"Paul only wins when the money is his and his alone… and then he always wins." "Chris Jones does pull out a Marauder’s Map and sees Beverly lurking in the dried grains aisle."

You are killin' me with your blogs. I am still laughing out loud about these...

Not Jonesy! He was one of the chefs that continually pushed the envelope on creativity. He may not know how to get there most of the time but at least he was game enough to try. I hope next week is a double elimination. Sarah and Lindsay can go up against Beverly in LCK. Then Beverly can kick in their teeth and win it. That would be epic.

Last episode was great but as usual it seems this season is one step forward and two steps back. The urge to put pressure on the chefs in these mass challenges doesn't allow for any refinement in the dishes. Sure it makes for better TV but it doesn't make for tantalizing dishes.

I wish there were less "group" or gimmicky challenges and more challenges that told the chefs up front all the rules and allowed for their skills to shine.

as always.... on target and funny!!!!!!

I enjoy your smart ass comments. Generally right on the money. Agree with you about Grayson's gutsy challenge to Tom. He looked a little like Romney....flat-footed. Good show.

Hilarious play-by-play. For just the right amount of snark and sarcasm... I forgive you for your eyebrows. I think blogging just might be your new day job?

There's a name for Ed and Paul's dishes. It's called "Galbi" (known as Kalbi). It's one type of many Korean BBQ styles. Love your blog, read them all and it's my favorite! Hope to see you soon back in the judges' table.

I just have to say how much I love reading your blog! It is the funniest thing and a perfect ending to my Wednesday, "Top Chef" night. I literally laugh out loud and re-read the blog to laugh some more. If you wrote a book, I would totally read it. The fact that I am writing a comment means so much (probably only to me) but I was not a big fan of yours when you were on Top Chef Masters. Your personality shows so much here and you are spot on in your commentary. I hope you blog for Top Chef forever - Thanks again!

A great chicken salad is hard to come by. Too many just drown it in mayo without the crunchy veggies in the right blend. It is how I judge a place. Do they make a great chicken salad? If so I will gladly try things I might not usually eat. San Antonio has both great chicken salads and ones that make you cross that restaurant right off your eat there list. I only eat chicken salad once in a while but if it's good there I know I am in good hands. Disappointed that they are not showing the other favors of SA.....only Tex Mex

The Grayson exchange was quite amusing. It does lead one to wonder what was edited out that she seemed so flustered about it afterward.

All in all I would much prefer some more focus on great food in the challenges at this point. To some extent the producers are to blame in their challenge selection if we get chicken salad and meatballs this late in the competition. That's what you expect in the first half, maybe.

Last week seems to be an exception to the rather dull food this season, and I think that's due to the nature of the challenges.

Perhaps any season would suffer by comparison this year simply because of following the all stars, but it just seems that the challenges have been kind of lame. I don't mean that they aren't difficult for the cheftestants, but that they don't really drive them to be very creative. I think perhaps the are playing too much to the Texas stereotypes. Barbequeue. Steaks. Chili. I want to see these guys cook things that I can't make in my own kitchen.

Interesting and well written as always. This season has been quite unpredictable since they are pretty evenly matched (except for Paul). I agree Grayson did have a good point! But I digress. I only commented just to say, the fact that you mentioned the Mauraders map in this blog makes me a fan of yours for life. Seriously, you could commit some horrendous crime and I would say, "It's an non issue, he's a rockstar chef that knows what a Marauder's Map is." Until the next blog, peices of reese's.

Holy Crap!! Love your blog!! "Maiz a Qui?"....classic....still laughing :) thanks

LAst Chance Kitchen was and is a total farce! As I said after it's first occurrence, only the last two chefs eliminated will have any chance. Am I right or what!!! No one eliminated early on is good enough to win later against better chefs. And they will exhaust themselves trying. So it was Chris vs. Bev. Bev never goes away. This will disrupt the remaining good chefs not yet eliminated. Bev is like super glue stuck to one's butt. Emotionally challenging. Lim is technically proficient but bereft of integrity and, thus, missing credibility -- two essential ingredients.

Hugh, love your blog, it's on par with Bourdain's except grittier and with more relevant references. The only thing I would have to say about your recent comments is that we are all one race (human,) and ethnicity is what constitutes our cultural backgrounds. Asia is a geographic region, not an ethnicity. Also, 'Asian' is as much a food style as 'European' is a food style. Once again, geographic region. How many friggin countries are in Asia that have drastically different foods? Who says, "Wow, them Europeans have great tastin food ya'll!" People like Italian Food, Greek Food, Russian Food, Chinese Food, etc... because they are different cultural (i.e., ethnic regions) not a whole friggin continent.

Glad I've spent time in the UK, what with the multiple Pret a Manger comments. Being a southern girl, I'd probably not know what the heck you were talking about, if not for traveling...they certainly don't have those in Thomaston! (and I know whereof I speak there)

This season is already pre recorded.

BUT for crying out aloud can we please have no more cooking for masses from next season, especially after 10 contestants remain? Restaurant wars is great BUT beyond it lose these cooking for masses.

You are asking me to get inspired to go eat these special chefs' dishes dishing out my hard earned money for someone who cooked a great dish for the picnic, block party, etc. If that is kind of the food I want I would look up the restaurants covered in Diners Drive Ins and Drives not the restaurants owned by chefs from Top Chef!

What a howl!! I didn't like him on TC Masters and didn't pay much attention to him from the beginning of TC Texas. But now I understand his dead pan humor and thought this blog was so funny. Keep it up Hugh.

Padma wearing her Larry the Cable Guy boyfriend shirt. Snort!

A meatball is a wondrous thing. I love them. However, if the meat is pre-ground they are eaaaaasy to make. Easy to make, and in fact I like my homemade meatballs more than the ones I've eaten anywhere. I am not impressed by something I can do.

(Speaking of anyone notice that - once again - Sarah makes a fried ball! News at eleven).

To make a good chicken salad from scratch takes a bit more work and harder to pull off in a banquet setting (c'mon we've all eaten the meatballs at a banquet there is NOTHING trendy about that no matter what BLAIS says on his twitter account).

All that being said, its a block party for goodness sakes I'd rather have a good chicken sandwich full of yummy stuff and a watermelon salad than a meatball and a some greens for a meal.

"That’s how I roll. I am a walking pain in the ass, albeit a nice one. People say I smirk a lot. I do. "

I think we are siblings Hugh.

Paul lead the team BBQ challenge with Lindsay and Grayson. So he doesn't just when money for himself. I think they got $15,000 dollars as a team. Also it had "Asian Flavors" and no one on the team complained -- they let Paul lead...

"Pebbles" Bwah ha ha!

You and your blogs are the only good thing about this season of TC.

Sad to see Chris go. Paul is really the one to beat. i'm tired of seeing Sarah's face. It annoys me. I don't think Beverly will make LCK back into the final. She's simply not Top Chef material.

What's up with the clique of Sarah and Lindsey?

Lindsey is just mean. Just plain mean. And what is with her fake (Australian)?) accent? I am a Southern gal, through and through, and I am not picking up what she is putting down. She don't talk like she is from around these woods.

And then there is Sarah. Meatball and sausage Sarah. How has she made it so far without showing a more diverse palette? Fried rice balls, meatballs, sausage this, sausage that. Show some more dimension!

They were just plain cruel to Beverly, who, despite being eliminated, seemed to be able to whoop up on them in the kitchen and produce a superior plate of food.

Poor goofball Grayson seems to be very talented. Hopefully her Bullfrog song will not haunt her for life. What WAS that?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

Paul is who I am pulling for. Or Edward. They seem to be the most talented chefs there. And Grayson.

As always, a beautifully written blog Hugh, seamless as your eyebrows. I realize this is not a popularity contest, but if that uptight, sanctimonious, mean spirited former prom queen, or her adoring lap dog for that matter, win this thing, I shall be forced to something drastic....like go scream in my pillow or something. I'm just sayin...

THis for Hugh whom i admire and i sincerely reads this. Fast is Slow is Smooth is a term used in gunfighting to take it slow at first , to develop a technique , to smoothly use the technique to move faster with out errors as shown when paul had to re check his corn however Chris did not . Like slowly at first chopping for precision learn where to place your fingers on the knife and the object i.e. an onion then repeat slowly then faster and then faster to make precise chops but with ever increasing speed . So Slow is Smooth is Fast tohugh he decline the other i don't think he had the time at that junction to explain the other end of it. To Hugh please stay with Top Chef i like your insight and views from Top Chef Master to being a judge it a fresh breath of air i hope one day i may be lucky enough to sample your food.

LOL Pebbles! Cracked me up! I'm still laughing while writing this.

Padma and Larry the Cable Guy....classic! You rock Hugh!

Loved this show only because it showcased Paul and Ed's friendship. They were funny!! I am proud of Grayson for standing up for herself. IMO, there are no hard feelings between Grayson and Tom. They understand eachother--she's funny and he understands her (but she did have a point). Sad to see Chris go because I was hoping one of the mean girls (Sarah or Lindsay) to go first.

Always a good laugh reading your blog Chef Hugh.

I just want to see the "uptight sanctimonious mean sprited prom queen" or her "lap dog" get voted off next and watch one of them get SCHOOLED by Bev in LCK.

"Fast is slow and slow is smooth." - Chris Jones

IOW, To hurry is to risk time-wasting mistakes. Be deliberate in your actions so that you may retain cognizance of each and every detail, while you continuously re-calibrate your critical path game plan timeline, and thereby achieve the superior result.

And go, go, go, Little Gnome!

Bev will never be able to win integrity or credibility, or learn how to be sincerely supportive, no matter how well she cooks or tasty her dishes. Lindsay was correct to be upset. And suspicious. WAIT until the finalists discover that Bev has not been eliminated. What a BETRAYAL that will be!!! Bev will win because the other finalist cheftestants will be so shocked that they will forget how to use tongs and ladels! That FAT will hit the FIRE! Tom Colicchio and Monica A. Reyhani are BRILLIANT for creating Last Chance Kitchen! Well done!

GuyG, that's juncture!!!!!

Has anyone else ever noticed that Sarah ALWAYS cooks round, circular food? Meatballs, Risotto, she even did a round dessert on Restaurant wars. I think it's pretty hilarious.

When the season started I was totally missing Bourdain. But I am now a Hugh fan forever. Love the snarky and always on-point comments. I will be glad to see Sarah and Lindsay leave (hope Bev beats them both). Team Paul for the win!!!

I am STILL laughing at the thought of Tom's face after Grayson's meatball comment...that was great.

As are all your blogs. Keep writing away, Hugh! You obviously have a lot of fans -- well deserved, well deserved.

Chef Hugh....I find myself thinking, as I am watching the show, I can't wait to see what Hugh has to say about this or that. Your comments are always hilarious and spot-on. Thanks! :-)

You are the best blogger for Top Chef ever! Bourdain was very good but you are much funnier with your sarcasm and observations. I love to read your blog before I watch the show (past my bedtime) --it makes the show that more enjoyable. Thanks for writing!

This was one of the best blogs I have ever read! A reference to using a Marauder's map and Beverly hiding, honey bees on cheese and the Grayson/Tom stand off were funny!

This was one of the best blogs I have ever read! A reference to using a Marauder's map and Beverly hiding, honey bees on cheese and the Grayson/Tom stand off were funny!

You are so hilarious :)- the best part of watching is reading your follow-up!

This season's Top Chef is one 200-people or more catering party after another. And yet you guys critique them for making chicken salad sandwich and meatballs? Seriously, they have no help, limited budget and time. I'd like to see Tom or Emeril take on that same challenge under the same circumstances. I lost count how many times these chefs did bbq meat/grill steak. This season is the worst ever. The episode with Charlize Theron was the only saving grace.

I do LOVE your blog though.

Here is a hilarious comment from BEST WEEK EVER's Dan Hopper:

Grayson and Tom verbally spar over whether or not a Chicken Salad Sandwich was a refined enough choice for a Healthy Choice Block Party, and I was on Grayson’s side; is it really that much less ‘refined’ than a meatball, or any other of the standard week-to-week choices on this show? Also, what are the gourmet standards for a bee-filled charity benefit run by a frozen food company?

Love the observation about Padma's outfit.

Love you and your insight. I hope we get to see you more as a judge. BTW, you were awesome on WWHL !!!!

Love your wry commentary, Mr. Acheson. I'm rooting for Edward Lee this season and I hope it all comes down to Edward and Paul in the final. They are the best chefs there. I love the snarky comments from Ed - he says what I am thinking. I totally agree with everyone regarding the nastiness from Sara, Heather and Lindsay. Those women are pathetic and Sara & Lindsay need to go home next. They really bring down the quality of this show. Looking forward to your next blog and hope to see you back at judge's table soon. Go Edward Lee!

Fantastic blog as always, best thing about this whole season! I intended to say more, but Tiff & Jill took the words right out of my mouth!

LMFAO!! Pebbles, indeed. I hope Bev comes back and wipes the floor with those bitches. Just sayin'.