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This Episode is available to purchase at iTunes
By Steve Rogers, 05/25/2006 -- RealityWorld.com Harold Dieterle defeated Tiffani Faison to be crowned the winner of Bravo's Top Chef during last night's broadcast of the reality cooking competition's first season finale. As Top Chef's winner, Dieterle, a 28-year-old restaurant chef from New York City, will receive a $100,000 cash prize intended to help encourage his culinary career, a state-of-the-art Kenmore Elite kitchen, an appearance in Food & Wine magazine, and a chance to showcase his talents at next month's Food & Wine Classic event in Aspen, Colorado. "Oh my god, thank you so much," a rather reserved Dieterle told Top Chef host Katie Lee Joel immediately after she announced his win. "This is amazing, this is what I came here to do.. it feels great," he added later. According to his post-victory comments, Dieterle plans to use "some" of the $100,000 prize to start his own restaurant, which he hopes to open in New York City this fall. If Dieterle is able to follow through with his plans, visiting diners might also see some other familiar Top Chef faces at the restaurant -- according to Dieterle, he hopes to hire some of his former competitors as part of his restaurant staff. Similar to Bravo's Project Runway reality series that Top Chef's producers also produce, Top Chef's finale featured the return of four previously eliminated contestants who helped Dieterle and Faison prepare their final meals. Three of the four previously eliminated contestants expressed a preference to work with Dieterle, forcing him to decide which one of the three would instead be assigned to Faison, whose aggressive personality had made her unpopular among the cast. After deciding that he definitely wanted Le Anne Wong working with him, Dieterle forced Dave Martin and Miguel Morales to "draw knives" (the same random draw process that had determined which MGM Grand casino restaurant each finalist would be cooking in) to determine which finalist they would be assigned. In the end, Dieterle ended up with Wong and Morales while Faison ended up working with Martin and Stephen Asprinio, the only previously eliminated contestant who had cited a preference to work with her. Although the finalists only had to prepare a five-course meal for a group of eight diners that included guest judge Lorraine Bracco, Faison had decided to serve ten courses that consisted of two separate five-course meals that involved preparing the main component of each course in two different manners. Upset that Martin and Asprinio had spent the previous evening partying and arrived late and still hungover on the day that the finalists were preparing their final meals, a frustrated Faison had asked the pair to work quietly and hold any idle chatter until after her meals had been fully served. Predictably, Faison's behavior later came back to haunt her, with Martin and Asprinio later telling Top Chef's judges that they hadn't really enjoyed their experience and would like to see Dieterle win the competition -- a development that Faison called "heartbreaking." Although there was no evidence that the judge's put much stock in the feedback of the previously eliminated contestants, in the end the judges decided that while Dieterle had "played it safe" and prepared a more conservative menu, he was more deserving of being crowned Top Chef's initial winner. Earlier this month, Bravo announced that it has renewed Top Chef for a second season and casting is already underway. A broadcast date has not been announced.
Hooray for Harold! The season finale did not disappoint! Hungover sous chefs, an eavesdropping waitress, mouthwatering food and Harold annointed the Top Chef. I can't wait for next season (I hope they lose Billy Joel's robotic wife and bring in a cooler host)... Last night's episode wrapped up the season in typical product-placement fashion, from Global knives -- the fabulousness of which I can vouch -- to actress Lorraine Bracco's wines (are they any good?). The final Elimination Challenge had the two remaining contestants each cooking a five-course meal, paired with Bracco wines, for an esteemed group of diners. No gimmicks, just their creativity and skills on display. Though I dislike Tiffani's abrasive personality, I was really impressed with her ambition. Ten, not five, courses? "Risotto" made from tiny bits of artichoke? Specialty cocktails with dessert? Yum. Harold's food sounded good as usual, but nothing spectacular. How fun was it to see Stephen and Dave as Tiffani's hungover sous chefs? Tom Colicchio, in his blog, denies that show producers dictate who should win. OK, I'll give him and the other judges the benefit of the doubt. But I can't help but wonder if the producers nudged the contestants in certain directions during the show. How conveniently entertaining that Dave ended up on Tiffani's team and that he and Stephen went out drinking the night before the competition. Best line, from Lorraine Bracco: I'm not needing to lick my plate and that makes me sad. (Lorraine, I know exactly what you mean.) While I search for a new show to keep me amused this summer, try your luck at making it on Top Chef next season.
Comments from Viewers about Lorraine's
appearance: However, I have to say that I really appreciated Lorraine Bracco's approach to judging, "Leave all the drama bullsh*t in the kitchen, and just give me a great meal." I was surprised at how much I liked Lorraine Bracco as a judge. She really knew her stuff. Love Lorraine Bracco. So quick with the "Do I need to put on my Dr. Melfi suit?" when Tiffani was congratulating herself on her "duality" -- which I didn't think was adequately explained, or perhaps thought out. Lorraine Bracco made a really good judge and made some excellent points when it came down to the final decision. I laughed myself senseless when Lorraine Bracco said that Tiffani could have used the services of a Sommelier! LOL! Sommelier: A restaurant
employee who orders and maintains the wines sold in the restaurant One of the only things I liked last night was Lorraine Bracco judging. She surprised me with her knowledge and is, to my recollection, one of the few truly competent seeming celebrity guest judges that I've seen. She so kicked Parker Posey & Debra Messing's asses. And I'm usually quite vehement against the use of guest judges in final rounds-- mainly because I think that the regular competition judges who know the contestants and their growth best should be the ones who decide. It is one of the few things I really like about the format of America's Next Top Model. I also was impressed by
Lorraine Bracco. Goodness, I didn't even know she was a foodie. She seems
charming to eat dinner with: very knowledgeable but down to earth and
funny. Someday I'll have to order up a bottle of her wine, slide "Someone
To Watch Over Me" into the DVD player, and during that one scene where
she's all pissed at Tom Berenger and her new yawk accent is at it's
thickest, you know, the one scene that just makes you want to find the
nearest person and reenact it so you can chew on the dialogue the way she
does, the one scene that made me remember her name for years to come, I'll
raise my glass to her and say, "Here's to you!" I just wanted to reiterate my Lorraine Bracco love. She's super cool. If she were a regular judge, I believe her input would be valuable to the contestants and, unlike a single other person on TC, she has a wonderful sense of humor. Love aside, it didn't stop me from cracking up when she slurred "sa cheeze wuz delisussss" at the end of Harold's meal. Even Katiebot was a little tipsy as evidenced in her uncharacteristic display of enthusiasm for Dave's dessert.. I have to agree with the many, many expressions of Lorraine love. A couple of times all the chefs were picking apart something or other and she didn't hesitate to jump in and give a contradictory opinion and say she liked it. And I had to laugh when she commented that Tiffani's food didn't make her want to lick the plate and that made her sad. That's when I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that Harold had it locked up, likeability or no likeability. Lorraine Bracco is probably the most awesome celebrity judge ever... and that includes all the celebrity judges on Iron Chef. I'm going to get on the
Lorraine Bracco love train. I saw her on Martha Stewart's show and she
seemed pretty knowledgeable about food during her segment. She even
invited Martha over for lunch, and I think she mentioned that she
herself would be cooking lunch for Martha (how intimidating would that
be?). I could be giving her too much credit, some of the the celebrities
come on Martha's show not knowing how to pull together the simplest
craft, so she hardly suffers by comparison, but still....
Bravo Serves Up a Second Helping of Top Chef On Wednesday, May 24th (10:00 - 11:00 p.m., ET/PT), the remaining two chefs will face-off for one final competition. In the end, only one chef will make it through the spectacular final competition to take the top culinary title. The winning chef will receive $100,000 in seed money to help encourage their culinary career, be featured in Food & Wine magazine, appear at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen in June 2006, and most importantly, earn the prestigious title of Top Chef. Their home will also be outfitted with a complete gourmet kitchen courtesy of Sears Kenmore. Lorraine Bracco of "The Sopranos" guest stars, helping to judge the final dishes. Click on the link above to read the entire article
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