Todd Utpadel wrote:

You had a chance to put the top Quick Fire Chef against the Top Elimination Chef and you blew it. Your guest Judge's opinion had very little to do with the final outcome. Chef Tom needs to rethink his statement on that he doesn't care about what happens in the kitchen. He better, it's what will make or break any business is the chemistry behind the scene.

posted on January 25, 2007 at 3:43 PM

lori wrote:

I can't believe all the blogs of people, mainly young girls who are upset at Tom's final decision to eliminate Sam. I have watched every episode and thought that Sam was not the one who should be Top Chef. Every challenge he won was a dish that was pickled. Remember his gray eggs on a burnt bagel and the nausating watermelon and cheese? Marcel takes a lot of heat for his foam but Sam only pickles and Ilan only cooks spanish food. Ella ended up caving in to Ilan and Sam's malicious tricks, which doesn't surprize me after the attack on Marcel. Sam was just as much an instigator as Cliff was a bully. I didn't think Ilan should have won that last challenge not just because of his behavior through out the last 5 episodes, but I thought his plating was awful, especially his dessert. As far as who should be Top Chef, I believe it should be Marcel and not because I feel sorry for him for all the abuse he has taken but how he had approached this whole competition. If you watch each episode, he would listen to the challenge, take the time to think about it, plan his strategy and then implement his dish,which was always by the rules of each particular challenge. When there was a team challenge, he didn't hold any ill feelings toward anyone, he acted with maturity and worked hard to help his team win. If anyone deserves to win it is Marcel for his talents as a chef, his good sportsmanship, and his ability to put aside the others' childish behaviors and focus on his goal of becoming Top Chef. He had always conducted himself professionally even while being attacked verbally as well as physically. So to all of the people who are upset that Sam is eliminated, remember it is Top Chef not Hot Chef!

posted on January 25, 2007 at 8:44 PM

Kim S. wrote:

After re-watching the episode, I strongly believe that if the "gang" assaulted Elia, a woman, as they did Marcel, none would be in the finale. I heard Marcel asking for help, and they just laughed and kept on filming themselves. Who was behind the camera? I am very disappointed with Bravo and your handling of this matter.

posted on January 26, 2007 at 12:42 AM

LA wrote:

You may not have gotten a lot of angry phone calls because those people were all busy replying to Chef Tom's blog. Go check out the, what is it now? 14,339,512 messages there now?

Yeesh...

posted on January 26, 2007 at 5:03 PM

Pamela W wrote:

Hi Andy,

I cracked up when you told Tom C how many gay men had crushes on him. He was squirming in his chair muttering his wife's name. That was a good one.

Sam is a really talented guy that looks like he can really make it. He's in the right spot and has
charisma.
His nonchalent attitude? It's always like that with the dudes in the East Village. Tell them that they have a minute to live and they'll say
"that's cool". You gave him the check and he said
"that's huge". It's just this NY thing with these guys.

As an art dealer, I meet young artists. I'm at a
private opening and this 24 year old sculpture that's living in a freezing warehouse in Brooklyn
sells, sells almost all of his work to a hugely famous artist and then another young, well known
trust funder. He tells me with an unlit cigarette hanging out of his mouth, saying "Yeah that was cool", just like Sam. It's a phenomena.

I sell something big and even my boss goes, "That's cool". Emotionless and it gets me everytime. What's up with this?

I wish Sam won. I really do. I don't know why.
He just has IT. When you have it, you do and that's all.

posted on January 26, 2007 at 5:49 PM

BeBe wrote:

Sam is deceitful. His "leadership" as a chef lacks integrity. He's a cook--probably a very very good cook.
But lord above...he is not top chef...he's not genuine.
Con't be trusted.

posted on January 27, 2007 at 2:59 AM

sue wrote:

This season of Top Chef had probably the least interesting and qualified people. Do you make them take psych evaluations and pair up the ones with the greatest chances of creating drama and conflict? I do not disagree with the final four, but the final two have a lot to be desired. Especially when all season long we have heard over and over again that it is all about the food and BRAVO has allowed the same bad behavior continue throughout the competition. Sam has consistently done good work while Ilan and Marcel have screwed up numerous times. It should be renamed Top Joke because someone who likes to play with kitchen toys, make tiny food bubbles and serves raw chicken gets into the final.

posted on January 27, 2007 at 11:29 PM