Ace is low and Top Chef

Once again, Dial Idol got it right, calling Chris, Paris and Ace in the bottom three. I didn't think Chris would drop but I was wrong, and Elliott was safe. So all is good in the land of reality TV...

Well, maybe not everything. A few weeks ago Top Chef took Project Runway's spot on Wednesday nights. I tried watching but I just couldn't get over a few things. First, most people watching TV can hear (American Idol) and see (Project Runway) things, but you can't taste food. Second, the host, Katie, was REALLY annoying (she seems too disinterested) and I just didn't like the judges, Gail and Tom. (Although, to be honest, I have grown to like Tom)

So I would sometimes catch the replays (Bravo does that alot) and eventually I started to watch it after the Idol results show. But (just like the Project Runway finale) I'm disappointed with the results of the last show.

In tonights episode there were 6 chefs left: Miguel (A big "teddy bear"-type of guy potrayed as somewhat of a dolt), Stephen (A young snobish wineloving fop who insists on condescendingly "educating" his customers), Dave (A slightly effeminate middle aged entrepreneur type), Tiffani (A heavyset, not very likeable bully with the most "high-end professional chef" experience of all the contestants), Lee Anne (Tiffani's twin: just as big, just as mean and just as unlikeable) and Harold (The most normal of the bunch and my favorite).

So two teams were formed: Blue (Miguel, Stephen and Lee Anne) and Red (Dave, Tiffani and Harold) and each team had to come up with a restaurant concept. Naturally Tiffani and Lee Anne took over for each team and the Red team ends up winning. A chef from the Blue team would take the fall and the judges decided Miguel had to go. He was criticized for mostly not speaking up and conforming too easily to role of sous chef and not "Top Chef." Good points... but the show is called "Top Chef" right? Not "Pushy Overbearing Loathsome Chef."

According to the host, the Blue team lost mainly because customers waited too long for their meals. That was entirely Stephen's fault as he once again insisted on explain instead of serving food. But Lee Anne CLEARLY took the role of "Top Chef" on the team and failed... so the judges decided to kick the sous chef off? In other words, you could put a turd on a plate and serve it while insulting your client's mother but you'll be safe as long as you took control of the team.

Sure they're looking for the Top Chef but, when you put them into teams, positions need to be taken. You can't have three Top Chefs on a single team (there's even a saying about that!). There NEEDS to be a sous chef, and you shouldn't be punished for accepting that role. Doing that doesn't mean you can't lead a kitchen, it just means you are willing to not rock the boat. Call me crazy, but on a show called "Top Chef", when you lead a kitchen and fail you should be held accountable.

Lee Anne wasn't. And the person mostly responsible for the loss (Stephen) wasn't held accountable either. Thats pretty weird considering that, on the Red team, Dave won the prize by not taking the "Top Chef" role. He was Stephen's equivalent working the "front end/service" side of the restaurant.

Once again, I'm dissapointed by the judges on a reality show... oh well, I go cry on my pillow now.