01x12 - Finale (2)

[bunniefuu]

And the title of Top Chef.

I deserve to be here,
and being Top Chef is

definitely important to
me, especially coming

in without a formal culinary training.

I'm here at $100,000 to take it home.

It's go time.

It's the finals.

Got to go in there and finish the job.

I don't want to finish the second.

I want to win.

That's all there is to it.

Time better buckle up.

I'm ready to bring it.

It's game time.

Welcome to Tom's
Restaurant at the MGM Craft

Steak and the final
challenge of Top Chef.

You two are about to go knife to knife to

compete for the
opportunity of a lifetime.

This challenge is something you've
been waiting for for a long time.

No kids, no microwaves,
no carts, no gimmicks.

This is just straight up cooking.

Each of you will prepare a five
course meal for eight diners.

It's time to prove who's
worthy of the title Top Chef.

The diners you'll be
cooking for are some of the

most prestigious people
in the culinary world.

Our guest judge will be Lorraine
Brocko from the Sopranos.

She's a well-known foodie
and wine connoisseur.

Lorraine has hand-picked a wide
range of Italian wines from

her company Brocko Wines for
you to serve with your meals.

You're going to draw knives
to find out which restaurant

in the MGM Grand you'll
be cooking your meals.

First chef will be cooking at Knob Hill.

The second chef will be
cooking here at Craft Steak.

Harold.

Number one here at Knob Hill.

I think we know where you're cooking.

I think I'm probably
cooking at Craft Steak.

There you go.

I am.

Excellent.

Of course we realize you
may need a little help to

complete your vision, so
we've arranged for some.

Here we go.

Excellent.

Man, that's a nice tie.

That is a nice tie.

Your previously eliminated competitors,
Dave, Leanne, Stephen, and Miguel.

A top chef is one who inspires other
people to want to work for them.

The four of you are going to be
given an opportunity today to

pitch in and help one of these
two chefs win the competition.

We're going to go down a
line and tell us who you'd

want to work for and why
you'd want to work for them.

Dave, we'll start with you.

You know, I've worked with
both of you in several cases.

I think I'd like to work for Harold.

Man.

Again, we both are amazing
chefs, and Harold, I

love working with you,
man, so you're my choice.

Stephen.

I'd love to work with both
of you, for sure, but I

think I would like to say
just keep it interesting.

I work with Tiffany.

Thanks.

I'll lead you, Chuck.

I don't know. I mean, do I even it up?

If three of you choose to work with
Harold, then it's Harold's choice.

I just have a good connection with Harold,
and I would like to work with Harold.

Okay, so Harold, you have Dave, and
Leanne, and Miguel want to help you share

your vision and get you to win this
competition, but you can only have two.

Okay.

Who do you choose?

First off, I got to take Leanne because I
just have a great relationship with her.

I work really well together,
and I love both you guys, Miguel

and Dave, and you know, the way
I see it, I say we draw knives.

Listen to this.

I don't like it.

Turn the tables, kid.

Dave, Miguel, whoever pulls knife
number one, will be my partner.

Respectful.

sh*t.

Okay, it's all good. It's all good.

One, two, three, pull.

Harold, who's your daddy?

I'm happy to have you.

So it looks like we're
going to have a little

bit of an east coast, west
coast smack down here.

Tiffany, you have Dave on your team, and

Steven, and Harold, you
have Leanne and Miguel.

So it all comes down to this challenge.

You will have this afternoon to prep.

You will meet with an MGM staff member to

order any food and supplies
that you will need.

Tomorrow, you will serve your menus.

And one of you will be named top chef.

Good luck.

Thank you.

All right, let's go
New York. Let's do it.

I'm happy to have you both.

I'm really happy to have you both.

The fact that I'm on the team
with Tiffany's is very ironic.

You know, I'm dealing with it, and that's
how it goes, because I'm not going to...

I am on Harold's team with Miguel.

I'm happy that I can help
Harold in this final challenge.

Let's go cook and have some fun.

That's it. Absolutely.

We went to Nam Hill, which
is a gorgeous restaurant.

We have an hour to put a menu
together, taste the wines.

I was actually thinking maybe put
the granola with a squab chunk.

What do you think?

Harold, he opened it up to us. It
becomes more of a team challenge.

I would probably take
the two Chiantis and

definitely do some heavy
meat action with that.

Miguel, week one, did
a duo of beef, and it

was a dish that I know
he can execute well.

If you can put a compilation of a
menu together with everybody's ideas,

the people involved are going to
take so much more pride in it,

because they have some of
their influences on the menu.

So do you all, guys.

Hard work and labor,
baby. No matter what.

I've been thinking about
duality in my life a lot,

like good and bad and how
things play off of each other,

and so each course is going to be two.

We are taking one ingredient
or similar ingredients

and creating two preparations of each.

We're doing essentially
two tasting menus,

and that's going to be a bit of a
risk, and it's going to be hard for us.

The menu was ambitious, but it
kind of reminded me of myself.

It was very Stephenette-esque almost.

We're going to do artichokes two ways.

The menu, paired with the wines,
though, that was totally an issue.

Artichokes make wine taste sweeter.

I was basically kind
of pushed in a corner.

Tiffany had this menu
preconceived, and that was it.

This is one of the most
difficult wine pairings

I've ever had to put
together for any meal.

Dessert, help.

I got a great quick panna cotta if
you want to do something with it.

Any Italian food?

Dave, how do you feel
about just taking dessert?

I wanted to be ready to do dessert, so...

You're great.

I'm just lucky.

I stepped in with desserts and
said I can bring this to the table.

We're definitely working as a team,

even though probably both Stephen and
I would rather have it be flipped.

How do you feel about the menu?

It's your style, yeah.

Just grab a basket, start grabbing
**** off the list that's on there.

We go to the commissary kitchen.

Deep sheets or short ribs if
you can't get them this quick.

Pick up the flour and wait for tomorrow.

Six of these.

I feel really good about
everything I've chosen.

Everything really just
tight and beautiful.

I feel good, but, you know,
it's not over till it's over.

Guys, we have eggs.

How we doing?

Hey.

What are you working on?

We're doing two menus.

I know.

Wait, you're doing two menus?

What are we having?

We're starting off with
scallops, two ways.

We're moving on to artichoke
preparations, two ways.

And then going into fish after that.

And then the meat courses veal two ways,

and then we're also going to
finish it off with two desserts.

I'll see you tomorrow. Good luck.

Thanks, chef.

Right now it's really about
food and about execution.

And I think that's where possibly
Tiffany can get tripped up.

We asked her to do five-course
tasting menu for eight people.

She chose to do two tasting menus.

So instead of cooking five
dishes, she's cooking ten.

That could either wow
the judges to see that

she's put a little more
effort into it to do that,

or if one or two things go
wrong, it can affect both dishes.

Hey, Harold.

How's it going, Tom?

Good. What's going on?

Funny everything you need?

Yeah, more or less, you know.

First course is going to be some really
nice, beautiful diversity scallops

with a chafe and all the ramps out.

From there, we're going to go
into an olive oil poached bass.

After that, I'm going to
do some hand-roasted quail

and then do bay beef and short rib.

Beef two ways. I've seen
that one before, huh?

That's it, man. You kidding me?

I got the champ.

Way back when with the beef two ways.

I thought that was the best dish
you did in the whole competition.

Thanks.

I thought it was really good.

For the final course, I decided
to go with three cheeses

and a fig tart to try and display
my fabulous pastry skills.

Get a good night's sleep.
Good luck. See you tomorrow.

And take care. I'll see you.

Harold, he has a lot of
interesting and intricate dishes.

However, he's playing it safe.

Tiffany, she's doing more dishes.

He's got a solid team behind
him. There should be no excuses.

I'm glad I memorized my dessert recipes.

They're not going to benefit me, but
I think they're going to benefit Tiff.

Go quick. Go quick. One minute.

This is us?

Time has retired.

I'm prepping for the big challenge.

Big day's tomorrow, and I'm feeling good.

Worked great with me and Miguel.
I know they have my back.

It's all about tomorrow.

We are moving along really well.

Steven and Dave, they're
executing my vision.

It's her thing, so I'm letting
her say whatever she wants,

and, you know, I'll execute
to the best of my abilities.

So, America, don't be
pissed if I help Tiff win.

I'm being a good sport.

I'm not sure this was the right dish.

I would send this back.

It's really, really intense.

You know, the adrenaline's taking over,

and I know at some point I'm definitely
going to have to get that under control.

I'm really happy with the ideas that
Leanne and myself and Miguel put together.

If I go home, you know, winter,
it's going to be fantastic.

It'll be the greatest thing in the world.

It means a lot to me to
be able to help Harold.

He is a solid, solid chef.

I want to make it happen
for him, you know?

I also brought a white truffle honey.

Yeah, exactly.

It was an honor to me that
they wanted to work with me.

I thought that was special,
and, you know, I want to win.

I want to bring it home for him.

Chef?

Yeah?

One hour.

Good question, Chef?

Yeah.

Call me Harold.

Call me Harold.

All right.

All right, H.

It was kind of weird being
called Chef by Miguel and Gwen.

You know, I really looked at them
as peers and not as superior at all.

Chef.

Very good.

I wanted to tell them,
guys, just knock it off.

I know you're just, you know, you're
just taking little shots at me.

So it was fun. It was cute.

Hi. Hey, how's it going, guys?

I'm not a dining room guy.

Can I give you a piece of advice?

I thought it was a whole lot of advice.

Stay in the back of the house.

I thought about writing a menu.

It just makes more sense. It's practical.

One ticket to the menu,
you pull the show plates,

and then we'll start
going with the tasting.

Then I'll go out at the beginning of
the meal and at the end of the meal.

Okay.

Cool? Great.

Thank you so much, guys.

You know, it's the finals soon.

I was nervous. I was nervous.

All right, I'm getting an eerie feeling.

Things are just going too smooth.

The bottom line is...

I'm getting eerie.

You've been on the back,
and it's going to warm up.

Oh, yes!

Come on.

I'm sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry.

We're cutting it close.

We can still do it. We
can make this happen.

You're okay with using
black pepper in you?

No, use the white pepper.

This is white?

No.

Are you sure?

No.

That one right there.

This is white. Just
tell somebody, please.

Right there.

Harold is unaware of who's
coming to dinner today.

We have a great group of diners.

It's a great showcase for his talent in
front of a lot of industry heavyweights.

Oh, there's some tough
judges here. I'm in trouble.

Hey, how's everybody doing?

Nice to see everybody.

So, I'd like to introduce
you to everybody.

Of course, you know Gail and
Tom, and this is Lorraine Bracco.

And we also have Dana Cowan, who's
the editor of Food and Wine magazine.

Yes, I know.

You know Hubert Keller.

Hubert.

Michael Nino.

I know Michael.

And Drew.

I know Drew.

Drew Niebuhr basically
owns a culinary empire,

so I was a little step on
my side, so I was out there.

We kind of tasted all the wine just
today, and I thought they were fantastic.

We just kind of put a
menu together, you know?

I'm very excited.

I'm excited too. Have a nice meal.

The most influential
people in the restaurant

business are out at that table right now.

It's nerve-wracking, you know?

It's just like every single
scene. It's just like, holy s***.

You put a group of judges
together like that,

they're going to let you up a little bit.

You better have your Kevlar on.

The f***ing adrenaline is
out of control right now.

He actually has a good
eye for presentation.

I love the way he paired
it with the Pinot Grigio.

You know, if you could eavesdrop a
little for me, that'd be fantastic.

The vinaigrette's light, so you
can actually taste the product.

It might have been dressed
a little early, perhaps.

It's been kind of sitting
there a little bit too long.

It's a little bit wilted.

I think that your salad was
dressed a little too early,

so you're getting there at the range
of probably getting a little wilted.

It wasn't a home run, I guess.

We'll see what happens.

Let's fire the fish.

They're pretty cute.

Yeah, they are.

We're all good.

Wow.

The piece that I got is
just mostly the bloodline.

Oh.

Look at that.

Yeah, that's raw.

Are they enjoying the fish?

It's a tough table out there, you know.

I'm really just doing the best I can.

The seasoning's a little hot.

And you know, when you poach in the pan,
you're going to season the fish again.

I'm not sure this was the
right dish for a Brunello.

I was just surprised a
little bit of the fish

being, to me at least,
presented upside down.

You know they're going to nitpick me.

This is it, man.

No, I know.

So, all you can do is put
out your badge, brother.

You guys ready?

Hopefully we're k*lling
them with this one.

Otherwise I'd have to go out
there with my bulletproof vest on.

What's your rule of
thumb with cooking quill?

Because, personally, I don't like quill
undercooked, but I see that as a thing.

It's a little bit over to me for me.

I have to say, this made me just happy,

because these combinations
are really classic.

It's going through your mind, dude.

You all right?

Oh, it's tough, man.

It's ****.

But you couldn't have
expected them to come here

and sit there and lollydah,
you know what I mean?

Someone will let you guys down, you know?

Nah.

It's not about letting us down.

It's about us picking you up, bro.

I promise you.

I want my shot of this, and
I should be **** on set.

So far, for me, every dish
worked really well with lons.

I think the progression's
been really nice.

These are ready to go.

Thank you.

Wow.

Wow.

I don't care what they say.

I feel good about that plate.

If I got that plate in the
restaurant, I'd be very happy.

It's really good.

And I think with the wine, I
think that's the best match.

This is my favorite so far.

What I liked about this is
he respected the product.

I have absolutely no
criticism of this dish at all.

I think he did a fabulous job.

I think this was a great way
to end this part of the meal.

It's a home run.

Yeah?

Thank **** God.

It's got the word on the beef dish.

I had a home run out there, and
they're really happy with it.

So I was feeling confident about it.

We'll see what happens.

Hopefully, it's enough.

His main idea was doing a cheese
list to parrot with the amaroni.

Hopefully, the judges will
be wowed by the pairing.

Having the cheese course and a
dessert presented on the same plate,

but different compartments,
I really love it.

I think if you eat some
of this with the cheese,

I think it's really good.

Yeah, yeah.

The cheese is delicious.

The cheeses are all very smartly chosen,

and they were wonderful.

All right.

I got my boat per vest on.

I'm ready.

You sit at this table.

Forget about it.

It's a happy deal.

My quail in particular
was not properly cut.

It was off-cut.

Otherwise, when it
comes to the Kobe beef,

it was a wonderful dish.

Thank you.

The best pairing was the
amaroni with the cheeses.

I thought that was magnificent.

I thought that the progression was great,

but the one that left me with
the sort of question mark

and was the baskets.

I felt like you just
had too much going on.

Gotcha.

Philosophically, when you cook,

do you cook to please the guest,

or do you cook to please yourself?

I try and cover both bases.

I mean, that's the reason why I cook.

Good answer.

Well, Harold, thank
you for a lovely meal.

We will see you at Judge's table.

Good luck.

Thank you very much.

I don't want to talk at all

until we're completely done with this.

I'm dealing with it.

I'll be thrilled when it's done.

If we can keep the glass off the line

of paraffia drink, just no less than one.

I think Dave and Stephen
were supposed to be

in the commissary to help me out.

Can I keep some of that tape

and bring it back to you, or no?

So, Oreo's kind enough to help me

get all of my stuff up to craft stick.

Hell, you know, if
being a little bit late

inspired them to work their asses off

that much more for me,

maybe it's a good thing.

You guys okay?

Yeah.

All right.

Stephen and I went out

and had a great evening in Vegas.

Let's just leave it at that.

We should probably taste
some of those wines.

Well, let's taste one of these.

Let's taste it now.

I was happy to have Dave and Stephen

in whatever way it could happen.

I need like a...

Hell no.

Or silver.

It doesn't matter.

Still drunk.

Yeah, whatever we got.

Let's bring it.

They were definitely hungover.

Stephen, let's go.

You gotta go and move on.

I had to literally say everything

to Stephen three times.

Will you give me a low oven

and get some plates in for me?

Low oven.

Low oven with plates.

Cut caperberries in half for me.

Yeah, sure.

I think we should go ahead

and plate the first course.

Good evening.

How was everyone?

Great.

How are you doing?

Good.

So I'd like to introduce
you to everybody.

These people don't need
introductions, Katie.

I'm a firm believer
that you can't separate

the cook from the food.

My life's been a lot
about duality lately,

like a lot of good and
some difficult stuff

all at the same time.

We're going to approach everything

in two ways tonight,

always taking one ingredient

and showing you two different ways.

All right?

Let's get going.

Thanks, guys.

Thank you.

Very ambitious.

I have to say.

Do we know more about the duality

than we just should mean?

Do I have to put my Dr. Melfi suit on?

I don't want to talk at all

until we're completely done with this.

I'm sorry.

Pull plates.

Let's go.

I need them to flow with me

and to be able to just
sort of work with it.

Don't disappear on me.

Huh?

Don't disappear on me.

No, no, go ahead.

Okay, so two different preparations

on diver scallops.

The first is just a seared diver scallop

wrapped in a charred ramp,

and then that's finished

with just a little bit of
the squinting emulsion.

Mr. Neoport,

we have scallop crudo.

It's one scallop

in sashimi-style slices

with a little bit of grapefruit segment,

some Meyer lemon in the middle,

and then sweet kumquats.

Here's your girl.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I think with the older,

the different citrus and the kumquat,

it feels a little bit discovered.

My scallop is cooked beautifully.

This squid emulsion is delicious.

This is where Tiffany may get in trouble

because we have a lot of comparison

between the two dishes.

I like both, really.

When she comes in,

let's not be socializing,

because...

All right, moving on.

Let's pull those plates

and those artichokes are nice and hot.

Artichokes hands down

the hardest food to pair with wine.

All your fried products are up above.

They're good.

The seasoning's really
good already, actually.

Oh, is it?

Yeah.

Dave's using the artichokes.

Tiffany felt the need

to not even taste the dish

and then re-salt it.

I trust Dave with sauces,

but you're a little hungover

and your palate's not there.

What else do you need?

Trash and garnish.

She thought it would be good.

The bossing is,

it's already kind of starting,

but it's in her best interest

to keep it low,

but if she pushes it,

I'm gonna push off.

What else do you need right now?

Nothing.

You're good.

Just, if we can keep
the glass off the line

of a pair of free drinks,

just no less than one.

Helping someone that I just have

little or no respect for,

the drinking is the only
way I can make it through.

Thanks, Lorraine.

Thanks for the wine.

What Lorraine you have,

it's an artichoke risotto.

A brutal law of artichokes

that have been creamed out risotto style.

If you are eating the risotto,

you should have multiple choosing.

And then we have braised baby artichokes,

crispy, almost chip-like.

The sauce that's going
with crispy artichokes,

tons of lemon,

tons of parsley,

tons of garlic emulsion.

So that's also what we'll

pair nice in with the wine.

Why would you do an artichoke dish

if you, part of the
idea was a wine canary?

Does anybody think the artichokes

affects the wine?

No.

I don't think so at all.

I think it was very good.

Well, I think it was because
it's more like butter.

Because it's somewhat buttery.

Well, exactly.

I liked the risotto dish more,

really tasted like artichokes.

It sort of completely
outshined the other dish.

She's not playing it safe.

You want the tomato?

No, we're doing the tomato squares.

In the kitchen,

when you've got all these dishes

and X amount of people,

you have resources.

You can use them.

Alright, first dish, guys.

Ratatouille.

You know, she wants to do everything

and dishes and food sat too long.

For the next course,

we have a bronzy note.

The ladies all have this
steamed bronzy note.

It's sort of a play on ratatouille.

So we have the seared tomato

underneath the fish.

Then the red pepper element

is actually the emulsion on top.

Gentlemen, you are having
the crispy bronzy note

served with a little bit of
homemade black olive pappardelle.

I think sometimes the
fish gets over-sauced

and you lose the fish.

So I like to keep really light sauces

or no sauces at all.

Ladies, enjoy.

Oh, really quickly.

The gentlemen are having the primitivo

and then the ladies
are having the amaroni.

She talks too much.

You have to sit down
and listen to someone

talk about your food for ten minutes.

Yeah, sure.

I almost said eat up.

It's warm.

This is the first absolute disaster.

You guys have been fantastic.

Thank you.

We're not done yet.

We can sell f***ed up.

What number are we on?

This is the meat course.

This is four.

I think we should just eat
through their talking because...

I agree.

Okay, we have saltimbocca.

Classic Italian veal preparation.

It is then finished
with a primitivo glace

and the ladies are drinking
the Barolo with that.

Are we drinking the primitivo
and it's in the glass?

No, no, no.

You're actually drinking the Barolo
and the primitivo is in there.

Gentlemen, you are drinking the Brunello

and you are also indulging in a
little bit of center cut veal.

Very classic minted peas on
spinach and cheese crema.

Thank you.

Thanks.

I think it just continues this
very perverse wine service.

I think we needed a sommelier.

There was a sommelier on your team.

Yeah, hell.

Both dishes are good but
they're not that great.

I'm not needing to lick my plate

and that makes me sad.

This is going to be yum.

It would have been so fun to do this.

I mean, I did it, but
not, you know what I mean.

I'm glad you picked that towel.

She just let me run with desserts.

She didn't overpower me.

I just, I did what I knew how to make.

I'm finishing with you
and I'm happy with that.

Dave was so honorable
that he put the dessert

that he had planned to use for himself

and he just gave it to Tiffany.

Dave didn't have that recipe.

I'm not sure what
Tiffany would have done.

We've paired c*ck with the desserts.

The ladies are eating the
golden raisin bread pudding.

The gentlemen, you have
a vanilla penicotta

with a little bit of
passion fruit reduction.

Thank you.

I like that.

Mmm.

Oh my God.

That's the best bread pudding.

I don't want to give mine up.

Tiffany certainly is really
shining in this dessert department.

I cannot begin to thank you enough.

Thank you both.

I'm happy.

You know, I'm happy that I
got to cook in the finale.

I, you know, it's hard.

I think you have a lot of bowls.

Coming from you, that means a lot.

I don't know. When you cook, are you
cooking to please yourself

or to please the people
you're cooking for?

I cook the way I want to eat and
that's really important to me.

I think cooking to please other
people to me just falls short.

As somebody who spends a
lot of time tracking trends,

I always appreciated the fact
that you were taking risks.

I had some questions about the wines.

No question about the c*ck set.

The dessert, like a firework.

I really love that.

Well, Tiffany, thank
you for a lovely meal.

Thank you all.

We will see you at judge's table.

Okay.

Thanks.

Why did you choose to play it safe?

You went for ten dishes.

Some of them were a little challenging.

I don't know what to say to that.

I'm sorry if you felt the menu
wasn't extravagant enough.

So tonight we have the biggest
decision of the competition to make.

Who is going to be top chef?

Tom, who do you think was shining today?

I think they both were,
you know, shining.

I think this was some
of the best work they've

done throughout the entire competition.

Harold played it safe.

He really didn't sort of, you
know, push it, but it was solid.

It was really, really good.

As much as Harold might have had
more consistency, and I think he did,

Tiffany took greater risk,
was way more ambitious,

and really took a lot of the
dishes to the next level.

I think I have to consider
some risk reward here.

Oh, absolutely.

I really do.

For me, Tiffany's artichoke dish,
the risotto, was my favorite.

That was fantastic.

Well, maybe that and Harold's beef.

Tiffany's dessert was so good.

I loved that.

I loved both of her desserts, and those
c*ck just sealed the deal for me.

I'm wondering who actually
made those desserts.

I think we could really gain some
insight about the entire challenge

if we brought in the four sous chefs.

Bring them out.

That'd be great.

As you can probably guess, we're a little

curious as to how it went
on behind the scenes.

Steve, what role did you play?

Obviously, there was a lot
of wine pairings going on.

How much of that did
Tiffany leave up to you?

I definitely brought my perspective
from the beverage end of things.

It was a difficult pairing, though.

You're doing such an ambitious
menu with two different menus.

How did you guys feel when you
found out that she was doing 10?

Especially the host, Tiffany.

No, it's cool.

Could I give her a high five?

I was like, if you're
willing to go do this

when you're up for
$100,000, props to you.

I respect Tiffany for that.

I was like, wow, go, girl, you know.

What did you think of Harold?

I thought Harold did an awesome job.

I mean, hands down, he was really
making sure that we were taken care of.

He knows he couldn't get
to this place without

the support of his coworkers
and his cast mates.

Dave, originally you chose to work with
Harold, and then you drew a short knife.

How did that sort of play into
what happened today with you?

I'm a professional.

I will put forth my best effort.

You know, friend, foe, whatever,
ally, blah, blah, blah.

Was she good to you?

She was best as Tiffany can be, you know.

I mean, there's still the snapper
stuff, like, get the wine off the line.

You know, I mean, it's just a tone thing.

She'd come back in the kitchen,
she's like, you gotta stop talking.

And I would, we would giggle.

The thing is, she's in such
a bad position with us.

Like, she should be
kissing all, you know what?

Right.

I mean, because we
should be able to be able

to dance up on the line
and get away with it.

We're helping put cash
in someone else's pocket.

To me, if there's any time to be considerate
and cool, that's pretty much the time.

What role specifically did
you play in tonight's dinner?

That role.

I did the dessert.

Start to finish?

Oh, yeah, that was on me.

That dessert was fantastic.

Really fabulous.

I loved it.

Start to finish.

I made sure over the last couple
weeks I powered out, you know,

memorized some recipes so
I could bust out dessert.

So, again, being a professional,
it's like I threw it to Tiffany,

because I'm on her team.

I gotta pull it through for her.

So, let's wrap this up by asking each
of you who you think should be top chef.

Leanne?

Harold.

I love them both personally.

Harold.

Dave?

Harold, yes.

Stephen?

Harold, no doubt.

Well, thank you all for your information.

We have a very big decision to make.

Thank you.

Thank you, guys.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Please.

Let's go to the bar.

Can someone take a party?

Well, that was interesting.

Fascinating.

Okay, let's bring in Harold and Tiffany.

We're standing, huh?

Hi.

What's up?

Harold, you gave us a
fairly conservative menu,

so why did you choose to play it safe?

To be honest, I just didn't, you
know, I didn't want to hose myself.

I like simple food.

I mean, I'm sorry if you felt the
menu wasn't extravagant enough.

Tiffany, you know, Harold
chose to write a menu.

You chose to come out and talk.

Did you ever think when you
came out to the diners to say...

What's that?

Can you talk at all?

No, you wrote a menu.

You wrote a menu.

You know, we were sitting
there listening to you,

and our food was getting
colder and colder and colder.

I think it was just my assumption
that you guys would start eating,

and that was my misstep, for sure.

This was maybe the difficulties
of doing two menus,

that you had to explain two dishes
each time you were there, not one dish.

Fair enough.

Harold, what would you have changed?

You know, Katie got a piece of bass
that obviously she wasn't happy with.

I wasn't happy with it.

Do you always cook quail well done?

No.

Who cooked that?

I cooked it.

Lorraine, I know that you had
thoughts on some of the pairings.

I was unhappy when you served
the amaroni with the bass.

If it didn't work, then,
you know, we took a risk.

But in 10 courses, if we
failed once, I'm sorry.

Of your 10, which was your favorite?

I'm really proud of what
I put forward today.

I don't know that I have a favorite.

I think the panna cotta with the
passion fruit was just a firecracker.

Everybody loved that.

Yeah.

It was really good.

I gave Dave, you know,
directive of exactly

what I wanted, and he
came through with it.

I gotta tell you, Dave
told us that that was a

dish that he worked on
prior to the competition,

knowing that he may have to do dessert.

Yeah, I talked about it very, at
length, Dave and I talked about it.

Really?

And he brought something to it, and
I brought something different to it.

I couldn't be more blessed with the
people that I ended up with today.

Like, I really enjoyed them
as people and as cooks.

Steven was a tremendous asset to me.

So was Dave.

I mean, that's admirable,
but both of them thought that

after working with you,
that Harold should win this.

I don't know what to say to that.

It's heartbreaking in a lot of
ways that they thought that.

Tiffany, why should you be top chef?

I consistently take
risks, and sometimes to

my detriment, and sometimes it works out.

And if every great chef played it
safe all the time, I don't know.

I think it would be to
everyone's detriment.

Harold, why should you be top chef?

I think throughout this
competition, consistently my

food's been really good, and
I think it was again today.

Also, being a chef is...

You need to have people that want to
be by your side and go to bat with you,

and work in the kitchen with you,
because you can't do it all by yourself.

So we obviously have a very big decision
to make, so thank you both very much.

We enjoyed your meals.

Thank you. You know, Harold played it safe.

He kept the playing very simple,
kept most of the food very simple.

Tiffany, on the other
hand, I think her high

points were higher than
Harold's high points,

but her low points were definitely
lower than Harold's low points.

Harold's quail was overcooked,
but the concept was

beautiful, the dish was
focused, the spetzel was great.

Well, the frog raw with
the cherries was delicious.

Harold's beef dish was probably better
than her veal, her two veal dishes.

I agree.

I think she could have
done ten veal dishes, and

none of them were stacked
up for that beef dish.

The two Kobe beefs, I
thought that was superior.

That could have been in any great
restaurant anywhere in the world,

and it was magnificent.

A top chef is one who
inspires others to want

to work for them, and
clearly Harold took that.

I'm not going to lie, it
was really tough hearing

that, like, everyone
thought you should win.

My back just ran into your knife.

Sorry.

And fair enough.

Fair enough.

I love Tiffany's boldness
to do the ten plates.

I thought that was really ballsy
of her, and that was impressive.

The issue now becomes, did she wow us?

Her artichoke risotto,
which I thought could

have been the high point
of the whole both meals.

On the flip side, the fish course with
the fennel, the colors did not impress me.

The distribution on the plate
I didn't think was well done.

It wasn't a well-ex*cuted
dish from start to finish.

I love the desserts.

Which doesn't sound like she made it.

Also, I don't really care about
the whole drama behind the scenes.

I've worked on enough movies
to know that drama is there.

And whether you're not getting
along with your co-star,

you know, the back story
doesn't really mean anything.

It's what I was serving.

Do you have a clear winner in your mind?

Yes, I do.

And I am choosing by only food.

I'm leaving the drama in the
kitchen where it belongs.

Yeah?

I do too.

I've decided.

I think I know who I
believe to be the top chef.

Katie?

Very clear to me.

What about you, Tom?

I think we have a decision.

The moment we've all been waiting for.

Oh, boy.

You're both worthy of this title, but
unfortunately only one of you can have it.

Tiffany, you went to 10 dishes, and
some of those dishes really sang.

Some of them were a little challenging.

We admired that.

And throughout the competition,
we've seen you grow.

And we all love to see that passion
that you put into your food.

But you've sort of let your drive and
ambition get in the way with relationships.

And it seems like if something you're
working on, you need to work it out.

Harold, you took the safe
food here, we all think.

But your food was consistently good
and sometimes really extraordinary.

You had a strong team, a team
that really supported you.

But it counts for something,
but when it's all said and done,

this is not a popularity contest.

Katie?

This was a very difficult
decision for the judges to make.

Only one of you can be top chef.

Harold, you are the top chef.

Oh my God, thank you so much.

I didn't know which
way I could have gone.

And then they said my name,
and I was just like, holy s***,

this is f***ing amazing, you know?

This is what I came here to do.

It feels great.

Harold, how does it feel?

You're the top chef.

I don't even know what to say right now.

I'm ready for a c*ck.

You're it.

I'm ready for a c*ck.

So, Tiffany, I have to say it.

Please pack your knives and go.

I'm gone.

Thanks, guys.

Harold.

My heart.

Same here.

I'll talk to you.

It's been a long f***ing
road to come this close

and not do it.

Like, it's tough.

I've struggled my whole life.

So the idea of having
this money to travel,

my debt's bail.

All four of these guys right here
really thought that you deserve this.

Meet the new top chef.

This is big.

I mean, 100 grand.

Food and wine.

Aspen.

It's all going through my head.

And I'm just like, wow,
I'm overwhelmed right now.

East Coast wins again, baby.

Jump to the top chef.

I'm putting some of my $100
,000 towards a restaurant,

which hopefully will be opening
in New York City fall 2006.

You know, I'm sure I'll be
calling some really special people

in order to run this competition.

Because I will be helped.

Thank you.

Thank you.