Top Chef Prepares to Crown its New Winner

By Pamela Mortimer

For years, I avoided reality TV like the plague. It seemed shallow and pointless or, at the very least, overly dramatic. Then, somehow, I got hooked. Top Chef has become a favorite in my house. I’m not sure what prompted me to watch it for the first time since the premise sounds a bit, well, boring. I was probably channel surfing one night and with nothing else to watch, settled on it. Season three is the first season I’ve seen in its entirety and I’m definitely going to stick around for the finale which airs next week.

Unlike many reality shows, the host has a clue. Padma Lakshmi is a cookbook author and actress who plays up the drama as one would expect but also shows that she has a sense of humor as well as a sense of humanity. Head judge Tom Colicchio is a celebrated culinary icon and the co-founder of Craft Restaurants. Colicchio is fun to watch. His judgments are often harsh but not so much so that he could be called the Simon Cowell of food. It is often hard to tell what Colicchio is thinking, which makes it even more comical when his thoughts – usually "what were you thinking?" or "do you think that’s actually going to work?" – become apparent on his face.

Joining Padma and Colicchio are Gail Simmons of Food & Wine and "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" culinary guru Ted Allen. Simmons can seem a little bit wishy washy on her opinions, particularly if countered by one of the guest judges, usually renowned chefs who have a very strong opinion. Allen, who is always a delight, is quick to give an opinion that is always tempered with a softer side. He’s not afraid to say what he thinks. However, unlike many judges in this type of competition, Allen doesn’t pretend to be an expert chef in every aspect. The humility is refreshing.

The contestants seem to be more focused on the task at hand rather than on the potentially explosive dynamic that can occur between twelve ambitious strangers residing in the same confined space. (This year, the house with a stunning view is located in Miami.) There is drama, to be sure, but it seems limited – or at least that’s what the viewer sees. Perhaps it’s because chefs must be a part of a team instead of flying solo. True, many chefs are on a big ego trip – and this certainly applies to more than one contestant on this season – but in order to succeed, there has to be a sense of harmony and camaraderie. A sense of purposeful discord has hurt some of the contestants and ultimately caused them to go home. One of the ego-trippers, Hung, is still hanging in there. According to the judges, Hung, a 29 year old Vietnamese immigrant, is the best technically proficient chef on the show. The other two who are going to the finale, Casey and Dale, have more character even though they are not classically trained – something that Hung points out every four seconds. His arrogance is annoying. And frankly, if I hear about his immigrant family one more time, I am going to scream. Dude – I think it’s awesome that your father was able to create a whole new life for his family but it has nothing to do with the fact that you totally screwed up that potato side dish, okay?

Casey, a 29 year old native of Dallas, is my favorite. She’s sweet, homey and sophisticated all at the same time. Casey believes that working her way from the bottom to the position as executive chef has given her an edge. The lack of formal training was replaced with hands on experience and while she may lack some of the proficiency, she makes it work. Casey’s dishes are often inspired by her French grandmother and seem to have the most heart. It’s obvious that Casey loves what she does and I’d definitely make it a point to visit any restaurant in which she played a part.

Dale, a 33 year old from Chicago, refers to himself as "a big, gay chef". He’s funny and quirky. I could do without the Mohawk, but it doesn’t affect his cooking so I’ll leave it alone. I relate to Dale in his practical approaches with a twist. In Dale’s world, it’s always breakfast time. I get that. Put an egg or bacon on something and people will flock to it. It’s just the way it is. I was touched by the fact that Top Chef has returned Dale to the culinary world, after losing his job at a top rated restaurant as well as a devastating break up. Before the show started, Dale hadn’t cooked in a year and a half. Which may explain why he’s rusty on executing his ideas. Still, he makes you want to root for him.

Part two of the finale airs next week on Bravo. It should be interesting to view the final elimination challenge. The judges, including the mandatory guest judges, will certainly have some tricks up their collective sleeve. With all of the wacky challenges so far (like cooking trout on a stump beside a stream), I would hope that there will be a surprise that will leave the chefs speechless and the viewers laughing. I guess I’ll just have to wait and see.