Top Chef Recap
Finale Part II
By David Mumpower
February 7, 2014
BoxOfficeProphets.com
The editing staff at Top Chef has a tremendous sense of humor. Counterbalancing Nick’s temper tantrum, Nina is showed conversing with her wait staff. She calmly invites them to partake of the food, noting that the elegance of the flavors blends wonderfully with the crackers. While Nick screams at strangers, Nina throws an unannounced tea party, thereby making a dozen new friends. Nick may yet win Top Chef, but Nina is the people’s choice with regards to other players, temporary employees and Bravo TV viewers.
The judges are divided into two groups. Tom and Gail are joined by luminaries such as David Kinch and Takashia Yagihashi while Padma and Emeril dine with Hugh Acheson and my beloved Iron Chef, Masaharu Morimoto. Oddly, the division of the five judges proves crucial to the final outcome. But I am getting ahead of myself.
The finalists present their first courses. Nina provides another celebration in minimalism, breadfruit with whipped foie gras butter. Tom and Gail confirm that it tastes as marvelous as it looks. Technically, this bite was an unrequested precursor so her actual first course is tuna & escolar tartar with tomato water & jalapeno. The judges again sound pleased. A regular diner provides a wonderful compliment, “I taste the island.”
We cut back to Nick’s first course. He is berating the wait staff once again. He states his embarrassment of the service. I am embarrassed for him, because he is not presenting the best version of himself on television. Nick is a very nice man right up until he is not. He’s like the Hulk in that regard. And right now, he is green and angry.
Fittingly, Nick’s first course is also green. It is Hamachi & tuna with green apple wasabi, celery & maui-meyer lemon. The appearance of the plate resembles pan grease. He may have been going for this look, but I find it unappealing. You will never guess what the judges think. It’s under-seasoned! What a shock! If Nick wins, it will almost be admirable how little he adjusted to the criticisms of the judges.
Nick’s second dish strikes me as a huge improvement. It is a sweet shrimp bisque, scallop & daikon noodles with thai basil. The presentation is perfect. The judges disagree. Morimoto finds the scallop superfluous. Another judge expresses frustration that the flavor is not sweeter. If Nick loses, it could be because of this dish.
The second course of Nina’s is her pride and joy. It is roasted goat sugo with orecchiette, cherry tomato confit & goat cheese. The goat had been difficult to prepare, forcing Stephanie to focus on it almost exclusively. Somehow, she saved the day for Nina. Tom provides two compliments. The first is that the goat is perfectly cooked. The even better one is, “I would come back for this dish.”
Nina’s third dish is arguably the minimalist creation of the season. It is swordfish with squash puree, braised kale & smoked onion jus. Food comprises maybe 20% of the plate. If you paid $70 for it, you would feel shafted because there isn’t enough protein to stave off starvation for an hour. As avant garde cuisine, it is a masterwork. Alas, Tom believes that she has failed in the attempt to blend two different cuisines. Sheldon from last season believes it lacks texture while one of his companions bemoans the lack of crunch.
The third course from Nick provides sparkling colors. It is kombu cured duck breast with kabocha squash, hijiki & ginger. That plate looks like a Pixar movie. Emeril seems to be working hard to chew his duck, something he quickly confirms. Another judge notes that his duck is better than Emeril’s. There are definite issues of consistency. Notably, Hugh loves the dish. So, even at the same table, there is debate about the success of the dish. As others compliment it, Emeril politely holds his tongue. His body language tells a different story.
A noteworthy moment occurs as Nick attempts to present his last dish. His constant struggle against his servers bleeds out into the dining area. Like any good The Tick fan, he wants a spoon. In front of the judges, he assails an employee. “Where’s the spoons that I asked for? Like, five minutes ago, I asked for spoons. Can I get those spoons?” Wry Hugh is a bit naughty here, asking “How are your servers?” As Nick tries to play it off as no big deal, he smiles knowingly. Television viewers may be considering Nick to be a jerk right now. Anyone who has worked in a restaurant kitchen has a different opinion. They have all been burned by bad service before.
The fourth dish itself is caramelized white chocolate panna cotta with almond cocoa crumble & tropical fruit. The judges all agree that the dish is not quite jiggly enough. It is apparently delicious, though. Everyone confirms that Nick has exceeded expectations on the evening, meaning he has a real chance to win Top Chef.
Nina combats Nick’s fourth dish with chocolate zeppole with macadamia nuts & passion fruit anglaise. Tom has skepticism on his face as he takes a bite. He has in fact pre-judged the dish. Unsurprisingly, he is less than enthusiastic about it. That perception is confirmed by another judge who adds that “it’s the ending the meal with a whimper and not a bang.” In the kitchen, Nina confides that she “did too much that I didn’t need to do." She believes that had she served only four courses without the extras, she would have provided a better overall dining experience. Let’s hope that her gut is wrong in this regard.
Because the judges have been split into two groups, the next sequence is a bit of déjà vu. The four courses are served again. Tom immediately praises the ingredients and menu selected by Nick. As the judges discuss the first dish, the first time samplers note the lack of seasoning on the dish. Gail nods her head emphatically. There is a Groundhog Day aspect to Nick’s mistakes.
The news gets better from there. Much better. Tom describes Nick’s second course as the best dish he has tasted all season. Those are the words that could translate to overall victory this season. One of the guest judges is surprised by Tom’s lavish praise. He seems dubious of it possessing that level of quality.
Nina’s second performance mirrors the first one, another sign of excellence in the kitchen. The guest judges love Nina’s crudo, especially the “punch” it packs. Hugh describes her goat as sublime. Emeril jokes that he wants another bowl, and Padma laughs in agreement. The three actual judges sitting at this table seem ready to anoint Nina the champion. The problem is that none of them is head judge Tom Colicchio.
Back at Nick’s, the service meltdown is in full bloom. A woman who has nothing at stake in this challenge is doing her best to insure that a table receives their first course. A frustrated Nick lashes out at her. “You guys are *bleep* killing me right now. “ As if hired as a sleeper agent by Nina, another server informs the woman in charge that a table has complained that they never received their first course. Demonstrating all of the maturity of a spoiled three-year-old, Nick pounds his fist on the table, yelling an especially vile swear word far too loudly. Everyone in the restaurant including those sitting at Judges Table looks up in shock and horror.
Gail uses humor to deflect. Tom looks on in bemusement. Oddly, the day is saved by Jason, words so unbelievable my hands shake as I type them. Nick’s Philadelphia buddy pulls him aside and asks the perfect words. “What do you need right now?” He also offers a shoulder to lean on, something Nick quite literally accepts. While Nick states in no uncertain terms that he just lost Top Chef, what Jason did is exactly what a great friend should. Jason asked Nick to lay down his burdens, offering to share them. I was hard on Jason during his Top Chef tenure because he is self-centered and immature. In this moment, I fully appreciate why Nick likes him so much. Jason is an exceptional friend and teammate in the kitchen.
With the server drama largely in the past, the judges refocus upon the flavor of his dishes. The dessert in particular is noteworthy. Nick was almost eliminated earlier this season due to the failure of a Panna Cotta dish. His attempt to craft another will identify to the judges whether he has grown as a chef this season. Tom believes that the substance of the dish is too gelatinous. Other than that, there is universal consent that Nick has redeemed himself with the Panna Cotta. Tom adds that Nick has peaked at exactly the right time this season. I fear that is Tom speak for “Nick wins because we did this stupid three month hiatus!”
The editing during Nina’s final courses adds to my concern. The judges led by Morimoto agree that one of her dishes, the squash puree, is “too much of everything." Hugh adds his disappointment about how Nina has failed to produce the best dessert possible for the Top Chef finale. Why does nobody ask if Nina was provided the basic kitchen equipment necessary to cook a Top Chef dessert? I do not like the vibe I am getting about the final result. An upset appears to be brewing unless this is an editing swerve.
Judges Table starts with heartfelt congratulations toward both contestants. As has been the case for several challenges in a row, all of the food is praiseworthy. The goodwill is short-lived as Tom quickly presses Nick about the service at his restaurant. He diplomatically answers, “We were having a tough service, but I thought this food was pretty consistent.” We know from judging comments that it was not, but that is the smart reply in this situation.
The judges know the service was problematic and now Nick knows that they know. Rather than dwell on it, he should remind them as much as possible that they were just praising the overall quality of the food. It also plants a subtle but potentially fertile seed that Nick overcame more during the finale than his counterpart.
The next discussion involves Nick’s stubborn refusal to adjust the seasoning to the taste of the judges, an ongoing theme of season 11. I say again that if Nick claims the title of Top Chef, he will have done so by bending the judges to his will on the subject of salt. He prefers less of it in his cooking, and he is inflexible on the point. He is openly daring them not to accept him for who he is.
One of the most hilarious debates in the history of Top Chef occurs. The subject is Nick’s second course. Padma and Emeril are expecting a public lynching over the quality of his scallop. Padma forcefully notes that she received absolutely no scallop flavor from her dish. Tom and Gail, apparent victims of hypnosis, smile gleefully as Tom states that it was his favorite meal of the season. At this announcement, Padma recoils in horror, rolling her eyes as if she were a child being forced to eat brussels sprouts. Padma will not even argue the point further. It’s like one group is saying day while the other is saying night.
Nick’s issues with the first team of judges continue with the next dish. Emeril states that his dish was undercooked. This particular course was one he struggled to finish due to the issue. He was treating the food like chewing gum as well. Tom curtly overrules Emeril, stating his duck was “cooked the way it should have been cooked." And Emeril also wished that there had been better balance to the Panna Cotta dish. The obvious conclusion we can draw is that Tom and Gail were provided much better meals than Emeril, Hugh and Padma. I am starting to like Nina’s chances better.
Then, Tom asks Nina a loaded question. He queries whether she should be provided extra credit for delivering two dishes that were not required. It’s a trap, Nina. What Tom really wants to know is whether it is okay for the judges to punish you if they find those dishes inferior. She takes the bait. Nina has now authorized Tom to invalidate her overall meal because she added delicious bread at the beginning and an improvised dessert at the end. Her earlier statement that she should have stuck with four courses appears correct.
There is still cause for optimism for Nina, though. Her first two (real) courses are both lavishly praised. There is true joy in the eyes of the judges as they describe how much they enjoy the potency of those flavors. Unprovoked, Nina announces that her swordfish dish did not really gel. I am reminded of the moment during season four when Richard Blais acknowledged that he choked during the finale. She really ought to let the judges determine that for her. She also acknowledges that her dessert was a nice little bite. Heavily pregnant Gail lets Nina know that she and Baby Simmons wanted much, much more dessert. At this point, I am 80% convinced that the lack of an ice cream maker in the kitchen is going to determine the outcome of Top Chef New Orleans.
The contestants are dismissed. Nick confides to Nina that he had to be perfect to beat her, and he wasn’t. Well, his wait staff would definitely agree that he was imperfect. For her part, Nina is acting as if she believes that she choked. The compliments from the judges have elevated her spirits a bit. She recognizes that a cleaner menu would have worked in her favor, though.
The judges start to vote the way that they ordinarily do during the finale. They compare courses. The flaw with this is that Nina cooked more food than Nick. Still, Nina wins the first course in a walk. Her food is flawless while Nick’s salt issues undo him. The second course is when we realize how divided the judges are.
Tom is such a respected critic that he has grown accustomed to mega-dittos whenever he discusses a dish. This time, there is no chance of that happening. The table featuring Hugh, Padma and Emeril believe that the best dish of the night is Nina’s second course. Meanwhile, they consider Nick’s dish to have missed the mark. Tom and Gail were served a superior version of that same dish, so they vote for Nick. Nina wins the round, but I would note that there is a schism among the voters. As of now, Nina has won two out of four courses, making her well positioned to take home the title of Top Chef.
From that moment forward, everything is coming up Milhouse for Nick. The third course is Nina’s swordfish dish, the one that she knows and the editing confirms is a failure. Despite her struggles, this round is still not a blowout because Nick served Emeril inedible duck. He views the round as a tie, something that Padma’s body language indicates she believes is true. Everyone else votes for Nick, narrowing the gap to 2-1.
The fourth course is dessert. There is barely even a debate here. Nina did herself a disservice by providing a pointless chocolate bite rather than a fully formed dessert. Once Travis identified to her that there was no ice cream maker, she should have improvised in a more functional manner. Of course, that is Monday morning quarterbacking. In reality, Nina should have been provided a stupid ice cream maker. They’re $80, for God’s sake. Top Chef truly needs to work out a system where emergency equipment can be provided during special events challenges. This sort of issue is cropping up far too frequently.
Gail states the obvious. Each chef has won two courses out of four. Ostensibly, they are tied. In reality, an argument could be made for either chef. Three of the judges believe that Nina has bested Nick. Unfortunately, none of them is named Tom Colicchio.
The judges butt heads regarding the final results. Hugh posits that they should now vote based upon which chef’s restaurant would be the one that merits a return visit. Padma loves this idea, because she can vote for Nina this way. She has an epiphany about another angle of attack. She notes that in the event of a tie, service should be considered. Hugh, clearly uncomfortable with the politics of the situation, notes that Nick was “lashing out at waitstaff." He acknowledges that such behavior plays into his decision, and Padma quickly chimes in that it should. She believes that she has discovered the angle of attack that will force Tom to admit he is outnumbered 3-2.
Tom initially champions Nick by discussing the overall consistency of the courses. Obviously, if three judges want to frequent Nina’s restaurant tomorrow, she would win under that criteria. Undeterred, he maintains that Nina’s crafting two extra dishes damages her credentials. Padma, really fed up with Tom by this point, all but screams at him. “But she did make those extra courses. AND THEY WERE AMAZING!” Gail agrees with Tom on the point, acknowledging that a better, tighter meal with a focused dessert would have given Nina the win.
With the debaters growing more intransigent, Tom tries a different tactic. He tries to build consensus by getting the judges to agree that Nina served the worst dish of the evening. A timer tells us that we are 90 minutes into the debate now, so he is desperate to find resolution. Hugh states that it is the zeppole, but Emeril counters by noting that he could not finish his duck. Once again, no agreement is reached. Hugh tries to adjust by asking what the best meal of the night is considered to be. Tom shuts that argument down, perhaps recognizing that Nina’s goat is already the people’s choice in a democratic vote.
That brings us to the argument for Nick. If we look at the judges’ cards, Nick’s claim is based upon total scoring. The first and fourth courses were both unanimous verdicts. The third course was later stated to be 4-1 although in reality, it certainly appeared to be 3-2 at the time. In terms of margin of victory, the closest round was the second course, one that Nina claimed. There was a 3-2 schism during that vote. One of the minority opinion holders believed it to be the best dish of the season. What we can conclude mathematically is that the two chefs were tied 5-5 between the first and fourth courses. The other two rounds were stated to be 6-4 in favor of Nick. What I believe to be true is that they were 5-5 with the final verdict being determined by the head judge, Tom Colicchio.
Whatever the truth may be, the reality is simple. After a heated debate wherein most of the judges do not get their way, Nick Elmi is named the winner of Top Chef New Orleans. In the process of roughly three days, he bested the winner of Last Chance Kitchen (Louis), the best player this season (Shirley), and the perceived strongest chef (Nina). Independent of what you think about Nick as a person – and I clearly take issues with several of his character traits – he did exactly what he needed to do. He came back focused and won every single challenge in Hawaii, a stunning accomplishment.
For her part, Nina was undone by a desire to complete a much better meal presentation than the rules required. And she was also set by illogical rules that prevented her from adjusting once notified that one of her dishes was a physical impossibility. In short, I speak for the 85% of Bravo TV voters who chimed in during the telecast indicating that they believe Nina to be the rightful champion of Top Chef. Alas, none of our votes matter nor do the votes of the judges who are not named Tom Colicchio. He got his way and because of that, Nick will be remembered as the winner of Top Chef. A great season does not end the right way.
The good news for Nick is that he now has the capital to start his own restaurant. I would offer one suggestion to potential employees in the greater Philadelphia area. This is not the boss you want to have. There are a bunch of Hawaiians who will back me up on this.