©2008 Harry Kenney

And so the third month, another four weeks, has rolled by already and it’s time to do a monthly recap — the last one — on Top Chef. Pssst, here’s the first and the second monthly recaps we did in case you want to recall what happened from the beginning.

Top Chef, Season 4. The standings at the end of Week 12.

Super quick Top Chef recap of the past month:

Week 9: This is the one where the Quick Fire was the prep relay and Dale throws a tantrum. What we remember most about this ep is it’s the one where Padma says there are no restaurant wars this year, instead it’s Wedding Wars. In the end, Nikki who was handed the reigns basically by nature of what the groom wanted decided not to take responsibility, and that blew up in her face. Natch, as it was a wedding, there were also two cakes, which made pastry chef Gale Gand the perfect guest judge. Week 10: Salads and lunches. In the QF Spike won and Antonio came in second for making salads. The Elimination was to follow a set of guidelines to make better lunches, in this case for Chicago’s Police Officers. Andrew got clever and stupid at the same time and lost out. Guest judge was a TC Season Two favorite, Sam Talbot. Week 11: So what’s more surprising then ditching Restaurant Wars this year for Wedding Wars? By then doubling-back and having Restaurant Wars after all! That’s right with basically only three people left on each time (though eliminated members Nikki and Jennifer came back for several hours to lend a hand). With Antonia, Stephanie and Richard on one side and Dale, Spike and Lisa on the other, it came down to many flaws on the latter team and Dale not taking responsibility as exec chef. Dale exits. Anthony Bourdain is back at the judges table for this one. Week 12: After deboning half a steer into steaks for the QuickFire, it’s off to Rick Tramonto’s steak house for the Elmination Challenge. In the episode that has taught everyone never to use frozen scallops when featuring them as the main course, Spike finallys gets his.

And this leaves four challengers left and only the two big final shows. Next week two of the four will be axed. The week after the remaining two chefs go head to head in the finality. In the best and most promising season for women yet — a woman has not won the Top Chef honors in the previous three seasons — right now one male is left, Richard, and three women, Antonia, Stephanie and Lisa.

{29 May 2008}