'Top Chef' Finale: Better safe than savvy

By Daniel Fienberg

January 31, 2007 8:14 PM

Want to know why the America's Next Top Model staffers think they're entitled to call themselves writers even though their show is unscripted? Look no further than Wednesday (Jan. 31) night's finale of Bravo's second season of Top Chef to see some vintage reality TV storycrafting at work.

I went into the finale rooting hard for Marcel Vigneron (left) to win, which makes no sense given that in the premiere there was nobody I wanted eliminated quite so quickly as the Wolverine-coifed scholar of molecular gastronomy. Despite the fact that Marcel didn't change throughout the season -- he was still every bit as self-centered, obnoxious and pin-headed by the end -- the Top Chef creative team shifted my allegiances bit by bit. As the other contestants went from general, well-deserved teasing to near-psychotic abuse and hazing, Marcel went from villain to victim. Ilan, my favorite at the start of the season, went the other direction, falling off the radar with his liver-in-chocolate disaster and reaching a nadir last episode with his utterly bush-league attempt to throw Marcel under the bus at the judging table (I lost the last of my respect for Elia at the same time). It was the show's writers (and editors) who supplied Marcel with a winning story arc even if I'm still not sure I'd want to eat his foams, gums and gelees.

So that's where I started the finale.

With that out of the way, congratulations to Ilan Hall (right), the second Top Chef winner.

To some degree Marcel's inability to win friends and influence people ultimately doomed him. The six most recent losing chefs were asked who they'd like to sous chef for and Betty (Boo!), Elia (Boo!) and Mikey (Burp!) all were eager to work for Ilan, while Frank, Mia and Sam said they'd work with Marcel, but didn't sound enthusiastic. So Ilan picked Elia and Betty and his kitchen ran smoothly. Marcel picked Sam (smart choice) and Mikey (bizarrely bad choice) and got resistance and veiled apathy, which led to mistakes in preparation and mysteriously missing fish. He wasn't a very good leader, but they weren't going to want to work with him anyway.

The results were still two five-course meals that looked rather spectacular. If I'm going course-by-course, I'd have picked Marcel's uni and gelee, Ilan's moi with gazpacho, Ilan's squab with shrimp, Marcel's beef loin and Marcel's bellinis with chocolate mousse and coffee-caviar.

The judges praised Ilan for achieving what he wanted to achieve, for staying in his comfort zone. Marcel was praised for his originality, his aspirations, his potential. The judges decided to go with the chef who was closest to ready now.

"I thought it was going to take more than saffron and paprika to beat me, but apparently not," was Marcel's sour grapes response.

Some thoughts from the finale:

Could there have been a better metaphor for the season than Marcel having to urinate on his own hand after pricking himself on a sea urchin? Or Ilan's response: "In the end, I didn't pee on Marcel, but I would have loved to pee on Marcel."

Even if the encapsulated isomalt thing had worked, Marcel was still making a salad for his second course. Dude. How could you not have stuck some foam on it or something?

Once I stopped rooting for Ilan early on, I started rooting for Elia. But how obnoxious was her telling the judges that Marcel's meal hadn't been as good without even knowing what the guy served?

If anybody wanted to shake Marcel's hand or hug him afterwards (including the victorious Ilan) the cameras sure didn't catch it.

Do you think the judges made the right choice? Who were you rooting for in the end?

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15 Comments

The choice of Ilan as Top Chef was a cop-out. No risk-taker Ilan wins? Enough with the spanish food. He should have lost just for previously making the chocolate and liver dish.

Marcel is obviously a risk taker more talented and inspired as a chef; However, he ultimately sabotaged himself by choosing Sam and Mike as his sous chefs.

I believe Sam and Mike worked against him on purpose and hid his fish. And then Marcel later says that Sam lied at the judges table about his contributions to the Hearts of Palm dish.

In all, a bad end to a bad season. Marcel should have won.

tata | February 1, 2007 6:08 AM

The whole point of this show has been taking risks, pushing yourself outside your comfort zone, but at the same time staying true to yourself.I was completely suprised that they made it a popularity contest in the end. Ilan, most likely, makes similar dishes all day long at the Spanish restaurant where he works. Where is the inspiration??

Alison Abner | February 1, 2007 7:57 AM

Marcel should have picked Mia, she's at least loyal-- recall how she sacrificed for Elia? I'm sure she would have remembered the fish. Sloppy Mikey is a slacker and loser.

Marcel is a winner, even if Ilan was named Top Chef.

izz | February 1, 2007 8:31 AM

Ilan is more mature and professional. Even if he made recipies he felt comfortable with, he substitued some ingredients with those on the island, mixing things up a little. He was a better leader and much more professional in the kitchen. I applaud the judges on an excellent choice.

Jeb | February 1, 2007 8:35 AM

Being a Chef is also about being a leader. No matter how good you are you have to be able to instill loyalty and p***ion among your team. Marcel can't do that and that's why he wasn't chosen. I also take issue with individuals who talk about creativity. Sure, Marcel was creative but there's nothing wrong in what Ilan did. It's just easy to say because Marcel was creative he should have won. Wrong answer because being a Chef is about cooking great food and running the kitchen to get it done from a restaurant's aspect. Ilan did that much better than Marcel.

Finally, a good leader will take responsibility. As much as people despised the other candidates throwing Marcel under the bus when they did (that was 100 percent wrong on their part), Marcel did the same thing during the finale. Instead of manning up and taking responsibility he blamed it on his help. It was his screw up and no one else's because at the end of the day it was his responsibility for the fish.

Dave | February 1, 2007 10:07 AM

Yep, poor Marcel did himself in by picking the p***ive-aggressive Sam and the disdainful Mike. It was like the unpopular kid having ONE chance to have popular kids on his team (by default), and then they sabotage the poor kid. Marcel will be more successful in the end--just like all unpopular school kids. Boo to all you hazer chefs. You should be ashamed.

nina | February 1, 2007 2:41 PM

The Finale's Challenge was absolutely NOT about pushing yourself outside your comfort zone. Make The Best Meal You Can is more about doing what you know is good. A flopped experiment here means you lose. Save that for the vending machine challenge.

It appeared to me that Sam bailed Marcel out when Marcel realized his fish was gone and went into a panic. The dish ended up being one of the judges favorites without the fish. Choosing Mike was a mistake. Chef means chief though and Marcel hasn't found that ingredient in his chemistry set.

In the end, we're all victims of careful video editing to make us feel a certain way. None of us saw the whole picture or tasted any of the dishes. We are all just observers of video clips taken out of context and cleverly aligned to create an interesting story. Entertaining yes. Reality--not quite.

Don | February 1, 2007 5:17 PM

I am happy that Ilan won. I would have prefered to have Sam win. I think he showed so much leadership in the kitchen. Marcel, Marcel what can anyone say about a poor looser. He's comment after Ilan being named winner shows he's true colors. He was in charge, it was he's --- on the line he should have taken inventory of all the items he needed. He should be thanking Sam for the save. Sam lost becasue in part 1 he didn't cook. So Marcel makes a salad and some of you thinks he should win. Marcel needs to grow up alot. Maybe one day he'll be a Top Cheif, but that a long way off, and will never happen if he recoginze that others know more than he does. Elia - Should have been good long ago, Mia saved her not sure why, but Elia can't stand the pressure and shouldn't be in charge of any professional kitche. I liked Mia, and Betty they would be great to have in the kitchen. They willing to work as a team, maybe not together, and have excellent skills. All in all Sam should have won, but Ilan is the second best choice.

Katie | February 4, 2007 10:57 AM

I knew it might not last. After several great seasons of "Runway" and Top Chef the producers couldn't resist manipulating the outcome for maximum drama even though it stood in the way of an honest competition. Sam was arbitrarily booted because he didn't use heat to accomplish his culinary goals. Sure Ilan & Marcel made for good soap opera, but in the end there was no top chef. As if the disappointment needed emphasis, The "gracious" winner had to take at swipe at a respected peer in the post show commentary. I don't blame the contestants at all. They were just being themselves. The producers on the other hand found it necessary use snide comments and special effects insults as an emotionally charged segue into their next drama/competition,Top Design.

Charles | February 5, 2007 9:55 AM

Marcel made the season with his goofy spirited defiance.

Everyone else quickly wore out their welcome. Some of them are so awful, Betty & Ilan are particularly hidious.

Chila | February 28, 2007 12:15 AM