When they came out for the quick fire challenge, I was like holy sh$$ Daddy Tom got fat!! Then I realized it was a totally different guy. Whew.. Antonia got ROBBED!! I cannot believe they left Lisa stay instead of her. She's been in the bottom every week for more than half the show. On a good note, I'm glad Antonia opened her own place, at least she has something to go home to (besides her daughter). Yoda handled Dale's screw up with grace and dignity. She is a great leader and I hope she wins.
Awesome recap. The captions were too funny!!

The photos were hilarious, Lolo!

I think the biggest shocker in this episode was Richard's true thoughts about Greasa. Who knew?! I definitely like the snarkier, nastier Blais, though. It's a nice counterbalance to his general nerdy douchiness.

I don't think the producers interfered with the decision to send home Antonia. The judges can only judge a particular day, and they don't take a contestant's history into account; thus, Antonia's bad day did her in.

This decision almost makes me want to stop watching this show! I'm sorry, when it comes down to who will make it to the top three they need to look a little at the past challenges...Lisa has been in the bottom three for most of this entire season of Top Chef. Looking at her makes me want to throw up, she's so gross looking! While Antonia made one mistake, I agree, they were trying to find things to criticize her about. There is not one good thing I can say about Lisa...

All I want to know is who the F is Fleasa/Greasa F-ing to still be on this show? Good Lord, when hasn't she been in the bottom and when was the last time bitch had a bath? At this point I wouldn't be surprised if she made it to the last two and won the damn thing. Please someone make it stop.

agreed. this. has. to. stop.

also loved blais's comments about her throughout. and of course, when fleasa checks out the options for sous-chef and realizes her options are "very limited." hm, if you've fought with everyone, and no one wants to work with you, nevermind alongside you, does that tell you something about your personality? it's not a personality contest she says--clearly it's not much of a cooking contest, either. it's a "make the producers intrigued contest." getting fully aggravated with this show, no lies.

i can understand why they sent antonia home based on JUST that challenge. but i think they need to incorporate a new way of looking at a person's growth and potential, because this shit is getting to be bananas. fleasa is one of the least qualified contestants, and yet she is in the finale. we could all name about 5 people more deserving of that place, likely all of whom were in the bottom with fleasa at the time of their elimination *cough cough dale cough cough* what the hell gives?

Wow - okay - I totally blame this entire debacle on NICKI!!
I was so happy when she got kicked off, but she keeps comin' back and wreaking havoc! Nicki - stay the fuck home, you are not a good chef and you are making others bad just by being around you. UGH

I know after last week's recap I said that I was kinda glad Fleasa was there instead of Ass, and now I regret saying that because I CANNOT believe that she is in the final 3.

However, I read something interesting on DT's blog (yeah, I'm a dork like that) where he said Fleasa has an uncanny ability to be just one notch better than whoever completely effed up each week and was always able to slide thru, which makes sense. But I'm still pissed.

Whatever, its not like I'm going to stop watching or anything...awesome recap!! I loved the Dale totally looks like Wanye from B2M - hilarious!

I liked how Twitch, after being stuck with Lisa, said that he was going to still "play with honor" and do everything he could to help her win.

Lisa's "You coulda congratulated me" thing was ridiculous. Since when is she suddenly caught up in some kind of protocol after throwing Andrew under the "Robot Coule"?

I agree that Andrew had every right to screw her over and I wouldn't have been surprised if he had. I am glad he didn't though, it just shows how much better he is then her.

Anyone remember Dave from season one? He wasn't the greatest Chef either and he made it to the top 3 when it should have been Leanne. The difference between him and Fleasa is their attitude. Dave was nice and great to work with and really had a passion and respect for what he was cooking. That is everything that Fleasa lacks. Not to mention talent. Sometimes crappy people/chefs make it farther then we want.

I am all for Steph to win but wouldn't be too upset if Richard won. Even if his hair is ridiculous!

awww, i didn't realize how much i missed twitch. he needs to hop over to the food network and become the next food network star. i'd watch him over some of the crap they've got polluting that network these days.

the scene where richard says multiple times that he doesn't like to dance (cue the creepy music) was biz. a. rre. i really expected someone to get shot or some hospital montage etc. kudos editors.

i read that antonia was booted before i got a chance to watch the ep so i was able to get over it a bit beforehand. for some reason fleasa came across as a bit more charming...i think the haircut is cute on her. very lesbian-chic. though it reaffirms my belief that lesbians don't know how to use product - but bless her heart for trying.

as a vegetarian that doesn't want to be reminded of certain things, i literally had my hands in front of my eyes during the pig hacking scenes. the only other time i've done that was during the first jackass movie's poo scene. and i'd still rather watch poo.

I didn't have a problem with the outcome because Ant was clearly the weakest contestant on that particular day. As shocked as I was at Dales ouster, he screwed up by insisting that he be executive chef with a clearly weaker team. No doubt that he should have been in the finals, but that's the way the cookie crumbles. I guess being the best of the worst is a valid strategy and Lisa is a master.

I want Yoda to win and am ambivalent about the rest mainly because Richard kind of annoys me. I loved the "gassy faces" he was making during the QF and his catty bronze medal comment at the end just didn't fly with me because it was really out of character. Put your claws back in your fucking pocket and concentrate on your wit and science shit becuase you're not badass enough to make comments like that. If Dale would have said that, it would have been perfect.

As stunned as they were, they could have displayed some of the class they have exhibited all season. No mulligans here. On the other hand, Lisa clearly knows that they don't like her and it was her way of calling them out and getting in to their heads before the finals.

Great recap LoLo! I have laughed heartily all season and should try to compile a top ten list of my favorite bits. I loved cranial diarrhea and gassy faces, and last weeks screencap with Ilan describing the headshaving was priceless. I'm still chuckling.

"As a result, Yoda takes Dale for herself, since she's known him for about 10 years (What?! Am I crazy or is this new information? I wonder how they know each other. It's probably something boring like culinary school, but I'm going with baby daddy).

... so maybe Yoda does have a little spunk in her. Besides Dale's."

Soooooo funny! Nice callback, Lolo. Yeah, it seemed like news to me, too.

I thought a couple of the cheftestants (Yoda) had porked up over their break, too, not just Gail.

danrydell -- I agree with you wholeheartedly, esp the Greasa "You coulda congratulated me" bit being ridiculous. Loved Yoda's stunned expression and muttered congrats (forced). Way to alienate your colleagues further.

People -- this is NOT Survivor/Bachelor etc -- if you cannot play well with others, you will not or at least *should not* win! Being a good chef is all about being a good leader. Do you really think Chef RamJam routinely throws pots around the kitchen and smashes and kicks things? Probably only when he's surrounded by (cameras and) incompetents (who would then get fired, anyway).

Also snorwich -- you're so right -- Richard's bitchy comment *would* have been perfect if Dale had uttered it.

TEAM YODA! I thought her food looked and probably would have tasted the best.

I was upset about antonia losing. Lisa really should not have been there, and I think that her poor attitude should have been reason enough to not be able to make it this far. Dale would have been a better choice to be in the finale 4, but his attitude and temper sucked too.

I do think that antonia was not focused, even nikki seemed to think so. openning her restaurant and all the pressure of needing to win for her daughter might have been the factor. I know that she could have done better than that and the whole plate issue was strange. if she saw that it was a cocktail party and all the other chefs were plating on small, individual dishes, why would she put all of hers on one plate.

it did not seem like her heart was in this episode, if anything she was more distracted. i was sad for her, and shocked. i think that they should have taken into consideration the whole season and that one day or event should not identify your abilitites as a chef..

I was hoping that it would be richard, antonia and stephanie. However, i think that stephanie will win because she is humble about her dishes, but stands behind them, protrays a lot of teamwork qualities and is always professional for the mostpart.

it is time for a female top chef indeed and i think that stephanie would be the one to grab that title. go steph!!!

The producers most definitely play a role in the outcome and it says so in the little tiny dislaimer that they put at the end of every episode. It states something along the lines of the decision and outcome of the show is based on judges opinion as well as producers and some other stuff. It goes by so fast I never get to read it all.

Thanks for the recap LOLO!!! Not much I can add, as it's all been covered--like my face during the pig hacking!!! Yeeech!!!

I will say, that DT redux was fine with me . . . even with the added girth--wonder if they're planning Top Chef in Puerto Rico!

Go Yoda, but eh, I'm okay with Blais too--and couldn't they have called it a tie for bottom, excusing the need to reflect on the past . . . . I'm sure opening a restaurant is taxing, and Ant should have focused more on her game . . . funny that Yoda traveled . . . like, la la la . . . .

Thanks for another dead-on recap, LoLo. So funny. I was completely shocked and disappointed that Ant went home. And Fleasa's comment about no one congratulating her was completely classless (whether it's true or not). Did she congratulate Richard and Steph when they came back in the room as top two finishers? Not that they showed. That street goes two ways. Fleasa reminds me of a child who bullies her way into everything, makes everyone mad, breaks all the toys, and then cries when no one wants to play with her.

I, too, am rooting for Yoda. And if by chance Fleasa wins, I'll personally track her down, hose her down, and make her read every one of LoLo's recaps and all of our comments. UGH!

xqzmoi:

It won't be tough to track Lisa down. Apparently she's got Spike's old job since he's opening his own eatery. It sounded like it might be temporary, though.

Read about Fleasa before I saw it, now that I saw all I have to say is............ I HATE FLEASA AND I REALLY LOVE AND MISS TWITCH!!!