I, too, was sad to see Jennifer go. Such a lovely person. Have been pulling for Kevin all season. He just has to be the nicest contestant ever on Top Chef. I love this show and I so look forward to your blog, Tom. It is so helpful to sort out our feelings after the show, since we can only look, not touch, darnit. But thank you, Tom. You, as always, are the fastest and most helpful of the bloggers. You are top notch, all the way.

Jennifer was robbed---Michael served a raw egg for God's sake, and Jennifer just oversalted her dish a little? Why on earth didn't Michael go home? So its great when Kevin cooks simple but Michael gets a pass on his raw egg because his dishes are so complex? Double standard!!! Do not plan to watch this show again after following all season, since the judging is so arbitrary.

Max

I realize that you don't do the editing, so please take my comments w/ a grain of salt as well--but what made the decision seem completely out of left field is that everyone seemed to be raving about Jen's duck. Everyone talked about how good it was, how great it was that she used the whole duck, how she was able to change gears, etc. And, personally, an undercooked egg (especially when paired with a dish that several people seemed to think was too bitter), which is potentially a food safety hazard as well as kinda ugly on the plate, that is every bit as much of mistake as the salt.

And, TV-wise, the final has now become kinda boring to me. The V brothers seem to be very similar in many ways--lots of capital-T technique, paired with great flavors, and Kevin is (being portrayed as) Mr. Simple But Well-Prepared Great Flavors. Jen brought a different set of skills and flavors than any of the other three, and her mistakes were no more severe than Michael's, at least as far as the editing showed.

Still, clearly a much higher-caliber final three/four than last year, so yay for that.

Chef Colicchio, once again, your blog is SO informative and well written, I am sorry to see Jen go but I think you are left with 3 amazing chefs any of which could have beat out the winners of any previous season. That is going to be difficult to top next season but it is certainly making for an exciting finale!!! I am a huge fan of yours but I still can't help but think that you have a little bit of biased against the brothers, it seems to come out here and there in your discussions while tasting the food and at judges table...what gives Chef? I am really looking forward to next Wed night...thanks for the great blogs all season long!

Tom,

As always, thank you for the explanation of the results of the judging. I have to say I was quite surprised this time by your (the judges') decision - I really thought Michael was going home. Although Padma and the rest of you commented on the saltiness of one of Jen's dishes, it seemed that, at least at first, you were all very highly impressed by the duck dish, and I don't remember hearing anyone (maybe it was editing?) say anything about salt for the duck.

This was in contrast to Michael's, where it seemed he made a rather basic mistake with the cooking and serving of the egg (what would seem a more serious error than the extra salt on one dish, especially as it was explained as being due to the type of salt used) and the lack of balance in his other. Maybe it's just me, but I think I could handle a little extra salt over an undercooked egg (that just makes me shudder at the thought).

I wasn't surprised at all that Bryan won - it sounded like he did a great job, and even though you all loved Kevin's veggie dish you couldn't get past the "toothsome-ness" of it (nice try with the description Kevin).

Although I'm sorry to see Jen go, it looks like the finale will be a powerhouse, and I can't wait to see it!!

Jennifer's dish was too salty? I would have never guessed it from, oh, watching the show. Her fatal flaw seemed to be admitting that she second guesses herself, while Kevin gets by with his toothsome brisket and Mike serves a raw egg to a pregnant woman. Forget Judge's Table--call the Board of Health. Michael Pollan was right; we should have all spent the hour cooking.

The title of the Top Chef splash said it all: Crushed. Seeing Jennifer get the boot killed me, but as you said, these were all four tremendous talents. I'd been calling them the Four Horsemen all season. Of course, Jennifer's quite obviously not a man, but saying Four Horsepersons just sounds silly, so I'm using some poetic license there.

Nonetheless, it seemed to me it would be either Michael or Jennifer to go home tonight, and the fact that the one dish was clearly oversalted seemed to hang over me too, and it gave me a bad feeling that proved to be correct. Jennifer didn't win this competition, but she and the others have been absolutely the best of the best in the history of this program to get to the Final Four.

I truly hated to see Jennifer go home (really sad when her name was called). I know I did not taste the dish but she fought a good fight. I hope Kevin wins, as I stated before, he is a gentleman and a down right good cook. He is also a team player and truly deserves to bring the Top Chef title home to Atlanta! Good Luck, Kevin!

The title of the Top Chef splash said it all: Crushed. Seeing Jennifer get the boot killed me, but as you said, these were all four tremendous talents. I'd been calling them the Four Horsemen all season. Of course, Jennifer's quite obviously not a man, but saying Four Horsepersons just sounds silly, so I'm using some poetic license there.

Nonetheless, it seemed to me it would be either Michael or Jennifer to go home tonight, and the fact that the one dish was clearly oversalted seemed to hang over me too, and it gave me a bad feeling that proved to be correct. Jennifer didn't win this competition, but she and the others have been absolutely the best of the best in the history of this program to get to the Final Four.

I think it is a really big detail to not cook your egg!!! Jennifer was robbed---Michael served a raw egg for God's sake, and Jennifer just oversalted her dish a little? Why on earth didn't Michael go home? So its great when Kevin cooks simple but Michael gets a pass on his raw egg because his dishes are so complex? Double standard!!! Do not plan to watch this show again after following all season, since the judging is so arbitrary.

Max

When you said it was down to the chef who made the biggest mistake was going home, I would think a rather under-done egg would be worse than over salting a dish. However, I do not know the degree of their mistakes so that wasn't for me to determine.

It has been a pretty good season, loved the twists and the new quickfires thrown in, especially, the blind-folded tag-team one. Down to the final three. I predicted Kevin the winner from the first episode and I predicted the same final four since episode three. I think the finale will be pretty exciting. Thanks for another great season of Top Chef.

Wow! The chef eliminated today seems better than most of the previous winners of top chef. Jen is simply awesome. You could not have put it better - she is her worst enemy sometimes. It was heartbreaking to see her cry after elimination. For the very first time I was so sad to see some one eliminated. She should be proud of herself. And congratulations to top chef for such a fantastic show. You are all great - the hosts, the judges and the contestants.

I knew Jen was going home before the episode began. Despite being strong, Kevin, Michael, and Bryan were stronger throughout the competition. The certainly won more challenges and also appeared fewer times at the bottom if not at all. I think this season has been the most fair because the final four deserved to be there. I like how there is no "villain" this season AND I like how no one sneaked through the back door to get into the finale. This finale has the three strongest competitors and if the cook as they did through out the season, its going to be a close call.

Can't wait for the last ep.

I am very disappointed in this outcome and probably will not finish watching the remainder. You have put way too much into Kevin. Yes he has come up with some nice dishes but he has also faltered and you have overlooked his failings way too much. Jennifer should still be there and Kevin or Michael gone home tonight.

I really appreciate your commentary on the episodes in order to let us know what was going on, because what's televised doesn't reflect any of this. I understand that they want to build suspense, but when the viewer is left shaking her head at the end of each show (because this has happened for the past few weeks), then something isn't quite right. Not your fault though, and thank you for making it all understandable.

It was hard to see Jen go, I rooted for her all season (along with Kevin and Bryan V). She's so talented, I'm sure this isn't the last time we'll hear from her...

I was so sad to see Jen go, but at this level, the littlest mistake would send you home. I love her though. I've been rooting for her for she's a bad-ass chef, and I would kill to try her food one day.

OTOH, I've been rooting for Kevin since day-1 because he's got the most awesome attitude and great approach to food.

I was sad to see Jen go.If her dishes were too salty that is a good reason to send her home.She is a great chef and it's true that it's the most minute thing that will make someone stay or go.I really thought Michael would be going since his egg dish was not cooked properly and dominated the whole dish.I'm glad that Bryan won, he's so classy.Kevins dishes looked like something I would be happy eating .He truly is the most consistent of the chefs. I think he's my favorite.I think all of these chefs including Jen are so talented that in my estimation they are all winners.What an exciting season this is.Thanks for blogging Chef Tom, I find them interesting and informative.

Thanks Tom!

I was rooting for Jennifer, but I'm perfectly happy with any of them winning this year. You are definitely right that the strongest 4 competitors made it to the finale.

You could tell from the second or third episode who the best chefs were, and all along the way, I was just praying that a fluke wouldn't eliminate one of the great chefs.

Here's hoping for an exciting final episode.

I'm sorry to see Jen go. I thought Michael's huge undercooked egg would was a bigger error. I also wonder why oversalting is worse than underseasoning. That said, I was ecstatic that my fave, Bryan got the nod for the win and then advance to the final. However, he didn't receive a large prize as in other elim challenges. Wasn't there a motor scooter or Wolf range left to reward his efforts?

Michael should have been disqualifies for not making a vegetarian dish. eggs are a protein not a vegetable. the are in fact chicken embryos.....I rest my case.

I love reading this blog to gain more insight to the overall outcome of each episode. From viewing the episode; there was only one comment regarding the saltiness of Jen's dishes. There were also comments about the lack of seasoning in Bryan's dishes, Kevin's "toothsome" braised beef and numerous commentary surrounding Michael's undercooked eggs and lack of proportion of ingredients in both dishes. I was sure Michael was headed home, yet at the end of the day, Jen packed her knives. Thank you, Tom, for sharing this additional insight to the outcome. It makes me continue to believe the end result is truly the top chef, not a production ploy for higher ratings.

EGGS ARE NOT A VEGETABLE, BUT A PROTIEN.........AN ANIMAL

Too bad for Jen. She was always my favorite. I hope either Kevin or Bryan wins. I am not a fan of Michael's wizardy in the kitchen.

Tom You always have such a brilliant comentation of the show excellent I think it was the best decision (of course I am wishing Micheal V take it) so I guess I am a little bias loving the show always have been watching every since Harold won and its just as now as then can't wait to see who's the Top chef this season and bravo its the best season to date.

This was tough as a viewer as it seemed all of the chefs did equally well and poor at the same time. From the show it seemed as if the women had more of a problem with salt and the men did not for multiple contestants. I find this to be how it is for my own dishes.

In the end, I guess Jen was the right one to go home but she really kicked ass throughout the whole competition so it was sad to see her go. She really was her own worst enemy as her self doubt seemed to get the worst of her at times. Jen, we wish you the best. You are also ridiculously good looking.

Thanks for staging this so beautifully. I am regretting not attending "Crush" as a Rutherford Hill club member. It was obvious that the initial reaction to Jen's dishes was that they were too salty -- yet in the editing of the show, it would appear that the use of too much salt should have lost to a chef that didn't prepare an egg properly.

Thanks Tom!! Once again you give us insight to what we can't get from watching this show... the actual taste of the food, and what is going on in the kitchen (lets face it, edits cut out alot!).

This is the first season where I wish there could be 4 finalist of Top Chef. :-(

I am definitely sad to see Jen go. I think she has been a strong competitor throughout the competition, and when it looked like she was about to crash and burn, she pulled herself back up and rose to the occasion.

I can't wait to see the season finale. Who will be the winner of Top Chef?! 7 days and counting!!!!!

Huge loss. Everyone commented that Jen's duck was so fantastic and "ducky" -- and during the judging she seemed to be criticized for it? And yet Michael got away with an undercooked egg? I can't help but feel like Bravo thinks the public is just dying to see a Voltaggio brothers showdown for the finale, and this is grossly incorrect. I hate them both almost as much as I hated Marcel. This is really saying something.

Kevin for the win! Someone needs to put Michael in his place. Kevin's food might be "simple", but it seems like it consistently tastes amazing.

Ordinarily, I envy you and the rest of the judges, as you get to taste this marvelous food that the rest of us can only drool over and attempt to ham-fistedly duplicate in our home kitchens.

This episode, I envied you none. What a great crop of chefs! While I find it interesting to hear that the decision was quick and unanimous among the judges, Jennifer has been a truly great competitor.

I've already had the pleasure of dining at Kevin's restaurant in Atlanta, and I hope my travels take me into the orbits of the rest of these young chefs.

It's been a fun season, and I look forward to next week.

Yukon Cornelius for the win.

Thank you for the helpful explanation! I was confused to see that you thought the decision on the loser was a quick one because I watched Jennifer's video entry on this website and she said judges' table was 4 hours, but perhaps you spent all 4 hours discussing the winner? In any case, I was very very sad to see Jennifer go and think she could have easily beaten top chefs from previous seasons (Hosea, in particular). Am excited for next week!

Tom wrote:

"And it’s the first time that the four strongest chefs in a season actually made it to the finale"

I wonder if that fact signals to you a flaw in the show's format? I for one would appreciate a bit less *chance* in the game. Wouldn't be lovely if the outcomes more reliably reflected the talent of the "cheftestants"?

Have the producers (or you or whoever controls these things) considered making the contests cumulative, so that judges *are* at least somewhat allowed to take into account past performance?

Another way to further enhance neutrality of judging, of course, would be to make the challenges anonymous (as in "Top Chef Masters"), so that the judges wouldn't know whose food they were tasting until *after* they had scored it. Toward the end of the competition, it must be exceedingly difficult, if not impossible, for the judges to be completely impartial (whether they believe they are or not). It's only human to develop biases about people whom you grow to know and gain ideas about.

2 cents ...

JENIFERRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Tom!!!!! what happened???? I really wanted to see Jen in the finals.... Good season Tom, I just really wanted to see Jennifer win it.

Im as sad to see her go as I was Fabio. I wonder what would have happened if she had salted properly.

i am so sorry to see jen go. week after week, her dishes were the ones i thought i'd most like to tuck into.

Hurrah to Bryan for another elimination win (finally) and congrats to Kevin and Michael for making it to the finals.

Although I am sorry to see Jennifer go, I believe she is a stand up person who displayed a level of compassion to ALL of her competitors, rarely seen on any reality show.

Go forth Jennifer! You have nothing to be ashamed of.

i am sad to see jen go. however, she should be proud of everything she has accomplished on the show.

My take on soon to be Top Chef is going to be Bryan, he is going to come from behind & steal the title from his brother, watch!

Valerie, NY

Chef, WOW, WOW, WOW! You said it best when you said "And it’s the first time that the four strongest chefs in a season actually made it to the final". This is the best finale to watch, ever!

I know there will be a hundred "Jen was robbed" type comments by viewers which I will skip right over. To me, one of the purposes served by your blog each week is to provide insight into what viewers don't get to see. If people read your blog, they should understand it was a fair judging.

The way they edited judging this week, yes it did seem like there were more negative comments about Michael's dish. Maybe the producers did it that way to throw viewers off, who knows. I just know never to think I can predict who'll be packing based on the comments by the judges. The editors can be clever little elves.

The absolutely coolest thing about this season is that, no matter who wins, I'm gonna be happy!! YEA! These are three unbelievably talented guys.

I wish all three could win. :(

(Oh, and to the person who said Tom sides with the brothers over Kevin, you need to go back a few blogs and read what Tom said about simple flavors vs technique).

There seems to be a disconnect between what actually happens on the show (gleaned from Tom's comments) and what we see on the show. Why, if it was so clear to all the judges from the outset that Jennifer would be going home, did we see every judge rave about her duck dish? There was no talk of oversalting at all. It is frustrating to get to the end of the show, and find myself scratching my head because the outcome is not supported by what we see and hear. I am sad to see Jennifer go, but if it really was a clear, unanimous decision on the part of the judges, I can live with that. I just wish what I saw on the show reflected that!

I was a fan of Jen's throughout the season. I'm hoping that in one of the blogs next week, Tom or Gail explains why an oversalted dish goes home while and undersalted dish wins. I'm confused as to what makes one better than the other. I think that Jennifer should have gone to the finale, especially because Kevin's main protein was not cooked properly and because Michael's egg wasn't properly served. This was a very disappointing result.

The contestants' dishes are judged on taste. It's amazes how some one watching a show and not tasting the dishes can say the judges got it wrong.

Now as far as biases, all you can ask the judges to be is objective toward who cooked the dishes, however, the judging of the dishes is by it's very nature subjective. I may think that a over-salted dish is a bigger offense than an undercooked egg. It's a matter of opinion, and in this context who's to say that mine or your opinion is necessarily better than the judges.

If anything viewing how the Chefs personally carry themselves and interact with each others coupled with not tasting the food, would create more bias in the viewer than in the judges. Remember the judges don't see the behind the scenes nonsense we see until the shows air.

Am I disappointed that Jen is going home, yes...but I think I would have been disappointed with any of the Chef's leaving.

I have eaten at the Woodfire Grill here in Atlanta and 10 Arts at the Ritz in Philly (And therefore have presumably eaten Kevin and Jen's food) and can tell you that the food is excellent Now if how they cook in their restaurants is a sample of how they are cooking on Top Chef and the V brothers are comparable, the food for the finale should be out of this world! I sure would want to taste the food, but I'm not sure I would want to be put in the position to have to judge it!

Good Luck Kevin, Bryan and Michael!

I agree with Narya's comments above. What the viewers saw was all the judges saying how wonderful her duck was. Second, during every season you have repeatedly told the chefs that they need to be able to handle change and adapt their plans accordingly. However, what the viewers saw, was you criticizing Jen for not smoking the duck when clearly she demonstrated skill in being able to adapt to the situation as needed. Now, in your blog post above, you commend Jen for switching her plans. Which is it? I point out that nobody complained about the duck while they were eating it. In your blog post you also state that it was obvious that Jen was going home. Well, it certainly wasn't obvious to the viewers. Sad to see her go.

I had a feeling she would be the next to go. While she's a good chef, she seemed to struggle as of late and I got the feeling she may not have been ready for the competition.

I'm hoping Kevin wins. I think he's a really great chef and a wonderful person.

Tom did make a comment about Jen not grilling her duck, but it was more about paying attention to details. I think she brought that on herself, by saying at judge's table she wished she had been able to grill the duck. I thought Tom's point was that if it was that important to her, she should have been paying attention to the fire. I don't think he would have said it if she would have said, as she did in the competition, that the confit may have actually been the better method for that duck.

She showed a lot of promise early on, but took her nose dive fairly early in the season. I've always liked her, but I've been pulling for Kevin from the beginning.

BRAVO!!! Sad to see anyone of these chefs go; especially Jen, but I absolutely loved this season.

Can't wait until the Finale!!!

All four chefs are amazingly talented. Week to week we saw great dishes and some weak dishes from all four chefs. That being said, I disagree with last nights decision and left scratching my head. First point, eggs do not qualify as a vegetarian dish... Hello? Michael' dish should have been disqualified. Second point, serving an undercooked egg to a pregnant woman should also have been judged more harshly. Third point, what's the one test a professional chef asks a new test to perform? How to cook an egg properly! Three strikes, Michael should have been called OUT!!! Grossly unfair to Jen, who displayed strength and class throughout the season. Best wishes to Jen. I'm sure this experience has made her a better chef.

GREAT EPISODE and Greater Talent. Sorry to see Jen go but it was the right choice. She allowed the stress to take her down weeks ago, but I was happy to see her rise up again and perform to her abilities; just a little late. Good luck Jen and keep on learning. Now on to the finale, Can't wait.

The final three are amazing and talented chefs. I would've liked to have seen Bryan become Top Chef, but from the final preview it looks to me that Kevin takes it. Padma sitting directly in front of Kevin her eyes are fixed straight ahead not averted to the left when she announces the winner. Hope I'm wrong but don't think so.