If you have not seen it-spoilers ahead. The thumb is essentially here just as a decoy because, for some reason, SOME GODFORSAKEN REASON, KEVIN DID NOT WIN.
That sound you hear, that is the sound of a million viewers hearts being broken, stomped upon, spat on and eaten with a wooden spoon. I'm not even going to get into how our souls feel.
Anyway, what it comes down to is that, really, it was anyone's game. Unless you've been keeping some sort of OCD foodie score (I'm not judging), here is a handy Wikipedia chart (which I stole from SoGood blog's post on why Kevin should win) about how much ass the Voltaggios and Kevin have been kicking all season long: (here's a hint-a LOT)
So it was obvious it was going to come down to the dreaded "who's having a bad day" scenario (remember last season when SOMEHOW Carla managed to mess everything up for the first time ever, and Stefan had an off afternoon and therefore Hosea won? Yeah, I am trying to repress that memory too). On the upside, all 3 finalists this season deserved a victory to some extent. But no one as much as Kevin: so nice, so talented, so quietly confident without being cocky, so adorably nerdy, so everything you'd want your winner IN ANYTHING to be.
But it was just not his day/episode, I guess.
The challenge itself featured a 4 course meal:
- 1st course was to be inspired by their Mothers (who-SURPRISE!-showed up and prompted me to spend 10 minutes looking for signs of preference with the Voltaggio matriarch)
- 2nd course that had to come from "the mystery box" provided for them (which sounded a little dirty, to me)
- 3rd course that was fair game for anyone and
- a 4th course that HAD TO BE DESSERT (nice move on that one "Top Chef", eliminating the whole "I don't do dessert, I am going to do lamb" business that inevitably happens)
And they got previously eliminated chef helpers (I was hoping so hard Michael would get Robin and Mike Isabella, just for the sake of drama, drama, dramaness, but it was apparently not my day/episode either).
All the food was good, some a little underseasoned, some desserts a little dry but really, really good overall and the Mothers and the judges all seemed proud, even if they all agreed after the first course where Kevin shined like a beacon of southern fried skin pride, that he lost his footing a little.
(the official Top Chef site has all the food minutiae for you to peruse, in case you're mistakenly expecting a gastronomic analysis in this post)
And then there was some civilized Judges' table action (featuring Toby Young sticking up for sardines in true European spirit) and Kevin was the 2nd runner up and Bryan was the 1st runner up, and Michael Voltaggio, who you know is a great cook but such a punk-ass kid you want to slap him half the time, won.
And that is that.
I drank some more wine, and curled up in a ball and dreamt of Kevin cooking for me today, and it almost made up for the disappointment.
HOW DID YOU FEEL?
God loves a cheerful giver.
I am so bummed out that Kevin didn't win. Can we give him a BYT Favorite award or something? Maybe then he'll come cook for you (and me?), Svet.
I don't understand why Kevin Bacon is the fan favorite. I just don’t get it. He repeatedly played the humble and underdog cards throughout the season, but came off just as full of himself as the Volt Bros. Plus, I can not stand how – for lack of a better word – emo he is. Episode after episode, all we heard was him emoting to the camera about how winning provided validation for what he was doing, and how the food represents who he truly is, and how he’s carrying the flag for simple Southern cooking and blah blah blah. We get it. Just cook.
Kevin put bacon in his dessert.
Automatic win.
Fuck the douche twins.
Kevin pulled a Richard Blaise in the finale and choked. But I will say that it was total BS how they picked their assistant chefs. In past years everyone got a quality person. Prity (or however you spell her name) was awful and really did put Kevin at a disadvantage compared to the brothers.
bryan lost because all his food smelled like dirty hipster after ashley did his prep work.
I sooo wanted Kevin to win too but I had a feeling it would be one of the Voltaggio's that would win. Kevin is such a good guy. Someone you just know would make a great friend and has so much soul. I guess i have to go to Atlanta!