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This show shows everyone that you'd better have discipline and think before you say or do things. Otherwise there is a price to pay. Great show. Great blog. All the best.

I do believe that Robin was just stating a fact and not playing the sympathy card.

People say all the time things like: when I got engaged, when I got married, when I graduated college... Hopefully, they are not looking for sympathy . All of these events are life altering. So is cancer. So is being a widow. So, when I say when my husband died or when I had cancer I am not looking for sympathy, I am simply and hopefully stating matter of factly an experience that altered my life.

I have lost both my parents, and three of my grandparents..to cancer, I have no immediate family at the age of 25... I wasnt offended by his comment really. I just felt he was being honest. I agree with Eli, that it came off as attention seeking. No one can state that I am densensitized to someone who has struggled with cancer, but what does that have to due with her food. It could have been simply implied that her inspiration was from when she strived to be more healthy when overcoming an illness. She was so specific and matter a fact about it, it suggested that she needed it to carry her dish. However, I think that he should have been critiquing his own food rather than finding fault in Robin's - his food isn't much more inspiring. In fact, we already know who the hard hitters are and he certainly isnt one of them.

I agree with Eli. Her dish looked really weak, as most of hers are anyways. I have no idea why she is still there.

OMG! Really people its a comment get over it. I'm sure everyone has said something mean or disrespectful some point in there life. Eli said what most people were probably thinking at that time.

I agree with Eli. Robin was absolutely using her sob story to get an emotional response from a judge and it worked. I even turned to my wife when she said it and made a comment about her cheesy tactics. Congratulations to Eli for having the balls to call it like it is.

I was steamed when I heard his comment and his explanation just made it worse. He should apologize to every cancer survivor on the planet, as well as the quickfire judge.

I have to agree with the people who stated that they felt Eli exploited his family members' cancer diagnoses to save face in the wake of his insensitive and offensive comments. Sorry, but your relatives' unfortunate and sad cancer-related departures from this world do NOT excuse your behavior or explain it adequately. Most of the chefs this season happen to be jerks though, so at least you're not alone like Robin was in that house with a bunch of inconsiderate blowhards.

I don't know if this is the same situation as Marcel though, as someone else mentioned here. Marcel was a snotty little prick himself who never really backed up his dismissive, superior attitude towards the other chefs. Robin is someone with an illness- the kind of person who on competitive reality shows frequently act as a lightning rod for other contestants' insecurities. Insecurity often breeds defensiveness, ad defensiveness often breeds jerkiness and selfishness, which typifies the behavior of the other chefs right now. None of them have cancer and so feel that cancer in Robin's case is some sort of advantage she can rely on when things aren't going her way. And none of them have such a backup when they don't get their way. Of course anyone who has ACTUALLY had cancer knows that it is not an advantage- it is a challenge to overcome that far outstrips the pretentious challenges these other chefs are whining about.

Tom Collichio says it many times each & every season as a judge, "It's about the food & the contestants ability to cook great food." It's not about the personalities, its not about the backstories, its not about how a chef looks ... it is about how well they cook.

eli's cancer comment was the sign of a poor loser, and his 'excuse' confirmed it. Top Chef has never been about anything else than a head-to-head cooking competition to find the best in the group, and that is what sets it apart from any other show. Top Chef judges & guest judges have NEVER shown any partiallity to a contestant because of a personal story, personality or anything outside of their ability to cook.

eli, it would have been better for you to have said that Robin got 'lucky' & made a dish that was what Michelle Berstein was looking for, rather than the immature whining that you did.

you obviously missed the entire point of the challenge! it wasn't just about the food but about the contrast. I completely got it and agreed with the judges!