I really hope that Louis wins LCK, just because he seems like a much more likable guy than Carlos. I’m amazed that the judges didn’t come down harder on Carlos for only cooking Mexican. They normally like to see more range.
I’m calling Nina for the win!
Louis set a record of 8 wins in Last Chance Kitchen. Didn’t do him much good in the semi-final. I’m really bummed we won’t have a Shirley/Nina final. That would have been a great match up.
Nina/Nick will be a battle too. Nick has learned a lot on Top Chef. He cooked smarter in the semi-final and didn’t over complicate things. I’d say this will be really, really close. Either chef could win.
Bummer. I really liked Shirley.
I finally got caught up on back episodes and watched last night’s live. I don’t think any of the final four, or perhaps even the final six, have done anything but boost their careers during this season. What amazing food!
Nina was robbed!! 
Nina is certainly more easy going and likable. She’s great chef. A few mistakes cost her the win.
Nick is the classic temperamental chef. A screamer and curser that is a nightmare to work for. He is very talented and cooks great food.
I agree. THey might not have liked her swordfish dish, but to cook a dish one judge was unable to eat seemed like the worse offense, all things being equal.
Nina may not have won, but other than missing out on the prize money, I don’t think second place is going to hurt her career one darned bit.
Off the topic of the food, but damn, she looked good in the black dress at the family reunion dinner.
Nick still hasn’t figured out how to salt food.
It’s unfortunate that they didn’t take into account that Nick should have been eliminated two different times (or maybe they did, but his food out-weighed it).
Shirley was probably the best chef in the competition, and I would have liked her facing Mins in the finale.
i agree! She was the consummate professional and totally on her game every challenge.
Nick was a little embarrassing to watch. My WAG is they gave the prize to the one most “in need”.
Nina has interesting back story, her father was a beloved Prime Minister of St Lucia.
Wish I watched their LIve show with Andy COhen, Nick was hanging his head looking like he wanted to escape, Nina staring into the camera with a smile, then I knew…nick won it.
His bromance with the annoying pin up boy was revealed too after the win, hang yer head nick
Possibly; or it could have been a demonstration of the Power of Colicchio. In the judges’ discussion, most seemed to be leaning toward Nina, but Tom was foursquare for Nick.
It’s struck me more than once, over the years, that Tom is a little uneasy about the concept of Lady Chefs. I can’t point to any one thing that would prove it, but that’s the feeling I get.
From Gail’s “Top Chef Blog” (she wrote a lot about the finale but this seemed the most relevant to the discussion here - bolding mine):
I spaced out while watching it, it bored me so much. I only perked up long enough to hear the winner. I don’t hate Nick, but I don’t much like him and I think his inclusion in the finale turned me off. I liked some of the competitors a lot this season, but the editing and the stew room stuff really turned me off. It was just boring and tedious to watch all around.
I was rooting for Nina, wife was pissed Nick one.
I think this was a case of the two groups having different experiences. Tom and Gail obviously had a good experience at Nick’s restaurant. Padma, Hugh and Emeril not so much.
Not sure if Tom just out argued everybody or their meal was that much better for them than Nina’s.
As for Nina - she doesn’t have the cash but she must have cachet in the culinary world now.
This show, they try to sex it up for some reason, with Padma dancing about, coming out of the ocean in her fringed string bikini , tom all stoic and unmoveable.
and BS to Gail! if anything should have pushed the judges to choose, it was the Chef’s behavior to staff, guests and competitors. this riles me up more and more i think about it, Nick as top chef is a FAIL - not representative at all of the gracious host chef’s who cooked for the contestants, like John, emeril …
You know Emeril was rooting for Nina too!
Very disappointed in the win by Nick- I think Tom was right on the after-show that I can’t remember what it’s call- he got by until the finale. Always skating through - no doubt he is a good chef but just sucks that Nina and Shirley cooked consistently at a level high above the others only to have Nick skate by over Shirley then barely beat Nina by pulling together his whiny ass at the last minute.
I did think the whole controversy about whether he should have quit was stupid. Of course he wouldn’t bow out voluntarily - I think it was dumb to even bring up the question. That did suck for Stephanie but that’s the game and she did have a second chance through LCK but didn’t make it.
Was there no reunion show this season (where they hang around and chat about the season, answer viewer mail, etc)?
No, and the finale was just an hour (instead of the two-hour finales we got in some seasons). Apparently the ratings for the franchise aren’t what they once were.