She usually puts on a good face for the judges.

This just reminds me again how much I wanted to punch her right in the sad-face she was giving Ripert during the QF.

I would hate working for Stefan but would love to have him work for me. Until his staff revolted and quit.

I get the feeling that in Stefan's kitchen it's probably understood that you do things Stefan's way, but I actually don't see him as a yeller or a ranter. I could be forgetting stuff, though.

I think that Stefan is not popular is team challenges because he fights so hard to champion his ideas, which is always something the judges give the cheftestants a hard time about, not standing up for your ideas and your dish. He's pushy and arrogant, but his instincts are pretty sound. He's a fierce competitor and I respect him. I think that other chefs would too.

Oh! Speaking of getting and not getting it, that was a great moment with Ripert and Carla and the non-Bearnaise Bearnaise.

Stefan has been growing on me, and his encouraging everyone to help Carla plate was really nice.

I think both these moments seemed just so "professional" that it made me really reconsider my opinions of both Stefan and Carla. I'd be happy with either of them winning, or Fabio. To me, Stefan is clearly leagues ahead of the others (in chef skills).

Both Leah and Hosea have to go. Hosea particularly bugs me because he is always putting himself in the group with Stefan and Fabio when we really haven't seen much to indicate he is in fact on that level.

Hosea particularly bugs me because he is always putting himself in the group with Stefan and Fabio when we really haven't seen much to indicate he is in fact on that level.

And in doing so, he dismisses the female chefs entirely. Time to go!

And in doing so, he dismisses the female chefs entirely. Time to go!

Yeah, that's partly what I meant to. It makes me savor Carla's recent win and her performance this challenge even more.

I get the feeling that in Stefan's kitchen it's probably understood that you do things Stefan's way, but I actually don't see him as a yeller or a ranter.

This is my impression as well. As long as you're ready to get with his program, he's perfectly pleasant.

Hosea is such a fucking douche. Ugh.

I think, and this is true of any fundamentally subjective challenge, that some chefs are more "built" for this competition than others. Stefan definitely is. Someone like, say, Jeff, clearly isn't: he's probably great in his own kitchen, at his own pace. But "Top Chef" is about dealing with particular, tightly defined circumstances.

I thought, as did most people, that Jamie was the sort of chef that was built for this sort of thing, but (my being bullshit aside) she probably isn't. There've been signs all season long, back to the "Top Scallop" bits.

But Carla? Hmmm. Carla is weird, and offbeat, and somewhat in her own world. But she has experience, and the skills, and seems to be adapting pretty well to the circumstances. If she can conquer her nerves, she may actually make it.

But it's now officially Stefan's competition to lose. Where's Andrea when we need her?

I'm hoping for a Carla vs Stefan final. (Carla vs Fabio would be fun too, but I just don't see it happening.