04x15 - Reunion

[bunniefuu]

Welcome to the top chef:
watch what happens special.

I'm here
to take it all, baby.

Tonight, the season four
chefs and judges

Are back to answer
your questions.

We're not to believe
internet rumors.

We're not gonna discuss it.

Plus, find out
which chef you chose

As this season's
fan favorite.

They're gonna win ten grand.

And it starts now.

Welcome back, chefs.

welcome to our judges.

gail simmons.

Tom colicchio,
head judge in a vest.

Went with the vest today.

[andy]
padma lakshmi.

Hello.

ted allen.
andy.

Great to see everybody.

We have a lot of questions
for everyone.

You all are probably wondering

where is mr. Willy wonka,
richard blais, right?

his wife is

About to give birth--
she's due any minute.

he's gonna be joining us

By satellite
in a little bit.

before we get to that,

Let's congratulate
our season four

top chef, stephanie izard.
high five.

[Applause]

Thank you.

[Applause]

Congratulations.
Our first female top chef.

Yeah, it's very exciting.

Let's take a look
at the moment you won top chef.

Stephanie.

You are top chef.

What? Really?

Congratulations.

Oh, my god.

Thank you.
Thank you so much.

Congrats, chef.
thanks.

I won top chef.

This is just, like,
a reaffirmation.

Like, this is what I'm meant
to do in life.

[All]
aww.

Aw, spike.

what was that like

When she said your name?

It was unbelievable.

Like, I just
didn't even know--

It felt not real.

You saw my face there.
I was like, [bleep].

You were always really fun
to watch at judges' table

because you always look like
you're terrified

that you're about to be k*lled.

That padma is going
to sh**t you

with a laser beam
or something.

And then when something good
does happen to you

At judges' table,
you just explode into this grin.

it was--
it was a great moment.

How shocked were you guys
when richard said

that he choked?

Yeah, sure,
I'll say it.

I mean, I feel like i,
you know,

Choked a little bit,
so...

Where do you think
you choked?

I think I over thought
things too much.

So, you know, I think
when I'm at my best,

it's when I'm not thinking.

and, you know,
it wasn't certainly, you know,

My top performance that I've had
so far n the show, so...

I wasn't shocked
that he knew it.

The fact that he said it to us,
I was really shocked.

I found it to be very consistent
with his personality.

Yeah.
[ted]
richard's very honest.

He's always honest
about his work.

And he also, I don't think

He has much of a poker face,

And you can kind of see
in his eyes

what's going on.

Lisa, did you think
you had won?

you were--you looked
in the stew room

like you were
really confident

about your performance
that night.

I was really happy with the--
how well I came through

With that, and I thought

That I definitely had
a fighting chance.

But if there was anybody
in this room

That I would be okay
with losing to, it's stephanie.

I have a question for you.

um, 'cause there was a lot
sort of made about

First female top chef.

Would you rather be known
as the winner of season four

or the first female top chef?

I think I'd rather be known
as the winner of season four.

I think--i mean,
I don't want people to think

that, you know, I won

'Cause I'm a female,
you know.

And I think that even just
being a chef in general,

I see myself as a chef

before I see myself
as a female chef.

Stephanie, what are you going
to do with the money?

I'm actually, like,
in the works

Of opening another restaurant
in chicago.

It's gonna be a pretty big deal
for the hometown girl, I think.

[tom]
yeah.
people are so excited.

I mean, everywhere I go,
it's like,

I was walking the dog with like
a poop bag the other day

And people were like,
"stephanie!"

I'm like, "hey."

[Laughter]

Tony from new jersey emailed,

"how's it been watching
yourselves on the show?

any regrets?"

I wouldn't have made
that butterscotch sauce.

[padma]
yeah, we regret that too.

Had you made that before?

Never.

I really regret
using that crouton

And saying the word "phallic"
on--on tv.

It's really come back to me
a lot.

[Laughs]

we were definitely trying
to make the plate look

Kind of phallic,
so...

maybe we cut the bread
too big.

we could've made
a smaller crouton.

We wanted the asparagus
to be, like, coming up

Off the salad

with the bread.

Seeing padma's face
when I said it

Was, like,
I don't know.

Priceless.

[Laughter]

Anybody else have any regrets?

Got too hot--too hot
in the bathtub, I think.

[Laughter]

Tell me about the bath.
I mean, you do a hard day

At the office, and what--
what you want to do?

You want to go sit in the bubble
bath with some champagne.

[Ryan]
with a dude.

Spike wants to...
You know.

Man soup.

Yeah, yeah.
nice.

It turns out that there was
some "bro-mance"

in the air.

Check it out.

Ah, nothing like bubbles.

Little bubbles, you know.

Strangely erotic right now.

[Spike laughs]

Me and mark got in the tub
together.

I feel like mark already
is gonna be a good friend

For many years to come.

You know, he's got curly hair.

He's a cool-looking dude.

And it's great
just to hang out

And relax a little bit.

Well, I wanted to create

Something smoky, you know,
have the wood flavor.

But with a little aeration.

So what I did here is
I did a smoked foam.

smokey-wokey foamy?

Yeah, smokey-wokey foamy.

I'm totally confident
with my sexuality,

And if I want to get in a tub
with mark,

The coolest guy in this house,

I'm getting in a [bleep]
bubble bath with mark.

All right?

I think dale and richard have
a little something going on.

I'm not saying you,
I'm just saying--

You know, we've been here for
a long time, and you get lonely.

You just wanna...
Hold somebody, you know?

"Rich, come here."

[Laughs]

Our team name
is vanilla love.

Vanilla love.
[tom]
vanilla love?

That's correct.

[Beatboxing]

♪ Workin' with vanilla
every day ♪

Spike's mad cool.

Me and spike get along
pretty well.

Boy, you know what I'm saying?

I'm so happy that I got
to meet a cat

That, uh, that connected
with me and understood me.

Take it easy, bro.

To meet somebody and have them
more or less,

Like, understand
where I'm coming from

Is a really cool thing.

[Bleep], bro.

Andrew came here,

And he completely showed
who he was as a person.

It's all out on the table.

There's no hidden messages
with andrew.

Andrew and I are going
to be boys forever.

I'm 100% sure of that.

I'm not gay, but I'd probably
let him bang me.

[Laughs]

[Laughter]

well, you're like--

You're like soldiers
trapped on a submarine.

mark,

I'm happy to see
you're still in the country,

And I hear congratulations
are in order.

Yes. Uh, I got married
about three weeks ago.

[Applause]
thank you.

Thank you.
Yeah.

So it, uh, looks like
I'll be in, uh, america

For longer than what
I first anticipated.

Congratulations.

of course, there was one

Real relationship

on top chef.

talking about jen and zoi.

so what was it like
competing against each other?

It was, you know,
I mean,

It was just even hard
to figure out.

Just hard to live
in a house together

With, you know, everyone.

It was just, you know,
strange.

did the two of you feel like
you were

Seriously competing
against each other?

Or did you feel like
you were trying

To support each other?

We were both there
to win.

I mean, I almost felt like
we shouldn't--

We tried to, like, not support
each other to be fair.

doug from tampa

Emailed and said,

"How do you guys feel
about spike's attitude

towards your relationship?"

well, you know, it's funny,

'Cause I had no idea
how he felt

until I saw the show.

He seemed like he had
no problem at all.

No, i-i never did
have a problem.

Well, you actually said
on the show

That you felt like they had
an unfair advantage.

Well, I mean, it doesn't mean
I have a problem

With their relationship
or them being on--

Being on the show.

I was just saying

that you're
put in these circumstances

And there's all sorts of,
you know, dynamics

And emotions going on.

It's nice to have your--
your counterpart

Right next to you
sitting there.

You can talk to them,
you can, you know--

I actually think
it was a disadvantage.

[spike]
you can release stress.

I think it was a disadvantage.
It was a disadvantage.

I think we would've
both done better

Had the other person
not been there.

Absolutely.

So we're not to believe
internet rumors

That you two have split up?

You're very much together?

We've gone through some...
Some bumps.

And we're, uh...

As far as the details
of our personal life,

We feel like
we've talked enough

about it.

Beyond that,
we're not gonna discuss it.

we have a viewer question

From corey in charleston,
south carolina.

"spike, you're my favorite
top chef cast member ever

"because you love
to play the game.

"Was that a strategy
you came on the show with,

Or is it just
who you really are?"

I don't know, I feel like
I just had fun

With the--with the game.

I took the competition
pretty serious,

But I also
didn't wanna, you know,

Lose track--
lose track of having

a really good time.

you know,
just messing around

With people's minds
a little bit.

I thought it was
part of the game.

Well,
let's take a look

At some of your
more devious moments.

Oh, no.
shall we?

[spike]
please, no.

Score!

I just told them
not to go to that house,

And there's...

There's so much
more food there.

But who cares?

[Antonia]
"cunning" is the perfect way
to explain spike.

He's just such
a bull[bleep] artist.

spike, because you won
the quickfire,

you'll get to choose

One ingredient
from each food group

that only you can use.

[Stephanie]
I think spike
is the worst person

To get the advantage,
because he can sort of

[Bleep] us all over.

Which I'm sure
he's very excited about.

And now it's time
to piss everybody off.

I'm gonna start showing,
you know, people

The tricks I have
up my sleeves

Because everything's
a strategy at this point.

Gotta make the table
look empty.

you know what I mean?

I'm here to win the title
of top chef,

Do you know what I mean?

Like, I don't mind
stirring the pot a little bit

If it gets to that point.

What'd they say?

I mean, I'm just curious.
Like, what'd they say?

They said, uh, simple food's
the way to win.

I didn't lie, but I kinda
just stretched the truth

A little bit.

He's, like, trying to,
like, psych people out.

What the [bleep]
is wrong with you?

If I can mess with your
[bleep]in' head a little bit,

You [bleep]in' better believe
I'm gonna do it,

You know what I mean?

[Erik claps]

Stephanie, is spike
a devious competitor?

I don't know, I think--

She hated me at the beginning
of the show.

I hated him so much for
the first, like,

I don't know,
like, eight episodes maybe.

Right.
but I hate--
I've worked with a lot

Of like cocky [bleep]s,
for other way to describe it.

they just sort of
fit that mold.

Um, but, you know,
it turns out

He's actually
a really awesome guy, so...

In the end.

But I think he was just
trying to--he was trying to win.

It's a television show;
I wanted to play the game

And have some fun with it.

So who here thinks spike
has a shot

at winning fan favorite?

I do.

[andy]
all right.

Oh, man, I might
win something after all.

okay, we're gonna find out
who else is in the running

For fan favorite.

And we have a lot more
to come.

Next.

You never really know

What's lurking
behind the door.

I did have a dream

That I was making love
to my wife,

And then mark
knocked on the door.

What the hell do you say
to that?

Welcome back to watch what
happens:

top chef reunion special.

we're back with the chefs
and judges from season four.

And there's no doubt
that being on top chef

Is super stressful.

So stressful,
in fact,

that some of you guys
brought it to your dreams.

Take a look
at some of your nightmares.

[Soothing classical music]

♪ ♪

[Ominous chord]

Oh, jesus.
What are you doing here?

There is a strange epidemic

Of bizarre,
top chef-related dreams

Going around the house
right now.

Nightmares.

They're not dreams.
They're nightmares, man.

We're in whole foods,
and we had lamb on the menu.

So we had, like,
two beautiful racks of lamb.

We get back
to the top chef kitchen,

And we look--we're looking
at the racks of lamb,

And there's two piddly ones.

I sat there going, "oh, my god,
oh, my god, oh, my god."

My latest nightmare is,
you know, being told

That I'm on the bottom
before I even know

What the challenge is.

[Dramatic chord]

[Spike]
all of a sudden,
I appear in whole foods,

And everybody's running around.

And I don't know
what the [bleep] I'm cooking.

I don't know what
the elimination challenge are.

I had this, like,
ongoing dream.

All I can see is, like,
tom colicchio's eyes.

Like--
like staring at me.

[Thunder]

I had a nightmare that I was
serving all the judges

Hot chocolate,
and gail said,

"This won't be nearly as good

As the hot chocolate
I had this morning."

So I started to run around

And try to find her
hot chocolate.

But I'm ready.
I'm not gonna let that crush me.

I did have a dream
that I was making love

To my wife, and then mark
knocked on the door.

"Hello, richard blais
and his wife."

Obviously we've been here
long enough now

That we're part
of each other's lives, so...

No.

They're just weird,
[bleep]ed up dreams

That I don't wish to repeat
to anybody.

Who still has
top chef nightmares?

really?

[nikki]
oh, such therapy.

[andy]
wow.

I think we spent
so much time

Kind of sleeping
with one eye open.

'Cause you never really know

What's lurking
behind the door,

Or what's gonna hap--
you know, you never know

what's gonna happen.

when you're on top chef,

Do you--do you wake up
every morning

terrified?
yes.

Oh, hell yeah.

How many of you
had watched top chef

Before you came on the show?

was it...

At all what you thought
it was gonna be like?

[All]
no.

How was it different?

I had no idea
what I was in for.

Like, just the anxiety

And the stress and like
the situations you're put in.

And how long

everything takes.

It's a whole different reaction,
too,

When you're cooking for
these people that you walk in

and you see, you know,
ming tsai there.

and you see daniel boulud,
and you're trying to put

Something on a plate and you're
shaking like crazy for them.

I mean, it's a whole
different aspect.

well, it seems like
some of you chefs

Will say anything
to sell a bad dish

and stay in the competition.

Oh, no.

and by some of you,

I mean ryan scott.

take a look.

[Spike]
oh, yeah...

Hi, ryan.

I think I'm the only person
that went vegetarian.

there's a place
in san francisco that I love

called la taqueria.

They steam it.

so one's soft
and one's crunchy.

and I love
picking 'em up.

They wrap 'em like a hamburger
and you eat them.

so I hope you don't mind...

Ryan, he's the most
well-spoken person

That you'd ever meet
as a chef.

When I thought of the dish,

I remember
just a big plate of starch.

and I wanted
to bring the starch down

and have it counterbalance
with the starch.

I was trying to integrate

all the acidity parts.

We wanted to go
with the christmas colors,

Chutney, green.

potato puree,
some kind of gratin,

some kind of masher,
that's the carrot.

You know, ryan really wants
to talk a lot

About what his vision was.

uh, doing three things
I think was a little

Too ballsy on my part
if you really want...

I have to do
something different.

I had to do something
that I want to...

Ladies coming up
and asking for recipes

and how did you make this,

and why would you do that,
and this and that.

And wow, a pea stew
on top

Of finishing a chicken,
they're like...

This, and bringing in--

I hate to use the word
"california flair."

I know how to talk,
and I ran with it.

Please enjoy--
this is my favorite part,

When I just take bread
and dip it.

[Laughter]

Oh, my gosh.

What the hell
do you say to that?

Do you realize that you are--
that you over-share

With your dishes?

I'm not talking.

[Laughter]

Debbie from tomball, texas
wants to know:

"Last season on top chef,

"There was the curse
of casey.

"this season it seemed like
the curse was passed on

to antonia."

debbie, you are right.

take a look

At antonia,
the black hammer.

[Lisa]
antonia has the nickname
"the black hammer."

This all started with
the first, uh,

Few elimination challenges.

Everybody was like, oh,
you're knocking people

Out of here
left and right.

antonia, the flavors here
were just

Really, really good.

Thank you.

Nimma, please pack your knives
and go.

She is the black hammer.

People were there
one day,

Next day--
they're not there anymore.

you're a chef in a restaurant.
these two come.

They're--they're applying
for a job.

And they give you those dishes.
Which one are you hiring?

Stephanie.

[Laughter]

Valerie, please pack your knives
and go.

I'm not one
with a light hand

In terms of seasoning.

actually, the one thing

that did overwhelm me
on the dish

Was the rosemary flavor.

I was up there with her,
I was like, oh, god, here we go.

I would just like to say
that I am obviously going home.

Because the undertaker

is in the house.

[spike]
the merchant of death.

Stay away from her!

Being on a team with antonia,
it's a little scary,

Because she's got
a little curse going on.

zoi,

Please pack your knives
and go.

Okay.

Are you [bleep]ing
kidding me?

They have a time card
with my name on it

And then every person
that's worked with me

That gets kicked off,
I get a name written on it.

Oh, she's just kind of
a black hammer.

She's trying to hammer
everybody out around her.

[Antonia]
the black hammer lives on.

[Laughter]

[tom]
that's great.

How did you do that?

There--there was nothing--
there was no doing that.

That just all happened.

What was that
little dance?

I have no idea
what that was.

valerie, did you feel

Thrown under?

Uh, I definitely did
at the time, yeah.

[andy]
by the black hammer?
yeah.

Ham--the hammer came down.

Who here thinks
antonia has a shot

At winning fan favorite?

all right.

We're one step closer
to finding out.

We'll be back after this.

"lisa, what are you
so angry about?

you look
permanently pissed off."

Welcome back
to watch what happens:

top chef reunion special.

um, we have a question
from tiffany d.

She wants to know,
"what is the stew room?"

The fifth level of hell.

and it is the room
that you guys hang out in

While the judges
are deliberating.

It's like the dirtiest,
nastiest bar ever

With people that you may
or may not like at all.

well, we've put together
some outtakes

From the stew room.

because...

[Chefs cheering]

everybody loves
stew room outtakes.

Judges' table's coming up.

We're sitting
in the stew room, and, uh,

All just sitting there
waiting.

And it's like 800 million
degrees in that room.

[Laughs]

God, it's so hot...

We're all, you know,

On this--
edge of our seats

Wondering who's going home.

I'm sure that it's gonna be

A really hard decision
for the judges.

[falsetto voice]
quiet!

Maybe he shoulda had us serve--
drink that first

So we'd be a little drunk
when we tasted

the rest of the dish.

[Laughter]

man!

There's a mouse
in the top chef kitchen?

[People shouting]

Ah-whoo!

Bye.
Bye, mousie.

Things at the zoo.

[Valerie]
hyena.

Hooker.

We're actually getting
a bit riled up in the stew room.

Ooh!

[antonia]
don't you dare!

spike, do not
throw her up there.

No!

The stew room
can be very...

Interesting,
especially when you're left

With a lot of time
to do nothing.

And, you know, more than
a few dozen beers to consume.

[Laughter]

I am glad wrap man!

[Laughter]

David copperfield.

Pee wee!
[richard]
spin it back around.

It's a hobbit!

you have one hour
to cook a hobbit.

Go!

We're all in the, like,
crazy stew room

While the judges are off
taking everything they do

Very seriously.

Are we over?

No, then we have
to smash

The hopes and dreams
of the...

Yeah, yeah,
we gotta do a--shoo!

I need release.

[Playing like didgeridoo]

♪ ♪

[ryan]
yeah!

yeah, yeah, yeah!

[andrew]
put that in your pipe...
ow!

How long are you guys
in that stew room?

Six hours.
Eight hours.

Forever.

The truth is
that the judging

and the judges' table
goes on for hours and hours.

and gail,
you actually fell asleep

at judges' table--

I did.
I took a nap.

At the finale--

I took a little nap!
in puerto rico.

Look, I did my work,

And there's always several steps
to judges' table.

and in between each,

There's camera changes.

And look, you gotta
use your time wisely.

Gotta catch the "z"s
when you can.

[Laughter]

well, is it me,

Or were the top chef judges

extremely critical
this season?

Let's take a look.

Hi, chef.
How are you?

Very good, thank you.

The judges are definitely
hard to read.

You really don't know

What's going on
in their heads.

Great.
Thank you very much.

[wylie dufresne]
thank you.

I'm nervous.
They're tough critics.

The blini was cold.
It had no flavor at all.

This is my least favorite way
to eat chicken in general.

It's also the worst thing
on the plate.
Yeah.

It tastes better
than it looks, fortunately.

It's an absolute disaster
of it.

Too bad there's scales
on the salmon.

That's bad.

[Anthony bourdain]
it's baby vomit with wood chips.

But--but how do you really
feel about it?

So, uh, we get
in the judges' table,

And they basically rip us
a new [bleep].

I want to show you guys
what it is to eat healthy.

How about serving us
something that's good?

It looked like something a bear
would produce, not eat.

It was like mush on a plate.

You guys collectively
have really poor palates.

It looked like
a melted candy bar.

It was sitting on the table.
It was ice cold.

And it was nasty.

Unfortunately, we can't wipe out
seven people right now.

'Cause it would be--it would be
a good thing to do.

Mark missed the mark.

He came up with
and ex*cuted

The single worst dish
of the night.

Four dishes were better.
In your opinion.

Unfortunately for you,
my opinion is what matters.

Your presentation
was really, really sloppy.

You gotta clean up
your act a little bit.

I think tom doesn't like me.

I rest my case.

I had no idea
what the hell he was saying.

Let's just say it wasn't only
his gnocchi that were dense.

That was mean.

[padma]
wow. I don't remember that one.

Had to pull that one
back up, huh?

[Laughter]

Uh, brett from boston,
massachusetts emailed,

"Who is the toughest judge
to impress?"

I'd say anthony--
to me, anthony bourdain.

Just because, I mean,
you know,

I just feel like
he's a culinary assassin.

You get up there,

he's so great with words

And coming across
with his feelings

That he can just--
he can seriously

Just, you know,
why am I cooking?

Why am I doing this
as a living anymore?

does anyone have anything
that they want

To say to the judges
or ask the judges

about any of their comments?

Did you really think my cake
was that ugly?

It was, you know,
not the most attractive cake

I've--i've ever seen.

Uh, how did you forgive
the--the scales?

Mouthful of scales?

[Tom]
not everybody had scales
on the salmon.

But everybody had the mushrooms.

that's the decision we made,
and i-i can tell you,

Every one that I've been
involved in,

I'll stand by
every single one of them.

I've come to terms
with it.

[Laughter]
[dale]
I haven't.

Tom, you were not
at judges' table

For one of the most
controversial--

I was not.

eliminations
of the season,

which was, um, dale's.

And I hear that you
disagreed with--

With the decision.

Based on what I saw,
okay,

I looked at it and said,
well, you know,

lisa--lisa kinda blew
two dishes.

and it looked like
dale blew one.

Did you feel,
watching what happened,

That you were wronged?

If I make a mistake,
and if I fail,

Or if a dish fails,
even at the restaurant,

if I have a bad service,
I put it on my head.

Sure.

You know,
in that arena,

In that--especially
in that episode,

I failed, you know?

That dish failed,
and it was bad.

so I think to myself,

Of course I made a mistake.

I should--
I should've gone home.

We have had
an absolute deluge of comments

about one chef's attitude
in general,

in particular,

The scowl scene

week after week.

My personality in the kitchen?

I'm serious.

I'm definitely serious.

If you don't follow the rules,

That's what you guys
have sent people home for.

I can be that bitch
that everybody hates.

If you notice
her body language...

By nature,
she's not inclined

To accept criticism

From this table.

[padma]
why do you think
you're here?

I mean, you guys decided
to have me here.

you tell me.

This is my first time
on the chopping block,

and finding out
that it's because

of a slight--

A slight wording thing is--
is really tough.

Talk to me
about the sticky rice.

It's definitely not the way
that I've ever made it before.

You cook meat,
it needs to be cooked,

You know,
evenly on both sides.

When the bitch side comes out,
I'm definitely serious.

lisa, I hear you've been
getting dirty looks.

I have been.

People meet me--i had
these two girls approach me.

I was at a lesbian party.

And they were looking at me,

And they were kinda like
looking,

Looking away,
and they finally came over to me

And they were like,
"are you lisa from top chef?"

And I was like, yeah,
and they both said to me,

"Oh, well, we were scared
to come and say hi to you

'Cause you look
like such a bitch."

[Laughter]

So I made good tv.
Maybe I'll get an emmy.

[Laughter]

we actually had a lot
of viewers commenting on this.

We even had an email
from bethenny frankel,

Who is a natural
food chef.

she was on the real
housewives of new york city.

she says, "lisa,
what are you so angry about?

you look permanently
pissed off."

Do you think you have
a hard time taking criticism?

I--i mean, in the real world
in regular kitchens, I don't.

As long as you tell me why,
I'm totally cool with it.

I wanna know what it's like
standing at judges table

And have one of your competitors
throw you under the bus.

andrew, you had it once
with lisa.

There were specific rules to
this challenge

Of you needed
to use one component

from a whole grain, a protein,
a fruit and a vegetable

And not all three people
standing up here

right now did that.

andrew, in all fairness,

I had no idea--
hey, it's all good.

You called me out.

Moving on,
please, thank you.

You would've done
the same thing to me.

You know,
I wouldn't have.

That's the difference.

It wasn't like
I was angry

Angry about the situation.

It was more of,
like, a disappointment

Because I saw it
as a desperation move.

And for me,
I was just like,

"That wasn't even necessary.

"They're obviously more than
competent to understand

"What my mistakes were.

"There's no reason
for you to go that distance

And push me under the bus."

So it was just like,
"what are you doing that for?

You just basically
made an ass of yourself."

And after it happened,
I completely was like,

"You know, it was stupid
and it was unnecessary

And I totally regretted it."

you know, I think also--

I'm speaking for andrew.

I might be wrong.

But andrew
and I were friends.

We bonded immediately,
you know?

Hence the disappointment,
yeah.

We were two
of the smokers, so.

I was like, "come on."

We were always smokin'
cigarettes and chillin'

And I appreciated andrew
immediately for him

And his intensity
and his passion

And his, you know,
his energy, and--

Okay, so andrew,
you're a smoker, right?
Occasionally, yeah.

a lotta viewers seem to think

That you were on something
stronger than cigarettes.

[Laughter]

Well, no, there was a lotta
mentioning of a.d.d.

And it's really weird
where they find that.

Because I haven't played

Advanced dungeons
and dragons in years.

and I just thought that, like,
I don't know what I had done

To, like, express that.

Let's take a look
at some of the best of andrew.

[All]
yeah.

[Andrew]
my name is andrew d'ambrosi.

I think that part of being a
chef is being an entertainer

And you can do that in any way,
shape, or form you wish.

[Metallic clank]

Today on today's menu,

We're doing a delicious feast

of flavors and concepts.

Andrew and his crazy growl
that he does with his tiger.

[Growling]
like that.

Like, I do a little lion noise.

I'm like a little el tigre.

[Growling]

If he was an animal,
he would be the "manimal"

Because he's not all man

And he's definitely
some part animal.

Eventually you just
walk around like this

And you're a [bleep]
oompa loompa.

Andrew thinks about stuff
that i, in my wildest dreams

On the wildest dr*gs
in the whole world

Can never come up with.

I made a [bleep] glacier.

My sport is cooking.

You know what I mean?

And I'm in it to win it.

♪ My eye's on fire
with the smell of onions ♪

This gentleman's
got more than 110% energy.

Like I need more coffee.

[Laughter]

He would be the roadrunner.

Like, he is "meep, meep"
all the way.

He is very, very hyper.

[Laughter]

I don't know where it comes from
or how he manages

To maintain
that kind of heart rate.

Over here to dominate.

Time is on my side.

That's how that works.

Time, side, get it?

It's great, it's positive,
it comes from his heart,

It shows his passion for food,

And he's flat-out
entertaining.

Oh, his is stuck, ow.

It's actually my ears.
oh, okay.

You need to eat that
while it's hot.

Okay, but I don't
have a fork.

Use your hands.
He's a trip, man.

Aww.

I have a culinary boner
right now.

[Laughter]

You knew that was comin' on.

Andrew, it's always a pleasure
to see what you're gonna do.

[tom]
to see your culinary boner.

[padma]
yeah.

[andy]
I felt something special

Between you and gail.

[spike]
yeah, I saw that too.

Yeah?

[spike]
'cause we got it on film.

[Laughter]

I felt like
there was something--

[gail]
I don't know.

I always really
enjoyed talking with him.

I just--you always
made me smile.

Well, you're very lit up
right now.

I'm all embarrassed.

I don't know.

[andy]
well, chefs, as you know,

It's a top chef tradition
that each year bravotv.com

makes and sells a t-shirt based
on their favorite expression

From the season of top chef.

I believe that spike mendelsohn
is wearing this year's

prototype t-shirt.

spike,
please stand and reveal

this year's shirt.

[tom]
"boner", it's gotta be.

"I have a culinary boner."

[Cheers and applause]

Andrew, congratulations.

Your shirt is for sale
at bravotv.com.

[Applause]

Well, could andrew the "manimal"

be this season's fan favorite?

We'll find out coming up.

I got a [bleep] t-shirt.

[Laughter]

What's happenin'?

This is my fight.

Is that really gonna play?

He's awaiting
the impending birth

of his baby girl

Is richard blais.

Welcome back
with the chefs and judges

from season four of top chef.

We all know that no one fights
like a chef, right?

take a look at the top

top chef four fights.

Dude, I hustled.

Get it all out.

I mean, come on,
point some fingers

If that's what you're doing.

Were they gonna get done

If I didn't get 'em done?

I feel like I pushed
harder than you.

[Bleep]
dale, you're such a little
bitch, bro, seriously.

Come on, man,
get your shine on, dude.

You are such a little bitch.

Get your cool green hat on

and say hello to the people
at the buffet table.

That's cool,
get your shine on, man.

You're so tough, dale.
get your shine on.

you're so tough.

Dale found this rice and--

I did not find the rice.

Let's get this correct.

you found the rice and said,
"look at this rice."

I did not grab that rice
off the top shelf.

That is what I'm not gonna do.

I'm not gonna sit here
and have you tell me

That I found the rice and said,
"use this rice."

Okay, okay, okay.

You're not talkin'
to your parole officer.

Let's move on.

[lisa]
andrew, in all fairness,

I had no idea that--
hey, it's all good.

You called me out.

Moving on, please, thank you.

You would've done
the same thing to me.

You know, I wouldn't have,
that's the difference.

If I say anymore I'm scared
I'm gonna get punched.

[andrew]
is that top chef?

Are you a [bleep] top chef for
callin' me out under the bus?

I don't know
what you want me to say.

Don't say [bleep].

Just [bleep] live
with your decisions

And I hope
you're [bleep] happy

and I hope that people
get to see this.

Maybe you should be considerate
about other people's opinions.

You know what?
that's what you shoulda done.

Is been considerate
that the two people

That were working with you

wanted to do butternut
squash too.

You are full of it.

you are full of it.

[jen]
you are just puttin'
your [bleep] teammate

In the ground.

So [bleep] what?

Yeah, so [bleep] what?

You have a problem with that?

That's weak [bleep].

All right, we get your [bleep]
[inaudible]

'Cause you get to bitch
and whine about everything

you [bleep] feel about,
and I'm tryin' to say

Just for one minute that I feel
that that's [bleep].

Whoo.

That was hilarious.

That last fight was more
confusing

Than one of ryan's
dish descriptions.

Please, can someone explain
what was going on?

I think what happened
was I was really upset

That zoi had to leave,
and, uh,

I did this baboon thing
where I started clapping.

I was [bleep] my pants
at that point.

You and I started
to totally collide and clash

and the next thing I know,

Dale just, like, went off.

And I was like,
"what's happenin'?

"This is my fight.

I'm gonna take this guy
down right now."

And then dale starts
goin' off on lisa

And you guys won.

I was like,
"hey, dale, step off.

This is my fight right now."

I was very bitter that I had
not gone on a trip to italy.

[Laughter]

And then was there not an
antonia fight mixed in?

That was what started it.

That was the beginning of it.

Well, actually,
if you wanna get technical

Ming tsai started it.

Well, we were at judges table
and when the whole thing came up

Where spike was like,
"I wanted to do soup."

and then of course
ming tsai was like,

"Soup would've
been a great idea."

and just validated,
like, the conversation,

so that as soon
as we walk back in

It was like,

"I knew we shoulda done soup.

"You had immunity.

You shoulda
kept your mouth shut."

Wait, but it was great.

They came walking in
quiet, quiet, quiet.

Separate corners, boom!

They just started
yellin' at each other.

And everybody was like,
"what just happened?"

From bad vibes to bad language,

let me read you a couple

of the viewer comments

About your mouths this season.

"the chefs are a bunch
of toilet mouths

"I would not want
preparing my food.

"the women are like
drunken sailors

on leave using
the f-b*mb every other word."

Let's see what the [bleep]
they're talking about.

I got a mouth like a sailor.

I cuss every other word.

[Bleep]

Half the time, inappropriate,
and, like, 5% Ret*rded.

[Bleep]

I've been working on that.

Tried to get it out of the pan
and it just [bleep] fell apart.

When I get nervous,
tourette syndrome comes out.

It just starts
sh**ting outta my mouth.

I don't know what happens.

I'm just gonna try to [bleep]
piece it back together.

I think I got it
from my mother.

[Bleep]

Hey, mom.

[Bleep]

Yeah, right now it's pretty
[bleep] stressful.

I think, you know,
we're just at that stage

In the game
where everyone's just, uh,

Startin' to let loose
and just tell everyone

How they really feel.

Just [bleep] hated each other.

Oh, that tastes like [bleep].

I [bleep] know everything

And everybody else sucks.

I wanna make [bleep]

Butterscotch waterfalls
out of unicorn [bleep].

[Sighing]

[Bleep] you and let's do this.

[Bleep]

Cheers, b*tches.

[Laughter]

Is that really gonna play?

[tom]
oh, yeah.
wow.

Stephanie, you're the top chef.

let's let you
answer this stuff.

I honestly--i mean, I grew up--
my mom swears a lot.

And I just--i don't know.

It just comes out when I
actually try to express myself.

Maybe I just don't have
a good vocabulary.

Those four-letter words
just sort of pop out.

I can't help it.

[ted]
did anybody's mother call you?

Yes.

Who called you,
what happened?

My mom,
who's deeply rooted in church.

And my entire church was,
like, rooting for me

And it was, like,
in church flyers, like,

"Hey, dale,
member of the church."

So, like, my mom refuses
to believe

That it's really me talking.

She says, "oh, it's tv.

They made him say that."

And I'm sticking with that
because if that's what my mom

Wants to believe,
that's what she's gonna believe.

I was surprised because you guys
were relatively well behaved

In front of us at judges table,

But then when the episodes aired
and I saw the stuff backstage,

I was shocked myself.

To me it was like, you're,
like, on a basketball court

Or a football field, do you
think those guys don't curse?

They do but when you're
in an interview--

Oh, an interview.
and you're cursing.

That's where most
of the cursing happened.

What it was, it was, like,

You're venting and it's, like,

You're with someone who has an
unbiased opinion about you.

That's kinda like
your therapist.

We're definitely not less
professional, I don't think.

You know,
for most of you, probably,

You're gonna do interviews.

this isn't the first
or last interview

you're gonna be given.

I guess the question
you needed to ask yourself was,

Is this the way
you wanna be portrayed?

No.

[andy]
so I'm hearing in my ear

That richard blais
is gonna be joining us

any minute from atlanta.

just enough time for us
to take a look back

At our own willy wonka.

What is that,
if I may ask?

It's a little smoker.

My perspective is truly unique.

How I use molecular gastronomy

Is a basis to take
traditional items

And make them better.

[Andrew]
the guy is like felix
more or less.

He has a large bag of tricks
all around him.

Like, it's crazy.

Makes foams and crazy juices.

[Antonia]
richard had, like,

A huge eucalyptus plant.

Eucalyptus is toxic.

What the hell is he gonna
do with that thing?

[Richard]
my idea is to marinate

These tofu steaks in beef fat.

It's kinda like a seinfeld skit.

[Imitating jerry seinfeld]
"this tofu tastes like beef.

What's up with that?"

what was the word
that we had?

It was, uh, "perplexed".

Exactly, see I'm very perplexed.

I'm a modernist,

So I usually like
to kinda deconstruct things.

Richard
doing peaches and tea glaze

On his deep-dish pizza.

You gotta be kiddin' me.

So we have some banana scallops

With their own guacamole

And, um,
some chocolate ice cream.

I don't know if I wanna eat
that for dessert, personally.

Your guacamole is strange
and delicious.

Strange is good and delicious
is even better.

You know, my style
is a motorcycle jump.

You're either gonna make it
to the other side

Or you're gonna crash and burn.

Excellent.

After the whole experience
of seeing these kids

I wanna go home
and I wanna make some babies.

Some little blaises.

[andy]
joining us from atlanta

Where he's awaiting
the impending birth

Of his baby girl
is richard blais.

Hey, richard.

Hey, what's goin' on, andy?

How is everyone?

[Cheers and applause]

We're excited to see you.

You look a little tired, man.

Yeah, a little tired, you know.

We thought last night was,
you know,

The time, the big time.

It was a false alarm.

So, yeah, I guess I do look
a little fatigued.

I really appreciate the fact
that, you know,

We can do this via satellite,
'cause, obviously,

It means a lot to me and,
you know,

I certainly wish
I was there as well.

I miss you guys.

I hear you opened a new
restaurant in atlanta.

Yeah, I did.

I opened up home restaurant
a few weeks ago.

it's, you know, going through
the normal growing pains

of opening a restaurant up.

It's kinda like having a child
as well, opening a restaurant.

We saw such
a sweet package earlier

about your sweet
little man-crush with dale.

tell me
about your relationship.

[Laughter]

I'm just tryin' to figure out
if I really said

That dale has gorgeous nipples.

was that me?

did I really say that?

You did.
You did.

Then he does.

He does have gorgeous nipples.

I love the guy so I guess it
comes across on tv, you know?

You know, richard, you were
such an amazing competitor.

you were the favorite
to win for a lotta people.

What happened in the end?

I think I really, you know,
at the end kinda

Was my own worst enemy
and just kind of

over thought a little bit.

you know,
I tried to force a few things

And, you know,
I just didn't kind of relax

And do what I did throughout
the competition, so.

[tom]
I think everybody would agree

That this was probably your
competition to lose.

but you had a comment
at judges table that, um,

You had thought
that you didn't deserve to win.

I think the comment
was more about choking, perhaps.

Okay, yeah, right, right.
I might've said
something like that.

You know, the challenge was
cook the best meal of your life.

I mean, I just felt like,
you know, in my heart and soul

that, you know,
it probably wasn't

The best meal of my life.

Do you feel that maybe you
shouldn't have mentioned it

Or that it was obvious?

I mean, I think it
was obvious to me.

Maybe I shouldn't have,
you know, mentioned it.

You know, that was my first
taste of probably really,

You know, getting it
on the chopping blocks.

So, I mean,
I think it was obvious to me

it wasn't my best performance
for sure.

[andy]
well, richard,

The folks at bravotv.com
got you a gift

For your new baby.

I think you have it there.

You wanna open it up?

It's not a culinary
boner t-shirt is it?

It's a baby one.

I want one of those,
by the way.

Oh, check this out.

[all]
aww.

[andy]
it's a little baby onesie.

They've replaced the knife
with a little silver spoon

and it's available
at bravotv.com.

Thank you so much.

That's awesome.

Now you don't
have one my size do you?

[Laughter]

Thank you so much, richard.

You know, stick around
because when we come back

We're gonna find out which chef
is winning $10,000

and will be crowned

the season four fan favorite

When we come back.

Welcome back, everyone.

Okay, it is finally time
to find out which chef

the viewers chose
to be the fan favorite.

as fan favorite,

you will have won
the hearts of america

And $10,000.

any final guesses?

I think stephanie
and andrew have

a really good chance at it.

Richard, who do you think's
gonna win fan favorite?

If I had to take a guess,
I would think

andrew or mark, actually,
would probably be my guess.

I think antonia could be.

Antonia, who do you think
it's gonna be?

I mean, it's usually somebody
who makes it, you know,

Pretty far out to the end.

See, I think it's gonna
be me, but, you know.

[Laughter]

No, I'm joking.
[andy]
colicchio?

You know, andrew's got
the quirky personality

That people love.

you know, stephanie has the,
sort of,

girl-next-door vibe goin' on.

You know, I could tell you
who's not gonna win.

And sorry to say, lisa, but it's
probably not gonna be you.

Okay, let's find out who
the fans love in season four.

this season's fan favorite

and winner of $10,000...

Also happens to be our
top chef stephanie.

[Applause]
wow.

Now you're really
buyin' drinks.
I told you.

I'm definitely buying
dinner tonight and drinks.

[lisa]
I told you.

you're so buying
dinner tonight for everybody.
yes, yes.

Stephanie, congratulations.

This has never happened
on top chef.

Where the winner has also been
the fan favorite.

[stephanie]
that's crazy.

Being around chicago
I've definitely gotten

A lot of support
so I thought, you know,

Definitely in chicago
a fan favorite,

But it's--yeah,
it's great to see that the fans

Have been enjoying it.

[andy]
let's take a look at why

The viewers love stephanie
so much.

[Dale]
I love stephanie.

I think she's the best.

She's someone I could, like,
look at as strong competition.

Stephanie,
she's an amazing chef.

She's like, you know,
had her own restaurant.

She's got great flavor profiles

And she's been
at the top a lot.

Actually, we went
a little asian as well.

Um, we have braised duck leg
spring roll.

So we have new york strip
that we've sauteed for you.

I have meatball and mushroom
soup today.

Just sort of heat it up.

I am very diverse in my cooking.

I have done asian
to mediterranean.

I know a lot of different
techniques

As well as different flavor
combinations.

And the person who's dish
we thought was the best

Is stephanie.

Thank you.

Stephanie.

Stephanie.
Stephanie.

[Richard]
my biggest competition

In the house is stephanie.

I think she's got
an interesting style.

So that, I think, automatically
makes you open your eyes.

To be honest,
I am so happy right now.

Now I'm cool.

I won the first one
and the last two.

I love being a chef
because I think in food.

I dream about food.

It's just what I do.

[Applause]

You've won the title.

You've won fan favorite.

can you doubt yourself again?

No, I mean, you know,
and I think it's just me

Always striving for perfection

And when I maybe think
that it wasn't perfect

I just,
for some reason I doubt it.

But I think that
this is definitely

A big confidence booster

and I'm super excited and i
just can't wait

to, like, get cooking again

And get my restaurant open, so.

Well, congratulations to you.

I'm curious to hear
from all of you

what advice you would give

to chefs around the country

Who are applying
to be on top chef five?

Run the other way.

Try and deal with the stress
as best you can.

Practice your plating skills
before you get on the show.

Pay attention to the rules.

I'd say try not to let
all the drama get involved

And just focus on the food.

Have a vision.

Definitely have fun.

Don't be afraid, you know?

Go ahead and do it

And, you know,
if you're talented,

You know, let it show
and do your own thing

And be yourself.

Tom, most talented
group of chefs

in top chef?

[tom]
without a doubt, definitely.

One of the joys I get
out of doing this

Is meeting and getting
to know chefs

That I probably wouldn't
get to know personally.

I mean, knowing you all
as individuals

is always a treat

and one of the highlights for
doing the show for me.

So thanks for a great season.

[All]
thank you.

[Applause]

Good night.