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Marcel! Your still my favorite and I'm glad to see you blogging. Believe me anytime your on Top Chef we will be watching. Loved the episode with all the returning chefs, happy you were one of them. The one thing I can say about it though is not to take so seriously when a chef (for instance Fabio) asks you about your season or the "infamous hair episode". I could be completely wrong but I think the majority of them including him were actually on your side. As were we. You happened to be on with alot of boobs, not every season had so many, many of them were really funny and seemed pretty likable. So lighten up about it, you were the one who came off in a good light remember that. Plus you still have a hell of a lot of fans!!! Hope your on the show again soon, it's always great to see you. Good Luck!

Marcel (and the other bloggers):

In your defense, you have several things going for you. You are willing to take chances, your passion for food is obvious, and you have the potetial for becoming a good chef. Oh, and Ilan and Cliff are the kids in the schoolyard who like to pick on others (i.e. d-bags)

Reality check everyone: Having said that, Ilan deserved the win and if it was not for Sam's help (ie. dish), it would not have been as close as it was (IMO). Your personae on the show is that of the kid picked on in school that everyone feels sorry for (hence your fans above). That being said - you come across as an A-hole who is nowhere near as talented as he thinks he is (as most chefs). I think that your behavior on the reunion proved my point - your insecurity in your personal life causes you to be grating and annoying. BTW - Sam would have smoked you in the final. If you grow up you may yet be half as good as Richard. Ciao

Marcel, I think you were and have been more unfairly treated (including at the dinner) than any other contestant in any season..I too, believe you should have won your season..The best chefs there all recognize you as a very big talent...I hope none of the abuse has damaged or discouraged you..Please keep going..I wish you all had a website where we could contact you and even see about hiring you for some corporate functions...You, Hung and Richrd are all incredible..I hope someday to be able to enjoy your cooking..I wish you the Best.....JJ

Marcel

This intent of this reply has nothing to do with your blog message above, although I am watching the current season and agree with your observations - and could care less about spelling errors; please, people just love to find some reason to claim superiority, don't they? It's human nature to try to knock down those we are envious of, I guess.

My intent is solely to relay my support and admiration to you; you are my favorite contestant from all of the seasons. I just watched the Top Chef dinner show last evening and found you to be as intriguing as always!

You used the wrong form of threw, but I still think you are awesome. Now get int he kitchen and fix me a pie!

I wish that my comment really had anything to do with food or top chef in general, but I just wanted to say that you were my favorite! You absolutely should have won your season and I have no idea why everyone had such a problem with you! I was completely in love with you and still have a huge crush on you!

Nice blog. Interesting, insightful, and a dynamite perspective. Ignore the grammer critics, and do your thing....

You should have won! I can't believe how the other chefs were treating you! It was disgusting! You're meals were SO much more interesting! I'm very upset about it!

loved your post. Thought you should have won. Would love to see you on a future top chef show.
I loved that no matter what garbage the other "non-professional" chefs did you held your ground and kept it about the food. love you!!

Marcel- you are a true master at your craft and that rap you wrote on the show was the shiz! come to columbus. ps i love foam. and your raps.

You're absolutely amazing! I'd PAY to meet you, in person! I've never seen a contestant treated so poorly and yet maintain his composure the way you did.

I wish you the greatest successes! Please, try to remain in the public eye for the sake of your fans!

Most Sincerely,
~Deb Shaffer

Molteni! I was wondering what brand of stoves they were. Thank you Marcel.

Marcel, you are my all time fave TC contestant - they obviously can't admit it, but suspect Tom et al might regret not choosing you and that may even have helped Hung the next season (picking the best technical chef)
Thanks for the entertaining blog!

Marcel! Glad to see you. I way liked you way more than Ilan, Ilia, and Sam (sorry for spelling on the names). I do think you should have won. Are you dictating and a machine types what you say? Too many spelling errors - Bravo, where is the editing?

Marcel, you are mi fav.! it's a great blog!!!!

Blog on Marcel. You should have won TC and not the non-talented jerk Elan.

If I recall correctly Marcel was the buffoon who was obsessed with foams, foams that looked like tinted spit on plates. Robbed of the top prize, I think not. When I eat I don't want to be wowed by innovative techniques, I am more interested in taste.

Marcel is the contestant that just won't go away even after a couple of seasons.

Nobody cooks or freestyles as good as Marcel- he should have won Top Chef. He was robbed.

Marcel, very enjoyable post -- you do have a lively writing style!

Last week I happened to see your Hawaii finale episode again, and I just wanted to say I was impressed again with the way you comported yourself in a difficult situation. I cannot say the same about some of your fellow competitors.

Hope to see you blogging here often. Don't be a stranger!

You have a lively and informed writing style Marcel, just let me know if you need a proofreader.

Viewer who posted on 9/16: you weren't nitpicking. Marcel's post would have been even more enjoyable if there were fewer spelling & grammar mistakes: Mr. Robuchon "upbraid", not "abrade" the most confident of chefs for "their", not "there" inability; "paying", not "playing" homage; preparations with "their", not "there" own style, etc.

MARCEL, MARCEL, MON DIEU!!! how could such an innovator with your skills not recognize the skills that JENNIFER CARROLL AND MICHAEL VOLTAGGIO displayed?? They pushed the envelope, they incorporated such variety and complexity into their dish, it could only go '
one way perfect or disaster!! The very esteemed Chef Joel Robuchon as you mentioned said immediately "J'aime beaucoup!" which when translated to English is Chef Robuchon saying "I love it very much!"
He said the rabbit was cooked to perfection The Sauce was exquisite and it sat there with the biggest smile on his face, grinning ear to ear, quite pleased with Jennifer and Michael's dish. He then commented on their mature execution. To which each of the French Chefs agreed and commented favorably as well. Remember, at that point, that Chef Tom stated for everyone that although Jennifer and Michael are young chefs, they executed and presented a very mature dish.
Marcel, did you not notice the superb knife skills that Michael V. displayed with his carving of the rabbit? They presented a perfectly executed dish that showcased their abilities and skills and was well thought out. They worked together as a TEAM, in Sync with each other, showing RESPECT for each other's immense talents. Their decision and desire to create the best "French inspired" dish to please each of their French Judges and Guests palates was spot on for the "Vivre La France Challenge" Theme that the Top Chef and Bravo producers had chosen. Again the challenge stated "French inspired", not innovative! Jennifer and Michael V. did do a "banging dish" and did achieve perfection from prep to presentation.
The only consolation that Jennifer and Michael can take with them is at Final Judges Table Chef Tom said to Jennifer that her Hunter's Sauce was BRILLIANT. I do not believe I have every heard any Judge or Guest Judge say Brilliant in the past 5 seasons. They have said excellent but never BRILLIANT!
Also it comes to mind that because Jennifer and Michael each won for their respective Challenges last week for the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, that they could not award them
again. So, therefore, Bryan, won not the TEAM?? Jennifer and Michael were a team that complimented each other and neither took over the role of the Executive Chef and directed their partner as Bryan did to Mike I. Yes it was a very clever decision on Bryan's part to make it obvious it was "a Bryan's Team" and not 'THE TEAM of Bryan and Mike' The trout presentation and sauce plating was Bryan's idea and as he said on camera ~he told Mike how to do it~ while Mike has doubts and jokes and says if he goes home he is going to tell all the culinary students to practice, practice, Bernaise sauce.
so Marcel it seems that for someone who was not given credit for all the various technical skills you showed, you would have at least been willing to go on the record and explain for your readers what was involved in each teams' prep. Therefore, the more creative Team would be the one that displayed more difficult complexities and more creative technical skills. Thus,the TEAM of Jennifer and Michael should have won this challenge AS A TEAM and not as an individual.
maybe that's it, they couldn't decide between those two; so they chose the other two because it was definitely not a team but one person who stood out. ps Maybe Mike I. will finally get it and not align himself up with the brother's again. Two weeks in a row he is not given any credit for the teamwork I do believe he would have been treated more fairly by Jennifer. She would just need, , that bar of soap to put in his mouth.

I don't mean to nitpick, but Marcel really should use the grammar check feature. The two teams "seemed", not "seamed"; and Ash "threw" his sauce, not "through".

Nice post Marcel, as others have said you bring your style to not only food but your writings as well. Hope this makes it pass the flunkies so everyone can see, haven't got one posted yet...

One thing as an aspiring world class chef that bothers me about the show is the lack of expalantion of technique that goes on. You would think Top Chef fans would comprise a variety of individuals, whose skills range from novice to expert. Seems producers think viewers are mainly just interested in the final dish as a nod towards presentation enthusiasts. Only prep work shown is shots of flashing steel and beads of sweat.

I would like to get into some intelligent discussion regarding the shows here, but between my blackout on blogs and the weakness of the discussion forums I don't have much hope. At this rate this show, site, and board is going on the back burner in favor of more friendly sites.

So back on topic, coming to the winning trout dish, I was interested to see that the technique I would call ballontine was used. I had to refer back to my books for clarification, I have seen similiar methods employed by Gordon Ramsay (stuffed chicken leg) and Marco Pierre-White (stuffed pig trotters) on videos on the internet. However the similiarity, who knows what the chef would say the technique was except for the chef, but since there isn't any time devoted to other than naming conventions no explanation was ever given. Please Bravo help us food people and devote a bit more time to technique please!

Marcel, take care, keep inspiring people, personality nuances are something to be aware of but not stereotyped, I sense the problems you had on your season were more personality and jealousness than anything else. Unfortunately Bravo seems enthralled with pivoting on personality traits especially those of homosexuals to the point of the detriment of the food produced. (Almost) Nobody gaves a crap about contestants sexual orientation (except those with a vested interested in that sort of thing like the homosexuals), it's all about the food remember Bravo? If your producers can't develop more drama and tension through other methods they suck, hire me.

Hey Marcel,

This was a very cohesive, creative blog. Just like your dishes. Keep on keeping on...

Ah, Chef Mercel. Happy to see you and hear your comments on this challenge. You are emminently qualified to offer an opinion on this episode and I agree with you completely. Hope to see more of you in the future ... you have a devoted fan in me :)

For someone who's not an accomplished blogger, you're doing quite well. Witty without being too snarky and entertaining.

As someone I recalled worked for Robuchon, I was wondering what you thought.

Well done.

Marcel! Glad to see you blogging. I enjoyed your take on everything and look forward to reading more.

Very well written blog post, Marcel! I would have never guessed that you were new at it. You have a way with words.

I would love to see you on the show more. You were my absolute favorite chef from your season and I was rooting for you the whole time. I'd love to have you cook a meal for me. Any day.

XOXO

Hi Marcel!
Your blog was very well written..I was always cheering for you during your time on Top Chef. I think you are a wonderfully gifted chef, very passionate, fearless..how Elan won is beyond my comprehension. You rock!!

I'll never challenge Marcel to a cook-off, but I'd beat him in a spelling bee. I've tried to learn what "bearnaise" and "ceviche" are, so Marcel, please learn the difference between "there" and "their," and "through" and "threw."

Marsel, we've missed you. But what's the deal with not knowing the winner? Does Bravo not give you the full episodes? Jive! (you probably have explained this in an earlier blog. Lazy....)

Marcel--man of integrity. I enjoyed your blog and hope you continue to write more of them. Your having worked for JR says so much.

I was behind you all the way during your season of TC. Besides clearly being a talented chef (who doesn't even steal their every entry from a menu he's worked on at his place of employment)...precise and inventive.... and rise head and shoulders above certain others, let's call them certain top 'cooks', in personal honor and ethics. I thought you were entirely fair and so likeable during your time there. Rock on!

Great post (I didn't realize you had other posts until I saw this one - they were very insightful as well)! Out of curiosity, when you watch, do you think, "I would have made this dish", or do you just critique what's on screen (especially for this last challenge, considering you've worked in that kitchen and with that pantry)? And I'm sure you hear this all the time, but I totally wanted you to win!! You were the only one who was consistently willing to push the envelope, do something original.

Are you really Marcel? You didn't sound arrogant with touch of foam at all. I'm impressed. You're quite witty and knowledgeable.

Thank you for using "irony" in the proper context.

Marcel, no apology needed on the blogging, you write beautifully. "...knives sharper than the devil himself, and my nerves more shaken than a fresh Polaroid."
That's good stuff right there.
Ash got the pass because Hector committed the bigger sin but he will be gone soon enough.
Kevin, Jen, and of Course the brothers V. that's your final four right there barring a major brain fart by one of them because although talented, the rest of the cheftestants are just along for the ride.
Don't count out the dark horse though. Casey spent a lot of time at judges table explaining her sins and asking forgiveness the first few weeks of season three only to gain momentum, pile up a few challenge wins and make it to the final episode. I really don't see it happening but you never know.

I am an avid watcher of top chef and i must say that Marcel is the still the best contestant to date! Talent and out right personality made him the most memorable of top chef contestants! Look forward to your future endeavors Marcel!!!! XOXOXO

Marcel, Fantastic Blog!!!! Cant wait to see what you do next! The world needs to see your skill and antics on our screens soon! BRAVO!!! MAKE THAT SHIZ HAPPEN! Poignant remarks about the episode, highly agree!

This was a well-written, funny blog! I love reading Jamie's commentary and I look forward to reading more of yours. Honestly.

Shouldn't it be CHEF rather then Mr.? Rather disrespectful for someone with as little experience as yourself.

Marcel: appreciated your comments about the challenge. I was wondering if you would comment further on what it was like to work for Joel Robuchon when you were in Vegas and also what you are up to now.

I believe Marcel is working at The Bazaar in L.A. Ate there a couple weeks ago, it's fantastic, with some amazing molecular gastronomy going on

Enjoyed your blog. I also enjoyed your run on the show and truly thought you should have won. Loved your confidence in your abilities. Keep blogging!

Marcel
Nice to see you weigh in, based on your own history with Robuchon. Would like to see more chefly input regarding others' dishes, esp. w/ this challenge based on your own training. Nice to "see" you about! Curious what do you think you would've done for a quick unique escargot dish?

I have always liked you Marcel. I was rooting for you all the way on your season of TC and was so disappointed when you didn't take the title. But you will always be tops in my book! Glad to see you blogging. Take care!

Glad to see you blogging, would love to learn more about what you are up to now.