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.

Carla vs. Stefan would rock.

Ripert says that Jamie was so far behind in her mis en place that there was nothing ready for him to taste when he did his walk through and he thinks she suffered as a result.

Ripert says he'll respond to questions posted in comments to his blog entry. My question

HOW ARE YOU SO AWESOME?!

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

In all fairness, they are not very strong. I don't know if he's dismissing them because of their gender. Jamie is the only really strong female chef (and Carla, to a certain extent, but she just got her chops recently).

A really funny Top Chef recap: [link]

I could go into details, but that's the basic gist.

we are here for the details! please explain.

Someone like, say, Jeff, clearly isn't: he's probably great in his own kitchen, at his own pace.

...with his own mirror. But no, I agree with your assessment, victor.

Yeah, I forgot about Jamie being so far behind that she didn't have anything for Ripert to taste until D. reminded me. So in that respect she's definitely got herself to blame.

And that's a good point that it's the first time the judges have seen Leah quit even though we have several times already. I don't think her skills will hold up to the final though, now that it's getting down to the wire. It says something about this show that I generally believe that the talent will show itself. With a few exceptions (I'm looking at you, season two) I think that's been the case.

I just realized I ate at Jean-Louis in the Watergate when Eric Ripert was chef there. I believe it was before seeing George Winston at the Kennedy Center. It was one of my early dates with M1. Apparently, we had decided to act like 50-year-olds that night.

Hee! Made of win. Was it delicious?

George Winston wrote a blurb for the SO to use in his publicity back when we were playing out. George did a show at our college because our college had a gorgeous Stein grand, and the SO snuck in and spent the night in the chapel because George had blocked out the time for rehearsal. After having been ambushed at like, five in the morning, George still agreed to sit down and listen to D.'s playing. He was shuffling papers and D. started, but George stopped him and said, no, wait, I want to be able to really hear what you're doing. Gave him his full attention while he played. And then sent him the blurb, some six months later.

Good show, too.

ABDC: I can't believe Fly Khicks are still in at the cost of Ringmasters and we're not going to get to see Ringmasters do magic. But I have to say they put on a pretty good show last night. Overall, though, I think all the lame dances were still lame dances. Funny, though! And Quest Crew's stall...what? That was amazing.

I'm not into the cloggers anymore. All the drama is coming from the one person. Whatever.

Still love Beat Freaks and Strikers.