Top Chef

Blogs

Stephanie Izard
Passing the Torch: Season 4 winner Stephanie Izard breaks down the Season 5 finale course by ourse.

1 of 3 pages

Before I get going I wanted to give a quick-shout out. I was down in South Beach this past weekend and was lucky enough to have a couple of meals at the Ritz where Jeff is the chef. The food was delicious, especially the crispy oysters that got him so close to a second chance in the finals. Wish him the best and recommend you go enjoy some snacks and sangria at his place on the beach.

I, of course, had to leave the beach eventually and am back in Chicago getting ready to watch the big finale. I hope that whomever tonight’s winner is did as I did and kept the outcome to themselves (for the most part) and gets to enjoy the priceless moment when he or she can share the win with family and friends. That is when it finally starts to sink in and fun begins.

Nice little twist this year with some of our favorite past contestants coming back to help out the final three. A three-course meal does not seem that difficult, but with the pressure of the finals everything is a bit harder. Plus having Tom tell you that use can use any ingredients you want almost makes it more difficult than having guidelines; way too many ideas start to flood your mind.

Drama already between Hosea and Stefan of course. They have not exactly been friends this season and I guess boys will be boys, so it is sure to be an interesting fight to the finish.

Comments

35 Comments

: 05/04/2009 - 2:31pm; Jonathan; Step its Jonathan! We worked together on the tour in Louisville Kentucky during the derby (you know the bush man). Just wanted to let you know that you were a joy to work with and when I come to Chicago I got to hit you up! If you ever need any help just let me know! They have my email....

04/02/2009 - 1:06am

Shay

Steph, Gosh by far my fav top chef from all seasons!

I really wish Carla had won insted of Hosea :(
If she had only gone by instinct!!!!

03/24/2009 - 6:57pm

Karen

Stephanie, you said, "Guess the best team always pulls it out in the end." How then do you explain that since Lisa's final meal was clearly the favorite at the judge's table, they still chose you as Top Chef? I agree that you were Top Chef that season because of your consistency and professionalism! The judges made the correct choice by rewarding the best overall, most consistent chef!

That said, Stefan (NOT Hosea) should have been named Top Chef this season. He was easily the most talented and most consistent.

Stephanie, stop being so politically correct; you're free to disagree with King Tom and Padma who pretends to know something about being a chef (please)!

: 03/24/2009 - 3:04am; John; To find the real Top Chef there should be no curve balls in the finale and no external help! Hosea won partly because he got the easy ingredient for the appetizer and got to pick the difficult alligator for Stefan. And the judges didn't even take that into account... Appetizers were equally impressive according to them. Bollocks!
Steph, you were consistently good during season 4, Hosea was so-so. Not a worthy successor for your truly great talent!

: 03/18/2009 - 1:13pm; Lauren Patrizi; Stephanie I can't wait to go to the Drunken Goat in Chicago.. Waiting patiently!!!!!!

: 03/08/2009 - 9:15am; Kathie; I was happy to see you mention Jeff in this post. I think he was the most under-rated chef all season. He consistently put out great dishes and often seemed to come in a too-close second. He also seemed gracious about all these losses -- at least that's how it looked to the viewers. I wish he'd made it to the final.

: 03/07/2009 - 2:42am; mel; I am not attacking Stephanie, I am voicing my opinion like everyone else on this site including her. I am tired of Top Boring/Mediocore chefs winning, which is all based only on being the lucky dog who eluded elimination all season. Stephanie, good cook yes, but not the best of Season 4. Consistency has to count for something and it's time TC revamped how they do finale's and make some kind of point system over the season. Richard should have won Season 4, how Casey ever made it to the finale of Season 3 is beyond me--watch the season over again at what she made and how she should have been gone but the producers felt she has some kind of sex appeal, Hung was an excellant chef, Ilan winning Season 2 was a fluke of his not being eliminated as well, Harold definitely could cook in Season 1. If Trey had not been elimiated how different would his outcome of TC have been? Personally invested? No, just seeing the flaws that have long existed with this show. Those chefs who do not win TC seem to do much better in the world of endorsements so in the end they are the true winners.

: 03/05/2009 - 2:30pm; Kim; If it really does "come down to the end," Lisa would have won last season. This show is really Top Hypocricy.

: 03/05/2009 - 11:07am; Allen; Hosea was one of the most annoying contestants. While he is certainly a talented chef but all he did was complain about Stefan which made him seem like a sore loser. And the hook-up between him and Leah (who seemed to only talk in a breathy baby-doll voice) made me almost want to switch away for good from Top Chef. So the best chef did not win -- I really don't understand the "dated" criticism for Stefan's dessert -- but at least all four of the final chefs seemed to achieve fame and exposure for their work.

: 03/05/2009 - 4:23am; Viewer; way to go KC...not only did you choke on your chance to win top chef...you blew carla's chance! Carla was amazing-- yes she should have stuck to her guns, but she def. had a terrible influence from a lady who should have kept her mouth in check!