More than the elimination, the overall episode here was the most disappointing I'd ever seen for this series in the 5 seasons I've watched. Restaurant Wars seemed thrown together this year rather than planned carefully, and I don't think that's the judges' doing, I think that's the producers. Why were both teams in the same kitchen, much less the same location? Why were some judges served one thing and other judges an entirely different thing? Rules were bent and/or broken here regarding Alex, because he did not create a dish, but his team won so he got away with it. Unfortunately, the way it was presented on-screen it seemed that the judges didn't care about that, which is unfair to the judges. Restaurant Wars had been "redone" once before and I think it could and should have been redone here as well. It took 5 years for an episode of this series to leave a seriously bad taste in my mouth, but it happened here in a big way.

Bravo, Gail. Well said. I think this was the first time in Top Chef history that the losing team threw someone from the winning team under the bus. Alex will be eliminated before the finale, but as long as he can ride the efforts of the other chefs, he remains.

Gail, it's a cooking show! Some rules must come first, and cooking should be #1! By not requiring cooking, you have created a system where NOT cooking is rewarded. Would a team with 3 good dishes made by only two chefs ever lose to a team with 1 good dish and 2 bad dishes, but everyone on the team cooked? No, by your logic, no. Cooking on a cooking show MUST come first. Your show's credibility is gone from this injustice, because you and the other judges have forgotten what this show is about. My wife and I won't watch again.

Go back and watch the tape again. You clearly state judging is based on food and service, nothing about "executive chef" responsibilitites, although you may argue that food and service ARE the responsibility of the executive chef. In this type of individual cooking competition the Restaurant Wars concept has no place. As in previous seasons it's only created controversy. And, Alex has certainly been given a pass by all involved, from the producers to the judges to his team members. I don't think Kenny is a "great chef" by any means, but retaining Alex makes me question the motivation of the producers.

You are not even a chef. Why would they allow someone who doesn't even cook to be a judge anyway. Your taste or what you like may not be what everyone else likes. I think you think because you go around and eat alot and give your personal opinion that you are important. This show has been put on the fake reality show list for me. Why would one contestant be responsible for how another contestant cook. (i.e. executive Chef) it's not fair how you all judge. I will wait to hear what Tom has too say or another chef, you mean nothing and really should not even be on the show or have a right to judge.

One thing I'm confused about: Was it part of the rules that each chef was supposed to conceive of his own dish, as Kenny claimed? Did the judges look into the allegations that Alex did not in fact conceive of his own dish? If so, what did they determine?

Did the rules require each chef to conceive of his own dish? If so, did the judges/producers look into the allegation that Alex did not? What was the finding if they did, and why didn't they look into it if such a thing was against the rules?

Gail, I was about to be indignant and insist that the judges have considered that noone be sent home after the allegations made by the other team, or at least investigate them, however, your words are said with finesse and restraint, sometimes a characteristic that Tom lacks in his blog. Your logic makes sense for Kenny to go home, although I disagree with it, since Alex has been acting snarky for about the last 3 weeks. I believe your rules did say that he was supposed to be resposible for a dish, and he really wasn't. The fact that y'all were lied to, should have been at least looked in to. Yes, Kenny did produce some "clunkers" (the last thing I would EVER order is a hunk of deep fried goat cheese!), but the flow of his restaurant and the service at their restaurant was superior. However, I do understand that their menu was not. I understand the loss, but think the loser was protected. He was a horrible host, a tyrant boss, and a terrible prep cook. That you don't see. It would have been a nice resolution to keep Kenny and do a double elimination next week, that's all. There, I didn't get up in your grille, did I? Thanks for listening, You're great and I am SOOOO looking forward to watching JUST DESSERTS!!!!! a 7 year fan of yours, Cathi

I agree, Gail. I honestly thought Kenny was going to the finale. Alex and Amanda are clearly the weakest of the remaining chefs (in an overall uninspiring and mediocre pool of contestants), and had this been a single elimination perhaps one of them would have gone. But Kenny was Exec. Chef AND he served two poor dishes. If this had been any other season he still would have been the one to go.

What about the rules? Isn't the challenge moot when one team covers up and lies for one member? How can you compare group efforts under these circumstances? Doesn't one team have an advantage? Then why have rules at all? Poor kitchen skills (botching protein prep) is easier to hide than sending a fully conceived and prepared final product to the table. This is not about Kenny's elimination as much as it's about choosing some rules as 'sacred' and others as unimportant. Rules are meant to even the playing field and create an interesting setting that challenges ALL equally. This challenge was bogus because the rules of the challenge were ignored. The judging was invalid as a result, and frankly, a turn-off.

Gail, I accept your critique and review of last night's Restaurant Wars episode. I have read many of the comments under Tom's blog which are less than complimentary not only of Kenney's dismissal and Alex and Amanda's curious salvation, but more importantly, the caliber of cheftestants this season.

I must admit that I agree with the majority of the viewers that this is the weakest season ever. Perhaps, I may be wrong, but I fail to see the passion that is so necessary to the creativity and execution of superior food. The chefs also seem to focus less on producing their best product than hoping another's dish will be less successful than their own.

I, unlike many other viewers, will continue watching the TC. I do hope that the judges will make it known to remaining chefs that they must step their skills and culinary performance up several notches.

My best wishes to you and your new endeavour, "JUST DESSERTS"

Although the judges were not in the kitchenwhile the dishes were being prepared, it was obvious when the pork chop, I mean lamb, was served and at judging, that Alex had not actually cooked the dish with is name on it. He wasn't even sure how it had been prepared. In judging, when Alex was asked about the dish, he looked over at Ed and ANgelo to answer partly because he didn't have any answers and partly because his team would have been eliminated if he had told the truth. Wake up judges and show some interest in the show. Either you have rules or you don't.

Why is it that what the video Top Chef producers edit together never match what you judges say? Viewers saw Alex not performing in a good role as front of the house -- he was demeaning to the wait staff, he did not greet the judges at the door, you had to wait between courses, he announced food as something it was not. How is all that adequate? And how can a competition that is suppose to weed out inferior contestants allow Alex to lie, steal and bumble his way this far in the show? And how can Amanda create one dish poorly and that is all and Kenny go out on a limb and do so much -- you are rewarding the wrong things and I am sick of this show!

i think the alex outrage is that he appears to have broken a rule and gotten away with it. when the challenge was detailed to the chefs, they were told every one of them had to make a dish and alex simply didn't. shouldn't that be the first consideration - that every contestant followed the rules for the specific challenge? it mattered when some of them didn't keep to the calorie restictins back in season 4(? i think).

Alex didn't prepare a dish and when the other team told you so you should have looked further into it. I'm not a Kenny fan but team EVOO broke and flaunted the rules and got rewarded for it. This isn't survivor it's a skills competition. You and your producers need to be more dilligent in making sure its fair.

I applaud the judges decision. Surprised, but I do understand. Kenny put himself in the position as executive chef and prepared 2 poor dishes. Amanda had a poor dish, but only one. As soon as the judges started the elimination speech, instead of Kenny recognizing that as a chef he created dishes that none of the judges liked he threw the kindergarten gloves on. Own up to your dishes. How many times was Kenny on the bottom and how many times was he in the middle? The consistency of being a "Beast" in the kitchen is non-existent. I think Kenny is a great chef, but stop blaming everyone else when you have negative feedback.

Gail - Thank you for this lovely explanation.

I agree with this assessment, and I am glad that you recognize that judging is a relative act, one that could change from one day to the next, but also one that for this show doesn't matter. Personally, as someone who believes in "playing by the rules" - I appreciate that despite what you learned about Alex in the judging room, you stood by the rules of sending someone home from the losing team. Going into a show of this caliber, especially with a long-standing challenge like Restaurant Wars, the viewers and the chefs should be able to know what the downfalls have been in the past and where modifications need to be made.

Spot on, Gail! I also thought that Kenny's over ego centric point of view throughout the series would be his undoing! He never seemed to get the fact that other chefs were performing better than he on the challenges and he certainly never accepted the judges critiques as fair, accurate and knowledgable. Instead, he kept insisting he was the best cheftestant and the end of the day results in each challenge just didn't gel with his own assessment of his skills. Sorry, dude....but your food just wasn't that good!

well put. this episode definitely brought back memories of poor Tre, and again, i didn't see it coming. Well done Bravo producers!

I agree with you 110% but isnt the basic premise and rule of Top Chef to have the contestants PREP and COOK a winning dish? Yes Kenny prepared 2 horrible dishes but he did in fact fact cook them. The other competitors with the exception of Alex also prepped and cook their dishes (good or bad). Alex only prepped therefore violating the basic premise of Top Chef... he merely acted as the Red team's sous chef... Sorry Gail but this is a competition! and in this case Kenny was weak but not as weak as alex.

Interesting that you don't address or compare Amanda's poor performance in relation to Kenny's and why she wasn't chosen to go home. After all, even an at-home chef knows how to grill a steak.

Sorry, but your explanation of why Kenny was sent home is as lame as the judging this season.

I understand your explanation and think you judged the meal and the restaurant experience on its merits. Although Kenny took on more responsibility...managing as executive chef as well as making two dishes...he also took on more risk. I'm glad you added this blog. People are not happy and are expressing their views in Tom's blog before he even publishes his own thoughts.Top Chef is taking strange turns...All agree that this is not a year for strong and interesting chefs. Last season was the most outstanding. I hope you can uncover some new and interesting talent...or revise the format...for the future. It's just not as interesting anymore.

Gail, Shame on you!!! You made an inappropriate decision and today are engaging in cya(cover your apron) exercise. News flash, the apron is not big enough and the collective judges posteriers are exposed. The issue is not whether Kenny's food was bad, or if Amanda's beef was overcooked, but whether the other team told the truth about Alex's involvement in the dish conception and prep process. You accepted their word without hesitation. You owed it to the other team and the viewers to investigate further. Today you serve us this salty yet tasteless tart, which slams Kenny's dishes and tell us that Alex was "a good enough host" inspite of the fact that he was not there to greet and seat you, he could not tell you if he was serving lamb or pork, and the water glasses were never replenished during the meal. Oh Gail, between last nights show and todays post, you have served up a dish far worse than any of the chefs have prepared this entire season!

Don't any of you judges get it? Everyone is trying to tell you that when it comes down to eliminating a strong chef vs a weak chef, and you let the strong one go, you've sabbotaged the outcome of the competition. What a shame that you dismiss Alex for not producing a dish by saying he was a "fine enough" host. Really? He told you the dish he was passing off as his own was pork? The rule of the challenge was each person had to execute a dish and Alex didn't (because his own team wouldn't let him!), and yet when this is revealed to the judges, you do nothing. So now if you break the rules you can stay? I wish you had told that to Cliff.

I love this show but every season I wish they would change Restaurant Wars so that the bottom 2 people from each team are up for elimination.

I also think immunity has to go in the quickfires. Give money or an advantage in the elimination challenge but no more immunity.

My disagreement with your decision to eliminate Kenny rather than Alex is not based on Kenny being a better chef. It is based on Alex - and his team - not following the basic rules of the challenge. Each chef on each team was required to prepare and be responsible for a complete dish. Padma announced that rule. Alex did not follow it. The fact that his team won (possibly because they did not follow that rule) should not excuse a rule violation. Alex should have been eliminated for the rule violation, even if Kenny was also eliminated.

More so than any other show, Top Chef is hard for the home viewer to judge since we can't taste the food. That being said, from what we saw it appeared Twenty One 21 was the better restaurant all around, so I don't understand how EVOO won.

I agree that this Restaurant Wars challenge didn't even seem like past Wars. It only appeared to be a team challenge with no discernable theme. Food Network's 24-Hour Restaurant Battle has taken the concept right from Top Chef, and brought it back to what it was during the first few seasons.

At least in Las Vegas, the teams had 2 separate kitchens and spaces to work in, even if they didn't have to decorate the spaces themselves. This season's Restaurant Wars was just a skirmish. And a more formidable chef than Alex or Amanda was caught in the crossfire. We'll miss Kenny big-time!

Yes - Bravo Gail! But hey you all - didn't you read her blog carefully? She says: "The Roasted Lamb Chop with English Pea Puree, Smoked Bacon & Parmesan we were served, which we were told not just by Alex himself, but ALSO BY THE REST OF HIS TEAM, that he prepared was cooked well and tasted of fresh, complementary flavors." Well, she wouldn't fib would she? (Gotta love editors - boy do they do their job beautifully at Bravo to get viewers "engaged/engraged"with their "clever" editing!!!). Go Gail - we know YOU will spread the truth! Brava!

What is the role of the judges? I recall it being clearly stated that each person had to prepare a dish, if that is the case, and a member of one team did not prepare a dish, then that member should be disqualified for not adhering to the rules.--It is a cooking show.... If as mentioned in the above blog that both Alex and indeed his team members said that Alex prepared a dish and he did not then that not only brings into question the credibility of Alex but also that of his entire team. Why have rules if they are not to be adhered to. I realize that the primary role of the judges is to judge the food before them, but as judges, you do have the responsibility to insure that rules are adhered to, otherwise why have them. In a situation where a violation of the rules has been pointed out to the judges, it is the judges responsibility to at least try to get to the bottom of the allegation. In Tom's previous blog regarding the "pea puree" Tom indicated that Ed didn't raise the issue of the missing pea puree during judging, but the judges can't use that excuse here. If the rules don't matter, then I would suggest the weaker chefs order takeout from one of the finer Washington establishments, and represents it as their own in the next challenge.

Now, all of that being said, and given the fact that we are watching events that occurred months ago, if Kenny's dish(es) were the worst, then he deserved to go, but, on a cooking show, in a cooking competition, how do you judge a poor dish against a nonexistent dish.

The problem with your explanation is that the rules state that each chef is responsible for one dish. If the winning team doesn't follow the rules, should they not be disqualified? Were the allegations at least not worth investigating? No one disputes your reaction to Kenny's dishes. But not to follow up means a competitor was unjustly sent home. After the pea-puree incident, your peer Tom talked about integrity. I see no integrity in this decision.

Well said Gail! What many people don't seem to grasp, is that all great chefs have a bad night, & don't execute a dish to the best of their ability. Top Chef judges the chefs on a particular challenge at a particular time. It doesn't matter what a great chef you are, if your dish falls flat in execution, taste, presentation, & fitting in with the rest of the meal. Every chef makes mistakes, & given the stress they are all under, & knowing they want to perform at their very best, I'm surprised there aren't more miscalculations made. I think all the chefs throughout the Top Chef series are incredibly brave for coming on the show, & subjecting their culinary skills to a critical viewing audience, as well as some very tough & knowledgeable culinary artists & experts. I know I couldn't do it. I'm a great fan of Top Chef, & I think they are all winners. They are certainly trying to do their very best, in very nerve wracking conditions. I know the judges deliberate for hours as to whom the winners & losers are. They don't make their decisions without a lot of discussion & thought. I remember some of the chefs from a previous season, saying they sat up all night, waiting for the judges to make their decisions. It's easy to be an observer & criticize, when you don't take everything I've mentioned into account, Quincy. Maybe Kevin should have kept quiet about being a top dog or alpha male, or whatever & paid more attention to his cooking. He might still be on Top Chef.

I would assume that there are decisions that are constantly made on Top Chef as to balancing "reality TV" with the chefs' creativity process. I don't pick out all the conflicting details as it's just TV and overall it is enjoyable to watch. However I do feel that the Powers that Be for Season 7 have insulted our intelligence by "creating" subplots and pseudo-relationships between the chefs that are just not authentic. I feel that there is definitely more manipulation of the viewers going on this season on a really hokey level. Give us credit for a little more savvy and make sure all the threads you throw at us weave together. If you're bringing up "pea puree" again, in this episode, where Alex and Ed are on the same team, why don't you also show us who prepared it this time around? I agree with Quincy, since when is Restaurant Wars a mash up of both teams working simultaneously under one roof? And the fake "hook ups" at the beginning of the season were totally out of place and served no purpose. I am pretty sure working as a team, with each cheftestant submitting a completed dish for restaurant wars was mandatory? And Tom Colichio in his blog keeps telling us that they aren't aware of everything going on in the kitchen and since no one came forward there can't be any accusations. In this episode Kenny and Kevin came forward and told the judges about Alex. Why didn't the producers do something a little more creative with this information. There could have been 2 eliminations the following week. At least we, the viewers would feel that there is a little more integrity to this contest and you're not just playing it for ratings.

Very interesting and compelling episode. Challenges like these make one appreciate the nuances of the 'game" of Top Chef. Alex, for all his many faults, seems to have been a pretty cagey conestant so far. I see him going out soon, but his desperate survival tactics have now thinned the field of some better chefs and turned the competition on it's head. Nothing like an upset decision to reel you back in. Well done Top Chef.

Nicely put, Gail. As all of you commenters and judges have noted at one point or another throughout the entire Top Chef series, it really comes down to the food and not the "behind the scenes." Well, sometimes that comes into play in an elimination challenge, but not this one. If the food was better coming from the (what appeared to be) more harried team, so be it. Who are we to say that it wasn't the better of the two teams? None of us tasted anything! Thank you for your comments.

Although I do not agree with the decision to send Kenny home (yes, it should have been Alex) and (yes, I was hoping for an all-out battle between Kenny and Angelo) Restaurant Wars has always been about, just that, the Restaurant. Tom posted a couple of weeks ago about the pea puree fiasco....the judges DO NOT see what happens behind the scenes until after the episode is filmed and aired. In that episode, the judges were as surprised as the rest of us. That said, I am in NO means excusing Alex's behavior, but the judges go by what they are served, by whom it was (supposedly) prepared and the service they receive in the front of the house. Maybe next week he'll go home! Who knows?

so, if I'm reading this correctly, because his teammates, i.e. accomplices to the cheating, said "Alex cooked" the meal, you just took it as the gospel?!?!? Hhmm...you've set a bad precedent, as now future chefs will understand "as long as we win" and "lie", we get away with it...this year moreso than ever, first the 'pea puree' and then RW...WOW, I'm SO disappointed! I understand you/judges don't get to see the 'behind the scenes' stuff, then your producers should be punished, because it's a travesty what they are putting on us, the fans!

We agree with the above poster. This was not restaurant wars, this was menu wars. Even if the front of the house duties were considered, which we don't believe, both teams were forced to use the same kitchen and no one needed to set up the dining area.

We will, however continue to watch because while the cooking this season seems uninspired if not downright insipid, the treachery and skuldugery more than makes up for it.

Love you as always Gail.

Alex did not prepare any part of the dish that was presented as his. If he had prepared it, it may have been so terrible that the red team would have lost. You ALL commented that Tiffany's crudo was oversalted. The Red Team served NO dessert course. Alex failed to greet the judges, failed to seat the judges, and failed to wish you farewell. Frank Bruni commented on the poor table service...water glasses were half empty. Alex even described his own dish wrong...it was lamb not PORK -- which was pointed out at judges table. Alex and the entire Red Team LIED about Alex's dish.

IF TC does not intend to enforce rules there should not be any rules. It appears that TC is just another cheesy reality show.

Buh bye, I'm glad the 'beast' is gone ! Check yourself before you wreck yourself.

Here's the rub Gail, the lamb dish from EVOO, "which we were told not just by Alex himself, but also by the rest of his team, that he prepared", was not conceptualized or cooked by Alex which should have disqualified their team.

If you didn't know that then the judges are at fault for not monitoring the teams to insure that they are playing by the rules.

Very poor performance by the judges all around.

Heartbroken? Injustice? To use your own words "it's a cooking show".

I think Gail adds another insightful voice to what was seems like sound reasoning regarding the elimination decision. Our trio of judges have been our taste bud proxies for seasons and seasons, I'll continue to trust their taste.

Something tells me if you have bothered to generously use caps, and feel both a sense of injustice and are heartbroken, you will tune in to watch what happens next week.

Im sorry Gail but your explanation still does not justify the unfairness of the judges decision. I can't second guess because I havent tasted the food. But based on what i was shown there are huge inconsistencies in how you follow or not follow the shows rules and how you fail to reward the chefs who work the hardest and are willing to take on responsibility. 1. The Judges said that Tiffany's dish was off. No mention at Judges table. 2. There were numerous negative comments about Alexes performance as a host. Didn't greet judges, didn't check in with Judges didn't say goodby to the judges. 3. There were several negative comments from the judges about how long it was taking the food to come out of Red's Kitchen. 4. No one checked up on how the teams were performing or functioning in the kitchen. 5. Blue team got o credit for dessert 6. 0 credit for Hosting and Service 7. Red teams complete disregard of the rules by failing to allow Alex to create and execute a dish. 8. lastly, even if Blue team lost because they had one dish too many that was off what about Amanda's performance??? The only thing she had to handle was the steak and she messed that up. Which was consistent with her past cooking performances. I have been a fan of this show for many years but this has been one of the worst decisions you guys have ever made. Not just based on the performance or lack of performance on the part of the chefs but also commercially. Kenny was very popular and I think you have disappointed many fans. I'm beginning to believe that this show has more to do with ratings, luck and indiscriminate editing than cooking the best dishes. Very very disappointed.

It is very disappointing that a cooking competition would let someone that didn't cook remain. How ever the fact that this is the same person that took another competitors work (pea puree) and passed it as his own makes it even fishier. I don't know if it is just the editing that makes it look like the judges don't care or if they just want Alex to win; after all the other episode showed Ed running around in front of Tom asking everyone if they had seen his puree and this time the judges were told by the entire blue team that he did not cook. Sorry this just leaves a bad taste in my mouth

Kenny Gilbert should have never been eliminated. Amateur mistake on such "food critics" part. I personally had the pleasure of eating at Capella Telluride where not only Kenny was head chef but my brother whom worked under him. We ate atleast a 5 course meal with a huge hookup with my brother working under him. Every thing I tried was delicious, actually the best food I have ever succombed to in my life. Kenny is atleast 95% more talented than any of the chef's on this season of Top Chef. I don't care if he has lost a challenge or two due to a sabotage on Angelo's part or even the judging of the other teams dishes which was completely biased due to all the chefs knowing whom each dish belonged too. All in all everyone knows who the last talented chefs standing should've been, Including Angelo, Tiffany, Kenny, and Kevin. This season is seriously disapointing feeding off TV ratings and drama. Top Chef judges get it together and decide who is the "real" Top Chefs with real, raw talent, Ambition and Genuine drive for food.

Kenny Gilbert should have never been eliminated. Amateur mistake on such "food critics" part. I personally had the pleasure of eating at Capella Telluride where not only Kenny was head chef but my brother whom worked under him. We ate atleast a 5 course meal with a huge hookup with my brother working under him. Every thing I tried was delicious, actually the best food I have ever succombed to in my life. Kenny is atleast 95% more talented than any of the chef's on this season of Top Chef. I don't care if he has lost a challenge or two due to a sabotage on Angelo's part or even the judging of the other teams dishes which was completely biased due to all the chefs knowing whom each dish belonged too. All in all everyone knows who the last talented chefs standing should've been, Including Angelo, Tiffany, Kenny, and Kevin. This season is seriously disapointing feeding off TV ratings and drama. Top Chef judges get it together and decide who is the "real" Top Chefs with genuine talent, and Ambition for cooking.

BLAH BLAH BLAH! I am done with TC. Do you guys think we are stupid? In the episode before the infamous Peagate Scandal, we were shown Padma critizing Alex's plate and saying, the only thing good on the plate was the Pea Puree, then at judge's table the next week, everyone praised the plate...how two-timing can y'all be?

Then to this week, EVOO was criticized from arrival to departure (BTW saying Alex was a good host, just makes me wonder what kind of a show you will be hosting soon, smh) and 2121 was criticized but not as bad, and then at judge's table, somehow Tiff's salty fish was the best thing since sliced bread. C'mon folks all in the name of good tv???

Your write up is just as bad, if not worse than the show because you are being a politician, I guess there is a lot in the saying..when in Rome...

Unless something was not shown to the viewers of the conversation when the red team was in front of, and questioned by the judges, Gail, in her blog, made a mistake about the lamb dish. Tom asked who had the lamb...Alex just looked scared to death and dumbfounded, looking to Ed or Angelo to answer. Angelo did answer that Alex came up with the lamb dish and he also said that when they got in the kitchen, Angelo and Ed just tackled the lamb dish. So, obviously, Ed and Angelo prepared that lamb dish, not Alex. No one, including Alex, said that Alex prepared the dish.That is proof that the red team did not follow the rules of the restaurant wars challenge and therefore should have been disqualified---automatically losing the challenge to the blue team. For some reason (hmmmmmmm), the judges have not appeared to be concerned with rules and ethics this season.

Kenny was one of the best characters and chefs on the show and the decision to eliminate him was a poor choice.

Change your mind...i would...

Clearly a finale with Kevin, Angelo, and Ed would have been incredible.

Thank you for the clarification Gail.

As a reply to another poster, I do not think this is the weakest season, actually it is the deepest season, most competitive season. In other seasons the strongest chefs have looked stronger because they are beating up on weaklings. This season they are only looking worse, because they are so close in cooking strength. Even Amanda who makes great sauces, is getting better, and is stronger than the #7 chef by this time of the competition of any other season.

And RW is a favorite, because it is more than cooking under unusual parameters, it is creating a menu and cooking in a professional kitchen as would happen in a busy dinner service. Nearly all of the contestants are executive chefs who are in charge of menus, food purchase, kitchens. The RW is the closest simulation we get to see of them doing their chosen profession in the heat of a professional kitchen. And bottom line is delivering great food out of that chaos.