Given how easily she went along with Casey, I can't help but wonder how much worse it would have been if she had been paired with Marcel. I think only Richard could have saved her, of the three sous chefs.

I don't know, I think Marcel might not have interfered. I mean, he didn't speak up about the freezing fish idea.

I was so disappointed by the finale. I thought that if Carla wasn't going to win, Stefan would knock it out of the park. Really bummed. I feel a bit bad for Casey. Now she'll be known for f*cking up in two finales.

Also, I did finally watch the Flay/Freitag Iron Chef with sous chef Ariane. Quite a good episode with lots of tasty-looking dishes.

I don't know, I think Marcel might not have interfered. I mean, he didn't speak up about the freezing fish idea.

I don't know that Marcel would have stood up to someone with a strong personality. I think that he would have tried to overrun Carla, because she clearly can be led.

Richard would have been a great sous chef. He would have offered suggestions, but not tried to push.

I'm sad that Carla messed up the souffle. I think that a cheese course would have been a perfect third course. It might have saved her.

I'm sad that Carla messed up the souffle. I think that a cheese course would have been a perfect third course. It might have saved her.

It was definitely a great idea and really went with her whole French theme, where the third course is traditionally "cheese or dessert". Plus, it sounded yummy. I would've have been interested to see what they would have said had she served it with the soufflé.

Here's what Stefan said in his Q&A:

Bravotv.com: Were you happy you got Marcel to help you? How much influence did he have on the meal?

It was my meal and not Marcel's meal. I picked Marcel because I looked in Carla's eyes and she was freaked out if she would have been paired up with Marcel. And let me tell you one thing, and that is to all the Marcel haters out here that he is maybe a little wierd sometimes but the guy can cook and I'm happy I had him as a sous-chef. Thank you Marcel.

I agree about Carla's planned cheese course. It is a traditional ending to a French meal, and it would have nicely straddled the line between third (heavy) savory course and dessert. Poor Carla! I'm wavering between wanting to hug and wanting to shake her.

How To Improve Top Chef from the Epicurious blog.

I have to agree with:

Focusing on the food, not the personalities. You could almost hear the Season 5 editors begging you to learn to hate arrogant Stefan and root for "all-American" boy Hosea. But it didn't work, and Hosea's constant whining about Stefan's well-earned victories didn't engender much sympathy. (His comments at the end of the finale, by the way, were far from gracious.) Basing Top Chef on the conflicting personalities obviously isn't working. Instead of trying to turn the show into The Real Housewives of Various Kitchens and pumping up feeble rivalries, consider concentrating on the cooking. Too bad the food throughout Season 5 wasn't exactly awe-inspiring.

Yeah, I'm furious with Casey, but I'm more mad at Carla for letting Casey happen to her. It was just a wrong decision and I wish Carla had stood up because I think her dishes, if successful, would have been winners.

Short of Carla winning, I wasn't going to be happy no matter what in this one. Dave was cheering for Hosea because he hates Stefan so much, but I didn't want either one of them to win.

Richard and Carla definitely would have worked well together. And Marcel didn't do badly with Stefan.

Oh, that freezing the fish thing was so stupid. I'm glad he lost just for that.

Richard and Carla definitely would have worked well together. And Marcel didn't do badly with Stefan.

What was really annoying was that, because she had been first before, she got the "advantage" of picking the first knife. How is the order you do a random draw an advantage? She should have just gotten to pick her sous-chef directly.

she got the "advantage" of picking the first knife. How is the order you do a random draw an advantage?

Yeah, that was bullshit. Of course, she might have picked Casey anyway.

Anyone else wondering why Fabio was there? Not that I wasn't thrilled to see him, but have they ever done that before -- invited an ousted chef to the finale dinner?

I think they've been doing that ever since the finale was 2 parts. (If they bring 4 to the finale city but only let 3 compete in the last challenge, chef #4 will always be hanging around with nothing to do.)