<p>I don’t miss Jamie either; I thought she was sometimes abrasive and sort of pretentious about her food preferences. And I can only assume that they kept Leah as long as they did because she was pretty–it seemed to me that she was wearing more makeup and waring her hair fluffier in the last few episodes. Such an annoying whiny voice though. All in all, even with the icky Leah/Hosea issue, this season is a great improvement over the last one when so many of the contestants were just plain nasty and sharp-elbowed in their dealings.</p>
<p>I loved what Fabio said about Jamie after she cooked scallops for the umpteenth time. “This is Top Chef, not Top Scallops.”</p>
<p>I have had a number of really tasty meals at Harold Dieterle’s (Season 1 winner) restaurant in NYC…it is an excellent neighborhood bistro.</p>
<p>[Perilla</a> Restaurant, New York](<a href=“http://www.perillanyc.com/]Perilla”>http://www.perillanyc.com/)</p>
<p>Carla is my personal fave this season. She is quite a character - in a good way.</p>
<p>Project Runway fans should check out the Project Rungay write-ups posted after each episode. They are incredibly clever. It is amazing the amount of talent that is out in the blogosphere waiting to be discovered. The Project Rungay boys also follow Mad Men on their Tom and Lorenzo blog.</p>
<p>Win or lose Fabio will come out of this the best. His charm and looks will be as important as cooking skills in becoming a real world success in the restaurant business.</p>
<p>Fabio is my favorite for charisma and the type of cooking that I would want to eat, if going out to dinner. I have a chef crush on him. I just want to hear him talk and make me dinner. Then I would be happy. ;)</p>
<p>I am surprised that Ariane got booted. Stefan is so dang cocky that he drives me crazy. I think he is remarkably skilled, but not a people person.</p>
<p>Just watched this weeks’ episode earlier tonight - it was killing me to not read this thread!!! But my kids and I have a pact to always watch it together and Wednesday nights does not work!</p>
<p>Fabio cracks me up and warms my heart all at the same time. He is funny without trying to be and I love how he talks about his Grandma (when he said he had goosebumps thinking about her I smiled ) </p>
<p>And Karla is a hoot (hootie?!) I’m so proud of her. Did you hear her say that she used to be a model? I’d love to see some of her photos.</p>
<p>Hosea went off my radar after the Leah incidents, good cook or not.</p>
<p>And Carla went to Howard. Go HBCU’s!</p>
<p>Did everyone know that Padma was married to Salman Rushdie? I didn’t know that until very recently.</p>
<p>This is my first season watching…a couple of questions…</p>
<ol>
<li><p>What is Padma’s background? </p></li>
<li><p>Is there only one season a year? (i.e. DO I HAVE TO WAIT TILL NEXT FALL TO SEE IT AGAIN?!)</p></li>
<li><p>So are the final four actually competing in the FINALS? The tv guide thingy shows next week as Finals - Part 1 —what does that mean? No one else gets eliminated? Just one of these 4 will win?</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Usually in the first part of the finals (if I’m remembering correctly), one person of the four gets eliminated. In the second part, the “final final” three compete for the prize.</p>
<p>Or two are eliminated during the first point of the finals. In the second, the final two go head to head. I think they indicated that it would be a double elimination in the first part.</p>
<p>Does anyone know where in Italy Fabio is from? He swears just like a Florentine.
Porca miseria!</p>
<p>Padma is married to Rushdie??? I am amazed.
According to Wiki: She was his fourth wife and they divorced in 2007.</p>
<p>Any predictions on which two contestants are going to be eliminated tonight? My guess: Fabio and Hosea out; Carla and Stefan to the finals. Even though I really like Fabio and hope he makes it, I don’t think he will.</p>
<p>DonnaL,
I agree with you. I think Fabio will be picked up by a TV channel and make guest appearances. Stefan has been consistent. I hope Carla is at her best,</p>
<p>so glad jeff back</p>
<p>Oh boo - wrong choice.</p>
<p>I’m happy for Carla. I really like her but sad to see Fabio go…</p>
<p>I’m happy for Carla too, but I thought Stefan should have been booted tonight - they say they don’t like his attitude but they do. I think Stefan should have been booted last week.</p>
<p>I’m very happy for Carla, and it was nice to see Jeff again, even though he didn’t win the challenge. I’m sorry to see Fabio go, though. They seemed more complimentary of his food when they were eating it, than later on at the judges’ table. I really liked him. And I do hope he gets to be on television again someday. </p>
<p>Stefan really was way too cocky, like cooking this kind of food was beneath him. “I’m not getting sent home for bleeping gumbo”; that kind of thing. That’s two weeks in a row, all of a sudden, that he hasn’t done so well. A few weeks ago, I thought he was practically a lock to win the competition. Now, I’m beginning to believe that Carla really has a chance.</p>