Top Chef Finale: New Orleans Part I

That's the Top Chef Final Four, I mean Five, in New Orleans, in front of Judges' Table after the Elimination Challenge in which they cooked for a large Mardis Gras type crowd under the watchful eye of celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse.

Now, you're wondering, if you haven't watched last night's new episode, how it was that the Final Four increased to 5.

Well.

At the Quickfire, Padma threw a twist. Out walked Leah, Jamie and Jeff. In their chef garb. The Final Four of Stephan, Fabio, Hosea and Carla, got to watch as the 3 who had already packed their knives and left, competed in the Quickfire.

The winner of the Quickfire got back in the game. With the added pressure of having to win the next Elimination Challenge, which would then send 2 of the formerly Final 4 packing their knives.

The Quickfire Challenge involved making something tasty with Mudbugs, also known as Crawfish. Nasty little pieces of Southern Seafood. Emeril liked Jeff's the best. And so he was back in it.

For the Elimination Challenge the 5 Finalists had to make a couple Creole type dishes and a cocktail.

Carla chose to make oyster stew. And an alcohol free cocktail. In New Orleans. At Mardis Gras. Risky move. All seemed lost for Carla as she found only oysters in the shell, that needed shucking, with Carla only shucking her first oyster the week before.

Stephan was more cocky than usual. Taking smoking breaks. How do so many chefs happen to be smokers, I always wonder?

Fabio seemed a bit lost with the Creole concept, but he was confident he was going to be Top Chef and be able to help his sick mother. I love a good sob story. But I already liked Fabio, he didn't need the sob story.

Hosea always seems lost to me. But then he manages to pull off a surprise.

And then there was Jeff. He had to win or be sent packing his knives and leaving again. Plus he had the added incentive of the winner of the Elimination Challenge getting a new car. Which Fabio said he desperately needed, due to the fact that he was currently driving a piece of, well, junk. Fabio said it more colorfully in that Italian way of his.

Everyone seemed to like all the Chef's food. Very little quibbles. With Carla, Jeff and Hosea seeming to get the most positive feedback.

At Judges' Table it quickly became clear that Carla and Jeff were the favorites, with Stephan and Fabio the least favorite. It was real close between Carla and Jeff, but Emeril picked Carla. I like Carla. I was good with either Carla or Jeff winning either that Elimination Challenge or Top Chef.

Then they sent Hosea to safety, guaranteed spot in the Final 3, with Team Euro being the Bottom 2. I was sure Stephan was going to be sent packing, due to his cockiness getting on the judges' nerves and the judges having issues with some of what Stephan cooked. But then they also had issues with Fabio, particularly his sickeningly sweet cocktail.

So, Padma told Fabio to pack his knives and leave. They should have kept Fabio around for the entertainment value. Then again, Stephan is also entertaining, just in a more perverse way.

Carla for the win!