This will probably be my final rant about Top Chef but last night was the Top Chef Las Vegas Reunion Special and I'll take any excuse I can get to write about this show (and no, I don't plan on starting a weekly column on Rejected Batman Villains - I mean, Launch my Line). But there were a few highlights about the chef'testants as they talked about their experiences with the almost-always-drunk Andy Cohen.But the whole episode was a victim of misleading promotion - remember Kevin saying he was thinking about quitting at one point? Yeah, he was just emotional about losing Restaurant Wars. That's it. No wild story about Vegas destroying his morals or some sultry vixen seducing him. No, it was literally about the fact that he and Laurine had different views of what medium-rare meant.
But it wasn't all disappointments, some of the chefs came out much better off than they expected. While Bryan didn't win any prizes on the show, his restaurant is up 100% and his mom had a gift for him: a restored '79 Corvette. So Michael got the Prius, and Bryan got a Corvette, that seems fair.
As for finding out who won Fan Favorite - that won't be revealed until tonight during Watch What Happens Live - but everyone seems to think Kevin's got it in the bag. But Bravo really is riding the Top Chef gravy train - since special bonus scenes of Top Chef were airing during Launch my Line.But there were some great highlights of the reunion. Kevin explained how uncomfortable he was during the French dinner - since all the chefs spoke French and Kevin didn't know any. "Sitting at that table was the most terrifying thing ever," he admitted after there was a great montage of what Kevin thought the chefs were saying.
Tom Coliccio talked about how great it is that the industry has embraced Top Chef and that it really is seen as something great for the industry by giving these chefs recognition outside of their restaurants. But the best had to be about Padma.
Andy asked the chefs if they think Padma hated them. Everyone but the final 4 raised their hands. And Tom. But Tom jumped in to defend Padma by saying Toby hates 16 of the 17 chefs while Gail loves them all.
And finally, Eli apologized for how he acted around Robin. Even weirder was the fact that Mike I. and Robin didn't fight as much as people thought because they were up front with each other! So the show is finally over, once the fan favorite is named (my guess is Kevin's beard). It's been a great season, but now I'm going to have to find another way to get my foodie fix!
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