'Top Chef': Too close for comfort, Stefan edges past Fabio

It's been a good run, Fabio. I know you're out there somewhere, rooting the remaining member of Team Europe into the finals. But it was close. Really, really close.

Let's trace how both "Top Chef" competitors from abroad found themselves on tonight's chopping block.

The episode started with the arrival of our Final Four into New Orleans. Hosea has been studying Cajun and Creole cooking -- there is a difference -- ready to bite at the ankles of Stefan. He’s feeling good. Fabio’s got a Mohawk, a pink scarf and a mission to win. Carla has also restyled her 'do into something a little more sophisticated and styled. I like it. She wants to remind you she's from the South and she gets the area's soul cuisine.

And then there’s Stefan. "I’m a great chef and I know that," he tells the camera. The guy speaks the truth. When he greets the other three contestants, he ribs Hosea: "Did you learn how to cook?"

Oh Hosea, this is going to hurt.

Today's guest judge is none other than Emeril Lagasse. Emeril? I’m not a hater. In fact, the other day I was watching early "Essence of Emeril" episodes -- well before "Bam!" made Anthony Bourdain’s blood boil -- and the guy straight-up knows and loves the classics. He's no Ripert, but he's most appropriate in New Orleans.

Seriously, Carla looks adorable in her pink coat and new hair. I can’t get over it!

The judges unleash a surprise on the contestants. They won't be competing at all. Instead, Leah, Jamie and Jeff will compete. Wow. They just had to bring back Leah, didn't they. But wait! They’re getting a chance to get back in to the competition? Jamie! Jamie! Jamie!

Fabio is pissed. "Gimme a break. Please!" Hosea, of course, whines about how bummed he is and how unfair this surprise is. "Not really the math I want right now," he says. Methinks a better idea would be to swap the winner of the quickfire with Hosea.

Speaking of which, the quickfire is Battle Crawfish. Leah, per usual, starts in about how she’s never worked with it before. Jeff is all determination. Leah's doing a gumbo (and says, wait for it, she’s never made one). Jeff is doing crawfish and grits. And Jamie ... what have you got for us, Jamie? Grilled corn cake with poached eggs, andouille sausage and a tasso hollandaise with crawfish. I think we all know who should win this challenge.

Leah’s crawfish soup -- guess she changed her mind -- doesn’t look like it impressed Tom, thank goodness. No feedback on Jeff’s dish. Ditto Jamie, but Emeril looked pleased. And the winner is ... Jeff. Dang. All right, that still works. After all, he proved he can do restrained cooking. He gets, wait for it, a copy of Emeril’s new book. If they're going to hawk their books as "prizes," they need to come with a car or a new kitchen. Come on, step up people.

Time to feast before the slaughter. The contestants dine out at Emeril’s Delmonico and share with the viewing audience why they need to win. Jeff is feeling the pressure, but has something to prove, having been cut. Fabio wants the money to help his ailing mother. Carla is doing it for her husband and stepson. Hosea wants the money and the title. Stefan, well, he's feeling pretty entitled, having racked up eight wins, possibly the most in "Top Chef" history.

The day's elimination challenge is pretty straightforward: Cater a masquerade ball for 100 and present at least one creole dish. For Jeff, the challenge is twofold. He needs to come in first to stay in the running, in which case two of the other contestants will be eliminated.

Looks like everyone's attempting an entirely creole menu: Hosea is whipping up gumbo and pecan-crusted catfish. Carla’s doing both an oyster stew -- even while she has to shuck 100 oysters -- and a shrimp and andouille beignet. Stefan’s doing gumbo too, only with duck and rabbit, and an apple beignet. Jeff, who seems to have thrown that restraint I mentioned out the window, is making his own sausage for his fried oyster with sausage and a crawfish pot de crème. Fabio is doing a sausage and rabbit maque choux with grits and a crawfish and crab stew.

Because the producers are intent on making viewers hate Hosea -- they've admittedly succeeded in my case -- he now explains the process for cooking roux, a thickner used in gumbo, as a way to point out the fact that Stefan doesn't seem to be following procedure. In fact, Stefan is taking a smoke break because he's not nearly as freaked out as the rest of them.

In comes Tom, who is just full of funny condescending looks tonight. Here's why: He’s not sure how any of Fabio’s dishes are creole. Jeff’s from the South, but may be verging on overcomplicating matters again. Carla should have steamed the oysters to get them to quickly open -- and Tom's amused. Stefan's cocky. (Yeah, thanks for the news flash, Tom. It's because he's that much better than the folks you cast against him. And guess what? Hosea is just as full of himself.) And after Hosea’s explanation of what to do with a roux, Tom thinks his roux ain’t there yet. I wonder if it means anything that Hosea is dressed in a black hoodie for his interviews this whole time.

The gang heads to the event and Carla’s only got a third of her oysters shucked. This, I'm willing to bet, is a red herring. I've got money on her winning the night's challenge. Gail is back and I’m mixed. I wasn’t a big fan of Toby Young's heavy-handed quips, but Gail is still no Ted Allen. I’ll get over it, eventually. Did you know mardi gras reminds Fabio of old pornos, only with fancy masks? Now you do.

The judges get down to the tasting. Jeff’s cucumber mojito is yummy and Emeril thinks he's one smart cook. One guest says Stefan’s roux isn’t dark enough and is thus a stew. Emeril still dubs it a success, but Tom's really not liking the light color. A guest likes Fabio's pasta dish and another says it’s a parade in his mouth, but Tom and Emeril agree that heat is missing. Carla's turn -- and I called it! She's the clear winner. Bam! for her stew and bam! for her beignet. Emeril likes Hosea’s stuff too. Both, he says, were filled with the spirit of New Orleans. Wait, then Stefan looks prime for elimination....

At the judges' table, Jeff is awarded the prize for the night’s winning cocktail. They applaud both his dishes -- pointing out that he made his own sausage. Oh. My. God. Is Stefan going home? Fabio takes a few lumps for the lack of heat and his cocktail. Emeril dubs Stefan the king of grits but complains about both his cocktail and the beignet. Tom complains about his cockiness. OH. MY. GOD.

I can’t take this. Fine, judges. Send Stefan home. Give the crown to one of these other guys. Make sure that winning "Top Chef" means that you cooked two good dishes instead of 10 during the competition. I can barely watch the judges discuss who should go home.

Carla wins. She gets the car. See ya, Jeff. Let’s get down to business.

But let me first say this: Did Stefan rest on his laurels? Probably. But this is the problem with the show. You judge someone on their last dish and their track record goes out the door. Unfair. And why dump on Stefan’s attitude? Since when is that part of the competition? I remember Marcel getting into the final two in Season 2 because his food merited it. Lame.

Fabio is eliminated. Sad. But thank goodness it wasn’t Stefan.

He'll go head to head with Carla and Hosea in the finale. May Hosea be squashed like a little bug.

Check back Thursday to read my interview with Fabio. Any burning questions? Leave them in the comments below before 1 p.m. PST and I'll make sure to try to get them in.

-- Denise Martin

Related:
Complete coverage of 'Top Chef.'

Photo: Fabio Viviani. Credit: NBC Universal

Comments

[lu]

I agree with you completely!
I love Stefan a lot. He's a great cook. But during past couple of shows, he's really been close to elimination so I hope he really steps it up in the finale! Goooooo Stefan!!! Go Finland!
p.s. down to Hosea!

[Cindy]

I can't believe Fabio got sent home! He was my favourite throughout the entire show. His food was consistent, original and always sounded absolutely delicious. Plus the fact that he's handsome and charming as heck doesn't hurt either! His wife is a lucky lady. Make sure you ask him where his restaurant is so we can all go eat there, and if he's got any single brothers ;)

[keith]

I love the show. I did not get a chance to see it yet because I am at work, but I enjoyed your commentary. I will still watch the show tomorrow, and over and over again; just as I have done with the previous episodes. I dont like reality shows, but this one seems to me the most creative and real. I enjoy cooking myself and have come up with some good dishes the first time around and then try it again and I fail, so I know the level difficulty having to create a perfect dish everytime. Thanks again, and I am rooting for Carla, I think Euros will be eliminated. They put Carla in her comfort zone. "New Orleans"

[Nick Shades]

To Fabio:

You did a tremendous job of keeping your spirit in "Team Europe" on camera. The two of you went on so well, and it was very surprising to many viewers to see you the first one split from the "Team." Were there any occasions where you wanted to slit Stefan from your camraderie, or has your heart always been as golden as the camera conveyed?

[bm]

Stefan needs to win this, NOW. Carla's entertaining and all, but if Stefan doesn't (as you so beautifully put it) squash Hosea like a bug I will be seriously displeased.

[Laura Colatrella]

I think the cajun competition was really unfair. 3 of the contestants were from the south which meant that they were familiar with Cajun type cooking. I am not a fan of cajun cooking and after a week in New Orleans I was tired of eating it. To test Stefan and Fabio on how well they made Cajun is like having testing how well they all made pasta. That prize would go to Fabio. I thought Fabiio had great cooking techniques and made dishes that the judges or public repeatedly declared were excellent. I may not even watch the finale. I can cook as well as Carla. Where is the thrill in that. I want to see chefs like Fabio and Stefan who can cook what I cannot. I think we are all capable of making really good fresh peas. No challenge there. I remember Carla making dishes that were almost inedible. SHAME ON YOU TOP CHEF. BRING BACK FABIO!!!

[Kyra]

At judges table it seemed that the food was fairly even in its critique. Both Fabio's and Stefan's were flawed. Of the previous three shows, Stefan had been in the bottom twice...but also won some of the quickfires. Fabio had his first elimination win and was in the bottom once. What my impressions of the judges table came down to was who really wanted to still be there and who was cooking from their soul.

It certainly didn't seem that Stefan brought that to the table. I would love to know what Fabio feels the judging really came down to between him and Stefan in the end.

[Matt]

Stefan has been coasting for weeks; he deserved to go home.

[jason]

Your a Stefan nut huger. Why even have a finale if he should win because he won allot of challenges?

[jason]

By the way. Eric Ripert and especially Anthony Bourdain couldn't carry Emeril's jock strap.

[terpanther]

I really like Fabio as well. If I was asking him questions, I would ask why he consistently refused to do something different in breakfast challenges. I think being on the bottom of so many Quick Fires made him look like he has lost more to Stefan. But I agree with most of your commentary here. I would have liked to see a Jamie, Stefan and Fabio battle royale!

[celtcwrtr]

fabio's restaurant is in moorpark (near thousand oaks, ventura county):

http://www.cafefirenze.net/

and i agree stefan was the one who deserved to go home (re: coasting for weeks)

[JJ]

I can't believe they pay a writer to sum up episodes of television...and hoseas food is better than the others. That is why he is in the competition...enjoy your job as food "critic" though you are judging on sound "bites" not food...

[Eric]

I appreciate your felling about Stefan and 10 dishes, but if you got to a restaurant and the food is bad, do you remember the 10 before it that were good or your last bad one?

[TJ]

Laura Colatrella: NOLA food is not necessarily "Cajun" food -- it is Creole food, which is completely different. NOLA Creoles were there long before the Acadians (later Cajuns) arrived from Nova Scotia in 1755.

Now if you had spent a week in Houma or Lafayette, then I could see where you're coming from.

Cajun by the ring and back door.

[Joe]

Could you have Fabio comment on just how saucy Hosea and Leah's relationship really was in the top chef loft? If this were 'The Real World' ... i feel like we wouldve seen far more than just a lengthy cuddling session and a few kisses. I couldnt help but wonder if her motivation for staying on the show when she was clearly out of her league was partly based on her lack of desire to return home and have to confess to her boyfriend... and were the producers keeping her on longer than she deserved to see if they could spice the show up with a little bit of prolonged romance between the two..?

[Laura Colatrella]

to respond to TJ, I did actually spend 5 days in Houma, Louisiana. I think you missed my point. All I was trying to say was that having 3 southern chefs cook creole type cooking was unfair to the European chefs. Fabio's food was complimented by 2 of the party guests as well as Gail. His only flaw was heat. the one thing I remember about Houma and New Orleans are those little red bottles of heat because everyone adds heat to satisfy their own tastes. So instead of eliminating Fabio, they could have shaken some Red Devil on his dish and had something great to eat that was burning hot as well. I don't know, maybe Italians prefer fantastic flavor as opposed to heat. Silly us, what do Italians know about food.

[juana]

I wish that competition was in little italy so fabio would have won, hosea would be out. and stefan would be there.
it woudl have been great to see stefan and fabio go head to head. it would be abotu the food and not personalities...or pushing story lines like that leah hosea thing.
sorry, but does everyone think stefan is one fine looking guy? wow...he's 'sexy" as he likes to say.

[agostina]

there are flaws (the biggest with the fabio loss and the unfair creole cooking thing..i mean why that? why not something that gives a fair playing fieold to all..i mean for this final challenge they shoudl ahve done that)
but besides this...i gotta commend them for not trying to play it out for the wacko characters such as was seen in the 1st project runway with that pepper lady....
Just seeing well rounded characters cook is satisfying enough without goign for cheap drama..
so im glad they dont do that too much.
oh my god..mama mia..why fabio why? why'd he have to go!?

[Patti Horner]

I have been a server or in food service for over 46 years, having worked in dives, and right through to 4 star restaurant's in Vegas ,Lake Havasu City,Az,Northeast Ohio,Chicago,etc. Many,if not most executive chefs that I have worked under, have been extremely arrogant and cocky just like Stephan is. My current chef is very well known and probably as close to a master chef as anyone who resides in Northest Ohio could be, and he is not a "Master Chef", He is absolutely amazing and he is absolutely NOT arrogant, but rather the most kind hearted, normal, down to earth, Talented person one could have had the good fortune to work with. His food is represented in several restaurants throughout the greater Cleveland area. He is proof that the food speaks volumes over all else.
I do have a question about "Top Chef", why do the producers show commercials for these wonderful appliances and then the contestants have trouble with burners working correctly, freezers that don't work, and oven that can't or don't hold the temperatures correctly? Is it part of the competition for the appliances not to work correctly?