363725 Wed Jan 24 12:53:45 -0800 2007 43 33 Food Media and News 0 2222584 Any thoughts, ideas, or insights on who will be the final two after tonight? For what it’s worth I’m guessing Sam and Marcel. Wed Jan 24 12:53:45 -0800 2007 23758 Withnail42 1 2222599 Definitely Sam. Probably Marcel. Maybe Elia. Definitely not Ilan (I am still gagging over the Chocolate chicken livers). Wed Jan 24 12:56:54 -0800 2007 2222584 13564 Snackish 1 2222780 I predict the winner of the first challenge will get to pick the second member of their team for the elimination challenge, and that both members of the team that loses the elimination challenge will go home. Beyond that, it's a toss-up. They've all shown themselves capable both of making great food and of making really stupid mistakes. If nobody makes any showstopper mistakes, I'd bet on Elia over Sam. Wed Jan 24 13:33:48 -0800 2007 2222584 11369 Robert Lauriston 1 2222935 On the previews Elia accused Marcel of "cheating several times". Thats enough for me to want her out. Sam and Marcel will be the last two. Marcel will be kept even if the judges want him out. Marcel is good TV and gets ratings so the producers will want to keep him. Sam and Elia are about equal in talent but Elia is not much of a leader. Ilan has no chance at all. Wed Jan 24 14:07:00 -0800 2007 2222584 21571 RBCal 1 2222948 I'm going with Sam and Elia- even though I think Marcel should be there too. I bet Elia takes it all. Wed Jan 24 14:09:07 -0800 2007 2222584 12581 mdog 1 2222964 i have a feeling Sam and Elia are out tonight. ill have the same "no WAY" response I did last year when Lee Anne was kicked off. Wed Jan 24 14:11:47 -0800 2007 2222584 28054 itsolivia 2 2222992 That's consistent with another blog that points to a Hawaiian newspaper article about the finale. I don't want to spoil it for anyone, though, especially if it turns out to be bogus. Wed Jan 24 14:20:12 -0800 2007 2222964 17220 Claudette 1 2222973 I think it will be Sam & Elia too. For some reason I feel like the judges are overly forgiving when Elia screws up and she'll make it through. Wed Jan 24 14:14:32 -0800 2007 2222584 66445 saridt 1 2223032 Maybe the judges will change it and 3 go to the final. I think 3 could only make up for the lackluster performances to date. Wed Jan 24 14:29:29 -0800 2007 2222584 16991 kate used to be 50 1 2223033 I'm thinking Elia might win the whole thing. There have been lots of comments from Sam, Ilan and Marcel in newspaper articles and blogs, but I don't recall reading anything from Elia. I think the final two will be Sam and Elia. Wed Jan 24 14:29:36 -0800 2007 2222584 11028 DanaB 1 2223072 I'm pretty sure it's going to be Sam vs. Elia, and Elia ultimately wins. Here are my reasons: --Sam would be the obvious choice, so that makes me think he's NOT going to win. --Elia on the other hand seemed like she was going to lose during the last episode when she threatened to quit bc her chocolate wasn't perfect, which makes me think the producers were playing that part up so they'd surprise us when she wins. Plus throughout the show she has come up with extraordinary dishes but not always, whereas Sam has consistently turned out the good stuff -- another hint he's not gonna win. --Marcel has been there long enough to keep the show going, and it's time for him and his foams to vamoose (I bet the producers are annoyed enough with him too). --Ilan has been great but I saw him cooking on the line at Casa Mono the other day, and it just didnt look like he had won. If he had, then would he still be cooking at a restaurant like this, or wouldnt he instead be off building his own new restaurant or something??? He had kind of a sad look on his face too. Maybe I'm reading too much into his expressions. :P Wed Jan 24 14:39:28 -0800 2007 2222584 66097 sugarcookie 1 2223180 It all depends on how they craft the episode of course. I think it's a safe bet that it SHOULD be Sam, Elia, or Marcel. I think Sam is the best overall, and Elia could be, except one fatal flaw, no leadership. Marcel is the wildcard, because it seems as if the judges haven't had the same response to Marcel as the tv watching public. Sam, seeya. Wed Jan 24 15:32:44 -0800 2007 2222584 30158 amkirkland 1 2223221 Does anyone know if there is going to be a reunion special? Wed Jan 24 15:45:45 -0800 2007 2222584 10125 Frosty Melon 1 2223228 Elia is a quitter - not a "Top Chef". How many times has she become frustrated, crying, threatening to quit: 3 that I can think of! But I do predict Sam and Elia in the final 2. If Sam doesn't win I'd be shocked. Wed Jan 24 15:47:41 -0800 2007 2222584 66717 bakingpw 1 2223235 Think what will happen to the world of foams if Marcel wins. Wed Jan 24 15:49:44 -0800 2007 2222584 28054 itsolivia 2 2223544 LOLOLOL That nearly made me laugh-off of my chair. Wed Jan 24 17:12:07 -0800 2007 2223235 27319 brattenheimer 1 2223252 I don't know how it happened...but I have already seen the final show. I do know who the final 2 are and I know who wins it...I won't tell less ya'll want me to...HAHA....OBX Wed Jan 24 15:52:20 -0800 2007 2222584 67002 obxspiritdreamer 1 2223285 Sugarcookie - I do think you are reading into things. He may just really like his job. Working in an open kitchen for Andy Nusser at a well-established Mario Batali place is a great gig. And for all we know, he may contractually not be allowed to make any changes that would indicate that he won, until after it is publicly known. Wed Jan 24 15:59:55 -0800 2007 2222584 58165 sexy 1 2223503 Ilan couldn't have liked it very much. It was reported that he quit today. Wed Jan 24 17:00:31 -0800 2007 2222584 21571 RBCal 1 2223526 Ny Magazine referred to the original snack blog report that Ilan "quit" and then added the false information that Ilan's myspace page is fake (it's in fact his.) Ilan could have quit, or could have been asked to leave, for a number of reasons. Regardless if he won or not, it was time to move on. He's been working there for longer than I've seen most line cooks stay in one place. Wed Jan 24 17:06:14 -0800 2007 2222584 23212 gingersweetiepie 1 2223548 I think it's going to be Sam and Elia in the final two. Wed Jan 24 17:12:56 -0800 2007 2222584 27319 brattenheimer 1 2223592 Sam seems like so much of a know it all. I think Marcel would be a WHAT factor. It also says he is a Master Chef... Are any of the other that qualified? Wed Jan 24 17:25:04 -0800 2007 2222584 69015 bookwormchef 2 2224641 Being in the business I can tell you that just because you have a title behind your name doesn't make you it. I remember this guy that ran the most horrible little greasey spoon dump there was and he wore this name badge that said he was "master chef". There really aren't any governing bodies that police titles that people assume......OBX Thu Jan 25 05:03:33 -0800 2007 2223592 67002 obxspiritdreamer 2 2225606 Big Las Vegas hotels have hundreds of kitchen employees and consequently a lot of job titles. Marcel's is master cook, which I believe is the top of the line cook hierarchy. Next step up is sous chef, which is the bottom of the management portion of the pyramid. Thu Jan 25 09:47:59 -0800 2007 2223592 11369 Robert Lauriston 1 2227279 Why Marcel Vigneron will win: He stated in his interview in Las Vegas Weekly that Ilan is continually calling him and trying to be friends. If Ilan had won he likely would accept his friendship. However, if Marcel had won, there is no incentive for him to be friends. Ilan, however, has an incentive to make up with Marcel. He doesn't want Marcel dissing him when the winner is announced. All the publicity goes to the winner. Thu Jan 25 15:43:59 -0800 2007 2222584 21571 RBCal 2 2227361 I just read that interview and can't find that. http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/2007/01/18/feature2.html Thu Jan 25 16:04:17 -0800 2007 2227279 11369 Robert Lauriston 3 2227403 Sorry it's from the Las Vegas Sun http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/sun/2007/jan/21/566693449.html?vigneron Thu Jan 25 16:14:06 -0800 2007 2227361 21571 RBCal 1 2227348 Who wins the finale could depend heavily on the nature of the challenge. Both Marcel and Ilan have significant limitations. Thu Jan 25 16:00:59 -0800 2007 2222584 11369 Robert Lauriston 1 2227359 I predict Marcel will win. Like I said in the other post, this is following more of a Hollywood movie script than a real cookoff. He is the underdog - he takes a licking, but keeps on ticking. By now most people are sympathetic to him, even if they don't like him previously. Unless he just majorly screws up in the next challenge, he's good. Ilan is coming across as too much of an a*hole. Thu Jan 25 16:04:10 -0800 2007 2222584 46671 notmartha 2 2228849 I had been thinking the same thing. They have subtly been changing the public persona for each of them. This way if Marcel wins he will be a more sympathetic winner. At this point Ilan is coming across as a sniveling little schemer. And would make for a very unsympathetic winner. Fri Jan 26 06:18:13 -0800 2007 2227359 23758 Withnail42 2 2229532 I wouldn't say most people are sympathetic to him. I think at this point, most people would say they don't CARE who wins because both are a**holes. Fri Jan 26 09:18:16 -0800 2007 2227359 10532 LindaWhit 3 2229569 'Sympathetic' for lack of a better word. But they need to make him less of an a**hole the Ilan. That's the feeling Iv'e been getting. Fri Jan 26 09:25:31 -0800 2007 2229532 23758 Withnail42 1 2230673 Just watched the media clip of the final episode on bravotv's website. I don't want to give out spoilers, but it looks like it's going to be kind of challenging for Marcel... Fri Jan 26 13:18:50 -0800 2007 2222584 46671 notmartha 2 2234133 If you watch the ad for the finale, you can tell who wins. If I am right, then that was some sucky editing. Sat Jan 27 18:29:01 -0800 2007 2230673 10896 chaddict 3 2234337 What is it that you belived occured? Sat Jan 27 20:14:00 -0800 2007 2234133 23758 Withnail42 4 2234357 I don't want to spoil anything for anyone by naming out right but the same way another Chowhound figured out who was going to be sent packing several episodes ago is the way same way you can determine the winner. It's all in the angle... Sat Jan 27 20:21:58 -0800 2007 2234337 10896 chaddict 5 2235021 Ahhh, I think that was me. OK, I'll try and avoid the previews. While I'm not rooting for either Ilan or Marcel, I *think* I still want to be surprised on Wednesday. Sun Jan 28 08:15:47 -0800 2007 2234357 10532 LindaWhit 6 2235352 So far, I have only seen one ad with the tell-tale placement so don't worry too much. But by all means avoid the ads if you want to be surprised. Sun Jan 28 10:38:26 -0800 2007 2235021 10896 chaddict 5 2236571 I asked becuse there were times when body laguage was favoring one person. That is assuming they were standing as shown. Sun Jan 28 18:39:43 -0800 2007 2234357 23758 Withnail42 5 2238714 Padma's eyes alway gives it away! Mon Jan 29 11:43:21 -0800 2007 2234357 10195 KTinNYC 6 2238951 If Bravo flipped the film, that would be very ingenious of them as a means to throw everyone off... Mon Jan 29 12:33:46 -0800 2007 2238714 10896 chaddict 7 2239179 That would be very clever of them. I've only noticed the Padma glance on the coming attraction after the last episode and in no ads since. Mon Jan 29 13:31:25 -0800 2007 2238951 10195 KTinNYC 1 2235712 anyone interested in spoilers can easily find them online Sun Jan 28 13:13:05 -0800 2007 2222584 64416 nuxvomica 1 2238291 If Marcel doesn't win, the show's a sham. He's obviously the more talented and professional of the two. Mon Jan 29 10:09:44 -0800 2007 2222584 64030 Gigigirl2