<p>I wanted Marcel to win too. He screwed stuff up making on a menu where he had never made ONE ITEM ON IT before and their food still came out equal. Most of Ilan’s ideas were directly off of his employer, Casa Mono’s, menu. It seems like even the judges thought Marcel would be better further down the line.</p>
<p>I am surprised also that somebody who Tom said in his blog who would have eliminated along with Cliff, who showed again and again that he was a bully, and not super mature, would win. You’d think the show would try to save face by editing some of that out. He was holding the camera during that whole incident with Marcel.</p>
<p>According to this interview with Marcel…Ilan, Elia and Cliff tried to shave Marcel’s head FIRST; and then when they didn’t succeed, Ilan and Elia later shaved theirs. Top Chef editing made it seem as though they were trying to shave Marcel’s head to match their bald heads. To me, it’s much worse that their original and main goal was to victimize Marcel. And I hold all who were there accountable. They was a huge LOUD wrestling match/assault where furniture was knocked over and Marcel was pinned face down on the ground for a very long time. Everyone who witnessed it and participated by laughing and egging on Cliff, Ilan and Elia deserved to be punished. I think it was terribly wrong to single Cliff out, especially when the whole thing was Ilan’s and Elia’s idea. If Ilan had been properly punished, he wouldn’t have been there to win Top Chef.</p>
<p>cgm - At that time of the surfer contest, Marcel and Elia were friends. In fact, they were very friendly and Elia had been complimentary of Marcel… until the last few competitions before Betty left, when Ilan and Betty had started ganging up on him. In one episode, Elia even mentioned she didn’t understand what their (Ilan and Betty) problem with Marcel was, that SHE got along with him just fine. I think Betty was terribly threatened by most of the chefs there…she just didn’t have the chops to compete with them…and it showed in her boorish behavior.</p>
<p>The other thing that bothered me was Ilan’s constant references to Marcel’s sexuality and ‘experience’. That is just too weird and inappropriate for me.</p>
<p>I don’t know - when Marcel served raw chicken sashimi, I thought it bizarre that they sent Mikey home for lack of a dish for a wayward olive pit.</p>
<p>Winner takes all match–winner of Top Chef vs Hell’s Kitchen. Who wins?? The HK winner is actually working at the Vegas restaurant as the top line cook. Going to eat there in two weeks.</p>
<p>I watch HK sporadically (Gordon Ramsey gets on my nerves), so I’m not as up on that show…but I thought the HK winner actually won a restaurant. Is that not the case? </p>
<p>It always seemed to me the HK contestants were not as accomplished as the TC contestants…but then…the HK contestants were also judged heavily on managerial skills and not just culinary skills. It would be an interesting showdown though.</p>
<p>I watched every episode of Top Chef 2, except for the final. After reading the spoiler, I didn’t want to see some of the mean-spirited contestants chortling with glee when Marcel lost. I’m pretty thick skinned and understand that people who go on reality TV shows do “get what they deserve” (as far as they assume the risk of bad editing and people making fun of them on the boards) – but the assault on that one episode was over the top. The treatment of Marcel throughout was just too much, it wasn’t entertainment any more, it was just a great example of bullying behavior. The “in” group ganging up on the appointed outsider – Sociology 101. Well, at least Survivor starts soon!</p>
<p>I agree. Despite Marcel’s cocky attitude I really was rooting for him. I felt that they were ganging up on him and it was very childish behavior from almost all of them. I don’t know how he stuck it out, because if I was being treated that way I probably would have left. He’ll go further than any of them in the culinary world anyway, I believe.</p>
<p>True. As revolting as Ilan’s chicken liver chocolate was, it woudn’t kill anyone. It isn’t surprising that no one really shined on this show considering they didn’t have any of the contestants cook for the producers before they were cast (as they did for the first Top Chef). They were casting personalities and that’s what they got. A side note, I was watching Iron Chef America and Mario Batali was on (he’s co-owner of the restaurant where Ilan worked) and the only complaint about any of his dishes was the unnecessary use of saffron. Anyone’s who’s watch this season of TC will get how funny that was!</p>
<p>“Mario Batali was on (he’s co-owner of the restaurant where Ilan worked) and the only complaint about any of his dishes was the unnecessary use of saffron.”</p>
<p>It’s a good thing that they’re not in the medical profession - can you imagine if someone their age who was a medical student/intern/resident behaved in that manner. It’s scary to think that these kids are supposed to be professionals, but they certainly didn’t act like that when they were tormenting Marcel.</p>