No, I don't think Kenny was strategically chosen as the worst dish. From ALL the comments and reactions, it would have been either his or Amanda's. Angelo chose Kenny and the others did not agree just because Angelo wanted them to. So yes, I think Kenny was fairly up for elimination. However, Tamesha's food just had every taster reacting in a very bad way. Once we knew the top and bottom two before 9:45 even rolled around, the elimination was a foregone conclusion. I was surprised Kevin won out over Tiffany though, her dish looked amazing and everyone raved about it. But I'm happy to see local-representative Kevin Sbraga back on top!!

Pretty evil episode this week. Anyone from the late 1970's and early 1980's remember The Mad Magazine Game? This was a board game and tons of fun, but completely insane. There were times in the game where you'd have to switch your bankrolls with another player to your left or right, which could wind up completely destroying your chances to win the game. That was what I got from this Quickfire. You get to pick a crazy protein, and you have an idea, and you start to prep...BAM! Pass your protein to the left! What starts as a llamaburger now has to turn into crocodile pie.

Then the elimination challenge where the playing field gets to ultimately decide who's on top or bottom? What was to prevent the team from legitimately singling out someone? Hopefully a contingency plan from the actual judges would have disallowed such a thing. But still, with that said, leave the judging to the judges, or guest judges, or a crowd who isn't competing but tasting the food in a particular week. Tom, your questioning of everyone going on about how Kevin's dish needed acid when it actually didn't pretty much proves that. And then they wind up saying Kevin's was best anyway? Seems odd.

In all the years on top chef, I don't think we've had a competitor who is portrayed as being sly and manipulative and using powerful strategy to knock off his competitors. That is the way the editors portray Angelo...it is hard to tell if he is using as much "gamesmanship", as Tom called it, as he is portrayed to use. He reminds me of the early characters on Survivor. Creating alliances and then manipulating others. I guess time will tell.

We've had a slew of egotistical, passive aggressive, angry, fiercely competitive, childish competitors but Angelo is a new brand. It is clear that he makes good food. I think the tone of the show is suffering because the competitors seem less talented as chefs. There are few star standouts like there have been in the past...Hung, the V brothers, Kevin, Jennifer, Stephanie. Even Stephen. And of course Marcelle (a character but he had style and indiviudality).

I love the settings in DC but the quality of the cooking doesn't seem as high. We are swept away in soap-opera like issues this time. Oh well. I love the show and find these new wrinkles intriguing, but I am not learning enough about great cooking.

This was one of the most gimmicky episodes I've seen. While the quickfire was interesting by asking the chefs to work with unique ingredients, that interest was tainted by shifting the chefs. I can't see a strong reason to do this other than that perhaps the production team is running out of unique ideas for quickfires. Given that the winner of the quickfire received immunity, it would be nice to avoid a gimmick to choose a winner.

I was turned-off with this episode, it is obvious that gaming was in play, especially by Angelo, and it was disgusting to me that Top Chef would stoop so low as to allow this "twist" to take place. It was predictable that Angelo would manipulate people so that Kenny would be on the chopping block. I watch Top Chef to see a cooking competition, I don't want to see a Top Chef version of Survivor.

I am a huge fan of the show, but I must say I am dissappointed this season. Maybe it's because last season had so many standouts, it's making this season players look so weak in comparison.

Angelo is just getting on my last nerve. He obviously very talented, so why he is doing so much gameplay and trying to sabotage people? He totally played on Tamesha's trust and I believe had a hand in her going home.

I think Angelo should lay off the game play and focus on the food. If he doesn't, it's going to bite him in the you know what!

I guess Amanda is in the Robin and Leah role this season. Basically she's the chef that is really not very good but yet gets break after break while other who actually have more talent go home.

Last week she didn't know the simple basic chef 101 skill of cutting everything the same size so that it cooks evenly. Come on! That's just flat out common sense!

This week she couldn't recognize that there was cartilage in her chicken? Seriously? I don't know how bad Kenny's dish was, but I know I couldn't get past eating something that nasty. Yuk!

How is this girl a chef? And why is she still on the show? She is making me miss Robin and Leah and trust me that would not be an easy feat.

Long Time Fan, I personally think the Quickfire was well thought out. How many times have dishes had to change on the spur of the moment because the store was out of a certain protein? What is so different in that and what happened tonight?

I think the elimination challenge was different but insightful for the judges. Some of the true personalities, even though they don't judge on that, of the contestants showed through. I trust that the judging was left up to the actual judges due to the fact Chef Colicchio has stated that many times in the past. I trust that the day that the judging is not left up to the experts Chef Colicchio will remove himself from the show gracefully.

I don't like joining the chorus, but if you recall how professionally respectful the contestants were last season, it's hard to watch this unclassy survivor strategy come to top chef. It was the thing that seperated this show from the other. That said, I still learn from the show, and I won't give up yet. I have't missed an episode since the first season. But for the first time, I have nobody to root for. lets see what happens.

How many times has Kenny said, "I'm consistantly at the top?" Really? Let's look: One win but three (count 'em, three!) times on the chopping block. Since when is being at the bottom three times out of six "...consistantly at the top"? Reality check, Kenny--that's a 50% failure rate! I don't know what you're selling but we're not buying!

I'm sorry, but Angelo and company had decided Kenny was going home before anything was served. Kenny's dish did look overworked with just too much going on, but it was far more visually appealing than Amanda's and her's was poorly prepared, that is a worse offense than trying too hard. Judging should have been blind. This season seems more about the personalities than the food, maybe because these the talent pool isn't as strong as it's been in the past.

Please do me a favour, let the judging be left to the judges. However good Michelle Bernstein is, her snottiness is not attractive, the one person whose has an attractive snottiness is the Anthony Bourdain, and I hope he will be a guess judge.

Otherwise I didn't enjoy this episode at all. Season 6 is will go down as the best for me, level of competitiveness, the sibling rivalry which was also an example of love and respect, the level of professionalism was amazing, e.g. Bryan V's and the rest of the team.

Please stop this non-sense. If I wanted to watch Survivor…I would have. Your show is about food, and well prepared. Michael, Kevin and Brian reminded us all of that. I’m sorry you may have a bad cast this year, we all know that Angelo will make a great asian pancake. So What? Please no more Survivor. Isn’t it about the food? It’s about Kenny taking on Jen? We all live with Gameplayers in our jobs everyday. We won't tune in to watch them here as well! Keep up the good work.

G’day Tom,

Okay, I’ve been waiting for some excellence to rise to the top of this season’s Top Chef, and I think it’s just not happening. These chefs seem to be less talented and more combative than on prior seasons, with few exceptions, and I’m quite underwhelmed, thus far. Maybe last season showed us so much experience and superior culinary prowess, that these guys just don’t stand a chance…I don’t know, but they better get some real passion for what they’re supposed to be doing, as it relates to the incredible opportunity that this competition offers, or it won’t be Top Chef; it’ll end up as the Chef who didn’t stink as badly as the others. Sorry to be so harsh, but I’m a fan of the show (Really!) and I hate to see it sink to mediocrity. Oh, and BTW, the EGO factor with this group is not unlike the noisy rhetoric trash-talking weigh-ins prior to a heavyweight championship fight. Sheesh! I hope they get over themselves before the show ends. Regards, BJ Ferguson

I love Top Chef. It's my favorite show. However, I was disappointed by the lack of professionalism. Even though it's a competition, the back-stabbing and manipulating is starting to degrade the quality of the show. I really like the chefs that are there to cook great food and have the confidence to do so. As far as professionalism, Tiffany and Kevin are standouts. Congrats to Kevin for his win!

I'm really disappointed with the amount of commercials lately. It seems like we hardly get any show, Those 30 second little bites that just lead into more commercials are frustrating and irritating. I like seeing that side of the chef but the amount of commercials that follow after are just not worth it. C'mon Bravo.

I agree, Michelle Bernstein had a superior air about her that detracted from the show. Whether the alleged plotting by one team against Kenny occurred, the show depicted that it did happen. That of course, is drama that keeps viewers, such as myself, tuned in. I have no problem with that. However, inviting guest judges who add no value besides trying to assert how much better they are than the cheftestants is a disservice to the cheftestants and the fans. You can do better! Please find guest judges who offer constructive criticism, not ones who cut down the cheftestants to appease their own ego.

I enjoyed watching reruns of Top Chef Las Vegas today--wonderful chefs competed with integrity because they believed in and had great confidence in their individual skills. No one sabotaged each other or played ridiculous games because they didn't need to. They were that good.

This season is the complete opposite, and the gamesmanship and sabotage is very painful to watch. I won't be doing so any longer.

LAST NIGHTS EPISODE LEFT US COLD. THERE WERE SEVERAL OF US WATCHING. THE TWO WINNERS OF THE CHALLEGES SHOULD HAVE BEEN REWARDED. THAT WAS CLASSLESS. SHOW SOME CLASS FOR CHRISTS SAKE AT LEAST GIVE THE RUNNER UP A CONSOLATION PRIZE. GEEZ I AM SURE THE SPONSERS CAN AFFORD IT GIVEN THE VAST NUMBER OF COMMRCIAL BREAKS WE HAVE TO SUFFER THROUGH TO WATCH THIS SHOW. KUDOS TO TAMISHA SHE SHOWED GRACE IN THAT SITUATION. YOU ALL SHOULD BE ASHAMED

Why was so much air time given to the cheftestants on the boat? They were encouraged to plan and plot. Come on, we watch to see a true cooking competition not all this subterfuge and "behind" camera drama. I missed hearing the judges comments which I feel is free from prejudice; tonight I kept wondering if the critique was spot on or part of some strategy. Not fun. Tom, thanks for your comments which did clarify many things. I always enjoy your blog

Why was so much air time given to the cheftestants on the boat? They were encouraged to plan and plot. Come on, we watch to see a true cooking competition not all this subterfuge and "behind" camera drama. I missed hearing the judges comments which I feel is free from prejudice; tonight I kept wondering if the critique was spot on or part of some strategy. Not fun. Tom, thanks for your comments which did clarify many things. I always enjoy your blog

I love Top Chef! It's my favorite show on t.v.

However, this season (ANGELO) is too much about strategy and not about cooking good inspiring food.

I miss the old Top Chef! Enough with the games

Colicchio...you rock :)

[awesome to see that i'm not alone and that there are others out there (an overwhelming majority it seems?) who agree that Bravo and Top Chef SHANKED it tonight. and have been showing signs all season of tending toward cheap drama.]

probably Bravo has the numbers to back up these latest trends to pull the show away from an engaging, entertaining contest over culinary skill to instead widen the appeal to folks who tune into see sex and soap-opera-drama. i'm okay with that, but let's not call it "Top Chef" and instead call it "Survivor." then at least we'll have a show that supports its title.

really? allowing the contestants to nominate other contestants to be eliminated? i might buy it if you did as you do on Top Chef Masters and have some "blind" testers as well who are served the food without knowing who cooked what, AND didn't have any preconceived notions. forgive me for saying something stupid, but i had thought being a great chef had something to do with making food that tasted good, without the help of the intellect. [or... emotional baggage.]

does anyone actually LIKE this trend? do the people who watch the show actually have interest in the sniping? isn't it more fun to see badasses compete in a spirited environment with a "let the best (wo)man win" attitude? no one respects tonya harding or a contest where that's not just overlooked but encouraged.

love the fact so many people are riled up. deservedly so. such an off-putting episode (and season).

I found myself getting annoyed by this episode. This is a cooking competion so let the chefs cook! Stop these group challenges and twists. We're losing the cooking tips in exchange for gamesmanship. What made this show standout was that it showcased talented chefs, please don't exchange that for backstabbing and plotting. And, if you really wanted it to be fair, the tasting should've been done without a name attached to the dish. I guess what I'm saying is please don't dumb the show down and play to the trashy side. Tom, you're too good for that!

Let's face it, Tom- last season was jam packed with ego's, a passion for cooking, and least of all-drama. And though some of the personalities were over the top- it was ALWAYS about the food. So, what a disappointment to see a season filled with pure ego and drama minus the talent and passion. I've been a loyal TC fan from the very beginning and have admired the heart and love that's gone into seasons past.

Unfortunately- I can't say the same about this current cast. If anyone's reading, listening, or cares over at Bravo- I think the consensus is pretty clear....Top Chef, although a competition, isn't about scheming or playing mind games to get to the top. It's about being the best at what you really love which is...FOOD. Sadly- i feel like you've forgotten that. Please go back to your roots- otherwise...I can think of 10 other cooking competition shows with subpar chefs I could watch instead.

I do not enjoy the survivor approach, but i do enjoy the fact that their is no "one leader" and that it is up in the air.

As a professional in an exceedingly busy restaurant, I am appalled at the lack of professionalism in this season. Every episode, the bitter taste in my mouth continues to grow as these so called "chefs" are playing shadow games with each other in order to oust one another, rather than focusing on what they built their careers on. People may not like each other, it's in our nature as humans, but to act like children is unacceptable and in insult to what I do for more than 80 hours a week.

This current crop of cooks wouldn't last 20 minutes in a real kitchen if this were the standard of behavior. It seems like beating a dead horse, but comparatively speaking, every previous season was more about cooking than politics. Unfortunately, you have selected our nations capital to hold this contest and some may feel it is appropriate. But, there are chefs and restaurants in D.C. that know that drama and coercion should be left at the door, or better yet at home locked in a safe. Top Chef became a an institution for television competition because of its focus on food and talent based material, but it is turning into a juvenile popularity contest.

i'm enjoying this season and think the strength is in the judges, which are where most "subjective choice" shows fail. Michelle Bernstein needs to head back to snottyville though, I hate a know-it-all-who feels superior to the cast.

As much as the editing of the episode implies Angelo may have had a hand in Tamesha's elimination, I think that Tamesha's exit interview makes that possibility unlikely. Tamesha, even with the benefit of hindsight, still says she is rooting for Angelo to win. I find it hard to believe that if Angelo had been misleading her, she would either not realize it or allow any feelings between them to cloud her objective judgment. Tamesha stood by her dish; she just failed to take into account a few things that ended up costing her.

I agree that that this challenge would have been better if the dishes had been served blind however. It really does seem like the producers this season are doing their best to artificially create "drama" to make up for the overall weaker cast.

If I want to watch people scheming against each other on a reality show I'd be tuning into Big Brother. I watch Top Chef for the cooking and the talents. I appreciate Tom coming back week after week to explain their decisions, but the presentation of the show this season has been appalling. How do you root for contestants who seemed to be more interested in gaming their way into a win instead of cooking to the best of their abilities? You're really losing focus here.

Just went back and watched a couple episodes from season 6 to cleanse the palate, so to speak.

I never missed an episode of the last TC couldn't wait to see what interesting and innovative dishes they would produce. I feel this season is like watching some mediocre 2nd year chef students perform poorly. The quality ain't there both from the chefs to the challenges, please fix it for next season. It's all about the food, not manufactured drama.

Has anyone else noticed that people thta Angelo "Trusts" are eliminated?

sadden by the "CHEFS" this season...all they seem to use is GREEN LEAFS (no pun intended) Every single dish with a few exceptions has a frigin green sprig of something on or in it! Give me a break with the leafs already! Angelo is a player! He is so impressed with himself that no one else needs to be!

Wow, this group just can't wait to stab each other in the back while shoving each other under a bus. Each week is getting harder to watch. I never realized how unethical people can be. It's just ridiculous and takes away the credibility from a show I held in such high regard.

thought maybe i was the only one that didn't enjoy this season of TC so far but in a way, i feel better reading the majority of comments that feel the same way.

the producers have forgotten what created the foundation of viewers that made TC what it once was and what kept the viewers sad a season was almost over but looking forward to each new season coming up.

TC used to be above the rest of the trainwreck reality shows in creating discord, distracting away from the point of the show and from drama editing. not any more - this season has been painful to watch. it's the first season i have ever checked other stations to see what else is on and only checked back and forth on bravo to see if the rest of the hour was focused on cooking or soap opera childish hijinks.

not sure what the deal is with "noted" chefs who have their own restaurants and are "acclaimed" in the industry that feel being on one of these shows gives them a free card to be demeaning to the upcoming chefs.

i never have understood women who feel they need to project a severe air of being a snob, of demeaning others to make themselves feel powerful and to be condescending to others for any reason but especially over trivial personality differences. it's not just michelle bernstein but she gave a perfect example on last night's show of what i'm talking about and that others that watched obviously noticed as well.

the show has gotten away from the focus that seemed to be a part of the show during the first few seasons of TC when tom was more of a mentor, advisor and positive influence on the upcoming chefs. as much as i love and respect tom, the producers have reduced his impact on the show to a figure head that blends into the panel. tom is way too talented to be a part of that editing and has the ability to bring the show back to what it was, not to what it has become.

with the show already being produced and completed for the season i am sure, it doesn't seem to be anything but the same thing with more drama that has happened all season and nancy pelosi added into it.

that is enough reason to erase TC from our TV reminder list.

to the producers, it's too bad you got caught up in the soap opera drama trap other reality shows have also fallen to and faced ratings destruction. if you want the short time, rubber necking viewer that never has wanted to learn something new each show and waits for implosions of contestants, and the loss of loyal viewers since season 1, then you are headed in the right direction.

if you truly cared about the integrity of the show, about why people truly watched the show and set aside each wednesday night for almost a decade, then you will listen to the comments and get back to what made TC what it once was but isn't any more.

I concur with all previous comments regarding the unfortunate trending of the show towards forced drama. The best shows have always been focus on tension while they cook due to the difficulty of a challenge. I see in the previews for next week there is a "coupling" situation being added. We don't need more Leah and Josea-esque air time.

I trust that Michelle Bernstein is a well qualified judge, however I was surprised at her harsh words to Kenny and was wondering if there were some strong comments from Kenny that were edited out that prompted it. Many chefs have "stood behind their dish" as Kenny did and not received such a specific and detailed "dress down". It seemed like she was trying to humble him, hoping to create a pivotal moment in his career he can look back on and say thanks to Michelle for re-grounding him. It really seemed inappropriate.

I don't get this season at all. I've been an avid viewer since season 1 and watched each season religiously over and over. This is the first season when I have yet to see one technique, one recipe that has made me want to jump into the kitchen and try it.

The producers are after a different demographic of audience that has the attention spans of a pencil and only wants to see drama and ill-will backstabbing from chef to chef.

How you can have any legitimacy left to the show to claim it's about the cooking after last night's episode is a vacancy that can't be filled with this season's focus.

Letting the contestants taste and rate the plates is fine but the way it was done without blind judging is absolutely unprofessional on Bravo's part, the producers integrity and the show's credibility factor.

Are we in 3rd grade? Last night's episode solidified the wavering I was having with my wanting to believe TC was the show it started out to be and the one I saw last night.

If I want to see backstabbing, sabotage and adolescence, I thought tuning into TC would avoid that for me. After last night's episode and the entire season's focus away from cooking and directly, blatantly towards reality show hype, I'm done.

Your high ratings did not come from whoever edited, produced and decided last night's show was the direction the show should veer towards.

When the producers understand that true cooking and Tom's seeming influence of mentoring is why most people gave this show the loyalty it once had, and involve inspiration, positive motivation and outside judges that want to beget admiration and inspiration, and not feel better about themselves by stomping on others, then maybe this show can be saved.

This season is a lackluster group of cheftestants--this was the best Bravo could do? I like a lot of the challenges but the group challenges really give no opportunity to showcase a single chef. Incidentally, I really feel bad for early Season 1 Top Chef: true Chefs --they had at least had some calibur of cooks, and the last few seasons the ante for QuickFire/Elimination challenges are thousands of dollars in prizes vs. a crappy cookbook from the likes of a Michelle Bernstein--take that comment at face value. Poor Harold, or Tiffany, or Stephanie, or Richard deserved more. Bring back Todd English as a guest judge!!!!

I do want to add one more thing about the gameplay. It's always going to happen on some level, such as not helping someone when you are done, not revealing to your competitors that you figured out a strategy of a challenge.

This is the first time I have seen people intentionaly try to sabotage their competitors. Last season was cutthroat and competitive, but they were also professional, helping each other watch their backs when it came down to it. Between Angelo bringing Tamesha down and Alex in the next epsiode taking the pea puree? I am just horrified.

I know people want to win, but come on. If it were me and I made it to the end, I would want to competete against the best people, if I won, the victory would be just that much sweeter, knowing I competeted against the best.

Anyway just wanted to put that addtional two cents out there. Yes the drama can be amusing, but I hope that there is more focus on the food and their skills. I like to watch that so much more.

I'm reading a lot of comments here and in other posts about how juvenile the cheftestants in this season appear to be. I think it's greatly exaggerated. Every season has had a character fans disliked: 1, Tiff; 2, Marcel; 3, Hung; 4, Spike (?); 5, Hosea; 6, Robin. It looks as if this season's winner is Angelo. But no one here can say for sure how much of the editing is contributing to his seemingly evil nature. And to me, by far, the season riddled with the most unnecessary drama and strife was season 4, with all the tension between Dale and Lisa, between Lisa and Andrew, the near fight between Spike and Jennifer. And talk about silliness, how's about the pseudo romance between Hosea and Leah from season 5? Those two represent the one instance where I'm certain that a cheftestant clearly made a move to rid a competitor: both deliberately threw Ariane under the bus. This season to me has been relatively tame. And this crop of chefs appear to be pretty talented. Let's not get high-n-mighty about a restaurant kitchen. Based on Bourdain's book, I'd hazard a guess that many professional kitchens have a lot of drama and tension in it.

I realize all these episodes have already been shot. However, I do hope that the person who came up with the idea of "creating drama" out of a show that is supposed to be based on talent get fired, or at least sent to work on another show. I love this show. It is the only one I activly try to watch. Now, not so much. I have several friends who have given up on it entirely. Please, please tell me that next season will be better thought out.

Do we really need 47 posts after every show whining about how last season was sooooooo much better than this season? We get it. You hate the show this season. Let's move on. And some of the complaints are simply getting insane. Too many commercials? Dude, it's TELEVISION. That's how they pay to air the show. If you hate commercials so much buy a friggin' Tivo.

Sack up, people.

OK -- Top Chef is starting to become "Survivor-Top Chef" and it is disappointing. First we have Angelo essentially admitting he tanked a round to try to get Kenny off in one of the early episodes. Then last night we get the chefs as judges, getting to vote who goes up for elimination. Maybe Kenny and Tamesha really had the worst dishes -- I don't know. But the build-up to the voting made it clear that people wanted to vote for who they didn't like or who they wanted off because they were better chefs. I really don't like the way things are being done this season. The reason I have stuck with this show through all of the seasons is that it is about cooking, not game-playing. If it turns into another game show, I'm done.

the beauty of this show used to be that every episode allowed each chef to have a vision and create that vision, and then be judged on the conceptualization and technical aspects of the dish. this season is somewhere between the real world and hell's kitchen.

between the completely unnecessary made-for-reality TV switcharoo during the quickfire challenge (there was a similar elimination challenge using exotic proteins in the season 3 opener and that worked fine, so why mess with a good thing?) and then the ridiculous idea to nominate chefs for elimination, i was waiting for gordon ramsay and JP to oust tom and padma at the judges table.

people watch garbage like hell's kitchen, b/c it's all about the drama and hardly about the cooking. i always thought top chef was the antithesis of that show. not this season. as the producers scramble for new ideas, they are watering down the show and turning off long-time fans.

i hope that once some of the rest of the fat gets cuts from the show (e.g. stephen, amanda, andrea) that things pick up, but i'm not holding my breath. c'mon tom, i know as a chef you'd rather this be a competition instead of a game.

Let me add to the chorus so that perhaps the producers pay attention!!!!

You seriously need to examine turning Top Chef challenges into a combination of Survivor/Big Brother. I get that Bravo apparently thinks that conflict sells. But in at least two of the six elimination challenges so far, there has been the element of contestant sabotage flat out introduced if not explicitly encouraged.

And it's simply unnecessary. If you've got to stoop to that, then maybe you realize/worry the show has jumped the shark. Which after last season it most certainly had not.

I really thought between Masters Season One and last season that the producers and judges had finally figured out that good cooking and entertaining [and not in a pure jack *** way] contestants was the road to enjoyable viewing.

Looks like I was wrong.

I agree with most posts - I wish Tamesha had a little bit more confidence in herself as a chef - she is obviously talented (winning the quickfire challenge for making tasty baby food is not an easy feat). I wish she had not listened to Angelo and cooked her own way and her own food. Angelo looks like a manipulative, egotistical jerk and yes, of course, he manipulated his team to do what he wanted so he could come out on top - this is gamemanship and should NOT be part of a true chef's nature. Yes, it is a cooking competition and yes, everyone on the show is there to win and making a name for themself but in looking at most previous seasons, the manipulative, arrogant chef doesn't always win the prize (Marcel comes to mind) and I hope this is the case this season. I am glad though that Tamesha blamed herself for having a bad day and not tried to throw Angelo under the bus. This was pure class on her part. I also thought that Michelle Bernstein was a little snide to that chef who worked with her (I forget her name). It was obvious from the start that Michelle was out to get her - she criticized her quickfire choice and when Padma asked her if knowing the chef would influence her decision in anyway, she haughtly replied, "It's about the food". Yes, sure it is...Please ask your chef judges or any chef to leave their holier than though attitude at the door. It is so obnoxious and painful to watch...

I am not surprised at the underhandedness that is coming through on this season. Although Angelo seems to be a good Chef he has, what appears to me, as a bloated since of himself. This is about talent and not about sticking it to the other Chefs by playing dirty. This is the first season I have seen this type of behavior, it kind of taints my view of the show and I love this show. All Chefs have a bad day and I know that Kenny had his but I think he will look at how he approaches his food in a different light. I also believe that the advice given to the Cheftestants by Angelo during this episode will make them think twice about allowing another Chef to give them direction on how to prepare what they are preparing for the competition. As one person commented when did this show become Chef-Survivor? It’s sad to see it happen to such a good show.

I thought I was the only one thinking it - but this season has turned into "Survivor" with strategies, alliances, and the chefs judging their own. I really hate it. It's a difference between being competitive (last season) and petty (this season) The Top Chef Masters were all competitive but they had integrity as you do, Chef Tom but your show is going into the toilet.

I had hopes that as the season went on that the tone of the season would change but it's only getting worse. I'm on the fence right now as to whether or not I'll finish viewing this nonsense. Last year's cast was the best ever in terms of ability in the kitchen and watchability. This season might as well be called "Real Housewives of the Top Chef Pantry."

I'm finding this season of TC to be sorely lacking. There seems to be more forced drama, and Angelo's gamesmanship is smarmy.

Perhaps I'm spoiled by the strong competition and overall professionalism of last season's chefs, but this group of chefs and their performance thus far are giving me fewer and fewer reasons to keep watching.

I can understand the general sentiment of folks here. But I think that season 6 has really spoiled you guys. If you want great chefs exhibiting their culinary mastery, with no intrusion of personality and drama, then the show for you is Top Chef Masters. That show is the pristine version of Top Chef. First, I think it's wonderful that the producers for Top Chef provide the opportunity every season for some unseasoned (no pun intended) cooks to have a shot at a potential life-changer through a win. In other words, not all the chefs are going to be culinary masters at this point. Also, all of us have personality quirks that would probably annoy somebody. These cheftestants have the right to express themselves for who they are, and if it bothers anyone here, it's your problem. Plus, you're talking about a very unnatural situation of being holed up together in a house that’s basically a dorm from hell, with very limited contact with the outside world for about a month. That, along with the pressure of the competition, is bound to bring out some bad personality traits in the chefs. Anyone here who fails to see that in fact Top Chef is a form of a survivor show isn’t getting it. And I’ve said it elsewhere: this season hasn’t reached the drama of previous seasons. Has anyone here forgotten the drama surrounding the attempts to shave Marcel’s hair?

I admit that you can see some audience manipulation in the editing. But it’s nowhere near as bad as Hell’s Kitchen, as has been suggested here, or the American version of Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares, which is plain awful (in complete contrast to the British version).

And let’s not dump on someone like Andrea. She had the guts to be forthright, admitting to a former drug problem. These guys are trying their best for a big prize, and should be commended for that.