So here we are. Tonight’s the finale of this season of Top Chef. But first we have to get through the pre-finale that was last week’s episode. Let’s go on this journey together, shall we? (Check out the video recap above for a summary of the latter half of the season in four minutes.)
The chefs are in the Napa Valley for the finals instead of Vegas. So I guess that means no more over-the-top Vegas-themed challenges, like a quickfire dish made only of pork belly, saffron, and a roulette wheel. Now they can all be wine challenges. As in: Cook this wine!
The finalists show up in Napa one by one. Jennifer is cooking for her mom. Brother Michael is still cocky as ever. Beardo Kevin looks the same, only more beardly. Brother Bryan has a huge-ass umbrella. They are waiting for a train, and when it shows up, preggers Padma disembarks. Oh noes! The quickfire is cooking on the train! And as predicted, they have to create a dish with Napa’s signature crop: the grape. The winner of the quickfire gets a Prius. YAY.
So they are cooking on the train. Cooking cooking cooking. Which grapes should they pick? There are so many grapes to choose from. And cooking on a train ain’t easy, especially since Beardo Kevin has the motion sickness. Brother Michael grabs the small, isolated prep area at the the back of the train, which makes Brother Bryan mad. Can you feel the BROTHER TENSION building?
I’m not sure if a pregnant lady should be eating all this stuff: Kevin made a dessert, a mousse with honey and cheese, grapes and olive oil. Michael has a grape leaf stuffed with couscous with a wine and balsamic-glazed grape and scallop. Bryan has hen with bacon and brussel sprouts and conchord grapes. Jennifer has sauteed chicken livers with steamed clams, cabernet grapes, and mushrooms. Brother Michael wins for using grape leaves, grapes, wine, and grape vines. Proving the old adage correct: He who uses the most grapes gets a new Prius.
Back at the Meritage Resort at Napa, Michael has made breakfast for everybody. See, he’s not a bad guy after all! No time to enjoy it, as here we are at the elimination challenge. It’s the winery crush party, and the chefs need to provide food for 150 guests. All ingredients must be from the Napa region. They are responsible for two dishes–one vegetarian, and one with a local protein. They shop at a local farmer’s market, so it’s time to get all locavore on Top Chef‘s ass. Kevin is feeling confident, while Jennifer is back to freaking out.
In the kitchen, there is a word-burning stove, and everybody likes that. Bryan is making short ribs and squash. Michael is being an asshole, saying that he’s going to beat his brother. Kevin braising a grass-fed brisket with pumpkin polenta and root vegetables. His vegetarian dish is beets and carrots with carrot puree and cheese. Jennifer’s got a goat cheese mousse with honey, mushrooms, radishes, and basil. Then she’s got all kinds of duck with grilled duck breast, braised duck legs, and a squash puree with foie gras vinegarette. Bryan is making goat cheese ravioli with squash coulis and bronze fennel, whatever that is. His protein dish is fig glazed short ribs, celeriac puree, wax beans, and arugula. Brother Michael has a vegetable pistou, with heirloom tomato puree and a lightly poached egg, along with turnip soup with fois gras terrine, poached pear, and glazed turnip. Phew.
It’s serving time! The judges taste Michael’s first and really like his ravioli, though they feel both of his dishes could use a little salt. Brother Bryan is up next. They think the egg overwhelms the vegetables, but they love his protein dish. Kevin’s vegetarian dish is strikingly beautiful, but they aren’t wild about the too-chewy brisket. The polenta saves his dish. Finally Jennifer. Her mousse is too salty, but they like the composition, the mushroom, and the basil. With the duck, they loved that she kept it so damn ducky.
Judges’ table: They praise Kevin’s simple, restrained dishes, but Gail complains that his brisket was too tough. Bryan wanted to showcase fall flavor, and Gail thinks his pasta dough was perfect, but his short ribs weren’t figgy enough. Michael’s pistou was lacking in texture, and Padma complained about her egg white. But his turnip looked like a pear and the pear looked like a turnip! MAGIC. For Jennifer, they complain about the saltiness. She used a special salt that doesn’t melt right away. Why did she switch from grilled duck breast to confit? DUCK BLASPHEMY.
Brother Bryan wins. So of course, Jennifer is out. Because we have to keep the Voltaggio Brother Drama going as long as possible. Enjoy it while it lasts, Brothers, because Kevin is winning it all tonight. Tonight’s preview: