Love this show! I've been watching these many weeks now to get to tonight's show...the championship finale. I'm rooting for my favorite, Chef Madison. He's one cool cat, and I really hope Food Network picks him up for his own show....or maybe The Cooking Channel. He exudes inner serenity and passion for the ingredients. He's real. I can't think of a higher compliment than that. One of the best parts of this show is how vested the judges become in each of the chef competitors. They are there for all of them, and try to be supportive as well as constructive. They also are extremely intuitive to how the chefs are feeling and thinking - but perhaps that is due to great editing!
First round...black radishes, geoduck clams, buddha hand and waffle cones. Tough!! The geoduck clam is disgusting, but I'm sure to some it is a wonderful food. Not sure who won this round - so hard to be just a viewer as food encompasses multiple senses (taste, smell and sight). Gah! Too many commercials! Get to the decision. Reveal....Chef Mark was Chopped.
Round two...smelt, dried red currents, cheese curls, and rack of wild boar. Dear God. They have gone all out with the ingredients on this show. Smelt brings back memories of my dad eating these fish as I was growing up - if I remember correctly, smelt and mustard sandwiches. Kudos to Chef Rick for good sportsmanship in helping Chef Madison find the polenta. Perhaps Chef Jason has had a bit of karma bite him in the ass with this round - he seems frantic and a little too aggressive toward the other chef's. Yes it's a competition, but the star must be the food and not the ego. Will calm and collected prevail? Seriously too many commercials!!! Reveal....Chef Rick. Wow. Really surprised. Wow. Great quote from him...."he was trying too hard to win, and forgot to just cook".
Final round....tahini, dragon fruit, champagne, cake flour and extra time!!! Love when Chef Madison talks about his daughter. This is the first time I've seen nerves from him. His hands were shaking like mad. I think that Chef Jason realized by surviving the last round that perhaps it's time to check the ego and make magic happen with the food. Show your brilliance through the food. Dragon fruit looks seriously interesting! I'm going to have to do some research on this very cool fruit! Okay done with the commercials....get on with it already. Humbleness from both Chefs during the critique round. Nice!
Final reveal.... Chef Jason has been chopped. Very touching and poignant commentary from Chef Alex toward this fighter. All I can say at this point is Chef Madison is the epitome of humility and class. What a wonderful end to the show to have his daughter come out and everyone is crying!!
Another great quote..."it's not what you say, it's what you do and no matter what, do your best". Amen Chef Madison. It's been a pleasure.
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