Let's all be clear. Colicchio prefers male chefs. Once they get to the finals, even if everyone loved a woman's dish he finds a reason to pound them, and even if they don't like one of the men's dish, he finds a way to praise it so he can justify his vote. We get that this is HIS show, and he's calling the shots, but In the first 9 seasons of top chef, and all 5 of top chef masters, exactly ONE woman won; and then when women started catching on and tuning out (i.e. his ratings dropped along with his income), he changed his tune. Nobody is fooled. It's like watching a bald Jeffrey Steingarten who believed only male chefs could create good food.

Wow, I used to love this show, it had so much integrity. But I'm totally done with watching it after this season. Kicking off two of the only chefs who belong in the finale, major blow to the psyche. Just shows the influence of corporate America on what was once a cooking show that demonstrated the actual prowess of the chefs. Now it is all a bunch of crap. I don't even care to watch the very last show. I don't want to even engage in this show any longer. I am wholly disappointed in the judges and hosts of this show who I looked up to for so long. Two of the worst chefs going to the finale after kicking off two of the best, boo-ya! Lame. I'm sorry I wasted my money purchasing this episode off Amazon. I just couldn't wait the three weeks it takes Bravo to upload their video to their site. This show used to be so great. Ever since the new producers took it over (Texas season), it has made my blood boil. So sad to let go. But, I guess Bravo makes their money on senseless money-making garbage like "The Housewives" that having a decent cooking challenge show is too boring for the moronic American public. I despise this country and what it has come to. I used to look up to Tom, Gail and Padma, now they have entered an area of my heart where they can reside with the sponsors, such as their wine sponsor (mafia related) and modern day Toyota. Sell outs. Basic human souls. Pathetic. I still love Emeril, though. Bam! You go, my friend. I know you see it all as it really is. Your eyes have been open with the yea-yeo and I love you, brother.

I started watching this reality series with the second episode during the first season. I have loved it ever since. I really like the challenges. I have heard the complaint that it is not always about the cooking but being a top chef is about the cooking.. the challenges in my opinion are set up to evaluate how the chefs interact with each other, co-workers, underlings, and customers. I think the show is designed to challenge the chefs in ways that they are not accustomed to but yet, the effect is the same as things that happen every single day in the kitchen. THe challenges force the chefs to look deep within themselves. What I mean is that the challenges are set up to encourage out of the box thinking, what happens when half the staff is out with the flu, the delivery truck is 6 hours late, the market sent the wrong type of lettuce/squash/herb, the freezer went out, the house is overbooked by double, as someone got a date wrong on the books so 2 whole seating's are scheduled for the same time, when something gets burned etc. This show just puts what normally might happen over 6 months of problems squashes it into a couple of days, a group of people stuck together away from home, living together, working together,cooking together-from all walks of life, all kinds of cooking experience and education. Add it all together, stir it up and you get a great show

This show is just so much fun! You can root for your favorites and rag on the ones you don't like. I have found that my favorites change as the show moves on, but there are some I simply did not like, right from the start. The first few episodes were kind of "getting to know the players" episodes. Then I chose Elan as the most likely to win. He just seemed to be the most professional of the bunch. Now, mid-season, I have changed my favorite three or four times. Now I'm torn between Elan, Cliff, and Sam. Then again, I think Marcel has real pizazz! He also has real potential as a celebrity chef. But who knows where it will go. Each week, I await the next episode eagerly. And not just incidentally, they cook some pretty amazing stuff. I really can't wait till this comes out on DVD.