You robbed Antonia of a place in the final three. Not only do I question the judges, but the executive producers of this show. I have been a loyal fan, but this is the last straw. Allowing someone with so little couth and professionalism to contunue on this show is a testament to how much ratings matter. Congratulations again, Lisa!

Damn you, WaJ--you just gave away the secret for tonight's episode! But since you have, here's a sneak preview of the winning recipe:

STEPH & RICHARD'S SCALES WITH PEANUT BUTTER

Ingredients:

1 pound fish scales, fish removed and discarded
1 large tub peanut butter, melted

(feel free to add..... )

Lillian, on a few occasions boarders have noted the average ages of the cheftestants in any given season.

For whatever reason, S2 had a crew of chefs that were (I think) something like 6.5 years younger on average than S3. It was something like that.

Well, that's not a huge age difference among people in their 50s. But among young chefs, who may have graduated from a culinary academy in their early 20s, worked only a few years... there would be pretty sizable differences in skill and experience and maturity between someone 24 years old and someone 30 years old.

Not sure if "talent" is the way to describe the difference, if that's what it was. But skill and experience and maturity, all of which do come with age and years... that may have been the difference.

But it's also reasonable to question if the Magical Elves select the cast for their talent... select the cast for other things.

I think Richard wins and say since he won he's going to give Steph the car. That's when Gail says "I don't believe he said that" or something to that effect. CT#2