Top Gear: They fooled me when they gave Stefan the win for being a good chef but could have easily picked Fabio for good service. I thought they would do the same thing on the flip side for the losing team--cut Rahdika a break for service and boot Carla for the desserts. Rahdika did deserve to go, though, because you don't leave your VIP guests hanging the way she did.

Top Gear: Identity of the Stig.

Awww, that's no fun! Like that BBC staffer said in the article, you don't print an article saying that Santa isn't real, so they shouldn't blow such a fun secret as the identity of The Stig. After all, some say that he floats like a butterfly, and stings like a bee.

Well it really was his dessert plus Fabio's charm. He COULD have been serving monkey ass and empty clam shells and people would have eaten it up!

Fabio and Radhika were prime example of how much difference service makes to a dining experience.

I was a bit shocked when Radhika picked Fabio second, when both Fabio and Jeff were available at that moment. (Although none of Jeff's organizational or sorbet skills were utilized. He pretty much just put his head down and cooked. Which was a smart call on his part.)

I kind of like Carla, but she's not the one you want in your culinary foxhole -- she's frequently a tranwreck of bad decision making. Now imagine if Radhika had picked Fabio instead. I'm willing to bet that Fabio still would have leapt at front of house, and they'd be on top.

I kind of like Carla, but she's not the one you want in your culinary foxhole -- she's frequently a tranwreck of bad decision making.

Oh she drives me crazy. I was right with the judge who wanted to fire her for talking about sending love out (with her crappy desserts). She didn't speak up when they were planning the menu AGAIN and then couldn't make a decision about the desserts when she could see they were going to fail.

I was right with the judge who wanted to fire her for talking about sending love out (with her crappy desserts).

I generally like her but man was that some whacked out shit. Especially once it became clear that she was serious, not being cutesy.

Especially once it became clear that she was serious, not being cutesy.

Yeah, I thought she was joking around at first, but no.

Right. She was their weakest chef: she should have been their FoH on that basis alone. Plus, she is much more of an extrovert than Rhadika.

Top Gear: Identity of the Stig.

I can't say I'm disappointed; he seems to live up the billing. Double for Daniel Craig, hey now.

I kind of don't know why anyone would really try in the QF that sets the leaders for Restaurant Wars -- the leader of the losing team generally goes home, and you only have so much control over your team, even as the leader. I think being the star sous chef or whatever on either team puts you in a better position overall.

I kind of don't know why anyone would really try in the QF that sets the leaders for Restaurant Wars

I was thinking the same thing, actually, and thought it was odd that Padma announced which competition it was before the battle. (Although it has to be when there either 8 or 6 competitors, so they probably knew.)

I just don't think it ever occurs to them to take a dive here.

I just don't think it ever occurs to them to take a dive here.

I dunno, I think Jeff's salmon might have been a throw.