Yes, a season that was until last week largely predictable finally named its sixth Top Chef. The episode really had me guessing until the last second, but how did you guys feel? Were you happy with the judges’ decision? Who got the short end of the stick? What dishes did you love from tonight?
Sound off below and click over for our full Top Chef finale recap!
Photo: Virginia Sherwood/Bravo
Michael did not deserve to be Top Chef! Both Bryan and Kevin cooked better all season. Not to mention the fact that Michael is mean to the other cheftestants, arrogant, demeaning and it is clear he only wanted to beat his brother. What a terrible end to a wonderful season. I won’t be watching next season!!!
Suck it up. Michael is has more creativity in his left pinkie toe than any of the other chefs, and better technique than anyone with the exception of maybe his brother. He rocks, and I would have been disappointed if Kevin had won over either of the Voltaggio brothers.
Oh, please. More creativity in his left pinkie toe? Maybe if we’re talking 1984—but today’s great chefs wisely pair sublime flavors with gimmicks and gewgaws (if they use any of these at all). Michael is a flash in the pan, but he’s telegenic, and he’s an arrogant S.O.B., and that’s what our culture today is all about. I agree that Kevin had a bad night, but Michael’s winning was a travesty. Let’s see where he is in 5 years. I’d imagine that both Bryan and Kevin will be well-known, highly respected, and gainfully employed. Michael’s personality will trip him up every step of the way, unless he’s lucky enough to dig up an investor to set him up in his own place.
Creativity mean nothing if it tastes like crap. Michael should have been sent packing and Jen made it into the final 3.
But the judges liked the flavor as well as the creativity, so your point is moot.
I agree with you about last week but the show definitely wanted brother vs. brother so they had to keep him. According the critiques it was between the brothers and Mike won.
I think the wrong brother won. There were glaring flaws in 3 of Michael’s dishes, and I felt that his one dish (the mystery box) was not as strong as the others. A lot of his “creativity” was not found to be very good, so I was quite shocked when they picked him. Sure, I would have loved it if Kevin won, but I think he played himeself too far back to actually win this. Picking Michael, I do believe, was a bit of a mistake.
from the judges’ comments it sounded like Bryan made the favorite/best dish on 2 of 4 courses (the venison and the dessert) of the final challenge. he should have won
Ah… I spoiled myself just in case Michael won. Now I won’t bother watching the episode. *gags*
The thing the judges stress in their blogs is that they judge the food they are served that day, not their cumulative effort all season. Kevin isn’t the first chef to choke on the final challenge.
As much as I dislike Michael and would have preferred Bryan or Kevin to win, he earned his victory. Bryan has suffered from under seasoning all season and last night was no different. While Kevin really was the one for Michael to beat, he unfortunately had a bad night. It pains me to say it, but the right one won.
cooked better? umm, unless you sat at the judges table, i highly doubt you can claim that LOL
Well, at least Sam & Dean didn’t win the Amazing Race. It appears that being a jerk gets rewarded again. Michael wins, what a shock.
Oops, make that Sam & Dan. Too many friends who are SPN fans
Oh God, you too! That’s the first thing I thought of when I saw you put Sam & Dean!
Kevin’s final meal remind me of what happened to Richard Blaise, so he is in terrific company. They both should have won, but had mediocre last meals.
They both ultimately won, in that they walked away with sterling reputations. I’d eat at Kevin’s restaurant any day.
I agree with this statement. Kevin had the edge going in just like Richard, but just didn’t quite have it in his final meal. Still like him, but it did appear that one of the brothers should have taken it. Remember, Top Chef is not really based off of the full seasons work.
Good point Jelana. Of all of the chefs, I would probably eat at Kevin’s more likely than any others.
Michael got the money, but I think Kevin will ultimately be the most successful. To be a celebrity chef these days, it’s all about good food, good concept and a great personality. He has all of those things. Michael is a @ss.
I am sad Michael won. You shouldn’t decide the winner off of one dinner. Bryan and Kevin by far out cooked Michael. But Michael really needed to win out of all 3, the other two own their own resturants, Michael doesn’t, now he can. That was his dream coming into this and only for that reason I am happy he won.
I know I said sad then happy…….damn I am a female, we always change our minds! LOL
I’m just curious but why do you think that Michael was by far the worst chef during the whole season? He won just as many challenges as Bryan, and what like one less than Kevin? I’m not a huge fan of Michael’s but over the season he has seemed to be a really strong chef and all three of them could have won the finale coming into it.
Personally, it’s not that I didn’t like Michael’s cooking, it’s that I did not like his personality. I liked Brian’s personality a lot. I think he seems like an awesome person who probably is as far as he is already because people want to give the guy a chance because he is so nice. That is why Michael does not have his own restaurant, etc. because he does not play the “nice game” which is required to get places in this world. You have to censor the comments that run through your head, you can’t say everything you think. I think Bryan should have won. Sorry Kevin, I liked you a lot too but you really lost it on the last main dish, it didn’t look like you had much there. But I give you the benefit of the doubt because you had by far the worst sous chefs.
Michael, top chef? Who paid the judges?
Both Bryan and Kevin outcooked him all season and Kevin won more rounds than either/both of the brothers.
This show is FIXED. Seriously.
This is the end for me with Top Chef. There is no way, given what we heard, and didn’t hear, that he could have won.
Yea, Kevin had an off night, after beating everyone, including the brothers, many, many times before.
Kind of a shocker! I’ve been watching the show forever, but sincerely thought that at the finale, they weighed the talents of each chef throughout the season – NOT just for that single service.
I guess I was wrong about that! I’m not mad about Michael, I just would have had him in 3rd place if the entire season was to be considered.
For the finale, the final service is all that counts (unless there’s no clear choice)
I have come to learn that most of the time on Top Chef if you want to be the winner you just have to step on everyone and be a total jerk. The simple fact that Michael’s reason for winning was to beat his brother was appalling and the fact he tried to pretend like that wasn’t what his reasoning was for wanting to win was laughable. Someone is very insecure in their family role!
I’ve found that Top Chef is honestly one of the most hateful shows on television. I enjoy it less and less with each viewing.
Kelsey P, do you know what tongue-in-cheek means? Michael was joking about only wanting to win so his brother wouldn’t sin.
I think people are taking Michael’s comments too seriously. I think as the younger brother who followed his older, until now more successful brother, into the same field he’s always felt he had to prove himself more and was probably because of his dessert course issues bracing himself in little brother fashion for Bryan to win. After you could see the sadness in the joy when he felt the reality of how his win hurt his brother and how he wished they both could win. Which they will, we’ll never forget either of them.
wow, this is freudian…:)
Brian was the better chef and had a better. The judges even said so. Brian’s dishes were flawless.
It doesn’t make sense. From the comments shown, it seemed like the courses were awarded like this: Kevin, Mike, Brian, Brian. I’m just bitter that Kevin biffed it
That’s exactly how I awarded it when I was watching!! that third dish must’ve been very close between Brian’s venison and Michael’s squab. Closer to a tie than it appeared to the viewer. And then Brian edged Michael in the dessert, but Michael’s had more promise.
I still think, knowing that, it should have been Brian.
no matter. this was a very talented season. Despite it having no real “bad guys” except for Michael being a bit arrogant, the skill that was in the top 5 or 6 chefs kept it interesting.
Collichio (sp?) said in his blog that the winners of each individual dish were Kevin-Mike-Mike-Bryan. Apparently it wasn’t as close as it looked on tv and Collichio even started doubting the results. Overall Michael’s dishes were better at the dinner, the judges also really liked his dessert, and really he was just as good as the other two throughout the season so why shouldn’t he deserve it? He may be unsympathetic but it is a cooking competition and the judges thought he was the better chef.
It is too bad that one has to read Tom’s blog to get the true picture. Based on what was shown, I thought Bryan would win, so was bothered that it went to Michael. Learning how the results of each course were actually “awarded” from the blog clears it up.
Kevin is awesome! Kevin didn’t do his best this week but he was my favorite chef overall by a mile!
2 of Michael’s 4 dishes appeared subpar … not to mention he’s a jagoff. So of course he’s Top Chef. Honestly, I thought he was lucky to beat Jen to make it to the finale. Oh well, I suppose Bravo thought this would up the “unpredictability” factor. I’d rather eat Bryan or Kevin’s food.
Michael was an ass but he was also talented. He won numerous challenges and no one can deny him that. I wanted Bryan to win and was almost sure he was going to, but no dice.
I’m shocked and do no think it was the right decision. 3 seasons in a row the wrong chef has won. My husband and I will not be watching next year. I think that this season was fixed. There were challenges that it was obvious that one of the brothers should have been eliminated but they weren’t because they were going for the brother v. brother finale. This show is officially a joke.
Stephanie SHOULD have won Season 4. She was the best all year and had the best final meal. Richard “Blaised” out in that final meal, and he even admits it. The other gal, the sourpuss, shouldn’t even have been in the Final 3, it should have been Antonia.
I totally agree about Stephanie. She consistently created good food and was actually a nice person!
On the topic of tonight’s winner, I am SO disappointed. Like those above, I had Michael pegged as the 3rd place finisher, while Bryan and Kevin (the two nice guys) seemed so close.
By the way, anyone else notice that Padma contributed pretty much nothing during the Judges’ Table after the contestants left except a few “Yeah”s and “Uh-huh”s? Disappointment there, too…
wished it was Kevin…sigh but would have settled for Brian…Michael not so much.
Agreed 100% *sigh* It should have been Kevin.
FAIL, TOP CHEF! FAIL! Michael is a jerk and Kevin’s body of work should have seen him through. Can’t believe I watched the entire season to see Michael win. So bummed!
Exactly what I was thinking! I wanted Kevin to win so badly!
I completely agree with Kelsey above… this show has a history of crowning the biggest jerk in the bunch. Remember Hung? How about Elan? The nice guy always finishes last – Richard Blais is a perfect example. As soon as Kevin picked his sous chefs and got himself all worked up about getting the worst of the help, I knew he was (unfortunately) a goner. Kevin made the BEST food all season. Shame on this choice!
Agree 100% with all of the above. We must remember that this is all about money, and advertising revenue, and all of that dries up when the drama dries up. SO! The jerks provide the juiciest drama and they’re consistently rewarded for it. Of course it helps immensely if the jerk is remotely good-looking, which I suppose Michael is. Sort of. Wonder why Tiffany didn’t win? I can’t even remember who won her season. Michael should be remembered for 2-3 weeks…whereas I’ll remember Kevin for quite some time, and will make a point of visiting his place when next I’m in Atlanta.
Harold won. He had consistantly good food all season, and was everyone’s choice. They polled the other contestants, and all of thm gave harold the win.
Richard Blais is NOT a nice guy and never has been. He’s slimy, unprofessional, and generally a weasel.